my first speeding ticket

[Fire0nIce228 1]

So after a good solid almost two years with my license (2 years april 15) i got my first ticket. driving home from a motion city soundtrack concert i get busted doing 44 in a 25 at 1:00 in the morning on main street in town that had all blinky traffic lights. An unmarked honda civic with regular plates and everything clocked me at the bottom of the steep hill that leads down into town, cause i let it coast instead of riding the breaks down. As i'm pulled over, another unmarked passes heading the other way, as well as atleast one, possibly two marked cars drive by on the street intersecting mainstreet where i was pulled over as well. All I can do is laugh it off and pay my fine (no points) which was 25$ but after court costs is around $135, which is retarted since I'm not even taking it to court. Thing that sucks is it seems like the entire police force of town was on mainstreet, and I happened to "let 'er coast." <_<

Anyone got any good stories? :)

[zingbergeur 0]

I got pulled over for speeding on my way out of my high school graduation. I was still in my cap and gown. The cop let me go with just a warning and called it a "graduation gift."

[LegoDoom 0]

An unmarked honda civic with regular plates and everything

Where was this?

[Finlay82uk 0]

Over here in the UK, I was driving through a small village sat behind a tractor+ a couple of other cars, a police car coming the other way flashed me, turned around at the next junction+ came back+ flashed me again. so I pulled over, the police officer got out+_ accussed me of doing 35mph in a 30 zone. I complained + started to kick up a fuss, so the officer said he had it all on camera, so following my rights+ asked to see the proof, he quickly changed the subject to my car+ making sure that all the "modification's" (a set of alloy wheels) had been declared to my insurance company, I just ended up saying that if there was no good reason in them pulling me over Im going+ they didnt stop me when I left

I think the police only saw a young driver + thought I was upto no good

[ChrisGP 0]

Over here in the UK, I was driving through a small village sat behind a tractor+ a couple of other cars, a police car coming the other way flashed me, turned around at the next junction+ came back+ flashed me again. so I pulled over, the police officer got out+_ accussed me of doing 35mph in a 30 zone. I complained + started to kick up a fuss, so the officer said he had it all on camera, so following my rights+ asked to see the proof, he quickly changed the subject to my car+ making sure that all the "modification's" (a set of alloy wheels) had been declared to my insurance company, I just ended up saying that if there was no good reason in them pulling me over Im going+ they didnt stop me when I left

I think the police only saw a young driver + thought I was upto no good

Wow...congrats on fighting off PC Plod! I've only been driving for a year & a half and haven't had anything bad happen yet...besides having my car keyed and some kind soul trying to break in with a screwdriver! I'm really not looking forward to the 1st time I have a brush with the law...I'll remember what you did & try and get off free!

[Finlay82uk 0]

oh caught a guy trying to break into my car outside a cinema, he had a bastard screw driver behind the lock as I came over, yeah I reported it to the police, but missed out the fact that I had punched the bastard+ that my girlfriend stabbed him in the nuts with her stilletoe heel :D

[Vapor 0]

oh caught a guy trying to break into my car outside a cinema, he had a bastard screw driver behind the lock as I came over, yeah I reported it to the police, but missed out the fact that I had punched the bastard+ that my girlfriend stabbed him in the nuts with her stilletoe heel :D

*stiletto... your girl is wearing stilettos to a movie? Classy broad

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Back home in Ireland I got a speeding ticket when I was stopped!!

I had bought a Mark 2 VW Golf GTI and was going into Derry to see a couple of friends on the bogside. I may or may not have been speeding, but anyway, I blew the engine on the dual carriage way. The fire brigade came, put out the fire and then the Gardai came and gave me a ticket, because "there's no way you blow the engine on a golf if you are not speeding"!!!

I beat it in court though because he didn't have a speed, witness or visual evidence. Gardai at home work on quotas, much like here, but there are also bonuses that factor into their ticket system.

Also, got a criminal conviction over here, misdemeanor, doing 87 in a 55 zone on the I-66. In Virginia its a mandatory criminal misdemeanor if you are doing 20 or more than the speed limit.

