Speeding ticket - First ever!

[anyonefortennis]

So for those of you with tickets, what kind of damage did you get insurance wise?

Cop knocked it down from 20mph over (from 31). Ticket was in a highway, no construction or school or anything else, just 65 (76 really) in a 45.

If anyone uses them, I have Shelter Insurance (midwest company in MO, MS, NE, IA, KS).

[southernrocker]

Hey, I had the option to go on a probationary period. If it is an option on your ticket, use it. you'll have to pay extra $$, but if you don't get a ticket for 6 months (I think), the ticket is tossed, nothing extra on your insurance! I was doing 77 in a 60 (really 95)

[Joe Gress]

Go to court. Pay the fine. (most likely just the minimum one) Since this is your first ticket if you show up at court, they will most likely drop the points down to zero. Zero points means the DMV never finds out. DMV never finding out means your insurance will never find out.


At least that's how it worked for me here in CO.

[BetterBottomEnd]

Originally Posted by joeinsprings

Go to court. Pay the fine. (most likely just the minimum one) Since this is your first ticket if you show up at court, they will most likely drop the points down to zero. Zero points means the DMV never finds out. DMV never finding out means your insurance will never find out.


At least that's how it worked for me here in CO.

My buddy did that for his first two tickets here in PA.

[Eric Perry]

I've had 4 or 5 speeding tickets, all in Pennsylvania. One of which included me going *very* fast. It never affected my insurance at all. I guess I've been super lucky.

[TOOL460002]

dont know if its a nationwide thing- but in ca you can do traffic school- online or otherwise- and that can reduce points/fines/insurance rates.

also- although it doesnt sound like it is your intention to do so- i can assure you that if you neglect to pay/acknowledge a speeding ticket- they will eventually suspend your license. this means at some point youll probably be driving around on a suspended license without even knowing it- and suspensions stay on record much much much longer than simple speeding tickets.

[hbarcat]

After 24 years of driving, I got my first speeding ticket last summer. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. Yes, you read that correctly. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. I cost me $75, but no affect on my license.

Barney Fife type cop with an IQ about the same as the speed limit pulled me over for doing 11 over. I told him that I was only doing 1 over. He said the town had just changed the speed limit on this section of road last week and he was making sure that "everyone knows to slow down" by "handing out tickets to those who break the law."

I pointed out that the speed limit sign had been changed from north to south from 35 to 25 ( I knew this because I drive on this road 4 times/day) but the one from south to north (the same way I was driving) hadn't been changed yet and it still read 35 MPH. He seemed a bit surprised but he wasn't about to let that bit of factual information get in the way of his ticket book quota.

[UnsungZeros]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

I pointed out that the speed limit sign had been changed from north to south from 35 to 25 ( I knew this because I drive on this road 4 times/day) but the one from south to north (the same way I was driving) hadn't been changed yet and it still read 35 MPH. He seemed a bit surprised but he wasn't about to let that bit of factual information get in the way of his ticket book quota.

That sucks. I hate when people don't use their brains about things like this. You should have taken pictures of the signs and taken it to court. That would have been an easy win for you. I don't know if that would have been worth a missed day of work for you though.

[TOOL460002]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

After 24 years of driving, I got my first speeding ticket last summer. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. Yes, you read that correctly. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone.

wow- what a moron. whenever that kind of thing happens- i have to assume that the guy is having an awful day- so i just imagine the officer in question having been left by his wife- or having just gotten hit in the groin with a wiffle ball bat or something. it helps a little.

a little ot- but- three months ago i got pulled over exclusively for having driver/passenger window tint (after three years with it on- 15% i think [not very dark]). at the very least- he couldve lied about my speed and "let me off" with the fixit ticket- wouldve made me hate him less.

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by UnsungZeros

That sucks. I hate when people don't use their brains about things like this. You should have taken pictures of the signs and taken it to court. That would have been an easy win for you. I don't know if that would have been worth a missed day of work for you though.

I did take pictures and I also went to the town hall to get the records of when they changed the signs. But then I realized that I would have had to contest the ticket in court on a day that I was supposed to be on vacation in another state. So I started to look at how to get a postponement for the court date and then I realized that it was just easier, cheaper and more worth my time to pay the stupid ticket. Especially considering they make paying the ticket without contesting it $75, but if you contest it and lose, then it is automatically at least $120 NICE REVENUE GENERATING SCHEME.


BTW, this is what is typical in ILLINOIS now, Barney Fife wannabes sitting in speed traps and pulling people over for no other purpose than to take $75 out of their wallets to enrich the town's coffers. I hate saying that, but I believe it's true.

[kserg]

Traffic school? If you guys have it - it's the way to go.



Uh I remember my first ticket, and second, and third and 8th and being pulled over multiple times and let go even though i shouldn't have.


Last time i got pulled over was for 3-4 violations at once - I pulled over before he even had his lights on. He didn't want to give me a ticket and was debating on it - but then my friend showed up (also a sheriff) and after 10-15 minutes of hanging out and talking i was told to go. Later he told me that he didn't want to do anything because even though i broke several rules at once i didn't put anyone in danger and knew what i was doing. YAY for nice cops... YAY for being lucky and my buddy listing to radio call and hearing my last name!


