Why did I receive a traffic ticket after selling my car?

Two years ago I was going through a rough patch and I was forced to sell my car in order to obtain some cash. I did not know how to do it, but a friend of mine told me that the procedure was quite simple, and even helped me to offer my car in a specialized website. He also told me that it was very important to sign a sales contract when I finally found a buyer.

Shortly after, a man got in contact with me, checked the car, he liked it, we signed the contract, he gave me the money and left. However, to my great surprise, I have just received a speeding fine dated one month ago.

How is that possible, if I sold the car two years ago?

If you or the buyer did not inform the traffic administration that the car had been sold, they cannot know it, and therefore, according to their records, you are still the official owner of the car. Consequently, if an offence has been committed with the car, you are considered responsible for it. When a car is sold, it is usually the buyer the one who takes charge of changing the ownership, as he/she is the main interested in proving that the car is already his/her property, but if he has not done it, as in your case, you have to inform the traffic administration that the car was no longer yours, providing the sales contract. This way, any offence committed since the car was sold will no longer be your responsibility.