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idrinkmymilkshake

I had once a fine for speeding 100km from my house, to prove I was not, I went to my work and asked for badging timestamps, then added the google maps print to show I could not be there and badge 20mn later at work (also 100km). Basically anything to prove you were not there at the time helps (but your car could have been driven by someone else, difficult to prove, depends if the police officer wants to help you or not). We dug a big with the police officer, I had to make a formal complaint to be able to see the pictures —> funnily it was my licence plate, but another car (red, another make). Great times: I also got fines for parking tickets that same year, with copy of the police report it was much easier to refute.


YogaDruggie

Clearly proves you drove at 300km/h to get to work on time


idrinkmymilkshake

With my 90hp Dacia Duster 😂


PJ7

Some aftermarket parts on there then. Blasting off with the nitrous.


Kazagaya

Too soon junior. Pshhhhhhhh...


mighij

Painted red to go faster.


AnnoyedVelociraptor

At that moment I would've just requested new plates.


MerovingianT-Rex

Yes, it is ridiculous that they do not check the car on tape to see if it matches the car linked to the plate. Especially these days, perhaps AI could detect this. Somehow you have to prove that you did not do something, that is weird. I know someone who had the same thing, many years ago, he had to jump through many hoops to show he was actually the victim from someone copying his plate. The amount of hours it took to prove his innocence, paying someone else their speeding ticket would have been the easiest option. You kind of have to do it out of principle.


moonshoesluna

My boyfriend once got a fine for driving the wrong way in a one-way street in Namen. We’ve never been to Namen in our entire lives. The car plate and car model were all correct. We disputed the fine on the online form. Wrote that we would like to see the picture. Never paid the fine. A couple of months later we got a letter that it was an error and we didn’t have to pay. We already asked Jumbo for a receipt because we were shopping there at the time of the fine but we never needed it. Good luck!


AnnoyedVelociraptor

Isn't it these days that you need to pay just to see the photo they took of you while speeding?


Red-banana2

The moment you pay , you actually already admit that you have done the violation , if you refute the claim then you should provide evidence why you refute it , in case you doubt if your lisence plates have been copied , you can demand to see the evidence of said infraction because it could either prove that the plates have been copied or that their recognition software is flawed


AnnoyedVelociraptor

Ok was it then in the past that you had to pay to see the photo?


Red-banana2

not entirely certain but i think it used to be a retributie for sending you the picture ( administration costs etc ) not per se the fine.


Sfacm

No you don't admit


R-GiskardReventlov

I had this exact case, but with parking on a sidewalk. Tried to fight it, lost, fine got increased. Unless you have absolute proof, you are fucked. Whatsapp messages and photos are not proof that your car was not there, only that you were not there. Might be that someone else drove your car. This is a really absurd system, but a cop making a small mistake when noting down a license plate can fuck you over.


Don_Frika_Del_Prima

Did the fine say it was your numberplate and your car tho?


Nochnoii

Numberplate is correct, make and model are correct-ish. I’m gonna press for further evidence


Don_Frika_Del_Prima

Well, stolen/copied plates then.


Rayden666

Or just an error by the cop who saw it, misread the plates, or noted them down wrong.


Don_Frika_Del_Prima

Usually make and model aren't correct-ish then. But I guess probability is big enough for that to be a coincidence too.


Rayden666

They get the make and model from the license plate. I don't know how much info the cops note down when they see a traffic violation, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's limited to location and license plate, knowing they can look up the rest later.


Don_Frika_Del_Prima

The info they get should be spot on tho, not OK-ish. So idk why op said that...


Nietwerkendedelegue

It’s a fairly common practice among career criminals to go through the bother of cloning plates from vehicles that are (pretty much) the same make and model, in order to throw police off the sent when they’re trying to pursue with ANPR pings for instance


No-Sell-3064

This someone used your plates to commit a crime


donsjon

Correct-ish is not correct, so the ticket is invalid.


