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.