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Photo Enforcement Tickets Suck, or Why the Washington D.C. DMV should be eradicated
CoJoeTheLawyer
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Here's the situation
In January of 2008, my fiancée receives in the mail a "final notice" from the Washington D.C Department of Motor Vehicles that they have not received her response in regards to paying her delinquent speeding ticket issued to her on November 26, 2007. They make the demand that if they do not receive payment or a response to the ticket in 30 days (including a penalty fee), they will take steps to have her PA license suspended.
The problem is the following:
1. She wasn't in D.C. on November 26, 2007. In fact, she hasn't been in D.C. since July of 2006;
2. She's never actually driven in D.C. When she went, she took my car and her friends drove.
2. She never received a speeding ticket in the mail. This final notice was the first notice she received;
3. She never received a copy of the original photo enforcement ticket.
So I do some investigating, make some phonecalls through the dial-in hell that is the Washington D.C. DMV and eventually we received a copy of the original photo enforcement ticket in February of 2008 via regualr mail. After reviewing it, this raises some new concerns:
1. She doesn't own a SUV like the one in the photo. In fact, she doesn't drive anything close to a SUV;
2. She's not a Black Male wearing a Washington Redskins jersey;
3. The picture showing the license plate of the vehicle is so blurry and distorted that you can't even make out what state is was issued for.
I help her fill out the request for adjudication my mail, make our argument as to why the ticket is in error (mainly, they have the wrong person, car, license number, etc....we even included photos of her, her car, her schedule showing she was in school at the time the ticket was issued, etc.) and send it to the appropriate office by regular and certified mail. Months go by. I never receive back my certified mailing card showing that someone from the DMV signed for the ticket. I did some research that says that Washington D.C. is months, if not years, behind on dealing with these mail-in adjudications with regards to minor traffic offenses, so I'm not worried.
Recently, she's been contacted by a collection agency looking to collect on this now delinquent ticket. They are making the usual threats for a collection agency (ruined credit, suspended license, beating puppies with clubs etc., etc.) but they will not release any information with regards to how this matter went into collections. Furthermore, the Washington D.C. DMV currently has her ticket listed as disputed, and they will not issue any information with regards to collections. They will also not tell me where it stands in terms of adjudication.
So my question is this: How the hell can I get this phantom ticket either dismissed or at the very f*cking least taken out of collections until it's actually decided? I'm hoping someone from this board has had some experience dealing with the DMV down there, and maybe knows the secret code to get this taken care of painlessly. I'd rather like to avoid a 4-hour (one way) trip to D.C. to deal with this in person.
In the alternative, what should I do if my Fiancée is secretly a black male Redskins fan who trucks around D.C. in a SUV and drives 10-15 MPHs over the speed limit???
EDIT: Yes, I realize that she could/should just pay the damn thing and be done with it. But she's stubborn and convinced she shouldn't have to pay someone's speeding ticket because D.C. picked her at random.
In January of 2008, my fiancée receives in the mail a "final notice" from the Washington D.C Department of Motor Vehicles that they have not received her response in regards to paying her delinquent speeding ticket issued to her on November 26, 2007. They make the demand that if they do not receive payment or a response to the ticket in 30 days (including a penalty fee), they will take steps to have her PA license suspended.
The problem is the following:
1. She wasn't in D.C. on November 26, 2007. In fact, she hasn't been in D.C. since July of 2006;
2. She's never actually driven in D.C. When she went, she took my car and her friends drove.
2. She never received a speeding ticket in the mail. This final notice was the first notice she received;
3. She never received a copy of the original photo enforcement ticket.
So I do some investigating, make some phonecalls through the dial-in hell that is the Washington D.C. DMV and eventually we received a copy of the original photo enforcement ticket in February of 2008 via regualr mail. After reviewing it, this raises some new concerns:
1. She doesn't own a SUV like the one in the photo. In fact, she doesn't drive anything close to a SUV;
2. She's not a Black Male wearing a Washington Redskins jersey;
3. The picture showing the license plate of the vehicle is so blurry and distorted that you can't even make out what state is was issued for.
I help her fill out the request for adjudication my mail, make our argument as to why the ticket is in error (mainly, they have the wrong person, car, license number, etc....we even included photos of her, her car, her schedule showing she was in school at the time the ticket was issued, etc.) and send it to the appropriate office by regular and certified mail. Months go by. I never receive back my certified mailing card showing that someone from the DMV signed for the ticket. I did some research that says that Washington D.C. is months, if not years, behind on dealing with these mail-in adjudications with regards to minor traffic offenses, so I'm not worried.
Recently, she's been contacted by a collection agency looking to collect on this now delinquent ticket. They are making the usual threats for a collection agency (ruined credit, suspended license, beating puppies with clubs etc., etc.) but they will not release any information with regards to how this matter went into collections. Furthermore, the Washington D.C. DMV currently has her ticket listed as disputed, and they will not issue any information with regards to collections. They will also not tell me where it stands in terms of adjudication.
So my question is this: How the hell can I get this phantom ticket either dismissed or at the very f*cking least taken out of collections until it's actually decided? I'm hoping someone from this board has had some experience dealing with the DMV down there, and maybe knows the secret code to get this taken care of painlessly. I'd rather like to avoid a 4-hour (one way) trip to D.C. to deal with this in person.
In the alternative, what should I do if my Fiancée is secretly a black male Redskins fan who trucks around D.C. in a SUV and drives 10-15 MPHs over the speed limit???
EDIT: Yes, I realize that she could/should just pay the damn thing and be done with it. But she's stubborn and convinced she shouldn't have to pay someone's speeding ticket because D.C. picked her at random.
CoJoeTheLawyer on
0
Posts
I think I'll have to check the D.C. bar to see if any of my classmates wandered down there to practice.
I would call up the DC DMV again. Explain to them that the picture shows a black male driving a car nothing like the one your girlfriend owns, and that you can't see the license plate. If they say "sorry, can't help," politely but firmly ask to speak to their supervisor. See if you can get anywhere that way; this case is clear enough that someone there may be able to just make it go away for you.
Failing that, does your girlfriend have a good relationship with her insurance agent, CoJoe? If so, I'd suggest talking to him next, showing him the picture and the ticket, and explaining the situation there. He should be able to CYA if the ticket shows up on your insurance.
Respond to the credit agency in writing, saying that you are disputing, and not to contact your friend anymore.. Is the agency calling her on behalf of DC DMV or was it a sharing program with PA DMV, and they are contacting her ?
Librarians harbor a terrible secret. Find it.
Based on what little I have, it looks like they are contacting her on behalf of the DC DMV.
I did send a letter to the credit agency regarding the fact we are disputing everything and to contact me, not her, but they've broken that twice already. I also asked for information regarding the alleged debt, but they haven't provided it yet.
I think Thanatos has the best idea so far, just contact our insurance rep and see if they can let the ticket slide (in terms of insurance) under the circumstances. We both have clear records, no major or minor traffic offenses.
It seems the only way to get resolution is to a) find someone here working in DC DMV or b) take a day, and talk to the DMV in an ever increasing phone marathon.
Will the Consumerist.com people help? they seem to have some luck in getting resolution from the stone wall of customer service.
Librarians harbor a terrible secret. Find it.
HAHAHAHA
They absolutely will, if it's not contested properly. It sounds like the OP is doing that, but needs to get the creditors off his back. Talking to the DMV and getting them to resolve it from their end is probably the best bet.