skidmark
05-17-2002, 02:27 PM
A VI cannot be disputed like a ticket, however, if it is not justified you may be able to have it withdrawn.
1) When it is issued, politely question the officer and ask for the items that triggered the order. If you know that they are lawful mods, point it out, and explain why you know it is legal. Ask them to reconsider issuing the VI.
2) If #1 doesn't work, go on with your day and do some research to make sure the mods mentioned are legal. Call the Detachment/Department the issuing officer works at and try to make an appointment to discuss a reconsideration with the officer.
3) If #2 doesn't work or the officer does not want to discuss it with you, contact the same Detachment/Department in a second phonecall and make an appointment to discuss the VI with the issuing officer's supervisor.
4) If #3 doesn't work at this point you are pretty much stuck with the VI unless you want to try one last appeal to the head of the Detachment/Department. Chances are that they will go with the supervisor's decision unless you can convince them otherwise.
5) If you go through with the VI and the facility finds no defects, you can consider a complaint to the RCMP Public Complaints Commission or the BC Police Complaints Commission depending if it was an RCMP officer or a city police officer that issued the VI.
6) You could consider trying to recover the cost of the VI, but at this point I suspect that you would need legal counsel for advice.
If you do have defects, even if they are different from the ones the issuing officer originally pointed out, perhaps it is best to take the VI as it is. All equipment violations are $86 tickets and if written under section 219(1) MVA they end up on your driving record. The VI doesn't (unless you have a National Safety Code Number - commercial vehicles).
When I issue a VI, I make sure that there are significant problems, and make notes on the back of my copy for later referral. Once written, I will not withdraw one as I am confident that it was written for a valid reason.
1) When it is issued, politely question the officer and ask for the items that triggered the order. If you know that they are lawful mods, point it out, and explain why you know it is legal. Ask them to reconsider issuing the VI.
2) If #1 doesn't work, go on with your day and do some research to make sure the mods mentioned are legal. Call the Detachment/Department the issuing officer works at and try to make an appointment to discuss a reconsideration with the officer.
3) If #2 doesn't work or the officer does not want to discuss it with you, contact the same Detachment/Department in a second phonecall and make an appointment to discuss the VI with the issuing officer's supervisor.
4) If #3 doesn't work at this point you are pretty much stuck with the VI unless you want to try one last appeal to the head of the Detachment/Department. Chances are that they will go with the supervisor's decision unless you can convince them otherwise.
5) If you go through with the VI and the facility finds no defects, you can consider a complaint to the RCMP Public Complaints Commission or the BC Police Complaints Commission depending if it was an RCMP officer or a city police officer that issued the VI.
6) You could consider trying to recover the cost of the VI, but at this point I suspect that you would need legal counsel for advice.
If you do have defects, even if they are different from the ones the issuing officer originally pointed out, perhaps it is best to take the VI as it is. All equipment violations are $86 tickets and if written under section 219(1) MVA they end up on your driving record. The VI doesn't (unless you have a National Safety Code Number - commercial vehicles).
When I issue a VI, I make sure that there are significant problems, and make notes on the back of my copy for later referral. Once written, I will not withdraw one as I am confident that it was written for a valid reason.