Speeding Ticket Advice Request

Hi everyone,

I did something very stupid driving home from Las Vegas Saturday morning. I was clocked doing 120, and written up for it. I did not go to jail, but the officer(who was very nice, by the way) said my license would most likely be suspended for 30 days, after my court date. This is my first ticket ever. I am expecting my fine to be $1,000+, but am unsure how many points I will be given. Any ideas? Would it be in my best interest to hire a lawyer? I can live with losing my license for 30 days, but I've also read about people losing their license for an entire year for the same infraction. Any help or advise would be much appreciated. I posted this in here because it happened in Southern California(Barstow, CA). Thanks again.

Jay

 

My experience says that over 100mph, or more than double (or perhaps triple) the posted speed limit, means "reckless driving" and results in license suspension (30 days, but may be at the judges decision to go longer, or not at all). This was years ago. Traffic school was not allowed either (especially if you fight the tickets and lose).




PS: How about spending a few bucks and support F-Chat as a Subscriber? Especially after 700+ posts?

 

I'd be more worried about your insurance, especially since you're 21 and driving an M3.

Depends on the judge, but if you don't lose your licence for 30 days I'd be surprised. $500 fine to go with it. I think Dan's right, though, you're going to court for this -- not traffic school.

You might want to read this: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22348.htm

 

Thanks for the replies guys...

Looks like my fine shouldn't be over $500, being this is my first offense. The officer told me I'd lose my license for only 30 days, and I'd still be able to drive to work and back, based on what he had seen this judge handout to previous offenders. I will definitely be talked with an attorney, I think it would be in my best interest to avoid anything further.


I realize I should never be driving 120mph, but I really wish I had a radar detector!

 

I can give you an attorney reference that has an excellent record in assisting in matters such as this. If interested, please PM me. Tim

 

P.S.
I think that you should consider investing in a high quality radar detector, laser diffusers, police scanner and trucker CB. They have saved my butt on many a Vegas run. Tim

 

You might to call a good lawyer. the best one is Peter Knecht 310-652-2532.
He has helped everyone I know out of many dificult tickets.

 

I have a consultation with an attorney tomorrow AM. I will be investing in every device possible!

 

my favoriate topic to share

In OC or SoCal, anything over 100, you will lose your license for minimum 30 days. The few cases that I've witnessed, the judge will not negotiate, listen to reason, or be lenient. He takes the license on the spot, and will not give traffic school. It's usually a 1 point violation.

Lawyer may be worth the investment, but I would compare the cost based on the rate increase in your insurance for the next 3 years (point stay on record for 3 years).

If it's your first point, then usually the rate increase is a few hundred per year. So, cost of lawyer may not be worth it unless you're shooting for the clean record. But always good to know all your options.

good luck.

 

I'm not going to fight the ticket. I'm lucky enough I wasn't brought into jail on the spot. I'm worried only about the possibility of losing my license for longer than 30 days, or possibly spending the night in jail. I believe this is a 2 point violation from what I read on the DMV site, these being my first and only points on my record.

 

What kind of laser diffusers do people use?

 

Group buy? I certainly could use a defense arsenal. JK not.

 

Heck, I did 140 going up the grapevine and because I am such a nice guy the CHP wrote me up for 90 MPH (only 25 over the posted limit). It took him 15 miles before he could stop me. A school I got.

Talk better next time.



12 cylinders and a good talker.

 

Only because it was posted earlier...

How about spending a few bucks and support Fchat as a subscriber? Especially after 1200+ posts?

 

You're a gentleman in a Ferrari. I'm a 21 year old kid in a BMW! I feel lucky I didn't go to jail!!!

 

I got nailed doing a powerslide in my 550HP 996TT. Reckless driving - 2 points. Had an awesome lawyer; knocked it down to speeding - 1 point. If you have the resources to fight it, then I suggest you do. Never know when you are going to need those remaining points on your license.

 

This last year I was doing 120mph through Camp Pendleton on the I5 North in my mustang. CHP caught up to me and pulled me over. The guy asked me how fast i thought I was doing. Told him I wasn't sure because I was watching the road. He said 104mph, and I didn't argue.

Went before the judge (yes you will have to go to court) and he took my license away for 30 days, no allowance for work/school, no traffic school, and a $450 fine. I was 22 when it happened. This was San Diego County, so I hope whatever county you were in will be a tad more leniant. It was 2 points too, btw.

I had AAA insurance...with one other point on my record...$2,500 a year. Went to $5,600 a year after the two points got tacked on. Now I have progressive auto insurance.

good luck man.