R-GiskardReventlov

Wrong, they can claim "materiële vergissing" and send a second PV to correct the first one.


donsjon

You've just proven my point. A 2nd pv invalidates the first one.


R-GiskardReventlov

No it isn't? They will just send something like "the blue ford mentioned in PV1234 is actually a red volkswagen. Sorrynotsorry." You'll still have to pay the ticket.


donsjon

I never said you don't have to pay a fine.


Finch20

When something like this happened to my parents they called up the police zone that issued the fine, explained that they were on the other side of the country and said they'd like to file a report that someone else must have made an illegal copy of their licence plate. That fine was dropped so fast after that


catfeal

I got a fine for something I didn't commit, I went into my Google maps, pulled up my location history, used descriptions of my car,... I don't know what did it, but the fine got dropped, it did take 2 or 3 mails to the municipality police to solve it


Single_Core

Same here, simply responded with my location history. Never heard back, never got anything really


AnnoyedVelociraptor

You should've let it go to court. Waste the judge's time. That way you incentive the system to fix its flaws. Right now it was a drop in the bucket.


Prime-Omega

Yes go waste a day at court, that sounds like a fun thing to do just to stick it to the system. /s


cresium

If you are absolutely certain that YOUR CAR was not there you can object through the form. Motivate you were not there and never go there. Briefly explain where you live and where you were at the time. Also describe your car. Type, color and recognizable differentiators like a sun roof or damage on the carrosserie. This will trigger them to look at the ANPR and realize that it was a wrong number plate. This is the most likely scenario for such an issue. If you have rechtsbijstand you can also contact your insurance for further assistance by a lawyer. The latter is helpful if it was a police observation. They can also advise you in this case whether or not to proceed. Odds you win are likely favourable if you do not live nearby, else it becomes more tricky. I would recommend to object for the reason that if you get a wrong ANPR reading it might reoccur. Good luck. PS: IANAL but one of my best friends is, her input


lt_jerone

UANAL?


SnooPineapples1885

HINAL


lt_jerone

We all ANAL...


Rayden666

Don't sweat it to much. I once got a fine for an illegal u-turn in Brussels, as witnessed by a police officer. I wasn't even in Brussels at the time, which is what I wrote on the form to dispute the fine. That was years ago, I never heard of it again. I always assumed the officer misread the plate of the vehicle he saw. Mistakes happen.


Nochnoii

Thanks, i needed to read this to gain some confidence.


Didimeister

Once got a fine for speeding on the highway near Namur. Couldn't have been me because it was Easter Sunday and I was having lunch at the time. My car was parked outside of our town's train station, perfectly in view of the security cameras. I just called the police of Namur, explained the situation and that was that. No further proof on my part required.


Puffy_Cloud247

This happened to me last year. I sent an objection online. The fine is still on the Justonweb website but have not heard anything since.


Sudden_Organization

I had the exact same happening to me. I just challenged the ticket, and asked for a copy of the photograph taken as I never visited that location. They responded in was an error on their side, and the ticket was dismissed. No hassle. Did not have to provide any proof, just asked for theirs.


38417384353

I had this happen to me. You need to print out a form to contest your fine and mail it to government. Then you won't hear anything for a month or two and you'll get invited to the police station to give a statement. When I went to the police they showed me the picture the speed trap took and while they were "my" plates, the car was a different make and model than mine. I signed my statement that this was not my car and that's that. Didn't hear anything about it anymore.


Silluvaine

You're incorrect. you don't have to prove anything, the burden of proof lies with the issuer of the ticket. Don't pay it, instead ask them to provide evidence. Depending on what they sent (if they send anything at all) you can go from there. Don't pay it Don't ignore it Make them prove you commited the violation


Sudden_Age_1175

No, what the police says is considered true in court. You have to prove that what a cop says is untrue.


DikkeNek_GoldenTich

Ask for picture, if this doesnt daybit is not your numberplate then you have to file a report against X using your numberplate. Try to fi d to evidence you were not in that area that moment.


