Ticket

[Raza]

85 in a 55 (which is bullshit, by the way, I was only doing 80).

He followed me for four miles, and I never saw him.  I don't know how I missed him.  Tired, I guess. 

I think I'm going to contest it, just to see what will happen with points.  Ticket is only $189, so it's not that bad. 

[Vinsanity]

heh, reminds me of the one time years back when I was cruising up the freeway at midnight doing 100 mph with no cars in sight, and when I finally caught up with traffic, I slowed down to match the flow of traffic, only to find a cop car close in on me and pace alongside me until I took my exit. Not tonight, copper

[mzziaz]

Think positively.

If that happened in Norway, you might have lost your licence. Also the fine would be like 900$

[Minpin]

Sucks man. My sister got one driving from Dallas to Houston a couple days ago. 79 in a 65 I think.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Only $189 for 30 over? What the fuck. That would have surely been a $400 ticket if I was driving.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Think positively.

If that happened in Norway, you might have lost your licence. Also the fine would be like 900$

Actually, none of that is true. I don't suppose you have ever been to Norway.

[mzziaz]

Actually, none of that is true. I don't suppose you have ever been to Norway.

wat?

The I'm-not-who-I-am-conspiracy is spreading?

[Eye of the Tiger]

wat?

The I'm-not-who-I-am-conspiracy is spreading?

They were handing out free tickets to the band wagon, so I grabbed one.

[Raza]

Think positively.

If that happened in Norway, you might have lost your licence. Also the fine would be like 900$

I'm not pissed or anything.  Well, I am a little pissed at myself; there are usually no cops on that road, but it was late at night and I couldn't see them, and I knew I should have slowed down to 70.  But how can a cop show no love for a guy coming home from work (at a firm that is helping the US Fed, no less) past midnight that still had 40 miles to drive and then claim I'm getting a ticket so I slow down in the rain and make it home safely?  Because that 20 minutes you made me sit in my car while you wrote out the ticket (apparently he writes very slowly) really energized me...

[Submariner]

I'm not pissed or anything.  Well, I am a little pissed at myself; there are usually no cops on that road, but it was late at night and I couldn't see them, and I knew I should have slowed down to 70.  But how can a cop show no love for a guy coming home from work (at a firm that is helping the US Fed, no less) past midnight that still had 40 miles to drive and then claim I'm getting a ticket so I slow down in the rain and make it home safely?  Because that 20 minutes you made me sit in my car while you wrote out the ticket (apparently he writes very slowly) really energized me...

A firm helping the Fed?

You're right, he should have no love for them.

[Raza]

A firm helping the Fed?

You're right, he should have no love for them.

We're dealing with toxic assets over here!

Anyway, I was talking to someone at work, and he said if the cop gave me a "citation" and not a "ticket", it's no points, just a fine.  The cop did say he was giving a citation, and didn't say anything about points when I asked him. 

Can anyone verify?

[The Pirate]

We're dealing with toxic assets over here!

Anyway, I was talking to someone at work, and he said if the cop gave me a "citation" and not a "ticket", it's no points, just a fine.  The cop did say he was giving a citation, and didn't say anything about points when I asked him. 

Can anyone verify?

I think your coworker is misinformed.  Citation and ticket are the same thing, when pertaining to speeding.  Equipment violation or something like that (tail light out, tint too dark, etc.) would carry no points, but speeding does.

[Raza]

I think your coworker is misinformed.  Citation and ticket are the same thing, when pertaining to speeding.  Equipment violation or something like that (tail light out, tint too dark, etc.) would carry no points, but speeding does.

That's what I thought as well.

[CJ]

Sucks man. My sister got one driving from Dallas to Houston a couple days ago. 79 in a 65 I think.

She was going slow for 45.

[dazzleman]

Congratulations raza..  it's about fucking time!

[bing_oh]

We're dealing with toxic assets over here!

Anyway, I was talking to someone at work, and he said if the cop gave me a "citation" and not a "ticket", it's no points, just a fine.  The cop did say he was giving a citation, and didn't say anything about points when I asked him. 

Can anyone verify?

Citation and ticket are the same thing.

[Eye of the Tiger]

85 in a 55 (which is bullshit, by the way, I was only doing 80).

He followed me for four miles, and I never saw him.  I don't know how I missed him.  Tired, I guess. 

I think I'm going to contest it, just to see what will happen with points.  Ticket is only $189, so it's not that bad. 

If he was following you while you were speeding, why did he allow this supposedly dangerous behaviour to continue fo four miles?

[GoCougs]

Got lucky - in many areas 30 over can be negligent/reckless driving (i.e., criminal).

[ChrisV]

If he was following you while you were speeding, why did he allow this supposedly dangerous behaviour to continue fo four miles?

If he was anything like the city cop that folowed me for a while before puling me over, he was "waiting for me to go one mph faster, becasue it was a much bigger ticket." Luckily he put it on the ticket, as well as the statmetn that I was doing a "constant 39 mph in a 25 zone," (up hill, in an old pickup truck, that I had to shift partway up the hill in order to keep it from lugging), and it got thrown out in court. Cop was being a dick on the stand, too, and the judge just shook his head and told me, go on, get out of here.