 

Now that I am a gentleman in a screamin' 360, I'm curious as to what your silver tongue spilled forth to convince the Peace Officer that one point was enough punishment.

 

UPDATE:

I have a mandatory court appearance, with no ticket amount listed. I have a feeling this won't end up well.

Can I please have any great traffic attorney referals? I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

 

Good Luck to you Jay!

I got a ticket too... VERY STUPID ticket compared to yours though.......
got clocked 42 in a 35.... sad. Lady next to me was white, driving a tiny bit faster than me and starts to pull ahead. So he flashes lights behind her, but then looks at me.. and gives me a ticket instead... Saw it hapen in my passenger mirror! I was ticked!!! I've been told the racial profiling in Arcadia is insane... Starting to agree...

I don't even know if I should bother fighting this stupid ticket.

 

Wow, a 42 in a 35 is insulting!!! Was that in your NSX?

 

No, actually it happened in my RL... Freshly washed and waxed. Guess I will never wash the car and then take it out for a drive again.

Was talking to some friends earlier.. found this very interesting:

"They're not there to prevent crime (police are there to react to crime after the fact). They're there to generate revenue. Taking care of real crimes is hard work (cops are cops because they don't like to work) and there's no money in it for the government (city, county, or state).

More cops does not lower crime rates. It raises it. More cops to make more tickets to make higher statistics to justify hiring more cops to make more tickets to make higher statistics to justify........

Don't worry, in ten year from now you'll be missing the good ol' days of today when there weren't as many cops making criminals of of the citizens. Why? Because it's only going to get worse. "

 

You're the man Tim. By the way, I'll have another car by the time we do the next Paupers Run, and I'm counting on your attendance

Jay, good to hear you're consulting with an attorney on this one, reckless driving is no joke.

 

Last year, I got nailed for 118mph by radar on my bike coming down Cajon Pass on I-15 late at night. I pulled over as soon as I was lit up and was respectful to the officer. I was not arrested, although the officer did call in his supervisor for consultation.

First court date at San Bernardino courthouse:
I plead not guilty to the offense of speeding over 100mph. (it's a specific vehicular code that can be potientially (not automatically) punished by 30 days liscense suspension and 2 points on your record.) The officer does not need to show for this appearance. The cop had also written up another minor item on the ticket which I cleared before the first court date and the judge dismissed that minor item.

Second court date:
The Officer was allowed to speak his piece first and was nice enough to mention that I was respectful to him during the stop and most importantly did not try to "run" - a common event with motorcyclists.

I spoke my defense, mentioned some things like no traffic on the road, clear conditions, etc. (wanted to make sure "recklesss" speeding wasn't an issue.) Talked about running away from an alien spacecraft and was deathly afraid of anal probing, hence the speeding. And thanked the officer for being professional and not doing a Rodney King on me.

After the judge quit laughing and regained control of the court - the alien story was a big hit, the judge did find me guilty. After a small lecture about speeding - as in "at your age, you should know better", he did not suspend my license. However, I did the get two points and he fined me for like $245 or thereabouts.

All in all, too many variables to determine the outcome of your case. I didn't get a judge that wanted to prove a point, I had a pretty cool officer that didn't hate bikers, and I'm an old fart.

YMMV.

 

As an example of what not to do:

A guy in front of me went up for speeding on the cross-town freeway. I believe it was for 80 in a 65.

So this guy was pure old school yuppie. He actually had a sweater tied around his neck and his name was Todd or Biff or sumthin'. After the cop made his statement, Toddy starting whining about how he was going the flow of traffic and he was singled out cause he was driving a bright red RX8.

After about ten minutes of this guy's BS, the judge asked: "what was your speed?" The guy replies:"uhh 75."

Bam, the judge says guilty and nails the guy with a substantial fine and one point. Oh yeah - and no traffic school. He loss that chance when he pleaded not guilty at his first court date. Biffy then started to argue with the judge until he saw the judge motioned to the baliff to remove him from the bench.

So... based on these two events:

Biff got nailed cause he pled not guilty to speeding. And then said he was doing 75. He just admitted he was speeding. Open and shut case. The judge nailed him with a hefty fine for wasting the court's time.

OTOH, I pled not guilty to the specifc vehicle code regarding speed over 100 mph. I didn't try to BS the judge that I wasn't speeding - just that I was not doing over 100mph - rather something like 95. My goal was to get out of the 30 days suspension and the two points. I at least succeeded on the loss of license issue.