i had such a bad morning yesterday, i'm finally ready to talk about it 24 hours later....
i was supposed to have the day off from work, but i get the "we need you" call.
fine. i'll go in. not for the boss, but for the client.
get in the audi, and it wont start [bang]
it sounds like it wants to turn over, but no.
so i go back inside, and hunt around for the spare key to the tundra.
got it! make a quick phone call, and off i go...
this was the second time i've driven this truck, i'm not used to it, at all.
i notice along the way that it idle's very high, and if you want to go slow... you actually have to use the brakes.
i get 5 minutes away from the office, and get pulled over >:(
i was speeding... 49 in a 30 :'(
so, i try to explain to the [leo] that i'm not used to driving this truck, but he wasn't interested, at all.
i got my first speeding ticket. $170. :-[
Sorry to hear that 'Tini.
Try contesting it by written declaration.
Quote from: somegirl on April 07, 2009, 06:53:01 AM
Sorry to hear that 'Tini.
Try contesting it by written declaration.
i'm a total noob [laugh]
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on April 07, 2009, 07:21:14 AM
i'm a total noob [laugh]
Call the Clerk of Courts and ask if they do pre-trial diversion or a variation of it. You could also ask to speak to the prosecutor as well.
Not sure what the term is in CT.
My first ticket I got back in 1999 was similar, first ever.
Called the court and paid 75$ for pre-trial option. Only stipulation was I could not get another violation in 12 months. If I did, I lost the 75$, had to pay the original ticket and the second, plus all the points involved.
Hadn't gotten a ticket since, until last year..........try 98 in a 65 :(
on a happy note, the audi started right up this morning :)
i have to mail the ticket, marked either guilty or not guilty.
is driving an unfamiliar vehicle really a proper defense? :-\
Call the clerk of courts or stop in to discuss
seriously
+1 to what cyrus said. i had a ticket in colorado way back when i was 19, which i was allowed to pay 1/2 fine, and no points as long as i had no additional tickets for 12 months after that.
if you have a clean record, you can usually bargain down in some way or other (lower points, less fine, or both)
or you can go to court and fight. i would not recommend that, as you will almost certainly lose the case, and be out the time invested as well as costs.
half the fine, no points, and most important, my insurance rates not increasing would be cool.
i'm pretty :-[ about the whole ordeal, a speeding ticket in a pickup truck :-\
What kind of quiz is this? If you give the answer in the first post we'll never be able to guess.
FTR, I was going to guess "herpes", but that's just me.
I just got a ticket this last Saturday trying to make a meet time for a ride. My buddy ended up getting lost on the way and was 45 minutes late. [roll] I don't like how they keep changing the look of the highway patrol cars. I didn't know what the heck was behind me even once his lights were on. I was like, "Oh crap, red and blue, that's not good." Used to be that the red and blue were both on a bar but the car that pulled me over was a plain white w/ a CHP star on the side and the the lights were 2 blue boxes right by the rear view mirror inside the car a red ball light on each side where a spotlight would normally go. In my crappy rear view mirrors I could barely see both the red and blue at the same time. :-\
Quote from: MrIncredible on April 07, 2009, 11:17:53 AM
FTR, I was going to guess "herpes", but that's just me.
and you're just a wiseass... and i'd expect no less coming from you [laugh]
Very doubtful your insurance will go up.
Only way insurance companies know if you have a ticket is if they run a report on your driving record (which costs them money)
So if you are staying with the same company and have been for a while, odds are they won't know about it.
my rates have not moved (actually gone down) on my new bills I got.
49 mph is a seriously high idle. You should get that checked out. And yeah, that's a poor excuse for almost 20 over. Not saying I don't speed, just that I know when I'm doing so.
P.S. - I've gotten all 4 of my speeding tickets in a pick-up.
i got my first ticket in my dad's pickup - 85 in a 55.
it's not like you were bumping 100 in a neighborhood ;D
PM sent
Quote from: DCXCV on April 07, 2009, 12:03:47 PM
49 mph is a seriously high idle.
