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Speeding Ticket and What to Do?

TrowizillaTrowizilla Registered User regular
edited August 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
Bah. So, I got a speeding ticket, made worse by the fact that apparently I was in a construction zone. (I didn't see any construction stuff around, but I might have missed it.) I've got a court summons for the 25th. What should I do about this?

Pertinent facts:
Ticket is for supposedly going 76 in a 55 zone. I really, really don't think I was going 76, but I was speeding, going around 70. I was also one of the slowest cars on the road and only sped up to 70 because I was sick of getting tailgated.

This is the first time I've ever been pulled over.

The only thing I can really think of that might have pushed me over 76 is that I sped up for maybe 10 seconds to get out of the way of a truck that kept weaving in and out of my lane next to me. Trucks scare me. :| Went right back down to 70 after that, though.

Given that I was speeding, I don't mind just paying the ticket, but money's really tight right now. Plus, I really, really don't want this going to my insurance. Any ideas?

Trowizilla on

Posts

  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited August 2008
    this is almost certainly going on your insurance as it sounds futile to plead not guilty.

    If you plead guilty and appear before the judge you might get the fine reduced a little, but dont expect a whole lot. Usually these come with large fees tacked on that are not reducible, even if the judge wanted to.

    How much is the ticket for?

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  • LondonBridgeLondonBridge __BANNED USERS regular
    edited August 2008
    Are you really near DC? Depends on where you got the ticket really. You can try and fight it and the court may lower the fine and you may get less points. At least show up in court and make a deal if possible. If its in Fairfax county... you may be fucked.

    LondonBridge on
  • GrundlterrorGrundlterror Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I forget if pleading Nolo means that your insurance company won't find out or if it means that you just get no points on your license.

    Is that available for you? I'd find out. You pay the fine but it's pretty much a "freebie".

    Grundlterror on
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  • MurphysParadoxMurphysParadox Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    21 over is reckless in most places (25+ in others, check the ticket) and reckless is really bad. It is also trivial to get reduced to one under reckless. How did the cop tag you? Radar guns have a +/- 1 mph per moving member of the pair (so if he was driving towards you, it could have been 19 over). There is also the cosine effect that comes into play if the radar gun is not exactly in front of you. Basically, when it is at an angle, the line between you and the gun shrinks faster than the actual speed of the vehicle. So if the cop was coming the other way and grabs you, or if he was on a side street and got you at a harsh angle... basically if you couldn't see him in time to slow down, he was probably at enough of an angle to affect the reading by a few mph.

    Go to court. One of three things will happen (two of them can really help you out)

    1) The cop may not show. If the ticketing officer does not show then you get off free because it is your word "I wasn't speeding" against nothing.
    2) The city prosecutor may strike a deal with you - plead guilty to, say, 19 over and it'll be settled.
    3) Cop is there and you go up in front of the judge.

    In case #3, tell him you were definitely speeding, but only moving with the flow and you were not driving dangerously. If the ticket is for reckless driving, go into the explanation of the radar gun's +/- threshold and the situation of the ticketing. You will have to pay some fine, this is unavoidable, but if you can get it reduced below reckless, you will save yourself serious trouble.

    My friend just had this happen to him and he went to court with pictures and measurements and quotes regarding the fallacy of the radar guns. He admitted he was speeding but that it was no more than the others around him. The judge reduced the speed to 19 over and it went from a $2500 ticket (Virginia has some really f-ed up reckless driving charges) to $150.

    Oh, and dress up. Don't show up to court in jeans - wear something decent (khakis or slacks and a button shirt). You may feel out of place, but it shows that you are actually taking this seriously and that is always beneficial.

    MurphysParadox on
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  • TrowizillaTrowizilla Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I'm actually around Atlanta right now, and the ticket is for Cobb County.

    My friend recommended pleading Nolo Contendere since it's my first offense, so I'm looking into that.

    The cop apparently tagged me with a laser? That's what the ticket says. It also doesn't say anything about reckless driving, just speeding in a construction zone. I didn't see the cop car, but like I said, I suspect he caught me right when I was trying to get ahead of the crazily-weaving truck, so I was focusing more on that.

    The paper I have doesn't say anything about how much the fine is. Weird.

    I was planning on wearing a work skirt (below the knee) + a button-up shirt to court and looking as demure as possible.

    Trowizilla on
  • Nakatomi2010Nakatomi2010 Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    As for the points on your license, look into the rules of the area you got the ticket, when I got mine there was a course I was able to take online that reduced the fine, and didn't put points on my license, or an increase in insurance..

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  • GrundlterrorGrundlterror Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Trowizilla wrote: »
    I'm actually around Atlanta right now, and the ticket is for Cobb County.

    My friend recommended pleading Nolo Contendere since it's my first offense, so I'm looking into that.

