Got my first ticket toady

[ST3Andy]

Got my first moving violation ticket in 35 years of driving and riding today. 43 in a 30. Do I pay the $151 ticket and see what happens with my insurance, or plead not guilty and try to get it dropped using my stellar driving record as my defense. From what I can find online, if I pay the fine, I wont get a point on my license, but will have a guilty on my driving record. It's all new to me. Open to suggestions and to hear what others have expierienced.

[Sport-Touring]

[MGoBlue]

35 years and no tickets? How the hell do you do that? I've had MANY, even lost my card because of points accumulation. I did beat my first one on a technicality. Story goes...
Officer wrote owner of vehicle as Stoner ( ) but my sisters last name was Rock. Decided to fight on that alone. Giving testimony, said rookie cop stated I presented a standard ID but I only had a stamped permit. I pointed out mistake and won on that error, not the name thing.
A lot of times if you decide to fight it, the cop will reduce the ticket to a lesser offense. Speeding means points! Not obeying a traffic control device may not.

Good luck and give us some of your secrets as to how you went so long without!

[sodapop6620]

+1 on fighting it.

had my recent 16 over dropped to 5 over and no points

[Mac]

With your good driving record, you should be able to have the charge changed to a non-moving or equipment violation, pay the fine and be done with it. No points or insurance issues for you to worry about.

[jfusaro]

I got my first ever speeding ticket 2 years ago on the Taconic Pkwy in NY, 71 in a 55. Was not worth the hassel to fight and my insurance did not go up. I think the ticket was $250, my time and energy is worth more than that

[dan88z]

I've never had a ticket on my bike and my last ticket in a car was about 9 years ago.

I just sent in payment for one of those red light cameras today, I got dinged in my pickup truck a couple weeks ago. No points on that because they can't prove who was driving. 112 bucks. They sent me 3 nice quality pics of me at the line of the intersection with the light red, in the middle of the intersection with the light red, and a beautiful close up of my license plate.

For your case, I'd go to court if you have the time. Maybe the cop doesn't show up and it gets dismissed.

[Cablebandit]

Just pay it.  No points pretty much assures your rates won't go up.  My insurance has never gone up even with a steady diet of points over the years.

[Cobalt]

Got my first moving violation ticket in 35 years of driving and riding today. 43 in a 30. Do I pay the $151 ticket and see what happens with my insurance, or plead not guilty and try to get it dropped using my stellar driving record as my defense. From what I can find online, if I pay the fine, I wont get a point on my license, but will have a guilty on my driving record. It's all new to me. Open to suggestions and to hear what others have expierienced.

Just pay it. You did it. Move on.

I've never had any "adjustment" to my insurance based on driving record; only time I've ever heard of that *really* happening was egregious guilt in a collision.  

Just pay it.  No points pretty much assures your rates won't go up.  My insurance has never gone up even with a steady diet of points over the years.

+1

For your case, I'd go to court if you have the time. Maybe the cop doesn't show up and it gets dismissed.

I'd never take that gamble any more. The cop is on payroll regardless of what he's doing at any given moment, and it's easy enough to reschedule if needed or stop in the court for the 15 minutes it would take.

Plus, bottom line, dude was speeding, cop was just doing his job. Pay to play.  

[black hills]

I've had

126 in a 55 (written as 99)

78 in a 55

96 in a 75
 
and a careless driving

paid them all and nothing happened to my insurance

[sodapop6620]

I've had

126 in a 55 (written as 99)

78 in a 55

96 in a 75
 
and a careless driving

paid them all and nothing happened to my insurance

Arent there only 20 drivers in South Dakota?

[black hills]

Arent there only 20 drivers in South Dakota?

that know how to drive?  yea.. that's about right

[scottzilla]

Fight that fucker Andy, and next time RUN.  

[coucours grad]

Fight it....... Politely.


Use sound reasoning and truth.


    The Judge will be so astounded to hear both he'll reduce it.


 

[DNA]

Fight it.

In my experience tickets come in groups - I go years clean - then get 2 or 3 in a row.

Regarding insurance and points - its not this first one that kills you - its the next one that might happen next week.

then you have 2 in 1 year and bad stuff starts happening.

If you fight the first or get it dismissed with 12 months of clean driving then you always start clean and there is no second.
I paid the last one just like recommended - then had a BS one shortly later that caused me some grief.

In my experience when the cop pulls your record if there is stuff there they just add on - if it is clean they can be far more lenient.

So get it postponed a few times - hope the cop doesn't show up, and if he does beg for grace based on 35 years clean.  You just might well get it if you can prove it even with hard ass judges.

[scottzilla]

In the smallish towns find a local lawyer and let him handle it.  It will work out to be cheaper with the lawyer.  Or, simply plead not guilty and chances are the pre trial DA has "permission" to reduce it if you plead guilty as part of the deal.  

[Windblown]

What the heck, if you've never had a ticket you've never had the pleasure of traffic court. Might as well scratch that one off your life's checklist.

My mom got her first ticket that she couldn't talk her way out of at age 80 for 12mph over the limit. She went to court and played the little old lady routine to a "T" and the judge dismissed it.  

She laughed every time she told that story. She was a sly one, LOL.  

[scottzilla]

Just pay it. You did it. Move on.

I've never had any "adjustment" to my insurance based on driving record; only time I've ever heard of that *really* happening was egregious guilt in a collision.  



+1



I'd never take that gamble any more. The cop is on payroll regardless of what he's doing at any given moment, and it's easy enough to reschedule if needed or stop in the court for the 15 minutes it would take.

Plus, bottom line, dude was speeding, cop was just doing his job. Pay to play.  

Did it?  Did what?  He's guilty of traveling at a sensible speed and has a 35 year record to prove it.  
Speed limits are an arbitrary number thrown out there that suspiciously  happen to be lower than the speed 95% of the population travels at.  It is not logical to apply the same moral logic at speeding as you would to something like robbery or murder.  Speeding is one of the only "crimes" you can think of that the majority of the population participate in on a regular basis.  Guilty my ass.

[scraperman1]

I have had a bunch of tickets. My 2 cents, fight it if you have time for court and it means something to you. It will most likely get reduced as a plea bargain offer, but maybe not. It's hard to say. If it doesn't mean that much to you, pay it and move on. By the way, NEVER run from cops, if they catch you it's called fleeing and eluding; you lose you license, your bike, and your freedom. No joke there.

[Formerly Known as Bigfoot]

I love all this advice.  Some of it sounds good and some of it is just funny.

OP.  It's different everywhere so no advice given by any of us may help at all.  From my 30 years as a LEO I'll suggest a few things.  But like I said, your court system may vary completely from mine.  The advice about keep continuing it and hope the cop doesn't show won't work here.  Everyone in my county was entitled to one continuance.  Both the prosecution and defendant.  After that come to court and explain to the judge why he/she should continue it.  They rarely would,  

With your record I would go to court and see if you can talk to a prosecutor to explain everything.  Your perfect record and such.  Ask for any help as an incentive to keep up your safe record and driving.  You never know.  If prosecutors are not present for traffic court check in with the officer.  If the officer is not there then plead not guilty then run like hell as soon as the judge dismisses it.  This happened to my son recently in his town.  

[Kaner]

Dude!

You're a common criminal now...who knew!  I'm gonna tell your mom...

Glad you didn't lead us into any po-po traps this past weekend up in Lake Placid.

The rules for fighting a ticket are the same as the rules for marriage:

1. Admit nothing
2. Deny everything
3. Make counter-accusations

Just sayin....