First Speeding ticket

[KingstonU]

UPDATE:

Called X-copper. They want $475 to represent me and because the officer put down that it was reduced on the ticket they say there is less of a chance that they could get it down to zero points. So I could possibly be spending $220 for the ticket, $475 for the representation + the insurance will go higher. However they say there's is a good chance that the points can be reduced to 3 in stead of 4, and that is important to insurance because this brings it to a "minor" offense instead of a "major" offense.

<------------------------------------->

First speeding ticket. 22 yr old male with clean record prior to this. On Highway 7 between Peterborough and Ottawa in Ontario. Damn there are a lot of cops on that highway and lots of people being pulled over. I wish I knew that about this highway before.

Well I definitely had it coming but now I'm just not sure how bad it will affect my insurance. It's an 80km/h highway and everyone goes 105-110km/h on it. 2 lanes were about to merge into 1 so I decide to pass an SUV just ahead of me before it closed, turn the corner and the lights go off. So everyone is already going 25-30km/h over and I was passing so I was something like 45km/h over without even realizing it. So yah I was speeding.

He brought it down to 110km/h in an 80km/h zone. That only reduces the fine from $330 to $220, but both are still 4 demerit points. Ouch. I'm not really sure what happens at this point or if there is anyway to at least reduce some of the points. I can't really say his radar was wrong or anything cause I was definitely speeding, so I didn't ask to see it.

I live in Mississauga/work in Milton and the court has to take place in Belleville (2 hours away) in the next 15 days. Being my first offence is there perhaps a chance the court might lower it? I don't care about the fine, only the demerit points and how it affects my insurance for the next 5 years.

How is this going to affect my insurance? Any suggestions/options?

One of my friends says he called X-Copper for a similar situation of doing 95 in a 60 zone which is also 4 points and they were able to have the demerit points removed so I might try that.

Thanks,

 

[bruceb]

Worst case, you take a defensive driver course. A lot of times, that will mitigate the number of points. Check with your local Motor Vehicle dept to see if this can be done in Canada. And if your record was clean, talk to the prosecutor. You may be able to make a deal (higher $$ with no or fewer points) ... They only want your $$ .. As to the speed you were doing, I presume that was in K/PH and not in MPH

Also see this forum:

http://www.ontariohighwaytrafficact.com/ontario-traffic-ticket-help-articles-f70.html

And this sub post:

http://www.ontariohighwaytrafficact.com/topic1536.html

 

[Spicedaddy]

220$ and 4 points? Pay it and forget about it, I doubt it'll change your insurance much.

I don't know how it works in Ontario, but in Quebec you check the "Not Guilty" box in the back and mail it within 30 days. It usually takes a year to get a court date, depending if it's provincial or municipal police. When you get the court date, your best bet is to call the prosecutor before going to court and try to deal with him. Going before the judge usually results in being declared guilty and paying the ticket+interest.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Traffic school. It's worth it to keep the points off your license...if they offer such a thing in Canukistan.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I got my first speeding ticket here in the states...24MPH over the posted limit.

I just paid it, I wasn't going to take a day off work and drive 300 miles to go get the points off my license in some out in the sticks city in South Dakota.

 

[MovingTarget]

I was about to do some serious flaming, but then I realized that the speeds the OP listed were metric, not US Imperial units. Still not smart by the OP, but not flame-worthy. Meh.

I hope you can get those points off your license OP. Let us know how everything works out. Be careful out there.

 

[Stunt]

220$ and 4 points? Pay it and forget about it, I doubt it'll change your insurance much.

I don't know how it works in Ontario, but in Quebec you check the "Not Guilty" box in the back and mail it within 30 days. It usually takes a year to get a court date, depending if it's provincial or municipal police. When you get the court date, your best bet is to call the prosecutor before going to court and try to deal with him. Going before the judge usually results in being declared guilty and paying the ticket+interest.

Don't just forget about it...I made this mistake early on...I was about 22 at the time as well. Since then I've had a couple more tickets and the points climb fast, especially those 3-4pointers. Your insurance is going to get killed if you get like one more ticket since you are under 25. I had 11 points on my record at one point, and currently have 9 so I have quite a bit of experience in the matter; I have a bit of a heavy foot. Basically once you hit 9, you have to go for an interview and convince them why you should be allowed to keep your licence. You basically feed them a bunch of crap about setting enough time aside, using your cruise, not using your cell, etc. Avoid this as much as you can so get the reductions as you go without the record. I thought it was just the first one and paid in full, then they started nailing me because of my record...saying they'd normally give a warning but because of the history they had to make a ticket; it's a bad place to be, especially when you drive a nice car.

I got a speeding ticket just outside of Belleville for about that speed. Everyone drives fast down highway 7, you were just the one who paid the price for everybody else that day. If you don't live in the district and can't afford to take time off work pay someone. If you can take the time, make a deal with the prosecutor like the quoted text above says. You will get just as good of a deal as the guy you hire; never seen it any different and you don't have to pay the guy a fee. You will typically get a reduction of at least 50% of the money and points if you plead not guilty and make a deal with the prosecutor and plead guilty to the lesser charge. Fight harder at the beginning so your record stays as good as possible for future tickets.

I just got back from court today...my 3point $150 fine was reduced to 0points and $40. It's a pretty sweet deal for a few hours in a municipal courthouse. At the peak of it all my insurance was $550/mo and is now $250/mo but I am 26 now, so you get a slight discount. You just have to respond in 15 days, the trial date is going to be a few months out and in that time you make a deal with the prosecutor.

KingstonU: are you a Queen's University grad as well? Sci '05 here - Mech Eng

 

[Fenixgoon]

^^ damn stunt, 550/mo is INSANE!

 

[PricklyPete]

Traffic school. It's worth it to keep the points off your license...if they offer such a thing in Canukistan.

