I was on my way back from Palmdale and I got pulled over for going a couple miles faster than the flow of traffic. I saw the cop beforehand and I told myself to keep it below 80.. since everyone was going fast anyway (70+). Wrong decision on my part.. the cop pulled me over, asked me if I had anything to drink and made me wait 15-20minutes while he was writing his citation. They pulled me over instead of the Porsche that sped by next to me at ~90mph. I guess a tinted black car with subwoofers pounding looked more appealing? [!] Anyways, how do you guys deal with speeding tickets in California? Buddy of mine says to take 8 hours of traffic school.. and another buddy of mine says to fight it in court? This is my first citation and I don't want my insurance to get jacked up just for a stupid incident like this. It was almost midnight and I just wanted to get the hell home asap.
[banghead] I actually used to have some respect for the police.. but now.. I have nothing but hatred towards them. I'm not trying to be ignorant but there were many times when the cops were just being assholes. Some civic hits my car and runs.. I give a cop his license plate number and his response was.. "what the hell do you want me to do with this?". Damn, pissed me off..
Ok, back to the subject.. I heard I can go online and apply for traffic school. After completion the ticket will be erased from my record? Enlighten me guys.
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i just have to say... (and im sure there are officers on this board that i will piss off, but oo well)
i hate the traffic system--- how can you have a system that relies financially on poeples mistakes??? if people acted perfect - what would happen then? would we make new traffic laws so municipalities did not go broke?? its absurd!
and yes - i don't "look up" to people that have chosen the career of writing petty tickets to people that exceed the speed limit by 10 mph - when that same cop does double that - DAILY. i know several traffic cops - im not sayin that traffic cops are bad people - this is just a bad system - but of course traffic cops can drive how ever the hell they please - what gives them that right and who even said half of them know how to drive??
sorry - just had to vent.... i know im going to get flamed bigtime on this... ooo welll .... sorry if ive offended anyone.
EDIT---
i also know cops that do other work (ie- investigation, drugs, etc.) and its always a huge joke to them about the local cops and their "important" jobs. i do look up to officers that do more important things - like keeping "bad people" off the streets, etc.
2004 G35 Coupe 6MT | Diamond Graphite/Graphite | Premium | Nav | Aero Kit w/ Front Lip
Suggest hiring a good traffic ticket lawyer. Nine out of ten times you get off for about the same price of the ticket without even going before the judge. These lawyers present so many various tickets on the same day of the hearing it is impossible for the court to try them all. The court can reschedule the hearing once more, however, the lawyer will introduce the same large amount of tickets at the next court date. The tickets that are chosen to be heard are usually not speeding violation related from these type of lawyers.
Again, this is just a suggestion you may want to check out. In a city as large as Houston, it works very well.
TALK TO DIZZ!!!!! I'm sure he has good info on helping you fight the ticket. I just took care of my own speeding ticket...but since I'm under 18 I think the laws that dizz use to fight the tickets cannot be applied in my situtation. I'm sure Dizz can help u beat the system.
how much over the speed limit were you going? cuz if it was over a certain amount its mandatory that you see the judge. if its not youve got a couple of options, if they allow it online traffic is the best, i got done in about half an hour. if not you can try to change the date of the ticket and see if the cop shows, if he doesnt than you win automatically. if you saw the cop and he clocked you close and didnt use radar or something that he might have pointed at someone elses car, you are going to have a hard time beating it unless there were bad weather conditions or it was at night.
Chris Oak
04 G35 6mt/black/black leather/spoiler/sunroof/brembos/MTEC lights/injen cai
Oh yea...oakpwr reminded me of something. Ok your speeding was 10 mph over the speed limit. Which I think makes ur fine at least 200. My friend just went to court about 1 week ago, he was doing 82 in a 65 on the freeway. He payed about 250 for the ticket and for the option to go to traffic school. Now he has to find a traffic school and pay for that then take the course and when hes done show back up in court to show proof he took the class. As for seeind the judge, he didn't. Neither did I. I just walked in and paid my ticket. I went to the pomona court for juvies. When u get there u have to take a number, but after I went someone told me if you have a speeding ticket all you do is go up to the front and tell them, and a lady will call out anyone who has speeding tickets and take care of you right away because U don't need to see the judge. Hope thats calms your nerves. Good Luck.
