speeding ticket

[tinng321]

I got pulled over for going 74mph in a 45mph zone today. I honestly didn't see any mph sign and assumed it was a 55 zone. The fine for 20-24 mph over the limit is $200. What is the fine for 25-29 mph over? I know it's a 4 point ticket. Is there anything I can do?
I'm in NJ. Would hiring an attorney help? How expensive is it?
This is my first speeding ticket ever.

Thanks for your advice.
Tin

[Alex]

Youch. That could be pricey. Not sure of the efficacy of hiring a lawyer for it though, it may cost more than just fighting it on your own (going to court, making them prove it, ask for a lower fine, etc.).

/moved to General, this is m/c related

[dimeified]

dont worry man, im from nj, its a usual process. first of all call up the number on the back of the ticket, to speak to the clerk. give her your ticket info and say you'd like to plead not guilty. she will give you a day to show up in court. as soon as you get there, you will be handed a slip to speak to the prosecutor. you will meet with him and he will make you a deal. he will downgrade the charge for a guilty plea in order to avoid a court case. this is how the state makes revenue. if they had to have a court date for every ticket they'd be backlogged for years. don't be nervous about it, your not gunna go to jail.

[ScraitT]

I just got 72 in a 45 last week ($280). I haven't had a ticket in almost 5 years. O well, it happens.
I however, knew the speed limit. Most people travel 60+ though since it's a 3 lane divided road, and I was close to home and had to use the bathroom pretty bad. Turns out it would have been faster to drive the speed limit and not be pulled over for 15 mins

I personally have always hired someone to represent me and it has always worked great. Granted, thats only for 2 tickets about 5 years ago, but it worked. Both times the ticket was dropped, no points, and I didn't have to show in court. Cost me about 80 each time (compared to $200 tickets).

I will be doing the same this time. It's worth paying someone to represent me so I don't have to go downtown, fight traffic, and deal with it.

I live in Florida though, so things I'm sure are different between states in how successful things go.

[CZroe]

I just saw a Gixxer get nailed on Camino Ruiz/Gold Coast in San Diego today. The cop started barking orders out of the loudspeaker before they even stopped. He was PO'd, for sure!

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by dimeified

dont worry man, im from nj, its a usual process. first of all call up the number on the back of the ticket, to speak to the clerk. give her your ticket info and say you'd like to plead not guilty. she will give you a day to show up in court. as soon as you get there, you will be handed a slip to speak to the prosecutor. you will meet with him and he will make you a deal. he will downgrade the charge for a guilty plea in order to avoid a court case. this is how the state makes revenue. if they had to have a court date for every ticket they'd be backlogged for years. don't be nervous about it, your not gunna go to jail.

Thanks for the advice.. I know I'm not going to jail.... I just don't want any point and definitely don't want my insurance premium to go up.
How much will it cost to knock down 4 points?

Thanks,
Tin

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by ScraitT

I just got 72 in a 45 last week ($280). I haven't had a ticket in almost 5 years. O well, it happens.
I however, knew the speed limit. Most people travel 60+ though since it's a 3 lane divided road, and I was close to home and had to use the bathroom pretty bad. Turns out it would have been faster to drive the speed limit and not be pulled over for 15 mins

I personally have always hired someone to represent me and it has always worked great. Granted, thats only for 2 tickets about 5 years ago, but it worked. Both times the ticket was dropped, no points, and I didn't have to show in court. Cost me about 80 each time (compared to $200 tickets).

I will be doing the same this time. It's worth paying someone to represent me so I don't have to go downtown, fight traffic, and deal with it.

I live in Florida though, so things I'm sure are different between states in how successful things go.

$80 for an attorney each time?
are you serious?

[dimeified]

Originally Posted by tinng321

Thanks for the advice.. I know I'm not going to jail.... I just don't want any point and definitely don't want my insurance premium to go up.
How much will it cost to knock down 4 points?