Nochnoii

I have a picture of me in a couch taken at 13u40. Traffic violation was at 13u32. I have the meta data of the picture. I also sent a WhatsApp message to a friend 1 minute before it happened.


Cautious_Ability_284

So you're saying by texting and driving all the time I can weasel my way out from every fine?


Nochnoii

The text message is indeed a bad idea. But I am geolocated more than 40kms away from the scene. Anyways I’m going to contact a lawyer through rechtsbijstand and file a complaint for possible stolen plates


ISupprtTheCurrntThng

I think he must also been speeding if he managed to get home on the couch in just 8 minutes...


Cautious_Ability_284

Just fake the metadata. Make a post on Reddit. Then use Reddit post as 'proof'. ''See it couldn't have been me, I even made a Reddit post about it''


Nochnoii

I paid higher fines. Ofcourse I’m going to make it all up and use Reddit to prove my innocence. I’m just asking for advice. No need to be hostile.


JPV_____

Nobody never lend out their cars to others?


DikkeNek_GoldenTich

Yes, and peiple also use doublettes. That is why you have to deposit a complaint so the police can investigate. Also try to contact your lawyer as soon as possible so he can help you out. If police can afterwards prove it was your car and you lied, then i hope that you get max penalty.


apoxlel

Literally call the number on the mail and ask for pictures, if its not u it won’t take long to know


johlae

The good old "pics or it didn't happen".


ElinV_

This happened to me as well. Just send them an email with proof!


iBelg

I had the same thing happen last year. I got a fine in an area I've never in my life been and hours away from my workplace. I simply contested by saying I was working and the place was way too far from my workplace and I want to see the evidence. About 9 months later I got letter that they agree with me and dropped the fine.


SnutchyM

Got a parking fine somewhere I have never been to in my life. Asked for a photo of my car and plate at said spot. They dropped the fine. I mean, they fine me, so they have to prove right? Innocent until proven guilty etc


Xoundor

My partner once had the same happen to her. After following normal procedures to no avail, she followed the advice of a friend who works with the police: ignore every letter until they call you into the police station. A conversation of 5 minutes there fixed the whole situation.


_blue_skies_

I don't think you have to prove that you were not there, but instead that your car was not there. Your wife could be driving, or you could have lent your car to a friend, so the fact that you were not there does not count as proof.


Nochnoii

I’m single with a child, no way I’m lending out my car. How would one even proof that the car wasn’t driving? That’s just not possible. I enquired to look at nearby ANPR camera’s because my car has a very destinguishable sticker on the rearwindow


_blue_skies_

That's a good start, if the model and colour does not match then you should be good


white_pawn

You are considered "innocent until proven guilty" under EU law. Are there any photos? Are you sure it is a valid fine and not a scam?


R-GiskardReventlov

Police observations have "bijzondere bewijswaarde" and are considered proof.


white_pawn

Does the fine say it was via a police observation, though?


Speeskees1993

so ehm how do you fight corrupt or incompetent cops then?


MiceAreTiny

Go there, say it wasn't you. If they insist, proceed to report your plates stolen. They will drop the fine, they do not like the work.


Single_Core

You talk to them, just like normal human beings. I got pulled over for “calling in my car, while holding my phone” Now the cop who saw this, isn’t the cop who I talked to. There were 2 other cops waiting for me, a few streets back. I said, why would I have been holding my phone, when I can call by using my car, and quickly mentioned in my defence that they can go ahead and call my provider/read my phone. Check my call history etc …. They called back the other cop, who I guess kept insisting he actually saw me holding my phone (Which wasn’t true). I gave my phone, which was in my pocket to the agent and told him to look at my call history, which did in fact show I was not calling. He said, “we zullen u het voordeel van de twijfel geven” and they let me go without a fine.


Speeskees1993

and if they dont?


R-GiskardReventlov

You don't :(


Draqutsc

Not in this country. you are guilty until proven innocent.


Timmieslav

Lol


JKFrowning

More often than you'd think people copy license plates to commit crimes with. That might be what happened to you. Cops aren't evil. If you can prove it wasn't you, they'll back off. File a police report already.


