Great Show...horrible Ending - Sort of Long Post

[dymplz8]

Well, I feel like I just have to vent a little because my husband is out of town and I have no one really to vent to...so you guys get to listen. I had a great show today, the host was wonderful and has already reached over $400in sales and has a few more outside orders coming in. Plus I had two people book shows from her party (one for May and one for June). I leave her house really excited and proud of myself. Now, I am in a part of the county that I am not familiar with, so at the end of her road which is at an intersection, I stopped at the stop sign, checked my directions and figured out which way I needed to go. The stop sign is actually set about 50feet back from the road and when you look to the left the road is covered by shrubbery. So, I start to go across the road and then out of nowhere a car (which was speeding by the way) almost hits my rear driver side door. Luckily, she swerved to miss me, but she ended up going through a fence and into a cow pasture. Nobody was hurt thank goodness, but there was alot of damage done to her car. Now, I am 29 and have never had an accident before and I had done everything I was supposed to by stopping at the stop sign and looking both ways before I began to cross. The driver of the other car was 17, did not have her driver's license with her and wasn't even wearing any shoes while she was driving and I got the Ticket The state trooper who came to the scene just stated I pulled out in front of her and he was being nice and not giving me a reckless driving ticket, just a failure to yield the right of way. So, I am really upset, because I did stop and I did yield and I feel like I am getting a ticket and charge on my driving record that I do not deserve. :cry: Oh well, maybe I'm wrong but I do thank God however that neither of us was hurt and that is a blessing.

 

[dianevill]

Congrats on a great show - sorry it didn't end well! Yes, be glad you didn't get hurt or get hit at all (think of all your products).

Personally, I think I'd fight this one in court. They should be able to tell how fast she was going by the skid marks. I had a similar situation many years ago (I was in the same position as you, but the guy hit me). They gave me a ticket but reversed the ruling in court. He ended up getting a speeding ticket after they determined he was going 27 mph over the speed limit.

Try to get some rest. It's pretty late by you!

Thank God you were both ok - that IS the important thing.

God bless!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Sorry to hear about the bummer ending to your show! i'm glad nobody was hurt. It's not fair when that kind of thing happens when it's not your fault. Try to be proud of a GREAT show!!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Do you have a friend or family member in law or law enforcement? They would probably be able to give you some good advice on whether it's worth your time and energy to appeal the ticket.

First off, there are no skid marks if the car had anti-lock brakes. (Learned this the hard way, after my mom died in a car crash. Sorry, don't mean to be Di Downer)

Secondly ... my bro attempted to appeal a ticket after the cop who obviously had it in for him pulled him over, searched his vehicle, found nothing and said, without even pausing to hear the answer: "Were you wearing your seatbelt? I'll take that as a no." So the cop, who had no proof that he wasn't belted (as he was out of his vehicle at the time) wrote him a citation for not wearing a seatbelt. Well, he found out that when you appeal a ticket, you have to pay court costs, the officer's time to show up in court, etc. and basically double your costs.

Might be worth a call to the "officer in charge" of the highway patrol post.

And congrats on your great show!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I'm with everyone else on this... fight it in court. Here in MN you don't have to pay the costs the city or county that ticketed you does- as they have to prove their case. 9 times out of 10 the officer never shows up because they don't remember you, the event, or are too busy working on other things to take the time to come to the court house. Of course a phone call might help too, but I'm not sure who you would call.

By the way, congrats on the really good show! I hoped it closed at over $600 for you!!

 

[PamperedPrincess02]

I must agree with everyone as well...You did no wrong and shouldn be punished for it....if I was you I would go back to that scene as soon as possible and take pictures of the intersection...stop where you stopped and take a pic of the bushes so they will se that your vision was clearly obstucted and take pics of the road (if there are skid marks incase they say there wasnt any and anything else that would help you in court....tell your story because the truth and justice is what is important in the ticket situation...and your safety and other! Glad to hear you are ok...Thank God for it not being worse! Hope you have a better day tomorrow!!

P.S. Sorry if I have spelling error's it's late, I'm tired and can't sleep! Please over look me

 

[KellyTheChef]

Sorry about your ticket...but I am thankful that you and the other girl are OK! I agree with the others...fight it! Good luck with everything, and congrats on a super show!

 

[dianevill]

Do you have a friend or family member in law or law enforcement? They would probably be able to give you some good advice on whether it's worth your time and energy to appeal the ticket.

First off, there are no skid marks if the car had anti-lock brakes. (Learned this the hard way, after my mom died in a car crash. Sorry, don't mean to be Di Downer)

Secondly ... my bro attempted to appeal a ticket after the cop who obviously had it in for him pulled him over, searched his vehicle, found nothing and said, without even pausing to hear the answer: "Were you wearing your seatbelt? I'll take that as a no." So the cop, who had no proof that he wasn't belted (as he was out of his vehicle at the time) wrote him a citation for not wearing a seatbelt. Well, he found out that when you appeal a ticket, you have to pay court costs, the officer's time to show up in court, etc. and basically double your costs.