    The cop apparently tagged me with a laser? That's what the ticket says. It also doesn't say anything about reckless driving, just speeding in a construction zone. I didn't see the cop car, but like I said, I suspect he caught me right when I was trying to get ahead of the crazily-weaving truck, so I was focusing more on that.

    The paper I have doesn't say anything about how much the fine is. Weird.

    I was planning on wearing a work skirt (below the knee) + a button-up shirt to court and looking as demure as possible.

    Ah yes, Nolo would be good for you if it's possible. Also, I live in Atlanta and I talked to someone just today who told me that Reckless in Fulton is 25 or more, so I think you'll be alright :D

    Grundlterror on
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  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Instead of making a whole other thread, I'll post my situation here and see if anyone can give me some info. Last week I got a letter in the mail saying that I had crossed a red light. Had a picture, and a link to a website where I could see the video. What happened(as it probably does in lots of cases) was that the light was yellow and instead of slowing down I sped, so I caught more red than yellow. It was an intersection, and I was turning. The ticket is for 75 bucks, and thankfully my backpay and raise came in my paycheck so no real hit money wise. But I'm wondering though is if will affect me otherwise after I pay it, and if it's worth contending at all.

    The ticket was for Dallas county, no court date or anything of the such. Just a website/phone number to call and pay the ticket or dispute it.

    noir_blood on
  • CrashtardCrashtard Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    noir_blood wrote: »
    Instead of making a whole other thread, I'll post my situation here and see if anyone can give me some info. Last week I got a letter in the mail saying that I had crossed a red light. Had a picture, and a link to a website where I could see the video. What happened(as it probably does in lots of cases) was that the light was yellow and instead of slowing down I sped, so I caught more red than yellow. It was an intersection, and I was turning. The ticket is for 75 bucks, and thankfully my backpay and raise came in my paycheck so no real hit money wise. But I'm wondering though is if will affect me otherwise after I pay it, and if it's worth contending at all.

    The ticket was for Dallas county, no court date or anything of the such. Just a website/phone number to call and pay the ticket or dispute it.

    About the only thing you could contest with that is whether or not you could safely stop before the light turned red. States like Michigan are drivers discretion to a point. Might check to see if yours is.

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  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited August 2008
    noir_blood wrote: »
    Instead of making a whole other thread, I'll post my situation here and see if anyone can give me some info. Last week I got a letter in the mail saying that I had crossed a red light. Had a picture, and a link to a website where I could see the video. What happened(as it probably does in lots of cases) was that the light was yellow and instead of slowing down I sped, so I caught more red than yellow. It was an intersection, and I was turning. The ticket is for 75 bucks, and thankfully my backpay and raise came in my paycheck so no real hit money wise. But I'm wondering though is if will affect me otherwise after I pay it, and if it's worth contending at all.

    The ticket was for Dallas county, no court date or anything of the such. Just a website/phone number to call and pay the ticket or dispute it.

    in most places a light violation is only 1 point against your insurance. So no insurance raise unless you already have more points.

    JebusUD on
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  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Crashtard wrote: »
    noir_blood wrote: »
    Instead of making a whole other thread, I'll post my situation here and see if anyone can give me some info. Last week I got a letter in the mail saying that I had crossed a red light. Had a picture, and a link to a website where I could see the video. What happened(as it probably does in lots of cases) was that the light was yellow and instead of slowing down I sped, so I caught more red than yellow. It was an intersection, and I was turning. The ticket is for 75 bucks, and thankfully my backpay and raise came in my paycheck so no real hit money wise. But I'm wondering though is if will affect me otherwise after I pay it, and if it's worth contending at all.

    The ticket was for Dallas county, no court date or anything of the such. Just a website/phone number to call and pay the ticket or dispute it.

    About the only thing you could contest with that is whether or not you could safely stop before the light turned red. States like Michigan are drivers discretion to a point. Might check to see if yours is.

    Since he was turning, I doubt that would work. If you can slow down enough to turn, you can slow down enough to stop.

    I took defensive driving to remove a ticket for running a stop sign (in Texas), so I don't think a red light would be much different. It's worth looking into.

    Sir Carcass on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Trowizilla wrote: »
    I'm actually around Atlanta right now, and the ticket is for Cobb County.

    My friend recommended pleading Nolo Contendere since it's my first offense, so I'm looking into that.

    The cop apparently tagged me with a laser? That's what the ticket says. It also doesn't say anything about reckless driving, just speeding in a construction zone. I didn't see the cop car, but like I said, I suspect he caught me right when I was trying to get ahead of the crazily-weaving truck, so I was focusing more on that.

    The paper I have doesn't say anything about how much the fine is. Weird.

    I was planning on wearing a work skirt (below the knee) + a button-up shirt to court and looking as demure as possible.