Not in top gear...
But, like Jud said, your rates will likely not go up. Most companies don't care about 1 ticket, that second one will hurt though...
Yep, your day definitely sucked. I do hope all went well with the client at least.
Do check with a friendly local LEO. All localities are different when it comes to speeding tickets. I know of someone who plea bargained a 55 in a 40 down to a $60 for wrongful parking on a parkway. This would never happen in NYC, you are either guilty or innocent. Also, you may get a free consult from a lawyer here: shit, none listed for CT, but you could contact these National Motorists Association Activists, fighting speeding tickets is their passion:
Amy Greg
Middletown, CT
860.545.4220
gatm2k-nma@yahoo.com
Sheldon Wishnick
Newington, CT
860.666.1006
ctnma@cox.net
Good luck!
thanks for howie :)
...or now that your record is tarnished...
you could become a habitual offender. ;D
You hooligan.....
[evil] [laugh]
Quote from: ducpainter on April 08, 2009, 04:33:34 AM
...or now that your record is tarnished...
you could become a habitual offender. ;D
You hooligan.....
just remember,
three strikes, and you're out!
In my extended experience with lead feet back in the day, "first" tickets generally do not raise your insurance rates unless you're blatantly way over the limit (notice in your case it was written as 19 over the limit; going 20 over may be considered reckless driving in some areas). And I say "first" tickets to mean not having tickets on record at the time of being cited since tickets usually disappear after 5 years depending on the state and their approach to "points" accumulation (in my state there was no point system, so I was able have a "clean" slate ;) every 3-5 years).
As mentioned above, a good resource is the National Motorists Association (http://www.motorists.org/).
Oh boy, I just got nailed with a speeding ticket here in CT on my Duc going 90 (allegedly) in a 55. Cop gave me a ticket for <90mph in a 55 and no reckless driving. I was watching my speedo and I didn't think I ever got over 80. I know my speedo runs a little high, so I feel like I was going more like 75.
Anyhow, Ducatini, who did you call to get your ticket reduced? Is there a general number for the clerk? I was having trouble finding who I should contact on the judicial site.
Definitely kicking myself....
Thanks for the help
A newb that knows how to use the search. [clap]
Quote from: trouble on July 06, 2009, 05:26:14 PM
A newb that knows how to use the search. [clap]
....musta talked to derby. :P
Well I'm not a total newb, I read the forum almost daily, but rarely post...
Quote from: slapshot1324 on July 06, 2009, 05:38:30 PM
Well I'm not a total newb, I read the forum almost daily, but rarely post...
Appreciated just the same. [thumbsup]
Every time I read the thread title and see who the author is, I keep expecting the answer to be "pregnant".
I just had to say that, if only to start rumours.
wow... props to slapshot for finding this thread [thumbsup]
i actually haven't gone to court for my ticket yet, it's july 22nd
no phone calls were made, i just plead not guilty.
i have no idea what's going to happen... i was told it would most likely get reduced to avoid filling up the courts... we'll see.
i'll post up here and let you know what the outcome is :)
i've been sized for my orange jumpsuit ;D
Can`t really help you, we don`t pay tickets here in SA, the insurance isn`t bothered and we don`t have a points system yet ;D
Since it was so long ago, I would say there's a decent chance the ticketing officer won't show up. If that happens, instant dismissal...
Thanks guys / gals for the feedback. I think I'm going to plead not guilty and see if I can work something out....
Ducatini, I would be interested to hear the outcome of your ticket when the time comes, if you wouldn't mind
Quote from: NAKID on July 07, 2009, 03:25:01 AM
Since it was so long ago, I would say there's a decent chance the ticketing officer won't show up. If that happens, instant dismissal...
That is not true at all.
If you take it to trial........yes, the officer is to show up.
