Robo-Ticket

I got a citation in the mail this week. It was a speeding ticket. Darn the luck. Then I looked closer. They provided pictures that the speeding camera took. It was of a Nissan Titan truck. But my car is a Nissan Versa hatchback. WTF?


Then I looked at the close-up picture of the license plate. The tow hitch on the back of the truck covered up part of the license plate. The numbers that were visible matched my license plate. But you could not see the whole license plate in the picture. What did they do? Randomly ticket everyone with a close match license plate?


Oh hell no. Time to fight this ticket. Especially since Big Brother took a picture of me. I figured I would have to go to court. While I was at it, I might as well request that the officer who used the automated system come to court as well. More fun for all.


Then saner minds prevailed. Nobody has time to go to traffic court. I still did not want to pay the fine. I don't give into extortion so easily. Instead I called up the city that issued the ticket to me. I tried to stick to the fact: license plate obscured, different vehicle model, and a request for dismissal of the charges.


The city agreed with me. All right. The battle is almost won. Now time to craft a letter documenting my phone call with the city, and send it to the city via registered mail. If they screwed up and sent the wrong guy the ticket, what is to say that the do not dismiss the ticket in the end?