I got my fisrt speeding ticket, I'm a little scared, please advise!!

[spanky]

I was driving on the NJ Turnpike and got pulled over for speeding. I was driving on the car lane and the state trooper was on the other side of the divider on the truck lane. He didn't even use radar, he paced my car and eventually came over to my side thorugh a break in the divider and said I was going 80 in a 55 zone. I know I was speeding, but pacing my speed is so inaccurate. This is my first ticket ever and I am a little nervous. I can't afford the ticket cost because I'm a broke college student. What can I say in court so they may reduce the charges??

Thankyou all

Edit* OOPS, I am at work now and didn't realize someone else logged on to this PC adn to AT

2nd Edit* OOPS is right u dork!!! get off my AT account...and stay out!!!

 

[pyonir]

by pacing the cop made a bad mistake. point that out in court. ask for documentation that the speedometer in the cop car is calibrated correctly. look up the statutes in your state regarding speeding fines and pacing. tell them you were speeding but not doing 80 and you have no idea how he got that number. bribe him. good luck

 

[MichaelD]

Scared? You should be!:Q If you don't pay the ticket within 16 hours, they come to your house.



At night.



With dogs.


And torches.


They kidnap your pets and take photos of them wearing clown makeup.


They continue this inhumane treatment until you pay up.


With interest.


Sorry, couldn't resist What can you say in court? Not a damn thing. You got caught on the Jersey Turnpike by a NJ State Trooper, my friend. Jesus Christ coulnd't get you out of that ticket. Tell the judge you really weren't aware you were speeding, but you're sorry and can I PLEASE have probation?

You pay the ticket (prolly around $200...sorry ) and you don't get another moving violation for 90 days, and the ticket disappears. You don't worry about the money...that was gone the second you sped. What you DO need to worry about is your insurance company finding out. Which they WON'T if you get probation and don't screw it up. Good luck!

 

[Zenmervolt]

Pacing may not be the most accurate method, but even if the cop was off by 5 mph in your favor (I doubt he was off by that much), you were still 20 mph over the limit which is a lot. I don't think you have any chance at getting the ticket thrown out, your best chance is to plead guilty to going perhaps 15 mph over the limit and hope that the judge feels charitable.

ZV

EDIT: Asking for documentation that the officer's speedo was calibrated correctly is a stall tactic at best and is very likely to get you on the wrong side of the judge. Police know that in order to catch speeders the speedos in their cruisers must be accurate and calibrated. Besides, even a speedo that has never been calibrated after the car left the factory would not be 25 mph off. I still think your best option is to plead guilty to speeding between 15 and 20 mph above the limit and hope for the best. A tip for the future, if you're over 60 in a 55, expect the worst. If you're over 75 in a 65, expect the worst.

 

[MichaelD]

<< by pacing the cop made a bad mistake. point that out in court. ask for documentation that the speedometer in the cop car is calibrated correctly. look up the statutes in your state regarding speeding fines and pacing. tell them you were speeding but not doing 80 and you have no idea how he got that number. >>



You are correct, Pyonir. However, the judge will laugh at you unless you are standing there w/a lawyer. I tried that "Radar gun isn't correctly calibrated" arguement one time. The judge said, and I quote:



<< Son, I don't have time for games...either pay the ticket today, or I'll tack-on some penalties. And if you mouth off again in my court, I'll hold you in contempt...now get out of my face. >>



I wouldn't try that "pacing is inaccurate" defense unless you have a lawyere stanidn next to you.

 

[rahvin]

You admit you were speeding. Buck up, pay the ticket and learn not to break the law. You won't get much sympathy for being a lawbreaker...

 

[isekii]

I'm on the NJ turnpike everyday going from Exit 18W - 15W RUtgers.. and I rarely see cops~

I really don't know how you got caught.. and you out of all people~

there are so many people that speed on the turnpike~

just bad luck i guess~

and I don't think going to court is gonna make a difference.. unless you have a decent lawyer that can reduce the fines.. or even get the points removed~ so your insurance don't get jacked up

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

what exactly are are scared about? driving 25 mph over the speed limit or having to pay the fine?