When asked how I plead in court, I said "I plead stupid" and went on to explain how I had just picked up my friends from Ireland the day before at the airport, and were were going golfing, and was catching up with them, and watching the road, and not looking at my speed.

It cost me $315 but no points were assessed on my license, as I had no other record and +4 on my license up to then

[cougarscaptain87 12]

ive had my liscence for about 8 monts now, but after the first 2 week i got a 50 in a 25 ticket. $140usd and 4 point. total dick cop too, here they generally mark it down he didnt

[Miserable 6]

ive had my liscence for about 8 monts now, but after the first 2 week i got a 50 in a 25 ticket. $140usd and 4 point. total dick cop too, here they generally mark it down he didnt

I assume your still under 25?

No way a cop is letting you off easy when your dubble the limit and only driving for 2 weeks. You're lucky you got away with just the points and a fine.

I got busted 3 weeks into my license for 78 in a 55. Lucky for me it was out of state so there were no points just a nice fine.

[analog999 0]

boys, here is what you do if you get pulled over for speeding, reckless driving, etc...

Say nothing to the cop other than to give him your basic information. Do not admit you were speeding and do not give excuses. Address the cop as Sir or Maam and that is it.

If you get a ticket:

1) Contest it. ALWAYS contest it, no matter what. Whether you contest it completely or admit guilt and want to give an excuse, do one of these rather than just pay the ticket. Paying admits guilt and your insurance company will ding you big time. It's not the cost of the ticket, it's the cost of your insurance going up that will kill you. Sometimes even if you are guilty, just the fact that you show up to court can significantly reduce the cost of your ticket.

2) Request a copy of the ticket from the court. Look for errors and things that might keep the ticket from being legit. i.e. Was it filed in time? (In a previous county where I got a ticket, they must be filed within 3 days. He filed it in four, I got off). Was he following you long enough? (In my state, a cop must follow you for 1/4 mile). Did he write your name, license number, plate number, car make model, car color correctly? Any errors of any type can have the possibility of getting the ticket thrown out. This is absolutely CRUCIAL that you get a copy of the ticket. Sometimes you have to do it in writing, sometimes you just call.

3) Do not request for the police officer to show up. They most likely will not show for your case unless they are there for another reason anyway. If they do show, you are pretty much screwed as the judge will take their word over yours every time. If they don't show and you requested them to come, then you do get off, but this isn't very likely.. If they don't show and you didn't request them to come, then what is written on the ticket is exactly what the court will take as the cop's word. They will not "guess" that the cop saw you do this or that - he either says it clearly or he does not. Written words are on YOUR side because you can argue around them. You cannot argue around a live person who rebutts what you say and the judge listens to them.

4) Get a lawyer. If you can afford it, it is well worth it to get a good traffic lawyer. Mine got me out of three speeding tickets. Worth every penny and the feeling when you get word from the judge "case dismissed" is like winning the god damned stanley cup.

5) Show up to court. Present your argument in a clear rational manner. If you are going to still admit fault but for a reason, do not use stupid excuses like "my girlfriend was giving me head" or "I had to get to baseball practice." Use something that sounds legit like your accelerator was stuck. Show a receipt from the local garage that says that you had it checked out just after the incident (and actually DO have it checked out). If you are contesting it completely for reasons like in #2 then have your argument laid out flat with documentation and regulations written out to back you up. Quote them. Judges are impressed when you take an interest in the law and find a loophole to get you out. I have seen judges litterally congratulate people for finding them.

6) Try not to get caught next time or just stop doing it. Eventually you get old enough where you can find other ways to get your thrills legally.

Believe me, I have been pulled over a lot. Once I got off on a ticket where I waved at the cop as I was passing him. Why? He submitted the ticket to the wrong court! (Should have been a different municipality.) Once I got off on a ticket where I was literally going over 100 mph and was speeding away from the cop so much that he was yelling at me that he had to call for backup because he thought I was going to run from him. Why? I don't know or remember - my lawyer went to court for me and he called half an hour after my court time and told me I had beat it. Yet another time I beat the ticket because it wasn't filed in time. So they can be won. Each of these times I used a lawyer I had good results. The last one, where it wasn't filed in time, I presented the argument, but the lawyer is the one who found the loophole. Cost me $80 that he didn't even ask for. A good lawyer is great when they are on your side!

