cmoss

[quote] I have started to watch my speed more closely, because I have come to the conclusion that it's just not worth the risk to fork over the $$ to fatten the wallets of some local municipality and take the chance at having higher insurance rates. I will save the high speed runs for the track or highway (only if I have a radar detector). <hr></blockquote>

Be smarter than them! Cool!

special tool

Tt17 - why didn't you have a driver's license for 2.5 weeks? Not because of 1 ticket in 13 years?

Carrera51

tt9714:
Not sure about the traffic laws in Illinois, but in Maryland, we have what is called PBJ (Probation before Judgement). Basically what happens is that you end up paying a fine, but do not receive any points, and therefore your insurance doesn't go up. Plead guilty with an explanation, point out to the judge that you have never received a ticket and have a clean driving record. Worked for me on two seperate occasions

Based on my experiences with traffic court, judges tend to dislike it when people waste their time with lame excuses and fruitless arguments. I watched a guy get the maximum for a speeding ticket because he, pleaded not guilty, questioned the calibration of the radar gun, yada yada yada. I got my turn shortly thereafter and walked with no points and a reduced fine because I had a clean record at the time. (previous 3 years without a speeding ticket).

Also, wear a suit to court. Shows respect for the judge and the court.

dgz924s

After living in Florida for 8 years and several speeding tickets, the first points are not going to raise your rates all that much. Second, in most states points fall off after a certain period of time. The question is$$$$$$! Getting your attorney to argue a speeding ticket is not cost effective! Speeding tickets are NOT NEGOTIABLE,unless there was some unlawful act on the part of the officer.Hard to prove that! The one who is stopped is the ONLY GUILTY party....period! It was just your day for supporting the city budget! Now for the way it worked for me! I also was stopped and did not have the insurance info in my car,same ticket as you got. So now to clear that issue you have to go traffic court to prove your coverage at that time. At that time I proved my coverage and said to the judge in regards to the speeding ticket,"I am guilty for speeding but the traffic situation that I (you) were in caused me (you) to increase the speed to overt or avoid a possible incident....Well I got fined for only ten or less and kept my points as is due to the limit lowering.....but is it really worth spending 1000 to 1500 bucks to argue over less than a hundred bucks and your first points ever! My 2 cents! good luck! D

dgz924s

p.s. Check with the state to see about driving courses you can take to avoid points...Most states do!!! D <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" /> <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" /> <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

ThE sPaCeCoWbOy

carrea51

i live in maryland....how do you do that pbj...

i just went ahead and paid the fine...i think its a waste of time to go to court to plead guilty....

thanks,
space