Guarcz03 Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 i need a little advise i to got a ticket a couple days ago and was woundering if i should just pay it of try to fight it. speed limited was 35 but there was a pcikup truck in front of me and it was spilling dirt and other Garbage all over the place some on my car he was doing about 30 so i passed him doing about 51 and got in front then brought my speed down to about 45 and came around the bend where the Cop (Florida highway Patrol) was waiting for me in the median, i told him what happened and he reduced it from a Speeding ticket that would have cost $205.00 to a Violation of a Traffic device which is gonna cost me $115.00, but even if i have to pay the fine its better then having a cracked windshield or damage to my paint (i have 2 Small chips on top of the grill because of the pickup already). i have 3 options pay it, take it to court, or take a 3 hour course to get the points off my liscense If it where you what you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 Take the Defensive Driving course. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 I would take the 3-hour course and be done with it. Chances are you won't beat it in court and you will likely have to pay court costs of about $30.00. If you pay the fine will the points come off your license? Chances are NO. Take the course, get the points removed, and go on with your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadillac_caddy_sts Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 Take the Defensive Driving course. I agree do that don't try to fight it chances are you won't win! Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guarcz03 Posted February 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 i wasnt Planning on fighting it but just wanted to do know other peoples opinions, i am happy that the cop reduced the fine to $115 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed blaq Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 Take the safe driving course!!!!! It is FREE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadillacdub Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 Take the driving course, the cop already gave you a break so the best thing would be to not have points on your license Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
an01sts Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 I got a ticket in June 72 in a 55. Maryland doesn't participate in the defensive driving racket, whereby one can weasel out of a guilty ticket, so there are no options other than go to court or pay the ticket. I haven't had a ticket since 1977 (knock on wood) and I was picked out of heavy traffic. I know! They cannot give everyone a ticket, but there are so many assholes on the road that need tickets that I don't see why I have to pay higher insurance rates. Because my driving record has been expunged, its complete history satets "no violations," making me a good candidate for probation before judment. I went to court, didn't have a clue as to wtf I was going to say--other than asking for pbj--and the cop didn't show up. That meant a "not guilty" verdict. Because of the way MD runs its affairs, I'd go to court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guarcz03 Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 ok, i have 2 tickets 1 for speeding (under 14mph over the speed limit) and one for blowing a red light (light just went from yellow to red and i could stop from 45MPH to 0 in 20 feet). Both are 3 points each which one would be the best to take the Driving Course for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 It sounds like you were cited for two violations stemming from the same speeding incident? In other words, the cop wasn't so nice after all. I'm sorry, just bustin your chops a little. Was the light yellow when you entered the intersection or when you entered was the light already red? The reason why I ask is because in New Jersey timing of yellow to red is based on the speed limit. The Department of Transportation is responsible for proper timing of the lights. For each 10mph of the speed limit the yellow light must remain lit for 1 second. For example, if the speed limit is 50mph then the yellow light must not turn red for at least 5 seconds. I know of one court case where a ticket was dismissed because the light was inaccurately timed. However, I'm sure the success of using this defense is contingent upon whether the driver could have stopped if the light was property timed. If you were going within the speed limit or even slightly above and the light was improperly timed according to FL law, you may have a defense. You just need to find out if FL uses the same timing system and whether it may apply to your situation. In your situation it sounds like you saw the light turn red before you entered the intersection. Then I don't think you would have a defense as you were speeding much too fast to stop in time, and/or you simply decided to blow through the light and got nailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guarcz03 Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 speed limited was 50mph and i was doing 45 the light just turned yellow when i was about 75 feet from it then i blinked it was red and all i saw was blue Flashing Lights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 I suggest going to the traffic light and timing the signal from yellow to red. Use a stopwatch if you have one. If not, count 1001, 1002, etc. Do this for other traffic lights to see if there is a pattern. You should first call FL's transportation department and find out how traffic lights are timed. If they are supposed to be timed by a standard formula and that formula was not adhered to with respect to the traffic light you went through, you just might have a defense to the ticket. Even if they are not timed by a standard formula you still may have a defense if it can be shown that the yellow to red timing was unreasonably short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guarcz03 Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 yea i think im gonna do that because it is