[mack 44]

oh caught a guy trying to break into my car outside a cinema, he had a bastard screw driver behind the lock as I came over, yeah I reported it to the police, but missed out the fact that I had punched the bastard+ that my girlfriend stabbed him in the nuts with her stilletoe heel :D

*stiletto... your girl is wearing stilettos to a movie? Classy broad

Recommend what you'd wear to the movies, please. Pumps? I bet you have nice ox-like calves to show off, sexy.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

okay question. my cop literally said to me "this is just a strait up fine, no points, it won't affect your insurance". is he lieing? If my insurance wont be affect i will just pay the stupid ticket because to me going to court and stuff with school and 2 jobs and stuff is a huge hassle, but if its going to raise my insurance than it will be worth it to go to court. But he told me it wouldn't affect so do you think it will.

And for whomever asked, it was in a small town about 20 minutes from pittsburgh PA. They were hondas or hyaundi's or some little shitty car like that.

[analog999 0]

Any moving violation will affect your insurance, unless your insurance is spot clean and you are an older adult. If you're less than 25 and unmarried, expect speeding tickets to cost you for the next three years.

It should not affect insurance if it was something like being cited for a tail light out. Those kinds of tickets you can easily beat anyway, just get it repaired, show up to court and prove that it is repaired - they will let you off. -- edit -- that reminds me of this time at college where a friend of mine's car was such a piece of shit that he didn't even have a speedometer, odometer or anything else. We got pulled over in his car and the cops didn't even give him a ticket, they just gave him a warning. Man that was so funny.. I don't know why but we were laughing our asses off at my friend.

[analog999 0]

By the way, you can always call your insurance company and ask them, BUT if you do that DO NOT SAY WHO YOU ARE. They document EVERY CALL. My wife used to work as a claims adjuster and an underwriter, so I know what I'm talking about. Absolutely do not say who you are and block your caller ID just to be safe. Just tell them you want a hypothetical on how much your insurance rates would be for a x year old driver who has been with them for y years and has a, b and c on their record in the past three years.

[stevoc 0]

Not that I am a big offender of the traffic laws (anymore ;) ), but I have been to all three levels of traffic school that California offers.

The ending note as you walk out the door of the 3rd (highest offender's) level is:

"this is it! screw up again and you better invest in a bus pass!"

[mack 44]

That's definitely something different than here, too. It's fairly obvious to spot unmarkeds because they're all Yukons or Suburbans with pitch-black tint.

[kovy2797 0]

Where was the town at in PA? I'm about the same distance from Pittsburgh and have never seen anything but Crown Vics that are unmarked.

[Miserable 6]

okay question. my cop literally said to me "this is just a strait up fine, no points, it won't affect your insurance". is he lieing? If my insurance wont be affect i will just pay the stupid ticket because to me going to court and stuff with school and 2 jobs and stuff is a huge hassle, but if its going to raise my insurance than it will be worth it to go to court. But he told me it wouldn't affect so do you think it will.

And for whomever asked, it was in a small town about 20 minutes from pittsburgh PA. They were hondas or hyaundi's or some little shitty car like that.

I'm pretty sure in PA they can issue a ticket that comes with no points as a break. I want to say it's a citation but don't hold me to that. The basics are that you get no points but the fine is really high compared to the same violation with points. The catch is that your trading off points for a higher fine. You could always call the station and ask someone there to be certain.

