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Hey, shmokes, small legal question for you....

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DaveMMR:

--- Quote from: lilshawn on February 05, 2012, 10:20:54 am ---if you did something REALLY stupid like drinking and driving (I certainly hope not) take your medicine and pay up. Learn form your stupidity.

--- End quote ---

Well if it were drinking and driving, that's in a different league than speeding tickets. You NEED a lawyer; there's no "mailing in a fine" or "asking for a reduction of said fine". You'll be lucky if you're only out a few grand and loss of your license for a few months.  Here in Long Island, they practically nail you to the wall for anything over .08. Besides the expense, they even used to publish your mug shot on the local paper's website BEFORE you were found guilty. If we're doing any kind of drinking, we take cabs/trains/buses. It is not worth having even just one or two drinks and then driving.


--- Quote from: TopJimmyCooks on February 04, 2012, 09:24:49 pm ---Now, if you get a parking ticket, pay it and move on. 

--- End quote ---

I used to get parking tickets in front of my old apartment because of their weird village parking rules. It was $50! But if you went to the courthouse on a specified date and spoke to the judge there, they'd bump it down to $25. And I know NYC once let me fight a ticket via an internet form.  So sometimes it's worth it, if your time is worth a couple of bucks.

knave:
Fight the ticket, go to court, Your defense is that your "speed was safe for the current conditions", If you think you are guilty but just want to avoid the hit on your insurance ask for Traffic school. This is all at the preliminary hearing...If you still insist on scheduling a court date then do it. the cop might not show and even if he does if you are polite you can still ask for traffic school.

danny_galaga:

I notice Gary Area hasn't elaborated. Maybe was going so fast they threw him in the slammer!

As others have said, if you were speeding; pay, learn, move on. If you feel you've been hard done by, then sure, go to court.

Gray_Area:
I've had a few parking tickets. The last one, several years ago, I got out of. I forget how exactly, but I convinced the judge it wasn't a violation. Maybe she just liked me.

I don't often speed. The last speeding ticket I got was thirteen years ago, and that was on the interstate. I always know when I'm going to get a ticket, there's always a feeling or marker. Back in '92, it was on the interstate and noticed I was in the head of the pack....but continued a couple/few miles farther. This time around, it was at the stop light before; I saw a civilian truck next to me with a small sheriff badge-like sticker in the corner of the back window. Took off from the light, round a corner, then round another corner and found a cycle cop pointing a gun at me. There were three of them, two already busy. Happened to be that day and time they were casing that stretch, as they've never been around there when I've passed through.

I was casual and cool with the officer. I always am. They're doing their job.

The area was posted 40, though I know it's rated for 60, and given the [industrial] area should be 50. I knew I was speeding, though not quite what he said - 60. I certainly wasn't being dangerous. I mentioned something, and when he came back he said he gave the 'approximate speed' of 50.

Here, they automatically give you the option of driving school - I think most people take this option - and I thought about it. Paying the ticket and driving school were both about $200. My brother said if the officer does show, then try to discredit the ticket by asking when the gun was last calibrated, that sort of thing. I remember, when I was in college, a professor or older student saying he got out of speeding tickets by pulling his 'where's the injured party' card.

TopJimmyCooks:
See my comments above if you didn't already.  20mph is serious, although if it was really serious he would have written down 19 over.  They're not trying to take decent citizens off the road, just get their tax, teach a lesson and move on.  That motorcycle patrolman just got his gun calibrated last Tuesday and the certificate's on file with the clerk of court, trust me.  I bet it was a clear, nice day too.  Attorney time I'd say.  You could also call your car insurer and ask for a hypothetical rate increase quote to compare with the $400 and the class time. 

Further advice for anyone next time-consider the safety of the officer.  Being calm and nice is key, like Gray mentioned.  I also keep my hands on the wheel at 10/2 until the officer gets a look.  Then, I announce any moves before I make them - wallet, glovebox, whatever before moving off the wheel.  Tell them you have a weapon if you do, or hand them your concealed carry permit with your license and let them ask about it.  When you do these things they feel like you are aware of the dangers that face LEO's walking up to car stops and it does give them a better feeling.  I've gotten maybe more than my share of warnings instead of tickets. 

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