I get a letter from the city of cortland saying there is a citation on my license plate and that a ticket has been unpaid. If left unpaid, my car will get booted etc... The only problem here is that I've never even been there! Anyone had experience like this and know what to do? This town is like 4 hours away so its not easy to just show up in person.

 

[QUOTE="mdk888;4125081"]I get a letter from the city of cortland saying there is a citation on my license plate and that a ticket has been unpaid. If left unpaid, my car will get booted etc... The only problem here is that I've never even been there! Anyone had experience like this and know what to do? This town is like 4 hours away so its not easy to just show up in person.[/QUOT

Probably computer transcription error

Write to the issuing authority asking for a copy of the citation.
When you receive it determine the make of the car listed on the citation
Send a copy of your registration and the copy of the citation to the issuing authority and request that the citation be withdrawn.

 

Most likely a wrong plate recorded.. I had this happen a few years ago... Presumably if what is written on the citation doesn't match the real car it should be case closed... They should be able to pull up dmv records to verify themself... But if they won't you may need to take a drive... You may want to even take a pic of the car with the plate visible...

Personally, for a parking ticket in a city I never go to, I'd probably not pay it.. At least in my state they can't tie it to a drivers lic, only the vehicle since they can't prove you were driving.. But that's me and I know others may not share that opinion.. So paying it and forgetting May be your best option and best use of your valuable time...

 

Some good advice if its going to take up your time.

 

I just got a toll booth violation from the Tunnel Authority in Norfolk for my Toyota Tundra pickup, but they had a completely different tag number on it. That's 4 hours south and I haven't been there in years. I was able to resolve it via email with the ticketing authority.

 

I got one on my car from Washington state and I live in Florida. I've never driven in WA so I called them and they looked at the photo of the car that ran the toll and it was some rice burner, not my car so they cancelled it against me.

 

....and you still live there? Wow, you must be a saint.

 

Washington state tried me on also. Sent me a letter wondering why I hadn't paid the Washington state sales tax on my Canadian Registered car. They had the right car, license plate etc. They tracked me down to my home in Vancouver. When I called they were not the least bit apologetic and in fact quizzed me about my residence and work locations. I think they got the photo of the plate when I paid the toll on the Tacoma Narrows bridge.

 

I had this happen on a toll road in Colorado and a call to customer service got it resolved. We determined it was a plate transcription error as the car was a silver Grand Marquis (please) yet they got the plate so wrong it was my boat trailer tag. Kinda funny actually.