My first ticket!

[Khamsin]

Seems I was pulled over for the first time ever in my almost 14 years of driving, last night. $154 for doing 40 in a 25... because I thought it was 35. Wasn't a residential street or school zone, just a city street with shopping areas, theaters, gas stations, etc. near the freeway.

What do you think will happen to my insurance if this is my first ever violation on an otherwise clean record (no accidents)? I can afford to pay, just sucks it'll be on my record when before last night, it's been completely clean since I was 16.

[Korietsu]

Seems I was pulled over for the first time ever in my almost 14 years of driving, last night. $154 for doing 40 in a 25... because I thought it was 35.

What do you think will happen to my insurance if this is my first ever violation on an otherwise clean record (no accidents)? I can afford to pay, just sucks it'll be on my record when before last night, it's been completely clean since I was 16.

Nothing. I have two tickets, pled no contest, and my rate hasn't gone above 70$ a month on my car gg student/drivers ed discounts. Oh yeah, and I'm 20 to boot.

[Mizango]

Nice man lol. Surprised it took that long, how fast/slow do you normally drive? Speed limit? Your insurance is going to do nothing but declare a winner of the office Khamsin pool!

[Klutz]

Same here, haven't gotten a taken for 5 years. (21) Was it an adrenaline rush when he pulled you over? Lol.

[Boyiee]

Same here, haven't gotten a taken for 5 years. (21) Was it an adrenaline rush when he pulled you over? Lol.

Also the same, don't drive the speed limit either. I'm under the impression you have to be driving really stupid in order to get pulled over. Although, I probably wouldn't get ticketed anyway in most cases unless I was doing something REALLY stupid because of my job. Guess it would depend on where in my state I was driving.

[Tyche]

You'll be fine, I've never had insurance rate hikes because of tickets (then again, I've gotten out of all but 1, and that was the only one I didn't fight). You could probably get out of that ticket quite easily, but at $154, it probably isn't worth your day off work and time to take care of it.

[Cephius]

Same thing happened to me when I was 17, 40 in a 25 going down a huge fucking hill. So stupid. Had it pled down to reckless driving or something that carries no points, just paid a fine and my insurance didn't go up.

[Khamsin]

Well, I think its more of a fluke than anything. I wasn't doing anything stupid, other than thinking it was 35 when it was 25. And there wasn't really an adrenaline rush, I was just confused a moment about what was going on. I didn't even think to argue with the cop, and wasn't even sure why I was pulled over until he handed me the ticket and said I was going 40 in a 25. I just pretty much gave him my info, and accepted the ticket.

And according to the ticket, my only options are to plea guilty and pay, to plea guilty and try to reduce the fine, or to contest it and have it dropped. However, in order to contest it, I have to say I didn't do it. And if I plead guilty, but play the angle that I was unaware it was only 25 and that I have an otherwise perfect driving record, they may reduce the fine but it still goes on my record.

Or should I contest it and say I didn't do it, anyway? Which to me sounds difficult, if I'm expected to go to court and tell them I didn't do 40 in a 25, and the officer just misread the radar gun.

[Tyche]

Is it really worth your time to go to court? Points isn't an issue as you aren't a habitual speeder and your insurance will be unaffected in all likelihood. I'd pay a fine like this. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, so don't play the "I was unaware..." card. That reeks of desperation and usually does more harm than good. If you go to court, talk to the prosecuting attorney, tell them you fucked up (more eloquently), you're sorry, and it'll never happen again. This is your first ticket afterall. More likely than not, you'll get it probated.

[Cephius]

If you go to court, talk to the prosecuting attorney, tell them you fucked up (more eloquently), you're sorry, and it'll never happen again. This is your first ticket afterall. More likely than not, you'll get it probated.

This.

Common misconception is that prosecutors are all evil who like to crucify kids with traffic violations. They don't get paid to win and will often be more than willing to meet with you and help you out if they can. Just tell them the truth, be nice and ask if they can help you out. Don't feed them bullshit, they've heard it all before.

[Khamsin]

Will it get it off my record, or just a reduced fine? I'm not really concerned about the money so much as maintaining a clean record.

[Fistandantilus]

Assuming it was/you are in Washington you can just get the ticket deferred. Doing that gives you a 1 year probation for driving basically, if you get another ticket within a year then you have to pay both tickets, but if you don't get a ticket within the next year the ticket goes away, you don't have to pay it and it will not show up on your driving record.

[Khamsin]

How do you get it deferred then? And isn't that only once every 7 years? Too bad it doesn't build up like Scholar charges, or I'd have two already in stock!

[Fistandantilus]

Yeah you can only do it once every 7 years. But if you get the second ticket over a year later the first is still gone for good, which is nice. When I got mine deferred I just told the judge on my court date that I wanted it deferred and he said ok and I left. I forget maybe there is something on your ticket for when you mail it in, but I don't think so.

[Furtwangler]

I've been driving for about a year now on my own and have yet to get pulled over or anything but I still like get kinda nervous around cops. Idk why because I'm rarely doing anything that could get me pulled over. Only time I have reason to actually be nervous is when I drive after 9 (I live in the middle of no where and under 18 drivers have curfew) but yea cops intimidate me for some reason

[Plow]

Will it get it off my record, or just a reduced fine? I'm not really concerned about the money so much as maintaining a clean record.

Do a diversion. Call your district attorney and ask them how.

It'll cost more (about twice as much usually), but it'll keep it off your record completely as long as you don't get another in x amount of time.

[Senoska]

I've been driving for about a year now on my own and have yet to get pulled over or anything but I still like get kinda nervous around cops. Idk why because I'm rarely doing anything that could get me pulled over. Only time I have reason to actually be nervous is when I drive after 9 (I live in the middle of no where and under 18 drivers have curfew) but yea cops intimidate me for some reason

Never been pulled over, I'm a grandma when I drive, but I did get into an accident which spiked my insurance by like $35. One time I was absolutly sure I was getting pulled over; I was on my phone (which is illegal in my city.) and was sitting at a red light. A car pulled up to the road in the picture, and I let the first one out to make a left. I seen a car pulling up to the stop sign out of the corner of my eye, but I was too lazy to look, I was all like "fuck that car, I already let one out" so I pulled up totally blocking the road for like 5 minutes (really long light.)

I started to shit bricks when he turned his blinker from going left, to going right, got behind me for like two miles, and then turned and did his own thing.

PICTURE:
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1751/fucksm6.jpg

[Celeste]

I deserve tickets for the way I drive. Then again, my driving attitude has changed vastly since winter started. People have become even more ignorant. Using their turning signals less, not paying attention to what's in front of them, and general disregard for driving etiquette.

For example, instead of getting into the turning lane when you're supposed to, they drive up to the intersection and try to cut in front of people who have been waiting 20 minutes to turn. Four cars behind me didn't let the idiot in, and the people ahead of me didn't, so the idiot jerked in front of me and almost hit me.

...People like that deserve to have their hands cut off.

[Abraxas]

i got pulled over for doing 33 in a school zone. the cop knew the school zone sign is near invisble, hided by trees. so in turn i received no points, just the fine. it helps when you get an officer who isn't nitpicking. i could have had my license suspended for doubling up the speed limit.

[SimplyForever]

I got my first ticket last night....street sweeping day and I forgot.