[flashgordon 0]

Ok, here's my best ticket story (unfortunately I have a few):

I attended university at UVM in Burlington. Hailing from Montreal, I would often make the 1.5 hr drive back on the w-e. Let's just set the scene by saying that prior to my incident, I had a few unpaid tickets in Vermont (college budget) and my license was technically under suspension. So I'm flying up I-89 toward the border late one Friday night (not sure how fast but way over the limit) when out of the corner of my eye I catch an unmarked state trooper on the median. I panic, knowing that if he stops me I'm in deep you-know-what given my suspension. I spot an exit coming up and decide to floor it and go for it, hoping he won't see me get off (asuming he's trying to catch me at all). Sure enough, as I'm on the exit ramp, I see flashing lights in the rear view quickly gaining. I was dumb back then, but not an idiot, so I pull over. The officer asks me if I was trying to elude him. I say, "no officer, I just thought it would be safer to be pulled over off the dark highway". Yeah, right. So he checks out my license, comes back and says I'm under suspension, that he'll be giving me a fine and court summons and that I cannot drive my car from this spot. I'll either have to call someone to get it or it'll be impounded. So I call my buddy and he comes with his dad, and they drive me and my car 20 min north until right before the border (yes I was stupid enough to get right back and drive). I cross the border no problem and keep heading to Montreal, fuming at myself for getting caught and worried about the upcoming court appearance. Well, the anger and concern must have got the better of me, because sure enough, about 20 min later, I get nailed again for speeding in Quebec and another $200 down the drain. Thankfully no reciprocity between Quebec and VT. I've never gotten another speeding ticket since.

[wickedwrister 0]

boys, here is what you do if you get pulled over for speeding, reckless driving, etc...

Say nothing to the cop other than to give him your basic information.  Do not admit you were speeding and do not give excuses.  Address the cop as Sir or Maam and that is it.

If you get a ticket:

1) Contest it.  ALWAYS contest it, no matter what.   Whether you contest it completely or admit guilt and want to give an excuse, do one of these rather than just pay the ticket.   Paying admits guilt and your insurance company will ding you big time.   It's not the cost of the ticket, it's the cost of your insurance going up that will kill you.   Sometimes even if you are guilty, just the fact that you show up to court can significantly reduce the cost of your ticket.

2) Request a copy of the ticket from the court.   Look for errors and things that might keep the ticket from being legit.  i.e. Was it filed in time?  (In a previous county where I got a ticket, they must be filed within 3 days.  He filed it in four, I got off).   Was he following you long enough? (In my state, a cop must follow you for 1/4 mile).    Did he write your name, license number, plate number, car make model, car color correctly?   Any errors of any type can have the possibility of getting the ticket thrown out.   This is absolutely CRUCIAL that you get a copy of the ticket.   Sometimes you have to do it in writing, sometimes you just call.

3) Do not request for the police officer to show up.  They most likely will not show for your case unless they are there for another reason anyway.  If they do show, you are pretty much screwed as the judge will take their word over yours every time.  If they don't show and you requested them to come, then you do get off, but this isn't very likely..   If they don't show and you didn't request them to come, then what is written on the ticket is exactly what the court will take as the cop's word.  They will not "guess" that the cop saw you do this or that - he either says it clearly or he does not.   Written words are on YOUR side because you can argue around them.  You cannot argue around a live person who rebutts what you say and the judge listens to them.

4) Get a lawyer.  If you can afford it, it is well worth it to get a good traffic lawyer.  Mine got me out of three speeding tickets.  Worth every penny and the feeling when you get word from the judge "case dismissed" is like winning the god damned stanley cup. 

5) Show up to court.  Present your argument in a clear rational manner.  If you are going to still admit fault but for a reason, do not use stupid excuses like "my girlfriend was giving me head" or "I had to get to baseball practice."    Use something that sounds legit like your accelerator was stuck.  Show a receipt from the local garage that says that you had it checked out just after the incident (and actually DO have it checked out).     If you are contesting it completely for reasons like in #2 then have your argument laid out flat with documentation and regulations written out to back you up.  Quote them.  Judges are impressed when you take an interest in the law and find a loophole to get you out.   I have seen judges litterally congratulate people for finding them.

6) Try not to get caught next time or just stop doing it.  Eventually you get old enough where you can find other ways to get your thrills legally.

Believe me, I have been pulled over a lot.  Once I got off on a ticket where I waved at the cop as I was passing him.  Why?  He submitted the ticket to the wrong court!   (Should have been a different municipality.)  Once I got off on a ticket where I was literally going over 100 mph and was speeding away from the cop so much that he was yelling at me that he had to call for backup because he thought I was going to run from him.   Why?  I don't know or remember - my lawyer went to court for me and he called half an hour after my court time and told me I had beat it.   Yet another time I beat the ticket because it wasn't filed in time.   So they can be won.   Each of these times I used a lawyer I had good results.  The last one, where it wasn't filed in time, I presented the argument, but the lawyer is the one who found the loophole.  Cost me $80 that he didn't even ask for.    A good lawyer is great when they are on your side!

1) Yes, requesting a hearing can't hurt. Worst comes to worst you loose and pay the original fine anyway.

2) There is no reason to request anything from the court. The officer will give you your very own copy right there on the side of the road.

(a) True. It's not the cost of the ticket or the points; it's the conviction that raises insurance rates. Points are just put on you license by the state to go towards suspensions (in Michigan it's more than 12 and you are done)

() False. An error on the ticket will not make it void. Police make mistakes on paperwork too. You WILL sound like an idiot before a Judge or Magistrate if you play that card.

c) Never heard of an exact amount of time an officer needs to pace clock (follow to establish speed). 2 things. Was the police cars spedo calibrated and is the officer experienced in pace clocking.

3) The officer WILL most likely show up. #1, it's overtime and #2, what would happen to you if you decided not to show up for work??

No, the Judge does not discredit everytrhing you say and automaticaly believe the offficer. That being said, a traffic stop is one of the most basic functions an officer performs every day. Radar, Laser, and pace clocking are PROVEN sciences in court, so more times than not you will be found guilty.

4) Getting a lawyer for a civil infraction like speeding is like flushing your money down the toilet. I guess if you have a horrible record or are about to loose your license it might be warranted.

OR get with ANALOG99 and get the name of his lawyer because I have NEVER heard of someone getting out of 3 separate tickets (one of which was 100mph which almost resulted in a chase?) without showing up in person.

BTW Johnnie Cochran died a while back so you might be out of luck. ;)

[Chadd 916]

okay question.  my cop literally said to me "this is just a strait up fine, no points, it won't affect your insurance".  is he lieing?  If my insurance wont be affect i will just pay the stupid ticket because to me going to court and stuff with school and 2 jobs and stuff is a huge hassle, but if its going to raise my insurance than it will be worth it to go to court.  But he told me it wouldn't affect so do you think it will. 

And for whomever asked, it was in a small town about 20 minutes from pittsburgh PA.  They were hondas or hyaundi's or some little shitty car like that.

I'm pretty sure in PA they can issue a ticket that comes with no points as a break. I want to say it's a citation but don't hold me to that. The basics are that you get no points but the fine is really high compared to the same violation with points. The catch is that your trading off points for a higher fine. You could always call the station and ask someone there to be certain.

"Failure to obey a traffic signal device" in PA it's zero points. I am curious to see what town it was though.

Once I got off on a ticket where I was literally going over 100 mph and was speeding away from the cop so much that he was yelling at me that he had to call for backup because he thought I was going to run from him. Why? I don't know or remember - my lawyer went to court for me and he called half an hour after my court time and told me I had beat it.

How was jail? If he has to call for backup, you're getting an overnight stay no matter what.

[analog999 0]

2) There is no reason to request anything from the court. The officer will give you your very own copy right there on the side of the road.

    (a) True. It's not the cost of the ticket or the points; it's the conviction that  raises insurance rates. Points are just put on you license by the state to go towards suspensions (in Michigan it's more than 12 and you are done)

    () False. An error on the ticket will not make it void. Police make mistakes on paperwork too. You WILL sound like an idiot before a Judge or Magistrate if you play that card.

    c) Never heard of an exact amount of time an officer needs to pace clock (follow to establish speed). 2 things. Was the police cars spedo calibrated and is the officer experienced in pace clocking.