unfair, i was not more then 75ft away when it turned from green to yellow then all of a sudden it went to red when i was about 2 car lengths in front of the light still doing 45mph, i dont know how the speeding ticket was issued. the speed limit was 50 before the intersection and 40 after the intersection. he pulled me over and said i couldnt stop at the red light because i was speeding so iasked my speed and he said 46mph, issued me 2 tickets before i could reason with him, For now on im going to carry a couple dozen donuts with me where ever i go because maybe when they smell the donuts ill get a warning or something! Now if i was a Girl with big breast and was wearing a tube tube or tank top this wouldnt have happened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadiKing Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Guarcz03, Take the course! and OVERPAY the ticket! If you overpay the ticket, the state will try to refund the difference before they issue points against your license..don't cash the check that comes back! It will keep the points off your license! my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadiKing Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Guarcz03, Take the course! and OVERPAY the ticket! If you overpay the ticket, the state will try to refund the difference before they issue points against your license..don't cash the check that comes back! It will keep the points off your license! my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beegolden Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 I tried to over pay a ticket in Gahanna Ohio about 3 1/2 years ago, they just keep the overpayment of $5.00 and still put on points. I guess it is still worth a try might work sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardio-doc Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Guarcz03, Take the course! and OVERPAY the ticket! If you overpay the ticket, the state will try to refund the difference before they issue points against your license..don't cash the check that comes back! It will keep the points off your license! my .02 I tried that once (here in FL) and it didn't work. So don't bother (if in FL). As for the ticket - alot of FL counties have what I like to call 'kangaroo court' where the judge is really a magistrate who is really just a lawyer looking to do some municipal work (for networking or political reasons). You have 30 days to do something about the ticket. Approximately 10 days after receiving you'll get a slew of solicitations from ticket-fighting lawyers. I'd recommend going with one of them. The lawyers usually know the magistrate, and further the magistrate know that the lawyer is in business and tries to help him out (this is generally what goes on). The whole system (in Florida) is pretty ridiculous and a high percentage of the traffic citations are just revenue generators IMO. Should cost you under $100 and they'll get you an "Adjudication Withheld" or possibly even a dismissal on a technicality. That's what I'd do if I were in your position (and I've been in your position many times). Only applies to Florida tickets. cheers, ~Doc --- Direct Performance on Ebay CaddyInfo.com Cadillac Conversations Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldgamer Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 When I got a ticket for speeding I went to the court (300 miles from me) and police officer settled it with judge like a parking ticket. I paid $100 and no points. I bought the radar detector and it saved my *smurf* a lot of times after that. The good radar detector should be first investment, like I realised. Not just any radar detector, but the best one. Now I feel very uncomfortable if I ride car without it, even if I'm not speeding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guarcz03 Posted February 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 oldgamer: What Rader do you have? how much is it? thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Guarcz03, Take the course! and OVERPAY the ticket! If you overpay the ticket, the state will try to refund the difference before they issue points against your license..don't cash the check that comes back! It will keep the points off your license! my .02 That is an urban legend.....total BS. Once you are found guilty, the points are assigned to your driving record. I'd take the driving course. At least it would keep the points off your record. Michigan does not have that option. If you fight as traffic ticket, and the cop is late, you're made to wait in the lobby until the cop shows up.....then the magistrate hears the case.....and finds you guilty. If you are not there by the scheduled hearing time, you are automatically found guilty. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldgamer Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 oldgamer: What Rader do you have? how much is it? thank you I have Valentine One. It's VERY EXPENSIVE, cost $400, but it has 4 direction arrows and checks back and forward. It has few logic modes, so it will not bother you all the time. All other radars are just noise makers. You should have a bit experience with Valentine to value all its futures. The web site has demo with some situations where you can understand why you need these arrows. Now, I can't even think of buying radar without these futures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guarcz03 Posted February 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 oldgamer: What Rader do you have? how much is it? thank you I have Valentine One. It's VERY EXPENSIVE, cost $400, but it has 4 direction arrows and checks back and forward. It has few logic modes, so it will not bother you all the time. All other radars are just noise makers. You should have a bit experience with Valentine to value all its futures. The web site has demo with some situations where you can understand why you need these arrows. Now, I can't even think of buying radar without these futures. Thanx, $400 isnt that Bad considering it could save you hundreds more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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