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So I'm on the way out to do an errand for my mom, and I see a cop car. I was going probably 80 in a 60km/h zone and hit the brakes, slow down, and pass the cop.

On my way home, I remind myself, the cop will probably be there, so drive slow. As I get close, I get distracted and start changing songs on the MP3 player and I guess my foot sunk a little.

I got nailed.

I just got out of court just before christmas, which is frustrating.

Here's the good news. I was caught going 76km/h in a 60 zone. (yeah I know, who pulls someone over for going only 16 over?). So I appologize to the cop (it was a female), and she says shes gonna knock it down. She knocks it down to going 70km/h in a 60 zone. A $40 ticket.

$40!?!!? Is that even worth giving out a ticket for such a small fine. Here's my problem now. I've got two tickets already for going 25km/h over, and this is my third.

I have 6 demerit points.

With the past two tickets, I pleaded guilty with explanation and got them reduced to 25km/h over (both from 40km/h over).

This ticket has an R on the code box, which means it was reduced on the spot, so I'm assuming they aren't going to reduce it at all. (Especially cuz it's so small already)

My insurance gets renewed in April, so I was thinking maybe I'll plead not guilty, that way my insurance doesn't see two tickets for this year. Then the insurance will only see one more ticket (One of the tickets from before was from this year, the other was from the yaer before), and they will be less likely to raise the rates.

So I can either pay it and have the insurance see two new tickets, or I can plead not guilty, and not hve it show up on this years record. If I plead not guilty, can I go in after april and change it to guilty and just pay the fine right there?

Thanks guys...

And yes, I know, slow down. I'm an idiot.

 
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I would plead not guilty on it ticket because I think theres no way that it will be reduced anymore if u plead guilty with an explanation and also this is your 3rd ticket so if u plead not guilty theres a good chance of getting off it because its only 10km/h over the limit.

 
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Whats the explanation for how I have a good chance of getting it off because it's only 10km/h over?

It was reduced from 16km/h over keep in mind.

 
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One thing is that the cop might not show up at all and also when u plead guilty with an explanation u are admitting that u were wrong so there's no chance of having it totally dropped off it u take that route. So if it was up to me I would just take it to court and see what happens, as that was what I did and got off one ticket as the officer didn't show up and had the other reduced from 32km/h over to 15km/h.

 
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just apply for a court date... meaning you want to fight the evidences of your ticket.

this way.. your current ticket wont show on your driving record till you are convicted...... IF you are convicted.

and when the court date comes...... and the officer shows up.. just ssay that you change your mind and you're going to pay the ticket on the spot... or hope for the judge to whip out the 40dollars and you are just convicted of the ticket itself without making a payment.

if the officer doesnt show up.. then that's GOOD... ticket is gone.

if you choose to pay the ticket now.. it automaticallly means that you are convicted of that offence.

so if you want to stall on paying the ticket and not want it to show on your driving record.. just apply for the court date for your 10km/h over the speed limit ticket.

 
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i got booked for 81 on a 60 zone recently and got it knocked down to 70 in a 60 zone on the spot, nice cop

anyways, im gonna go into court and see what the justice of peace offers me. at worst, im hoping theyll reduce it to a non moving traffic violation, which my insurance company will not see (like a parking ticket)

i would go in to court and see what they offer you. as long as they get their 40 bucks, they should be happy. so if it dont get thrown out, i think they wont mind changing the ticket.

 
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Yeah I figure I'll plead not guilty and take it from there. It says on the ticket it was already reduced, and it's pretty hard to reduce a ticket that is at 10km/h over, but the time is waht I need the most, for insurance purposes.

With another ticket going on my record for this year, I'm just worried my insurance will be over $6,000.

 
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yeah, the cop who pulled me wrote and circled the number "21" at the top knowing that if i take it to court, the JOP would know its \been reduced

still, im going in hoping for it to be thrown out altogether, or just reduced to a non moving which my insurance company wont see

 
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What would you say to get it switched to a non moving ticket?

I guess since it's a ticket that has no points, you can say that you will accept a fine for the $40 no matter what, but just would like it switched from speeding to something else, that way your insruance isn't affected...

 
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im hoping that at worst, the JOP gives me that option
if they dont offer to change it to a non moving, ill raise that issue with the JOP and see what they say
and just tell them that i dont want my insurance company to see anything, hopefully they'll understand

 
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well, either way if you pay it or fight it. your insurance company will not check your driving record unless you make an accident claim; then the insurance will dig up your info. Like anyone else trying to obtain a driver's abstract will cost them $15...so insurance company will not pay to see everbody's driver's abstract.

 
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Hmmm.. interesting.
There's less motivation to buy a new car, lol

 
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Not necessarily, insurance companies often check driver records when it comes to renew your policy. Not many people report tickets to their insurance company (obviously), so insurance companies will often check themselves.

