Passing school bus

A deputy came to my door on June 3rd, and stated a bus driver had reported me for passing her bus when it was stopped with the lights and sign out on April 2. Since it was two full months later I cannot recall any specific incident. I can say I would never do this, expecially as I was taking my daughter to school and it would have been her own bus I passed. The route the bus would have been taking and the direction I came from would have made it impossible for me to pass the bus at the intersection that was stated on the ticket. Because of these facts isit worth it for me to contest this in court? If they will ticket you based only on the bus drivers statement I don't know what good showing up for court will do, yet I feel I was wrongly accused.

[wwrafter1]

Originally Posted by Unregistered A deputy came to my door on June 3rd, and stated a bus driver had reported me for passing her bus when it was stopped with the lights and sign out on April 2. Since it was two full months later I cannot recall any specific incident. I can say I would never do this, expecially as I was taking my daughter to school and it would have been her own bus I passed. The route the bus would have been taking and the direction I came from would have made it impossible for me to pass the bus at the intersection that was stated on the ticket. Because of these facts isit worth it for me to contest this in court? If they will ticket you based only on the bus drivers statement I don't know what good showing up for court will do, yet I feel I was wrongly accused.

I just got the same ticket but my lanes widened into four lanes. My feeling is you can lay down and pay. You will get a mark on your motor vehicle record for at least three years. Your insurance is likely to go up and traffic school if allowable is really boring.

On the other hand you could fight it you will have to discredit the witness. How does this witness know you. What about the time lapse. You should check your state laws. I know that I am retired and I can't afford a 595.00 ticket that is what they want for a first offence in California in my court district.

I am working on my defence and getting evidence, pictures, platt maps from the caltrans,etc. Of course if you do not have time to do this or hire and attorney.

I would think that is easy to fight.

Yes, part of me just wants to pay the ticket, which is $250. The witness is the bus driver. Apparently if they report you for a violation their word is golden and a state trooper shows up at your door. I do wonder why it took two months. I called the courthouse, but no one seemed able to tell me anything. I can call a lawyer to ask for advice, but will have to pay for that also, which may cost as much as the ticket. Even if I go to court and get the ticket dismissed, I will have lost time at work and paid for a lawyer. The whole system really seems to force you into just paying the ticket.

[wwrafter1]

Originally Posted by Unregistered Yes, part of me just wants to pay the ticket, which is $250. The witness is the bus driver. Apparently if they report you for a violation their word is golden and a state trooper shows up at your door. I do wonder why it took two months. I called the courthouse, but no one seemed able to tell me anything. I can call a lawyer to ask for advice, but will have to pay for that also, which may cost as much as the ticket. Even if I go to court and get the ticket dismissed, I will have lost time at work and paid for a lawyer. The whole system really seems to force you into just paying the ticket.

I don't know what state you are in but in california this is the law and it has a clause about school bus drivers.

c) (1) If a vehicle was observed overtaking a schoolbus in violation of subdivision (a), and the driver of the schoolbus witnessed the violation, the driver may, within 24 hours, report the violation and furnish the vehicle license plate number and description and the time and place of the violation to the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction of the offense. That law enforcement agency shall issue a letter of warning prepared in accordance with paragraph (2) with respect to the alleged violation to the registered owner of the vehicle. The issuance of a warning letter under this paragraph shall not be entered on the driving record of the person to whom it is issued, but does not preclude the imposition of any other applicable penalty.

Bus Drivers are able to report anything that they see happen on the road,for instance we had a bus driver on hwy 30 at where its two lanes only and a car passed the bus driver had to slow down so he would get into a head on with on coming traffic, which caused the bus to get rear ended by the truck behind him, putting all the kids in danger...and since the bus driver knew it was a high school student, she reported it to the principal who told the sheriff and now he cant drive until hes 18.

If a bus driver writes a report the first time its a warning and after that you get charged $200.00 in the state of Missouri, when you pass a stop sign or stop arm you are putting the lives of those children in harms way, what if a child was crossing or what if a child was stepping off the bus, this is why so many children die every year...yes its the drivers responsibility to pay attention on the road but it also the responsibility of other drivers to pay attention

the same in Arizona!!