Speeding Ticket Tonight

[GlockSpock]

In Collegedale/Ooltewah tonight on Little Debbie Parkway. I think but am not 100% positive that the limit was just reduced there. I was going 55 in a 40.

 

I handed him my permit with my license. He simply asked if I had the weapon in the car and asked where, then asked me just to avoid that area. I guess he handled that part well. I tried to be very respectful and polite to the officer, but didn't try and come up with an excuse or anything. I honestly didn't know I was speeding, but didn't want to come across as annoying or irresponsible. I honestly thought that he was going to run my license and checkup on my insurance and then give me a warning, but he was gone way too long for that so that's when I knew...

 

Ticketed $133.75.

 

Court date of 12/09 at 3:00 during my normal work hours. I'm in Cleveland, courthouse in Collegedale. My question is whether or not it is worth showing up. I think some/most of the time they tack on fees for showing up to the court date, right? All I'd plan on doing is showing up, explaining that I genuinely did not know I was speeding, had a clean record up to this point, etc. But I don't deny that I was speeding because I know what I set my cruise control on. Does the judge even have the capability for grace, and if he does, do they often exercise it?

Edited November 4, 2015 by CZ9MM

[Mike.357]

why did you give him your permit to carry, there is no permit needed to carry in a vehicle provided you are legally allowed to own a gun?

 

Unless you doubt you were doing 55 mph then why go to court to fight it? Take your lumps and move on.

 

I think Judge's can do whatever they want in their courtroom.

[GlockSpock]

why did you give him your permit to carry, there is no permit needed to carry in a vehicle provided you are legally allowed to own a gun?

Unless you doubt you were doing 55 mph then why go to court to fight it? Take your lumps and move on.

I think Judge's can do whatever they want in their courtroom.

Because when he ran my license he would see that I had one. There are different schools of thought but intend to think it is doing a service to yourself as well as the officer. Feel free to disagree.


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[TrickyNicky]

I'd go ahead and pay the ticket, and check and see if your insurance will take traffic school. You don't want a rate increase. It sounds like you both handled yourselves fine.

[glowdotGlock]

I would appear in court and just plead guilty. If your record is clean he may just dismiss it and you will just have a court cost.

[Pain103]

Request traffic school to keep it off your license record and off insurance. You probably have to go to court for that unfortunately.

[Mike.357]

Because when he ran my license he would see that I had one. There are different schools of thought but intend to think it is doing a service to yourself as well as the officer. Feel free to disagree.


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How does that effect whether you are carrying or not?   There is no need to have a permit to carry in your car.  In the olden days I'd agree with handing over a permit,  but why now?  Anyone not prohibited from owning can carry in their vehicle.

[Jonnin]

not worth it.  Time + fees and only a 50-50 chance of getting a break, tank of gas, missed work/vacation, ... just pay it.   

[Dustbuster]

if you dont have a cdl,u can go to court take the traffic school option if given,and not have the points or ticket. this wont work if u do have a cdl. ive seen people come to court over and over for non dui traffic stuff and school out on it to keep their dl. some have been so many times youd think theyd give a nascar guy a run for his money...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk, its either this or smoke signals! Edited November 4, 2015 by Dustbuster

[Sam1]

You don't have to go to court to do traffic school and having the ticket/points put on the shelf for a probationary period. They just want their money, just got to their website to pay the ticket or call them and they will give you instructions on how to do the online trainings.

My wife was an expert at this process.

[Tncobra]

How does that effect whether you are carrying or not? There is no need to have a permit to carry in your car. In the olden days I'd agree with handing over a permit, but why now? Anyone not prohibited from owning can carry in their vehicle.

The thought is showing respect to the officer letting him know you are hiding nothing from him, and or you are an honest person. If I had no permit, I would still let him know I have a firearm, out of respect. If he decides my honesty and respect outweighs the violation, so be it. Edited November 4, 2015 by Tncobra

[10-Ring]

I would absolutely go to court.  Simply because that's the only way that you are going to get driving school.  If your record is clean they are going to send you to driving school and dismiss the ticket more than likely.  If you pay the ticket it is going to stay on your record and possibly make your insurance rate go up.  Like yourself, I have a clean record, my rate came down substantially when that last booboo came off my record.

[dralarms]

If it was THP they have the option of traffic school and you don't have to go to court. If it was city cop, call the courthouse and ask them about school. If no school is offered then pay the ticket and take your lumps.

Now I did traffic school for a THP ticket and it went from 219.00 to 85.00. Worth trying.

[Mwhiskey]

I'd pay the ticket and forget about going to court. Also, I would try to be more aware of the traffic signs while driving. LOL, I'm gonna have the song "I Fought The Law" by The Clash in my head all day now!

[NextExit]

Is 15mph over the speed limit considered wreckless driving? If so, you definitely don't want that on your record & you should get a lawyer. Otherwise I'd just pay up.

[GlockSpock]

Well, it says 11-15 over as the citation.


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[jhc77]

I did an 8 hour road trip plus hotel for a night on an out of state ticket. That cost a boat load. If it was THP the court fees are $100+ anyways. City and county LEO tickets aren't that high I don't think. It's either $133.75 or reduced a few just for showing.

I did get one form the THP on second thought. The ticket was 150ish. Court reduced it to $5 but the out the door was $115 cash or check to the court house.

