Metro Police - $$!@#!@#

requiem

requiem

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So, today I get stopped at a roadblock and I'm taken to a combi where I am told to pay my outstanding fines or I will not be allowed to leave.

I ask them to show me the fines and I will gladly pay, as I have no knowledge of any fines outstanding.

They give me a printout with an AARTO reference number, Infringement date, my car registration number make and model and outstanding amount per fine.

I ask for the actual fines and I am told "You can go fetch them from the post office like you should have".

Anyway, I paid the R875 and went and looked and lo and behold there are 3 actual fines over the past year but I never received any information on them. The AARTO website shows a blurry picture of my car that is CSI'd into a perfectly clear number plate. I can't see who is driving.

Now obviously I, or whomsoever was driving my car shouldn't speed, but this feels like extortion. How the **** can I prove that I wasn't speeding on a random road in February when I am only informed of it in November?

This really is frustrating. Anyone else experience this?
 
That sounds super dodge - I was under the impression that you could only have the notice issued to you, and not forced to pay the fine on the spot....
 
Segg said:
That sounds super dodge - I was under the impression that you could only have the notice issued to you, and not forced to pay the fine on the spot....
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Exactly what I thought, but these lovely creatures were rather intimidating strutting around with their guns, refusing to return my drivers license etc.

I really feel aggravated by the whole thing. Obviously if I did speed I should pay the fine, but nothing stops them from adding some extra lines to the report or doctoring fines.
 
I think everything changed with the new AARTO regulations. They no longer have to prove you were summonsed, or at least a mere SMS or email is sufficient proof that you received a summons.
 
Crowley said:
Register on paymyfines.co.za then you won't get unwelcome surprises like these.
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I have done that and all the fines I have under my name do not have any pictures attached, so I won't pay. The old paymyfines site before the government got involved was good. You could see your fine with the picture of your vehicle, but nowadays they just seem to issue fines out without pictures and with wrong spelled street names and very lacklustre details.

I am sorry but I won't pay a fine like that.
 
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Varktjop said:
Yes, I've seen a bunch of posters in the traffic department in town asking people to use the site for fines
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What province are you in? A fine that I got recently only mentioned Paycity.co.za (Pretoria, Gauteng)

Aarto's website also only mentions www.paycity.co.za

Pay my fine

Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences
www.aarto.gov.za www.aarto.gov.za
 
Was pulled over few years ago in UK by the Police pretending to do roadside checks.
There were a number of marked police cars parked along the side so I assumed it was just a major road block to apprehend unlicensed drivers, uninsured vehicles, criminals, etc

After handing my driving license over to one of the officers, he walked away and I waited expecting him to return and declare all in order and for me to proceed along my merry way...

Part 2 coming up in a while....stay tuned.
That turned out to be costliest road side stop I ever made in my life.
 
I was also under the impression that they can't force you to pay roadside without a warrant of arrest? I'll have to check my fines again, I know I have a few outstanding and the police and Metro are out in full force. My girlfriend was followed on her way home from dinner with friends last night and at first couldn't see it was a police vehicle. They eventually put their lights on only to discover she hadn't had a single drink and was on her way home, they were clearly looking for a bribe as the restaurant she was at is around 1km from our house. Police are renowned for waiting for people to leave restaurants and bars in the area, waiting for people to get in their cars and stopping them a few blocks away. Stay safe out there everyone!
 
What’s more likely on a balance of probabilities?

1.) You or someone authorised to use your car was speeding.
2.) The metro police photoshopped a picture and loaded fake fines onto the system for you.

If you’re worried about the length of time for notification, just check outstanding fines every two months on your banking app or whatever app/website works for you. It’s not ideal - the postal notification should come to you - but it will save you grief to be proactive.
 
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Yep. That roadblock. Car randomly called and you must pay up or car gets impounded. Last time I was stopped and had late for a job interview got me out.
 
Park@82 said:
What province are you in? A fine that I got recently only mentioned Paycity.co.za (Pretoria, Gauteng)

Aarto's website also only mentions www.paycity.co.za

Pay my fine

Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences
www.aarto.gov.za www.aarto.gov.za
Click to expand...

Arg :rolleyes: I just checked mine, one case finalised fine in 2015 for a car I sold in 2015 and then two fines for a car have never owned in a municipality I don't live in and haven't been to with a car of mine in many years. Now I'll have to contact them and find out WTF they have done, I hope it is simply a PayCity issue.
 
I find this sort of thing deeply dismaying, immoral and probably still illegal.

In what used to be the civilised world - and SA before AARTO - one is only liable to pay a traffic fine if

a) you agree through an Admission of Guilt
or
b) you've been convicted by a court, ie when you've had the opportunity to argue your case before an impartial tribunal (a magistrate), defend yourself, and cross-examine the cops.

Thousands of speeding prosecutions are overturned every year because the State can't prove its case ... for things like the equipment was properly calibrated by a certified calibrator, operated by a suitably trained person, or the road-signs were missing, etc.

I'd be enraged if some peace officer attempts to expropriate my property (which is what a fine is) without due process.
 
Didn't JMPD declare all past fines invalid not so long ago because of their delivery system was proven illegal?
Surely this would include the OP's earlier fines.
 
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