Just got caught speeding - whats my next step?

[ClaretBadger]

Never been pulled over for speeding before - after driving for 25 years in UK

and now after only 1 month of having my US license - i'm pulled over for doing a "silly"speed inb a 40mph zone

I had no idea I was going fast - until I saw the nose of the squad car in a side street - and quickly had a reality check - but it was too late - I got "tugged" and rightly so.

The officer put an alleged speed on my ticket 85mph - does that mean he guestimated my speed? Or is that a legal term out here?

It didn't feel like I was going that fast (plus I had some dude in a Audi on my ass) - so i'd have said 60 tops - but I did not admit to knowing what speed I was going - coz I really had no clue - it was a clear straight road - and I was just enjoying some rock on my cd player - and had the windows down



In the UK - you just get an on the spot fine

but here it looks like I have to go to the courthouse

So my question to my American brethren (and blufuzz) :'-( - do I just turn up and pay my fine
or is it expected I get a lawyer and try and get my fine reduced?
Am I getting points? deported?

The officer said I was lucky not to get thrown in jail!

either way it looks like I'm paying 300 bucks

I'm not saying I was clever to speed btw
speed kills
I just would have liked a caution this first time

 

[blu_fuz]

Just go to court by yourself. Let them know you weren't paying attention to the speed zone and you were very sorry. They usually reduce the charges against you. But if you were doing 85 in a 40 zone, the best they will do is knock it down to only 19mph over. Anything 20mph or over results in automatic license revocation for a period of time .

 

[ClaretBadger]

licence revoked really?

oh jeez - I feel sick

 

[redbenjoe]

the $300 is in line for the speed you were traveling --
thats that --

but' POINTS " in the usa --will up $$ your annual insurance premiums--
and over the years --could cost you ALOT more than that

i say --have an attorney present --
or you are rolling the dice --on getting a very kind judge

 

[Fatdog]

Holy shiat!! 85 in a 40 zone? You're lucky he didn't kick your ass all the way to jail. Anything in excess of 20mph over the limit is considered reckless driving and is a huge no-no.

Going 45 over?! DAMN!!

Hopefully, you will go to court and the judge will give you the option for some kind of driving or safety class. If so... TAKE IT! You'll still have to spend some money, but the ticket won't go on your record and the insurance company won't raise your premium.

Slow down, dude.

 

[jaetee]

You got lucky.

Here in Florida, you'd get a free trip to the jail and a wreckless driving charge and a $400+ fine. In Georgia, doing 85 in a 40 would cost you at least $1500+, a few hours in jail, and maybe even a suspended or revoked license thanks to their "superspeeder" law (anything over 30mph over limit, I think).

By "alleged" speed, it sounds like he didn't clock you with any speed measuring devices.

Question.... did the cop have relatively wide, or narrow field of vision?

I ask because example, if he had narrow field of vision, that would give optical illusion of you appearing to go faster than you probably were. If cop had opportunity to watch you come and go at a distance, his field experience will work towards his argument and "alleged" guestimate.

Without laser, radar or traffic camera evidence, there is cause to question. Take a decent traffic lawyer and you may get out the ticket entirely.

Regardless, you should definitely go to court and explain that you are positve that you were not driving at interstate speeds. Tell the judge that you have had a chance to compare approximate speed you were doing and actually look at speedo since then, and that you are positive you were not going more than 55mph. If cop had a narrow field of vision, take photos showing where he saw you and his field of vision. You need to show cause for reasonable doubt.

With an otherwise clean record, the judge will probably meet you halfway and adjust your ticket down substantially. He/she may even cut you a break and drop ticket down to a minimal court fee with no assessed points against your licens. . (and thus no insurance price increase in the future).

Curious to hear what BluFuzz has to say...

 

[Reli]

Google "mr. ticket" or "mister ticket" or "ticket lawyer".......They can easily reduce your penalty, for a fee of only $99 or so. Basically they just file a bunch of red tape to piss off the court and get them to reduce the penalty. Pretty good success rate. You won't even have to show up.

 

[blu_fuz]

I had a 53mph in 25mph zone about 10 years ago.

I went to court just to plea guilty but to show respect for the court that I did something wrong but want to change and be better for good.


They took it down to a 44mph speeding ticket (19mph over limit) and I paid the full fine amount and they lowered the points against me from 4 down to 2 or something like that. Walked out paying like $260, less points against me, and was able to keep my license.

With a speeding ticket 20mph and over they can take away your license for 3 months or even up to a year .



Go to court and say you are sorry and you will be more cautious

 

[ClaretBadger]

I've gone back to the scene - and my take of the area is that he would have had a very narrow view of the street as his vehicle was perpendicular to the roadI was on

also

the other guy (who I definitely was NOT racing) when he was on my ass - made me instinctively pull over to the right hand lane of the triple carriage way road

I saw the po po - and braked - before passing where he was parked up - and stopped at the next set of lights - which is when I saw him pul out and put on his rollers.


