Old speeding fines

[YellowDog]

I was at a friends wedding a week ago and met a former neighbour who told me that the new occupants have been receiving lots of speeding fines for me.

I was a bit surprised and annoyed by this. Firstly, you'd have thought she would have let me know about the fines ('cos I have started to reduce my speed); but secondly, I have never had that address on my Registration. I had a PO Box address and nothing has ever been sent to me.

My issue is: Should I just forget about them, because I have moved and they won't trace me (unlikely). Or should I establish the actual gravity of the situation and then appeal on the basis of they have not sent the fines to the correct postal address, as per the registration?

I suspect the best answer will be to find out and pay, but was wondering if anyone has relevant knowledge and experience of such situations?

[JimO]

the fines will be like the terminator, they never give up

[Fatjim]

You have a defence from any court action completed if you can prove via a utilities invoice or similar that you did not live at that address at the time the notice was served.

The longer untill they catch up with you the better, as long as they can't prove that you were avoiding them.

[YellowDog]

Cheers Jim. I was worried that the fines would increase over time and I'd end up having to sell my PC.

[Soul.Trader]

I have never had that address on my Registration. I had a PO Box address and nothing has ever been sent to me.

I'm about 90% certain that you have to put a physical street address on a rego form, so you probably did provide that address, even if you dont remember doing so. But good luck, you shouldn't incur any penalties I wouldn't think.

edit: This fact sheet would seem to confirm my hunch on the address issue.
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/factsheets/41.html

If you’re an individual buying a vehicle, you must supply:

* your full name
* your date of birth
* your residential address (it must be a New Zealand address)
* your postal address (if it’s different from the above)
* identification that confirms your full name, date of birth and signature.

[Mully]

But why would they send stuff to your physical address unless they were trying to serve you, if you had provided a postal address.

And how does she know they are speeding fines??

[YellowDog]

She says she opened one by mistake and then started sending them back. At least I have now found out about it.

I went on to the Fines On-Line site and have establshed I owe $180 :-(

No idea why they didn't send them to my PO Box postal address.

[Mully]

I went on to the Fines On-Line site and have establshed I owe $180 :-(

No idea why they didn't send them to my PO Box postal address.

Well, $180 isn't too bad.

Are there penalties?? Can you try to get off the penalties because you didn't get the letters, and was then unaware you incurred the fines??

[Renegade]

its better than getting pulled over and being told you have a fines warrant and they are impounding your bike on behalf of the courts sso you either pay your fine or they sell your bike to pay them off.

its not a bad system really as it is targeted at the boy racers and crooks who rack up 30k of fines.

in your case id pay up.

[jaykay]

pay a fine you know nothing about? what for?

The "official" of sorting out this usual mess is to go and fill a Form 57 in at the court, stating (truthfully) you never recieved the Reminder Notice. The fine is cancelled and another Reminder Notice sent. This can be replied to basically by informing the police they can't file the Reminder Notice as an unpaid fine as it is over six months (make sure you request a hearing), and politely point out that a Notice of hearing will also be illegal as it will be outside six months (from the date of the alleged offence).

the other course of action is to wait for the court to chase it up, and then do the above. here in Christchurch the court are running about a year behind.

This is of course assuming the Police have all their Reminder Notices reprinted fairly soon - anyone else notice that Reminder Notices are delayed at present? All because of a High Court case (mine) and the judge virtually ordering the police to correct them before sending any more out. Watching the police getting a right bollocking by a high court judge was very entertaining.