CoolHandLuc

Hi guys, I will keep it brief!

Last night, I did a late wal-mart run because I was short on some things, on the way home ended up getting pulled over by the police. The officer said I was doing 9mph over the limit and hit me with a $131 fine (come on really?!).

First offense on my otherwise clean driving licence, I thought he would've at least of given a first warning for only being over by that much but anyway, whatever.


My question is (if other people have experienced this) he mentioned that if I pay the fine and take a course (you can do it online apparently) then supposedly you can get the 3 points taken off your licence and insurance companies cant spike you rates - as anyone done this and is it correct?

Michael

Most states allow that every 18-36 months for most traffic violations. When I last did it in California quite a while ago, I had to pay the ticket at the courthouse along with the fee and attend a 4 hour traffic school lecture. Now they may possibly be doing the traffic school online.

sir_eccles

Don't expect the course to be anything close to free. Quite a money maker.

Michael

Of course, traffic schools are privately owned and run.

md95065

Yes, you should get a notice in the mail in a few days that will explain your options.

Basically you just pay the fine and check the box to say that you want to attend traffic school. You then sign up for traffic school online, complete the course online, pay for it (probably about another $50 or $60), the traffic school notifies the court that you completed the course and you are done.

Michael

Also I don't think that the violation is entered into the state's database unless you don't signup and complete traffic school so there shouldn't be any way that the insurance company could even know about the violation.

The last speeding ticket I got was in the city I lived in and the police officer told me that he could give me either a state authorized ticket or a city ticket and if I chose the city ticket, the violation would be removed from the records and the fine was half the cost but for a city ticket, I wouldn't be allowed to dispute the ticket. Naturally I chose the city ticket. The state was disputing city tickets as illegal since the state doesn't get a share of the fine when city tickets are issued.

AdobePinon

Make sure you know the procedure before you do anything else. Here, if you pay the fine, you've assumed guilt and the citation and points go to MVD and your record. If you show up to court and ask for traffic school, the fine gets reduced, eliminated, or something else, you add court costs and traffic school costs, but the citation never makes it back to MVD.

Your mileage WILL vary.

RoadWarriorFromLP

Here's a link: Official Website Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Notice the time frames; you may not want to wait for anything to arrive in the mail.

You will have to pay the court for the privilege of "attending," plus pay for the course. I would presume that you also have to pay the fine.

CoolHandLuc

The officer said I didn't need to appear in court? And the ticket itself says 'INFRACTIONS NO COURT REQUIRED'


You would think they would cut you a friggin' break only being 9 mph over and let you off with a warning, funny enough, all I was doing was going to Wal-mart to pick up a particular brand of washing detergent that I asked about in my previous thread, and something to eat.

Oh well, it is what it is.

AmerLisa

Just out of curiosity (and I asked this question many years ago) but what speed over the limit would justify a ticket in your opinion?

Nutmegger

And isn't it often relative just what that limit is -- a 20 area near a school or hospital, or 40 on a dual carriageway, for instance?

CoolHandLuc

If i was the officer I would look at the facts;

Drivers first offense,

On a 45mph route at near mid-night without a soul around (besides sneaky police officers)

The driver wasn't doing double digits above the speed limit (54 in a 45 zone)

With all this if I was the officer I would be inclined to warn rather than slap someone with a $131 fine.

But, hey - I am not really complaining about that - the law is the law and at the end of the day its my own fault, I realise that - I just want to know the things I can do to resolve it, and not accumulate points / suffer insurance increase if I don't have to.

lansbury

But as already asked what was the speed limit you were driving 9mph in excess of. On a freeway it would have been a bit harsh, in a city bit difficult to complain about that.

md95065

Meanwhile, in Chicago ...

Speed Cameras Netting City Much Less Than Thought: Emanuel Budget « CBS Chicago

md95065

see above