First speeding ticket (well, 2 in 3 days) in my 10 years of driving, what to do??

[jpeyton]

I am not a speed demon to begin with and also a firm believer that laser shifter is ethically wrong.

Ethically wrong?

Where do you guys come up with this stuff?

 

[MotF Bane]

Good point, but both was by laser, which obviously my Valentine 1 didn't help. I honestly didn't know they were using laser over there that extensively.

Anyway, with laser enforcement spreading, it was a trip that taught me radar detector is getting useless unless you have laser shifter, which I didn't get even when I could. I am not a speed demon to begin with and also a firm believer that laser shifter is ethically wrong. I'm going to sell Valentine 1 to pay those tickets and become slower driver. lol

 

[KDKPSJ]

Ethically wrong?

Where do you guys come up with this stuff?

Well, I don't know I honestly felt guilty of using Valentine 1 because it detects the radar, so shifting was even worse.

But I remember reading someone from other forum saying 'it is a protection from outrageous authorities stealing money out of people.' And to be honest, I tend to agree this now. lol

 

[SithSolo1]

dude that email is fake. Go look it up on the AJC and basically every local news affiliate. It's fake. There aren't any more cops than usual (which is still a lot btw).

Fake or not I've seen way more cops out pulling people over around here lately. I had 2 box me in(one pulled in front, one behind), follow me, and then hand me off to another last week on my way to work. I was going the speed limit so I guess they were bored but I haven't seen cops on that road in months.

 

[Pariah]

Be glad you weren't in NC. >15 over while traveling 55 or more is a mandatory court appearance. Either you come back or you have to pay am attorney to represent you.

It also is a reckless driving charge which is quite a bit more severe than just a regular speeding ticket.

 

[StageLeft]

It also is a reckless driving charge which is quite a bit more severe than just a regular speeding ticket.

Even more ridiculous.

 

[bruceb]

Yes, it is somewhat ridiculous to be charged with reckless driving for a speeding infraction. But a lot of states have a law just like that. And in VA the fine for like 20MPH or more over is very, very high.

See link:

http://virginia.drivinguniversity.com/speeding-tickets/speeding-ticket-fines


Speeding Ticket Fines
Virginia is serious about curbing speed violations in the State and has introduced speeding fines that can top $3,000. More accurately, these are the fines imposed for speeding plus any reckless driving felony/misdemeanor violations you also incur.

Typically, a driver will pay $5.00 for every mph he or she is driving over the speed limit plus court fees of $62.00. Add to that the new civil penalties for Reckless Driving and you are looking at a tremendous fine! Additionally, these civil remedial fees are not one-time payments. You will be put on a scheduled payment plan where you will owe the specified amount annually:

• 3-Point Demerit Violations at $5.00 for every mph over the posted speed limit:

Speeding 1-9 mph above the posted speed limit

• 4-Point Demerit Violations at $5.00 for every mph over the posted speed limit:

Speeding 10-14 mph above the posted speed limit
Speeding 15-19 mph above the posted speed limit
Speeding 10-19 mph above the posted speed limit

• 6-Point Demerit Violations at $5.00 for every mph over the posted speed limit plus all civil remedial fees:

Reckless driving - speeding in excess of 80 mph – Misdemeanor - $350.00 for each of the following 3 years
Reckless driving - speeding in excess of 80 mph – Felony - $1000.00 for each of the following 3 years
Reckless driving - speeding 20 mph or more above the posted speed limit – Misdemeanor - $350.00 for each of the following 3 years
Reckless driving - speeding 20 mph or more above the posted speed limit – Felony - $1000.00 for each of the following 3 years
Reckless driving - driving too fast for conditions – Misdemeanor - $350.00 for each of the following 3 years
Reckless driving - driving too fast for conditions – Felony - $1000.00 for each of the following 3 years


As you can see, the harshest civil remedial fee when added to the regular fees assessed when you are issued a reckless driving – speeding in excess of 80 mph ticket will cost you $3,000 + $400 (80 x $5) + $62 (court fees) = $3,462.00. It is likely that you will have your Virginia license suspended and spend some time in jail, too.

