biggestbopper

IMHO, the biggest issue is what kind of license you had at the time of the ticket.

Was it a TX license or a foreign license?

Is there any way for TX or immigration to connect your foreign passport with the ticket or license? Probably not. Different numbers, different countries (I guessing).

I knew an American who got many, many parking tickets in France. Worried about it for years after he came home.

I mentioned it to a French lawyer who told me that all parking fines were wiped out by a Presidential amnesty issued after a recent election.

Guess the guy can stop worrying and go back to Paris.

BanjoKazooie31

well this has generated a lot more conversation that i had originally estimated!

to lin821:

Thank you for your healthy explanation of how the speeding ticket system works in Texas, I'm not sure if you read my above post but I did actually contact the authortities in writing and did not recieve a response. I'm not sure if my dislike
of Texas is topical at all regarding this matter? but I can ensure you getting a speeding ticket was not the reason why i didn't enjoy the "proud" state! .Your post felt as if you were trying to impress fellow board members especially by stating "That's the lesson for the day. Class dismissed! " I also found your post quite condesending especially when I haven't provided an alarming amount of information about the incident, inferring so much information is like playing with fire.

P.S. Law abiding citizen and trouble fee guest? It is a speeding ticket not a ticket for wreckless driving, does the state of texas distinguish between the two?

to SteveM:

Thank you for a Texans perspective, but to be honest I don't think I'm the only person to have ever committed a similar act. The fact that I have posted it on an international travelling forum conveys that I am somewhat remorseful for not paying the ticket. The rest of what you said is extremely patriotic, however personally I think denying entry for a speeding ticket ( generally given by a money orientated entity) is not grounds for refusal into a country. I don't think i would be resentful of any foreigner who exited and entered my country with an unpaid speeding ticket... Although this is my opinion and as you stated in yours, the laws still apply.

to biggestbopper:

It was a foreign license and I also doubt it can be traced back to my passport or that the ticket is still on file, after all i did already transit in and out of the states a few weeks after I initally left the country.

TMOliver

The OP's last post "plucked by magic Thwanger', my aggravation meter, with it's conveyed sense of elite status accorded a frequent world traveler....

First there's the speeding ticket, not a whit's difference from a citation for "Reckless Driving", except that most local law enforcement agencies and the "DPS" (Texas's highway cops) tend to hand those out for drivers whose vehicles collide with others, pedestrians, buildings, etc.. Whether we're talking about a city cop, and the OP's violation of local speed limits, or a citation issued by a State Trooper (or even a Sheriff's Deputy) for a violation of state speed limits on highways or rural roads, the results are the same...

For those of us who live in the state and drive here, we can't avoid paying up or pleading "Not Guilty" and go to trial. Those old unpaid tickets have a way of coming back to haunt us, next month, next year or someday. Some places, for a minor transgression involving but a few miles over the posted speed, a "Defensive Driving" course will get us off the hook. The OP doesn't deny he was speeding, and I doubt the LEO who wrote the citation made the stop knowing the OP was a FoP ("Foreigner of Privilege").

Nor am I comfortable with his claim to have contacted the court of appropriate jurisdiction and heard nothing in return. He may have contacted (or attempted to contact) somebody, but by golly, there may be no hard wired telephones out there in Brewster County, but there are plenty of cellphones and wireless internet access to beat the band, and the old Justice of the peace takes time off from filling his lip with "Smokeless" and looking at durty pitchers on his monitor to check his/her email regularly. Postman shows up nigh onto daily too. So, OP, don't pee down my leg and try to convince me it's raining.

Nothing but a "scofflaw", the OP's problem is not the speeding ticket, but that magic accordance of "fugitive" staus that comes with "Failure to Appear". His failure to pay up means that all us locals are going to have to share in paying his unpaid share. Hopefully, he'll be wise enough not to drive (and certainly not to speed) again in Texas, and will avoid getting drunker'n Cooter Brown down art the Do Drop Inn or the Last Lap Bar & Grill on his next visit, risking apprehension for "Public Intoxication" or "Drunk & Disorderly" and the ensuing check for "Wants and Warrants". He better not try holding up any convenience stores, either.

