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Am I a Canadian outlaw? That would actually be pretty cool
whuppins
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I'm a U.S. citizen. Six years ago I went to Canada for my honeymoon. Rented a car there and got pulled over (by a real, honest-to-God mountie!) on the last night for speeding. Didn't think much of it, as it was at the tail end of a 10-hour drive from Vancouver to Calgary. At the time the officer kind of winkingly explained to me that I wouldn't be able to rent another car, get a Driver's license, etc. in Canada until the ticket was paid -- making no mention of possible repercussions once I got back to the States. I know this sounds stupid, and maybe I was just groggy from the trip and misunderstood him, but he seemed to be hinting that I could probably just let the ticket go if I didn't have any future plans to return to Canada.
The ticket came to my house a few weeks later. I remembered the conversation with the officer (nicest cop I've ever seen; spent 2 minutes writing the ticket and 15 minutes telling me where I could go for the best fishing and giving me directions to the hotel) and decided to ignore it; if it was really important I thought I'd at least get a second notice or something. I was poor at the time and things like food and rent were more immediate concerns for that $150.
That was the last I ever heard about it, but recently I've been looking for a new job and there have been some nice opportunities in Canada. And so, if I choose to return for any length of time, my questions are:
1.) Will I still be in the books somewhere? Will I still not be able to get a license, etc. until this is resolved?
2.) If so, would the unpaid ticket have escalated to something more serious? Would I just have to pay the original $150, or would I now be facing thousands of dollars in fines and/or a court date?
The ticket came to my house a few weeks later. I remembered the conversation with the officer (nicest cop I've ever seen; spent 2 minutes writing the ticket and 15 minutes telling me where I could go for the best fishing and giving me directions to the hotel) and decided to ignore it; if it was really important I thought I'd at least get a second notice or something. I was poor at the time and things like food and rent were more immediate concerns for that $150.
That was the last I ever heard about it, but recently I've been looking for a new job and there have been some nice opportunities in Canada. And so, if I choose to return for any length of time, my questions are:
1.) Will I still be in the books somewhere? Will I still not be able to get a license, etc. until this is resolved?
2.) If so, would the unpaid ticket have escalated to something more serious? Would I just have to pay the original $150, or would I now be facing thousands of dollars in fines and/or a court date?
whuppins on
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I don't know much of this first hand, but I did find this for you:
It says Ontario, but I suspect the west coast provinces probably have a similar system in place.
And just to clarify, I'm not worried about the effect the ticket itself would have on insurance rates, etc. Just the fact that it's been unpaid for so long. Like, I'm envisioning a scenario where I attempt to land in the Edmonton airport for my interview and I'm ambushed, Hyman Roth-style, where Canadian federal agents whisk me away to Newfoundland labor camp where I'm forced to watch Red Green reruns and drink Tuborg.
Actually, that would be rad. I'm trying to turn this issue into a real scary, dire one, but it keeps coming back to awesomeness.
It's well within the realm of the possible that it could follow him home, I'd say. If it does in two years, it'll probably have additional non-payment fines tacked on.
EDIT:
It's also worth noting that the RCMP handle provincial policing in most of the country. Most provinces don't have individually funded state police the way you see in the USA. Jackass.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Was that at me?
It might also be worth noting that the enforcement database used to track non-payment doesn't cross provincial lines unless the offense is federal (like child support evasion). So whatever province he got the ticket in would be the one enforcing the non-payment.
We cut off a finger for every year of non-payment of traffic fines, just so you know. My cousin is missing his whole left hand.
The jackass remark was at the OP's "a real mountie wow-eee!"
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I'm from Québec and I got a ticket (for a red light) in Indiana. Would not paying the ticket prevent me from entering the US again in the future? If yes then I'll bite the bullet and pay, since I do want to go back to the US.
I dont think the ticket will show on my Québec record tough.. AFAIK, Québec only have reciprocal agreements with Ontario, NY and Maine.
I have until July 2nd to pay w/o penalty so I gotta decide soon.
I'm not really sure, but this is all pretty sketchy and borderline illegal, is it not?
In your case since you still have the ticket I'd just pay it (unless doing so would cause some financial problem for you) because in all fairness you committed a fine-able offense, and were fined for it.
I'm all for using your rights to the fullest to protect yourself from abuse from the law, but thats not what this is. I view this in the same light as committing a crime and running for the Mexican border. I can understand in the OPs case because it was a long time ago and now he can't really pay it because (im assuming) after several years he doesn't still have the ticket, and it sounds like he would pay it if required to.
In a similar vein, I just want to clarify that I'm not really worried about being picked up by border security. Sorry if I confused the issue with my silliness. I just wanted to know if I should expect any penalty more severe than, say, a $1,000 fine should I decide to move to AB.
There is the possibility that the unpaid ticket will result in a summons to appear in US court, increased fees, then eventually a warrant for your arrest (which may prevent your re-entering the US, at least, without incarceration.) I had a friend show me the notice he received for a Pennsylvania warrant out for his arrest for failing to pay a $25 dollar parking fine. He didn't heed the notice to appear in court and had the court costs and penalties added to his fine up to the point where the warrant was issued.
They will often send you a notice so that you can admit guilt and pay early, or else when/where to show up for traffic court to dispute the ticket. If you only ever got the original notice, make sure to read over the whole thing.
EDIT: I should clarify, I am not advocating breaking the law, but making sure that you are making an informed decision on what they are asking of you, and what you are willing to pay or submit yourself to if you choose to defy them.
I say this as a person that frequently pays the parking ticket instead of pay for the parking space.
MWO: Adamski