Headlights can get you in trouble - at least in NC

Back in sept when the tropical storm remnants came through NC, my wife got pulled in her LDM by the highway patrol and ticketed for not having her headlights on. She is so used to her lights being on pretty much all the time that she never actully pulls the switch. I don't either - it seems like they stay on 95% of the time no matter how bright it is. State law is if the wipers are on the headlights have to be on. She got a $5.00 ticket.

This morning she called the clerk's office to see where to pay it since friday is the court date and the clerk said that there is $145.00 court costs attached to it. She also said that the same trooper wrote 20 of those tickets that day. That's $3000.00 for the state if everyone just pays. To me that's a bunch of crap.

Any good ideas on how I can convince the da's office that RMW's have drl's? I know they don't but I'm hoping I can be convincing enough to get this dismissed. That $ could be well used by me to acquire parts for my car rather than paying the state something stupid.

Jon

VA has a similar law but our court costs are quite a bit lower, less than half that I think.

To answer your question though. You could, theoretically, replace the "broken" components in your car and provide documentation that the problem has been fixed. In VA they'll sometimes let you off on that. Problem is, I think you have to pay court costs regardless. How's that for a catch 22?

Cops and quotas.Never there when needed but seem to always be around to make a rough day worse.A 5 dollar
ticket seems almost cheap and then they ream you with court cost.
Best of Luck Fighting this Ticket
Damn Cops both state and the county good ol boys.Wont say what I really mean because of my upbringing
Jim Gordon

Well after my first post the woman from the clerk's office called my wife back - turns out she knew her - and said there weren't court costs, just the $5.00 fine. I hurried up and went and paid it. The man taking my money said that trooper wrote at least 20 of those tickets that day and a lot of the people DID have drl's. Sounds like a racket to me. I hope the trooper got soaked and caught a cold...

Jon