[Raza]

If he was anything like the city cop that folowed me for a while before puling me over, he was "waiting for me to go one mph faster, becasue it was a much bigger ticket." Luckily he put it on the ticket, as well as the statmetn that I was doing a "constant 39 mph in a 25 zone," (up hill, in an old pickup truck, that I had to shift partway up the hill in order to keep it from lugging), and it got thrown out in court. Cop was being a dick on the stand, too, and the judge just shook his head and told me, go on, get out of here.

I doubt I'll be that lucky.

Although I'm not sure "Your honor, I know I wasn't doing 85.  I set my cruise control to 80 and have tested it against radar for accuracy before" will be a great defense. 

[ChrisV]

I doubt I'll be that lucky.

Although I'm not sure "Your honor, I know I wasn't doing 85.  I set my cruise control to 80 and have tested it against radar for accuracy before" will be a great defense. 

On a semi-related note, my best friend out of high school was driving his '65 VW Bug, pulled out of a gas station and accellerated pretty hard. He got pulled over on the other sid of the intersection for doing 60 in a 35. Went to court. The judge read the ticket, frowned a bit, and asked "is the make and model correct on this ticket?" My buddy pulled out a picture of his very stock looking Bug and said yes. Juge looked at the officer, who nodded. Judge said, dismissed! And we went home. Figured withholding the fact that it was powered by a built 2180cc engine wouldn't hurt...

[S204STi]

On a semi-related note, my best friend out of high school was driving his '65 VW Bug, pulled out of a gas station and accellerated pretty hard. He got pulled over on the other sid of the intersection for doing 60 in a 35. Went to court. The judge read the ticket, frowned a bit, and asked "is the make and model correct on this ticket?" My buddy pulled out a picture of his very stock looking Bug and said yes. Juge looked at the officer, who nodded. Judge said, dismissed! And we went home. Figured withholding the fact that it was powered by a built 2180cc engine wouldn't hurt...

hahaha... they don't need to know what's under the hood.

[Raza]

Court on the 13th.  Any advice?  I think I'm going to go with "I'm sorry your honor, I knew I was speeding but I didn't think I was going that fast" and ask for leniency.  All they care about is the money, right?

[Byteme]

Court on the 13th.  Any advice?  I think I'm going to go with "I'm sorry your honor, I knew I was speeding but I didn't think I was going that fast" and ask for leniency.  All they care about is the money, right?

Can't you take defensive driving instead, or ask for deferred adjudication?  

[Raza]

Can't you take defensive driving instead, or ask for deferred adjudication?  

I don't think PA does that.

And what's deferred adjudication?

[Byteme]

I don't think PA does that.

And what's deferred adjudication?

If your jurisdiction allows it you go before the judge and tell them thats what you want. You pay a court fee that is suspiciously similar to the cost of the ticket and if you don't rack up another ticket in the next 90 days the ticked disappears form the planet.

Further proof that in general it's all about the revenue.

[TurboDan]

Court on the 13th.  Any advice?  I think I'm going to go with "I'm sorry your honor, I knew I was speeding but I didn't think I was going that fast" and ask for leniency.  All they care about is the money, right?

The only thing you'll be saying to the judge is "Yes" when he asks you if you are guilty of the lesser charge to which you pleaded down. I've sat through more hours of municipal court proceedings while working for the newspaper than I ever cared to, and not once did I ever hear anyone who got a speeding ticket begging a judge for mercy. They pay municipal prosecutors for that. If the judge had to personally deal with every damn speeding ticket a court session would last 18 hours before even getting to the good stuff like DUIs and assaults.

[Raza]

The only thing you'll be saying to the judge is "Yes" when he asks you if you are guilty of the lesser charge to which you pleaded down. I've sat through more hours of municipal court proceedings while working for the newspaper than I ever cared to, and not once did I ever hear anyone who got a speeding ticket begging a judge for mercy. They pay municipal prosecutors for that. If the judge had to personally deal with every damn speeding ticket a court session would last 18 hours before even getting to the good stuff like DUIs and assaults.

That was how my last ticket went; didn't make it to the courtroom, even.  But my brother did go in front of the judge.

Whichever way gets me fewer or no points is fine.  I'd gladly pay double to fine to have it go away.

[MaxPower]

For a simple civil traffic ticket you'll probably be at the mercy of the court and/or prosecutor.  I don't have to deal with traffic stuff (thank god!) but I imagine it's similar to criminal court, only with lower burdens of proof for the state.  Where I work we can't do a deferred on civil matters (which includes run of the mill speeding tickets) so I wouldn't hold out hope for that.

My advice is to be completely honest, polite, and patient.  When I negotiate with defendants that exhibit those three characteristics they always get better deals.

[Raza]

For a simple civil traffic ticket you'll probably be at the mercy of the court and/or prosecutor.  I don't have to deal with traffic stuff (thank god!) but I imagine it's similar to criminal court, only with lower burdens of proof for the state.  Where I work we can't do a deferred on civil matters (which includes run of the mill speeding tickets) so I wouldn't hold out hope for that.

My advice is to be completely honest, polite, and patient.  When I negotiate with defendants that exhibit those three characteristics they always get better deals.

I thought that would get me out of the ticket too, but that didn't work.