[mv577]

Hello all...

Can an Officer increase the amount required to be paid to the head injury surfine by crossing out the $25 and writing in their own amount? This particular case was a standard 90/17 speeding ticket...

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[PATS246]

To answer your question, yes. The Registy increased the head injury fine to $50 a month or so ago. If you have K series citation which indicates $25, you are to cross out the $25 and write in the $50. Until you recieve and updated series of citations. There was something sent out to departments regarding this issue, there was also something available on LEAPS also.

We just got a new stack of citations, but I don't think they have been changed yet. Just shows how slow this state works.

A little tip for writing speeding fines for all the math wizzes out there. (including me) The number of miles over, just add a 0. I.E. 15 over the speed limit = $150 fine total

 

[mv577]

Thanks for the info... guess I was out of the loop on that one....

 

[mgb]

I had an appeal yesterday in Barnstable DC for 79 in a 55. I'm not crossing out the $25 an said so to Judge Reardon because I believe it's altering a citation, I'll wait til the new citations come out. Judge Reardon agreed, found the guy responsible , but gave him the $50 surcharge. Instead of $215 the citation cost him $240 plus the $20 everyone now has to pay if they want to appeal to a judge! Almost everyone I work with are not changing it. I personally don't like being the taxman for the government :!: even for a good cause. Stay Safe!

 

[mpd61]

I had an appeal yesterday in Barnstable DC for 79 in a 55. I'm not crossing out the $25 an said so to Judge Reardon because I believe it's altering a citation, I'll wait til the new citations come out. Judge Reardon agreed, found the guy responsible ,!

O.K. so I'm a little confused.............................. :-k

The RMV Promulgates via a July 16th letter, the new $50 surcharge (Amendment to MGL CH.90 s.20). And then there is a LEAPS notice transmitted twice (x2) over a 48 hour period. HOWEVER.................

You decide to utilize some cliche "altering a citation" and Judge Riordan/Reardon for some unknown reason decides that term trips his trigger too. Jesus! I honestly don't know why we (cops) continually try to make laws, instead of enforcing them! You don't want to be a "tax collector" for the state? Then don't write the "V" in the first place!
I'm sorry but there is quite a bit of irony in your statements.
:shock:

Just for the Record:

"Section 226 of the Commonwealth's FY 2004 budget (Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2003)

"there shall be a surcharge of $50 on a fine assessed against a person convicted or found responsible of a violation of section 17 or a violation of a special regulation lawfully made under the authority of section 18."

This increased surcharge became effective July 1, 2003. The letter from the RMV has an attached example of how to cross out $25 and write $50 (very helpful) In addition, if you have any questions you are encouraged to call the Registry of Motor Vehicles LEGAL Department @ (617) 351-9951
:sq:

 

[Guest]

C.90 should not be a revenue enhancing tool for the Commonwealth. It is there to teach speeders and other snapperheads the error of their ways. A good $50 V or warning should suffice. You know they do have a warning box to check on there as well. Hammering a guy for $300 for speeding on the Pike or 495 is counterproductive when we are trying to be a kinder, gentler police force.

Every party I go to I hear some jerk state ".........the cop hammered me for speeding and fined me X amount. Can you believe it?" Yes I do believe it. This would be the same guy who would come to the aid of a PO in trouble at the side of the road but now drives on by while the PO gets pummeled. I can see why they would just drive on by now with all the nitwit cops who excessively fine motorists.

 

[bbelichick]

C.90 should not be a revenue enhancing tool for the Commonwealth. It is there to teach speeders and other snapperheads the error of their ways. A good $50 V or warning should suffice. You know they do have a warning box to check on there as well. Hammering a guy for $300 for speeding on the Pike or 495 is counterproductive when we are trying to be a kinder, gentler police force.

Every party I go to I hear some jerk state ".........the cop hammered me for speeding and fined me X amount. Can you believe it?" Yes I do believe it. This would be the same guy who would come to the aid of a PO in trouble at the side of the road but now drives on by while the PO gets pummeled. I can see why they would just drive on by now with all the nitwit cops who excessively fine motorists.

So now we're basing our policing on whether or not we will get roadside assistance from a violator? I am not sure what police force is "trying to be kinder and gentler" but it is a mistake. I have seen a MAJOR attitude shift in the 7 years I have been a cop, it seems like people have little respect for law enforcement and EXPECT a warning, when before they were grateful. The last few years I have also seen an increase in people cursing at, generally disrespecting and assaulting cops...

Not to mention the bizarre logic that a citizen that got a speeding ticket will watch a cop get beaten as "revenge".

Sounds like you go to parties with a bunch of jerks.

 

[mpd61]

C.90 should not be a revenue enhancing tool for the Commonwealth. It is there to teach speeders and other snapperheads the error of their ways. A good $50 V or warning should suffice. You know they do have a warning box to check on there as well. Hammering a guy for $300 for speeding on the Pike or 495 is counterproductive when we are trying to be a kinder, gentler police force.

