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Hey folks,

got another ticket. only the second in my career of driving. But I really can't afford this right now. I'm getting laid off. It took me like 6-7 years to recover from my last ticket. My insurance got canceled and I had to pay high insurance prices with assigned risk for so many years. We just got back into a normal insurance company like 1 year ago. I dont want to go back down into the minor leagues AGAIN and spend another 5 years paying through the nose. I cant afford this. Not now with the market so bad and me out of work. What can I do?

I was told that if the cop doesnt show up to court that day, I can get it dismissed. Is this true?

I was also told that if I overpay, then somehow the paperwork gets stuck, and it never gets reported to the insurance companies. Is this true?

man this sucks big time


I live in suffolk NY by the way. And I got the ticket in Nassau NY

 
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That all happened before with just 1 ticket...DAMN

What was it for this time??







BTW...If it was such a big deal the last time around...Why didn't you take every precaution that you could in the future??


NO COP......NO TICKET

 
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yea dur
thats why im smacking myself.

first ticket was 85 in a 55 zone. one more mile over the limit, and i would have been charged with reckless driving.

this ticket was 75 in a 55 zone. not as bad, but almost. i heard that anything over 15 miles over the speed limit will make the insurance companies flip out.

 
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If the cop don't show, then the ticket is waved off. If he does show, then you've gotta defend yourself (or maybe you have the foresight to bring a lawyer). Where I'm from, the cop will show up around half the time, so it's best to have a sob story or SOME defence prepared. I dunno about the overpaying part.

 
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IF they find out...Can you go to traffic school and get it wiped off??

 
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This isn't completely true. I know in MA the actual cop that wrote you the ticket doesn't have to show up. There's usually one guy from the police department down there everyday representing the police officers.

Just plead your case well man. Make it seem somehow you were the victim, but don't be too outrageous.

Make sure they got you with a radar. If they didn't they have no case because they have no proof, but I'm pretty sure they did get you with a radar. You can look on the ticket to find out how they trapped you. Whatever you do don't make yourself seem careless by saying things like "I don't know how fast I was going."

And remember, be really, really polite and dress well. If this is only your second ticket since you've been driving there is a good chance you can get it waived because you're a "good driver". Just tell them you don't normally do this stuff, etc, etc. Make yourself seem like a good kid. If you're in school, mention that somehow, and mention how you really can't afford to pay this thing right now.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

 
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That overpaying is a myth. It's not really true. Your insurance still gets the report.

Here is the best way to get it so the cop doesn't show up. Ask for a continuance because you have school or some important thing that can't be changed. Then when you show up to the next court date 6 months later the cop might not show up then you are in the clear. If he does show up then say that you want a trial by jury. Another year later when the jury trial is set show up and fight your ticket. In these circumstances the cop will most likely not show up.

 
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or you could prevent all of this by not getting the ticket in the first place

 
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I heard that you can go to court and plead guilty, but provide an explanation as to why you were speeding, or your situation. Depending on the judge, they have the ability to do something that makes it so you have to pay the fine, but your insurance doesn't get notified. I think it's some sort of probation. Just be honest in court and the judge may lecture you, and then if he sees that you've learned your lesson he may let you off with just a fine. This is coming from a person who had 3 accidents and 3 tickets by the time I was 18 years old. Just be honest, and it all works out.

BTW: I'm still paying for my tickets with GEICO (On one of them I was going 92 in a 50, but the cop clocked me at 79, which is 1 mph below reckless. Thank goodness I've learned and slowed down.)

 
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yea im hoping thats gonna happen. The thing is I might not get such a sympathetic judge. Who knows?

And well duuuh. if i didnt get the ticket in the first place I wouldnt be having this conversation. i know that! but thats in the past. Im trying to figure out what to do now.

 
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There was a post about this kind of thing yeasterday in the Off -Topic forums. It was an artice on MSN Money that told you have to beat the ticket. I will see if I can find it


Edit : Ah here it is ..........
Click me

 
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The vast majority of states do not allow trial by jury for traffic tickets, since they are only considered infractions.

Yeah, that overpaying thing is bogus. I've tried it, it doesn't work.

If your state allows traffic school, by all means, do it! It's worth it to keep insurance from finding out. If you can't do traffic schoo, it sounds to me like it would be worth it for you to hire a lawyer. You'll probably pay him about $500, but he should be able to get you some good results and save you money in the long run.

 
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That's total BS! You always have the right to a trial for any ticket.

 
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You're missing it - it's not that he doesn't have the opportunity to contest, it's that it's not a full-fledged trial with jurors. At least from my experience in MA, what happens is you see a court adjuticator that will see your case 1 on 1. If the officer is not present, there will be a representative, and they will have a signed affadavid by the officer that pulls you over. Should you fail to win the case the first time around, you can have the case brought in front of a judge, and then the officer is required to appear. It's a gamble, but it can work.

It's always in your best interests to contest the ticket anyhow. Use the guide from the link in OT provided earlier. See if you can get a continuance, which is basically like probation. No infractions for 6 months to a year, and nothing is reported. Do not be accusatory at all, because it won't get you anywhere. Don't use the radar being uncalibrated because that doesn't fly either.

The sad part is, just like in an accident you always lose. Whether it be time or money, you're going to lose something somehow...

Hope that helps!

T-X

 
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as far as cop not showing that happened to my dad once, but i dont know about nowdays that was in the 80s and probably depends on area. DEFENSE !!! thats the way to go... i got 3 tickets at once in a sting/crack down thing they were doing on this certain bad road(2 for no turnsignal lane changes and 1 for 10 over speed limit 55 in a 45) the 2 turnsignal ones were no chance because its not even illegal in FL to change lanes without signals and the speeding ticked got waved partialy because of his incompetence in giving me the other 2 and mainly because he didint log his radar callibration that day(big deal) so good luck in any case!

 
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In NY you can apply via the DA for "reduction papers".

I had a Speeding ticket (48 in a 30) reduced to a "Failure to obey a traffic device".

Basically the same as not coming to a full stop @ a stop sign or something .....

Only 1 point on the record instead of 4.

Insurance never went up ....

 
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wawa whats up man i live in Huntington. Anyway for your ticket if u enter as not guilty, 1 of 2 things can happen. Either cop doesnt show and the tickets gone, or what usually happens is they lower the fine. My advice to u would be to find a friend of the family, or even a relative that is a cop, preferably detective, and get a DAI card. I'm still ticket free with my card! What insurance company do u have, a few of my friends have had plenty of tickets and have never been put into the "minor leagues".