Most expensive traffic citation? (car insurance, driving record, vehicle, red light)

[SpeedyAZ]

So what was your most expensive driving citation?

Mine was back in September when I got picked up for doing 130 in a 55 in the Porsche, cost me $400! But it was on a backroad very early in the morning, I didn't see a single car except that darn smokey.

[pixieshmoo]

Easy...a speeding ticket. I was doing 85 in a 55 coming up to a toll booth (keep in mind I was 21 and cool). I got it knocked down a bit because I whipped out the dad's PBA card (of course). It came to like $60....which at 21 was a lot and embarassing. It was cheaper than the interrogation and very loud lecture (to put it nicely) from my dad.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

I got a speeding ticket back in Nov the day before my birthday it cost me $200. Speedy, I guess your living up to your name! I was doing 77 in a 60 on a Houston Freeway.

[cleosmom]

knocking wood here The last traffic ticket I got and the only one I've ever gotten, was back in the 80's and it only ran me $45, the cost of going to traffic school.

[SpeedyAZ]

I got a speeding ticket back in Nov the day before my birthday it cost me $200. Speedy, I guess your living up to your name! I was doing 77 in a 60 on a Houston Freeway.

WHOA!! 17 MPH more and you get a $200 ticket? I onced got picked up for doing an 80 in a 65 and it only cost me $90.

Haha, well I try. But I was at a party the night before and I had to work the next day. So I was a little bit buzzed and decided to wait a few hours before attempting to drive home. After I sobered up, I needed to get home ASAP so I could get to work (and maybe catch a quick shut-eye). It was around 4:30 in the morning and I thought there wouldn't have been any smokey's around so I decided to try and top it out. Well I got it up to 130 before I saw this car whiz by me and it turned out to be an unmarked smokey. He spun around and had the siren going so I could hear him. I had 2 choices:

a) Stop and get a huge ticket
b) Try and outrun him, probably get caught and get a larger ticket and a court date.

So my senses took over and I did the reasonable thing. The cop wasn't too impressed with my little stunt and he let me have it. But after about 15 minutes, I was given the ticket and told to drive safely home. He also mentioned I had a "nice ride". Needless to say I called in sick that day.

[Steve-o]

Got a ticket for doing 17 over right inside Wisconsin. Those cheesehead state troopers do nothing but pull over Illinois tags, just ask anyone (except WI dwellers themselves). Anyways, I was in the passing lane doing 8 mph UNDER the posted limit, flashing my brights to get this car full of old folks out of the PASSING LANE . So theyre not getting the hint so I speed up, pass on the middle lane, then merge back into the speeding lane to overtake a few other slow cars. Cop nails me right as I pass the SLOW car in the passing lane and gives me a $260 ticket. Yes, I broke the law and I admit it, but there should have been no need for me to speed that much to pass someone in the passing lane who was driving 8 mph UNDER the limit.

Here in Illinois youre liable to get a ticket for driving slow in the passing lane. I wish that law was put in place in WI where people seem oblivious to the fact that the left lane is for PASSING.

**rant off**

[recycled]

I commute to work on a bicycle most days in Orange County, CA. I ride anywhere from 8 to 15 miles (30 to 60 minutes) each way to work through suburban towns. Mostly ride in marked bicycle lanes along the right shoulder. I have been doing this for the past 7 years I have lived in this area, and have never had any bike crashes or accidents. I don't ride like a nut in a race, I am very safe and ride with reflective vest, helmet, lights, etc and don't take any chances. About 4 years ago I was pedaling through a large intersection, and my direction of travel was on an uphill grade. Just after I crossed into the intersection the traffic light turned yellow and turned red faster than I could pedal completly through the intersection. I had glanced to the right to make sure nobody was speeding towards the intersection to run me down, and saw no cars approaching even though I was a second or 2 late in getting through the intersection. A sheriff on a motorcycle came roaring up to me a few yards later and pulled me over! He said I should not have proceeded through the intersection when the light turned yellow, that I should have stopped and gone back to the sidewalk. I told him that I am a vehicle, I don't ride on the sidewalk, that I legally entered the intersection on a green light, and I could not pedal any faster to get through the wide intersection in an uphill direction. I got a ticket for $238 which is the fine for vehicles in Orange County CA for running a red light. Went to court to argue my case, but that was even worse because in court the officer lied and said I entered the intersection on a red light and caused other vehicles to have to come to a sudden stop before proceeding. Judge told me I had no proof to the contrary and I had to pay the fine. Only good thing is that a ticket from riding a bicycle does not go on my motor vehicle driving record and did not cause my car insurance to get jacked up. Is that an "only in Southern California story" or what.

[christina0001]

My husband got pulled over last year for speeding and reckless driving (the reckless driving part was for tailgating, which he does ALL THE TIME). Anyway, he got tickets for both. He went to court and argued them both. In the end, he got one violation that was no points but cost $480!!! *weeps* The next month, he runs a red light by accident, got a ticket for that, argued that ticket, and it cost a little over $100 (and no points). Seemed cheap after the $480 ticket.

[Lannie]

I average a couple of tickets a year for not wearing a seat-belt. It's $250 each time. Haven't had a speeding ticket in quite a few years but the last one was for going 84 in 45mph work zone. I think that cost about $300 - it's more in a work zone ~ but it was 3:30am and no workers on the job.

Speedy, how did you avoid jail? Where I come from going 130mph in a 55mph would be an automatic arrest and fine.

[rdbeard5]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

...I got picked up for doing 130 in a 55 in the Porsche, cost me $400!

Speedy, in these parts (VA) that would not only gotten you the ticket but a nice set of "bracelets" for the ride to the station. 16+ MPH over the speed limit is considered "reckless driving" and an arrestable offense. Depends on whether you pass the "attitude test" on whether you get the "bracelets" with the ticket. 75MPH over the limit pretty much guarantees it though.

I haven't had any type of moving violation in 25+ years. The last one was in WY on a country road, if I recall correctly, it was for 72 in a 55. Cost around $90.