Aachen1989

got caught yesterday on I5 (WA) because of speeding ( 95 on 70)..
i was averaging 80 mph, so unlucky that i got caught with 25 miles over the speed limit..
straight road with very few cars; however, i did not notice the police until i saw the top-light flashed enjoyed the driving too much..

the fine for the ticket is $206, and i am not sure about how many pts will be taken off. Since this is my first violation, and i do not want my insurance price goes up.
Should i pay the ticket or ask a lawyer to fight it?? Any advices??

Thanks in advance..

mat2hu

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!! Traffic School will most likely NOT be allowed for you because you went 20+ M.P.H. over speed limit! Therefore your insurance will probably go up also, unless there are special circumstances.

MB300AMG

Well let me give you my own (first violation, and long-winded) experience to hopefully help you with your decision.


Down in West Palm Beach about a year and a bit ago, I was on the I-95. Generally it is 65mph but I did not see it go down to 55mph. In any case I was in the middle lane being sandwiched on either side by both trucks going down a gradual curve. Another car was behind me beginning to tailgate. Everybody was doing 70mph by the way.

As we were rounding this curve one of the trucks was getting uncomfortably close to my car and the car behind was annoying me too. With my exit coming up very soon and this uncomfortable position, I gunned it in my dad's ML SUV and moved to the right lane and slowed down again.

Surely enough I had a state trooper on my *** who said I was doing 85mph in 55mph zone which is known as criminal speeding. Cops generally hate me so the guy just wrote the ticket and wouldn't even let me explain or bring it down by a mph or two to avoid me going to court.

After talking with my dad we got a lawyer and I explained it all to him. He said he gets so many of these and explained the possibilities. The court date was delayed twice.

Anyway I found out he pleaded no contest but I ended up with no points. In the end I had to pay the $361 fine and the $200 fee but being so unsure and this being my first violation, I think it was still worth it just to be safe.

Personally i'd play it safe, even if it does cost more because the short term cost will hopefully help against long term insurance costs.

Hope this helps!

Aachen1989

Yep. This is what i was thinking about.. Also, the police did not let my explain at all, and he was actually shouting to me. That police was very mean, and I was shocked..

This is how young Chinese get treated by the police.. haha

joshg1001

$200 dollars only! if you were caught in california, you are looking north of $400. I dont see how you can fight it...

CEB

...the term "fighting it" indicates that you were wrongly accused - by your own admission that was not the case as you freely admitted to speeding.

That said, you have a right to go to court and, if your record really is clean, there is a good chance that you will get out of court without points.

Your goal is to keep from getting points - you will end up paying the full fine and court costs but you should probably go to court and plead "guilty with an explanation" (or whatever the equivalent is in your state.)

You should then inform the judge that you have a clean record and that you just weren't watching your speed at that moment and (assuming that this is a correct statement) that there either was very light traffic or that you were going with the flow of traffic (or whatever circumstances may be correct)

Always be honest, factual and stress your good driving record and the fact that you were polite with the officer.

Good luck...

AreL11

+1

alexlev

Wrong, they have a tendency of screaming at anybody and everybody.

Highway patrol guys are in a world of their own . .

MB300AMG

Oh yeah! Highway Patrol and some local cops are practically cowboys who are on power trips. I had some old lady hit me on a toll road and then the officer was being rude to me and giving me lip just because i'm younger, and it was completely her fault!

TheDarkSide

Too bad your not in Vegas. Speeding tickets are a joke here. Whether its your 1st or 10th ticket, you just give it to your lawyer and it gets knocked down to a $190 parking violation.

NJBNZ

What's there to fight? You did it...admitted you did it...and got caught. Not like you were only going 5 or 10mph over the speed limit

Will38

Fight the ticket by either hiring a lawyer or take it to the court and hope he doesn't show up. Extend the ticket for 6 months or so and hope that they never show up. Make sure you make the appt as early as possible (morning) because they hate showing up right after their shift. I'm not sure if it will work but for me I'm 2/2 in the Bay Area.

mikekuriger

You're always innocent until proven guilty. also, look to see what they actually cited you on. A lot of times you get sited for "unsafe speed" rather than "driving over posted speed limit". unsafe speed tickets cost more but are easier to fight because the court has to justify it.

casper

Hire an attorney, here in Miami they have a flat rate of $150 per ticket, you will end up paying court costs, maybe the fine, but no points.

i_am_amused

here's an idea... don't drive 95mph

i know, call me crazy...

tanktube67

Pay the fine and go to traffic school unless you have a commercial DL.

mat2hu

what most people here aren't getting is that he may have a strong chance of not being allowed to go to traffic school because he went 20+ miles over speed limit. You have nothing to lose if you want to fight it, except maybe court costs. other than that, the point WILL be added on your record and you will NOT be able to take it off.

Sportstick

Hi mat2hu! Familiar topic, eh?

Anyway..."fight" is still the wrong word. Exercise your rights as a citizen in court to explain the facts and accept the final penalty determination without whining, complaining, or blaming the officer who was obliged to stop you based on your admitted driving.

Sincity

True to a point. In Vegas, if you go 25+, it is a different story. Add in school zones and you are in a world of hurt.

CrAZyVeGAsBoY

if u can have a lawer fight it for u but depending on where u live it might now work.

Sportstick

"You" is only a three letter word, and "your" is only four letters. I've read several of your posts and I know you can use bigger words than that. Any chance you might please write in English instead of teen-text and help some of us read your posts more easily? Not trying to be sarcastic...just hoping to more comfortably read what you write. Thanks.

C300S 6MT

+1

RLE

If the fine really is $206, consider yourself lucky. There was a time in Washington State when anything over 85 was reckless driving which meant a trip to jail with the car impounded.

Further, anyone such as yourself with limited driving experience should not be driving that fast.

iblaho

[quote=Aachen1989;3640872]
Should i pay the ticket or ask a lawyer to fight it?? Any advices??
quote]

According to unofficial and official WA DOL websites, WA is not so clear about tickets except to say that you lose your license or pay more for insurance if you have too many. It was recommended that you contact the court listed on your ticket to inquire if that district in particular offers traffic school.

Aachen1989

That sounds amazing.. parking violation instead of speeding
How did the lawyers work it out?? How much the lawyers get paid??