Posted: 7/17/2009 7:05:15 AM EDT
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Alright. So I have never gotten a ticket before, but I have managed to get 2 in the last 5 days.
The first was while driving up to Pinetop. The highway speed limit was 55, but when going through a town it is 35. I kept going 55, got nailed with a 19 over ticket. Fair enough, got my defensive driving class all lined up. This morning at about 5:40 I was driving. There is a construction zone where the speed drops from 40 to 25. I was pulled over for going 44 just a few seconds after crossing line. So here are my three questions: In the second instance, the Officer did not even request that I sign the citation. He was a motorcop and it was a printed one, as opposed to handwritten. Is this some technicality that will let me off? 'Cause that would be really, really nice. Second, I'm not really sure how fast I was going in either instance. If I go to court over the second one, can the Officer bust out his radar gun and be like "He was actually going 23 over, I was just being nice" and then my fine is worse? Third, I don't deny that I was speeding- I would simply be looking for some lenience. My friend said he went to court and they took 10mph off his ticket. That's really my goal, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I can't prove I wasn't speeding, because I was. Honestly I wouldn't even know how to go about it. So, anyone have any tips? |
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Just bend over and take it like a man! Not your week.
But go to court and you can usually speak to the magistrate before the judge and have it settled. Usually court cost and fines. No points. I am surprised the LEO didnt give you a discount on the speeding. If you are in a construction area or school they may throw the book at you. |
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You can try to get off on a technicality that you didn't sign the ticket but it's doubtful that it will get you anywhere.
It's your word against the cops and you already admit that you were speeding. If you think he was wrong on the speed then you should have said something to him when you got pulled over. You can ask the court to take 10mph off your ticket but I don't see it happening. |
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Quoted:
In the second instance, the Officer did not even request that I sign the citation. He was a motorcop and it was a printed one, as opposed to handwritten. Is this some technicality that will let me off? 'Cause that would be really, really nice. You broke the law knowingly & got caught. man up, stop looking for a loophole (there isn't one) & pay the piper. Quoted:
Second, I'm not really sure how fast I was going in either instance. If I go to court over the second one, can the Officer bust out his radar gun and be like "He was actually going 23 over, I was just being nice" and then my fine is worse? I thought you knew how fast you were going above?  Anyway... no, he can't say you were going faster than what he put down & increase the fine in court.
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Third, I don't deny that I was speeding- I would simply be looking for some lenience. My friend said he went to court and they took 10mph off his ticket. That's really my goal, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I can't prove I wasn't speeding, because I was. Honestly I wouldn't even know how to go about it. Plead not guilty and then talk with the prosecutor. Worse case scenario... they won't deal & you'll be back to square one. BUT... if it's not a criminal speeding charge, I don't see how they could drop it any further than the civil citation that I assume it to be. |
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Just pay the fines. You insurance isnt going to sky rocket. I had 4 speeding tickets last year and my insurance went up 150 bucks for the year.
It sucks if your job is license dependent, but most companies give you 3 or 4 tickets in a year. It really isnt THAT bad. 
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Alright. So I have never gotten a ticket before, but I have managed to get 2 in the last 5 days. The first was while driving up to Pinetop. The highway speed limit was 55, but when going through a town it is 35. I kept going 55, got nailed with a 19 over ticket. Fair enough, got my defensive driving class all lined up. This morning at about 5:40 I was driving. There is a construction zone where the speed drops from 40 to 25. I was pulled over for going 44 just a few seconds after crossing line. So here are my three questions: In the second instance, the Officer did not even request that I sign the citation. He was a motorcop and it was a printed one, as opposed to handwritten. Is this some technicality that will let me off? 'Cause that would be really, really nice. Second, I'm not really sure how fast I was going in either instance. If I go to court over the second one, can the Officer bust out his radar gun and be like "He was actually going 23 over, I was just being nice" and then my fine is worse? Third, I don't deny that I was speeding- I would simply be looking for some lenience. My friend said he went to court and they took 10mph off his ticket. That's really my goal, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I can't prove I wasn't speeding, because I was. Honestly I wouldn't even know how to go about it. So, anyone have any tips?  
