Two tickets in less then a month.

I have been driving since I was 16 and do not have a ticket to my name or an at fault accident.

The first one occured at 6 am on a Sunday morning on the HWY 2 Trestle while heading up to the river. And the second one occured today on I5 right after 44th on my way to school.

So I need your best in front of the judge stories to get out of tickets...or atleast getting them reduced.

Sorry, been driving since 1973 with out a ticket. Don't haver any stories.

Here's my advice:

1. Show up for court if you signed up for it, alot of people don't. If you don't show you will have a warrant out for your arrest.
2. Just showing up usually will get the ticket reduced by some. The judge will figure you lost a days pay and will have some pity.
3. Dress up, shirt and tie if you got it.
4. Always refer to the judge as YOUR HONOR....They love that s***.
5. Plan on making a day of it. The really bad guys will see the judge before you, very entertaining!
6. Plead your case and be HONEST don't try to B.S. the judge. It does not hurt to admit that you were wrong either.

Enjoy!

I would say that everybody on this board has been driving since they were 16!

Did you here about the guy in finland who got caught doing 40 something in 35?He was fined over 100,000 dollars!I guss the fines in finland are based on how much you make!

Sorry I have no stories either,I think it easiar to pay them and go on!

Referenced speeding ticket story is
here . Personally I like the idea of the fine being set based upon your income, as it stings people equally. That is, unless you're someone like my FIL who has all his assets in his wife's name and all liabilities in his.

Be honest, be respectful, and have your checkbook ready. Arguing will get you nowhere, and it is the judge's court.

Here is a good thing to ask for. You are elligible to go on a "probation" once every 7 years in Washington State. If you ASK for it, the judge will give you a 6 month probation, if you don't get another ticket for 6 months, this ticket will never show on your driving record. If you do get another ticket within 6 months, you get them both....I know this....cuz I am on probation now....

ryan,
I think what Randy is trying to say is called deffering it. You have to pay $100 then if you don't get a ticket for 1 year then it gets dropped off your record but if you do get ticket the ticket stays on your record. That is a great thing if you are confident that you won't get another ticket.
I like you have been driving since 16 and now I am almost 20. I have got pulled over 3 times on the last 4 months. No tickets. One was for a tail light, other one was running a stop sign which I never saw and third was going 52 in a 40. stupid of me.
If you have an questions go ahead and ask me someone very close to me is a judge.

Speedy Sparky Smokin Sultan for Steelhead. How Special!

Another thing you can do is pay the whole fines, but ask that the infractions not appear on your driving record. They'll do this if you have a clean record; the infractions will be permanently wiped from your record if you don't get another ticket in the next six months. This is important dude, cuz your insurance is gonna go through the roof. What were the infractions? Speeding is the worst as far as your insurance goes. Guaranteed uppage.

If not, then play the student card, and I'm sure you can get the fines reduced.

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: obsessed ]

I think the probation costs about $50 to sign up - and you have to admit guilt. If you mess up in that time period, you get to pay your original fine, the new one, and you're still out the $50. But this can be a way to avoid having to pay higher insurance...

If you show up, give an honest account, the judge will almost always drop the fine down to the administration costs (something like $40) if he's not in a nasty mood...

I've heard stories about people challenging the offense and requesting lazer/radar gun calibration records and/or for the officer to be present. Apparenty, if you requested documents and/or the officer to testify, and something slips through the cracks (they don't send the records or the officer doesn't show), they have to throw out the case. This may be BS, but that's what i've heard.

Ryan,

I have got out of a speeding ticket in Seattle. First you have to request a trial, and make sure you subpoena the officer. If the officer doesn't show up for trial, you get out of the ticket. The officers are so busy most of the time they won't show up for a traffic ticket. This might not work in a smaller town, but works well in the bigger cities. I agree also to be very very polite.

