Speeding Ticket #3...Am I Screwed Now?

[robcarync]

I feel like I should be a pro now since this is ticket #3 for me (first one to really wake me up and realize speeding is stupid, first two were only 9 over), but I really don't know what to do now.

Last night I got a ticket for 86 in a 55. 31 over. Reckless driving. It was on a highway (4 lanes in each direction) and I was an idiot and didn't realize the limit was only 55...I just assumed it would be at least 65, maybe 70. Either way I would still have been going too fast, but if I had known it was 55 I doubt I'd be pushing 90.

There were only a few cars on the road, maybe 3 or 4 tops, one of them being Mr. Police.

I wish I had a reason for this, but honestly I just wasn't paying attention to how fast I was going (too busy reaching for my directions to Starbucks I was supposed to meet some friends at) I knew I was going fast, but I thought I was only going around 80 or so, but I guess as I was reaching for my paper the speed crept up, and then that combined with the speed limit being lower than I thought, I am in a tough spot.

The officer told me if I showed up in court he'd help me out with the points and fine, but my sister told me a cop told her that he'd help her out with her underage drinking ticket, but didn't do anything.

Right now I don't know if I should go by myself to court and beg for forgiveness and some help with the points, or if hiring an attorney is the way to go.

I had a lawyer for my first ticket (15 over, reduced to 9), but I'm not sure if a lawyer would help since I already have two tickets and this one is MAJOR. At the same time, this one IS major, so maybe I need a lawyer even more then before.

I had just bought a radar detector too...it has been useful for the most part, but I can't expect it to help me when I come up behind a cop going 31 over.

Does anyone have any advice for me?