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You ever get a feeling?

3K views 21 replies 16 participants last post by  therookie 
#1 ·
You ever get a feeling?

Well about two days ago, my whole world was turned upside down. I got into my first car accident. I was going down my freshly graded dirt road and got to close to the shoulder and started to slide, I over corrected from the slide and slid off the road hitting a tree and bouncing into a pond. Well after a night that I dont remember in the hospital, I came home and found out that the car was totaled, the police did not listen to my dad, and my car got towed away by a tow truck company after my dad told them to drop the car in our drive way that was 500 yards down the road. Then I got the bill from the HAZMAT crew because the fire crew thought that they saw oil and gas in the water. So I went down and looked at the car to see where the oil and gas came from, and there were no leaks, the two tanks were still full and the engine ran still. So now I and looking at the $1400 bill from hazmat saying why did they come out again? Finally this afternoon, I got a call from a police officer who was the first to respond to the scene and he asked if I was home. I told him yes and he said he would be there in 10 minutes to write me my tickets. Well ten minutes and 7 tickets later I am down in a hole that I dug for my self and no end in sight. My estimated total from the accident is around $4500 and I am just flustered to a point where I needed to get some of this anger out. I was the only one in the accident thank god, and I to a point am happy to be alive, but on the other hand where the heck do they expect a 17 year old kid working 2 jobs making $250 a month to come up with $4500 in 60 days. Any one have suggestions? I have already started by putting up some of my woodworking stuff hoping it sells so I can get down some of these bills. But advice would be nice from people who have gone through this before.
Thanks
Adam.
 
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#3 ·
If that's the way the state of MI treats its residents then I can understand why so many folks from up there have moved to the south.
HAZMAT "THOUGHT" they saw oil and gas in the water.
- You could throw a Zippo in a pond and see oil and gas in the water. BS.
- They would have to test samples of the water to prove that any harm was done before I'd pay a cent.

Was the "freshly graded road" your drive way. If it was then the police have no jurisdiction and no legal way to fine you.

If not, if it was a county or state road, did they have any warning signs up that the road was freshly graded and un-stable? If there were no warnings, then I think you need to sue there asses for creating a driving hazard and not posting any warnings.

I think you need to get a lawyer.
 
#5 ·
Well the road had no warning signs of freshly graded gravel, and all of the tickets were like violation of the basic speed law and moving violations and stuff like that. The road was in fact a county road and I guess they assume that you know what fresh gravel looks like. Which I do. And it didnt tear up any county property it took out an eight foot section of my neighbors fence and took some bark off of that neighbors tree. The drivers door is in the center of the car. but nothing the county owned was harmed.
 
#6 ·
I live in Michigan. I hit a tree in a snow storm many years ago. I was driving 30 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. The cop gave me a speeding ticket. The judge said that, since I hit a tree, it must have been too fast for the conditions. The blizzard wasn't at fault, it was my reckless driving at 30 MPH, even though everyone else was passing me. So, nobody was hurt, no property was damaged. I was out a ton of money from the damage to the car, but I was still "punished" with a fine I couldn't afford to pay.

Gotta love justice.
 
#7 ·
So sorry to hear of your accident, but am glad you made it OK.

I have no advise that has not already been said which will cost you more money also, but a lawyer might get it off of your record and no charges but his.
Talk to Dad and see what he says too.
 
#8 ·
Bills that you don't pay will go on your credit report, if you can live with that. I could not, but just an FYI. They will hassle you to pay them by calling all the time but they have zero enforcement. It is not wise to not pay the tickets. But, if you can build a strong case and take them to the judge then you may get some leeway like that.

Sorry man
 
#10 ·
Glad you are OK.
DON'T SELL ANYTHING!!!
Most courts will set up payment plans.
You may be entitled to a public defender (free/low cost) lawyer. Fight it & then set up a payment plan.
Just my $0.02, and worth about half that!!!
 
#12 ·
I've gotten a couple of tickets in various Michigan counties and they WILL set up a payment plan, especially if you can prove your (lack of) income. They would rather see you work with them than have to spend the time and money to track you down for non-payment. Be prepared to explain how much you can pay now (even if it's something like $100.) and have a range in mind for a payment plan - the amount you would be comfortable with, and the absolute maximum you can afford. throw out the low number first and only bring up the higher one if you get into discussion about it.
 
#13 ·
Go to court on it first plead not guilty, assuming it's basic traffic court the DA will come over and have a discussion about why you're pleading not guilty, blah blah. Basically what they want to know is what you will plead guilty to. My usual answer is $500 and all non moving violations; I have a cdl so it matters.
In the alternative I would hire a lawyer to make it go away, should be less than half of original fines including the lawyer fees. Just my experience, just dont ask which states I havent paid or how many tickets I have on my record, not sure I can remember either one.
 