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: KORE ]

Sparkey, Sparkey, Sparkey ... now who was talkin' trash a bit ago about being pulled over

Ask for a defferal,pay the fines and slow down and be a good boy for six month's.I just did this
in Renton on 12-7-01.I had no choice as if I get the third ticket then the company I work for can't insure me.There for I lose my job.So needless to say I have to be good for a year and a half,not just six month's.Two ticket's in three years is OK.But three with in three years in hell
on your insurance.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

I don't know if it is available in Washington, but here in Portland, I found the officer in the hall at the courthouse and asked him to recommend High Risk Driving School. He was pretty decent about it and they granted it.

The class was 8 hours at Emanuel Hospital put on by the head of neurosurgery and basically taught you the possible consequences of making bad decisions and high-risk behavior. I took my 13-year-old son (you can take someone). It was fascinating and a real eye opener for my boy. I'd recommend it to anyone, especially teens that are itching to get their drivers licenses. The best thing was that with your certificate of completion, the ticket was erased. You just pay the price of the class (I think $60)

I just went to court on Jan, 3rd. My ticket was for $105 for doing 77 in a 60 on hwy 101 on the west side of Aberdeen. I checked the middle box, admitting guilt, but wanted to explain the circumstances. The Judge dropped the ticket to $76 and granted me the probation option. There was no cost for this. I just paid the $76 and have to be good until June 3rd, then this infraction will not appear on my driving record. This probation is only available once every 7 years, so if I should happen to get another ticket within 7 years, I am on the hook for it.

From my idle Jim Carry in Lair Liar....

DON'T BREAK THE LAW A$$HOLE.

Just playin I thought I would add in some comody.

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: plug puller ]

Hire a good attorney -ticket thrown out - no insurance problems, no probation...

Thanks for the advice!!!

My first ticket which was a 73 in like a 55 or something was my fault. I was driving too fast...it was just very early and I was the only car in site on the Trestle. I was sitting duck.

Today was another story...I was just keeping with traffic and because I was in the fast lane he nailed me. When I passed him I was going 55 so he must have been spun around in his car and clocking me out his rear window.

The State Patrol was just out in force today...I saw the same officer that nabbed me, had someone pulled over on my way home from school plus I saw another 3 vehichles pulled over in a period of a hour.



I dont mind paying the ticket...I was just DO NOT want my insurance to go up. It is already ridicously (sp?) high because I am 20.

Get yourself a lawer. Jeanie Mucklestone, http://www.mucklestone.com, in Seattle has done very well for me. I think it costs about $350, which is alot less expensive in the long run when you factor in your "new" insurance costs.

---
Steel-Addicted

Do like Pitch Pocket said and take the Safe Driving School. You will pay about same price of the tickets but it will not appear on your record for insurance purposes. If you have no other tickets like you say then no problem!

I believe you will have to call and make an appointment with the court to do this.

Sorry about your misfortune, did you catch any fish?

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: SkaGuy ]

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: SkaGuy ]

Hey-- All these guys telling you how to get out of it!!! Snaggers all I'm sure. Drivings just like fishing, break the rules, pay the fine.
If you want to improve your BTW habits hire a certified Driving Instructor. I know one, but he's not cheap.
If you go to court try one of your lectures on C&R, maybe you will impress a sympathetic judge (if there is such a thing)

You don't stand an icecubes chance in Hell if you take it to court Special.Just think back to your last court appearance....hmmmmmmmmm...how well did that go over??? :p :p :p judge is gonna take one look at your punkass and slam that hammer down.Suck it up .Pay the fine.Your insurance is going to drop you like a Stone Cold pile driver anyway :p :p :p

I got a ticket last year. Running a red at 6:30 in the morn. I dressed up my two boys and went to see the judge. District court here is pretty relaxed, When the judge asked for my plea I said "guilty" and then got a chance to tell my story. speed limit 65 and hits 45 at the light, blah blah blah, bad judgement blah more careful blah blah. All the time I make the boys ages 10 and 12 stand with me and look interested in the workings of the court. Judge looks at them in there all-star coats from baseball and asks if they are my councel. "No Sir, they are character witnesses" Judge asks them if I'm good driver, they say uh huh. Judge askes them if I am a good dad, they say ya, he makes us laugh. Fine reduced, sentence deffered. Offence not on record. Smiles all around,

mt. mike, great story!!!