But just a ticket? No way. If that were the case, police officers would be in court everyday of the week.
I got a 33 in a 65 last year.......mandatory court.
The officer wasn't there, but the judge still handed me my punishment.
Maybe in OH, but I have received speeding tickets in AZ and CA. If you plead not guilty, they set a court date. You show up to court, they call roll. They call you, then the ticketing officer. In 2 cases (1 in each state) they called my name, then the officer's name. When he didn't answer the judge said "Case #XXX, failure to prosecute, case dismissed"...
Yes, to my point.
You took it to trial.
Not necessarily a jury trial, but a bench trial.
I missed that not guilty plea in Tini's post.
I plead guilty.
Ahh, yes. If you plead guilty, the officer does not need to be there. You can plead guilty at the arraignment, you can receive the punishment then and there. If you plead not guilty, they set a court date and you go to trial. The officer is notified that you have plead not guilty and told what the court date is. If he shows up, you plead your case, question him, or change your plea to guilty or no contest. If he doesn't show up, it's failure to prosecute and the case is dismissed...
Not sure how it is out west, but the officers around here are required to be at the court date. If they don't show up, they get reprimanded.
That is why I pleaded guilty.
No way am I taking on a laser gun with a state trooper in front of a judge who doesn't like speeders to begin with.
Around here, the officers get paid overtime to show up at court.
However, if you do trial by written declaration it means extra paperwork for them that they don't get paid extra to do.
Quote from: somegirl on July 07, 2009, 08:09:11 AM
Around here, the officers get paid overtime to show up at court.
I think most get paid OT for it, but Hbliam could answer better.
From what I heard from my brother who used to be a prosecutor (and now a defense attorney) most of the time their court dates come on their days off and they blow it off.
I once scheduled a court date, then got a letter a couple weeks later saying they needed to change the date because the officer was off that day. They specifically made it for a day that he was working...
You are definitely rolling the dice if you go that way.
If you don't have a kickass attorney who found a loophole and the cop does show up....you are fuccccckkkked
Another thing to do, a friend of mine has done it successfully (however wit hspeeding tickets, why WOULDNT you hire a lawyer? its the only way to go and cheaper) delay the thing till the heavens fall on earth. In NYS you can delay it 3 times max for up to a year. By then the cop would of not cared since he kept getting those delay notices and just not go...if your lucky.
Quote from: He Man on July 07, 2009, 08:31:51 AM
Another thing to do, a friend of mine has done it successfully (however wit hspeeding tickets, why WOULDNT you hire a lawyer? its the only way to go and cheaper) delay the thing till the heavens fall on earth. In NYS you can delay it 3 times max for up to a year. By then the cop would of not cared since he kept getting those delay notices and just not go...if your lucky.
+1. Definitely works...
that's pretty sketchy
own up to what you did or try to find a way out of it by investigation through legal means
Quote from: cyrus buelton on July 07, 2009, 09:39:50 AM
that's pretty sketchy
own up to what you did or try to find a way out of it by investigation through legal means
Now you're just talking nonsense! Come on! That's the American Way!
May be the American way but not my way
Well I'm concerned that if I plead not guilty and I have to show up in court then the cop will be there. He implied that he let me off easy by not also giving me a ticket for reckless driving and said that if I try to fight it they will add on reckless driving (not sure if they can do that?). In court though its his word against mine, he didn't catch me on radar, he was getting onto the highway, saw me pass, then he sped up to over 100mph to catch me and then he paced me for an 1/8 of a mile.
I'm not totally convinced that his story matches up based on the exit he got onto the highway, if he was going 100 and he says i was going 90, it would take a couple of miles to catch up to me and then to pace me, i definitely would have noticed him. The more I think about it, the more I think he just wanted to nail me because I was on a bike...
I'm less concerned with the $300 fine and more concerned with the eventual insurance backlash. I'd like to get things reduced a little without the expense / hassle of getting a lawyer
Play the court game. Get an attorney. It's a boys club.