Thanks,
Tin

look forget an attorney, they're useless for speeding tickets unless you go to trial. here's the deal, if you haven't done it before, the NJ prosecutors will offer you a one time pass. 400 bucks, no points, plea guilty to wreckless driving or sometihng. i've been offered that deal with both my speeding tickets, and declined it both times. If the prosecutor doesn't mention it, ask him. im sure he will though. The state would rather collect the money than let the premiums go to the insurance companies. Just call the clerk, plead not guilty, set a court date on the phone with the clerk, show up, the prosecutor will offer you the deal, and take it. make sure you have 500 bucks in your checking account though just to be on the safe side. They usually take debit or credit cards.

[ScraitT]

Originally Posted by tinng321

$80 for an attorney each time?
are you serious?

That was about 5 years ago. I don't know rates right now, could be higher...or could be lower with the economy and trying to get business. I'll be able to tell you in a week or two when my mail gets flooded with advertising fliers frmy my ticket

I know one place down here has a "money back guarantee"...no points on your license. No clue on price though.

[izmail1215]

ouch, if i get a speeding ticket i cant ride for couple of weeks since i am under age (16 about to be 17)+ my dad will be pissed.

[ScraitT]

Mine was in the car, not on the bike :-P Cop prob would have never came after me if I was on the bike.

[afronamasaki]

here in Arizona 20+ miles an hour is a criminal offense

[drowe531]

In virginia and/or DC its somewhere around a 1k ticket with a new law they passed recently.

[Hadyn]

Hiring a lawyer is kinda iffy. If the cop got you on radar/laser you have little chance of winning the case, the only things you can really argue is improperly posted speed limit signs or a miscalibrated radar gun, neither of which stand much chance. If NJ lets you do it, I'd pay the fine and take one of those lame 'safe driver' classes just to waive the 4 points. It's still going to wreak havoc on your insurance though.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Guinss]

72 in a 45..and you get $280 ticket..ridiculous!

In Norway that speed in a 45 would make you lose your license for 3 months. And you would get a ticket on 7800 NOK which is $1167 with todays rate.

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by dimeified

look forget an attorney, they're useless for speeding tickets unless you go to trial. here's the deal, if you haven't done it before, the NJ prosecutors will offer you a one time pass. 400 bucks, no points, plea guilty to wreckless driving or sometihng. i've been offered that deal with both my speeding tickets, and declined it both times. If the prosecutor doesn't mention it, ask him. im sure he will though. The state would rather collect the money than let the premiums go to the insurance companies. Just call the clerk, plead not guilty, set a court date on the phone with the clerk, show up, the prosecutor will offer you the deal, and take it. make sure you have 500 bucks in your checking account though just to be on the safe side. They usually take debit or credit cards.

Thanks for the info bro.
I just call them up.
The fine is $220.
She told me to call back to set a court date.
I should've taken the F150 instead of the s4.
The s4 always get me into trouble.
The speedo on the s4 goes up to 200 mph. 70 mph on the s4 is only 1/4 way.
Where as on the F150 70 mph is 3/4 way around.

[Hadyn]

Originally Posted by drowe531

In virginia and/or DC its somewhere around a 1k ticket with a new law they passed recently.

I had heard about that, so I looked it up. 20+ over the limit or any speed over 80 is a criminal offense with an automatic $1050 'reckless driving surcharge' and a mandatory court appearance, where the judge can hit you with another $2500 and/or jail time.

And yet people still fly down rte.123 at 80.
Posted via Mobile Device

[ScraitT]

OWCH!

I love Florida

Both my tickets were over 80 when I got them years ago. However this one is far worse to me. The tickets before were something like 86 in a 70 and 84 in a 70....which is only around 15 over.
This one, for me, is 72 in a 45, which is 27 over. That's bad. I deserved the ticket 100%, I'm not arguing that at all.

I will still hire an attorney though, just so I don't have to deal with going to court. They have been successful for me in the past, and saved me tons of money (ticket was wiped clean, so no insurance hikes).

I will say this. Regardless of the outcome, the ticket did it's job. I am MUCH more aware of my speed now. I was never a horrible speeder before, I was usually pretty good at no more then 5 over....but that one mistake that night and I paid the price. Now I am MUCH more cautious and paying attention. So as much as it sucks, the ticket is doing it's job

Good luck with yours Tin...I'll let you know how mine progresses.