[ 01-16-2002: Message edited by: Gregor ]

supena the cop and if speeding the radar specialist. thats how i got out of mine!
tyler

Or you could buy a radar detector and avoid this whole thing! I've never gotten a ticket with my detector. I thought that your insurance doesn't go up with one ticket. Then if you get a second one it does. Insurance company is already charging me about $400 for 6 months so it is plenty high.

~ Dr Pepper

Buck up and pay the judge. Two tickets? Forget the deferral. You're toast.
I likes the story about taking your kids to court for sympathy. Have any infants around?
I've won several favors over the years by coercion via smoked fish. Slip the judge some fish and see if he doesn't go a bit leaner on you.
And I don't know what you look like, but if you have a goatee or scruffy beard, shave it. And if you have piercings in your lips, nose and eyebrows, I'd remove them before going into court, too. Something about those just doesn't appeal to people over 40.
diana

Diana,
Are you speaking from personal experience on that over 40 thing?... ....running for cover!!

You bedda' duck, son, I'm comin' after you wiff a big stick!
Nope.....I'm forever 27.
(I fish in Denile)
diana

I meant-
I fish in de Nile.
diana

Son, this is Judge Anderson from Everett. Now that I know your name, I'll have to refuse a fine cut. Thanks for being honest. :p

Dude, if you are under 25, which you are, if you have received more than one speeding citation in the last 3 years, which you have, and if it's a radar ticket, which it is.........YOU'RE #$%*ED!

Might as well just send the money in because you are screwed you little punk! :p

Just kidding ya Sparkey!

Hire an attorney and all you have to do is cough up $300. Insurance companies will really tax your ass if you have consecutive speeding tickets like you have. Way better in the long run to do the right thing and slow down, but if you do get popped then I suggest going through the attorney. You won't even have to go to court if it's a radar ticket, you just send the money to the attorney and the ticket info. She'll call ya back a week later and tell you that it's all taken care of Been there done that but I can't remember the specifics.


[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: Kid Sauk ]

Alright dude, take it from a 'law enforcement official': If you choose court, the cop will have to show anyway. You won't get to see the radar, only the officer's training and the radar 'calibration' date. If it was a stater, there stats are pretty tight, you won't get over on the radar part of it. On the flip side, the officer might be busy or off that day and it will get thrown...I have to tell you that in the law enforcement career field in Western Washington, staters are least liked, heck my wife got a ticket for just 9 over, and my frickin department card with my name on it was on the back of her driver's license! So that just goes to show you, nabbed by a stater, figure on getting the ticket.

With all the advice you got here Sparkie, looks like you had better change your aka to "Spankie"

fp

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: fp ]

Don't try to call in the cop. They are busy doing their work. Let's be honest, you made a mistake and go pay the reduced fine.

I can see that I am clearly the most experienced offender here. As a former "terrible" driving risk, with over 30 speeding and equipment tickets on my record at the same time I can tell you a few things. I have never lost my license or been cancelled by an insurance company. HIRE A GOOD, EXPERIENCED TRAFFIC LAWYER. And clean up your driving act. I now drive like the old man I am becoming. I estimate that I have lost over 10,000 dollars in fines and lost work in the past for nothing more than stupidity. If you do the math on your average trip, 20 over the limit will only put you in the parking lot 2 minutes earlier. Now here is what some police friends have told me. 5 to 7 over the limit is rarely enforced as it falls within the calibration limits of the speedos and radar equipment. The accuracy of your speedo also changes as your tires wear due to circumference changes. Worn out tires make your car go slower than the speedo says. Go five over the limit if you have to feel like your making more progress than everyone else and you will be safe. The GOOD lawyer will be very successful in getting you a chance to correct your driving. Thank him profusely and pay him happily and promptly. And remember... he will use technicalities to get you off. The same thing that lets murderers and crackheads walk every day. Use them sparingly!