Poppy girl

Great story by Michael, wish that had happened to me around that time frame.

Hey don't forget the $50 court fee's for taking the traffic exam

Michael

Apparently, if you attend traffic court. This was the only time I attended traffic court and previously always just paid the fine. However, if you want to present your case or contest the ruling by the presiding officer, you can't do that in traffic court and have to make an appointment before a judge to present your case after traffic court (the presiding officer will ask you if you desire a court case after his ruling). I don't think the presiding officer is a judge since he was just wearing casual street clothes (not even a suit).

Also I didn't see anyone charged with speeding violations so suspect these were all municipal violations where the presiding officer has more discretion than tickets issued by the highway patrol.

Also this was Fremont and when I was once stopped for speeding, the officer stated that since I was a resident of Fremont, I could either be issued a regular speeding ticket which was about $300 and would show up on state driving records (unless I attended traffic school) or I could be cited for a city ordnance speeding ticket that was $100 and wouldn't show up on state records but I would not be allowed to contest the city citation. He then asked which I preferred and naturally I chose the $100 ticket.

The two tickets that I received (the speeding ticket in Fremont and the cigarette butt violation) were the only citations I received in the last 30 years so my experience is limited.

Poppy girl

Dito nothing for 22 years, and WHAM! Welcome to CA but considering the driving/miles I do it could be worse I guess!!

md95065

It used to be possible to get through online traffic school in under two hours.

When I did it last year they had changed the format and had various time delays built in that didn't allow you to answer the question and move on to the next one until a certain amount of time had elapsed - that meant that the overall time that you had to spend in front of the computer increased to about 5 hours (so you will have plenty of time to check your email and update your Facebook status).

It is essentially impossible to fail traffic school unless you just don't bother to do it ...

E3only

I am starting to think I am lunatic or have had less sleep over last week. I am little confused.

So here is the situation again. I was pulled over (Walnut Creek / Contra Costa County) and given a ticket for 80mph in a 65 mph. Initially the prick stopped me coz he said I was in the car pool lane. When I said "with due respect sir, i am a regular driver on 680S and I can tell you after exit xx, the car pool lane ends. you can check your camera if you want". He actually had started saying he was following me since 2-3miles further north of the exit where car pool lane ends which is a freaking lie. Anyway, so he then said I can let you out with a warning on that but you were speeing. That's that. I asked him to reconsider and let me off with a warning but needless to say he wrote me a ticket. And of course he did not give me any option .....I don't think so the fine amount is mentioned on it. So that's my situation.

All I know is, now I will get a official ticket/warrant whatever it's called with the amount and amount + 49 bucks for traffic school. I definitely can not afford the citation on my record becuase I have been in US only 18 months and paying 600 for my car insurance (every 6 months for 1 driver 1 car!!!)....

So what are my options? Are you saying that after I get the ticket I could go to the Concord or Walnut Creek court (whichever applicable) and talk out of it? OR I just pay the fine online and take the school? Is the Walnut Creek court the same as the applicable traffic court? thanks

E3only

And

thanks - good to know.

materialcontroller

Wow. Calling the traffic officer a "prick" just for doing his job. Asking to be let off with a warning despite the fact that you were speeding way over the posted limit and were therefore in the wrong. And even now, trying to find ways of worming out of your punishment.

How about showing a bit more responsibility. What is wrong with you?

Sally Redux

Are you saying that you weren't doing 80?

Uncle Ebenezer

Mind that halo doesn't slip and choke you.

Michael

Back in the 1960's, a friend of mine had his ticket dismissed by requesting a jury trial (he requested a trial by jury since infractions were classified as misdemeanors prior to 1969). He took all kinds of pictures of the area to present his case.

Traffic violations in California require a speedy trial within 45 days or the charges are dismissed. So for the next 45 days, he was notified 3 times to appear before the judge but each time he appeared, the prosecution asked for a delay until the 45 days elapsed. Unless the charge was serious, the state would not go through the expense of a jury trial so nearly all traffic violations that requested a jury trial were dismissed after the 45 days.

Finally the state got wise in 1969 and changed most traffic violations to infractions therefore only allowing a defendant to request a trial by judge only.

E3only

Pardon me - Well, I am just letting your some steam. Fact of the matter is unconsistency in every damn thing here.. Speed is 65 mph on the road yet everyone does 80. Only few get stopped.....

I was saying that I was stopped for one reason and fined for another. Yes totally his job. I am not trying to say I was not in the wrong. But so were everyone on the road. i was not zooming but flowing with the traffic....

Anyway,I do take responsiblity of it and going to traffic school would be after the fact. I am not rich by any means so I am going to do everything possible to rectify this AND not pay 800 odd for 6 months car insurance.

I may be in the wrong for speeding but everyone on this forum has gone wrong same stage in their lives. I just want to know more about how I proceed with it..that's all.

E3only

Well, I don't think so it makes any difference from a citation perspective even if I were doing 75. I can honestly say, I was not doing 65 but more than that for sure...I can also say though that I was not faster than anyone else on the road i.e. just flowing with the traffic.

E3only

Sorry so the next steps for me is to wait for the official ticket and then go to court to try my luck..? I don't thik so if I asked for the Judge I am going to be able to put forward my case. I mean if he asked me a simple question like 'were you doing more than 65' the answer would be 'yes'......yes but everyone was won't fly right.

Poppy girl

So you work in law enforcement right!

Sally Redux

I wasn't sure if you were trying to challenge it by legal means.

Personally I would say 80 is well over the limit and it can be dangerous if you just follow everyone else so although it's annoying you just have to see it as a lesson learned. My husband got a ticket for not stopping long enough at a stop sign on a deserted road. You just pay the fine and do the traffic school.

PS I'm sure there is something in the rules about don't just do the speed everyone else is doing, so I don't think that will work in court.