Hey guys I need your help with a ticket I just received within the hour. I was pulled over for going 89 in and 65 mph zone on 417 right at the merge between 408 and 417. This is the merge right after the University Blvd. exit. What happened was, I was in the middle lane, and there was a Saturn in the left lane deliberately blocking me, in the far right lane was somebody in a SUV with out of state tags going extremely slow. The SUV swerved over abruptly into the middle lane in front of me and I could not go into the left lane because of the Saturn. So I merged into the right lane and floored it passed him to get back into the middle lane to make the 408 merge. At that time a FHP was sitting in the far left breakdown lane he clocked me and pulled me over for 89 in a 65 and proceeded to write me a $205.00 ticket. The options are paying it and loosing 4 points, go to court, or attend a driver improvement course. What is the best option here? Do you think I should try and challenge it in court? Can you local and experienced guys give me your best opinion?

as most will say.....pay the ticket or take a driving course.....fighting the ticket will waste time and 205$ is not tooooo much for a speeding ticket..next time stay in the middle lane and wait to merge

If I elect to go to traffic school and not have any points taken off, I still have to pay the $205.00 right?

i believe if you pay the ticket you will still have the points.....but if u take the course it removes the points....correct me if im wrong but i think thats how it works

sorry last post made no sense......u have to pay ticket either way......to remove the points you have to take the class..which also cost money.....but it might be better if u r younger because if you dont your insurance will increase...

Hmm, I just re-read it and it says, "You shall pay a penalty." However it does not specify how much. Do you know if it is the same amount as the first option?

take it to court.... if you see the cop there that gave it to you, the elect to take the school for free (free as in doesnt count as one of your lifetime chances) then you will have to pay the ticket and school, buuutttttt..... if he isnt there, it will get thrown out. i have had many many tickets thrown completely out

Audible: really? I didnt know you could set it up so that they dont usurp your lifetime chances of ticket school... I see you are skilled hehehehehe

My options:

1) pay a lawyer $70 or whatever (unless you have other recent speeding tix) You should be getting their post cards in the mail very soon.

2) go to court and plea your innocence in a NOT GUILTY fashion

3) go to court and plea NO CONTEST and explain the situation to the judge - then if he/she is somewhat understanding say you just want to pay the fine without points (I think this is the most reasonable because, hell... you were speeding, you could have easily slowed down and just waited behind the other drivers)

4) take traffic school online, usually about $25-40 - I dont think you will have any points on your license and there will be a slight discount on your ticket, so total costs should be about $215-220 (Im guessing) or maybe less

Which have I done personally? #4 (for a improper lane change ticket when I was 17 (shoulda just paid the damn thing and taken the points) and #3 (illegal left turn, I just didnt see the sign - paid the $100 fine and walked out w/o points)

If you dont have any points on your license, I'd just take the points. or try #3... no one forced you to press the gas.

Oh yeah, and dont count on the ticket being thrown out. If that happens, just be surprised and happy that you were blessed for the cop to not have shown up.

Good luck!

Adrian

As an attorney....1 out of 20 cops wont show up. Reality is they still get paid while they are dicking around the courthouse and all they do is get up and say why they pulled you over. Not hard and, again, they still get paid for their time off the traffic street.

i went to court once a few years ago for a ticket. The 1st thing they said was anyone here can just pay $50 in court costs and have their ticket dismissed.

well im sure you are right, but..... in my case i would say that 40% havent showed up. seriously, i used to take them all to court. now i just drive better.....

That's my kind of court room!

There was a previous thread on this law firm that had very good feedback:

http://www.theticketclinic.com/

I don't know what you can lose by making the call.

hey I have a number of a lawyer that charges $300 for the case but gaurantee you will not have any points and also you do not have to payfor the ticket so total expense of $300 pm me if you need his number

Call the Ticket Clinic or go to court. If your driving record is good, the judge will ask if anyone is there just because they are concerned about points. You speak up and go first before all the other cases. You will have to pay the fine and some court costs, but adjudication will be withheld (not guilty) and no points on your license. also, you won't have to waste 4 hours doing the driver school online, unless you can get your girlfriend to take it online, like my brother did.