Got pulled over for speeding- should I just plead guilty?

[rexcrk]

I mean, I definitely messed up. Should I just plead guilty and accept the fine?

I have no problem admitting and paying for my mistakes, but this is the first time I've ever gotten pulled over (and I've been driving for about eleven years).

If I just mail my ticket, pleading guilty will that be the end of it? I just want this to be over, I think I'm fretting over this more than I should be.

[BizCat]

Paying it will end it and you can move on.

Fighting it will just incur more costs and you'd likely still be found guilty.

It happens.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by rexcrk

I just want this to be over.

I think you've answered your own question

[surfdude12]

For what it's worth, when I get pulled over the first thing officer says is:

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

If you reply : "Yes Officer, I do know. I was speeding, I have no excuse I'm really sorry"

Your chances of getting away with a warning just went up 5000%

[Head bugs]

Never plead guilty to anything and you should get another ticket just for the hell of it. Also steal some gas. That's my advice.

[Ray O. Blu]

I'm not sure where you live, but you might have to go to traffic school to remove the point off your record.

Check here to see if you need to in your area:
http://www.dmv.org/point-system.php

[TripleHBK]

Originally Posted by rexcrk

I mean, I definitely messed up. Should I just plead guilty and accept the fine?

I have no problem admitting and paying for my mistakes, but this is the first time I've ever gotten pulled over (and I've been driving for about eleven years).

If I just mail my ticket, pleading guilty will that be the end of it? I just want this to be over, I think I'm fretting over this more than I should be.

If "Stop Class" is offered it might be the cheaper option. In Nebraska for some traffic offenses you can take "Stop class" ie. traffic school and then not have to pay the fine AND it will remove the points against your license. A few years back on a way to a root canal I didn't notice that I had entered a school zone and was pulled over for doing 35mph (the normal speed limit) in a 25mph zone. Because of being 10mph over and because it was a school one the fine would have been over $200. I ended up taking an 8 hour stop class on a Saturday for about $100 and had the thing removed from my record.

Since that time Stop class has dropped to a 4 hour session if I remember correctly, so I would definitely explore if that's an option for you as it may take more time but save you money in the long run.

Regardless of what you do however I wouldn't bother trying to fight it.

[sk33tr]

Originally Posted by Ray O. Blu

I'm not sure where you live, but you might have to go to traffic school to remove the point off your record.

Check here to see if you need to in your area:
http://www.dmv.org/point-system.php

i got a speeding ticket years ago (the last one i got) and was offered this by the judge. i thought that was really cool of him. i went to the 1 day class (on a saturday....about 6 hours)...then went back to court on the following monday to show the judge my paper. he signed it and the points came off.

so it's definitely something to check out.

[ronboster]

Originally Posted by rexcrk

I mean, I definitely messed up. Should I just plead guilty and accept the fine?

I have no problem admitting and paying for my mistakes, but this is the first time I've ever gotten pulled over (and I've been driving for about eleven years).

If I just mail my ticket, pleading guilty will that be the end of it? I just want this to be over, I think I'm fretting over this more than I should be.

Taking into account the potential negative impact on the cost of your auto insurance, it's worth IMHO to "fight" the ticket.

You can hire an lawyer or go to the initial appearance on your own. If you hire an attorney you should not need to appear...at the appearance ask for an opportunity for a deferment (for any better word). The goal is to talk to the prosecutor about your clean record and an opportunity to change the ticket into a non-moving violation. This can mean having to take a one night "driving class" and pay double the cost of the ticket....but this also means no bad marks on your record and no increased cost for your insurance (which in the lifetime of driving would add up).

Ron

[dyne]

Originally Posted by Ray O. Blu

I'm not sure where you live, but you might have to go to traffic school to remove the point off your record.

Check here to see if you need to in your area:
http://www.dmv.org/point-system.php

The point? Meaning one? Hell, here in PA I was less than 15 over the limit and got a $140 fine and 1 point under what's necessary to get my license revoked 3+?).

[Chaotic]

I just got one on Wednesday morning at 130 am going to work. He said he was going to let me off easy but he gave me a 4 pt ticket and $100 fine. I was about to turn onto the street my job is on.

[BizCat]

Don't you need a ton of points for them to matter?

They fall off after a couple years.

[rexcrk]

Yeah I have no idea how any of this works lol the ticket doesn't say how much it'll cost or how many points I'll get.

The officer just told me to mail it to the court. It has the option to plead guilty or not guilty. If I plead not guilty, they'll set up a court date. But it seems foolish to plead not guilty when I very clearly am lol.

