Any tips for contesting a speeding ticket?

[Po]

Aurik said it best, you are wasting time going to these hearings, just pay your damn ticket and learn from it, shit.

[aurik]

I go to court for an 88mph in a 70mph next Tuesday... no idea what I'm going to say/do. I just hope they pity me enough to cut off any amount of money; I'll consider that a victory.

Ask if you can take a driver's ed course in lieu of part/all of the fine.

[Chreman]

The problem is I don't really have the money to cover the ticket right now, and I'm going to be in the area anyway, so I may as well show up.

Like I said, I don't know much about this. Do I need a lawyer to even show up? Or can I go solo and do my best?

[Xfaustx]

do i need to say it again

[Treacherous]

I got pulled over once for going 79 in a 55, it was my first ticket and the cop bumped it down to 69 in 55. I know I was speeding so I didn't try to contest it or anything but I had the option of taking this course called alive @ 25 so I did. The ticket wasn't placed on my record and I just had to pay court fees.

See if you qualify for the course or whatever, http://www.nsc.org/train/ddc/student/alive25.cfm

[aurik]

The problem is I don't really have the money to cover the ticket right now, and I'm going to be in the area anyway, so I may as well show up.

Like I said, I don't know much about this. Do I need a lawyer to even show up? Or can I go solo and do my best?

IANAL, go get your own legal advice.

There are 2 ways to go about it: you can go show up alone and hope the LEO doesn't. If he doesn't, you win. If he does, you're pretty much going to lose, as the word of the LEO is pretty much taken as enough evidence to convict you.

If you are convicted and plead that you can't pay the fine they will probably work with you so that you can pay in installments or make up your fine in other ways.

The other way is to contract the services of a law firm that specializes in disputing tickets. The ticket will probably be in municipal (local) court so you will need to find a firm that works locally. They know the tips and tricks, and even one mistake on the paperwork will probably get you off the hook. If you go about it this way and still lose, the judge will probably think you are a dick and stick it to you even if you can't pay.

The real question is why you speed when you can't afford to be ticketed. That was fucking stupid.

[Chreman]

I wouldn't be contesting it if I was dumb enough to be going 25 over.

Thanks for the help.

[Po]

You have like a month to pay it before they penalize you further, so it's not like you have to pay it right away.

[Roranora]

Aurik said it best, you are wasting time going to these hearings, just pay your damn ticket and learn from it, shit.

It's not far away; the absolute worst-case is you pay what you would have paid anyway without trying anything. I didn't come here asking for advice. It's just empathy in a similar situation, and if I may come out paying $25 less like my last ticket, then it was definately worth the 15 minutes. In a college town where the county absolutely banks off fines/tickets of all sorts to young adults, you'd be surprised how much it helps just to show up and speak on your behalf.

Ask if you can take a driver's ed course in lieu of part/all of the fine.

Cute. Driver's ed is so relevant to speeding.

[aurik]

Ask if you can take a driver's ed course in lieu of part/all of the fine.

Cute. Driver's ed is so relevant to speeding.

Hey, don't knock it, I saved like $1000+ over 5 years on my insurance by clearing my speeding ticket using driver's ed, and it cost me $24 and 2 hours to do it online

Now I just have to lay low and drive the speed limit until December and I'll have the option again if I get another ticket.

[Roranora]

Okay wow.. sorry, I only took you half seriously. I've never heard of that; that's a damn good situation for you.

[Xfaustx]

damn Aurik how many tickets have you gotten XD

[edgarfigaro]

get a lawyer.

Any halfway competent lawyer will get it reduced to improper equipment and you'll just have to pay court costs + legal fees, which is a helluva lot better than the increase in insurance you'll pay if you just show up and plead your case. There's normally one lawyer in the area that's buddy buddy with the judges and DAs and will settle it really quick. Just ask around.

The driver's ed thing is also an avenue, but the availablity varies by state, and from what I understand, it's normally used in cases where you got busted by a camera instead of a real live cop.

[Anyway]

Do you not know any cops? I just had court last week for 4 tickets. (happened to get same courtdate, each cop gave me 2) and I had my friend (who's a sergeant) go in with me. He talked to the prosecutor and he dismissed them all. God I almost wet my pants in excitement.

[Melchiah]

I go to court for an 88mph in a 70mph next Tuesday... no idea what I'm going to say/do. I just hope they pity me enough to cut off any amount of money; I'll consider that a victory.

Was it a DeLorean? You could claim a faulty Flux Capacitor. If you were really driving 88 MPH, you would have traveled back in time to November 5, 1955, erego the cop couldn't have stopped you to give you a ticket. I'd use that defense.