The other car sped off

Office said if the other guy HAD stopped he would have put us both in jail

I'm not convinced i was doing anywhere near the speed he said

And when he asked me what speed I thought I was doing - I said I did not know
and that I wasn't racing - merely had a idiot moment - and accelerated when this bozo was behind me

lawyer has been contacted - and they advise me my local courthouse is tuff - and I have a 5% chance of getting let off

dammit

 

[Reli]

How long were you planning on being in the US?

 

[ClaretBadger]

i hear ya

I wanna be here for 5-10 years

not 3-5 months

 

[Superduper]

85 is really really fast. Not just for street, but even on the freeway, that is very fast. Take your speed limits here seriously. Not only can you get a ticket, but someone can get hurt. Doubtful the officer would just guess your speed as it may not hold up in court. More likely, he got you on radar.

Show up in court and see what he says. If your officer does not show (it does happen), your ticket gets dismissed. As for getting a lawyer -- that's your call. But the ticket's fee will probably be less than the attorney's fee.

 

[Reli]

i hear ya

I wanna be here for 5-10 years

not 3-5 months

Damn...

If you show up in court you can ask for proof of when the radar gun was calibrated last.

 

[jaetee]

Is the word "alleged" hand-written or printed on the citation? (important distinction)

Tickets in Florida, Georgia and Alabama say on the ticket exactly how the cop clocked your speed, and there is a space where they are expected to write in the identifying number of the specific device they used. And u cop shows up in court without the calibration paperwork and you ask for the cop to present that to the judge as proof that the devcie was working properly, the ticket will get thrown out, same as if he didn't show up at all.

If he was perpendicular to your travel path with a narrow field of view.... I'll bet he's guessing your speed and aiming high with the estimated speed with the knowledge that it will likely get reduced or thrown out if challenged.

Do you deserve a ticket..... Yes.

Do you deserve a 45+ over ticket.... probably not.

Good luck. Let us know how it turn out.

JT

 

[bklyn sound]

85 is really really fast. Not just for street, but even on the freeway, that is very fast. Take your speed limits here seriously. Not only can you get a ticket, but someone can get hurt. Doubtful the officer would just guess your speed as it may not hold up in court. More likely, he got you on radar.

Show up in court and see what he says. If your officer does not show (it does happen), your ticket gets dismissed. As for getting a lawyer -- that's your call. But the ticket's fee will probably be less than the attorney's fee.

with norm ...he definitly got you on radar or laser..I would definitly get a traffic lawyer... this is what they do ....Its not a dwi charge so more than likley you will not get suspended but the fine will be stiff but in some states you can cut a deal with the prosicuter and pay a more expensive fine ...and get less points...here in ny 12pts they suspend your privlage of driving ...any thing over 6 pts ny state adds a surcharge of 360$ and thats for for 3 years ...and with that many miles per hour over the limit is really bad ......hope it works out for you

 

[ClaretBadger]

i got one of them new printed out computer tickets

Even if I hit 85 (which I doubt)- it would have been for less than a couple a yards
as a junction was coming up

you reap what you sow - and the lawyers here charge 75 bucks for a ticket case
and they know where to probe for reduction in penalites - I'm not a repeat offender and i'm an older guy who "should" know better and new to the country

hope they go easy on me

that's all I can pray for right now I guess

 

[baddboybill]

i got one of them new printed out computer tickets

Even if I hit 85 (which I doubt)- it would have been for less than a couple a yards
as a junction was coming up

you reap what you sow - and the lawyers here charge 75 bucks for a ticket case
and they know where to probe for reduction in penalites - I'm not a repeat offender and i'm an older guy who "should" know better and new to the country

hope they go easy on me

that's all I can pray for right now I guess

Your screwed!!!! Lol just kidding. Usually with 1st offense you can pay a fine, go to a class for a day and if you don't get another violation within 90 days it's cleared from record. But now that's how it is in Illinois. As long as you were not speeding in school/work zone!!


Bad Boy Bill

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Of course, I'm from California....

But in Texas isn't it the Death Penalty for Speeding? :grim: They whip that out any chance they can

 

[jimmyjimmy19702010]

Last time my father was in the US on holidays, he got booked twice (at the same location) for driving on the wrong side of the road!! The motorcycle cops just wait outside the local tourist motel and wait for a dumb foreigner to pull onto the road the wrong way. He only ever got 10 metres max before they stop him! (thank goodness)

James..

 

[baddboybill]

Last time my father was in the US on holidays, he got booked twice (at the same location) for driving on the wrong side of the road!! The motorcycle cops just wait outside the local tourist motel and wait for a dumb foreigner to pull onto the road the wrong way. He only ever got 10 metres max before they stop him! (thank goodness)

James..

Reminded me of National Lampoons European vacation and Clark Griswald driving on wrong side of road. Lol.


Bad Boy Bill