My friend borrowed my truck -- must I pay the ticket?
QUESTION:
I received a notice from a collection agency informing me of a debt to the tune of $95. This was the result of a parking ticket that I never got. I'm guessing that sometime in the past few months one of my friends got the ticket when borrowing my truck and never told me. The original ticket was for $15 and the rest is some sort of penalty, I guess. My question is: Will this agency ultimately take me to small claims? And if so, am I better off to pay now? I assume I stand little or no chance of winning in small claims court.
ANSWER:
And I'm assuming you have had a stern talk with your truck-borrowing friends, who might not even be willing to drive your truck to visit you in jail.
Next, you are better off contacting the agency that gave you the ticket and explaining that you did not know about the ticket because you lent the truck to a belligerent friend who failed to tell you about it.
If you are not a major ticket scofflaw, and your DMV record shows that, you may get a break. If you have left a trail of delinquent tickets in the past, the folks at the DMV are likely to disbelieve your story, assume that your friend is imaginary, and try to lock you up.
Whatever your past history, if you don't pay the ticket, it may appear on your record and, depending on where you live, prevent you from registering your car again or getting a new license.
Better not wait until the collection people come to get you. They can leave nasty stains on the carpet.
Learn more about Traffic Tickets.
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