Speeding Ticket

[TN_Bassin]

Excessive for a first time offense? $284.50, 18mph over, on a straightaway coming off of a hill. First time I've ever had a ticket. Just seemed a little excessive to me.

Just wondering if any of your thoughts and experiences are similar to mine.

[carolina-rig-01]

Sounds pretty excessive to me. I mean I guess if you were speeding then you got what you got, but your not complaining about getting the ticket your complaining about the cost of the ticket. I agree that the fine is pretty dang steep. Do you know anyone that's a lawyer? Or maybe you could get a lawyer to make a phone call for you for less money than the ticket will cost you. Here in Missouri it's pretty easy to get out of tickets if you just have a lawyer call the judge, they're all golfing buddies anyways.

[Tavery5]

[bassboogieman]

It's Tennessee, check the cop's math..............................

[MO_CPA]

Sounds high to me TN.

Here where I live school zones are about 4 miles long (2 before and after the school). They drop the speed from say 55 to 25 and double fines. I am A OK with going slow around school zones but they patrol the areas that are 1.5 miles after the school and then BAM hit you with a $400+ ticket or try to pin a felony on you if you going more than 20 over. Seen it a bunch of times.

[bassinbob]

I got one for doing 80 on the PA turnpike. Can't remember the amount of the fine but it was I think a little under $200. The only time I fought a ticket was for passing in a no passing zone. I fought it but still payed a fine but didn't get points on my license. Good luck if you choose to fight it. I guess every state has different fines.

[bcklash]

Adam got charged $248.13 for running a red light when we were in Fla. last March, but we were in a rental car, caught by a camera. They had to track everthing down, we got the ticket in the mail in July. We don't think he ran it. But we didn't fight it.

[TN_Bassin]

It's just a little odd considering it was on a rural road, nowhere close to a school zone or other speed zones. at 18 over it didn't qualify for reckless driving... just an ordinary speeding ticket.

I really have no intention of fighting it, I was speeding... I don't think I was doing 63, I think the max I was doing was 60... but his word against mine.

The worst part of it is, that it all could have been avoided if I took my regular route instead of the scenic route. And was paying more attention to where I was, this trooper has been camping out at this spot for awhile now. Not to mention, this guy seemed to be out to write some tickets today, considering as soon as he was done with me and before I even got on my way again he already had some other poor sod pulled over.

[bamabassman]

IF I AM not MISSTAKING, THERE IS NOW A SET DOLLAR AMOUNT, THEN FOR EVERY MILE PER HOUR OVER THAT IS MORE. that is the wya it is in alabama anyway.

[nobass]

that's the standard amount for ticket by state trooper. local is about 135

[joedog]

Well unfortunately when I was young I collected speeding tickets like most collect baseball cards.
I worked two jobs (one had insurance, one I could make a living at) and was always late for something. Oh and I was raising my boy on my own too.
Now Tn this may or may not bring a smile.

I had worked the restaurant (Radisson) till midnight the night before.
Had a nine o'clock court date next day.
I was aware of my tendency to be late so I left early. The court was like an hour plus drive but I setup afternoon appointments in the area for the afternoon.
Now I get outside the town about 15 miles ahead schedule by an hour. So I pull into a wayside to kill the time.

I fluking feel a SLEEP. (only me, I know that doesn't surprise most here )
Now it was a short nap. I wake up and see the time. I got twenty minutes to get fifteen miles through town to the courthouse. All that was on my mind was getting there on time.....here is the crazy part.
I get pulled over by the same State Trooper that I was going to attempt to get a reduction on the last ticket. He writes me another ticket!!!!
Gets better.
It was the troopers last day of duty before his retirement!

Then my local boys knew me and I them.
Most the force of like 30 cops (NO ONE ASK ME WHY I knew so many policeman and they knew me, please )
These gentleman kind of new my situation so I received THREE warning tickets ONE summer for speeding. Good right. If anyone deserved a break, I figured it was ME!

One month later I get a letter from the Motor Vehicle folks basically congratulating me on having such good relationship with the local force.
BUT, if they saw another 'warning ticket' in a year THEY would issue a ticket PLUS suspend my license. Putzs couldn't find anything better to do with their time.

Now a few ideas that may help.
Simply call the DA, usually the Asst. DA does the traffic court.
Simply tell them, usually can be done by phone, your story. Tell them you feel that you were only going what ever speed and they will almost always reduce speed. not always money but....it's your car insurance that the increase will make your speeding ticket look like chump change. And this will follow you for a min. of three years usually five. Ya, high rates for the next THREE-FIVE years. Doesn't matter how many priors you got. And fifteen over is a BIG hike!
So CALL, ask for DA and explain the situation.
Your goal, you want to TRY and get the ticket reduced down to nine miles over. Insurance will still go up but NOWHERE near what a 15 over ticket will cost.
I have never ONCE not gotten a reduction. fact the story I told about the trooper, I got both reduced. BY PHONE, dang if I was going to repeat the nap situation again!
Make the CALL! You won't regret it. The DA's just want to free up the calendar so they really do work with you, usiually. If you have a lawyer buddy fine, if not that phone call in this time of struggles will cost you $300.

Anyway, good luck on your project.

[WaffleJaw]

I take all mine to court and pay $30 bucks for a lawyer to push it for dismissal..We get flyers for these lawyers when you get a ticket and it post on record.
My last one was a BS red light run for $386...It was increased because of the construction zone.....Showed up to court,waited 1.5 hr and dismissed.

[BigBassin144]

They've started putting up speed cameras around toledo. Not the red light cameras, we've had those for a while. These are just long side the road in various places. If you're doing more than 2mph over, it's a $150 ticket. No cops involved, and no fighting it; they've got pictures of your car and license plate.

BB