That made me chuckle.

 

[Pulsar]

In the US, they have a thing called "Guilty with explanation" (or something to that effect). Essentially, you write a sincere letter admitting your guilt and requesting that you be given something instead of the points. In my case, I had driven for 14 years before getting my first ticket. I asked for a year of probation + the fine. That worked - they got their money, I was on probation for a year, and didn't end up with any points. Not sure if it works in Canadia or not.

 

[desy]

You could go to court to fight it, half the time the officer can't make the court appearance and the crown has no case. They are unwilling to schedule overtime if the guy is off shift.
I he does show up just tell the judge you intened to plea guilty and see if he'll reduce the fine

 

[KingstonU]

UPDATE:

Called X-copper. They want $475 to represent me and because the officer put down that it was reduced on the ticket they say there is less of a chance that they could get it down to zero points. So I could possibly be spending $220 for the ticket, $475 for the representation + the insurance will go higher. However they say there's is a good chance that the points can be reduced to 3 in stead of 4, and that is important to insurance because this brings it to a "minor" offense instead of a "major" offense.

 

[SparkyJJO]

^^ damn stunt, 550/mo is INSANE!

No kidding... I paid a bit less than that for an entire year
Granted, only liability and comp on an 11 year old car, butt still it is a Camaro and I'm 22.

 

[Stunt]

UPDATE:

Called X-copper. They want $475 to represent me and because the officer put down that it was reduced on the ticket they say there is less of a chance that they could get it down to zero points. So I could possibly be spending $220 for the ticket, $475 for the representation + the insurance will go higher. However they say there's is a good chance that the points can be reduced to 3 in stead of 4, and that is important to insurance because this brings it to a "minor" offense instead of a "major" offense.

$475 is a lot for the one demerit point.
Talk to your broker and see what sort of an impact it will have on your insurance rates. You were really lucky to get a reduction. For some reason I don't argue with authority and figure if i am polite and reasonable they will be nice and drop it...but they never do.

 

[Imp]

I really got to watch myself. Still on my G2 and regularly do 20 over on Kings Highways and 20-30 Km/h over with flow on the 400 series. I've been up to 65 "accidentally" on a near empty QEW east of Hamilton to pass an already speeding car in the left lane. Helps to have a company car though...

 

[RGUN]

Dont waste your money with X-Copper, I can give you the name of much better (and probably cheaper) representatives in your area that have done very well for me on much more significant charges. Which insurance company are you with? That bit about 4 vs 3 demerit points is complete trash, all the insurance company cares about are convictions, 5 over is just as bad as 30 over. I live around there, you say you have a court date in 15 days? That makes no sense, which section were you charged under? Or do you mean you have 15 days to state your intentions with the ticket? Likely scenario is you go tell them you intend to plead not guily (have to do this in person) and when you fill out the form be sure to check the box that states you intend to challenge their evidence. You will then receive a court date that is probably a year away. The points arent applied until you are convicted (however they are applied at that point retroactively, not important to you) however they expire based on the date of offense.

I dont want to post their contact info online. If you want it pm me.

 

[RGUN]

Also, you better examine your driving habits... surely you realize that 5km/h faster and you would have your vehicle seized and license suspended on the spot and up to a 10,000 fine. I have a very powerful vehicle, and I find it very easy to stay at or just (10km/hr) above the speed limit, even if it means Im getting passed non stop. Typically when people tell me they didnt realize they were going that fast I just assume they knew it all along and were using that as some sort of justification.

 

[KingstonU]

RGUN, your right about not driving so fast. It's not very complicated and I can't act like I don't deserve it, though everyone speeds and everyone on that road were going 30 over, I was pushing it. I'm just hoping I can reduce the consequences of my mistake by not having to suffer from it for the next 5 years.

 

[KingstonU]

Sent a PM but doesn't show that it was sent.

That same weekend someone was reported to having got the fine you mentioned actually. 169km/h on the 407. Immediate car impound and $10,000 fine.

 

[RGUN]

Hey man, I was the same, I would speed around and was ticketed several times for fairly high speeds. So dont think I am trying to put you down or make myself out to be a saint. Eventually though you realize that you speed like other people, and you're going to get ticketed, so will they. So you can continue and drive at 30 over and look out for cop cars, or sit back, relax and just do 10 over. Tickets are only on your record for 3 years btw. Yeah that 50 over law they are catching I think they are averaging 4 people a day or something? Its an absolutely ridiculous law and I think it is entirely unconstitutional and think it should never have been instituted. Luckily there have been some decisions recently that it is unconstitutional and people are having their charges dropped on those grounds. It is currently (I think) being appealed in a higher court, so hopefully by next summer it will be gone.

 

[iGas]

Damn, I better slow down.

 

[KingstonU]

RGUN I tried to PM you again but it doesn't seem to be showing up. Could you perhaps send a me to me? maybe the system won't crash if I'm just responding to a PM.

 

[desy]

Just go in and represent yourself, tell the judge you were going with traffic flow and needed to make a pass. As I said before if the court can't produce the officer its case closed, if they can, plead guilty and ask for a reduction based on the above.

 

[KingstonU]

Went and saw XCopper at their office, this time he said he would do it for $400... the first time I called they said $500, funny that huh? He said it's in his best interest to do everything he can to get me all my points removed, because just like my friend told me about them, If they succeed I'll go tell other people about how much they are worth the money. Well it's honest lol. Still it might be hard to have all points removed, and the worst case scenario is that nothing gets reduced so I will have spent an extra $400 for trying. He said either way I should fight it, either use their services or someone else or go myself, but I should fight it no matter what.

I probably will after thinking about it for a couple more days. Thanks to everyone who replied.

 

[SonicIce]

are u some metric nazi lol