Might be worth a call to the "officer in charge" of the highway patrol post.

And congrats on your great show!

Wow - that must have changed since my accident (it's been over 20 years, knock on wood). I didn't have to pay ANYTHING!

I didn't know there wouldn't be skid marks with ABS - but I'd think that they'd be able to get an estimate based on how damaged the fence was???? Maybe? At any rate, I'd still fight it.

Again, of course the main thing is that everyone's ok, because that could have ended more tragically.

 

[redsoxgirl]

We don't have to pay for court costs in Mass either. I'd appeal it.

Congrats on the the show!

 

[Molly Jo]

In nebraska our court costs are added right into the ticket whether you go to court or not. Two summers ago my husband and I were in a similar accident. An older lady who should not have been driving pulled out in front of us while we were coming home from camping. My Dh did a great job and completely missed her but we ended up on the curb with a flat tire and some damage done to the front of the pickup. No tickets were issued and we had to fight her insurance company to get them to pick up any of the costs. Their reasoning was that because there was no contact it wasn't a two car accident! We got them to pay eventually, but it took a while! Good luck!

 

[lkprescott]

I like the suggestion of going back to the scene and taking pictures - especially if there are notable skid marks (if she went into a field - there may be ruts made by her tires... noting where she went through the fence and how far until the ruts end would be good to note as well). Sounds like you followed the rules and while accidents happen, if it's her fault too at the least they shouldn't have given you any citation or given it to both of you. I know the default is to give it to those who 'fail to yield'. I had an accident when I was about 19 I wished later that I had fought but didn't now I COULD! I was making a left (already at fault apparently) when a motorcycle broadsided me. I was automatically faulted since I was making a left... nevermind that it was night and he had NO lights on... and had come quickly from out behind a parked vehicle that was parked at the intersection... no way I saw him when I started my left. I took the ticket and the points and he later went after my insurance (after declaring he was fine and no damage was to his bike)... I learned a lot though. Fast forward and years ago I got a speeding ticket. I KNEW I wasn't going what the cop told me I was (was impossible... I had an old car, had just stopped for a schoolbus.. etc and his detection was with ... a stopwatch... yet he calculated me to such a degree I thought perhaps he had radar - which our township cops can't have)... I fought it. Went to court, wished he wouldn't be there - but was. Before the judge came in he wanted 'to talk things out'... so I grilled him (he told me I asked questions only a lawyer would have like "when was the last time your device was calibrated" and "when was the last time you received training in using it" hehehe) and we agreed, if I had been going over at all it would only have been by 1 or 2 mph, NOT the 15.2 he had claimed! They dropped the charges, points, etc... but I ended up paying for court costs... and well, didn't get my money back BUT felt very personally satisfied for standing up for the truth! I know I wasn't going 55.2 in a 40! I would have liked the money back though... I was a single mom at the time and that ticket HURT!

 

[ted122781]

My sister was a police officer for years, and now she is a detective for the police department. She said that you should definitely fight this ticket, and not to sound harsh but courts usually side with an adult over a teenager unless the teenager comes from a family with money. So you have the advantage. They can also tell how fast she was going by the black box in her car. Insurance should've already recovered that. Just some advice. I hope it helps, and congrats on the great show!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

After giving this some further thought ... I'd touch base with the owner of the farm.

Somebody is going to have to compensate him for his damages. And he can't come after you, because your car did not damage the fence.

He might be willing to join you in this fight.

 

[pamperedlinda]

After giving this some further thought ... I'd touch base with the owner of the farm.

Somebody is going to have to compensate him for his damages. And he can't come after you, because your car did not damage the fence.

He might be willing to join you in this fight.

Good thinking!

 

[dymplz8]

The funny thing is, that the State Trooper gave the owner of the farm my information and told him to contact me about the damages. I believe he is trying to hold me liable for everything. I am just so frustrated. It would be one thing if I really thought I was in the wrong, but I know that I wasn't and I don't know how to fight this. I mean from the time the Trooper showed up until the time I left (1 hour) he probably spoke to me for 5 minutes and 4 of those were used to explain my ticket. The driver of the car and her passenger had about 12 people there from her family that showed up and they spent most of their time talking to him. So I feel that I didn't even get to represent my side of the situation well either. My problem is that I am very timid and let people walk all over me most of the time when I am in situations like this.

 

[Nanisu]

Go back and take pictures of the shrubbery hiding the sign, then go to court.

Good luck, and congrats on the show!