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03-09-2023, 09:49 AM | #1 |
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Recommendation - fighting a speeding ticket
I live in MA and got a ticket in upstate NY in January. Clocked me at 81 in a 65. I was making a pass and didn't reduce my speed fast enough. Pretty sure I was closer to 90 when I saw him out of the corner of my eye and hit my brakes but after I pulled in front of the car I had just passed I was still over 80 and there were no other vehicles I could duck behind. He must have just set up his trap as I had Waze running and it was tipping to me to all the traps before...except this one. I was polite and he was all business. Instead of giving me a "speeding ticket," he gave me a "disobeyed traffic control device" which is a lesser moving violation I now understand...2 insurance points vs 4 (points vary in NY by the speed over the limit and ranges from 3-11!).
This was my first ticket since I was teenager so I decided to fight it. I drive a M240i that is almost always going faster than I think it is! For a small car, it is very well sorted and calm at speed. I went online and did some digging and found www.offtherecord.com. Within 24 hours I had a lawyer in NY working my case. It cost me $200 for the lawyer and the associated fees for the legal paperwork needed; online notary, RMV driving record. A month later the ticket was reduced to a non-moving violation. Still had to pay a fine of $175 for that, but 0 insurance points! Just wanted to share my experience in case others are on the fence about trying this service. Cost me ~$400 all said and done but saved me well over $1000 or more in surcharges and I didn't have to go to court. Your mileage may vary. Last edited by hooked; 03-09-2023 at 12:06 PM.. |
03-09-2023, 11:18 AM | #2 |
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The way I handle a speeding tickets is put off paying it for the allowed 6 months, then ask for an extension to pay. Then, when that extension is up, I proceed to say I want to fight it in court. Court day comes, cop doesn't show and I win! Woot!
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03-09-2023, 11:32 AM | #3 |
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You typically don't want any ticket on your record. Doesn't matter if there are no points assigned or not. This is all about preventing your insurance rates from going up. If your insurance company pulls your driving record and sees a moving violation, they'll hit you up with a surcharge due to the ticket being listed regardless of points or no points.
What I would try if your state has this is to get a PBJ (probation before judgement). If you have a good record, the judge can grant this which will prevent that ticket from showing on a standard driving record pull. If you go a year without any further incidents, the ticket just falls off as if nothing ever happened. For all of this you pay court fees. I got my mother out of a ticket for blowing through a newly installed Stop sign with a PBJ. You're lucky that your ticket was changed to a non moving violation which the insurance company will probably just ignore. |
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03-09-2023, 11:56 AM | #4 | |
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If they won't do that I usually show up for court and speak with the PA, which will usually reduce it to a non-moving violation for double the fine. Gotta' pay to play. Never asked for an extension. I live in a small town, cops don't have anything better to do than show up for court. |
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03-09-2023, 12:18 PM | #5 |
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Not sure that is an option in NY? My ticket came with an assigned court date. I could either plead guilty by mail...pay the fine and eventually see the points on my insurance policy OR plead not guilty and show up on the pre-assigned date and roll the dice. The courthouse is 250 miles away so I opted to fight it online and it was a relatively painless process.
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03-09-2023, 12:55 PM | #6 | |
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hooked215.00 |
03-09-2023, 01:26 PM | #7 | |
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Great info thanks, did a free quote for speeding 11-15 over the limit in MA (my location) and got $245, very reasonable considering insurance upcharges.
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03-09-2023, 09:47 PM | #8 | |
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Sometimes prosecutors are lawyers or judges in other jurisdictions. You were not doing anything dangerous and fell into their trap! Let me guess. Sullivan County? Here in NJ it's even more ridiculous. ///Rich |
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03-10-2023, 06:55 AM | #10 | |
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I understand the ticket. I got caught breaking a law and got a fine. That part makes sense to me. It's the insurance points on "moving violations" that feels unjustified. I did not harm anyone, cause any damage or put anyone else at risk. I was not driving dangerously or even aggressively. The flow of traffic was averaging 75 in a 65. I made a pass to get myself into an open space to keep cruising home. Unlucky timing on my part but not something I should have to pay extra insurance for year after year. Give points to people that cause accidents/damage or put others at significant risk. |
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03-10-2023, 07:22 AM | #11 |
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03-10-2023, 09:13 AM | #12 | |
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And when I was a LEO, we were issued a summons for court and showing up was not an option, it was mandatory. |
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03-10-2023, 09:57 AM | #13 | |
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It's about the money, nothing more. Sometimes a court appearance is mandatory, but I can get that fixed as well. You'd be surprised what you can do over the phone. I have no tickets, and haven't had in a very long time. The way I see it, I'm speeding 90% of the time. If I get a ticket I deserve it, but I still only pay the money, I don't get the points...ever. I don't pay attorneys when I can do the same job they do with regards to a ticket. The only difference between them and me is that it's never a court apparance for them, they just make a call and it's done. |
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03-10-2023, 12:40 PM | #14 | |
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What are you rambling about? I asked you how often get tickets because you wrote that you "usually call the court" . So how often do you get tickets? The you wrote that if they won't let you pay with no points, you take other action. I asked how often that is? Since you won't answer those and then blabbered about something else, I suspect you just made all of that up based off of stuff you have seen or heard. Again, cops get paid to go to court, and are under subpoena. The old wives tale of "keep delaying court until the cop doesn't show up" is tired and seldom correct. |
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03-10-2023, 12:45 PM | #15 | |
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My last ticket was for not coming to a full and complete stop at a stop sign when I was making a right turn. It wasn’t as if I just drove without stopping. I did slow down, look to ensure it was clear etc and probably got to 0.5 mph but was slowly rolling. Cop was hiding in a driveway and got me. Fine with court costs was $55. Didn’t make sense to me to burn a day of vacation to plead my case. |
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03-10-2023, 01:13 PM | #16 | |
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Temporary insurance increase...? I guess depends on where you are, in MA it's 6 years plus good companies don't want to deal with you, so well worth hiring a layer or spending 1 day in court.
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hooked215.00 |
03-10-2023, 01:15 PM | #17 | ||
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Rarely, but I used to get stopped a lot.
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I've been stopped over 60 times in my 52 years, and have been successful in reducing tickets many different ways, it just depends on the circumstances and state. You, however, aren't adding anything to the conversation. |
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03-10-2023, 01:41 PM | #18 |
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Got caught in speed trap east of Charlotte in a small town at 17 over. Within 4 days a lawyer mailed me a letter offering to represent me for $50 in 2012. I thought, ok, something going on here so I'll try it. The only thing I had to do was mail him a check. Several weeks later I got something in the mail, don't remember the details other than he got me off with improper equipment. On a 2-year-old BMW ha. I had to mail him another check for the court costs. What a racket.
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03-10-2023, 01:47 PM | #19 | |
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03-10-2023, 02:26 PM | #20 | |
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It's all a scam, but I'm always speeding and rarely get caught, so who am I to complain? |
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03-10-2023, 02:28 PM | #21 |
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I don’t know how it can be permanent if the points are only on your record a max of 36 months for most infractions. If that’s how your insurance company is, I’d shop around as soon as the points fall off. I’m usually maxed out on good driver points so don’t have bad feelings if I have 3 taken off once every 5-10 years.
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