I would suggest you seek either a defensive driving course in lieu of the fine (costs the same, but ticket stays off your record) or a deffered judification (costs the same, but ticket stays off your record assuming you can stay ticket free for 6 months).

I would also suggest you change your driving habits before you are in a speed collision and hurt someone.

 

[pyonir]

<<

<< by pacing the cop made a bad mistake. point that out in court. ask for documentation that the speedometer in the cop car is calibrated correctly. look up the statutes in your state regarding speeding fines and pacing. tell them you were speeding but not doing 80 and you have no idea how he got that number. >>



You are correct, Pyonir. However, the judge will laugh at you unless you are standing there w/a lawyer. I tried that "Radar gun isn't correctly calibrated" arguement one time. The judge said, and I quote:



<< Son, I don't have time for games...either pay the ticket today, or I'll tack-on some penalties. And if you mouth off again in my court, I'll hold you in contempt...now get out of my face. >>



I wouldn't try that "pacing is inaccurate" defense unless you have a lawyere stanidn next to you. >>



yes i agree. thanks for pointing that out and it all depends on the judge you get.

 

[Dyflam]

If you challenge the charges in court you risk the possibility of paying court costs as well as the cost of the ticket. My advice is to pay and slow down a little. (I have paid a few myself.)

 

[spanky]

I don't usually commute to work, but since school is out I have to. I was a little late for work so I really had to choice but to go faster, I know I was wrong, but I feel like crap. By the way I work at Rutgers University as a tech. Should I enter a plea bargain or something?? Perhaps talk to the prosecuter??

 

[ravanux]

<< You won't get much sympathy for being a lawbreaker... >>


Easy Trigger!!! It was just a speeding ticket!

 

[psteng19]

wow, i travel on the turnpike too and i rarely see cops. maybe twice, both times with a guy pulled over.
sneaky nowadays since there's pretty much no where they can hide.

usually they let you plea bargain, i.e. dropping the 80 in 55 to a 70 in a 55.
just accept and pay the fine. it's the points that's gonna hurt ya.

gl.

 

[BlackOmen]

Reminds me of when I was pulled over for doing 76 in a 55 on 283 in PA on my way home for thanksgiving break the year before. The cop must've been in a good mood or felt sympathetic when he saw my college text books because when he came back he wrote me up for doing 61.

 

[avedis]

At least go to traffic court, don't just pay it, even if you say your guilty.
At the court, you have the chance that the cop will get busy, and not be able to show up for court, and if that is the case, yer free!

 

[spanky]

<< At least go to traffic court, don't just pay it, even if you say your guilty.
At the court, you have the chance that the cop will get busy, and not be able to show up for court, and if that is the case, yer free! >>


I heard that does not always work, and that the prosecutor knows that people might be thinking that. Can anyone verify??

 

[ThaGrandCow]

<< I heard that does not always work, and that the prosecutor knows that people might be thinking that. Can anyone verify?? >>



Yes I can verify that. If the cop does not show up, when the judge asks for your plea, say not guilty. Only the cop who actually witnessed the speeding can dispute that. If he's not there, then noone can contest your not guilty plea and you can walk out of the court room without any points or a fine (I think you might still have to pay the $30 court fee though, depends on which court you go to. In MD I had to pay $30 when the cop didn't show up because I still took up some of the courts time)

Either way, go to court. It's your first ticket, so the judge will show you leniency. Best case, you get PBJ (probation before judgement) where as long as you don't get another ticket for the next year that first ticket is completely gone off your record. If you do get another ticket within a year though, you get the points for the first ticket and the second one all at once (sucks to be the person paying your insurance). I wouldn't expect PBJ when doing that much over the limit though, I'd expect more likely that the judge will reduce the speed that you were going and reduce the fines/points so it's not as bad.

