What Happens If You Ignore a Lubbock Parking Ticket?

Have you been feeling a little extra nervous when you pass a Lubbock police officer?

Checking your mirrors like crazy when a patrol car gets behind you?

Considering taking the scenic route home today because you might have a parking ticket floating around out there somewhere?

Maybe you're not just paranoid.

Maybe you're actually just avoiding dealing with a parking ticket...

If you got a parking citation one day in Lubbock, shoved it in your glove box, and pretended it never happened, that strategy will only work for so long...

The Ticket Doesn't Magically Go Away

a no parking sign on the side of a road

A parking citation is a matter to handle with the municipal court, and ignoring it will unfortunately not make the city forget about it. The Lubbock Municipal Court can help you out with options to pay the ticket, contest it, or work out a payment plan.

What Happens If You Just Don't Deal With It?

woman in black shirt lying on bed

If you don't take care of the ticket, the situation will move into the municipal court process. They handle failure-to-appear matters, and there will be a hearing before any warrants are issued, which will offer more opportunities to discuss a payment option with them.

So, the Lubbock police aren't necessarily going to kick down your door and drag you to jail because you parked in the wrong place...but...

If you ignore the citation for too long, you'll turn a relatively simple problem into a massive headache.

Imagine yourself explaining to the judge that you were just hoping that little ticket would eventually just become one with the floorboard of your Honda Civic. She isn't going to be impressed.

Your Car Could Also Become A Major Problem

reserved parking tenants only signage

A few parking violations have more immediate consequences, like being towed.

That's when your casual "I'll handle this crap later" strategy suddenly turns into:

"WHERE THE HELL IS MY CAR!?"

Read More: What Lubbock's Fire Code Says About Outdoor Fire Pits

So, What Should You Do If You Have An Unpaid Parking Ticket?

brown wooden blocks on white table

If you've got an unpaid parking ticket, just go take care of it.

It's that simple.

Dig it out of the junk drawer or the mysterious dimension where all your missing socks go, and deal with it like a big kid.

Contact Lubbock Municipal Court and find out the status of your citation and ask what options are available for you. It's that easy. If you think the ticket was issued incorrectly, don't simply ignore it. Look into how to contest it.

There is a huge difference between "I got a stupid parking ticket" and "I've been actively avoiding the consequences of a parking ticket for 8 months now, and I sweat bullets every single time I pass a Crown Victoria."

Take care of your silly ticket.

Your future self will thank you.