notoriouslyKEN Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I was traveling home from work today and got a speeding ticket. Not just any speeding ticket either, this is the mother of speeding tickets. I was doing 73 in a 35mph. Luckily, the officer only wrote me up for exceeding the speed. I guess he could of gotten me for reckless driving and/or speed greater than reasonable. It's been a long while since I got one. I looked it up online and it says it is 5 points. The ticket's fine amount is $290. I don't want to cough up that money and I definitely don't need the points on my once clean license. Should I go to Montgomery County Court to try to fight the citation or just pay the fine and take the points? If I go to court, I will plead guilty, but try to talk down the points and fine and offer to take a class. Think that will work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUSkinsFan Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I was traveling home from work today and got a speeding ticket. Not just any speeding ticket either, this is the mother of speeding tickets. I was doing 73 in a 35mph. Luckily, the officer only wrote me up for exceeding the speed. I guess he could of gotten me for reckless driving and/or speed greater than reasonable. It's been a long while since I got one. I looked it up online and it says it is 5 points. The ticket's fine amount is $290. I don't want to cough up that money and I definitely don't need the points on my once clean license. Should I go to Montgomery County Court to try to fight the citation or just pay the fine and take the points? If I go to court, I will plead guilty, but try to talk down the points and fine and offer to take a class. Think that will work?For a violation as bad as that I wouldn't think so, but consult a lawyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmySmith Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 You pretty much have fight it. Perhaps the cop won't show. This could run you thousands. Fighting it will almost certainly help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickalino Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Tell the judge you were having a seizure. Works every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveStrongSkins Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Damn man... 73 in a 35.. Did you think you were on the highway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I was traveling home from work today and got a speeding ticket. Not just any speeding ticket either, this is the mother of speeding tickets. I was doing 73 in a 35mph. Luckily, the officer only wrote me up for exceeding the speed. I guess he could of gotten me for reckless driving and/or speed greater than reasonable. It's been a long while since I got one. I looked it up online and it says it is 5 points. The ticket's fine amount is $290. I don't want to cough up that money and I definitely don't need the points on my once clean license. Should I go to Montgomery County Court to try to fight the citation or just pay the fine and take the points? If I go to court, I will plead guilty, but try to talk down the points and fine and offer to take a class. Think that will work? DAMN! You was gittin' it!!! :laugh: If you go to court (which I recommend) your fine may well be higher because of court costs, but there are a few ways to have your points reduced. First, try to talk to the officer or the prosecutor beforehand, and see if you can work something out. Offer, maybe, to plead guilty and pay in the fine in exchange for having the points dropped. (Don't offer the defensive driving course up front, that's about the only bargaining chip you have.) Second, if your driving record is clean, point that out to the judge, and explain that it's important to you to keep it that way. At this point you can offer to take the class, or the judge may suggest or order it. And finally, try praying. :laugh: As a former police officer, I'd probably have a hard time giving up too much ground in your case. Around here, 35 mph speed limits are generally double-lined roads through rural residential areas. Given that, to say your speed was 'reckless' is being VERY generous. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Walton Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 The cop totally hooked you. That is a reckless driving ticket.... Normally a judge will lower your fine for just showing up in court, but what you have is no 'normal' ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGreenistheBest Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Yeah, going to court could blow up in your face in this case. Thank your lucky stars you're not in VA. You'd be paying ridiculous cash for that ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeGreen Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Since you live in Montgomery County, you could quickly try to enlist into the county police department. Since very few of the other cops in that county are paying tickets [speeding camera news story], you might be able to hide behind the police union like they are. If not, the least you can do is show up to court and hope the officer doesn't show. Better yet, once you get your court date, find out the officer's name and precinct information. Then anonymously mail him a set of tickets to a baseball game or some event that's going on the same day you're supposed to meet in court. Then you can be sure he'd be elsewhere when the judge calls your name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paige3girl Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 can you go to school to reduce the points? that will cost you money too but I was caught doing 95 in a 55, they reduced it to 75 in a 55 (my dad knew the judge so it went down to 68 in 55 to avoid the reckless) and I had to go to school and it went down to 2 pts instead of 4 I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeInJc aka M.I.A. Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I was traveling home from work today and got a speeding ticket. Not just any speeding ticket either, this is the mother of speeding tickets. I was doing 73 in a 35mph. Luckily, the officer only wrote me up for exceeding the speed. I guess he could of gotten me for reckless driving and/or speed greater than reasonable. It's been a long while since I got one. I looked it up online and it says it is 5 points. The ticket's fine amount is $290. I don't want to cough up that money and I definitely don't need the points on my once clean license. Should I go to Montgomery County Court to try to fight the citation or just pay the fine and take the points? If I go to court, I will plead guilty, but try to talk down the points and fine and offer to take a class. Think that will work? I would almost take the ticket as a blessing. He could have arrested you on the spot. If you take it to court the judge and officer may up the ticket to what it was supposed to be "reckless driving" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUSkinsFan Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 The cop totally hooked you. That is a reckless driving ticket....Normally a judge will lower your fine for just showing up in court, but what you have is no 'normal' ticket. I got a ticket for 54 in a 30 back in November, found out just how close I was to having reckless driving tacked on (if I was doing 55 they could have gotten me). Went to court and still got the points, but the judge lowered the fine from $160 to $90 (plus the damn helicopter fee, which is complete BS). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeInJc aka M.I.A. Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Yeah, going to court could blow up in your face in this case. Thank your lucky stars you're not in VA. You'd be paying ridiculous cash for that ticket. Those ridiculous fees are supposed to be removed according to a bill that is supposed to get signed by the governor today. Also if anyone here was subject to those outrageous fines, you will be getting your money back according to the new bill. It was ran on Fox DC news last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeGreen Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 ...my dad knew the judge... Best option. Always.:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUSkinsFan Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I would almost take the ticket as a blessing. He could have arrested you on the spot. If you take it to court the judge and officer may up the ticket to what it was supposed to be "reckless driving"Can they tack on offenses in court, I was under the impression that the judge can't add additional charges, only the DA can do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sly Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Go to court whenever you get a ticket. Most of the time the judge will allow you to take a driver improvement course to get the charges dropped off of your driving record. The cop gave you a huge break. I don't know MD laws, but going double the speed limit seems pretty serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notoriouslyKEN Posted March 10, 2008 Author Share Posted March 10, 2008 Yea, I was getting it a little bit. The lane is a 2 lane road that usually is a double yellow, but where I was, the road is dead straight and the double yellow is a passing yellow for cars traveling in my direction. Can the judge add to the ticket by giving me reckless driving if I take it to court, or is there no way he can escalate the ticket b/c he did not issue it? The cop was nice about everything, so maybe he will decide to not show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeInJc aka M.I.A. Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Can they tack on offenses in court, I was under the impression that the judge can't add additional charges, only the DA can do that. If the officer is there and it is known that the ticket was already reduced........ I'm not sure, but I definitely wouldn't want to be the one to hit the wolf with a stick to see if it's dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUSkinsFan Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Go to court whenever you get a ticket.Most of the time the judge will allow you to take a driver improvement course to get the charges dropped off of your driving record. The cop gave you a huge break. I don't know MD laws, but going double the speed limit seems pretty serious. In MD they can tack on reckless driving at 25 MPH over or more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paige3girl Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Best option. Always.:laugh: I still had to go to driving school and my dad was pissed but it got me out of a 95 and a 55. I was trying to get home from college to see my brother play in the fall classic so my dad was a little sympathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notoriouslyKEN Posted March 10, 2008 Author Share Posted March 10, 2008 In MD they can tack on reckless driving at 25 MPH over or more Is this tacking on at court? or at the time of the violation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallMeGreen Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I still had to go to driving school and my dad was pissed but it got me out of a 95 and a 55. I was trying to get home from college to see my brother play in the fall classic so my dad was a little sympathetic. I once got a 78 in a 55 from one of Richmond's finest while trying to see how fast my old wind-up Honda would go about 20+ years ago. It was on a dark stretch of newer road (I-264) which was 4 lanes wide and empty at the time (or so I thought). I either got lucky or the cop gave me a break because I was going over 90, but then my car started to convulse and was basically conking out. I was starting to pull over and that's when he nabbed me. By the time he walked to my car it had stalled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paige3girl Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 I once got a 78 in a 55 from one of Richmond's finest while trying to see how fast my old wind-up Honda would go about 20+ years ago. It was on a dark stretch of newer road (I-264) which was 4 lanes wide and empty at the time (or so I thought).I either got lucky or the cop gave me a break because I was going over 90, but then my car started to convulse and was basically conking out. I was starting to pull over and that's when he nabbed me. By the time he walked to my car it had stalled. I was in Chesterfield county when I got mine!! too funny --- its so easy to go over 90 on those roads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegionOfDoom Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 If you get convicted than that is when the points are issued. Try to not get convicted. I don't know what to say in that matter. Plead with the judge somehow. Or consult a Traffic lawyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUSkinsFan Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Is this tacking on at court? or at the time of the violation?I'm pretty sure they have to issue it at the time the citation is given. Judges' (I'm pretty sure), can't add charges, only the DA can do that.However, when I was in court, the judge told everyone in the room he had the right to increase fines (since each offense has a range for the amount of the fine that's what I think he was referring too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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