Your insurance most likely won't be touched, mine wasn't.
The only way it would be is if you switched providers or your current one decided to run a check on you. But if you are a good standing customer with your provider, I wouldn't worry about it.
Over here in Akron, we have had a lot of highway patrol cars based in Columbus doing overtime on a stretch of road. The state DOT says the speed limit should be 65, but it's currently 55. They wrote over 100 tickets a couple weekends ago, and most were between 55 and 65. Some squid decided to run the gauntlet through there and outrun LEO, only to slam into an overloaded SUV. He nearly killed himself and hurt a little girl. Subsequently, readers of the local paper are much less sympathetic to motorcycles.
It's too bad the enforcement focuses on speed alone, because stupid is much more dangerous than fast.
Correction: the squid collision (not accident) was in a different section of the same interstate.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on July 07, 2009, 09:39:50 AM
that's pretty sketchy
own up to what you did or try to find a way out of it by investigation through legal means
Why is it sketchy? Its one big game. State wants money and puts LEOs out to give people tickets, however absurd it is. What does the cop care if the ticket sticks or not? He just gives them out, the state will decide that if you fight it. The American way is all about laws and how to interpret them to benefit yourself until someone says "no, thats not right!". And until they get rid of the 3 delays per a ticket, and default judgement for no show (varies from state to state), i'm going to excercise my rights according to the law and extend that shit till kingdom come!
But ill triple +1 on the play the court game casue it is a boys club. Get a lawyer, sleep better. If its your first offense, chances are the lawyer will be able to get you off.
Quote from: He Man on July 07, 2009, 01:40:23 PM
Why is it sketchy? Its one big game. State wants money and puts LEOs out to give people tickets, however absurd it is. What does the cop care if the ticket sticks or not? He just gives them out, the state will decide that if you fight it. The American way is all about laws and how to interpret them to benefit yourself until someone says "no, thats not right!". And until they get rid of the 3 delays per a ticket, and default judgement for no show (varies from state to state), i'm going to excercise my rights according to the law and extend that shit till kingdom come!
But ill triple +1 on the play the court game casue it is a boys club. Get a lawyer, sleep better. If its your first offense, chances are the lawyer will be able to get you off.
Here Here!
Quote from: cyrus buelton on July 07, 2009, 05:03:47 AM
I got a 33 in a 65 last year.......mandatory court.
um... cyrus... the accelerator is the one on the right ;) [laugh]
Take it easy on poor Jud, he has to be very careful with his choice of words, and get's confused. ;D
<...self edit on the issue of honesty and integrity...>
Good luck with all that
Hope you get away with it
[thumbsup]
right now, i am feeling like i shoulda just paid the stupid ticket...
but at the time, i had just gotten laid off from my job,
and had no real plan on how i was going to pay my mortgage if i didn't find new work.
i plead not guilty to get the fine reduced :-\
If you change your mind when you get to court and the officer is there, you can always change your plea to no contest...
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 08, 2009, 02:37:31 AM
right now, i am feeling like i shoulda just paid the stupid ticket...
but at the time, i had just gotten laid off from my job,
and had no real plan on how i was going to pay my mortgage if i didn't find new work.
i plead not guilty to get the fine reduced :-\
I hope you don't feel bad due to my comment
I was referring to 90mph-in-a-55-but-was-only-really-doing-75-and-still-wants-to-contest-it-guy
I have a holier than thou opinion when it comes to things like these
but
the world ain't black and white
not by a long shot
I have had many many speeding tickets
I was at fault for every one and admitted it to the officer during the stop
I got a warning instead of tickets on numerous traffic stops because of it
except one
I was not at fault for the alleged 64 in a 30
and
I fought it and lost
but really
how many tickets should I have gotten and didn't...I would say about 6
so in the end i still believe owning up to what you have done wrong is the thing to do
unless you can live with the guilt
then that gets into the whole grey aspect of life and the only judge in that realm is you
the opinions of other people do not matter
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 08, 2009, 02:08:09 AM
um... cyrus... the accelerator is the one on the right ;) [laugh]
hmmm.........doesn't make much sense, does it?
however.......I think you probably could get ticketed for doing 33 in a 65 as most have a minimum speed limit of 50.