 

[mithrandir2001]

<< I was driving on the NJ Turnpike and got pulled over for speeding. >>


Wow, big surprise there. Jersey cops suck! Here in PA, I usually don't have to worry but once I cross the Delaware River, I better keep my eyes peeled at all times for cops. They crawl out of the woodwork in NJ...so many traffic cops, waiting, scheming, frothing to pull you over. And they pull you over for the stupidest things. I've been pulled over for a dim brake light (not out, but dim) and driving in the "overflow" lane of US1 at 6:10PM when the lane is supposed to be used only from 4-6PM (rush hour lasts through 7PM...the 6PM closure time is ridiculous). Great way to earn respect from people...harass them silly for petty stuff.

Plead not guilty, go to court, get a plea bargain from the prosecutor (before your case is heard). You'll likely want to take it because the plea bargain will have a reduced violation (like 70 in a 55).

You are lucky you were doing an 80 in a 55 and not an 80 in a 65. Why? Because now that NJ raised the speed limit to 65 on some roads, fines are doubled in those 65mph roads! So 15 over doubled is worse than 25 over...goes to show you the stupid logic of traffic fines.

 

[cappsa]

you gotta pay to play.

 

[spanky]

<<

<< I heard that does not always work, and that the prosecutor knows that people might be thinking that. Can anyone verify?? >>



Yes I can verify that. If the cop does not show up, when the judge asks for your plea, say not guilty. Only the cop who actually witnessed the speeding can dispute that. If he's not there, then noone can contest your not guilty plea and you can walk out of the court room without any points or a fine (I think you might still have to pay the $30 court fee though, depends on which court you go to. In MD I had to pay $30 when the cop didn't show up because I still took up some of the courts time)

Either way, go to court. It's your first ticket, so the judge will show you leniency. Best case, you get PBJ (probation before judgement) where as long as you don't get another ticket for the next year that first ticket is completely gone off your record. If you do get another ticket within a year though, you get the points for the first ticket and the second one all at once (sucks to be the person paying your insurance). I wouldn't expect PBJ when doing that much over the limit though, I'd expect more likely that the judge will reduce the speed that you were going and reduce the fines/points so it's not as bad. >>



Can't the court just reshedule?? Some people say that

 

[crypticlogin]

Is there a reason why you're still posting as Spanky007?

 

[Keego]

Hey MichaelD, what if the 16 hours thing expires and it's not night out? do they wait the other couple of hours? What if you pay before it's night, but after the 16 hours?

 

[ToXiCRaGE]

u were stupid to speed when the cop was there in the first place. and presenting the fact in front of the judge that he was "pacing" u won't do any good.........for crying out loud, u were going 80 on a 55! Even if there is an error of 5mph back or forth u were still over the limit by a large margin.

just peel of some cash and stop whining.

 

[MichaelD]

<< Hey MichaelD, what if the 16 hours thing expires and it's not night out? do they wait the other couple of hours? What if you pay before it's night, but after the 16 hours? >>




It matters not. They still take your animals and put clown makeup on them and take pictures. However, if the 16 hour rule expires, and its the third Wednesday of the month, in April, and it's about 56F outside, and you had red underwear on at the time of the offense, they will only put makeup on your cat.

 

[Harvey]

spankyOO7 -- You did the dirty deed. Suck it up, and take what you earned. :Q

Since you don't have any prior speeding tickets, the best thing you can do is go to traffic school, if that is available in your state. It will cost you the same for the ticket, plus the cost of the traffic school, but you can keep the violation off your record, which will save you a bundle on your insurance.

BTW, you may even be able to do traffic school on line. In California, there are a couple of sites that allow you to download the materials, complete the test, and return it, so you don't have to sit through a couple of hours of bad comedians on their days off. You won't be able to cheat the exam. The materials and the exams I've seen are written in such a way that you must read the whole thing to pass the exam.

Remember -- Drive carefully. Newton was right!