Man Pays Traffic Ticket With 8,200 Pennies

jeffrey · #1 (**permalink**) 12-02-2004, 05:17 PM

From seattlepi.com

A Manti man has a penny for Sanpete County's thoughts. About 8,200 of them, actually.

Grant Petersen withdrew that many copper coins from his bank and delivered them in a bucket to pay an $82 fine he got for driving with a burnt-out headlight.

Court officials are apparently not amused, and have asked Petersen to come back in and offer a more "acceptable" form of payment. They say state policy allows clerks to reject unusual forms of payment, and it's going to waste county resources for someone to count all that change.

Petersen says he doesn't plan on honoring that request. He says money is money, and U.S. law provides that coins are legal tender.

PrincessPerky · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2004, 06:40 PM

And having a cop give a ticket for a burnt out headlight isn't a waste?

marla · #3 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 08:05 AM

Seriously. You'd think there would be more important things for the police to be doing. And $82 for a light? I could see why he was upset.

swiftouch · #4 (**permalink**) 12-11-2004, 10:07 AM

I'm a local delivery driver that stops in Manti. Through a friend at the local Wal-Mart, I was able to notify Mr. Petersen about his "national fame." I've only encountered one cop in Manti that had something stuck "up there." Thanks Mr Petersen! You've made my day not to mention gave me a great idea for the next time I get a ticket. I'm creating a website called PayYourTicketWithPennies.com.

HelloImnew · #5 (**permalink**) 12-13-2004, 05:24 AM

I agree with Mr. Petersen; however, I wonder if he wrapped the coins first!

The Budget Man · #6 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 06:11 AM

I'm fascinated that you are allowed to pay a fine in pennies in the first place. Many countries have limits on the amount of coin that may be presented at a non bank.

jamai · #7 (**permalink**) 07-20-2007, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffrey

From seattlepi.com

Petersen says he doesn't plan on honoring that request. He says money is money, and U.S. law provides that coins are legal tender.

the man's got a point, it's legal tender, he can submit it so long as it add up. saying its unusual means of payment is a matter of opinion. i think he would win in any court!

simpleyme · #8 (**permalink**) 07-21-2007, 08:14 AM

I bet with all the time they have sat around rejecting his payment they could have just counted the pennies and been done with the whole matter

alw_ays · #9 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 05:20 PM

I'm impressed the bank had that many pennies available to give him! Whoa!

A

financeman45 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 03:14 PM

Many head on collisions have occurred at night because someone was making a pass and mistook the oncoming car as a motorcycle due to the burned out headlight.