Got a weird ticket on the Garden State Parkway from a State Trooper

[akshatp]

Got nailed going 69 in a 55 last week. The officer gave me a "lesser" ticket for "Failure to observe posted GSP signs"

The statute number for the violation he wrote up is 19:9-1.3

Google returned some hits with penalties as far as the monetary fine, but I can't figure out whether or not this is considered a point-violation.

Judging from this PDF, I am assuming its no points since the rest of those violations dont look like point violations, but I cant be sure.

Anyone with some experience have any clue?
Here is a link to the NJ DMV point schedule page.


From the NJ Courts website:

Offense 19:9-1.3 Failure To Obey Traffic Signs Or Signals
Pay by Date 01/29/08
Penalty Due $85.00


I guess I could wait until the A.M. and call the local court, but I would like to know now so I can pay this and get it over with if its no points.

 

[Zee]

yes it's points.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: Zee
yes it's points.

Are you stating a fact, or is that an opinion?

 

[cjvon]

I have a good traffic lawyer and in the past he gets the judge to change my speeding to tickets to some type of "failure to ....." which equals no points and no flags from my insurance company.

Just call the court house tomorrow, they should tell you if the ticket has points or maybe search online?

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: cjvon
I have a good traffic lawyer and in the past he gets the judge to change my speeding to tickets to some type of "failure to ....." which equals no points and no flags from my insurance company.

Just call the court house tomorrow, they should tell you if the ticket has points or maybe search online?

Tried searching online. Its all there in the OP

 

[cjvon]

I fail at reading comprehension.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: cjvon
I fail at reading comprehension.

Thats okay. Welcome to AT!

 

[SoulAssassin]

99.9% chance it's just the fine and no points.

 

[cjvon]

Thats okay. Welcome to AT!

TY.

I had an account a few years ago to try to hire some of you fine people and have been browsing Anand's site since the C266 days.

 

[Zee]

Unless NJ does it completely different from NY, which is possible but unlikely, moving violation equates to automatic points.

 

[manlymatt83]

I just asked my friend. He's a state trooper on the garden state parkway. can't get any closer than that. PM me the officers name, 'll see what I can do. NO guarantees though.

 

[manlymatt83]

And where is the GSP 55? Were you in South south jersey by cape may?

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
And where is the GSP 55? Were you in South south jersey by cape may?

It was in Cranford township. He clocked me as I was going past exit 137 and pulled me just before 136 ramp.

My brother in law is a homicide detective with Middlesex County prosecutor's office, and thats why he gave me the lesser violation. If its just a fine, no problem with me, i will pay it. I dont know if the officer will knock it down any further even if I drop your trooper friend's name. Thanks anyway though.

"The speed limit on the Parkway is 65 mph (100 km/h) from mileposts 0 to 123 and 163 to the New York border, and it is 55 mph (90 km/h) on the rest of the roadway, with some minor exceptions" (taken from GSP wiki page)

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
I just asked my friend. He's a state trooper on the garden state parkway. can't get any closer than that. PM me the officers name, 'll see what I can do. NO guarantees though.

Does your friend know if its a point violation? Looking through the google hits, looks like most statutes beginning with "39:" are the point getters. I could be wrong.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: akshatp

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
And where is the GSP 55? Were you in South south jersey by cape may?

It was in Cranford township. He clocked me as I was going past exit 137 and pulled me just before 136 ramp.

My brother in law is a homicide detective with Middlesex County prosecutor's office, and thats why he gave me the lesser violation. If its just a fine, no problem with me, i will pay it. I dont know if the officer will knock it down any further even if I drop your trooper friend's name. Thanks anyway though.

"The speed limit on the Parkway is 65 mph (100 km/h) from mileposts 0 to 123 and 163 to the New York border, and it is 55 mph (90 km/h) on the rest of the roadway, with some minor exceptions" (taken from GSP wiki page)

Oh wow... I go through there all the time going 80

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak

Originally posted by: akshatp

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
And where is the GSP 55? Were you in South south jersey by cape may?

It was in Cranford township. He clocked me as I was going past exit 137 and pulled me just before 136 ramp.

My brother in law is a homicide detective with Middlesex County prosecutor's office, and thats why he gave me the lesser violation. If its just a fine, no problem with me, i will pay it. I dont know if the officer will knock it down any further even if I drop your trooper friend's name. Thanks anyway though.

