I'm not sure what to do. My "waiver fine" is $145. This is what the Vermont Judiciary site says would happen if I plead "denied" and found guilty:
If you plead "DENIED" and have a hearing, the judge will decide the amount of your fine. Commonly, the fine after a hearing is the same as the waiver fine, but sometimes is higher or lower depending on the facts of your case, your driving record, and your ability to pay. In addition to a fine, you will be assessed a surcharge, a $50.00 court fee, and possibly witness fees. The surcharge is used for law enforcement training and victims' programs. As of July 1, 2009 the surcharge is $41.00 plus 15% of the base fine. 13 VSA 7282.
This was a speeding ticket. Do I really have a chance at winning this? The only thing I think I could argue is that I was just changing speeds from a higher mph area to a lower one. Also, my perfect driving record.
Otherwise, how do you beat radar? My only shot is if the officer doesn't show. If he does, I'm in for quite a bit of fines and still 3 points on my license.
Woudl you still try to fight this or just pay the $145 fine and keep the points?
Honest answer? Not sure, but very possible. It was after a crappy day at work and I wasn't really paying all that much attention. I do find it hard to believe that it was that much however (40 in a 25), because I was tired and not looking to speed if that makes sense.
Crap I forget all the details here in NY, but basically we went in and pled guilty and got like 1/2 off the original fine amount. They have you meet with a person before the official hearing who draws up the new amount. So you are rewarded for showing up.
Crap I forget all the details here in NY, but basically we went in and pled guilty and got like 1/2 off the original fine amount. They have you meet with a person before the official hearing who draws up the new amount. So you are rewarded for showing up.
What happens if you go and plead guilty?
I didn't see that as an option here in VT. It looks like if you go to court hearing you are contesting...period.
Just in general, I feel like it's kind of a waste of time and public resources to contest for the hell of it. Unless you're innocent, of course.
I guess I don't see it as "for the hell of it". It bothers me that they make it so you "just pay"....a pretty high fine I might add. I'm also bothered that my clean driving record for almost 30 years meant absolutely nothing.
I guess I don't see it as "for the hell of it". It bothers me that they make it so you "just pay"....a pretty high fine I might add. I'm also bothered that my clean driving record for almost 30 years meant absolutely nothing.
Why should it mean something? Speeding tickets are not cumulative; they are based on whether or not someone caught you speeding (and if so, by how much) on a given day.
If your state has a point system, well, your clean driving record means that this is no big deal and will probably fall away eventually. If you were always speeding, it may result in a bigger issue. The fact that it won't shows how your clean record is being taken into account. Also, your insurance company probably takes frequency of tickets into account. So you are getting credit for it, just not with the speeding ticket.
If you were speeding, pay the ticket. How is this a question?
Oh, maybe because I'm not so sure I was speeding ...at least not to the level the officer is charging me with. I think there is a chance that he got me just as the speed changed. Did you even read the thread?
Having said that, I don't think I'm up for the fight. And I know they bank (literally and figuratively) on that sort of response.
in NJ, it does't matter if the officer shows or not. I got a speeding ticket from the State patrol, I did go to court, sit in line, talk with the "mediation" guy (I can't think of a better word for him, he wasn't a Prosecutor). He reduced it to 4 over, what ever points went with that, and the judge decided my fine, which was about the same as the ticket, but I was able to take the defensive driving course and elimiate the points, so I have zero points.
If I wanted to pay around $400 I could have had the ticket and points wiped from my license. some states offer a deferal system like that where you pay a higher cost and if you don't get a speeding ticket for a year, there is nothing on your record.
If you were speeding, pay the ticket. How is this a question?
Oh, maybe because I'm not so sure I was speeding ...at least not to the level the officer is charging me with. I think there is a chance that he got me just as the speed changed. Did you even read the thread?
Having said that, I don't think I'm up for the fight. And I know they bank (literally and figuratively) on that sort of response.
I did read the thread. Not being sure if you were speeding or not isn't an excuse, distracted driving is just as unsafe if not more, and you're lucky you just got a speeding ticket for it.
It is very common to go to traffic court in my state. I was a medical device sales rep before SAHand have about a gazillion friends who are medical or pharmaceutical reps. Many of us had company cars so we had to keep a clean driving record. As a matter of fact, most postings for these types of jobs state, "unclean driving record need not apply..." Because the companies won't pay higher insurance for their company cars. And since sales reps spend so much time driving between appointments, the law of averages says eventually someone will get a ticket.
The process here is that you go to court, ask the judge to change the ticket to "impeding traffic" which is a higher fine but carries no points and does not get reported to insurance companies. That way you don't get a nasty-gram from the HR department.
Also, DH works for one of the big 3 auto companies at a site where there are about 2000 employees. Many if them have company cars, again, he is "strongly encouraged" to keep a clean record. His car privileges could be taken away for a bad record. The police in the town where his office is ticket like crazy, even for 3 miles over the limit. They know that pretty much everyone driving down XYZ Road at 7:45 is headed to work at the car company. They know if they ticket the employees most of them will b e willing to go to court and pay the up charge to keep points off the record. It's how they balance the budget in lean years. Nobody ever disputes they were speeding, that's a given. They just plead no contest to the other charge to keep a clean record. It's quite the racquet.
If you know you were speeding, even if you had just passed where the speed limit changes, I think you should pay it and move on.