[Raineer]

You have the option of just calling a lawyer and asking if your ticket can be reduced, tell him the whole truth so he knows what the officer likely knows. If the lawyer says it can be reduced they will charge you like $200 and make it a speedometer malfunction (I've done that about 30 times), and you'll have to pay the lawyer like $100 too.

I think you should ignore what I said and keep yelling at us because it was only 15 over. You originally said it was FIFTY over then he "bumped it down" to 15.

However, since you can't even afford to pay for a 15-over ticket I think you should learn to quit speeding altogether. It'll be like $75 tops if they 'throw the book' at you, i wouldn't worry. However, your insurance will increase which is why you try to get tickets "fixed", via either my method or something like Aurik mentioned.

[Tyche]

Don't worry about getting an attorney, it's totally not needed.

I've been pulled over over 30 times for speeding, i've been issued tickets only 3 times, and i beat 2 of them by going to court. Let me give you some tips that are almost sure to work.

1. How old are you? Are you a student? Go to the court house, and ask them about a thing called a "Student Diversion". If they do have it in your state, you simply fill out a form and go to a 4 hour driving course. Really simple.

2. #1 got me out of my first ticket, it was for 80mph in a 55. The following story i am going to tell you is 100% true. As i was leaving the driving class (the diversion class mentioned in #1), i was in a hurry to get home. I was pulled over for 90mph in a 55 coming home from that course. Cop wouldnt budge on the speed but said he was doing me a favor by not taking me to jail. Fair enough. I went to court, and talked with the prosecuting attorney. We worked something out, and i didn't pay a dime. Went on 2 years probation and had to go to another class.

Third ticket i got was for, no shit, going 42 in a 35 zone. The cop was a total prick. The ticket was like $70 so i just called in the payment. Didnt even bother challenging it.

OK, so how to not get a ticket. Like i said, i've been pulled over more than 30 times. Ive gotten out of 25mph+ tickets. It's not hard to not get a ticket.

When a cop pulls you over, 90% he never intends on writing you a ticket, your attitude is what ends up fucking almost everyone. First thing you should do is buy a folder to put your insurance and registration into. If you were a cop and some kid handed you a crumbled up insurance card that you can barely read, you aren't going to be happy. Keep your shit neat and tidy.

Soon as you see the cops lights come on, roll down every window in your car. Ever see those cops shows where a cop pulls over someone for a regular traffic violation and the cop ends up getting shot? Well, cops see that shit too. Make the cop feel safe when he approaches you. Keep both of your hands on the wheel, at like the 12:9 position, or on your door seal. Both windows rolled down. If your registration is in your glove box, ask permission to retrieve it. "My information is in my glove box, do you mind if i lean over to get it?". That way the officer doesn't see a jerk reaction to a hidden compartment in your vehicle, wondering what the hell you are pulling out.

When he asks you if you know why he pulled you over, be honest. Tell him "well, i glanced down at my speedometer when i seen your lights, i assume i was speeding". He'll prolly ask why you were speeding. Don't be a dumb ass and say ""Well i was in a hurry blah blah excuse excuse". Just tell him that you wasn't paying attention, you had other things on your mind, and you wasn't being attentive. That happens to everyone, and won't come across to the officer that you speed everytime you are in a hurry. Noone is paying attention 100% of the time, and police know that. If you tell him that you are late, in a hurry, etc, he'll assume you risk people lives everytime you are in a hurry, and probably ticket your ass.

I bet i've been asked by cops 10 or so times if i was a police officer's son, simply because i do everything to make the cop feel comfortable.

Lastly, don't fucking speed.

[Talus]

The standard for a stop is having a reasonable articulable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot.

So yeah, you are fucked.

[Brimah]

Tyche prolly has given the best advice and information I have read in a long while.

As for the question, just show up, be polite, dress up, and either hope you catch the officer on a good day (sometimes an officer will talk to you before hand and get you off with no points under a different fine), or not show up. If not, just talk to the judge and say you were having an off day, and just were not paying attention at that moment, as Tyche said.

[BIGSTIC]

used to have a ticket i got. got clocked doing 135mph on I-90 up here in Montana. This was back in 98 when the signs read "Safe and Prudent". Its all about Respect and honesty. I saw the lights and stopped and just said yes to everything. Didn't bitch about getting cuffed and even got to ride in the front of the cruiser. After the 45 minute ride to the courthouse the cop said he should have just told me to slow down and let me go but still had to see the judge. Judge listened to the trooper and slapped my wrist and let me go. All told i ended up getting a ride to my destination by the HP and made a good friend.

So yeah a little respect goes a long way. Stand in front of the judge and don't lie. I hate lawyers so the 6 times i have gotten out of a ticket i go solo. Think it says something when you show up without a leech of a lawyer ready to get you off anyway he can. And remember don't bitch if you have to pay up. Life sucks, deal with it