Okay, so I got a speeding ticket, what should I do?

Brooklynzson · 11 January 2012

Got a ticket early Sunday morning for doing 60 in a 40. What happened was that I was on US1, which is a 3 lane road, doing 45 in the far right lane. I had a car in front of my in my lane, a truck on the side of me & a car in the back of me. We go past a car that was pulled over by 5-0 & the truck starts swerving into my line, so I drop to 2nd pass the truck and went into his lane, passed the car that was infront of me then pressed resume on my cruise control to go back to 45. Then I see lights :frown:. I tried to explained what happened to the cop but he had an attitude, I think he was on his period. What can I do? Should I take it to court & hope the judge understands? I dont want my insurance to go up again.

DocL · 11 January 2012

This is Florida. Call any of the "ticket lawyers" and for $75.00 you'll just have to pay the court fine and you won't get any points on your license, and your insurance won't go up. Don't fight it yourself, it's a waste of time.

Brooklynzson · 11 January 2012

DocL said:
This is Florida. Call any of the "ticket lawyers" and for $75.00 you'll just have to pay the court fine and you won't get any points on your license, and your insurance won't go up. Don't fight it yourself, it's a waste of time.

Thanks for the quick response. So will I still have to pay the ticket?

BladesNSX · 11 January 2012

If you have a really clean record then you can use the ticket clinic type lawyers; however, using them is no different from you going to court yourself with a plea of "no contest" or "guilty". The hearing officer will look at your record and if it's good, just have you pay the fine along with court costs and fees thus what's called an "adjudication" or something like that. I've been there so often one would think I remember. Keep in mind that this can only happen five times in your lifetime. However, if your record is bad, he/she may have you pay court costs/fees as well as attending traffic school; and in more severe cases, points to your license.

If you rarely get tickets and you have a perfect driving record, I would recommend you do the four hour school course offered which can be done online. It's a bit time consuming of course (probably more fun to go to the actual court and do the school in person) Well, "fun" relatively speaking of course. When you do the school, you get no points to your license. The catch with the school option is that you can only do it once every 12 months.

The worst option is to go there and fight it. They usually rule on the side of the officer unless you have some outstanding evidence in your favor, or the judge just happens to be in an extremely forgiving mood (I've seen that happen a few times but that's rare).

Brooklynzson · 11 January 2012

BladesNSX said:
If you have a really clean record then you can use the ticket clinic type lawyers; however, using them is no different from you going to court yourself with a plea of "no contest" or "guilty". The hearing officer will look at your record and if it's good, just have you pay the fine along with court costs and fees thus what's called an "adjudication" or something like that. I've been there so often one would think I remember. Keep in mind that this can only happen five times in your lifetime. However, if your record is bad, he/she may have you pay court costs/fees as well as attending traffic school; and in more severe cases, points to your license.

If you rarely get tickets and you have a perfect driving record, I would recommend you do the four hour school course offered which can be done online. It's a bit time consuming of course (probably more fun to go to the actual court and do the school in person) Well, "fun" relatively speaking of course. When you do the school, you get no points to your license. The catch with the school option is that you can only do it once every 12 months.

The worst option is to go there and fight it. They usually rule on the side of the officer unless you have some outstanding evidence in your favor, or the judge just happens to be in an extremely forgiving mood (I've seen that happen a few times but that's rare).

Thanks Blade, I did traffic school last year for a speeding ticket I got in my Civic. I don't think 12 months have passed though. Other than that I ran a red light in 08 or 09 & I got a registration ticket last year when I was on my way to register my cars.

cwood1388 · 12 January 2012

I agree lawyer up.

kenjrbanga · 12 January 2012

Did the police officer even reduce the speed on the ticket itself? I got pulled over doing 84 in a 65 in my IS-F but when he gave me the ticket, it said I was doing 74 in a 65. This reduced the fine by more than $100 and only puts 3points your license. This was a FHP officer, I guess he was in a good mood that day

If you can take that defensive course, do it. It only cost $30 and a few hours of your time. Maybe if you go to court you will be able to get the speed or fine reduced but you will get points on your license. Good Luck!

BladesNSX · 12 January 2012

Brooklynzson said:
Thanks Blade, I did traffic school last year for a speeding ticket I got in my Civic. I don't think 12 months have passed though. Other than that I ran a red light in 08 or 09 & I got a registration ticket last year when I was on my way to register my cars.

Call the school (number should be on the mailer the officer gave you or do a quick google search) and ask if you qualify. They should have a record of the last time you took the course. If you don't qualify then use the attorney. Hopefully everything will work out.

Brooklynzson · 12 January 2012

kenjrbanga said:
Did the police officer even reduce the speed on the ticket itself? I got pulled over doing 84 in a 65 in my IS-F but when he gave me the ticket, it said I was doing 74 in a 65. This reduced the fine by more than $100 and only puts 3points your license. This was a FHP officer, I guess he was in a good mood that day If you can take that defensive course, do it. It only cost $30 and a few hours of your time. Maybe if you go to court you will be able to get the speed or fine reduced but you will get points on your license. Good Luck!

He didn't say anything about reducing it, I doubt he would have either. Thing is I think he was apart of the other police stop that I passed, heard my exhaust when I passed the swerving truck and came after me. I don't think he used a radar.

BladesNSX said:
Call the school (number should be on the mailer the officer gave you or do a quick google search) and ask if you qualify. They should have a record of the last time you took the course. If you don't qualify then use the attorney. Hopefully everything will work out.

Cool, I'll give them a call tomorrow, thanks.

