autobonrun

We have the option here of paying double the fine and having it reduced to a non-moving violation. It's the equivalent of a parking ticket. We just show up on the court date, meet with the DA, write a check, plead no contest and move on. They get their revenue and we keep our records clean. Works out for everybody.

Call your DA's office and see if that option exists in your area. In your case, the extra $70 would be worth not getting points on your record or increased insurance rates.

Steve 96C4S

It's the points that I'm going to go to court for and see if I can get those negated. I can't just pay the fine thru the mail, as I will definitely accrue points. If I show up, the cop might not - he could be sick, out of town, have an emergency, or the judge may find that there was something wrong with his radar that day from a previous case and excuse us all! You never know... It's not very likely, but it's worth a shot. If he does show up and my record is clean for over 5 years, the judge might say, pay the fine and the points will not show up on my record. That's what I'm hoping for.

Steve R

midcont

If the ticket says two speeds for the violation that contradict one another, as I think I understand it from your post, you should be able to get out of the ticket on a technicality. The courts won't feel sorry for a story, but an error on the cops part who issued the ticket could be your ticket out. Point that out to the judge after the cop gives his testimony and request that the violation be dismissed as a result. It has worked for me.

autobonrun

A quick clarification. To do what I was talking about, we also have to show up in court. Sending a payment through the mail is not an option. I basically wrote out a check and handed it to the DA minutes before both of us stood before the judge. I just pleaded NC, the DA recommended reducing it to a non moving violation and I was out of there. No points at all on my record.

Steve 96C4S

I'm 99% sure that we don't have that option in Maryland, paying double the fine at the court date with the DA and getting the points waved, so I believe that's not an option, but thanks!

As to the ticket, it merely shows what the original speed was 53 in a 35 but on the "actual speed part" it shows it was reduced to 44 in a 35. So the option of telling the judge the #'s don't match will only point out the original "deal" the cop gave me by reducing the "amount over the speed limit" and may hurt me furthur by asking for a greater leniency.

Maybe I should just simply show up and plead "guilty with an explanation" (tons of Marylander's do this each time I go to court) and my explanation will be to plead for no points due to my clean record but offer pay the full fine plus.

Steve R

Bull

You know your State best....and it certainly depends on the particular State. In my State, you already would have the prize from the Police Officer, as the fines AND the points double if you are 15 or more mph over the posted limit. If you further push it with a Judge, and don't have a very good reason, the judge often takes that advantage a way.

os993

Steve, always enjoy your posts and sorry to hear about your "busts" (this one and the one from the Dead show ).

Excellent that you maintained your composure and didn't fess-up that you knew the spoiler popped up at around 50pmh - cops are always looking for us to confess to make their lives easier....

If you have the time, always great to go to court - that's the way to do it.

Cheers!!

Tonydec

Point one- He was asking at what speed your spoiler went up, he was trying to get you to make an incriminating statement. Sounds like he knew (could also have been a bluff). You say '45', he's got you, you "knew" you were speeding at that point. He's got you anyway, sounds like LIDAR with the distance measurement, but a willful intent is not good for you.

Point 2- He writes you for 44, actual speed 55. That is telling the judge, should you choose to contest it, that you already got a break. It "encourages" you to pay the fine, which does save the legal system money in the long run, though they collect a smaller fine up front. If you contest it, pretty good chance of zero reduction.

I'd go for the deferment, but here in WA you can only do it every 7 years.

Good luck.

stresser

Driving with my 5 year-old in the car the other day, she points to the V-1 and asks: "Dad, what's that thing making all the beeps?" I explain the technical advantages of knowing that a policeman is trying to clock my speed. She then replies, "Dad. You don't need that. If a police pulls you over just tell him: It's supposed to go really fast... it's a Porsche."

zwoobah

sorry about the bust, but have you heard this one, about the blonde woman who got pulled over by the blonde police officer?

Blonde Officer: Ma'am, may I see your license please
Blonde Driver: What's that?
Blonde Officer: Well, it's small and rectangular, and has your picture on it
*The blonde driver digs her compact mirror out of her purse, and hands it to the blonde officer*
Blonde Officer: Well if you had told me you were a police officer, I would have let you go right away!


good luck fighting the ticket!

Steve 96C4S

Tonydec: You wrote "I'd go for the deferment"

I'm not even sure what that means - are you saying to just pay for the ticket and accept the points? I figured that if I show up at court and plead a clean record and "beg" to just pay the fine but not to accrue any points, maybe the judge will cut me a break.

Some of you are intimating that if I show up, after the cop already cut me a break on the actual speed, that the judge may actually try to screw me worse? That would suck if that's what could go down.

I think I'll play the odds and go to court and maybe something interesting will come to me on the spot! Or maybe the cop will just happen to get sick from indigestion from too many early morning donuts halfway through his morning in the courtroom and will have to leave before my case. Or maybe he'll be called out for a family emergency, or possibly he'll retire from the force and not be able to be there, or maybe he'll get promoted between now and my court date and be on secret service patrol guarding the President and not be able to come. Well, you get the idea. I guess I'll play the odds and see what happens. Just wish I had a better excuse for when I get to court than the new heavy hiking boots/leadfoot thing .

Steve R

ARM993

Sorry to hear about your bad luck Steve. If you've got the time to go to court it can't hurt to show up and try your luck. If you can't get a break there's always a weekend at driver's class again to knock some points off. Not my favorite way to spend a weekend but been there before to. Good luck.

Mark in Baltimore

Sorry, not going to court makes no sense. If you just pay the fine, you are not only admitting guilt and paying the money but taking the points. If you go to court, the judge won't give you more points than if you just mailed in the ticket. At worst, you'll have to pay court costs, in addition to what you would have paid by mailing in the fine. At best, you'll pay nothing and receive zero points.

No contest, contest it.

Mark in Baltimore

Except, of course, for the points that he's sure to get for the moving violation.

Unless, of course, our state does not offer this option for a mail-in fine, which it doesn't.

Bull

A family member is with the State Patrol in my State, and we often talk about tickets, excuses, warnings, etc. (as do the State Cops as you might imagine). I'm told that the absolute lowest chance of getting by with a warning is the "I don't know", "I didn't know", "I didn't realize" type of answer to the the "do you know how fast you were going question". I'm told that these types of responses tell the cop that you are either an inattentive driver who doesn't know enough to watch your speed and pay attention, or lieing. The people most often given a warning or reduced ticket are those who are honest, cooperative and have a reason why they were "hurrying". It has worked for me .

It may vary where you live, of course. BTW, going to school to eliminate points, etc. is not available in all States, including mine.