[quickbiscuit]

Do not pay the ticket without first finding out if it's going on your driving record (MVR). The general sessions court clerk should be able to tell you this. I've never heard of paying a ticket before a court date and then signing up for driving school on your own. That's not going to work. Once you pay the ticket, the court is done with you and the damage is done. Generally a judge will allow driving school to keep your MVR clean. But you have to appear in court for that. Driving school usually costs as much as the court costs that you will be assessed, but at least your insurance company won't have an excuse to increase your premiums. And be careful with asking for legal advice on the Internet!

[GlockSpock]

http://www.collegedaletn.gov/index.aspx?NID=156

 

See! That is a good reason I asked this question. I didn't know this is in option. I'll give them a call and see what they say.

[quickbiscuit]

http://www.collegedaletn.gov/index.aspx?NID=156
 
See! That is a good reason I asked this question. I didn't know this is in option. I'll give them a call and see what they say.

"If you would like to try to take this course in lieu of paying a traffic citation, you must come to court on your court date to request it. The court will determine if you are eligible."

That's how it works. They're going to get their money too (court costs).

[GlockSpock]

"If you would like to try to take this course in lieu of paying a traffic citation, you must come to court on your court date to request it. The court will determine if you are eligible."

That's how it works. They're going to get their money too (court costs).

 

But if it will keep insurance down it should be worth it. Surely court costs + $65 wouldn't be more than that fine of $133.75, would it? I will try and call in a bit to see what they have to say. I'd imagine it typically would go on my driving record since it is a decently serious infraction, but you never know. I have been told by several people that if you wait until the last day or two to pay the citation, it usually doesn't go on your record for some reason. I was told this by multiple people at my insurance company.

 

Weird. I don't understand it if it is true.

[Hozzie]

It's all a racket.  I got a ticket for going 40 in a 20 (in a school zone) last year in Greenbriar.  I was passing a semi that blocked the sign and I was simply doing the normal speed limit had it been any other time of the day.  There were no flashing lights, etc to make it obvious.  It was absolutely inadvertent, but ok it was what it was.  They kind of make it a speed trap there anyway.

 

I forget what the ticket was, but I received a piece of paper with the ticket recommending driving school.  It was basically a similar amount to the ticket (~150), but of course it explained that it would keep it off of your record.  I sent in money for both the ticket and the school and they sent me the money for the ticket back.  Said I only needed to pay one or the other. I assumed I still had to pay for the ticket as well. 

 

To me, that almost seems unethical.  I am guessing they pay something to the state on a ticket, but I am sure they keep all of the traffic school money.  Needless to say, I went and spent my 8 hours and left none the wiser.  They know money isn't the deterrent for most people, but 8 hours of boredom surely is.

 

On the good side, I picked up my suppressor from G&L before the ticket.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Hozzie

[GlockSpock]

It's all a racket.  I got a ticket for going 40 in a 20 (in a school zone) last year in Greenbriar.  I was passing a semi that blocked the sign and I was simply doing the normal speed limit had it been any other time of the day.  There were no flashing lights, etc to make it obvious.  It was absolutely inadvertent, but ok it was what it was.  They kind of make it a speed trap there anyway.

 

I forget what the ticket was, but I received a piece of paper with the ticket recommending driving school.  It was basically a similar amount to the ticket (~150), but of course it explained that it would keep it off of your record.  I sent in money for both the ticket and the school and they sent me the money for the ticket back.  Said I only needed to pay one or the other. I assumed I still had to pay for the ticket as well. 

 

To me, that almost seems unethical.  I am guessing they pay something to the state on a ticket, but I am sure they keep all of the traffic school money.  Needless to say, I went and spent my 8 hours and left none the wiser.  They know money isn't the deterrent for most people, but 8 hours of boredom surely is.

 

On the good side, I picked up my suppressor from G&L before the ticket.

 

But it did keep it off your record, right? I too a gree that it is in a sense crooked especially if it does somehow involve the local municipality keeping more money than if they uphold the citation. Going 55 in a 45? I doubt "traffic school" or "defensive driving school" will help.

[Hozzie]

Yeah, it kept it off my record.  It never makes it to court.  It's like it vanishes into thin air.

[bersaguy]

Back when I lived in Greenbrier I got my last ticket which would now be over 25 years ago. I was driving through Watertown about 3:30 AM heading for a bass tournament on Center Hill Lake dragging my boat. Was cruising at about 55 MPH when I saw rollers come on and since I was the only vehicle on the road I just slowed and pulled over. Officer was nice while asking for license and registration. He walked back to his car and wrote me the ticket for 50 in a 30 and not 55 or he would have had to take me to jail for reckless driving. I signed the ticket and we exchanged good byes and I went on to fish. Upon getting home I took the ticket out and read the information on the back about what the fines where. I had already made up my mind I would just pay it rather than make that long drive back to attend court. On the very bottom of the information it said "No Checks accepted"  Well I pondered over it for a day or two and just sat down. wrote a check to the Watertown Court clerks Office where it said the ticket could be paid and mailed it. 6 days later my check cleared my bank and I never heard another word about it from Watertown and my insurance did not go up. I learned right then that it is all about the money. The say they won't accept checks but they accepted mine. They had what they wanted which was the $57.50 for the fine.

 

Now I don't know about this day in time and tickets but I did have to go with a friend to traffic court about 2 years ago for speeding. He was going 74mph in a 65 MPH Zone. Hendersonville on Vietnam Vets Highway. He wanted to fight it in court. Bad idea. He ended up paying the fine of $90.00 + $105.00 court cost and it went on his driving record. I told him to just pay it by mail and let it go but he was bull headed. Ended up costing him a day of work wages plus $195.00. .............................. :shrug: