Speeding Fine
 

Well, I finally got caught speeding, inevitable in my line of work, but avoidable if careful enough. I was not being careful last November for a few seconds, and was trapped doing 89 in a 60. May I add, no houses and no sidewalk, no other vehicles other than an oncoming cop car. Damit !!!!

My punishment, $95 fine and 3 demerit points. Owch !

So

I filled in the part of the form that said something like "early settlement, discuss this ticket"

My court date was yesterday. Me and 20+ hopeful bad ass criminals.

1 minute with the clerk in a side office and I had reduced my fine to $45 and no demerit points. Woop Woop.

You gotta love Canada....ehh !

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Why was it reduced ?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

I got caught for the first time ever a couple of years ago. Was doing 80 in a 50 school zone - $300.00!:eek:

Re: Speeding Fine
 

No reason, just was. I said nothing. The nice lady said would you like me to reduce it to 15 over, no points $45 fine. Or take it into court.?

I had to think for about .000009 sec then said "OK"

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Most Provinces have this where you can plead guilty but arrange to attend the court with your story. Some will reduce the fine and not impose any penalty points. My last ticket I tried it this way the JP although listened to my tale of woe did not reduce the fine or waive the penalty points.
There appears to be no logic in how they make their decisions. Some you win some you lose.
I guess they dont want the courts cluttered up with not guilty pleas and the Police Forces not having to send the officer to court to give evidence.
The odd copper has told me to plead not guilty as it is highly unlikely the cop issuing the ticket will show up so then ticket is thrown out.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Not here. The way it works in Ontario is that the cop might reduce the speed at the scene, in that case the ticket is so marked. If it's not reduced then the prosecutor can make a deal such as happened with the OP (the judge can overrule it if so inclined). Those are the good options. It's now very rare to get off because the cop didn't turn up.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

There was a couple of cops sat about waiting to go into court.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

If you were speeding through a school zone, it should have been way more than that!
http://novascotia.ca/tran/roadsafety...esafetyq&a.asp

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Plus four points I think?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

What happens if one keeps to the speed limits? ;)

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Was you a school hall monitor?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

I have a vague recollection of being a milk monitor. :rofl:

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Lol

To answer your question about staying within the Ontario speed limits.

You would probably piss off 99% of the population of drivers in Ontario.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

You'd get rear endied (even in Moncton)

Re: Speeding Fine
 

It was a couple of years ago before the 30 limit.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Hasn't the limit always been 30? I don't think I've ever looked at the signs but I remember that from when I was a kid.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

50 kmh in NS up until recently when school zones became 30 kmh.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Oh. I should slow down enough to see what the signs say here.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Re: Speeding Fine
 

:lol: yeah that would help.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Personally, I don't think speeding through a school zone at 80 is any better than driving impaired!

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Says he who does 500+mph over school zones

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Here in NS........ the standard practice if you can spare the time is to always plead not guilty to the 15-30 k over the limit (as this comes with fine and 7 day ban) turn up at court and agree to plead to the lower offence 0-15 k over........ (fine only) never seen it refused by a Judge yet :)

Re: Speeding Fine
 

A 7 day ban for 15k over? WTF?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

I know and it gets worse with further convictions...... they allow you to choose when the 7 days will start though lol :rofl:

If a person who holds a Nova Scotia driver's licence is convicted of a violation involving speed, careless or imprudent driving, racing, or passing a school bus under conditions described in the Motor Vehicle Act, the court or magistrate, in addition to any fine that may be imposed, will suspend the driver's licence. It will be suspended for a period of 7 days in the case of a first offence, 15 days in the case of a second offence, and 30 days in the case of a third or subsequent offence.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

It seems quite lenient out here in comparison. Excessive speeding is 40k over the limit.

Fines —The faster you drive, the higher the fine

Exceeding the driving limit by more than 40 km/h— $368 fine plus the driver will receive three penalty points on his or her driving record.
Exceeding the driving limit by more than 60 km/h — $483 fine plus the driver will receive three penalty points on his or her driving record.

Impoundment of the Vehicle

Excessive speeding will also result in the immediate impoundment of the vehicle you are driving and costs:

seven days for a first offence plus towing and storage costs – at least $210
30-days for a second offence within a two-year period plus towing and storage costs – approximately $700
60 days for any subsequent offences within two years plus towing and storage costs – over $1200


Even though your vehicle gets impounded you don't, AFAIK, have your license taken away.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

How many points before you have your licence taken away?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

The fine seems low. These may not be legal where you are.........

http://www.kmph.ca/

Re: Speeding Fine
 

You only lose your license for criminal code offences or are impaired (that starts at 0.05 in BC, so technically not a criminal offence).

Points just add to the cost of your insurance. If you get more than three in a year you get a surcharge. The more points the bigger the surcharge. I guess there could come a point where the surcharge is so large you decide to give up driving for a year.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

So points are like passive/aggressive fines?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Agree that it sounds a lot more lenient than here........if you are wealthy you can ignore speed limits although lots of people here drive without a licence mainly because you cannot renew your licence if you have any outstanding fines.......

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Well it's a good job I wasn't asking for your opinion then, wasn't it!?

I am not proud of it really but that's life. I'm not the first and probably not the last either.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

What a strange response! Reminds me of what I used to hear on a daily basis when I was a Prison Officer;)

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Well I can't go back and change it now so no use crying about it.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

40k over? In BC it's 30k over isn't it? If you're right, I can go an extra 10k faster ;)

Re: Speeding Fine
 

Its my (limited) experience that cops issuing tickets often write them up at a lower speed than both you and they know you were going so that you dont challenge them in the first place.

Were you actually doing 89 in the 60 or was it written up lower and then further reduced by a challenging it?

Re: Speeding Fine
 

It is 40k over. Section 148 of the Motor Vehicle Act. Get your lead boots out again.

Re: Speeding Fine
 

That must be a dream scenario for lawyers

Re: Speeding Fine
 

In Alberta my understanding on the main highways you only get a ticket if your 15k over so can top out at 125km/h and not be stopped..unless its me of course when i got done for doing 125km/h in 100k highway..when i was doing 100km/h:frown:

Re: Speeding Fine
 

I know someone who was stuck behind a peace officer car doing exactly the speed limit. Decided he'd had enough of that and overtook it with predictable results.............. I think in Alberta once you do +50 over the limit its an automatic court appearance ie no just paying the fine and accepting guilt.