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Quoted:
How old are you and how long have you had your license? 18, had it since my 16th birthday. This is really gonna jack up my insurance 
To the other people so far, I know how fast I was going within a few MPH. But they're both for 19, so even one more mile over and the fine goes up like 60 bucks. Thanks for the replies so far. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
How old are you and how long have you had your license? 18, had it since my 16th birthday. This is really gonna jack up my insurance
To the other people so far, I know how fast I was going within a few MPH. But they're both for 19, so even one more mile over and the fine goes up like 60 bucks. Thanks for the replies so far. If you can't afford the tickets or the rise in your insurance cost then you shouldn't be speeding. I speed all of the time but I know the consequences if I get caught, so it's a gamble. Drive as fast as I want and risk having to pay money for it or drive in the slow lane and not worry about it. The court doesn't care if you're only 18 or you've only got two tickets or that your that you don't have money for the fine or that your insurance cost is going to go up, etc, etc. You're the only person in the world that actually cares about the outcome, so don't go in expecting leniency from anybody. |
| Question: Were there workers in the construction zone at the time? Also, Have you paid your first ticket yet? I am an ex-police officer and the answer to these two questions may determine what you can do with the second ticket. My advise is to pay the first ticket. Then get a court hearing on the second ticket, especially if there were workers in the Construction zone. If you plead not guilty then ask for a continuance. Then talk with an attorney about getting the ticket speed reduced and or speak with the court prosecutor to see what they are willing to do to help you if your were to plead guilty. I am from Indiana, and here, speeding in a construction zone with workers present is a very high dollar ticket with probability of losing driving license for a time as well. I would be interested in your outcome and good luck. |
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Quoted: Quoted: How old are you and how long have you had your license? 18, had it since my 16th birthday. This is really gonna jack up my insurance To the other people so far, I know how fast I was going within a few MPH. But they're both for 19, so even one more mile over and the fine goes up like 60 bucks. Thanks for the replies so far. Your best bet is to plead ignorance and stupidity. Just tell him that "only and idiot would get two tickets in five days." |
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Quoted:
How old are you and how long have you had your license? 18, had it since my 16th birthday. This is really gonna jack up my insurance
To the other people so far, I know how fast I was going within a few MPH. But they're both for 19, so even one more mile over and the fine goes up like 60 bucks. Thanks for the replies so far. If you can't afford the tickets or the rise in your insurance cost then you shouldn't be speeding. I speed all of the time but I know the consequences if I get caught, so it's a gamble. Drive as fast as I want and risk having to pay money for it or drive in the slow lane and not worry about it. The court doesn't care if you're only 18 or you've only got two tickets or that your that you don't have money for the fine or that your insurance cost is going to go up, etc, etc. You're the only person in the world that actually cares about the outcome, so don't go in expecting leniency from anybody. There is a difference between "expecting" and "really hoping" I haven't been pulled over yet because normally I don't speed more than 5 over. I understand I deserve it, but if possible I would like to not spend a ton of money anyways But after reading this thread looks like its probably best to just pay it. I'm not driving for the first year or maybe two in college anyways. |
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There is a difference between "expecting" and "really hoping" I haven't been pulled over yet because normally I don't speed more than 5 over. I understand I deserve it, but if possible I would like to not spend a ton of money anyways But after reading this thread looks like its probably best to just pay it. I'm not driving for the first year or maybe two in college anyways. All I'm saying is, don't get your hopes up and pay closer attention and you'll get fewer tickets. |
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Question: Were there workers in the construction zone at the time? Also, Have you paid your first ticket yet? I am an ex-police officer and the answer to these two questions may determine what you can do with the second ticket. My advise is to pay the first ticket. Then get a court hearing on the second ticket, especially if there were workers in the Construction zone. If you plead not guilty then ask for a continuance. Then talk with an attorney about getting the ticket speed reduced and or speak with the court prosecutor to see what they are willing to do to help you if your were to plead guilty. I am from Indiana, and here, speeding in a construction zone with workers present is a very high dollar ticket with probability of losing driving license for a time as well. I would be interested in your outcome and good luck. I did not see any. Looking at the citation it was a civil charge for speeding, exact same statute as the first one, but for traffic conditions it says "Const Zone." I have already set up the class for the first ticket. Your best bet is to plead ignorance and stupidity. Just tell him that "only and idiot would get two tickets in five days." Ya ya, I know. And no, I'm not a troll account. Just an idiot
EDIT: I'm going to UT Austin, and I would already be there when my court date is, so unless its a sure thing it's not worth coming back for. Thanks for the replies to this, I will just pay the second ticket and suck it up. I will slow down, I usually do, but when you fuck up TPD motor cops are watching apparently. |
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Can't help much with the tickets, but a word of warning:
Localities are all hurting from decreases in property, income, and sales tax revenue. They are looking to make up that shortfall in any way they can. I've been commuting the same route to and from work for several years now, and during the last six months I've seen a lot more cops and speed traps on the road. So, if you don't want to pay the "speed tax", slow down and pay attention. |
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I'm retired from a large utility company and used to work in the street. Took out lanes,etc, and I've got to tell you, if the construction zone was set up correctly you had plenty of warning and I've got absolutely no sympathy for you. You see, we put up these diamond shaped orange WARNING signs that have catchy phrases on them like ROAD WORK AHEAD and stuff like that to WARN you to slow down. Most of the time they even have orange flags on them just to draw your attention!. Then we put cones out, not for your slolom driving pleasure, but to keep you in your lane SO WE CAN GO HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY!