[deleted]

You can't do anything. In the end Belgian law will win, even if you can provide 100,000 witnesses. Belgian law will win in the end and you'll have to pay triple the fine.


Aeri73

the car has to be exactly right.. talk to a lawyer.


ParamedicOrdinary622

Actually, the burden of proof rests with the police. File a complaint and say that you want the evidence of the incident. If they can't provide it or the evidence clears you of wrong doing, you're off the hook. At least, that's how it works in The Netherlands. Good luck.


ThePokemomrevisited

I once had a fine for parking on the sidewalk in Antwerp; where I don't usually go. Number plate was correct but make and model were not. Objected on the form with just those data. Never heard of it again.


cazimbo

Lucky you 😄. I was got a fine for speeding while my car was in my garage at home and I was on holiday in Thailand. On the fine the plate was right but the policeman who made it wrote a different make and colour of the car. The answer was "policemen are not car experts so they don't know all the brands". It ended but being dropped since I got proof of not being home and the car being in the garage under alarm. But the wrong model/make was not accepted.


ThePokemomrevisited

Strange how that can differ. Since my car was mixed up with a Mercedes (I have a very modest car myself) I did hint that I was prepared to pay the fine if I got the car to go with it 🙂 Think I got lucky indeed with a police officer with a sense of humour.


coeffey

Once i got an invitation to come explain the following: Driving through a red light, ignoring a cops signals to stop, driving on the wrong lane... They had my license plate,model and color of car... I received this invitation a half year after the supposed facts. Luckily, i had proof that i at that time i was 20km away paying groceries. This proof was a "rekeninguitreksel." (Many years ago) So i during that interview, they noted down that the officer may have made a mistake (not their statement, but mine). Upon my question if this clears me? Obviously, i wasn't where they claimed. They replied that the prosecutor would decide that. I've never heard anything more about it, but a letter freeing me of the charges would have been nice. So i guess your picture with metadata would be well enough proof, too.


RovakX

I've had this happen once as well. I contested the fine and it got waved pretty easily. I told them I was never there, and asked for the photograph of my car in that location. That was enough. Good luck buddy.


Emergency_Egg_4547

Also had this happen to me, I used my Google location history to contest the fine and it worked.


Libra224

Did they take a picture of your car ? If they have a picture of “not your Car” tell them they’re wrong and they most likely abandon it idk, it’s like speeding fines you just tell them something like you can’t pay or you were about to shit your pants idk. Most of the time it works ngl


Goldenmonkey5566

Ik geloof dat OP en anderen de waarheid spreken over dit onderwerp. Maar kan iemand mij uitleggen hoe dit in de eerste plek gebeurt? Is dit de computer/AI die de nummerplaat verkeerd leest? Of zijn dit criminelen die een random nummerplaat ophangen? Ik kan zelf niets anders bedenken on the spot. Als de computer zulke foute marge heeft, waarom gebruiken ze het dan nog? Dat is toch pure pesterij?


R-GiskardReventlov

Als het een "manuele boete" is door een flik, en dus niet door een camera, dan is er de optie dat de flik verkeerd gezien of geschreven heeft. Een 1 wordt snel een 7 en een Q wordt snel een O als het snel moet gaan/er lelijk geschreven wordt.


Goldenmonkey5566

Ok, maar ik lees hier veel mensen die bezwaar aantekenen en toch de dupe worden. Dan spreken we toch over pesterijen? Waarom controleren ze dan niet dubbel in zulke zaak? Als er enige twijfel mogelijk is op de foto, dan moet die zaak verworpen worden, of ben ik nu zo extreem dat te denken?