Cart got ahead of the horse
I was doing 98 in a 65. 33 over.
Yeah. something like that.
I'm not trying to get away with anything, I told the cop I was going 75, which is still 20mph over the limit. I would just like to avoid giving the state $300 more than I do already. I will have zero guilt if I am able to reduce the ticket, just like I don't feel guilty for going 56 in a 55. 1 mph or 35 mph over its still breaking the law...
What did you do with the money you saved on the 6 avoided tickets? I hope you donated the money the state to build a park or feed the hungry....
Anyhow, why not take advantage of the freedom to fight against the ticket? If they are going to give me the option, I'm going for it.
I thought you said you didn't care about the 300 and you wanted to avoid the insurance increase?
I'm so confused
I am less concerned about the 300 more about the insurance, but your points were only focused on the ticket itself and essentially admitting guilt and paying for the ticket. Unless you are saying that to live guilt free I should let my insurance company know that I frequently drive at least 1mph over the speed limit...
Now I'm confused...
my point being....i don't have a point... I don't have the energy to argue on the internet anymore...the world may be ending...like I said the first time, I hope you get away with it.
went to court today
i got the fine reduced from $180 to $60 [thumbsup]
however, i can no longer say i've never gotten a ticket :-\
What did you do to get it reduced?
Quote from: NAKID on July 22, 2009, 03:42:53 PM
What did you do to get it reduced?
basically... i just showed up, was polite, and told the truth :)
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 22, 2009, 03:47:40 PM
basically... i just showed up, was polite, and told the truth :)
and she wore a bandana as a shirt.
Quote from: MrIncredible on July 22, 2009, 03:50:02 PM
and she wore a bandana as a shirt.
Ahhh, that's what I did wrong...
Quote from: NAKID on July 22, 2009, 03:50:48 PM
Ahhh, that's what I did wrong...
You wore a bandanna too?
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 22, 2009, 03:47:40 PM
basically... i just showed up, was polite, and told the truth :)
Did you actually see the Judge, or deal with the prosecutor?
Quote from: Dan on July 22, 2009, 03:51:31 PM
You wore a bandanna too?
No, I DIDN'T wear one....
Quote from: MrIncredible on July 22, 2009, 03:50:02 PM
and she wore a bandana as a shirt.
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh] you crack me up [laugh]
Quote from: Dan on July 22, 2009, 03:52:21 PM
Did you actually see the Judge, or deal with the prosecutor?
the prosecutor, and for the record, the prosecutor was a female ;)
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 23, 2009, 01:42:03 AM
the prosecutor, and for the record, the prosecutor was a female ;)
TTIUWOP
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on July 23, 2009, 01:42:03 AM
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh] you crack me up [laugh]
the prosecutor, and for the record, the prosecutor was a female ;)
go mel!
doing whatever it takes to get the ticket reduced!
that's how you save money, and now you might even have a friend in the court [thumbsup]
[thumbsup] What about points?
I'm curious. Did you just pull the prosecutor aside and ask what could be done to reduce it? Or did you just say you where sorry to the judge and the prosecutor say the state would drop the fine?
I've got to go to court next week for a ticket and I'm willing to pay the fine. I just want to do whatever I can to keep it off my record, as it is spotless.
everyone talks to the prosecutor first, just tell the truth
if i didn't agree to the offer i would have had to go back another day
and that...... was NoT happening [laugh]
i am aware that my insurance might increase
but i'm not to worried about the points, this was my first ever ticket [thumbsup]