Much as it would be amusing, I somehow doubt that the rural JP or the City Judge with appropriate jurisdiction will be turning this matter over to "Dog the Bounty Hunter" to retrieve the OP for "Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution".

He shouldn't worry about "la Migra". Part of the legendary DHS, it sure as sh*t can't keep up with Nigerian panty Bombers, much less ticket scofflaws.

soitgoes

It conveys you are worried about the consequences.

The issue isn't the receipt of a speeding ticket. The issue is failure to pay or appear. And anyway, I highly doubt you would be denied entry for this unpaid ticket.

I'd probably try to see if the court's records are available online so you can look up your file.

lin821

I know it must be very hard to swallow. Nothing you did seems right. I can understand your being defensive.

However, a lesson is a good lesson only when one can learn something from it. I do hope you'll learn what's the right things to do from those who gave you constructive feedback in this thread.

1. I DID read every word of your original post and that's enough info for me to say what I'd said: you have an outstanding speeding ticket in Texas and I based my reply on that simple fact.

2. There's no need for me to infer anything about a unpaid speeding ticket. FWIW, I am not the one who's playing with fire (i.e. not paying up a speeding ticket).

3. I don't think you actually read my post or getting my point wrt self-responsibility. You may not like my informative post about better preparing oneself when running troubles with local laws. That's fine with me since I am not the court. However, not knowing the local laws doesn't allow you to be above the law.

4. More importantly, I don't think you read thoroughly what's printing on your citation. If you did, you wouldn't have written to "the authorities" (whatever it means), because that's not the options given in the citation in Texas. If you still have your copy of citation, I advise you to re-read it again. According to the local laws in Texas, you either pay up the fine and show up in court to argue your case (or possibly reschedule). Neither of these (legal) options can be done via writing. It's printed on the citation, ie. the yellow piece of paper you got from the officer.

Instead, you chose not to follow the instructions on your citation and seem righteously blaming "the authorities" for not writing you back?

Furthermore, you are now concerned enough to post and ask about the effect of this unpaid ticket on your re-entry to the States. Just FYI, the citations/tickets will be in the system for (at least) 7 years. If you have a ticket and get pullover in say state, they know. Yes, Uncle Sam is watching you. There's no lucky break.

On a side note, another piece of info you revealed in your latest post. You didn't obtain a local driving license in Texas. IIRC, foreign visitors can use international driving license for up to 30 days in Texas. For longer stays, one needs to obtain a Texas driving license. I am not sure how long you were in Texas as an exchange student. Generally speaking, it should be at least one semester, which is longer than 30 days. That also means a local driving license is advised and required. Just thought this info may be helpful/useful to other foreign visitors/students who intend to stay longer than a month in the United States.

Whatever you decide to do (paying up the ticket or not), please keep us posted. FTers would love to hear how it goes for your re-entering the States.

BanjoKazooie31

Soitgoes: I am actually remorseful about not paying for the ticket, consequences or none, I didn’t do the right thing!

TMOliver: To begin with I asked if there was a difference between speeding and reckless driving citations. Secondly I enjoyed reading your post as sarcastic and warped as it was. It definitely mirrored the Texan values of capital punishment and my way or the high way. It’s a speeding ticket pal, a speeding ticket, it’s not like I murdered someone and fled to Spain. Again the fact that I created a topic about it and opened up the floor shows some sign of backbone and will hopefully also act as a deterrent for anyone faced with a similar situation. Thank you for referring me to as the “OP” by the way, I guess I will have to continue my scofflawing in every other state now that I am nothing more than a hardened criminal “RN” that’s redneck

lin821: I don’t see how I’m defensive and I’m sorry but a lot of what you say doesn’t make sense because you have either copied it straight from a translator causing it to lack syntax. Not a personal thing…. Again I appreciate your post and passion concerning the issue. I didn’t obtain a local Texas license because I only drove their twice within a month. The fact that you call what you write “informative posts” is also laughable 

mbstone

Wife was driving a rent-a-car through rural TX and came home and told me she had been stopped, had been given a speeding ticket, and she had left it in the rent-a-car. She forgot the name of the burg.

