Speeding Ticket...Round 2

[audiobliss]

Ok. I'm an idiot. I'm a pathetic, sorry, no good for nothing, back stabbing, yellow bellied, flea biting varmint hide. I know. This was stupid. First one wasn't so stupid. This one was. I know I've been stupid a lot. I'm worthless. Hopeless. Useless. Disgusting. Reviling. Repugnant. Humiliating. Etc, etc.




Ok, so now that we have all that done and out of the way, is there ANY alternative to handling this second ticket besides just crawling on my hands and knees and asking how high to jump?


So, last November I got my first speeding ticket for doing 71 in a 55, thinking it was a 65 zone. Learned what the speed limit there was. And now I (usually) observe it.

I took the alive at 25 class and got it thrown out.

However, tonight I got pulled for doing 83 in a 65. State Trooper was really nice. I've never had a complaint about a rude LEO, so that's definitely a plus. However, I do still have the ticket to worry with.

I'm assuming since I JUST took a class in November that even if there is another class for my age group (I'm now 20...was 19 when I had my first ticket), that it's too soon to take it.

So, do I just show up for court and pay the fines and let the insurance company have a hey day with the premium (and hence Dad would be having a hey day with my TAIL!), or should I fork over the cash for a lawyer to avoid insurance premium increases and just learn the lesson?

Thanks for any advice and input you have.

Yes, again, I know I'm stupid. Yes, I think I adequately covered that above. However, if you feel that I didn't...and I know there's been a lot of insults flowing around lately...this may be your chance to let a few out. :p

[Serendipity]

Don't speed. I go like 55...in a 55.

[audiobliss]

I think I'll start going ~58 in a 55 now. It's gotta stop at some point. Better now than after even more tickets. :(

[Serendipity]

Yeah. I was serious in my last post, just don't speed. That's all you gotta do!

I think 57-58 in a 55 is acceptable. But if you want to be on the safe side just don't go over 55.

Please don't take this the wrong way, ok?

[BaggedLancer]

Lawyer will be a waste of money imo the second time around. Pay it and move on.

[audiobliss]

Yeah. I was serious in my last post, just don't speed. That's all you gotta do!

I think 57-58 in a 55 is acceptable. But if you want to be on the safe side just don't go over 55.

Please don't take this the wrong way, ok?

Not taken the wrong way at all. :) I agree with not speeding (a lot). But that won't help THIS ticket.

Lawyer will be a waste of money imo the second time around. Pay it and move on.

Why not? I don't wanna be paying ridiculous insurance premiums!

[Gaara]

This may not be a popular opinion, but if you are a safe driver and just tend to go a little over the speed limit, get a radar detector. I got one a few years back and have never gotten a ticket since. They aren't fail proof though, you have to be paying a lot of attention while driving, but they do help.

[Serendipity]

You guys bring up a point -

What is a "reasonable" speed to go before a cop can give you a ticket? I mean if you're in a 55 and you're going 57, can they still give you a ticket?

[Face]

Don't speed. I go like 55...in a 55.

I really hope you stay in the right lane.

[exalted512]

technically, yes, but thats arguably close to being in the range of error of radar gun.

But if a judge doesnt throw that out, thats BS, my cruise control fluctuates 2-3 mph.
-Cody

[Serendipity]

I really hope you stay in the right lane.

LIE? Yeah.

Most people on the LIE go above 60 in the left lane anyways.

[audiobliss]

You guys bring up a point -

What is a "reasonable" speed to go before a cop can give you a ticket? I mean if you're in a 55 and you're going 57, can they still give you a ticket?

Hahaha. The State Trooper was being really nice. Not pushy or waving his authority around at all. Great guy. So, I determined to ask him when he got back about 'safe speeding', so to speak. So when he got back and handed me my ticket and explained I said, "Let me ask you a question. Is it "ok" (using hand motions) to go right at 10 over?" He just grinned real big, chuckled, and said, "No!" Pointing his flashlight at a speed limit sign, "What that says, you do! Now have a good evening."

[Face]

Except during rush hour, the L.I.E. is usually 70-80 in the left hand lane.

[Serendipity]

Except during rush hour, the L.I.E. is usually 70-80 in the left hand lane.

Holy **** and the L.I.E. has a speed limit of 55!

[obieone]

Hell! When I lived in MA, twice in the span of a year, I had a statey come up behind me and get RIGHT on my bumper-I mean like NASCAR drafting! I was doing 80-90mph in a 60 zone and BOTH times, I just pulled into the middle lane and he passed me. Could NOT believe I didn't get a ticket.
I think it had to do with the service van I was driving, and the fact that it was like 6:30 am on a Sat.?

[audiobliss]

Except during rush hour, the L.I.E. is usually 70-80 in the left hand lane.

What the heck is LIE??

