Got another ticket in my tii

[Gordon]

Gang,

I was written up last month by a CHP motorcycle cop (on a beamer) for doing 58 in a 55 zone on a SLO county rural road, the ticket is $229 dollars. The CHP officer said he would cut me a break, I was doing 58 in a 45 zone so he wrote the ticket up for a 55 zone (he liked my tii). Should I go to court and fight the ticket for being three over (claim speedo error) or just go to traffic school and just suck it up and pay the fine and get no points on my record? I've been in CA for 20 years, no tickets and last year I get two tickets by the CHP, both for 65 in a 55 zone on back country roads and now I've got two points on my record. I'm more worried about the points then paying the fine. If I go to court, I run the risk of the judge reducing the fine but I've still got the point on my record which will probably lead to higher insurance. If I go to traffic school, no points but I'm less $300 after traffic school and the fine. Face it, CA is broke, they are writing lots of tickets to make up the revenue. I'm just doing my part in helping reduce the state revenue deficit.

G-Man

[auggiemize]

If the money's not a real issue, I'd go to school...points are insurance's version of herpes. Assume it's similar on your coast. Dave V. in NC

[bluedevils]

I would get a lawyer to reduce it to zero, no school, no bs, no court.

[TTyMiller]

That speedo is bad, get it checked. Do you have original sized tires etc.

[stultis]

Lawyers cost more money than the ticket and fines..

Why pay someone to admit guilt?

Go to traffic school for one and get the point for the other. Regardless you still have to pay the fine on both. If you fight it (both) and win you still pay the fine, just not the points on the CDL. Just went through this in California.

[jrhone]

Lawyers cost more money than the ticket and fines..

Why pay someone to admit guilt?

Go to traffic school for one and get the point for the other. Regardless you still have to pay the fine on both. If you fight it (both) and win you still pay the fine, just not the points on the CDL. Just went through this in California.

Not quite correct...if you fight it and win it ALL disappears like it never happened. You do have to pay the full fine of the ticket BEFORE your court date, but if you win or the fine is reduced they refund your money via check which may take months.

[stultis]

Then I stand corrected. I have not seen a check yet, its been about 4 months. I am not going to wait at the mailbox.

[RayC911]

If you tried to fight it and they find out that it really was in a 45mph zone instead of a 55, then you'll really be screwed.

[bferman]

Go to traffic school and just be done with it. I got a ticket a couple of months ago and i'm going to do defensive driving online. I'll send the completion cert to both the court and insurance and at the end of the day insurance will give me a discount for attending the course. The discount lasts three years so it more than pays for the ticket.

[billw]

You can fight tickets by written declaration. You pay the fine, request the forms, fill them in and turn them in by the due date. If you can find any errors on the ticket (no matter how small) it helps. Go to www.ticket assassin.com. They give you examples of verbiage to use. The court sends a questionaire to the officer that often doesnt get turned back in (ask me how I know). If they dont return it the ticket is dismissed. Just beat a speeding ticket for my daughter by using the web site and form. Doesnt hurt to try especially when you don't even have to appear.

Bill

[SeanHaver]

First get a continuance for your court date (new date), on your new court date the cop may be on vacation or is off that day or is on patrol. The court will not check with him first. If he does not show up you win! If he does show up ask for a trail and then decide what to do. This has worked for me many times before.

[c.d.iesel]

......... SUCK IT UP .

[inkatouring]

Having been a traffic court judge for two years in a past life -- or just many years ago -- I can tell you that the only way people win speeding tickets are (1) if the cop doesn't show or (2) they are lucky enough to do the hard work of subpenaing the records of the radar unit and it has a history of being faulty (or stumble onto something like that). The first happens about 5% of the cases. The second about 0.0005%. The rest are found guilty.

Now, knowing that, you tell me what you should do.

PS - If they're nailing you with radar, invest in a V1 or some other good detector....

[gwb72tii]

slow down

[gracer]

I urge you and everyone on this board to join the NMA. They can be reached at nma@motorist.org.

They have great resources involving unjust tickets. G