[CZroe]

Georgia has a new "Super Speeders" law too.

[tjkamper]

Traffic Tickets are no fun. I've had my share and I've learned that it is not worth it.

[zilaniz]

i got pulled over going 64 in a 35 about 6-7 months ago...so was going 29 over just like you. This is what I did and it worked out great:
- Plead not guilty, you will be given a court date which will probably be in about 2-3 months
- When you show up for court, the cop who pulled you over(if he even shows up) will pull you into a side room to cut a deal with you
- In my case he offered to make me a deal where he would only charge me with going 40mph in a 35 if a plead guilty and since it was only 5 over i got zero points on my license and about half my money back from the fine
- So basically plead not guilty and make a deal with the cop

[Alex]

Originally Posted by CZroe

Georgia has a new "Super Speeders" law too.

How do you make "Ultra Speeder" status?

[bob706]

About ten years ago I got pulled over for doing 95 in a 55 (in a car) somewhere in New York. The fine was around $150, no court date, just mail the money and done. I was in the Navy at the time and maybe the cop gave me a break because when I got back home guys were saying I should have been hauled off for driving that fast.

[HKr1]

Originally Posted by dimeified

plea guilty to wreckless driving or sometihng.

Better be "something" F pleading to guilty to wreckless.....

[ScraitT]

Originally Posted by bob706

About ten years ago I got pulled over for doing 95 in a 55 (in a car) somewhere in New York. The fine was around $150, no court date, just mail the money and done. I was in the Navy at the time and maybe the cop gave me a break because when I got back home guys were saying I should have been hauled off for driving that fast.

A bunch of years ago when I we were like 17, my buddy got pulled over for drag racing. It was down the exact same road I just got pulled over on(45mph). He wasn't even really racing, he was toying with some ricer lexus. He had an old truck with a 454 putting down 5-600hp min (pretty good amount of engine work). He would just stop on the gas, leap 3-4 car lengths ahead of the lexus, then let it catch up, then hit the gas again.
The cop pulled him over and claimed he was doing "well over 100". I'm sure it's possible, but I don't think so.

Anyways, since my friend was cooperative and didn't deny anything, the cop just charged him for drag racing and let him go. He COULD have arrested him, taken his truck and had it impounded, and charged him for excessive speed. Instead he just got a racing ticket and let go.

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by zilaniz

i got pulled over going 64 in a 35 about 6-7 months ago...so was going 29 over just like you. This is what I did and it worked out great:
- Plead not guilty, you will be given a court date which will probably be in about 2-3 months
- When you show up for court, the cop who pulled you over(if he even shows up) will pull you into a side room to cut a deal with you
- In my case he offered to make me a deal where he would only charge me with going 40mph in a 35 if a plead guilty and since it was only 5 over i got zero points on my license and about half my money back from the fine
- So basically plead not guilty and make a deal with the cop

Thanks.
I'll do that.
Most people I've talked to don't really understand and think that I'm trying to get out of a ticket. I am not. I just don't want points on my license.
What if the cop doesn't show up?

[drowe531]

As far as I know and heard, if the cop doesn't show up they send a representative but that usually helps your chances of getting it lowered or erased.

[Ramen]

When I got my ticket (in a car) I went to court to plead not guilty as I knew the cop wrote me up for the wrong statute.

Every cop was there. No prosecutor, no deals. If you plead not guilty, the cop stands at his table next to yours and gives his side of the story from the notes he wrote of the incident. You then get to ask the officer questions. I wasn't lit up for speeding, but every cop who testified had a copy of the calibration of the speed gun, so forget about that angle.

This is in Florida, so yours might be different. The only reason to plead guilty was to extend the amount of time you get to pay the fine.

It was fair, though. After the cop gave his side of the story, the judge picked up right away that he wrote me up for the wrong thing and I was acquitted.

If you do go to court, for God's sake, wear a suit. I know this is Florida, but I was amazed at how many people wore sweatpants!

[CC Cowboy]

I always get an attorney. Seems to work very well for me. No points means cheaper Insurance (which can get expensive really fast).