3) The officer WILL most likely show up. #1, it's overtime and #2, what would happen to you if you decided not to show up for work??

No, the Judge does not discredit everytrhing you say and automaticaly believe the offficer. That being said, a traffic stop is one of the most basic functions an officer performs every day. Radar, Laser, and pace clocking are PROVEN sciences in court, so no more times than not you will be found guilty.

4) Getting a lawyer for a civil infraction like speeding is like flushing your money down the toilet. I guess if you have a horrible record or are about to loose your license it might be warranted.

OR get with ANALOG99 and get the name of his lawyer because I have NEVER heard of someone getting out of 3 separate tickets (one of which was 100mph which almost resulted in a chase?) without showing up in person.

BTW Johnnie Cochran died a while back so you might be out of luck. ;)

2a) Yes, at least in my state (WA) you should request a copy of the ticket. Not only does it show any additional notes that the officer adds on the back it shows when the ticket was filed. In my state at least, when you get a ticket it does not have the report. The report is written after you leave and you have to request it. It can't hurt to get it anyway.

2b) Also, I did not say that an error on the ticket WILL make it void, I just said it is possible that you might be able to use an error to get it thrown out. One point about a ticket not showing the make/model/color, etc is that you can show the officer was not paying attention. I have seen judges dismiss tickets for this in my state, but I would not count on it 100% to get it dismissed.

2c) There are all kinds of laws that require an officer to specifically determine your speed. In addition to distance there might be other factors like the spedo calibrated etc. If it is a laser or radar you might want to get the calibration records for that as well. I have not dealt with those kinds of tickets. Check the laws in your area. If you don't know where to look, ask a librarian or a lawyer for help.

3) Yes, it may be true that the judge will not discredit EVERYTHING you say, but I would bet money on it that the judge will accept the officer's account 99% of the time and issue you the ticket.

4) If you believe that not getting a lawyer who knows his stuff is foolishness, then you, my friend, are throwing your money down the toilet. I did beat three tickets within the span of about 2.5 years. I used to have my lawyer's number memorized by heart...

If you ever get a ticket in Seattle, call Michael Rosen (206) 292-0509

[analog999 0]

How was jail? If he has to call for backup, you're getting an overnight stay no matter what.

He didn't call, he said he almost had to call. He said he was going 90, the gas pedal was completely against the floor and I was still pulling away from him. I was on my motorcycle and it was a wide open stretch of 3 lanes that I was going VERY fast in on my way to work. I don't know for sure how fast but I know it was over 100. He couldn't tell me how fast I was going because he didn't know - all he knew is that it was faster than him. As soon as I noticed his lights in my mirrors I pulled over. This all happened in less than a mile and a half, maybe less. He kept going on about how life is not a video game, etc. He wrote the ticket as if I was going 85 in a 60, but I think it had to do with a technicality as to why I won. I honestly don't know why but my lawyer was awesome and he was worth the $200 it cost to beat it.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

The town is Butler, PA. Anyways, this is my first anything at all on my insurance. No other tickets fines wrecks dings fender benders, nothing. He filled the thing out all fine and its all filled in, and I really dont think taking it to cout will do much of anything for me. The actual fine was only 25$ but all the other shit they add onto it brought it up into the $100's range, which I really doubt they'll deduct from the ticket any of those "tax" type things, like EMS and Medicare which obviously didnt even come to the scene of the crime, haha.

We have easily IDable crown vics and impalas too, hell they have municiple plates and the wheels are all black with no hubcaps so you can tell real quick, plus I think the windows are tinted. The two undercover cars I saw last night had regular PA plates, no add ons, no tint, nothing to distinguish it. The lights were mounted on the dashboard inside the car in the middle and they flashed white, thats the best I can describe them.

My registration runs out April first and my license has the wrong address on it, but he didn't write me up for it. He said if he was state cop I would be seeing alot more money on the ticket because my license and registration/insurance addresses dont match (I moved over a year and half ago).