Apparently we've had this in place for over 3 years now. I never heard anything about it. Did anyone else know we had this? Up until today I didn't think we had any kind of points system. It's all a bunch of crap if you ask me. We get taxed for 3 years when we get tickets!

http://www.houstonticketlawyer.com/id5.html

 

yeah this is news to me... i didnt know anything about it and will continue to do so

 

The same system was implemented in MA several years ago and I just found out about it last month as well.

 

Yep. It was all over the news for a day or so when it went in.
Of course, I can't remember any of the specifics.

 

So how do they actually implement this? How are the taxes charged?

 

Well the taxes are accessed by another "fine" that is sent months after you get your ticket....

got 4 tickets in a two month span...paid those....few months later got "taxed" for approximately $300 which if you don't pay your license gets revoked

 

Wow, I get a **** load of tickets but I work with a lot of Lawyers so I get them dismissed. I never knew we had this.

 

It's all crap to me. They know that legally you can't be punished for the same thing twice. So they get around that by calling the second such punishment for the same offense, a tax! That's crap. Get the gun and I'll call the boys...

 

I agree 100% its all crap.

If I speed and get caught - i dont have a problem with that. I will pay my fine whatever. I realize with this car and the way I drive tickets and speeding are part of the cost of ownership.

But coming back and ******* me again with a "TAX" is bullshit. **** the points system. The ironic part is the people that really SHOULDNT be driving (drunks) etc etc who have been caught MULTIPLE times DUI, DWI -- never get their licenses revoked. Yet I go 15 above the limit and I'm a big outlaw?

This whole country has its head up it *** about priorities. Thats why we are losing our spot as a world superpower

 

I agree but I would much rather pay the "tax" then be like other states where once you run out of points you no longer can drive.

 

well - im confused on this points stuff.

1) i pay the inital fine of the actual ticket (that should be IT in terms of consequences)
2) I then have to pay a "tax" months after I've take care of it
3) if it truly is a points system even after paying all that money I can lose points and not be able to drive?

******* government needs to pick ONE consequence and stick with it. Since they are money hungry ****** #1 is the only choice. They seem to put #2 as well because they are greedy *****.

Granted - its a ticket and the people that can afford to pay off ticket like that... its just the way the economy should work. I do believe too that if you have unpaid tickets and dont show up for court or do any of the paperwork, yeah then you need to be hauled in or something. I've paid every ticket I've ever gotten (a total of I think 5) promptly and fully.

Some of them were fair tickets some of them were bullshit traps - i.e. they would already have 5 people on the side of the road and the same cop would flag car after car over. Whic is stupid - 1 cop = 1 ticket at a time.

 

from what I read it starts after 6 points.

What I want to know is, if you have guilty but not issued points or no contest and not issued points in another state will you be assesed points and consequently taxes when you come to Texas...

 

OK I'll summarize:

These do not apply to any violations before September 1, 2003. Only after.

Each moving violation in ANY STATE (parking tickets don't count) will get you 2 points.
Each moving violation in ANY STATE that resulted in an accident is 3 points.

If you are speeding but were not going anymore than 10% faster than the posted speed limit, you do NOT get points. If you get a speeding ticket where you were going more than 10% faster than the posted limit, you DO get points.

You WILL get points for ANY speed violations in school zones.

The first 0-6 points costs you $100 per year for 3 years. Each additional point after that is an additional $25 a year for 3 years.



Driving without a license or no proof of insurance:

If you get a violation for not having a current drivers license or receive a violation for no proof of insurance, it is $250 per year for 3 years.

If you get a violation for having no driver's license, it is $100 a year for 3 years.

It is cheaper to not have a license than it is to have an expired one!!!!!


DWI:

Applies to blood/alcohol levels below .16:
$1000 a year for 3 years for the first offense.
$1500 a year for a 2nd or subsequent offense.

Applies to blood/alcohol level above .16:
$2000 a year fine for 3 years for each offense.

Failure to pay these "surcharges" will result in immediate suspension of the license until the fines are paid. They do take credit cards and do allow installment payments. They will send a notification out. You have 30 days to respond.

Each year they go back to see if you have any points on your record. If you get convicted of a moving violation more often than every 3 years, you will always have a surcharge to pay each year. Your points accrue in the system and add onto the other one. After 3 years, points drop off but if you've gotten any since then, they stay and your surcharge is based on the remaining points at that time.

Keep in mind these points and/or surcharges only apply if you are CONVICTED of the offense. If you get them dismissed, they should not count.

 

All this is moot if you have an attorney.

 

Hence the last sentence that I highlighted.

 

Getting in on this kinda late. Most agencies in the Houston area are towing cars if the driver has no license and/or proof of liability insurance. In most cases this is quite costly. I don't think most have a problem with that, because it mostly targets persons who shouldn't be driving anyways. (i.e. illegals)

Problem is that the wrecker companies cannot hold a car if the registered owner, or someone with an affadavit from the registered owner, comes to pick it up. Regardless if the registered owner has a license or proof of insurance. Oh, you do not have to have a valid driver's license to purchase an automobile from anybody, including a dealer in this state.

As far as the point system goes, thank Gov. Perry for that. Why he keeps getting elected is beyond me. Basically, it just another way to raise revenue and avoiding the politician killing state income tax!

Can anybody else remember back when the Texas Lottery was supposed to be the end of all the state's financial needs?? What a joke, huh!