Fight it or pay it?

[CGWildcat]

Stopped by CHP outside Sacramento last week. 83 in a 65. Lots of traffic, all going at least 70-75. CHP was in no mood for conversation, said he stopped me for speeding, going 83. Asked for info, already had it out. He asked me how fast I felt I was going. Told him 70 just to keep up with traffic on a 5 lane highway and not get ran over. He said ok, wait here. 5 minutes later, sign here, this is your citation, court date info on back. I sign, hand back to him, gives me copy and says stay safe and walks off. Suggestions? OH and it's my first ticket in over 15 years!!

[Doc]

Pay it and walk away. Not worth the hastle or aggravation. Should not affect insurance if it's first offense in 5 years, and you won't win


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[badrose]

Get a lawyer to reduce it down to a lesser offense. Will cost a bit more short term but save a lot more long term. You'll probably get some offers to do that in the mail.

[suncat05]

Get a lawyer to reduce it down to a lesser offense. Will cost a bit more short term but save a lot more long term. You'll probably get some offers to do that in the mail.

Get an attorney that handles these kinds of traffic cases. Tell him you'll plea "no contest", ASK FOR ADJUDICATION TO BE WITHHELD, agree to pay the fine & whatever court costs there may be.
If Commiefornia does their traffic courts like Florida does, then getting the withholding of adjudication will keep your auto insurance from going up.
And as badrose suggested, you may be inundated with correspondence from traffic attorneys who handle these types of court cases, and he is also correct in that long term this little bit of extra expense now will save you money down the road.
Just be sure the attorney you deal with is reputable and reliable.

[suncat05]

I don't know about Commiefornia, but here in Florida certain attorneys that mostly specialize in defending traffic offenses send their secretaries/clerks/interns/associates to the Clerk of the Court's Office to obtain the most recent lists of people who have been cited for traffic violations, to whom they usually mail letters to advising that for a small fee they will help them with their traffic citation(s) and the resulting problems thereof.
Of course, as is your Constitutional right, you can also opt to defend yourself in court as well. But an attorney that deals with this type of matter on a daily basis may be the best idea. And even though you are most likely a pretty good driver and don't get cited very often, I would suggest to you that just paying the fine and getting the points assessed against your license is not a good idea. Get an attorney, pay the fine/court costs,
keep the points on your driver's license, and keep your auto insurance from going up.

[Darrell KSR]

Last 4 tickets my children have received, I've asked for and received driving school (online available now) in exchange for dismissal.

For my kids, I love it. It teaches them a lesson. It imparts some specific driving knowledge on them. They pay it, I don't. There are no points associated with my insurance and their record stays spotless. And my insurance company (sometimes--I just changed, and haven't checked) gives a discount for taking the school.

Funny--they get a ticket, and their insurance goes down.

None of what I have done requires a lawyer. I'd call and see if they offer it to the general public.

Wouldn't know what to do with defending the traffic ticket. You haven't told me anything that disproves what they say is the case. Guarantee this--if your testimony is that you "felt" like you were going 70 just to keep up with the traffic that was going 70-75 mph, and they have an officer that testifies you were going 83--either in his experience, or with some radar device--you lose. Your testimony would have to be stronger, and even then, you may still lose.

Attorneys that handle that kind of matter may have vastly different opinions, and I would trust what they say over what I just said. Just giving you some thoughts.

Good luck.

[CGWildcat]

how about my wife was nagging the bejesus out of me about junk and I wasn't paying attention to my speed. #TRUTH!

[Darrell KSR]

how about my wife was nagging the bejesus out of me about junk and I wasn't paying attention to my speed. #TRUTH!

You're married to my wife, too?

via mobile app

[blueboss]

how about my wife was nagging the bejesus out of me about junk and I wasn't paying attention to my speed. #TRUTH!

I don't need a speedometer when my wife is the car slow down, slow down, slow down, I could be doing 12 mph on the expressway and she tells me to slow down.

I'd check in to the pay court cost and go to traffic school route. I haven't had a ticket in about 4-5 years but prior to that I got three in about 4 years, all in Ky. The first in Madison Co ( I 75 Richmond) the second in Jefferson Co ( I 64 Louisville) and the third in Shelby Co (US 60 Shelbyville). I sent in court cost (about half) and applied and was granted traffic school for all three. Since I live out of state, in all three they said they would contact me with details for school, after never being contacted in all three cases I contacted Frankfort and they checked in all three cases had no record of me ever receiving any of the three. In all three instances Frankfort told me to contact my home state (Indiana, but I'm not from there) capitol to see if the county seats had forwarded the ticket info to them. They too had no record and I was told in all three instances that I must have fallen in between the cracks and not to worry about it.

I had a insurance friend run a MVR on me and in all three instances they all came back clean as never receiving any speeding tickets. In all three instances I called Frankfort again and they told me to contact my state capitol to see if they had been forwarded and in all three instances again nothing. About a year ago my wife who works for the courts checked again with the state and I'm clean (pi22es her off).

Moral of the story at least for me is it's worth it to try and at least go to school. If it's convenient I'd show up in court and see what happens, mine were all inconvenient to drive back to the offended county hence the traffic school/court cost option. Who knows maybe you can beat it and pi22 your wife off too.

[dan_bgblue]

83 in a 65? You deserve whatever the court throws at you, you lunatic.

[CGWildcat]

83 in a 65? You deserve whatever the court throws at you, you lunatic.

and my charger was smooth as glass!!

[CitizenBBN]

83 in a 65? You deserve whatever the court throws at you, you lunatic.

In some places you'd get pulled over for that for holding up traffic.

[MickintheHam]

In some places you'd get pulled over for that for holding up traffic.

It's not speeding in alaBama unless you hit 90.

[badrose]

It's not speeding in alaBama unless you hit 90.

I think it's I-10 that goes East-West along the Gulf Coast. What you said applies there.