Question: My brother-in-law insists I can get out of a traffic citation I received by slightly overpaying the bail amount. He says that the court then has to issue me a refund check for the overage amount, and if I don't cash it, the case will never get closed and the point will not go on my driver's record. Is this true? -- Raphael Hernandez, Chino Hills
Answer: Your brother-in-law fell for an oldie but goodie, Raphael. This was a scheme that originated in Australia. Our friends in authority Down Under figured out that scam pretty quickly and nipped it in the bud years ago. However, it never did work in the United States. If you want to give the courts more of your money, knock yourself out. The only way that point on your driving record is not going to be visible to insurance companies is going to traffic school.
Question: My friend is an ample-chested woman, and whenever she gets in my car, she puts the shoulder harness of her seat belt under her armpit. When I tell her that I am concerned that I am going to get a ticket because of this, she glares at me and insists that I don't know what I am talking about. Can you please set my friend straight on the law regarding the correct use of seat belts? -- Naomi Sepp, San Bernardino
Answer: Yes, wearing a seat belt incorrectly, as your friend is doing, is illegal. However, you will not get the citation, Naomi, your friend will. All passengers 16 and older receive their own citations for seat belt violations, whether they are licensed drivers or not.
Question: I recently received a photo citation for apparently running a red light. I have heard conflicting stories about these red-light cameras. Is there anyone trying to prove these photo citations are unconstitutional? -- Jason O., Rancho Cucamonga
Answer: This battle is being fought in cities all over the U.S. Proponents of red-light cameras contend they are an effective tool in slowing down would-be red-light runners, there by reducing injuries and fatalities caused by crashes at intersections. Opponents look at the cameras as an invasion of privacy and say an automated citation system violates due process. Others insist the primary purpose of the cameras is to fatten cities' coffers. My guess is that this issue will be debated for a very long time. I can only recommend that you do not follow the lead of the gentleman from Northern California. Apparently he was so perturbed about getting a photo-radar citation that he sent in a photograph of cash to pay his fine. As the story goes, the police agency he sent it to responded sending him back a photograph of a pair of handcuffs.
Michelle Groh-Gordy is the owner of InterActive! Traffic School Online at www.trafficinteractive.com, and writes a syndicated weekly column on driving for the publications of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