    Ah yes, Nolo would be good for you if it's possible. Also, I live in Atlanta and I talked to someone just today who told me that Reckless in Fulton is 25 or more, so I think you'll be alright :D

    I could be wrong, but I'm somewhat sure that a plea of no contest (Nolo Contendere) is generally only useful when one is facing a criminal matter, which in addition to criminal prosecution, has the possibility of additional civil penalties as well. As a poor example: You hit someone with your truck while driving recklessly, plead no contest to reckless driving, but don't give up your right to trial in the event the victim pursues you in civil litigation.

    Anyway, it sounds like your best bet is to goto court, ask for mercy to see if you can get a lower fine, and do whatever defensive driving/traffic school programs required to take the point off. Even if your fine isn't lowered, you can almost certainly work out a payment plan with the court to make it affordable. Also, the ticket generally doesn't have the fine on it, but you should plan on receiving a letter from the court in a week or two which will have your fine (plus court costs, which can be considerable) and instructions on how to get a court date. If you're really curious as to how much it may be, you might be able to lookup what they call the "bail schedule" from your county's courthouse (assuming it has a website), which should give some idea as to what you're dealing with.

    Best of luck, and don't worry too much about it, as it happens to the best of us.

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  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Trowizilla wrote: »
    I'm actually around Atlanta right now, and the ticket is for Cobb County.

    My friend recommended pleading Nolo Contendere since it's my first offense, so I'm looking into that.

    The cop apparently tagged me with a laser? That's what the ticket says. It also doesn't say anything about reckless driving, just speeding in a construction zone. I didn't see the cop car, but like I said, I suspect he caught me right when I was trying to get ahead of the crazily-weaving truck, so I was focusing more on that.

    The paper I have doesn't say anything about how much the fine is. Weird.

    I was planning on wearing a work skirt (below the knee) + a button-up shirt to court and looking as demure as possible.

    It also wouldn't hurt to bring up the truck
    especially if the speeding up was a safety concern i doubt they can fault you too much for "that isn't really a car i wanted to be behind"

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • mrbernzmrbernz Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Check your state laws. In Washington they have deferred fining. What this does is you pay for the ticket but if you do not get any more tickets for the next year, i think it is, It won't go on your record.

    As far as the person who ran the red. One thing I heard is you could fight the ticket with how well the picture identifys you. I have heard people said that wasn't me driving and then the ticket thrown out.

    mrbernz on
  • i n c u b u si n c u b u s Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Are you really near DC? Depends on where you got the ticket really. You can try and fight it and the court may lower the fine and you may get less points. At least show up in court and make a deal if possible. If its in Fairfax county... you may be fucked.

    I've gotten a ticket in Fairfax once, god I was so screwed.

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  • i n c u b u si n c u b u s Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Honestly, theres probably no way around this unless the cop doesnt show up. I'd highly suggest going to a driving class before going to court to show the judge that you are taking responsibility for your actions and your taking the necessary actions to correct it. That saved my life when I got a speeding ticket and no points where taken off my liscence because of it. I pretty much ended up getting out of a $300 ticket with no point deduction and only had to pay like a $25 court fee. Insurance-wise, your pretty much screwed. Especially if its reckless driving.

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  • ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I would probably just pay this one. You admit to speeding, you were caught in a construction zone and trying to contest it will just drag out the process.

    Zombiemambo on
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  • RyadicRyadic Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Well I saw that you're in Atlanta, and their cops are pricks (Georgia in general). I live in Chattanooga, so I'm not far from GA at all and I try to stay out of there cause of the cops.

    But aside from that I got pulled over earlier this year for speeding and here's what happened:

    I was going ~55 in a 35.
    Driving without an up to date insurance card (expired on 12/31/07 and I didn't have my new card on me, but I did have insurance).
    And my registration was expired. Expired 12/31/07 as well.

    Prior to going to court I got the registration renewed and got my new insurance card, proving I had insurance, showed it to the judge and he let me off all three, just having to pay 1/2 of the speeding fine.

    I fully expected to pay 300+ dollars because I was in the wrong and have this on my insurace, instead I got out of it with paying ~60 dollars and no points on my record nor did it affect my insurance. The judge was nice and saw that this was my first moving violation ever (I'm 23 and been driving for 7 years) so he let me off.

    Just go before the judge and be confident and very polite and respectable. I assume that they like to be respected because of their position, so it goes a long way. I'm sure he would let you off since it is your first offense, unless you're still a teenager, which I don't think you are.

    Ryadic on
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  • BasarBasar IstanbulRegistered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Are you really near DC? Depends on where you got the ticket really. You can try and fight it and the court may lower the fine and you may get less points. At least show up in court and make a deal if possible. If its in Fairfax county... you may be fucked.