I can see why they would just drive on by now with all the nitwit cops who excessively fine motorists.

You really take the cake with this one. "revenue enhancing tool" vs. "teach speeders"& "snapperheads". What better way to give someone a lesson, than a fine in proportion to their degree of violation? Maybe they'll "learn" before they hurt/kill someone. Believe me when I tell you I give 80% warnings to every speeder I stop. The other 20% go to those with >20 mph over, shit attitude+shit history=habitual menace, etc.

Of course I'll save you the effort in responding with comments about 13 & 14th graders and the other inflammatory crap you fling. Suffice to say you DO NOT enforce CH.90, and I question why you diss all us "nitwit cops" who do?

I once again find myself questioning why I get so bummed by your diatribes, yet keep coming back to the same conclusion; You can't help shitting on somebody or some whole group of people to make yourself feel better.
:G: :A!: :wm:

 

[mgb]

MPD61, let me guess you must be a Democrat and voted for Mr. (Taxachusetts) Dukakis. Stay confused! :?

p.s. I don't need a lecture, but you can screw the general public as much as you want, I'll go after the dirtballs. :wink:

 

[mpd61]

MPD61, let me guess you must be a Democrat and voted for Mr. (Taxachusetts) Dukakis. Stay confused! :?

p.s. I don't need a lecture, but you can screw the general public as much as you want, I'll go after the dirtballs. :wink:

Actually I'm a Pro-Choice. Pro-gun, Pro-MSP, Republican who was chasing soviet submarines and missed being able to vote for/against Dukakis.
I am a warhawk, anti-dove, save-the-whales, nuke-the-koreans, give to veterans and special olympics, born-in-the USA mother!

And I DON'T make up my own rules to appease some internal struggle-with-my-conscience milque-toast issue like "ooooh I don't want to spank this poor citizen for an extra $25 after I already nailed him for ten (10) times that amount" Give me a break!

Seriously mgb,
Have fun nailing those dirtbags on the Cape! (Be Safe)
:wink:

 

[bpd145]

After the new $50 went into effect, our department's seat belt violation citations went up. A light hit in the pocketbook is still a hit. The $100 minimum speeding fine is crazy. I wonder where the increases and 'surfines' as they have been dubbed, will stop. Will we been funding the Big Dig cost over-runs? It could happen.

 

[EsxPD319]

I think masstroopers1 couldn't have stated it any better....



Ed

 

[mgb]

MPD61 - Well Excuuuse Me! I'm new to Masscops, I'll have to check your previous posts. I'm a Republican as well, but maybe a little more conservative (I'm Pro-Life) and although my family has been Navy, I'm a Vietnam-Era ARMYveteran.

No internal struggle here, like EsxPD319, said I agree with masstroopers1 and excuse me while I use only half of one of his sentences, "I enforce them as written".
:arrow: Yup the V still says $25!
Still Confused :?: that's all my orignal post was about :!: :!: :!:

With all the $$$ coming in from the speeding citations, think they could send the new ones out, maybe with a lidar box to check off as well!

Maybe they could add some new surcharges, think of any?

 

[bpd145]

MGB...

The new 'M' series cites have a box added for Lidar. Of course our department ran totally dry waiting for the 'M' citations to arrive. Pretty sad when a community has 9 guys on the road and not one citation book to be found!

 

[USMCTrooper]

MT1 hit the nail on the head. 98% of the people I stop get the full boat. At least in this area's largest Court, reductions are common and I know it. I am not going to reduce $300 to $150 so the judge can drop it to $50. Forget the Merit Rating Board surcharge, if you can walk away from a $300 fine for $50 who's laughing at who? Alot of times simply pulling alongside "John Q Citizen" going 10 - 15 over the limit during rush hour (or my favorite-the rolling speed limit parade for 15 miles!) results in them slowing right down and it ends there. This action of course precludes vehicles which I may feel deserve a closer look. As for altering a citation, thats a new one on me in the last 16 years. When LIDAR & VASCAR were invented, citations had no listing for that and I routinely wrote it in over Radar. Anyone remember citations that didn't list a box for 90-18? I wrote that in over the 90-17 box then too. Aren't those examples of "altering a citation"?

 

[mpd61]

MPD61 - Well Excuuuse Me! I'm new to Masscops, I'll have to check your previous posts. I'm a Republican as well, but maybe a little more conservative (I'm Pro-Life) and although my family has been Navy, I'm a Vietnam-Era ARMYveteran.

Well..................Alright!
At least you're not some ex-USAF fly-pussy who sat in a gopher hole or guarded a B-52 during the 70's
:FM:

Welcome to the fold!!!
:lol: