This may be informative, but best not to speed.
So, last Month I received that Speeding Ticket.
I sent it back in pleading Not Guilty.
Yes, I was speeding but decided to play,,, the game.
I then received a new Court date (went yesterday).
I was in Court for 2 hours. went something like this:
Stood in line (signed-in), sat down.
Stood in another line (talked to Prosecutor), sat down.
Went before Judge, she said:
Judge: "How do you plead to a parking ticket" .... Me: guilty
Judge: "That will be $150, cash or credit ?" ........Me: cash
Judge: "Step to your right,,, next !"
There was no mention of Defensive Driving Class.
Perhaps because this was a speed trap where they had 4 Police cars pulling drivers over.
I know it was all about the money, but I was speeding so can't complain.
57 MPH in a 45. (the 55 MPH sign was 1/2 mile further ahead).
So, in conclusion, buy pleading Not Guilty and accepting the lesser charge, my Auto Insurance will not go up.
If I had plead Guilty and paid the fine, I would have had to take the Defensive Driving Class (8 hours) to erase the points so my Insurance Co. would not find out.
All in all, it went OK.
And I'm a safer driver.
My Speeding Ticket - Conclusion
- Thread starter larryinnewyork
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork
This may be informative, but best not to speed.
So, last Month I received that Speeding Ticket.
I sent it back in pleading Not Guilty.
Yes, I was speeding but decided to play,,, the game.
I then received a new Court date (went yesterday).
I was in Court for 2 hours. went something like this:
Stood in line (signed-in), sat down.
Stood in another line (talked to Prosecutor), sat down.
Went before Judge, she said:
Judge: "How do you plead to a parking ticket" .... Me: guilty
Judge: "That will be $150, cash or credit ?" ........Me: cash
Judge: "Step to your right,,, next !"
There was no mention of Defensive Driving Class.
Perhaps because this was a speed trap where they had 4 Police cars pulling drivers over.
I know it was all about the money, but I was speeding so can't complain.
57 MPH in a 45. (the 55 MPH sign was 1/2 mile further ahead).
So, in conclusion, buy pleading Not Guilty and accepting the lesser charge, my Auto Insurance will not go up.
If I had plead Guilty and paid the fine, I would have had to take the Defensive Driving Class (8 hours) to erase the points so my Insurance Co. would not find out.
All in all, it went OK.
And I'm a safer driver.
A little too much appeasement to those you feel (here) that will jump all over you or whoever you anticipate will make grandiose and authoritarian statements, and make you feel like what you did was wrong.. I am sure they will come. But they aren't in your shoes, now, are they?
Play to win.
And well played.
Again: and Congratulations!
See? Speed traps.. Dont hold up in Court.Originally Posted By: 04SE
Heck here in IL they plead a DUI down to a parking ticket. OP, I wouldn't feel guilty.
Last edited:
In a town I won't identify there's a practice where a speeding ticket is pled down to a "dangerous parking" (say, on the highway where you're not allowed to) ticket.
You don't get points-you pay a $127 fine. And the town keeps the fine money.
In a speeding conviction you get points-the insurance company gets money (a truly unregulated, arbitrary amount) and the state gets 80% of the fine amount I'm told.
That it seems dishonest and corrosive to society (not entirely without sarcasm) I think it's a method to let nice people like us get off a little easier. Automatically rewarding insurance companies for arguable traffic judgements isn't just either.
If it becomes a problem the mechanics of the justice system can be tightened up in a flash.
As my Dad used to say, "Remember, things don't just happen. Things develop." Traffic/safety/insurance justice is all in this mix.
Originally Posted By: gman2304
I've never heard of anyone pleading down from a speeding ticket to a parking ticket.
This is pretty powerful evidence that the speed trap's purpose is revenue generation, and has not a thing to do with "Safety".
Originally Posted By: gman2304
I've never heard of anyone pleading down from a speeding ticket to a parking ticket. The state got their 30 pieces of silver, and I suppose that's what matters.
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: gman2304
I've never heard of anyone pleading down from a speeding ticket to a parking ticket.
Guess I shouldn't be after time here, but surprised at those that would attempt to lay some kind of lame guilt trip on the OP. He did what the system not only permitted but promoted. And broke no law with the plea to a lesser, ie. no point, offense. And he still had to pay a fine,
Further, it was some compensation for him using his time and effort to get the charge reduced. He did so without the expense of having to hire a lawyer who could/would have done the exact same for him.
Fwiw, here they let you plead to improper equipment once for a speeding offense.
Congrats to the OP for the result. Hopefully you'll be more aware and cautious in the future.
It's a plea bargain plain and simple, nothing unethical about it. The prosecutor amends the charge to a non-moving violation with a higher fine. He is spared points on his record at a cost. The prosecutor is spared the time and expense of trying the case, getting the officer there for testimony and so on.
You are not placed under oath until you actually testify in a trial. The judge would simply have asked how he plead (to the amended charge by the prosecutor). There is no "lying under oath" here.
This is likely a one shot deal though. Another speeding ticket and the prosecutor would not be so quick to amend the charge. Here at least you will only get this deal once.
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
This is pretty powerful evidence that the speed trap's purpose is revenue generation, and has not a thing to do with "Safety".
That is one expensive parking ticket.
- Status