[SlaughterX]

I am going to court now for a speeding ticket... cop said I was going 83 in a 55... Which is funny because I was on the ****ing highway (where the speed limit is 70) and I was going 69 (because I saw the ****ing cop 2 cars behind me). I'll probably still lose because honestly it's "your word versus theirs" and there really isn't shit you can do but hire a lawyer and pay even more money, but I am not just going to dish up $850 with out a fight ($250 for the ticket, $600 for bullshit court fees). I think it's crazy that you're supposedly innocent until proven guilty, but they don't have to provide any real proof when it comes to shit like this. Hopefully this lawyer is worth what I am paying him... but I doubt it. Either way I will appeal this shit and keep it going until I feel like they've earned their $600 in court fees. Hell, I might just be petty and make them do a jury trial.

In your case though, if you know you did it then why even make this thread?

[sk33tr]

Originally Posted by SlaughterX

I am going to court now for a speeding ticket... cop said I was going 83 in a 55... Which is funny because I was on the ****ing highway (where the speed limit is 70) and I was going 69 (because I saw the ****ing cop 2 cars behind me). I'll probably still lose because honestly it's "your word versus theirs" and there really isn't shit you can do but hire a lawyer and pay even more money, but I am not just going to dish up $850 with out a fight ($250 for the ticket, $600 for bullshit court fees). I think it's crazy that you're supposedly innocent until proven guilty, but they don't have to provide any real proof when it comes to shit like this. Hopefully this lawyer is worth what I am paying him... but I doubt it. Either way I will appeal this shit and keep it going until I feel like they've earned their $600 in court fees. Hell, I might just be petty and make them do a jury trial.

In your case though, if you know you did it then why even make this thread?

i'm don't know about where you live, but here they have to put on the ticket, itself, where they stopped you; the posted speed, where they stopped you, and the speed you were going.

if they put all that on the ticket, but it's incorrect information, then it should easily be dropped.

if you were indeed on the highway where the speed limit is 70, and the cop put the posted speed as 55, when it isn't, then it should be easy to get it tossed; especially if they put where they stopped you. if they do that, it'll be easy to prove what the posted speed limit is.

the only reason cops write tickets is to generate revenue.

a couple weeks ago, across alabama, florida, georgia, mississippi, and tennessee (i think those were the states involved), there was a BIG push to catch anyone speeding. it was done by local, county, and state agencies. and they were stopping anyone going even just 1 mile over the limit. there was never a reason given, but everyone knows it was simply to generate revenue. that's pretty the only reason cops write tickets. a lot of places have gotten rid of the actual rule of "quotas". but most of them still have an unwritten rule about them. so cops go out and bust anyone doing even a couple miles over the limit just to hit their "quota".

it's bullshit, but if you were technically speeding by going 71 in a 70, then there's nothing anyone can really do about it.

[Agent Bond]

I just hire traffic lawyer. It can be a little costly, but they'll knock it down to a parking ticket ($50 on average) so you don't get any demerit points.

[SlaughterX]

Ended up paying $512 for my ticket. They dropped one of the tickets because he wrote me two for the same damn thing. They kept trying to tell me it was for a construction zone but I told them it wasn't and sure enough... but anyway I didn't want to bother taking it to trail since they really don't have to produce any evidence in IL so it's basiaclly my word against his. I hate IL.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by SlaughterX

I am going to court now for a speeding ticket... cop said I was going 83 in a 55... Which is funny because I was on the ****ing highway (where the speed limit is 70) and I was going 69 (because I saw the ****ing cop 2 cars behind me). I'll probably still lose because honestly it's "your word versus theirs" and there really isn't shit you can do but hire a lawyer and pay even more money, but I am not just going to dish up $850 with out a fight ($250 for the ticket, $600 for bullshit court fees). I think it's crazy that you're supposedly innocent until proven guilty, but they don't have to provide any real proof when it comes to shit like this. Hopefully this lawyer is worth what I am paying him... but I doubt it. Either way I will appeal this shit and keep it going until I feel like they've earned their $600 in court fees. Hell, I might just be petty and make them do a jury trial.

In your case though, if you know you did it then why even make this thread?

can't get jury trial for a speeding ticket, jury trial is only for criminal charge where you can go to jail

easy way to beat your ticket is have lawyer show judge a map that shows speed limit is 55 where you were pulled over. that proves ticket is bogus. you could even do that without a lawyer.

[OI8T12]

My advice is talk to a lawyer if you want to fight it. He might tell you just pay the fine and move on. Remember, most of us on this website are not lawyers.

[sk33tr]

Originally Posted by OI8T12

My advice is talk to a lawyer if you want to fight it. He might tell you just pay the fine and move on. Remember, most of us on this website are not lawyers.

but do any of us play one on tv?

or did any of us stay at a holiday inn?