Speeding ticket on the way to SITM, need advice
06-03-2013, 10:13 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
I will likely wait until Wednesday whe I find out what the fine is.
Up here paralegals charge $500, so 350 for a lawyer does not seem bad to me. But I could just be conditioned to the raping we get for everything in the great white north.
06-03-2013, 10:26 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Traffic tickets, long ago, quit being about what is right and what is wrong and became about revenue only. Your Porsche, at 74 is way, way safer than a 1970 drum braked Chevelle hurling down the road at 55 (which is what the speed laws were written for.)
Although.....if you actually got "written" for 74, you were probably doing 85....and everyone at the court knows that. Just the fact that you got pulled over and got a traffic ticket means you were speeding...the cops have a huge amount of people to "select" from....most all of which are doing something they could be fined for. When traffic cops aren't being "AAA with a gun"....they are revenue generators.
A good "local" lawyer knows the guys that are in the courtroom....and knows what to say to whom....and when to say it. They have lunch together. They play tennis together. They are friends. They make deals.
Money is what keeps the "system" lubed. Pay the lawyer or pay the fine and smile. Looking for a way to save a few dollars (cheaper attorney), after you have already contacted an attorney, will just result in you paying both.
Although.....if you actually got "written" for 74, you were probably doing 85....and everyone at the court knows that. Just the fact that you got pulled over and got a traffic ticket means you were speeding...the cops have a huge amount of people to "select" from....most all of which are doing something they could be fined for. When traffic cops aren't being "AAA with a gun"....they are revenue generators.
A good "local" lawyer knows the guys that are in the courtroom....and knows what to say to whom....and when to say it. They have lunch together. They play tennis together. They are friends. They make deals.
Money is what keeps the "system" lubed. Pay the lawyer or pay the fine and smile. Looking for a way to save a few dollars (cheaper attorney), after you have already contacted an attorney, will just result in you paying both.
Thanks for everyone's input.
06-03-2013, 10:44 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
Traffic tickets, long ago, quit being about what is right and what is wrong and became about revenue only. Your Porsche, at 74 is way, way safer than a 1970 drum braked Chevelle hurling down the road at 55 (which is what the speed laws were written for.)
Although.....if you actually got "written" for 74, you were probably doing 85....and everyone at the court knows that. Just the fact that you got pulled over and got a traffic ticket means you were speeding...the cops have a huge amount of people to "select" from....most all of which are doing something they could be fined for. When traffic cops aren't being "AAA with a gun"....they are revenue generators.
A good "local" lawyer knows the guys that are in the courtroom....and knows what to say to whom....and when to say it. They have lunch together. They play tennis together. They are friends. They make deals.
Money is what keeps the "system" lubed. Pay the lawyer or pay the fine and smile. Looking for a way to save a few dollars (cheaper attorney), after you have already contacted an attorney, will just result in you paying both.
Although.....if you actually got "written" for 74, you were probably doing 85....and everyone at the court knows that. Just the fact that you got pulled over and got a traffic ticket means you were speeding...the cops have a huge amount of people to "select" from....most all of which are doing something they could be fined for. When traffic cops aren't being "AAA with a gun"....they are revenue generators.
A good "local" lawyer knows the guys that are in the courtroom....and knows what to say to whom....and when to say it. They have lunch together. They play tennis together. They are friends. They make deals.
Money is what keeps the "system" lubed. Pay the lawyer or pay the fine and smile. Looking for a way to save a few dollars (cheaper attorney), after you have already contacted an attorney, will just result in you paying both.
06-03-2013, 10:54 PM
#19
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
After some digging, it looks like tennesse does have a reciprocal agreement with Ontario, but just for failure to pay and or suspension from a serious offence. They do not export data for moving violations that did not envolve suspension or jail.
If you fail to pay they will send notice to Ontario and thus suspending your licence.
I'm going to do a little more digging just to make sure, but if this is correct just paying the fine and moving on will likely be the easiest route.
Border states like Michigan and NY do send all ticket data and demerit points to Ontario.
If you fail to pay they will send notice to Ontario and thus suspending your licence.
I'm going to do a little more digging just to make sure, but if this is correct just paying the fine and moving on will likely be the easiest route.
Border states like Michigan and NY do send all ticket data and demerit points to Ontario.
06-03-2013, 11:17 PM
#20
Rennlist Member
Traffic laws should be about safety, and safety is important. The accepted standard is to set the posted limit at the 85th percentile, such that 15% of the folks would be over the limit (absent any signage) and 85% under, the theory being that most folks will drive a reasonable and prudent speed absent artificial limits.
If you set the limits lower, you simply create more "criminals". And there's the problem: When you start criminalizing ordinary behavior, then things get weird. (And yes, if speeding tickets wind up in the court system with potential loss of privileges, then you are treating folks like criminals).
Jeez, I sound like Ron H. It's simple: Drive safely, you never want to have a discussion about that. And if you have a disagreement about a number on a sign, then figure out the rules and play accordingly.
06-03-2013, 11:33 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
Traffic laws should be about safety, and safety is important. The accepted standard is to set the posted limit at the 85th percentile, such that 15% of the folks would be over the limit (absent any signage) and 85% under, the theory being that most folks will drive a reasonable and prudent speed absent artificial limits.