Please, try to learn the lesson of the ticket and man up and pay it. NOTE: My comments go completely out the window if it was some asswipe who threw only a couple of cones out because "he was only going to be there for a minute..." If that is the case and fines are doubled in construction zones, fight it because there ARE standards for setting up C zones. |
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I'm retired from a large utility company and used to work in the street. Took out lanes,etc, and I've got to tell you, if the construction zone was set up correctly you had plenty of warning and I've got absolutely no sympathy for you. You see, we put up these diamond shaped orange WARNING signs that have catchy phrases on them like ROAD WORK AHEAD and stuff like that to WARN you to slow down. Most of the time they even have orange flags on them just to draw your attention!. Then we put cones out, not for your slolom driving pleasure, but to keep you in your lane SO WE CAN GO HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY! Please, try to learn the lesson of the ticket and man up and pay it. NOTE: My comments go completely out the window if it was some asswipe who threw only a couple of cones out because "he was only going to be there for a minute..." If that is the case and fines are doubled in construction zones, fight it because there ARE standards for setting up C zones. No, it's been there for like 8ish months. I always do slow down in it, honestly, but the speed limit drops long before the cones/construction start. There was little traffic and I figured I'd slow down once the actual construction started. If any Tucsonans read this its grant/craycroft heading west. Officer was in the cemetary. |
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The way it works here is you can show up early on your court date and speak with a prosecutor to settle the manner. I got a ticket awhile ago for 10 over on the interstate, I was actually doing only 10 over too, the cop was hiding on the back of an overpass with a laser gun. I was polite, pulled over and turned the vehicle off, had all my paperwork, my truck was packed and I told him I was seeing my brother before as he was leaving for Afghanistan in a couple days, and I even had a Law Enforcement Memorial license plate. That revenue collect still wrote me a ticket and didn't give me a break. He admitted there was a push to write everyone doing 10 or over and they were being given incentives for the number of tickets they wrote. Anyway, I show up the day of court, talked to a prosecutor, and they changed the charge to defective equipment. That change kept the speeding charge off my license, not that it mattered as it was a zero point ticket. It actually cost me more for defective equipment charge than the speeding. If you are going to be in the area I would show up and ask them if they can work with you on it. It would be a good experience to get into the court house and see how that whole system works anyway. Can someone explain why it seems the prosecutors are more willing to work with thugs and bottom feeders who show up to court dressed and acting like thugs and bottom feeders? When I went I was dressed business casual. The prosecutor wouldn't do anything really other than change the charge, even though it was 0 point ticket and I hadn't had a ticket for at least 4 years. I saw thugs, dressed as thugs, who had previous tickets who were again pulled over for speeding and also cited for no insurance show up with an insurance card and get everything dropped. Every one of them had charges dropped or reduced. It pissed me off. |
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Quoted:
The way it works here is you can show up early on your court date and speak with a prosecutor to settle the manner. I got a ticket awhile ago for 10 over on the interstate, I was actually doing only 10 over too, the cop was hiding on the back of an overpass with a laser gun. I was polite, pulled over and turned the vehicle off, had all my paperwork, my truck was packed and I told him I was seeing my brother before as he was leaving for Afghanistan in a couple days, and I even had a Law Enforcement Memorial license plate. That revenue collect still wrote me a ticket and didn't give me a break. He admitted there was a push to write everyone doing 10 or over and they were being given incentives for the number of tickets they wrote. Anyway, I show up the day of court, talked to a prosecutor, and they changed the charge to defective equipment. That change kept the speeding charge off my license, not that it mattered as it was a zero point ticket. It actually cost me more for defective equipment charge than the speeding. If you are going to be in the area I would show up and ask them if they can work with you on it. It would be a good experience to get into the court house and see how that whole system works anyway. Can someone explain why it seems the prosecutors are more willing to work with thugs and bottom feeders who show up to court dressed and acting like thugs and bottom feeders? When I went I was dressed business casual. The prosecutor wouldn't do anything really other than change the charge, even though it was 0 point ticket and I hadn't had a ticket for at least 4 years. I saw thugs, dressed as thugs, who had previous tickets who were again pulled over for speeding and also cited for no insurance show up with an insurance card and get everything dropped. Every one of them had charges dropped or reduced. It pissed me off. Something along this is what you need to do. I have been cited for speeding over a dozen times yet I have no record. How is this you ask, let me explain. ALL THEY WANT IS YOUR $$$$$$$$$$$$. Be polite to the cop, dont argue with him EVER. The side of the road is not where you fight a ticket. Now go to court and talk to the solicitor/magistrate whatever they are called in your neck of the woods and politely explain that you have a reason that you cant have points on your record, make on up if you dont have one. Second ask them nicely if the can reduce to an offense that does not carry points/go against your record BUT you will pay the original fine. This gives you both what you want, they get your $$ and you keep a clean record. This has worked for me every time from the age of 17 till now at 25. |
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Man up Nancy, and pay the damn ticket. slow down next time. Fuck that... I took a driver safety course this week (online.) $107 (plus $25 to the safety course company) vs $191. You know what the speeding ticket STARTS at in that town? $180. +$1 for every mph over the limit you're clocked at. If you were driving 1 mph over the speed limit, your ticket would be $181.
Got caught coming into a podunk speed trap town too fast. Hell, I was even slowing down before I saw the cop because I recognized it as a speed trap. One of those 70 to 55 in one fell swoop right before a hill. Didn't slow down fast enough.
I saved a little money, stiffed the town government out of half the fine, and kept it off my insurance. Mostly win. |