Also, a speeding ticket will not be reduced to a non-moving violation, it will remain as a speeding ticket unless the charge is completely dropped. Keep in mind, that if its already below 15km/h over the limit there are no points involved, the only thing you might get in court is a lower fine. Regardless it still will show a conviction and may still affect your insurance.

 
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dude your screwed... your insurance is gonna skyrocket.

 
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EL's right no points involved, but your insurance might go up a bit from your previous tickets.

I hate cops

Although I have 4 friends who wear the blue uniform

 
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ok i dunno if this is 100% true, im not sure if this is on appeal of a conviction for speeding or what not, or if this applies to the first time you take it to court.

but when I got my ticket (which i was able to get thrown out), i had called x-coppers (decided not to use them after i carefully looked over the ticket and realized the the office wrote down the plate # wrong) first, my ticket was reduced to 10 over, $40 fine just like you, and it had an "R" in the code box. when i did call x-coppers the first thing he asked me was if it was reduced on the spot, apparently there is some new law or something like that, is if you fight the ticket, and lose, they could up it to the original speed/fine. dont know if this is true, got this from a guy at x-coppers here in markham. been tryin to confirm it since.

 
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Would sending someone into the court house to ask the lady at the front desk who deals with tickets be helpful? If so, I'll send someone in there

 
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There is mention in the FYST faq (http://www.magma.ca/~fyst) about this - basically the cop cannot testify that you were going two different speeds - it's one or the other - if not the speed written on the ticket then the ticket is wrong.

I'd like to know if this is changed cause I'm supposed to go to court in a few weeks to fight a ticket that was reduced, not sure if I have the 'R' on mine though, gotta check.

 
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Hey guys,
I went back to Kingston like a week after I got the ticket, and I planned on pleading not guilty for now. Turns out the rules have changed, and you can no longer call in and request a trial, nor just go to the office. You have to now go on a Thursday (for Burlington) and then tell them in court you are pleading not guilty. So, since I am back in Kingston I am ****ed. I just paid the ticket and will get my *** royally raped come April. Hopefully I don't lose my civic.

 
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wow, thats really gay

my ticket was in milton and I had to go to the court office during business hours to request court date, couldn't do it by phone/mail either.

my sister got a ticket on the 403 in Brantford last week and she can do it by mail

 
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I just read this on the Provincial Offences Court website (http://www.city.burlington.on.ca/poa...ntent.html#I-1)

"attend at any Provincial Offences court in Ontario and complete a Notice of Intention to Appear form. This form will be forwarded to the court in the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued in order for a trial to be set. "

so you do not need to attend the court in the area in which you received the ticket to request a court date, any Provincial Offences court office will do.


How can I change my trial date once it has been scheduled?

You must attend at the court where your trial is scheduled at least 10 days before the scheduled date of your trial.
You will complete a Notice of Motion advising the court of your request to change your trial date and then swear an Affidavit in support of your request. The motion will be scheduled for the next available court date (approx 3-7 days later) at which time you must attend so that your motion may be spoken to. If your motion is granted a new trial date will be issued at the motion hearing.


How do I order disclosure?

One you have received a trial date, attend at one of the 3 court locations in Halton Region and fill out a Request for Disclosure form. The form will be forwarded to the Prosecutor's Unit. Once disclosure has been prepared you will be notified and you will be required to attend at the court office to pick up the disclosure

 
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I checked my ticket and sure enough it does have the R 'code' on it

I requested a disclosure package from the prosecutors office and received the officer's notes, she has in her notes the speed she really clocked me at... so I'm thinking it might not be a good idea to fight this one in court.

Does anyone know for sure if you are given the opportunity to change your plea at the beginning of the hearing of your case (ie. once I see if the cop showed up) ? I'm thinking the safest thing to do would just go in this week before my court date and ask to change my plea to guilty and pay the fine - if that's even possible.

 
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yes.. you're allowed to change your plea......... b/c once you're registering for a court date..... you're automatically fighting your innocents from your offence.

so if the cop does show up... then you just tell the prosecutor you would like to change your plea to guilty with a reduced fine.

 
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hrrmmmm, i hope that is right but I'm really paranoid about them being jerks about it and changing the charge to 78 in a 50 not 65 if I show up in court and not give me the chance to change my plea and pay the lower fine.

my court date is this coming Tuesday

I don't think they are going to reduce my fine, it's already the lowest fine possible I think ($52.50)

 
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Yeah, it was reduced to 15 over, which is the biggest fine without getting points (16 over is 3 points).

Where in Burly did you get caught?

I was caught on New Street between Guelph and Walkers, she was close to walkers in a church driveway.

 
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It wasn't in Burlington. It was in Milton on my way into Mississauga, at Brittannia and Trafalgar - drops from 80 to 50 by the school there - but it was August before school started.

 
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Yeah I know that spot. One of my crews does work up there sometimes. Pain in the ****.

 
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fight any tickets if possible, a ticket is a ticket. eventually when you renew your policy, it could be a thing that raise your premium

and becareful in the future, u dont want to get too many tickets