Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

So last week Tuesday, at 6am on 35w I got pulled over and "cited" (i believe is the proper term). I think its been 7-8 years since my last ticket, I honestly can't remember.

Anyway, I had my gf and her daughter with me and I was caravaning with my dad (his car had my mom, bro and his gf) and he lost me in traffic so I was going kind of fast trying to catch him to get back in the caravan as we had 12 hours to go (drove to Oklahoma).

So, seeing as this is my first one in a long time, what can I do to fight this or make it sting less? I was going to schedule the court date and show up and see if I can take some classes or something to stop it from going on insurance etc. Or try to get it knocked down. The guy didn't even really talk to me, just gave me a ticket more or less instantly. I was in the carpool lane, dumb move very exposed as the rest of traffic was going about the same speed, 70 or so. Got one for 75 in 55, seriously 55 speed limits are dumb. but yea he didn't knock it down or anything. I never admitted I was speeding either, played dumb as I believe you are supposed to never admit guilt.

Just looking for advice on what to do, thanks.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

You can fight it but if you think about it, you may lose twice. What I mean by that is: you would have to take a day off of work, which costs you money, and could still get stuck with the ticket. So you would lose a day of pay and still have to pay it.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Paid vacation ftw I guess. I am not worried about that, so that is not an issue.

I would think with my driving record, zero accidents ever and no tickets for a long time they would haggle some. That is why I wanted to see what everyone thought.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Ya I suppose if you think of it that way, you can try but your still using vacation for it. And they may take your record into consideration but its not always a deciding factor. I have heard of first time offenders getting stuck with a 20+ over ticket as its a little different than getting a 10 over ticket with a clean record.

Your best bet if you do decide to challenge it is to hope for the officer to not show up and it get dismissed. But officers get paid overtime to go to court so that is a long shot.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

You could try and fight it, but 75 in a 55 is pretty rough and it may just be a waste of time. Why didnt you just call your dad and tell him to slow down and wait lol.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Go meet with the hearing officer and see if you can get it knocked down and get probation for a year. I am not sure if they are going to do that for a 20 over though. Worth a shot, if not then show up in court and hope the cop doesn't show up. If he does then the judge might still be nice and knock it down for you or do probation.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

LOL, I don't know, never thought I would get pulled over. I seriously didn't know it was 55 only, 35 is 70mph everywhere I use it, near blaine and then the whole way south. I was half asleep still too as I woke up at 4:30am to get ready.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

So besides just not having them knock it down or anything there is no downside to showing up for the court date?

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Inb4 Trogdor suggests bending over and bringing lots of lube, he loves the government.

Edit: Actually, he will probably tell you to pay double and be thankful for it.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Is there a number to call to schedule a "meeting"? Sometimes they might have you pay double but won't show up on insurance and do the probation thing

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

You can call the number on the front of the envelope he gave you and they will tell you your fine amount or options to take care of it.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Nope, no downside to showing up for court from what I remember. There might have been a court fee if you are found guilty. I got out of 2 tickets by showing up to court. One the cop was there and waiting to go in like me, then he got called away on an emergency. DA looks over at me and says "Today is your lucky day." The other one I fought in court (represented myself) and won, but that was a reckless.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Screw the govt! I am never in favor of them, ever.

yes, there is a number, I have to wait 10 business days and I can call and schedule a date.

Correct.

Yea not sure on the court fee, but from what I have heard you talk to the hearing officer first yes? Before you see the judge? So I would assume the deal making goes on there? And if that person says just take it I should probably just accept the fine.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Yep, hearing officer first. I've never taken a normal speeding ticket beyond that. I've always been offered some sort of deal but never had a ticket for 20 over though.

I'd wait 10 days and call and make an appointment with a hearing officer. Everytime I've went in they usually threw a good deal at me so I didn't try arguing with them much. I supose if you don't like what they offer you could try to get them to give you a better deal or say f it and go to court. I'd think they'd try to not get you to go to court as they probably just want your money.