#14 ·
The 7 tickets seems extreme. I would go along with the suggestions of talking to a lawyer.
Also check with your auto insurance to see if it covers the Hazmat ripoff.
 
#15 ·
The more I read this story and keep coming back to it I wonder. Why would a cop give you 7 tickets, let alone any tickets for you being unlucky? He wasn't there, he didn't see it and supposedly neither did anyone else, so how can they write you any tickets that hold up in court? Remember that when you get a traffic ticket it is not simply a bill, there is a hearing in a real court where you can plead not guilty and get your ticket undone. When you get a speeding ticket from a cop he has to have used some device or method to write out that ticket proving that you were going too fast… So explain to me how this could have happened that you received any tickets for anything when you were the only one around? Smells of foul play to me. Also you say the hazmat crew sent you a bill cause they saw flammables in the lake?? And there was a fire? When did that start? How was it put out? Why would a towing company pull a car out of a flaming lake? And the real kicker… who in the world makes $250 a month working two jobs? Do you realize that you are working close to 33 hours a month at two different jobs? This is factoring minimum wage only. that's the equivalent of about 8 hours a week. Split into two jobs that means your making 4 hours a week or something per job. and during those 4 hours per week you are getting paid something like $30 total. Where do you work? Lot's of questions for you to answer if you want me to feel sorry for you any more. :)
 
#16 ·
1.) Take a hearing
2.) Get a lawyer
3.) See if lawyer can get the officer to ammend the citations down to lower charges.
4.) Then speak to the judge and let him/her know this is your first accident and see if he/she can help you out.
5.) Set up payment plan to pay any fines.
6.) Make sure to pay your fines or they will issue a warrant and you will be picked up most likely at the worst possible time.
7.) Be careful next time you get behind the wheel and stay safe.
Good luck
 
#17 ·
Mich has speed limits,but if you get into an accident most of the time they say you were driving to fast for road conditions.I had an accident on m59 in howell,snow covered road and someone pulled out in front of me.couldn't stop,he admitted fault but the nice police officer said i was driving to fast for road conditions,said I was 25% at fault.I feel for you as it's always up to tho cop to make a call.last week a farmer hit my car with his tractor,no tickets for him,he paid for my car and no police report.cop being nice to old farmer.
 
#18 ·
Well all in all that sucks. Hazmat or DEP was called to the scene because there was a possibility of contaminates in the pond which MAY leech into drinking water which is standard practice here in connecticut. 7 tickets seems a bit much on pure speculation. When i was 16 i was in an accident where i put my head through the windshield … 5 days in the hospital and a bit of plastic surgery later i came home …. to a cop at my door giving me a ticket for not wearing a seat belt. You should be able to have your day in court and like everyone else says definately plead not guilty, the fines should be at very minimum lessened. The unforunate lesson here is that you're not bullet proof. I certainly thought i was until i took the swan dive through the windshield. It honestly changed me. Money comes and goes and while $4500 seems like an ungodly amount of money, in the long run, its like a pimple on the ass of an elephant, almost insignificant. Im glad to hear that you are not seriously hurt buddy.
 
#19 ·
Well thanks for all of the comments everyone, I did end up calling the police department and got an informal meeting set up to discuss my predicament. I ended up getting scheduled a court date in october to fight some of the tickets and I got two out of the seven removed. So I will be fighting 3 of the tickets trying to get rid of them or lower the cost. I also got to talk to one of the reps from HAZMAT and they are allowing me to pay my debt to them off in minimum monthly payments of $50 a month, interest free. I looked at it and said that yes it will take me a little over two years to pay them back but it is interest free and I dont have to ask my parents for money. I hate owing people money. But once again thanks for the advice and concern for my well being.
 
#20 ·
As to lawyers… If you cal the local bar association and tell them you need a lawyer and why, they will give you three names. At least in NY if you call any or all three and tell them you were refered from the bar association they are supposed to answer your questions for a flat fee. Ten years ago in NY it was twenty-five dollars. I talked to one guy for 45 minutes. It helped me choose a lawyer for a custody issue.
 
#22 ·
Mark,
I put down a semi large first payment and I dont have any plan on missing any of them, and it does suck to be in the predicament that I am and all, but I was talking with my parents and they said that I should be happy to one be alive and that it happened while I was young and that I am able to heal relativley quick. So I am kinda annoyed that I was being stupid that day but I have a new view on life and driving.
 
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