    I've gotten a ticket in Fairfax once, god I was so screwed.

    Trust me, its not only Fairfax. Northern VA is the fucklord of all traffic tickets and their courts are just short of insanity. I got lasered driving 90+ in a 55mph zone (i was trying to make it to an international flight) and thankfully the cop was a nice guy who was retiring in a week so he was like "damn man i aint gonna give you a reckless on my last week but i cant let you go with a 90+"... so he wrote me a 74 on 55 ticket 8-) i almost hugged him. haha.

    of course then i totally forgot about the ticket when i came back to the u.s., a year and a half went by and then i remembered. so i had to pay like $200 on it + the points :(

    Basar on
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  • i n c u b u si n c u b u s Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Basar wrote: »
    Are you really near DC? Depends on where you got the ticket really. You can try and fight it and the court may lower the fine and you may get less points. At least show up in court and make a deal if possible. If its in Fairfax county... you may be fucked.

    I've gotten a ticket in Fairfax once, god I was so screwed.

    Trust me, its not only Fairfax. Northern VA is the fucklord of all traffic tickets and their courts are just short of insanity. I got lasered driving 90+ in a 55mph zone (i was trying to make it to an international flight) and thankfully the cop was a nice guy who was retiring in a week so he was like "damn man i aint gonna give you a reckless on my last week but i cant let you go with a 90+"... so he wrote me a 74 on 55 ticket 8-) i almost hugged him. haha.

    of course then i totally forgot about the ticket when i came back to the u.s., a year and a half went by and then i remembered. so i had to pay like $200 on it + the points :(

    Agreed, before I moved to AL in Northern VA was just stupid when it came to traffic. They bumped up the cops patrolling and I got caught going 15 over right down the street from my house! All my neighbors saw me get a ticket, not fun =[.

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  • TrowizillaTrowizilla Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    It's apparently not reckless driving, thank god.

    I don't have a huge problem paying the ticket, but I'd prefer my insurance not go up. It seems like first offenders can get some concessions, and like I said, I've never been so much as pulled over before.

    I'm 22, going to be 23 five days after my court date.

    The cop was kind of a prick, honestly. Pretty much every other car on the road was going 75 or higher, some of them at least 80, and I was hardly the only one to speed up to get away from that truck. I guess he pulled me over because I was easy to catch. :P

    I'm always polite and respectful, though, and I clean up pretty well. Current plan is to plead Nolo and, if asked, explain about the truck and the flow of traffic. Hopefully I'll be in a courtroom full of rowdy, ill-dressed teenagers who reek of cigarettes, heh.

    Trowizilla on
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    yeah, I would say fight it no matter what. throw yourself on the pity of the courts and all that. no one wants their insurance to go up like that...

    DiscoZombie on
  • MidshipmanMidshipman Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    There is also the cosine effect that comes into play if the radar gun is not exactly in front of you. Basically, when it is at an angle, the line between you and the gun shrinks faster than the actual speed of the vehicle. So if the cop was coming the other way and grabs you, or if he was on a side street and got you at a harsh angle... basically if you couldn't see him in time to slow down, he was probably at enough of an angle to affect the reading by a few mph.

    That is backwards.

    Howcosineworks.gif

    Now it is quite likely that there are radar/laser guns that have the ability dial in the angle that they are reading traffic from (and if the officer improperly enters the angle there could be error in his favor), but with a non-adjusted measurement, you can only appear to be going slower from any angle of measurement other than directly ahead or behind.

    Midshipman on
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  • YoungmanYoungman Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I don't know about Georgia, but in Kentucky you can opt to take a state traffic school for a speeding ticket if you haven't taken the session as punishment in the previous 18 months. They only make you pay the base court costs, and $15 dollars for the class, which is almost the same depending on what you were clocked at, but the points don't get added to your license and your insurance company doesn't find out. I've already dealt with my first ticket this way, and I'm about to do the same to a second. I swear the next time Herb tickets me I'm going to sneak up to his house at night and pop his tires. This will effectively cripple one third of the Brooksville police force. It's my master plan, you see.

    Youngman on
  • Dropping LoadsDropping Loads Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Be very careful about pleading nolo contendre. It likely does not have the implication that you think it does. The judge is entitled to give you any punishment that he sees fit as if you had entered a guilty verdict, and you get to say nothing else to defend yourself/ plead your case. There are two general situations in which one would plead nolo: 1, you committed/are accused of another crime, and defending yourself against this charge would make it harder to to defend yourself against the other or 2, you are claiming that the resources to adequately defend yourself were denied to you and therefore you cannot offer a defense. Neither of those seems to apply in your case.

    Talk to the judge (and the cop), get the speed reduced to +19 or less, and take a driver's safety course to get the points off your license.

    Dropping Loads on
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