Where'd you get the ticket?

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Depending on what city you got the ticket in you can ask a hearing officer if you can have a no same or similar. Meaning you pay the ticket but doesn't go against your record unless you get another one with in a year of when the ticket was written.

That's what I would do.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

When I got my ticket about 8 years ago they told me the hearing officer could only settle out of court if it was 15 or less over the speed limit. Stayed off my record if I didn't get any more tickets in a year, but had to pay the full fine.

If you have the extra day of PTO, I'd go and fight it, maybe get it reduced to 10 or 15 over and stay off your record.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Hearing officer is first, you can still take it to court and the judge is completely different. The hearing officer works for the district attorney, they just want the money. The judge will be the one to uphold the law. Not real easy to fight a radar reading though. Going to court you would pretty much have to hope the cop doesn't show up, which does happen a fair amount.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

I have never gone to the judge, usually just dealt with the hearing officer person.

I just got one on the way back from from NOLA, 87 in a 70 i think. I was so tired I didn't care esp. since I was dead tired and doing 90 since we started.

But looking back i should of asked to see the radar and such, from what I've been told they take 2-3 reads before it locks so usually its just their word vs. yours.
The officer told me he clocked me initally going 87 but then i jammed the brakes pretty hard, he was impressed.

Anywho, go fight it so it doesn't go on your insurance. If it's close, I was pulled over in Stearns county i think, whatever shithole is in control of owatonna area.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Your better off paying the ticket. I have a long long record and I have learned its not worth your time to fight a speeding ticket. You will not win. When you get pulled over the best thing to do is make up a good story or try to have the officer write you a ticket for something else. I have done it a bunch of times in the past and it works out great. Another thing that works sometimes is don't give them your insurance card. Tell them you have insurance on the car but you don't have the current card. Sometimes the cop will write you a ticket for no insurance instead of what he actually pulled you over for.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Stearns county is St. Cloud.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

If you don't mind spending the time to go in, then might as well. Like was said above, it won't hurt. I wouldn't make up a story, I'd just say what you said that you've had a clean record and made a mistake and wondering if there's any other options that won't affect your record/insurance.

If it was me though, I'd just pay it and be done with it and move on.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

This is wrong and cops are not required to "lock" your speed on the radar unit. A cop can write a citation for the highest speed they see on the radar as they are monitoring your speed.

And what is up with wanting to see your speed on the radar? A cop is not going to falsify a ticket just so he can give you a higher ticket, he/she would be risking their job just to give you a ticket.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

If you have enough time off I see no harm in going in to fight it. Worst that can happen is you lose a few hours of vacay, get the afternoon off (if you schedule the hearing office apt in the afternoon) and you learn how the process works.

I don't think you could really come up with a good story while you were speeding, I'd be honest and tell the same story you told us and hope for the best

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Sometimes it pays off to just be honest and decent about things. I know plenty of cops who let drivers off the hook just for being decent and honest with them.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

I have actually used this several times and it does work. Granted the one time I brought it in and the cop never got rid of the ticket and I had a warrant for my arrest and they came and got me (I never got a single notice!) But yeah, it does work.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

southbound 35w by 46th street, there is a bus station there, he was hiding in the bus station.

Interesting, maybe i will try that next time lol, but seems a bit riskier than a speeding ticket.

I think I will probably just take an afternoon off (or morning if i have to) and schedule the meet with the hearing officer.

If they don't cut me any slack, I will just pay the fine as I don't see a good reason to go in front of the judge and don't want to pay court fees. If they don't drop it down at all I will just go home and play more xbox 1 :)

Thanks guys.

Also, I am surprised you guys have never gotten a 20+ over ticket before lol, the way most of us drive. I don't think 75 is too crazy either, yes the speed limit was 55 but that is bogus for freeway speeds. So it wasn't like I was doing 90 or anything which seems worse to me.