 

[StageLeft]

That link is confusing, is it a misdemeanor or a felony, for example?

Anyway, as speeding becomes less acceptable from a law perspective it makes owning a fast car even more of just frankly a total waste of time and effort.

 

[bruceb]

Reckless driving - speeding in excess of 80 mph – Felony - $1000.00 for each of the following 3 years

Reckless driving - speeding 20 mph or more above the posted speed limit – Felony - $1000.00 for each of the following 3 years

Reckless driving - driving too fast for conditions – Felony - $1000.00 for each of the following 3 years

 

[PrinceMyshkin]

everydae, since both tickets are for speeding and would put you about 10 pts in the NYS DMV system (even though you're an out of state driver), I would plead not guilty and perhaps find a way to plead at least one of the tickets down if possible (call the local county, you should be able to find it based on the information provided on the ticket). If I remember correctly, even out-of-state drivers had to pay in a 3-yr Driver Responsibility Program (DRA) if they accrued 6 or more points. This is in addition to whatever fine imposed by the county that gave you the ticket. 10 pts would be about $200/yr for 3 years.

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/license.htm#points

Since at least the first ticket appears to have been received outside a NYS Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) area you may be able to plea it down. Not sure about the second since Buffalo is a TVB area. TVB areas do not allow plea bargains.

-Former NYS resident (2 speeding tickets, 1 red-light ticket). Other than the link I provided, Most of the information I listed is based on my own experiences when I received my last NY ticket in 2005 so some of it may be out of date.

 

[Paperlantern]

Good point, but both was by laser, which obviously my Valentine 1 didn't help. I honestly didn't know they were using laser over there that extensively.

Anyway, with laser enforcement spreading, it was a trip that taught me radar detector is getting useless unless you have laser shifter, which I didn't get even when I could. I am not a speed demon to begin with and also a firm believer that laser shifter is ethically wrong. I'm going to sell Valentine 1 to pay those tickets and become slower driver. lol

This is what I did... 6 months after my NY ticket, i got another one coming over a hill from a LEO heading in the opposite direction. 70 in a 50. The V1 Lit up like a christmas tree on Ka because he Instant On'd me. Pissed me off, but i got like $340 for the V1, which covered the ticket plus some. I rolled back to my old Beltronics V955, which is still a good detector, but now its really just a little insurance in case im not paying attention, because 98% of the time i just don't speed anymore.

A scenario where i might speed, i'm on a road trip that is at LEAST 100 miles long one way and speeding will actually save me a little time, and i get a rabbit to follow and visibility is good (ie its not nighttime, or weather is bad or foggy), that would be the ONLY time i would speed anymore. Even then if the rabbit is going excess of 80mph, forget it, im not in the game of going 15+ anymore, ever.

Ohio has Laser EVERYWHERE, plus, with LEOs using IO Ka and even K, thats deadly, a RD wont do crap for you except say hey, guess what, youre getting a ticket.

Laser jammers are not anything to have ethical problems with, they are not illegal in any more states then RD are (maybe ONE state). Laser Interceptor has a base cost of i think around $700, and if you are a habitual speeder, it can save your ass. They are discreet and really arent even noticeable unless you are looking for the LED heads.

 

[GhettoPeanut]

eh, you were caught speeding. but it is your own damn fault. speed limit is posted, you follow it or you don't is your own choice, but its still your fault. cops just doing his crappy job.

i bet both of those tickets come out to around 400 to 500 bucks not including the insurance hike. 20 miles over posted limit is allot of money. got my only ticket in NY on 87, 80 in a 65, i think it was around 240 if i remember correctly.

 

[QuantumPion]

In my state you can pay speeding tickets online from a website, NY might have something similar.