Speeding Ticket from HELL

[jeffers_clipse]

Got my first speed violation in my gsx last night doing something I NEVER do on this highway. I was just headin to town, (I live about 15 miles from the town of windom where I work and hang out with my friends) and there was an open stretch of road no cars or anything, so like an idiot, in a 60 mph zone I just romped on the go pedal in 5th and pulled cuz this car never seizes to amaze me even in stock form, I saw a set of headlights come over the hill so I immediately slowed down and then I realized it was an officer, so I just kept on slowing down cuz I saw him turn around. I pulled over before he even had his cherries on cuz I knew I was screwed. I was goin fast, but I didn't realize how fast as I never looked at my speedo. He came to my window asked for my id and insurance and asks me how fast I was going, I said I honestly didn't know and he informed me 96. At this point my heart sinks because i was 4mph from losing my license right there. I just felt like an idiot for opening it up when I knew it wasn't the time or the place. he let me off with an 84 in a 60 which normally wouldn't be bad, but fines are double in minnesota's new 60mph zones, leaving me with a $282 fine. So much for my nearly spotless record I guess, especially since I pay my own insurance and car payment every month. Oh well, crap happens, and all I can do is learn from it now.

My big question now is, is it worth goin to court about it, cuz I've been told to always take tickets to court even if you're guilty as sin. This ticket especially as I noticed he didn't put what mile marker it occurred at, or my speed, he left both blank. Now if you've read my novel here, any help or advice would be great. The money isn't really that big of an issue, it'll just delay me getting my timing belt replaced, but i'd like to get this off my record if at all possible for work reasons.

[Onefast99gsx]

You'd be wasting your time if you went to court. Going to court would be if you had a legimate reason to do 96mph in the first place. Did you have a reason to go 96? Probably not. Not to be a dink, but you deserved the ticket at that speed. Last summer I did that crap with some 60-90mph pulls to try and figure my setup out. I was on a nearly extinct stretch of road here in WI. I always told myself if i got caught, that I deserved it. Not this summer though. Anything that fast will be at the track. Your insurance is probably gonna sky rocket.

[MATCHBX]

You could go in and see what you can plead it down to. If you've never had anything on your record, and the judge is feeling good, he may just have you pay a reduced fine. He might also do the "as long as you don't get another one in a year" sentence where you pay a certain fine and it doesn't go on your record unless you get another ticket within a year. And if you do get another ticket, he might have it where you would pay the full amount for the first ticket. Sometimes it's worth just going in there and seeing what the judge can do. You aren't making excuses for what you did, you're just telling them that you understand you did wrong and that you don't intend to do it again. What's the worst that they will do to you, make you pay the original fine?

They may even have something where you go to a class and it gets erased or something. I can't remember if they still do that or not, but it's worth a try if you are afraid of what will happen to your insurance. But by all means, DO NOT tell your insurance company. If they find it, they find it. You are not obligated to tell them. And some insurance agents give you one "freebie" because shit happens. Mine is that way. Although I have more than one ticket on my record (not speeds either) and my rates steadily drop.

[s1ngletracker]

so why is the ticket double? I dont get that. Thats an INSANE price for a simple speeding ticket. I f'ing hate minnesota.

[CVD]

You can go to court and will most likely get it reduced. You will NOT get it dropped. In MN you must be going less than 15mph over the speed limit in order to just pay the fine and keep it off your record. Over that and it is beyond their control. The only other way to keep it off your record is to plead not guilty and win.

[CDeutsch]

so why is the ticket double? I dont get that. Thats an INSANE price for a simple speeding ticket. I f'ing hate minnesota.

I agree. That's outrageous! It makes me want to punch the next politician I see in the throat.

[FattyBoomBatty]

it's to stop people from speeding. the larger/worse the consequences, the fewer there will be people who speed and end up hurting someone.

you have to do 0-99mph races now, btw, if you are going to race, that way, if you get caught, you won;t loose your liscence.

[x-pride]

Wow, I did not know that MN law enforcement could clock people going the other direction. Did you get a chance to see his gun that clocked you? My honest opinion he busted you on guilt. I would go to court to find out what can be done about the ticket. It wouldn't hurt to try.

[TkrPerformance]

that sucks
I am still paying on my fines
2 no ins tickets
2 driving after sus
1 driving after rev
1 speeding 87 in a 60

got the speeding and driving after sus 460.00 pd
no ins 240.00 pd
went to court for no ins number 2 740.00 (lawer got me of 30day jail time and 1500 in fines)
still have to pay driving after rev. 240.00
it was a shitty last year

[MATCHBX]

In the new zones that they raised to 60mph, that was the compromise. The tickets are double just like construction zones. And there is supposed to be close to a zero tolerance. 1mph over and they are supposed to pull you over.