Anyway, thanks again.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

The process is called continuance for dismissal. You go on probation for 1 year, so no same or similar charges or both will stick on your record. I have lots of experience with it, as I have done this three times now! The most recent one was in Hennepin County for 15MPH over on 494, I met with a hearing officer and she told me that I was at the absolute limit for a continuance for dismissal. I would give it a shot, cannot hurt to try!

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

By the limit, do you mean 15 over is the limit?

Man, that is a bummer, I kind of wish that cop would've cut me a bit of slack and did 15 over.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

2 summers ago I got a 30 over when I was riding with brad. I went to court and got it knocked down to driving without due cause. I think that's what it was called. It doesn't show up as a speeding ticket.

The only way to get out a ticket is when you get pulled over by the officer. Once he writes you a ticket you have a battle in front of you. You can talk to the hear officer and try getting something out them. But you will still end paying se kinda of fine. It does depend on what kind of ticket you get. But any kinda of moving violation you are pretty much screwed. Just speaking from what I have learned over the years. Sometimes its a good thing to lair sometimes its a mistake. Just go with what feels right with your gut.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

I am fine paying a fine, I have accepted that, just trying to keep my record clean as at some point in time I am sure the evo will get pulled over.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

35W and almost all highways and freeways inside the 494/694 loop are all 55mph or less just as an FYI. You should know that lol, especially just coming out of dtown, no way they would allow over 55 in those tight curves.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

I so thought you were going to run!

Paul pretty much nailed it though, just have to go with your gut. Have to weigh the possibility of admiting guilt/dumbassedness to get out of the ticket with admiting guilt and getting screwed if you wanted to fight it.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...85168446_n.jpg

Somtimse a mix of a good story and admiting being a dumbass can help, like when I got pulled over this summer for launching on Washington. New clutch was 'grabby' and I was trying to show off to girls. Cop came out swearing at me and told me to sit on the the ground by the wall. Felt like a 5 year old but he ended up letting me go:biggrin:

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

One thing about not giving the officer your insurance to get out of the speeding ticket, the insurance citation is a misdemeanor offense when the speeding is a petty misdemeanor moving violation. The misdemeanor is more expensive and with too many of those, the officer can actually tow your vehicle. Imagine if he decides to write you for both, then that day just got a lot worse haha.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Yea, no idea why you would say you have no insurance card with you. Thats just asking for a no proof of insurance ticket on top of the other ticket lol.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

The no proof of insurance ticket is so easy to get out of. All you do is get your current card and fax the card and your ticket to a number. In a couple days the ticket is gone. I have done it many of times. No taking time off work and dicking around. Fax proof you had insurance at the time and they toss the ticket.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

I've gotten a ticket for no proof of insurance (my card was out of date). I printed a new one, went to the courthouse window and showed them my up to date one, and that was the end of that. So I agree, pretty easy to get out of. But if you catch someone on the wrong day, I've also seen someone do jail time for it (2nd offense).

I personally like to just own up to my mistakes, pay the fine, and just move on. I hate sitting in limbo wondering.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Going to court is base on Counties. I know Ramsey and Hennipen (sp) have a hearing officer and worth a shot. Anoka county is a different story. They don't have a hearing officer and it is just easier to just pay the ticket.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

The majority of counties don't have a hearing officer. You get out of the metro and people have never even heard of such a thing.

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

Aly says to try to get it down under 20 over ticket
Speeding 145.00
Speeding 20 or over limit 212.00

Re: Tickets - who has expereince, need advice
 

I just decided to pay the damn thing. From most of my research at 20 or more over they will just make me pay it anyway.

I was speeding, just going to buck up and take it and move on.

It was in fact 212 plus 1.50 for some BS fee, so 213.50, ouch.

I just find it ironic that I have gotten pulled over more in the kizashi in the year i have owned it and actually got a ticket. Never been ticketed in the evo. Just going to have to drive a little more tame on a daily basis now and make sure to be in traffic while speeding.

Thanks for the tips guys.