[grn09segirl]

Originally Posted by dimeified

look forget an attorney, they're useless for speeding tickets unless you go to trial. here's the deal, if you haven't done it before, the NJ prosecutors will offer you a one time pass. 400 bucks, no points, plea guilty to wreckless driving or sometihng. i've been offered that deal with both my speeding tickets, and declined it both times. If the prosecutor doesn't mention it, ask him. im sure he will though. The state would rather collect the money than let the premiums go to the insurance companies. Just call the clerk, plead not guilty, set a court date on the phone with the clerk, show up, the prosecutor will offer you the deal, and take it. make sure you have 500 bucks in your checking account though just to be on the safe side. They usually take debit or credit cards.

Don't bother with an attoorney in NJ as along as you go up and speak to the prosecutor you will get the same deal they offer the lawyers. In some towns you have to plead not guilty in front of the judge for the original offense before speaking with the prosecutor so be prepared if it is a big town they might make you come back another day to plead guilty to the reduced charge. You never want to plead guilty to wreckless driving (as stated above), In NJ that it is worse then speeding and carry 5 points ..As long as you have never done it before you will be offered a one time deal for un-safe operation: no points but higher fine, I believe you can get it once ever 5 years. Also not all courts take credit cards because it cost them money to accept them so bring cash or a check book just in case.

[grn09segirl]

Originally Posted by tinng321

Thanks.
I'll do that.
Most people I've talked to don't really understand and think that I'm trying to get out of a ticket. I am not. I just don't want points on my license.
What if the cop doesn't show up?

The cop only has to show up if you are completly pleading not guilty and fighting the hole charge and want to go to a trial. If not the cop doesn't have to show up and the prosecutor is allowed to make a deal in place of them which is what usually happens. Many towns dont have enough guys or money to allow every cop to stand in court all day.

[bogdanb]

Originally Posted by Guinss

72 in a 45..and you get $280 ticket..ridiculous!

In Norway that speed in a 45 would make you lose your license for 3 months. And you would get a ticket on 7800 NOK which is $1167 with todays rate.

Here in Bulgaria, cops don't mess with motorcycle riders.

[Guinss]

Originally Posted by bogdanb

Here in Bulgaria, cops don't mess with motorcycle riders.

I want to move to Bulgaria now

[dimeified]

Originally Posted by grn09segirl

Don't bother with an attoorney in NJ as along as you go up and speak to the prosecutor you will get the same deal they offer the lawyers. In some towns you have to plead not guilty in front of the judge for the original offense before speaking with the prosecutor so be prepared if it is a big town they might make you come back another day to plead guilty to the reduced charge. You never want to plead guilty to wreckless driving (as stated above), In NJ that it is worse then speeding and carry 5 points ..As long as you have never done it before you will be offered a one time deal for un-safe operation: no points but higher fine, I believe you can get it once ever 5 years. Also not all courts take credit cards because it cost them money to accept them so bring cash or a check book just in case.

yes it wasn't reckless driving but its a lesser charge with no points. i forgot what it was called cause i declined it both times.

[Postiez]

I got hit doing 81 in a 55 on memorial day(on my way out to the SBK race xD) but the cop that wrote me up only put down as 65 in a 55. Thank god he was a fellow motorcyclist.

[kkim]

dunno how your ticket will turn out, but if you end up having to pay the fine, what I've heard on another forum is to mail in payment with a check made out for more than the ticket. They will use issue you an overage refund check. Don't cash it. When you don't cash it, the paperwork can't be completed and it stays in the administrative files and the ticket doesn't get recorded on your driving record.

don't know if that's true where you live, but it's worth a shot to keep a clean driving record.

[almost40]

KKim That used to work here in Illinois many moons ago, when I used to get tickets.

[kkim]

does it still?

[Banzai]

Originally Posted by kkim

does it still?

Not in VA, MD, or NC, I can tell you that for sure. Issuing the refund check IS the closing action for the paperwork, regardless if it is ever cashed.

This used to work before everything was on the computer, more and more, once sufficient funds are recieved and processed, regardless of overage, it's done.