1st speeding ticket in 15 year!! (what to do)

[Chilln92]

OK, I feel like total crap right now. Just dropped off my son at karate practice and got busted for 65 in a 45 zone. To make matters worst, I didn't have a current insurance card in the X! I had to call my lil sis to pick me up and my son too. Officer wouldn't let me drive car so I parked it at a local hospital. Got home and printed my up to date ins. form and drove her home. The ticket has 2 violations on it. One for speeding and 1 for no proof of ins. Question is what to plea. I know that I was speeding so do I plea no contest and take a defensive driving course to take it off of my driving record? I will obviously show proof of insurance for the second violation. I live in Texas if that helps. Any advice fellas?:frown:

 

[R77F1]

Wow , sorry to hear about your situation. Since this is your 1st speeding ticket for quite sometime, you should go to court/talk w/ hearing officer and ask for probation, you might still need to pay but they would give you 1 year probation without speeding ticket and a ticket won't be in your record.

For a 2nd voilation, you should do the same as above and bring prove of current insurance from the period your policy was expired -- if lucky they will excuse you from this voilation.

I live in MN and I honestly don't know the above situation would help you in Texas. I suggest you to get good radar/laser jammer or radar detector if you want to drive that much above speed limit.

Good luck!:smile:

 

[Cairo94507]

I generally say to contest every ticket so long as that does not foreclose your option to traffic school should the judge/commissioner decide against you. Some jurisdictions (in CA) will not allow you to take traffic school if you contest the ticket and lose. There is always the chance the officer will not show and the matter will be dismissed. Usually, if they show they win though.
As for the insurance, nothing to do there except present proof of current insurance and pay the fine for not being able to produce it at the time of stop.
Sorry to hear about the ticket, but some times it is a good wake up call too.

 

[stuntman]

Some jurisdictions (in CA) will not allow you to take traffic school if you contest the ticket and lose. There is always the chance the officer will not show and the matter will be dismissed. Usually, if they show they win though.

I agree.

First find if you contest can you still take traffic school? If so, then contest -no brainer. If not, i'd take traffic school.

You can chance the officer wouldn't show - and the longer you delay, more times you put off the court date the less likely he'll show.

Depending on your financial position, Lawyers are the only way to go. They will better contest, get your fine reduced, win, etc... And in the long run, will be cheaper than loosing and not taking traffic school.

The cheapest route would be traffic school (but in Ca, you can only do it once every 18 months). So if you choose traffic school now, you'll have to get a lawyer next time if you don't want it to go on your record and get much higher insurance premiums.

 

[STB10-7]

I'm not sure if this works... i heard if you pay the ticket with a little extra, $1~5. you will get back a check from the State or county. Do Not cash that check, just throw it away, if anything.

The theory behind this is your ticket will never get processed into your records. It will be stuck in accounting somewhere.

again i never tried this, it might be a myth. but if i get a speeding ticket, and i really was speeding. I'll try it out.

 

[LJSB]

My advice is to never give any weight or consideration to legal advice received from unverifiable sources on the Internet, especially from forums that allow members to be anonymous, like NSX PRIME does.

Legal advice should be specific to yourself and your situation and above all discreet, private and confidential.

If you have experience with a local or family attorney ask them.
If you have no such relationship, seek out a reputable local attorney and begin to develop a relationship with him/her so you have someplace to go and get advice on legal matters.

Man, I would NEVER call my baby sister for help in a situation like yours.
I mean, yeah, she would come and not say a word but I'd feel like a damn fool.
For me it would be embarrassing enough to have put myself in such a predicament in front of my son.

Hope you get things sorted out ok.:smile:

 

[nsxtasy]

I'm not sure if this works... i heard if you pay the ticket with a little extra, $1~5. you will get back a check from the State or county. Do Not cash that check, just throw it away, if anything.

The theory behind this is your ticket will never get processed into your records. It will be stuck in accounting somewhere.

again i never tried this, it might be a myth. but if i get a speeding ticket, and i really was speeding. I'll try it out.

It's a myth, as noted here. Don't try this.

 

[STB10-7]

Thanks for the info, i just read the article. this is what i think:

The writer was trying to disprove the myth by questioning the origin... I guess he thinks by questioning the origin, he proves it does not work.

But, He did not actually say he tested it. By this i mean: get a ticket, overpaying it, not cashing the check, and verifying his driving history a year later was updated or not. Doing that would definitely bust the myth.

Or he can state that he works for DMV, and it doesn't work that way.

He did neither.

I personally believe it does not work... but what the heck, if I actually received a ticket, in which I were actually guilty, then I'd pay it with a little extra.

It's a myth, as noted here. Don't try this.

 

[STB10-7]

Like Pbassjo said, every situation is different, get legal advice from a professional.

In my case, before hearing this myth, i got a speeding ticket. went to court, dress properly, and addressed the judge as "Your Honor", and i got my fine reduced.

On the other hand, The guy right before me was given the same ticket (80 mph in a 65 mph zone) by the same officer. he came to court wearing shorts, and was disrespectful (I was on an decline, it was a speed trap, entrapment yada yada). He didn't get anybreak. btw mine ended up reduced fine for 70mph in a 65mph zone. Your given a choice after to pay with installments, I just paid it. Next time (hopefully never) I'll pay with installments and over pay. might as well...

you see what Pbassjo means, by getting advice from this forum... don't listen to me.

My advice is to never give any weight or consideration to legal advice received from unverifiable sources on the Internet, especially from forums that allow members to be anonymous, like NSX PRIME does.

Legal advice should be specific to yourself and your situation and above all discreet, private and confidential.

If you have experience with a local or family attorney ask them.
If you have no such relationship, seek out a reputable local attorney and begin to develop a relationship with him/her so you have someplace to go and get advice on legal matters.

Man, I would NEVER call my baby sister for help in a situation like yours.
I mean, yeah, she would come and not say a word but I'd feel like a damn fool.
For me it would be embarrassing enough to have put myself in such a predicament in front of my son.

Hope you get things sorted out ok.:smile:

 

[usafdarkhorse]

I actually knew a guy who pulled that $1-5 trick.

I would never do it myself, but apparently he should have 20 pts. on his license and currently has 0.

 

[L5-S1NSX]

Dont think twice...Hire an Attorney....

my2c

 

[Big_D]

I agree.

First find if you contest can you still take traffic school? If so, then contest -no brainer. If not, i'd take traffic school.

You can chance the officer wouldn't show - and the longer you delay, more times you put off the court date the less likely he'll show.

Depending on your financial position, Lawyers are the only way to go. They will better contest, get your fine reduced, win, etc... And in the long run, will be cheaper than loosing and not taking traffic school.

The cheapest route would be traffic school (but in Ca, you can only do it once every 18 months). So if you choose traffic school now, you'll have to get a lawyer next time if you don't want it to go on your record and get much higher insurance premiums.

+1 ... Good Advice here

 

[RON98]

fight it.

 

[tosugrad]

First ticket in 15 years???? Unless you have a bunch of spare time on your hands just......

PAY THE DARN TICKET AND GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE

Your insurance is not going up, and why waste your time fighting it?

Im always amazed when people agree they are speeding (20 over in this case) and think they should fight it. You WERE speeding, right?

 

[RON98]

ya so if he pays for it and some other cop is having a bad day and gives him a ticket.... it will change his insurance.

you cant be too careful.

fight the machine :wink:

 

[tosugrad]

ya so if he pays for it and some other cop is having a bad day and gives him a ticket.... it will change his insurance.

you cant be too careful.

fight the machine :wink:

Thats an amazingly ignorant response on many levels.