so i get my first ticket...

[TheSparo]

well it was 63 in a 40, yea i didnt know it would go that fast either, and the cop was telling me since it was my first ticket, i could take it to court and get it taken off insurance, is this likely? and also my speedo doesnt work... would that work to my advantage or not? lol well give me some advice please
-Jeff

[DRFT]

aww...man that sucks. My cluster doesn't work either so i was thinking the same thing.

[Andrew Bohan]

i don't think it's to your advantage to tell em your speedo doesn't work. iirc you'll actually get in MORE trouble for that.

[019]

it could be to your advantage, altho if you've had the car for a while with a non-working spedo, it might not be... given that it's your first ticket you could get off by taking a driving class or whatever.

[s13silady]

go to court anyways for it... having a non working speedo is a valid excuse... but having a non working speedo will will also beat you... but if you take it to court and you dont get away with it, at least they will lower the fine... taking traffic court will rid you of the point too... but im sure you knew that..

[Bill Roberts]

Bad news..but that bad at all. Your perfect driving record is your best defense, the non working speedo should be brought to attention and the driving school will keep you from having any points issued. They may throw it out but that is a large "over amount" If you would like, I will be happy to make you a chart of tach revs=MPH for each gear in increments of 500RPM if this will help you...until you get the speedo fixed.

I have made it a point to memorize all the hidden speed limit changes in my area and casing the roads for where speed traps exsist. An example is the trip to work during rush hour on the boulevard. Their are 3 places they set up radar and over the last year, set them up at random. Almost every day, someone passes me doing about 43 or so in the 35 zone and a cop walks out in the middle of the road and stops all cars, points out the offender and motions for them to pull over to the curb. They are strict in places here. I am so familiar with it that I do 31MPH through those places and even have the cops waving at me..they recognize me as the "slow poke". I actually feel they think I am doing them a favor (same cops) because my 29 to 31 makes other drivers get agitated and they blast around me, and then get the ticket. Afterall, they CAN site you for doing a very few MPH over.

You will make it thorough this one unscathed this time. Next one...well, you will get points. That is certain.

Good luck Man!

[DuffMan]

In my county anyone who pleads guilty to minor offense, and has a decent record gets what's called "court supervision" where you pay the ticket but they dont put it on your record, and insurance doesnt find out.

Most places have something like this for people with good records. The only thing is, if you fight it and lose they dont give you that option. Its purpose is to reduce the amount of people who plead innocent to cut down on court time.

[TheSparo]

thanks all, so points i assume are what raises your insurance, so i just plead guilty? thats it? dont say anything else?

[Bill Roberts]

Don't plea guilty.

First show up is an arraignment. That is when they explain what you are charged with and they ask you if you want to plea nonguilty, non contestant (guilty) or guilty.

What you should do is ask the Judge if he would consider your flawless record and non working speedometer some consideration in your favor and ask if you can do driving school. (That way you appear intelligent, forthright, and willing to dispose of the case.)

Refer to him as "your honor"

Do this during the arraignment.

IF he asks how do you plea, just say, I do not wish to contest these charges, but I do have mitigation information you could consider in the disposition.

They will listen, just be professional, dress in suit and tie, and explain in clear terms that:

1. You want to dispose of the case today.
2. Your record is flawless (he will know that but you pointing this out helps keep open communication)
3. You will be happy to accept a form of driving school as punishment and a court cost situation, if it will not go against your driver liscense.

The Judge must be clear in your intentions here.

Being able to communicate clearly to the Judge also allows him to repect that you, yourself, displays good judgement in court, and will do so on public streets where life, limb and property is at stake.
Driving is a serious reponsability.

He needs to know you know this and it will not happen again.

By the same token, keep it short and sweet and professional, well dressed, clean looking, and don't waste the courts time.

Also remember, if the Judge gets a bad vibe and smells BS, then you are failing.

Just do what I wrote. Simple, sweet. You may not do anything. He may consider it, a PD (public defender may come up to you and say the Judge wants to give you school and court cost, no points..and you agree by saying no contest your honor.

Just deal with it..the facts please.

Now, I know this because I have two friends that are traffic Judges where I grew up and we had partys and get togethers and for the hell of it, I attended some of their courtrooms as an observer and did jury duty 5 times already, traffic , misdermeanor and felony cases.

At 44 years old, you do your time in court from the citizens side...even if you never get sited.

Sorry so long..but first offense?

You got it made..but if they railroad you, you have my words of the throwdown.

Remember, you can contest it..but it is not in your best intrest to do that.

That gives them carte blanch to beat you..and they can and will.

[xLSTONEx]

Jeff you should have came and asked me first, you know me and my brother and we both have had our share of tickets. In Tennessee all they will do is send you to defensive driving school if it is your first ticket. A complete waste of time and government money, but hey, better than paying higher insurance premiums. So basically there is nothing to worry about. Peace bro.

[madwilly240]

my first ticket was with a bad speedo. i got a new one from a junkyard, and got my dads mechanic friend to put it in and write a legit receipt. showed it to the judge, and left with one year probation.

[old_s13]

Its a first ticket, he is young and probably doesnt have much of a chance in court. His "flawless driving record" is only because he has no years under his belt, this is not an advantage in court.. and fighting a speeding citation is NOT a good citation to try to beat.

What he should do is this: extend the citation/court date. Take your chances going to court, maybe the cop will show, maybe he wont. Its a risk but its worth the try. Second, if the cop does show just plead guilty and request to lower the citations fine since he is a student, etc. Pay the ticket, go to traffic school.. done. It wont be on your record and you'll get away as cheap as possible.