My H got hit with the same type of fine last week. He had just passed from a 35 into a 25 and got ticketed for going 34 as he was slowing down. No moving violations since he was in high school, but he got a ticket, and he plans to pay it. Because, after all, he was speeding.
Call a lawyer and see if you can get it reduced to a non-moving violation, which will then not appear on your ticket. This is a plea bargain kind of thing, and prosecutors won't do this if you don't have a lawyer, generally. Also, ask if they have a diversion program, where you promise to be good for X amount of time and if you don't get a ticket in that time, they drop this one.
How much would that cost though? If you have to pay the lawyer and then still pay a reduced fee, what is the point? I mean, she has a good driving record so no points. I doubt she will continue to rack them up, so may as well just save the money and take the points, knowing they will eventually fall off her record.
Unless she knows there will be a big insurance hit. Then I can see how this would be worth it.
Yeah, I probably wouldn't go the lawyer route for this very reason. It doesn't make sense to spend money on an attorney. However, if I get another ticket you better believe I'll do it and fight the ticket.
I will say that I just drove through the same spot and I'm beginning ot get more pissed off about it and thinking I do want to fight it. I do *not* know that I was speeding 15 mph over the limit. Knowing I was tired at the time and knowing my driving style/history, etc in general and through that very spot, I'm pretty darn sure I would *not* have been going that fast in the middle of town.
This is a tough decision. Part of me wants to just move on because I just don't have the time or energy to deal with this and I do not want to spend much more than the origianl $145, but the other part of me thinks this ticket may not be fair and square and I hate the idea of "just paying the fine" so they get just what they want. Or the idea that some people think that even considering fighting a speeding ticket is ridiculous.
The police in the town where his office is ticket like crazy, even for 3 miles over the limit. They know that pretty much everyone driving down XYZ Road at 7:45 is headed to work at the car company. They know if they ticket the employees most of them will b e willing to go to court and pay the up charge to keep points off the record. It's how they balance the budget in lean years. Nobody ever disputes they were speeding, that's a given. They just plead no contest to the other charge to keep a clean record. It's quite the racquet.
I did read the thread. Not being sure if you were speeding or not isn't an excuse, distracted driving is just as unsafe if not more, and you're lucky you just got a speeding ticket for it.
Exactly this. If this is your work route, you should be familiar with when and where the speed limit changes. It is your responsibility to follow the rules, and to pay the price if you don't. My H is a cop, and it is beyond annoying when he has to go in to court on his day off because some A-hole broke the law, but thinks the rules don't apply to them. It's so selfish and a waste of everyone's time and money.
I did read the thread. Not being sure if you were speeding or not isn't an excuse, distracted driving is just as unsafe if not more, and you're lucky you just got a speeding ticket for it.
Exactly this. If this is your work route, you should be familiar with when and where the speed limit changes. It is your responsibility to follow the rules, and to pay the price if you don't. My H is a cop, and it is beyond annoying when he has to go in to court on his day off because some A-hole broke the law, but thinks the rules don't apply to them. It's so selfish and a waste of everyone's time and money.
Well, this asshole is fighting the ticket because I'm not convinced I was doing what the cop said I was doing.
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Jan 16, 2013 17:48:43 GMT -5
If I actually was speeding, I'd just pay it.
ETA: It wouldn't matter to me if I didn't think I was going as fast as the officer thought I was unless your fine is actually dependent on how much over the limit you are.
ETA: It wouldn't matter to me if I didn't think I was going as fast as the officer thought I was unless your fine is actually dependent on how much over the limit you are.
I am trying to ascertain this .....from what I have read, it does look like speeding fines in VT are dependent on the amount over the limit (ie. there is a range). Unfortunately, I'm not finding specific fine amounts.
I do know that the # of points is dependent upon how far over the limit: up to 10 mph is 2 points and over 10 mph is 3 points. I am seriously having trouble believing the 15 over.
ETA: It wouldn't matter to me if I didn't think I was going as fast as the officer thought I was unless your fine is actually dependent on how much over the limit you are.
I am trying to ascertain this .....from what I have read, it does look like speeding fines in VT are dependent on the amount over the limit (ie. there is a range). Unfortunately, I'm not finding specific fine amounts.
I do know that the # of points is dependent upon how far over the limit: up to 10 mph is 2 points and over 10 mph is 3 points. I am seriously having trouble believing the 15 over.
How much would your insurance increase for 3 points vs. 2?
I am trying to ascertain this .....from what I have read, it does look like speeding fines in VT are dependent on the amount over the limit (ie. there is a range). Unfortunately, I'm not finding specific fine amounts.
I do know that the # of points is dependent upon how far over the limit: up to 10 mph is 2 points and over 10 mph is 3 points. I am seriously having trouble believing the 15 over.
How much would your insurance increase for 3 points vs. 2?
Not sure...I would need to check on it. Regardless, I think I would like to at least get the points removed based on my clean driving record (assuming the officer shows up)....although I'm not sure what I would need to say to help make that happen.
Of course, if he doesn't show up (you know, because it's supposed to be his day off), then I'm golden.
If its your first offense, the judge could go pbj and as long as you stay good for a year or whatever, you'd be clear of points. I'd go and just pay the court costs if this happens.
A friend getting a speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving violation in VT back in the day. He just showed up and didn't need a lawyer or anything. How's that for anecdotal?
If its your first offense, the judge could go pbj and as long as you stay good for a year or whatever, you'd be clear of points. I'd go and just pay the court costs if this happens.