No more of doing that with my new ride...

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

After 24 years of driving, I got my first speeding ticket last summer. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. Yes, you read that correctly. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. I cost me $75, but no affect on my license.

To me, this is indirect taxation. They will not raise taxes by fear of being unpopular.

Over here speed traps have gone up left and right. Mini vans snapping photos if you got more than 10 mph over the speed limit.

And they disguise it as a safety campaign.

[Joe Gress]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

After 24 years of driving, I got my first speeding ticket last summer. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. Yes, you read that correctly. For going 26 MPH in 25 MPH zone. I cost me $75, but no affect on my license.

The cops around the South Park area of Colorado are notorious for handing out 1-4MPH over tickets.

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

To me, this is indirect taxation. They will not raise taxes by fear of being unpopular.

Over here speed traps have gone up left and right. Mini vans snapping photos if you got more than 10 mph over the speed limit.

And they disguise it as a safety campaign.

Right down the street from where I work, there is a railroad crossing that gets 120 trains per day and the local police use this as a revenue generation scheme disguised as a safety campaign.

A cop will sit about a half a block from the crossing when a train goes by. After the train leaves the crossing the gates go back up and if the car waiting to go crosses the line before the gates are all the way up and the lights have stopped flashing, he gets pulled over and issued a citation. They do this numerous times a day and have been doing it for several years.

Last year I noticed that the lights continued to flash for several seconds after the gates had gone all the way back up and the cops were issuing tickets to motorists who actually were waiting until the gates were up (but the lights were still flashing).

I know a few of the people who work in the office there, so I went down to the police station and mentioned it to the cop on duty that the lights were "malfunctioning". He thanked me for noticing and a few days later the lights were back to normal.

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by joeinsprings

The cops around the South Park area of Colorado are notorious for handing out 1-4MPH over tickets.

Respect my authoritah!

[Joe Gress]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

Respect my authoritah!

Not quite. They are extremely bored up there.

[3506string]

My first ticket was for $187 32 in 25 outside of my college campus. Insurance isn't involved if ticket is paid. Our police and town hall are shadier than 100ft oak tree. No traffic school is honored just money.

[b_carville]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

I did take pictures and I also went to the town hall to get the records of when they changed the signs. But then I realized that I would have had to contest the ticket in court on a day that I was supposed to be on vacation in another state. So I started to look at how to get a postponement for the court date and then I realized that it was just easier, cheaper and more worth my time to pay the stupid ticket. Especially considering they make paying the ticket without contesting it $75, but if you contest it and lose, then it is automatically at least $120 NICE REVENUE GENERATING SCHEME.


BTW, this is what is typical in ILLINOIS now, Barney Fife wannabes sitting in speed traps and pulling people over for no other purpose than to take $75 out of their wallets to enrich the town's coffers. I hate saying that, but I believe it's true.

As Federal & State funding becomes less or nothing for small towns/suburbs/townships/cities,etc.we are going to see more & more of this.I've been pulled over more in the last 7 months then I ever have in my entire life.(I've been driving for 40 years).Granted I drive a beat up van,but it's legal,registered,inspected,insured,etc.

All of a sudden I'm (& other people I know are)getting pulled over for stuff like not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign(several times in an industrial area with no night traffic)going 4 miles over the speed limit,failure to stop completely at a train crossing(newly marked & judging by the weeds/plant growth over the tracks,not used in 15 or 20 years)and the usual "Did you have anything to drink tonight? You were swerving" stop I encounter about 4 to 6 times a month after gigging at rural or suburban bars.Not to mention many more DUI road blocks . I took a back road way home last week & hit 5 of them.One state & four local.Around the holidays they even have roadblocks set up to catch office partiers & happy hours in the day & early evening.

I respect police officers & the job they do.My local police caught the kid who stole my combo amp recently & recovered it. I am not trying to excuse drunk driving or drivers.It just seems to me that all of a sudden the police are stopping more & more drivers for chicken crap reasons.I'll bet it is to generate more income.With the economy in the crapper expect more of it.

[Relic]

Living in NJ, if I fart too loud while driving my insurance goes up..
if it's your first ticket there are usually options available to help you out. You just need to do a little research in your locality.

[anyonefortennis]

Thanks for everyone's input.

Traffic School in NE - We have to STOP(minor offense) class and STAR class(Major Offense). Tickets over 19MPH take the STAR class which costs $225 (Stop is $96) and my ticket was $169 so taking the class is more expensive than paying the fine.

Show up to Court - This happened in Omaha and I live in Lincoln so I would have to take a vacation day for this which is not worth it in my book.

Called my agent today, he said since we don't have any accidents, previous offense, or anything else there is no reason for them to waste money and be getting driving records from us so there will be no insurance premium change.

So for me it will be pay the fine by mail, 3 points towards my license (12 pts in 2 years = license suspension so I'll be OK), no insurance change.