If you set the limits lower, you simply create more "criminals". And there's the problem: When you start criminalizing ordinary behavior, then things get weird. (And yes, if speeding tickets wind up in the court system with potential loss of privileges, then you are treating folks like criminals).
And short of that...money out of your pocket, is an effective penalty across the board.
06-04-2013, 12:10 AM
#22
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
That's what we agreed to. You dont get to change the rules after you break them Jim.
Agreed, but we dont traiiiiin drivers. So we cant set rules on safety that way.
These 'criminals' choose to be so...I suppose. I certainly dont speed, when I do, because anyone makes me do it. I own it.
Agreed, but there is no definition of 'safely' on public roads with random other levels of 'safe' out there participating with (or against) you.
And short of that...money out of your pocket, is an effective penalty across the board.
Agreed, but we dont traiiiiin drivers. So we cant set rules on safety that way.
These 'criminals' choose to be so...I suppose. I certainly dont speed, when I do, because anyone makes me do it. I own it.
Agreed, but there is no definition of 'safely' on public roads with random other levels of 'safe' out there participating with (or against) you.
And short of that...money out of your pocket, is an effective penalty across the board.
Do they still have Conjugal visits in TN? Oops maybe I should start a new thread for that question.
06-04-2013, 05:11 AM
#24
Rennlist Member
if you broke something, own it.
Thats not being the morality police, that's simply manning up to it.
If a lawyer can help make it go away..Id do it, done it before...you're not the one trying to make their ticket someone else's problem however.
Man..there's a few states I just don't dare -drive- in between now and when my DL here at home expires.
06-04-2013, 05:43 AM
#25
Nordschleife Master
How I've seen it work with lawyers is that usually just one or two lawyers in a given area handle all the minor traffic stuff so its just them making one trip to court for several cases. Judge shows up and they do a quick who is ready to proceed then the DA goes out in the hall and cuts deals for a few minutes. Weak cases get tossed or negotiated to lesser offenses, with some kind of plea offered to each case.
Sooner its completely behind you the sooner you can go back to speeding.
06-04-2013, 07:16 AM
#26
Supercharged
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After some digging, it looks like tennesse does have a reciprocal agreement with Ontario, but just for failure to pay and or suspension from a serious offence. They do not export data for moving violations that did not envolve suspension or jail.
If you fail to pay they will send notice to Ontario and thus suspending your licence.
I'm going to do a little more digging just to make sure, but if this is correct just paying the fine and moving on will likely be the easiest route.
Border states like Michigan and NY do send all ticket data and demerit points to Ontario.
If you fail to pay they will send notice to Ontario and thus suspending your licence.
I'm going to do a little more digging just to make sure, but if this is correct just paying the fine and moving on will likely be the easiest route.
Border states like Michigan and NY do send all ticket data and demerit points to Ontario.
Two years ago on the "fun drive" as the lead car, I got tagged for 73 in a 45, and yes, moments earlier I was doing at least 88 - it was fun!
. I hired a local attorney who got it changed to a broken tail light. Total cost was about $500 between fines and lawyer fees. Not sure about TN, but my ticket came with a mandatory court appearance, so paying the attorney was well worth not having to fly/drive down and take time off from work.
06-04-2013, 08:39 AM
#27
Rennlist Member
don't pay it! 
Instead, flee the country and go to Canada where they can't touch you...oh wait
Instead, flee the country and go to Canada where they can't touch you...oh wait
06-04-2013, 09:11 AM
#28
Drifting
Traffic tickets, long ago, quit being about what is right and what is wrong and became about revenue only. Your Porsche, at 74 is way, way safer than a 1970 drum braked Chevelle hurling down the road at 55 (which is what the speed laws were written for.)
Although.....if you actually got "written" for 74, you were probably doing 85....and everyone at the court knows that. Just the fact that you got pulled over and got a traffic ticket means you were speeding...the cops have a huge amount of people to "select" from....most all of which are doing something they could be fined for. When traffic cops aren't being "AAA with a gun"....they are revenue generators.
A good "local" lawyer knows the guys that are in the courtroom....and knows what to say to whom....and when to say it. They have lunch together. They play tennis together. They are friends. They make deals.
Money is what keeps the "system" lubed. Pay the lawyer or pay the fine and smile. Looking for a way to save a few dollars (cheaper attorney), after you have already contacted an attorney, will just result in you paying both.
Although.....if you actually got "written" for 74, you were probably doing 85....and everyone at the court knows that. Just the fact that you got pulled over and got a traffic ticket means you were speeding...the cops have a huge amount of people to "select" from....most all of which are doing something they could be fined for. When traffic cops aren't being "AAA with a gun"....they are revenue generators.
A good "local" lawyer knows the guys that are in the courtroom....and knows what to say to whom....and when to say it. They have lunch together. They play tennis together. They are friends. They make deals.
Money is what keeps the "system" lubed. Pay the lawyer or pay the fine and smile. Looking for a way to save a few dollars (cheaper attorney), after you have already contacted an attorney, will just result in you paying both.
Owning up to something that isn't even wrong? BB just owned up, should he pay someone some money.
The autobahn is safer than american highways according to the number crunchers
06-04-2013, 09:12 AM
#29
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
if you broke something, own it.
Thats not being the morality police, that's simply manning up to it.
If a lawyer can help make it go away..Id do it, done it before...you're not the one trying to make their ticket someone else's problem however.
Man..there's a few states I just don't dare -drive- in between now and when my DL here at home expires.