It was ill-advised on your part to break the law in front of the policeman, no matter how fast everyone else was going. And you're right, he probably did think a black, tinted out coupe was more suspicious than a Porsche. You wouldn't believe how many big busts the cops get by pulling over a car for a minor infraction. That gives them a chance to run the plates, do a search, etc... In fact, the last time I got pulled over I wasn't even speeding and the guy hands me a line saying he clocked me at 55 in a 35. It was all false, just a chance for him to do some looking(it was a known speed-trap area, and me and the missus set the cruise control by the speed limit signs). Anyway, if you blatantly whizz by them above the speed limit, it's like you have no respect, like, hey, you can't get me because other people are going faster than me. I got nailed by the radar gun going 70 in a 60 a couple of weeks ago, and I just knew he was going to get me, but I hit the brakes immediately, and he let me go for bigger fish. So next time, just try to get back under the limit, even if he nails you cold. Sometimes they'll consider it a "whoops", and let you go if you slow it back down.
if the speed limit is 55mph and EVERYONE is going 70mph or most likely more -- id say that its not too safe to be driving 55mph - you become more of a hazard than anything. just my opinion.
but yeah - i dont know how CA is but in NJ - if you goto court they almost always reduce the ticket. well they increase the fine ($$ they get!) and decrease the points for license/insurance. People are willing to do this since theyd rather pay more money to not have points - and i thik the courts like it too because they get more money as well -- a win/win situation??
2004 G35 Coupe 6MT | Diamond Graphite/Graphite | Premium | Nav | Aero Kit w/ Front Lip
I think having COPS on highways is the worst idea yet... The whole traffic system here is severely flawed. I wish we could learn from the amazing traffic system of Western European countries. They drive 90+ on the highways and have almost half the accidents we do here...
Notice I said cops on HIGHWAYS, not residential areas. I think once u are off highways or expressways, you should not be speeding as ur either driving through a city or residential areas where speed should always be obeyed.
<font color="navy">04 G35 Coupe | 6MT | Ivory Pearl | Graphite | Nav/Premium | 4-piece aero kit w/ Spoiler | XM Radio | JDM Clear side markers</font id="navy">
While I agree it'd be nice.. out here in Cali... *ALMOST* every day on either the drive to work on the way home, I see an accident on the 405 freeway. Granted, the 405 is the road to purgatory, it's rare when there isn't some form of stupidity. Cops are supposed to "protect and serve".. including protecting us from ourselves! Would I like to be able to speed along on the freeway? Sure. Do I trust all the other drivers out there, given what I know and what I've seen? Hell no.
Personally, when I'm on the freeway, I generally try to stay at 75 in the city (except in areas I know to be 55 mph zones.. then I slow down some) or below.. most cops out here in Cali won't bother if you're going less than 10 mph over the speed limit. Then again, every speeding ticket I've ever received, I was blatantly going over that 75 mph barrier, and deserved the ticket.
jinetix: If you don't want the hassle of going to court, etc.. just do the traffic school. If you go the online route, it's pretty quick, relatively painless, and it'll save you the point on your record. Keep in mind that if you do decide to fight the ticket, and plead not guilty.. the judge has the discretion in whether or not you are even ALLOWED to go to traffic school. Remember: It's a privilidge, not a right.
And just in case anybody wants to know how I happen to know all of this.. I worked for a traffic school for a few years in my younger days...
- diz
['04 G35 Coupe 5AT/Brilliant Silver/Willow/Premium Package/Wheels & Tire Package/Clear Corners/Clear Bra/Aftermarket Audio]
A few months ago, a retired traffic cop gave a presentation here at work about speeding tickets, traps, etc...titled "Driving Safety".
Basically, the message was this: If you drive like a moron, (i.e. weaving in and out of lanes, passing cars at high rates of speed, racing!!) there is a high likelyhood that you will get pulled over and ticketed. However, if you are technically 'speeding', but following the flow of traffic - there is a much lower likelyhood that you will not get stopped, since you are not causing a road hazard. Now, everyone go out there and play nice!
I think having COPS on highways is the worst idea yet... The whole traffic system here is severely flawed. I wish we could learn from the amazing traffic system of Western European countries. They drive 90+ on the highways and have almost half the accidents we do here...
Notice I said cops on HIGHWAYS, not residential areas. I think once u are off highways or expressways, you should not be speeding as ur either driving through a city or residential areas where speed should always be obeyed.
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Just one flaw with your comparison with our highways and Eurpoean highways. When we have an accident on the insterstate we have about a 60% of surviving, they have about 20%.
So if we have 100 accidents about 80 people died, if they half the accidents that would make 50 accidents with 80 deaths.
Go to traffic school. No points, nothing on your record and it's done. 8 hours on a Sat gets it outa the way. I have a graduate degree in Ca Traffic School...besides there are some hot chix that go!
IF you gave him any reason to remember you...ie) arugued with him, talk trash, etc...then you're better off not going to court...cuz he'll show for sure. But if you just took the ticket and left then it's worth it.
If this is your first ticket...think about your chances first. IF you take traffic school and pay it... it's all erase. Insurance never hear about it (just try not to get another one for the next 18 months) If you take it to courts.. you might win, however, if you LOSE... then you will not get the option of Traffic school. You'll pay the fine and it will stay on your record..Insurance will go up!
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78 in a 65 (So. Cali)
!] Anyways, how do you guys deal with speeding tickets in California? Buddy of mine says to take 8 hours of traffic school.. and another buddy of mine says to fight it in court? This is my first citation and I don't want my insurance to get jacked up just for a stupid incident like this. It was almost midnight and I just wanted to get the hell home asap.
