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

[robcarync]

i have already completed a defensive driving class for my first ticket to get it reduced to 9 over....im thinking this may not be an optioni again for me, but i will check it out.

the thing is, in NC, the ticket would just be "Speeidng over a total of 55 mph"...and in SC the ticket fits in "speeding over 25 mph over the limit"...

so in SC, even if the ticket gets reduced to 19 over, that is still over 55mph total and still carries a 3 point penalty by the NC dmv.

my co worker told me (what worked for him), was to talk to the officer, see if he would be willing to change the ticket to "careless driving", which in SC doesnt give you points on yoru license, but you can still get the same fine...that way the city still gets the money, the officer still gets credit for a ticket, im paying nearly 500 dollars in fines, but my points dont go up, and my insurance hopefully wont go up an insanely large amount...but this is all based on an SC DL...

im still trying to figure out how careless drivng translates to NC dmv points...i think it fits in under "all other moving violations" which is 2 points...so if the officer would be willing to do that, id get 1 less point, a big fine. im not sure yet, but ive contacted my lawyer back in NC to see how it would translate to NC points, or if there is a similar, pointless, charge.

i think i have decided to not hire a lawyer since reckless wasnt the charge. either way, without the officer helping me out, im getting a decent point reduction just by having an NC license, so right now worst case scenerio is looking like the best case scenerio if i had had an SC license

[Ji Money]

See if the cop will work with you to reduce the points. I know Geico will increase a premium for moving violations regardless of points, but AIG will only look for points.

Good luck man, I had to cough up $400 to get zero points on a moving violation.

[DustenT]

Get your own insurance before the ticket posts to your record.

[robcarync]

not a bad idea...

now i am a bit more concerned. the NC DMV website didnt say you could get a license suspension for speeding, only mentioned things like DUI and prearranged racing, but i did an internet search and the DOT website said your license is automatically suspended if you are going over 15 over at speeds of greater than 75.

i need to call my lawyer in NC to clear this up. if that is the case i need to forget about insurance points and try and keep my license.

i have now determined that speeding is the worst mistake of my life thus far. causes so much trouble....and for what? just to have the fun of going fast...its pointless.

[ATF]

Originally Posted by robcarync

i have now determined that speeding is the worst mistake of my life thus far. causes so much trouble....and for what? just to have the fun of going fast...its pointless.

And getting from point A to point B faster

Really sorry to hear about all your problems. My dad and I usually make it from our house to Boston in like 3 hours, no one ever believes we do it because it's suppose to be like, a 3 hour and 40 minute drive... I don't know how people could possibly drive the speed limit... However I never speed in bad weather or wet roads.

[robcarync]

wet roads and bad weather = me being very cautious

dry roads on a 4 lane (each direction) highway that is perfectly straight = me driving too fast

i now set cruise to about 4 over...and now even people in the slow are passing me...it is SOOO hard but i seriously cant afford another screw up like this.

[robcarync]

Before:

31 mph over
$440 fine
6 points
License Suspension

After:

9 mph over
$75 fine
2 points
No suspension


I talked to my lawyer in NC, and he said he can reopen my 9 over ticket in February and use a "Prayer for Judgement" to get it thrown out, so basically I will be swapping this ticket for my ticket in February, so insurance won't change.


I GOT OFF SO LUCKY!

But I have learned my lesson. No more speeding.

[mohaughn]

and my ticket is only 3 points instead of 6. my insurance is going to be screwed no matter what

I don't really agree with the statement that insurance always finds out. I got a speeding ticket last year for doing 19 over in Georgia. It was a 480$. I called a lawyer in that county. He told me to write a letter to the clerk of court admitting that I was speeding but to tell them that I was contesting the speed at which I was recorded. There was a lot of traffic on I75 that day and the cop tagged me with radar. So my defense was admitting that I was speeding but that I was not clocked properly and the cop probably got somebody else around me.

Two weeks later I got a letter back telling me that my fine had been reduced to 14 over, minor offense, and that my fine was 180$. Georgia does not report minor offenses for out of state drivers. This ticket is not on my record and my insurance has no clue that I got this ticket, no change in rates. Insurance companies pull YOUR states DMV information on you. If the ticket is never reported to your DMV your insurance will never now. Basically the lawyer told me that they, the county that wrote me the ticket, just collect the fine and never do anything else with it on minor offenses...

Bottom line, sometimes admitting that you are guilty and taking responsibility for your actions is viewed very positively by judges and lawyers... Also, most of the time a cop can't do anything for you but ask the prosecuter or judge to go easy on you. This probably varies widely from state to state, but for instance in Georgia the cop told me all he can do is denote what the speed over was and the county prosecuter handles everything else. Traffic court also varies widely from state to state. In Georgia you don't actually see a judge you see a county prosecuter who handles everything.

In my opinion you did the best thing you can do which is ask a lawyer in that county for advice. The lawyer I called told me, "You can pay me 300$ to do this for you, but if you think you are even slightly intelligent and can write a nice letter you can easily do this yourself." Just don't show up in court thinking you are a bad ass because you read some website and trying to spout off law to a bunch of legal professionals as they will usually show you how much you don't know.

[aceyx]

Originally Posted by mohaughn

Bottom line, sometimes admitting that you are guilty and taking responsibility for your actions is viewed very positively by judges and lawyers...

I'd change that sometimes to often, and include the LEO that pulls you over.

[robcarync]

SC reports all tickets to the NC dmv.

My court date was last Wednesday. I called the officer a week before my court date since he said he could help me. I told him I was an intern with BMW and my job involves driving cars on a daily basis (true) and that you have to maintain a state issued drivers license to keep your driving privileges on the plant (also true, but not really enforced much) and that since I have an NC license, I am facing an automatic suspension. I told him I am not as concerned with the points and fine, but the main thing I am worried about is avoiding the license suspension in anyway possible. He told me not to worry, show up to court, and we will talk to the judge.

He was nice and he worked with me and the judge to help me out.

I got lucky.

[pdxmotorhead]

Originally Posted by robcarync

SC reports all tickets to the NC dmv.



I showed up at court, and I didn't even have to talk to a judge. He pulled me aside before the judge came in, changed the ticket to 9 over the limit, 75 dollar fine, 2 points on my license. He told me to go pay the ticket at the front desk, and don't tell anyone he did this for me.

I got lucky.

So you posted the story on the Web???

If this comes back on him I guarantee you'll be getting another ticket weekly forever.....

Dave

[robcarync]

Well i didn't mention who the officer was...but i will take the story out just for you...

[pdxmotorhead]

I just know how the old boys club works
There is enough info in your post that if somebody
took interest they could figure it out in a couple
minutes on the courts computer....

There is a "comment" system that shows the
info the last cop to pull you over can leave messages in on
the computer gadget, its supposed to be for info like
"Dangerous guy watch out"
But it gets used for more.....

No need to humor me!
Good Luck and glad the pink paper gods smiled on your wallet!....
Dave
Good Luck