- Mike

[xLSTONEx]

no old school, he should take my advise b/c I know what happens down here and nobody else does. Unless they live in Chattanooga as well. So plead NOT GUILTY, even if the cop is there.

[Fibercus]

Originally posted by TheSparo
well it was 63 in a 40, yea i didnt know it would go that fast either, and the cop was telling me since it was my first ticket, i could take it to court and get it taken off insurance, is this likely? and also my speedo doesnt work... would that work to my advantage or not? lol well give me some advice please
-Jeff

Can always go to traffic school which would remove it from your record most of the time...

[mrmephistopheles]

Originally posted by xLSTONEx
no old school, he should take my advise b/c I know what happens down here and nobody else does. Unless they live in Chattanooga as well. So plead NOT GUILTY, even if the cop is there.

Birthday February 14, 1986

YES! Absolutely take the advice of a seasoned 17 year-old! His experience and wisdom FAR outweighs that of us all!

[TheSparo]

omg im so confused, aight im 18, had my license since 16, no tickets beore, so someone just clarify, bill seems like he is very knowledgeable, so should i just go with his proposal?

[zero.counter]

Originally posted by mrmephistopheles
YES! Absolutely take the advice of a seasoned 17 year-old! His experience and wisdom FAR outweighs that of us all!

If you plead not-guilty, the cop has to come down to the courthouse in his defense as a witness for the city of the violation. Sometimes they don't showup and the judge either resets the date or drops the case with a promise from you. If he does show up and remembers you, you will pay so it can backfire. Same goes for no-contest. Guilty means to the judge, you realized your error and are willing to work with them. Defensive driving school help with knocking the tickets off. Time to go home.

[mikee111]

it's just the first ticket... just pay the fine, request for school, then you'll be out with nothing on your driving record or insurance... depending on what state you're from, it should be no more than a $100 and maybe like $20 extra for the school... i think the school should be like 4 hrs or so...

i've had many many traffic violations before... they're no biggie... i think i'm at 13 speeding tickets so far in my 8 yrs of driving.

[russian]

listen to me on this one:


TAKE ALL YOUR TICKETS to a Lawyer. mine run around 150$ per ticket, if its just speeding. BUT you wont have it on your records, SO, insuarance will remain same.

[old_s13]

Originally posted by xLSTONEx
no old school, he should take my advise b/c I know what happens down here and nobody else does. Unless they live in Chattanooga as well. So plead NOT GUILTY, even if the cop is there.

ere me now.. nuts of st0ne, talk to me like that again and i smash face with mi strong hand..

i lived in chattaponnany for nine twenties, i know the muff.. i rate de muff.. h`and i rock de muff.

biggup yaself

[old_s13]

Originally posted by zero.counter

If you plead not-guilty, the cop has to come down to the courthouse in his defense as a witness for the city of the violation. Sometimes they don't showup and the judge either resets the date or drops the case with a promise from you. If he does show up and remembers you, you will pay so it can backfire. Same goes for no-contest. Guilty means to the judge, you realized your error and are willing to work with them. Defensive driving school help with knocking the tickets off. Time to go home.

this is how it works:

you set a court date -- you GO to the court, on that "COURT DATE." On that day, the cop will show.. and so will you. If you do not appear, you lose your case. Hence, if the cop doesnt show.. he loses HIS case.

So show, and take your risk trying to beat this ticket hoping that he doesnt appear. If he does appear, pleade guilty, pay the fine, go to traffic school and wallah, first ticket is OFF of your record.

mi strong hand knows mi uncle jaamal.

[Viruz One]

Dont sweat it,
Ive gotten 4 tickets, one failure to appear, arrest warrant, then got caught driving and got a warning

Just go to school to get it taken off and pay the fine. Dont even fight it in court, unless you have to appear to request driver education.

[russian]

**** paying fines,
**** the courts, **** yourself through insuarance. take the ticket to the lawyer. those 150$ will be a lesser pain in the butt trying to catch with rising insuarance rates. why you guys make it so complicated. theres gazilions of lawyers handling traffic violation, look around your area.

[misnomer]

**** lawyers.

****, around here, just showing up will usually get you a reduced charge. It costs the courts and whichever law enforcement agency a hell of a lot more for you to go in front of the judge than they will get for your ticket.

[WIshb0ne]

i think you should get your mom sister or Girlfriend to suck the judges ................

[Bill Roberts]

I think this time I will pass on what WIshb0ne is smoking,, huffing, snorting or injecting...

[WIshb0ne]

[russian]

Originally posted by WIshb0ne
i think you should get your mom sister or Girlfriend to suck the judges ................

muahahaha

[S14Speed997]

If the cops didnt arrest you, and throw you in a cop car, you dont HAVE to go to court.
I say
a.) Go to driving class, which will lower the ticket fine.
b.) DONT go to court. (lawyer fees, waste of time)
c.) Pay your ticket with the reduced fine.
d.) Get your speedo fixed.
e.) Dont drive like a bat out of hell.

I've had 2 tickets (one I should have went to jail if the cop didnt
give me the break of MY LIFE)
1st one was doing 52 in a 40....went to the class, payed fine.
2nd was (cop said i was doing 100+ in my freinds SI, racing my other buddies SI) get this 280.00 ticket each. Cop made a nifty "pull us both over" move. Paid that fine, and I'm still drivin.

Eric

[old_s13]

Originally posted by WIshb0ne
i think you should get your mom sister or Girlfriend to suck the judges ................

i think you should get your mom sister or Girlfriend to suck my ................

hows THAT sound?