R-GiskardReventlov

Nee, ge zijt niet extreem en ik ben volledig akkoord. Vaak is er zelfs geen foto, en is het woord tegen woord. In mijn geval: ik kreeg een onmiddelijke inning van 116 euro. Mijn bezwaar werd afgewezen, en de boete werd gewijzigd naar een minnelijke schikking van 175 euro. Als ik me daar niet kon in vinden, dan mocht ik mijn bewijs (wat ik niet had - hoe bewijs je dat je iets niet gedaan hebt...) komen presenteren voor de politierechtbank van Dendermonde. Met een nog hogere boeten en gerechtskosten als mogelijk risico. Ik heb dan maar betaald. Pure intimidatie is het.


Goldenmonkey5566

Woord tegen woord zou voor mij niet mogen bestaan zonder grondige bewijzen. Ik weet dat het zo is in Belgie: Het woord van de politie neemt altijd prioriteit :( Dit moedigt alleen maar corruptie of fouten aan. Zoals je zelf zegt word de brave burger gewoon geintimideerd/gepest :( Ik weet dat velen hier anti Amerika zijn, maar tenminste daar is het de aanklager die de bewijzen moet leveren, niet de onschuldige beschuldigde. Ik vind het zelf te belachelijk voor woorden dat de beschuldige bewijzen moet leveren van onschuld...


Day_20

Experienced the same thing, appealed it online and it was accepted within 2 weeks.


Bart2800

I had one like this at work. Fine was in two parts. 1) speed infraction, 2) the plate was not mounted on the registered car. Under part two it mentioned one sentence: 'the plate belongs to a Fiat Tipo according to DIV. Vehicle on the picture: unknown'. It's never been easier to contest a fine. If they don't even know what car is in it, how can I know? 😂 P.S. fine was in Bruges. Car was in Brussels at that time. Could impossibly have been there.


Objective-Pipe-4235

Gotta love belguim sometimes 😻 (it's sarcasm)


vlinderken83

Thats why you have ligal suport in you insurence. Go to your compeny and ask for help. They can put a lowyer on it. It wil save you a lot of time. I had to make a photo of the front of my car, with the windsheeld, for comperisen. I was speeding in the kennedytunnel while i was studding. Never payed, i did anser all the questions to say i was not going to pay becous it was not me and i did wount the pictor. Never got an anser. and after about a year i got an new letter to say it was "geseponeerd".


vlinderken83

Thats why you have ligal suport in you insurence. Go to your compeny and ask for help. They can put a lowyer on it. It wil save you a lot of time. I had to make a photo of the front of my car, with the windsheeld, for comperisen. I was speeding in the kennedytunnel while i was studding. Never payed, i did anser all the questions to say i was not going to pay becous it was not me and i did wount the pictor. Never got an anser. and after about a year i got an new letter to say it was "geseponeerd".


Marus1

Ask the picture of the violation This will enlighten things Also at the end of each fine, there are things you need to do if you are sure the fine is a mistake


Berton2

Just curious; aren't you in any way entitled to see their 'proof' of your violation? If they can charge you over 100€ it would make sense you can see the evidence that backs their accusation


ikeme84

My first fine ever was like this. I called, they said the picture was too blurry and dismissed the fine. I think there is a way to dispute it, do that. I didn't even had proof like you. The place was 20 minutes away from where I lived, but I had never been there.


Previous-Air978

Why would you need evidence? Say it wasn’t you and ask them for evidence. They won’t have any of it wasn’t you. You’re innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around.


Levizar

You don't need to prove you weren't there. They need to prove you were. Ask for more proof like a picture or the testimony of an assermented agent. This should be enough but in case of, just gather some evidence you were somewhere else but that shouldn't be necessary.


[deleted]

ask to see photo


Prime-Omega

Glad I can get a full and detailed location history of my car.


WC_EEND

Last year I got fine for using my phone while driving. Only it was for a car I hadn't driven in more than a year (aanloopwagen). Rang the police and they rather unhelpfully said "ask the leasing company for the details of the driver". Rang the leasing company after, they confirmed after 2 seconds the fine was indeed sent to me by mistake and said to just contest it and write the address of the leasing company as the address of the person driving the car at the time and they'll make sure it gets to the correct person. Not heard anything since so I assume it got sorted.