DocL · 12 January 2012

Just do the easy thing and call a ticket clinic. They only charge $75.00 and you'll have no record of speeding. They usually get the judge to drop the ticket down to no seatbelt and you just pay the fine. You will not get any points on your license. In the past when I've gotten a ticket I just faxed it and a copy of DL and forgot about the entire thing. A few weeks later I get a copy of the court file and pay the fine. Shesh, forget about all this other nonsense with school. The entire system is just a money making scheme for the state, I consider it a tax to use the roads.

Brooklynzson · 19 January 2012

DocL said:
Just do the easy thing and call a ticket clinic. They only charge $75.00 and you'll have no record of speeding. They usually get the judge to drop the ticket down to no seatbelt and you just pay the fine. You will not get any points on your license. In the past when I've gotten a ticket I just faxed it and a copy of DL and forgot about the entire thing. A few weeks later I get a copy of the court file and pay the fine. Shesh, forget about all this other nonsense with school. The entire system is just a money making scheme for the state, I consider it a tax to use the roads.

Thanks for the advise, I ended up taking the ticket tom ticket clinic.

911nsx · 20 January 2012

Dude you got a ticket??? Well let me tell you that dude named BLADE is on Point.. You can tell he has gotten a lot of those Lol :biggrin:, J/k... So you got the ticket on US1?? Let me guess, Pine Crest Police? Well if it was them, They got nothing better to do than to get calls about "Officer can you get my cat off the tree" Lol.. so they find other ways to kill time if you know what I mean... Good Luck to you with the ticket clinic, hopefully they will get your points dropped and your insurance will not go up, I hear they are good for that.

DocL · 20 January 2012

911nsx said:
Dude you got a ticket??? Well let me tell you that dude named BLADE is on Point.. You can tell he has gotten a lot of those Lol :biggrin:...

BladesNSX is usually the issuer of tickets, not the recipient of tickets. :biggrin:

BladesNSX · 20 January 2012

DocL said:
BladesNSX is usually the issuer of tickets, not the recipient of tickets. :biggrin:

Only cuz we have a quota (or someone did something seriously stupid while driving) :redface:

911nsx · 21 January 2012

DocL said:
BladesNSX is usually the issuer of tickets, not the recipient of tickets. :biggrin:

Lmao!!! Too Funny, I was about to tell him, forget about the ticket clinic and hire Blade to represent you, he knows more than they do Lol... Ok that makes sense, he is an officer.

arfnsx · 21 January 2012

I have a secret....It has worked for me 9 out of 10 times.

Go to court and plead "Not Guilty"

You will get a court date

Call the Police station and ask when the officer is working and when are his days off.

A week before you have your court date as for a continuance for personal reasons. Ask for the date to be rescheduled on the day the officer has off.

95% of the time, the officer will not show up!

CASE DISMISSED!!!

Obviously there is risk involved but you like to drive fast anyway...

dquarasr2 · 21 January 2012

arfnsx said:
I have a secret....It has worked for me 9 out of 10 times.

9 out of 10 times? You've had at least 10 tickets?!?

Brooklynzson · 21 January 2012

arfnsx said:
I have a secret....It has worked for me 9 out of 10 times.

Go to court and plead "Not Guilty"

You will get a court date

Call the Police station and ask when the officer is working and when are his days off.

A week before you have your court date as for a continuance for personal reasons. Ask for the date to be rescheduled on the day the officer has off.

95% of the time, the officer will not show up!

CASE DISMISSED!!!

Obviously there is risk involved but you like to drive fast anyway...

They can disclose what dates an officer is on or off?

BladesNSX · 23 January 2012

Brooklynzson said:
They can disclose what dates an officer is on or off?

I'm not sure they can do that honestly. I don't believe my dispatchers would give out such information. Besides, due to the economy and agencies getting stricter on officers, court dates are more likely to occur ON the officer's work day, and officers who miss court are more likely to get punished. The other factor is, what if the officer's days off are sat/sun? That might complicate things.

arfnsx · 23 January 2012

dquarasr2 said:
9 out of 10 times? You've had at least 10 tickets?!?

Its apparent you do not know me very well. Back in the day (over a 5 year period) I probably got 20+ tickets. I use to run gumball rallies and cannonball runs.

Most people might remember my arrest a few years ago but today my record is spotless! (And I have now taken my speed to the tracks and airfields)

arfnsx · 23 January 2012

Brooklynzson said:
They can disclose what dates an officer is on or off?

This is true, it might not be so easy anymore but you can say you are a friend and you are looking for that officer.

If the officers' day off is on Sat or Sun then that creates more of a problem....I just say this "might" be a way to get out of it.

No disrespect intended to any Law Enforcement Officer :redface:

BladesNSX · 23 January 2012

arfnsx said:
This is true, it might not be so easy anymore but you can say you are a friend and you are looking for that officer.

If the officers' day off is on Sat or Sun then that creates more of a problem....I just say this "might" be a way to get out of it.

No disrespect intended to any Law Enforcement Officer :redface:

None taken:wink: It's good advice. I just want to make sure Brooklyn takes the best route to remedy the situation. Next time he'll just say he's my big brother (which he does look he could be) and have the officer call me :biggrin:

arfnsx · 23 January 2012

BladesNSX said:
None taken:wink: It's good advice. I just want to make sure Brooklyn takes the best route to remedy the situation. Next time he'll just say he's my big brother (which he does look he could be) and have the officer call me :biggrin:

That was my other solution, get a friend who is an officer....the power of one officer calling another officer is golden :tongue:

DocL · 23 January 2012

arfnsx said:
That was my other solution, get a friend who is an officer....the power of one officer calling another officer is golden :tongue:

Even better is to have a friend who is a judge. :wink: :wink:

Hugh · 19 February 2012

DocL said:
Even better is to have a friend who is a judge. :wink: :wink:

There you go manifesting that fetish for men in robes again!

Okay, so I got a speeding ticket, what should I do?

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