"The speed limit on the Parkway is 65 mph (100 km/h) from mileposts 0 to 123 and 163 to the New York border, and it is 55 mph (90 km/h) on the rest of the roadway, with some minor exceptions" (taken from GSP wiki page)

Oh wow... I go through there all the time going 80

Yea me too. But once in a while they flood the area with unmarked cops, both on the side of the road and travelling along with traffic waiting for someone to fly up in the fast lane.

 

[manlymatt83]

Got the response:

Hi Matt - It is 2 points. Have a good day. Funny, I gave someone that ticket today. He was a real ass too. Definite online geek. Wearing a fsck you T-shirt.

There ya go


EDIT: I added the other bit for humor but the points are right.

 

[alkemyst]

I'd just call the ticket clerk. No brainer and a quick answer rather than guessing and playing lawyer online.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Got the response:

Hi Matt - It is 2 points. Have a good day. Funny, I gave someone that ticket today. He was a real ass too. Definite online geek. Wearing a fsck you T-shirt.

There ya go


EDIT: I added the other bit for humor but the points are right.

Shiat! That sucks. I guess I will go to court and try to plea it down to a 0 point ticket. I already got flooded with snail mail from attorneys who want to represent me, but I think i will take my chances with the prosecutor.

Can you ask him if he thinks I have any chance of pleaing it down?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: akshatp

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Got the response:

Hi Matt - It is 2 points. Have a good day. Funny, I gave someone that ticket today. He was a real ass too. Definite online geek. Wearing a fsck you T-shirt.

There ya go


EDIT: I added the other bit for humor but the points are right.

Shiat! That sucks. I guess I will go to court and try to plea it down to a 0 point ticket. I already got flooded with snail mail from attorneys who want to represent me, but I think i will take my chances with the prosecutor.

Can you ask him if he thinks I have any chance of pleaing it down?

I got a ticket in NJ once. Funny, most of my experiences with cops have been OK...sure, I didn't like getting pulled over, but we were both professional about it...but this guy was a real douche. Part of why I hate NJ.

Anyway, since I was living in Indiana at the time, I wrote it in instead of showing up in person. They found me guilty (also BS, but since I couldn't show up to defend myself it's hardly a surprise), but reduced the fine and didn't report any points. So I bet that if you show up, you ought to be able to leave the courtroom a little poorer but with a clean record.

 

[compuwiz1]

Does NJ have a deferred adjudication option like California? Here if I get a speeding ticket I can just go plead no contest and avoid the points by taking traffic school online. Here the judge will normally grant this as long as it's been at least 18 mos from last infraction.

I had to do this a couple years ago, when I got caught going 45 in a 35. I didn't try and fight it, since I knew I was in the wrong. I did traffic school and avoided the points.

 

[kevman]

I got this on the NJ Turnpike, failure to observe turnpike signs, it was no points, the cop gave me a break cuz my B-I-L is a cop in NJ.

 

[SampSon]

The easiest way to find out is to call the town court clerk and ask what the penalty is for conviction of your violation.
In my experience almost all moving violations involve point assessment on your license.

The obvious answer is to plead not guilty, go to court and see if you can get it reduced. If you have friends involved in law enforcement, see what strings they can pull.
If you have a clean record with no recent violations then just going to court and pleading to the judge usually works in reducing it to a (or multiple) parking ticket(s).

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: kevman
I got this on the NJ Turnpike, failure to observe turnpike signs, it was no points, the cop gave me a break cuz my B-I-L is a cop in NJ.

Yea, my B-I-L is also a cop, which is why he gave me the lesser ticket. But now I am getting differing answers as to whether its points or not. I called the clerk and she said the ticket wasn't in her system yet so I have to call back tomorrow.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Does NJ have a deferred adjudication option like California? Here if I get a speeding ticket I can just go plead no contest and avoid the points by taking traffic school online. Here the judge will normally grant this as long as it's been at least 18 mos from last infraction.

I had to do this a couple years ago, when I got caught going 45 in a 35. I didn't try and fight it, since I knew I was in the wrong. I did traffic school and avoided the points.

The problem with taking a "traffic school" to reduce points in NJ is that if you receive another points violation within one year of taking the class, your license gets automatically suspended. I'd rather not take the risk.