I did everything I could to try to run the situation to ground, including writing to the head of the TX Dept. of Public Safety, but nothing has ever come up.

YMMV....

tommyleo

I had the same thing happen in 2007! I never paid it and got a few follow-up notices, nothing more.

lin821

Since 911, the United States of America has put in place some mechanism, such as SEVIS, to monitor and track international students. You don't know what info is being shared by different agencies. Just to play it safe, every international student should respect the local laws and stay out of trouble with law enforcement. The least you can do is try not to leave this country with unpaid traffic citation/tickets or credit card debt. Make sure you keep a clean record with the law.

What I had posted in this thread is how the systems work in Texas. If my explanations didn't make sense to you, you may google and find the info directly from the source. I only pointed out your failure to follow legal procedures properly. You don't have to shoot the messenger.

Another FYI. I didn't and don't use any translator when I compose in English. My English is not perfect but is good enough to obtain graduate degree in the U.S and get myself published. There's no "big" words in my posts so it should have been quite easy to follow. If you still need help, I suggest you find a good friend to "translate" my posts. Nothing personal.

Good luck with all your future visits to the United States.

BanjoKazooie31

I know what SEVIS is you need to fill in that form to get into the country when applying for the student visa. There is no shooting the messenger I knew the procedures and chose not to follow them this is why I am now in this situation, remorseful as I may be it doesn't help the fact I didn't pay the fine. In our original post you tried to make yourself seem morally above me because I haven't paid a speeding ticket? Clutching at straws there mate!

That sentance which included F.Y.I didn't make sense gramatically so I don't know who published your work but I'm guessing they are a second rate publication at best. If i could find a friend to translate your posts into your original language then they may make sense, thanks for that tip Finally if you are not happy with "big" words then i suggest not posting on an english speaking travel forum nothing personal hahaha!

rmiller774

Look, you say it's just a speeding ticket so it isn't a big deal and I have to agree somewhat with that view - but I don't condone your not paying the ticket.

I recall having read several threads in Flyer Talk about the serious trouble some drivers have gotten into with US and Canadian border officers simply while driving across the border between the USA and Canada. The Canadians apparently are very strict about keeping visitors out of their country who have recorded drunk driving, reckless driving, and various other arrest/conviction records. The US likewise. Their ability to bring up these records in a couple of minutes during a routine border crossing makes it obvious that they do have a large record base to call upon in which an offence like yours might be stored. Since the US/Canadian border police have such an arrangement isn't it likely that other immigration or border officers in the US responsible for the screening of foreign visitors might also have such records at hand including your arrest/conviction record . So I think you would be wise, if you do re-enter the US, to have a source of funds on hand sufficient to secure your release if you are stopped at your port of entry because of your speeding ticket, especially if the original offense has spiraled upward into a serious charge. Better that you be prepared.

mkt

+1

I was refused a rental car by Avis at SNA due to a suspended license. Nevermind that the Florida DMV had authorized me to drive for business purposes and this was a business trip with evidence to back it up as such.

Mr H

Speeding is less serious than reckless driving. This is recognized by the imposition of a lower penalty upon conviction.

However, what we are talking about here is the intention to avoid the judicial process by absconding. That is a serious matter in its own right, regardless of the offence for which the charge relates.

HansGolden

As a native American English speaker and ESL teacher, I found lin's English to be excellent. I would never have been able to determine from his writing alone that he was ESL.

As an American who is already familiar with American traffic laws, I found his posts very helpful and informative.

Let's just suffice it to say that acting like an honorable guest and not being defensive and combative toward folks that are trying to help you are two principles that would serve you well.

(Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but this thread was linked in another thread and I thought that this just had to be said.)

davef139

It shouldnt matter of the original crime, the problem OP should be concerned with is skipping a fine and court date should result in a bench warrant for thier arrest, while they will not actively prusue you it should be in the system, so say Immigration in TX will probably flag you for detainment.

I know people who can't drive into states because of bench warrants against them due to unpaid speeding tickets.