Traffic Violations Bureau – Queens North

if i could flush the whole building down the toilet, i would, yes i would!

If I could give zero stars I would. If you don’t have a lawyer the judge won’t even pretend to be paying attention to your case. When I was giving testimony the Judge started conversation with the clerk. I’m sure he wasn’t listening to a word I was saying. Be prepared to pay for parking.

I was never a fan of the DMV although I have been here twice and it wasn’t so bad. Naturally, like everyone else, when I got my first moving violation (accused of 20 mph over the speed limit) in Queens, I was pretty pissed off and nervous. Since you should always fight a parking ticket, I decided to take my chances and got scheduled for a hearing 8 months later at this location. I arrived half an hour before my time only to check into the courtroom at my scheduled time to a gentleman who treated me like I was dumb and felt the need to point out «the hard part» only to wait 40 minutes for it. They also felt the need to switch me to another judge, probably just to confuse things for no reason. Almost everyone else’s defenses were worse than mine or some had no defense for things like not wearing a seat belt or speeding through a residential area. At least I said that I was trying to keep my car from getting into an accident with someone else drifting into my lane forcing me to get ahead, but nobody cared. Everyone who was in my time slot got convicted to the full penalty, including me.
Since Vision Zero was enacted by mayor DeBlasio (idiot), the crackdown on tickets and traffic offenses has increased and things are a lot more strict. When it comes to traffic court, the judges do not care for a sympathetic defense. You must have proof, and you must show that the cop was wrong in some way because their word means a lot more to the judge than yours, and they will rule in their favor almost all the time. They work with the cops everyday, they know what happens. It’s all or nothing now. You’re either convicted fully or you’re not convicted. There’s very, very few reductions now. If you’re going to speed or run red lights or do something stupid, don’t do it in New York City (or don’t do it all). I wasted my time and got hit with extra surcharges for fighting the ticket. This place is a mess and basically unfair, but it’s hard to fight the system. Even attorneys will tell you, you’re better off pleading guilty and heading down that route. This place is a waste of time.

Extremely rude and disorganized reps, and they don’t care; they know you can’t do anything without them. Calling a manager over is useless. There is a room with attorneys who are equally nonplussed and rude. I went with a friend this time and she says, «WOW. If I didn’t just see that guy misadvise you I’d never have believed it.» The cops there pass out tickets like my dentist passed out brushes and floss. A cesspool of scammers.

When ever you come here make sure u hire an attorney or else the judge don’t give a crap what you say. So make sure you have an attorney.

Can I give 0 stars to reflect my utter disgust and disappointment in the justice system?
So since I found NO information out there for first-​timers like myself, I will fill everyone in on my experience with this place.
1. If taking public transport like I, take the 7 train to the end of the line in Flushing. Then get on the Q25 bus and it should take you near enough to the building. The Q25 is on Main St. Or walk. The walk will take 20 min if you are brisk. From Times Square the whole trip takes 1:15 hours at least. I never caught the bus and always walked.
2. BE PREPARED. Everyone told me, «Go and chances are the cop won’t show up, and they’ll find in your favor.» Let me tell you, the cops show up. In today’s economic climate they show up. If there was another person in the car or a witness, bring them with you. If they can’t come, get their testimony on paper and notarized. Be as CLEAR as you absolutely can in reviewing their written testimony. Clear about exactly what street, perhaps what direction you were headed (N, S, E, W), etc. If you have a lawyer friend to look it over, do so. If the testimony is not almost in legalize, they will throw it out. As in my case. And if they throw it out, you’re left with ‘he said, she said.“
3. You are allowed 1 postponement. If you are totally prepared to argue your case, but the judge is a DICK like the elderly man who presided over my courtroom, POSTPONE. I went back for the second time today, therefore I could not postpone. But I should have been prepared when he was yelling at the man before me.
4. If the judge is said DICK? Do not smile. Do not try to be charming. If you do, he may say, «That doesn’t work here» in a disdainful tone. And also speak above your normal speaking volume because he is most likely somewhat HARD OF HEARING.
5. I don’t know what to tell you if you’re in a position like I was and it becomes your testimony against the cops. I always thought we were innocent until proven guilty. WRONG. I assumed that at least my sworn testimony would provide some reasonable doubt. WRONG. I Thought if you went and pleaded, at least they would still make you pay the fine but take off the points. WRONG.
So, in summary, be prepared. Because if a cop accuses you of violating a law that you did not violate and you happen to get a crotchety old male judge, there is no justice.

Finally there’s a chance for Justice. Out in the real world where a badge gets no competition, only a filtering out of prior offenders, it’s a war of sanity with the irresponsible controlling the guns.
It’s a weighted system. Only those willing to give up a day’s work or sick day have the chance to achieve righteousness. All the others with responsibility on their mind let irresponsible quota completions reign.
It’s a small percentage you can bet will fight. Fight or cower. Pay or pay.
There are no winners when the flashing lights get behind you, following you as you pull to the side to let them go.
As the combatants stand before the judge, it becomes a war of lexicons. Officer linguistics vs civilian jargon. Both have validity, but only one feels comfortable sputtering in the courtroom. Only one knows which words are a bomb and what are a BB.
The process is orderly. It goes fast. For once, efficiency in government. At least the judges appreciate the preciousness of time. They are one of the few civil servants whose job is to end beaurocracy.
Most of the defendents don’t have legal excuses, only sympathetic ones. The bulk of the judged innocent are made so from misplaced paperwork by the officer. Unfortunately, that’s not justice, that’s a lottery. Only this time education does not benefit.
As for my personal experience: by the time my case was heard, there wasn’t any audience left in the courtroom. Hardly a performance piece. I was a winner, but what good is it if all you have to celebrate with is a piece of paper?