dude, just pay the ticket, the cop cut you a break, pay it forward bro...you make the cop look foolish in court, he's not gonna wanna help someone out again...

 

just pay the ticket bro. no point in fighting it, you got caught so pay up. simple as that.

LOL cru, did you really thank the officer? when i read that line, it made me giggle a little. "Thank you officer for giving me this ticket, i was speeding. i know i am wrong. i'll be on my way now" thats what popped in my head. LOL

btw cru, its a joke.. don't hurt me. =D

 

Exactly . . . Thank you, Cru. My first reply was actually quite low keyed. However, when the excuses and ill reasoning started to appear, I adopted a different view on this matter.

Point . . . If someone is not willing nor able to be held accountable for the known consequences of an infraction, of any type . . . You simply abide by the rules. Common sense dictates that, no?

How does anything, which happens after the fact either negate or supplant the said infraction?

Whether or not other people exercise the same lack of judgement is irrelevant to the point, which I believe other members are attempting to make. Sure we are all vulnerable to a short term lack of judgement. However, the difference is whether we are responsible enough to be held accountable for our own actions or do we attempt to seek alternative remedies to shadow our self admitted faults.

Based on some of the responses, which I have viewed here . . . I come to 1 of many possible conclusions . . .

Some people are constantly getting into trouble and have no clues, as to why. That is a tough way to venture through life.

I shall now put my full bodied FLAME suit on.

 

of course if you did the crime you are guilty... i guess i mis-typed that... i am speaking in legal terms.... you CAN beat things that you obviously did and be found NOT GUILTY... hence why they dont say innocent... its NOT GUILTY. I have been convicted of things i was innocent of... so why not fight and beat something like this

 

I got a speeding ticket earlier this year. I was on vacation with my GF and we were driving to the hotel. After the CHP Officer handed me the ticket I thanked him and went on my way. I did not protest, whine or snivel about it. What's the use of getting angry or pissing and moaning about it? I was speeding, I was guilty, I did what the Officer claimed I was doing.

Afterward, my GF asked if I was angry and I said not at all. If anything I was a little ashamed of the way I was driving. My GF later thanked me for not letting the ticket ruin our vacation. When the ticket came in the mail I paid the fine and went through one of those internet traffic schools. The End.

 

Very mature response.

I think it's funny how so many people complain about getting speeding tickets and then they try and fight them. Just swallow your pride, accept the fact that you got caught doing something illegal, and pay up. There is no use in fighting the ticket and wasting your own time and effort.

 

I went to court last time I got a ticket (3 yrs ago), never directly denied that I was speeding, and was told to go to traffic school due to my clean record. Gee, I feel like I wasted my time and effort. I could have simply paid the ticket, been paying more through my insurance all along, have points on my record, and have a reduced chance of getting a lesser charge with my most recent ticket had it gone on my record. Yeah, I'm worse off and wish I had just paid up.

You people are crazy. Let's just assume for a moment that you get caught doing 90 in a 65 in VA (reckless, possible jail time, potential loss of license, etc.) Open road, not racing, we've all done it. If the cop doesn't take you directly to jail, are you going to roll over and just go to DMV and hand them your license and say, "I was wrong, please call me when I can have it back"? Don't forget, you'd have to follow that with turning yourself in to your local jail and asking to be imprisoned for 1 day for every mph over 90 you were going (that is the law in VA). HECK NO, you'd get yourself a lawyer. So if it's ok to fight a greater offense, why is it wrong to challenge a lesser one?

Just as you don't need to "get angry, **** and moan about it" (I never advocated that), you also don't have to automatically submit to the greatest possible penalty (in this case a possible reckless charge, a large fine, and several points on his record) to "be a man". Why not take your chances in court (as is your legal right) and let a judge decide your punishment? The state certainly doesn't want you to, they just want your money. And we are all too happy to oblige.

 

+1... That's the difference.

 

Yeah, I've been speeding, got nailed, and paid out the a$$ for it. Way back in the day (25 years maybe?) I accrued 36 points on my license in FL in less than two years.

The first 12 points within 12 months cost me a $hitload of money and my license for 30 days. That wasn't enough.

When I went over 18 points in 12 months it cost me even more money and another 90 days with no license.

Still stupid though - I didn't slow down.

When I hit 36 points my license was gone for a year. Boom. We won't even talk about the money I was paying in fines - the INSURANCE was insane. I was a punk kid doing stupidd $hit, but daddy didn't buy my car, pay my insurance or bail my dumb a$$ out of jail.

I finally got my license back about three years later - when I could afford to pay all the things that went with getting the record cleaned up. When I came in the military the only job I couldn't qualify for was military policeman - my record wouldn't allow it. I learned my lesson - the hard way.

Since I got my license back, no tickets. I've been stopped, but not for anything as unreasonable as 85 in a 45. Even when I was pulling tickets like breath mints it wasn't for anything as stupid as 85 in a 45. You say we all go blowing down the highway at 90. Not anymore. Back when I was collecting tickets there was barely a such thing as reliable radar.

So when I say STFU and pay your fine, it's because I've done it myself. Smart or no, I knew I was wrong and my parents at least taught me that you have to own up to your mistakes.

An example of how dumb I was. I got 3 tickets in 4 weeks on the same stretch of US1 in Homestead, 2 of which were BY THE SAME COP. Cop is chewing my a$$ and I tell him "either give me the ticket, or give me the sermon, I don't have time for both" (I was late for work.) He wrote me for 65 in a 45, which I was easily doing. I drove to the courthouse that afternoon and paid it.. True story.

 

Huh? I paid the fine for speeding and paid for the traffic school. I did not get any points on my driving record and my insurance did not go up. All that and I never had to step foot in front of a Judge. Sorry, I couldn't bring myself to go in front of a Judge if I knew I was guilty.

 

Got pulled over last night for 60 in a 35. Admitted it as soon as the cop came up. We then proceeded to BS for 10 minutes . . . he complemented me several times on my car:

"Your a good kid who's doing what he's supposed to: Go to school, get a job, and buy nice toys. I just want to make sure your around to buy more toys in the future so slow it down. Here's a citation for not changing your address (I just moved to Michigan from CT)."

So in summary. A kick in the *** to slow it down but no actual points on my lisence. Furthermore, turns out I think I am still within the window to change my address . . . so even that is waived.

Too many cops and speedtraps in Michigan for me. I'm saving my racing for the track!

 

Your attitude (respectful and humble from the sound of your post) and demeanor (ready to take your medicine) to the cop through the window likely played a big part in your good fortune.

Admittedly not always the case, but more often than not. It's carried me through all these years. I think the military sticker over the VIN on my cars helps too, but I wouldn't swear to it - not enough data to call.

 

I guess California law is more lax than Virginia law. Traffic school is not an option here unless the judge lets it be. Perhaps that's why my attitude is fight it and yours is pay it.

 

Having lived in VA beach for about 8 years, I can validate any claim that VA cops and traffic laws are tough. Cops (mainly Troopers) in the Tidewater area do not play, do not care what your excuse is, and rarely give anyone a break.

If you know it going in, you're fine.

I can't count how many of my guys were late to work because they got popped on I64 coming to the base. Hoo-boy. VA State Troopers always ruin your day.

 

Oh man . . . I don't know what is worse - the ticket, or explaining tardiness to your commanding officer!