[mrmusicman]

Go to court and plea not guilty....on your next court date when your sitting in the court room ,look around for the officer that wrote you the ticket.... if he is a no show your case should get dismissed.If he shows up then just change your plea to guilty when you get called upon.
This is the way it is in CA,I actually was going to fight a speeding ticket 78 mph in a 55 zone and the cop did not show up and the judge dismissed it...but this is in my state and you should check the laws in yours.You basically have nothing to lose but a little time.Good luck

[polkatese]

Hahaha. The State Trooper was being really nice. Not pushy or waving his authority around at all. Great guy. So, I determined to ask him when he got back about 'safe speeding', so to speak. So when he got back and handed me my ticket and explained I said, "Let me ask you a question. Is it "ok" (using hand motions) to go right at 10 over?" He just grinned real big, chuckled, and said, "No!" Pointing his flashlight at a speed limit sign, "What that says, you do! Now have a good evening."

At the posted speed limit enforcement by CHP, I think it is safe to say that more than half of the motorist population in the LA area would be pulled over.

[Gaara]

Hell! When I lived in MA, twice in the span of a year, I had a statey come up behind me and get RIGHT on my bumper-I mean like NASCAR drafting! I was doing 80-90mph in a 60 zone and BOTH times, I just pulled into the middle lane and he passed me. Could NOT believe I didn't get a ticket.

Thats how I got my second and final ticket, it was in MA to. I was doing ~70 in a 65 and the guy kept flashing his lights at me and speeding up. I speed up and switched to the right lane to get out of the psychos way and suddenly sirens flashing. I had no clue it was a cop, it happened at around 10:30pm, I thought the guy was going to hit me.

Not all states the officer has to show up, MA is a example of one that doesn't have to.

[beardog03]

Go to court and plea not guilty....on your next court date when your sitting in the court room ,look around for the officer that wrote you the ticket.... if he is a no show your case should get dismissed.If he shows up then just change your plea to guilty when you get called upon.
This is the way it is in CA,I actually was going to fight a speeding ticket 78 mph in a 55 zone and the cop did not show up and the judge dismissed it...but this is in my state and you should check the laws in yours.You basically have nothing to lose but a little time.Good luck

BINGO !!!

That`s my advise also....

[audiobliss]

They don't have to show up here, so that route's out the window. :(

[Serendipity]

This may sound harsh, but just pay it and don't ever speed again.

[audiobliss]

Ok, just to clear up. I'm not asking for ANY advice about my driving behavior. I speed. I know that. That's wrong. Can be dangerous. Can be ticketed. I know all that, too. And believe me, my driving habits WILL change.

But no advice about my driving style can help me with THIS ticket. It's already earned. The question is, how to handle this one to minimize damage/expense?

[Serendipity]

Ok, just to clear up. I'm not asking for ANY advice about my driving behavior. I speed. I know that. That's wrong. Can be dangerous. Can be ticketed. I know all that, too. And believe me, my driving habits WILL change.

But no advice about my driving style can help me with THIS ticket. It's already earned. The question is, how to handle this one to minimize damage/expense?

I don't know, show up in court and say "I was in a hurry and not aware of my speed, it WON'T happen again."

[nms]

If you just got one recently and got it thrown out, I think you're fooked. My brother was doing the same thing (72 in a 55) and he got it reduced to a non-moving violation with driving school.

A second one fairly soon after (within a year) could be considered the mark of a repeat offender so I doubt you'll get much leniency.

I think your best option is to pay it and suffer through the insurance premiums. If you were speeding that blatantly I don't think there's much a lawyer could do for you.

[Libertyc]

Been there done that…Just pay the fine and slow down. It will be a waste of time and money to hire a lawyer. You will get the points and your insurance will skyrocket. Just hope maybe your insurance company won’t find out

[Refefer]

Make sure you dress nice and goto the court. Tell them you're sorry and sound sincere and the Judge should reduce the ticket to something a little bit better. Worth the time when you think of the points that it could potentially knock off.

[mrbigbluelight]

"Go to court, hope the cop doesn't show up, case gets a new court date, show up again, dress nice, act nice ......."

Gaaawwwwwddddd dawg ! Has anyone else here ever had to sit through a session at traffic court ?!?!

It makes a trip to the DMV look like a pleasure trip to Disneyworld.


Audiobliss, there has to be some kind of advertise-on-tv-every-10-minutes traffic law outfit out where you're at.
"Traffic Law Center" is what we have around here, amongst a million others.

CALL THEM UP, GIVE THEM THE TICKET/CASE NUMBER, PAY YOUR $500

(will probably be less)

AND

SLOW DOWN !!!!

You'll live longer and keep more of your money in the long run.


Let those green-polyester suited, flim-flam legal bumpkins save you a ton of money on your insurance.

But:

SLOW DOWN !!!!

[BaggedLancer]

Save your money, pay it and be done.

I bet you wouldn't have gotten the ticket if you weren't driving a red truck instead of something else.

My typical commute home from work if you are doing less than 80 then you get high beamed to move over and I couldn't agree more. Get out of the way if you want to drive slow in any lane but the right. The speed limit on the highway home is 55 and the average traveling speed on a work day in the afternoon is about 80-85. Any slower and you get nasty looks.

[george daniel]

Just take it in stride,,pay it and move on,, and slow down a tad.;)