Got 3 tickets today... Need Help/Advice

[wizzz]

Today is a bad day...

I was going on Georgia's Interstate and got pulled over.

[ First ticket ]
Speeding. I was going 80mph on a 65mph interstate.
(I was going more like 75 but I was accerlating because of an upward hill and the cop was hiding right on top of the hill)
However, everybody on the interstate was going at 75-80mph. Nobody drives at 65 in georgia.
Since I went over 15mph, my fine would be $100 with 2points.

Question: If I go to court, is there any chance that I can get a reduction?


[ Second ticket ]
Expired insurance card.
My insurance company did not mail me the new renewal card and I didn't know.
I called up my insurance company and they will mail me a new insurance card.

Question: Since I was always insured, can this ticket be dropped?
I have all the documents with monthly bills that can prove I was always insured.
Can I just go to court clerk and show them my new insurance ticket and will the ticket be dropped?
Or do I have to go to court and meet the judge?


[ Third ticket ]
No seat belt.
This was absolutely outrageous. I swear I wore the seat belt. 100% gurantee that I wore the belt.
There were 3 passengers in my car.
What happened was the 2 front seat passengers wore the seat belt and the back seat guy did not.
But what the cop said "he" saw was I was not wearing the belt and the back seat guy wore the belt.
My only mistake I made here was that when the cop came to my car, I took off my seat belt to find my insurance card.
Argued. No use. He said he has it on video and I said let's see it. I will prove you wrong.
Cop just left saying (+smiling) that I can go to court.

Question: If I go to court, this will be a "I said, cop said" situation. And the judge will most likely rule in favor of the cop. However, is there a way to see the video tape as evidence that I was wearing the belt?
Do the police store all the videos they tape? Can the judge require the cop to show the video?
The video tape will show that I was indeed wearing the belt.

Also, anybody know what the penalty is for not wearing a seat belt in georgia?
I searched the internet and I could only find out that the fine is $25.
BUT will my insurance rate jack up for being accused of not wearing a seat belt?


Any help/advice is appreciated.

 

[NogginBoink]

1) "Everyone was doing it" is not a defense. If everyone commits murder, they're all still guilty of a crime.

2) Yes. Prove you had insurace, and you have proof that you didn't commit a crime.

3) You can subpoena the tape, I believe. Do you really want to go this route?

There are a number of resources for fighting tickets on the web. MSN just ran an article this week that had links to other resources. Good luck!

 

[res1bhmg]

You'll lose the first one, so see if you can take traffic school.

You can argue the second one and probably win; just bring proof of insurance and an explanation.

You'll lose the third one, so see if you can take traffic school for that too.

 

[wizzz]

How can I find out if I can take traffic school?
If I can take traffic school, will the charges be dropped?

 

[diamondgoat53]

1. they will always plead it down. is it worth the heftier fine and a lawyers fee? your call

2. in some states the crime is not that you don't have insurance, it's that you don't have PROOF of insurance. It is your responsibility to have proof. if the insurance co. didn't send you one, it's your job to get one. personal responsibility. try it.

3. you can easily subpoena the tape. you will then also piss off the judge, who then may or may not be willing to drop or plea down your moving violation to a non-moving violation. again, your call.

 

[PlatinumGold]

1. live with it.
2. usually they let you off if you bring proof of insurance.
3. live with it.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
1. live with it.
2. usually they let you off if you bring proof of insurance.
3. live with it.

Consult a lawyer... go to court... hope the cop doesn't show.

 

[Amused]

1: Go to traffic school

2: Should be dropped if you bring proof of financial responsibility (current insurance card/policy)

3: Go ahead and fight it, but consult a lawyer first. But be 100% sure you were wearing the seatbelt, and your friends are willing to testify. Chances are the PD wont have the time or money to make copies of the tape an put them into evidence for a seatbelt violation.

In many larger jurisdictions fighting tickets is easy because the PD cannot spare the man hours to have the officers appear in court. If he does not appear, you usually will win. If it's a small town, don't count on the cop not showing.

(Doh, DJ beat me to it)

 

[ThunderGirl]

1- just pay the fine you know you did it.

2- if you show the insurance info that day they will drop it.

3- make your friend in the backseat who was NOT wearing his pay that fine. It doesn't affect your insurance. But really you are the driver you should have all passengers wear their seatbelt. In some states because you are the driver/owner of the vechile the fine goes to you no matter how old the non seat belt wearing person is.

Stop breaking the law and you won't have to worry about all this

 

[Thegonagle]

Arguing. . . You?re a dumb ass for even trying. For future reference, that doesn't work at the side of the road. That will only piss them off enough to make them throw every little ticket they can at you.

Here's some more "future reference reading." This is the best info on the subject that I?ve seen on the net.

You should be able to get the insurance one dismissed immediately. Just go to the court clerk with your insurance card that proves that you were insured when you were pulled over. For speeding, there might be a traffic school + probation type of option. As for the seatbelt, good luck in court.

BTW, the sooner you take care of it, the more responsible you will appear to be. This just might factor into the judges ruling, so get in there Monday morning if you can.

 

[goldenbeer]

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
1. live with it.
2. usually they let you off if you bring proof of insurance.
3. live with it.

Consult a lawyer... go to court... hope the cop doesn't show.

Yes, find his car that day, and bring either a knife or packets of sugar along with you.

 

[hergehen]

Originally posted by: NogginBoink
1) "Everyone was doing it" is not a defense. If everyone commits murder, they're all still guilty of a crime.

question ... why, when I was at traffic school, they thought us to "keep with the flow" ... so if everyone is going 80, then you should go 80 too ...

 

[yakko]

1) Try to take traffic school so the points are not put on your record.
2) Here you just bring proof of insurance to the courthouse and it is a $5 fine.
3) Subpoena the tape when you take it to court.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: Garfang

Here's some more "future reference reading." This is the best info on the subject that I?ve seen on the net.

Good read (and funny!), thanks.

 

[Ultima]

$100 and two points? How many points do you have?

Over here 80 (130km/h) in a 60 (100km/h) would be $105 CDN and maybe +$300 if "unsafe speed or act liable to endanger life, property or public safety".
Points? 2
We have 15 points max I think.

Lose 2 points for going 130 but lose 5 for going 160, and lose 9 for going 200.. ouch

 

[B00ne]

Wow u have fairly harsh fines for such minor violations, good to know for my planned vacation next year....


but at least i dont have to care about points then

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

You'll likely need a lawyer to do anything for the first ticket, one can probably get it reduced. The second ticket shouldn't be a problem. The third shouldn't be a problem either if you have 3 witnesses that will testify that you were strapped in. And I don't think it's illegal for back seat passangers not to wear a seatbelt anyway.