2nd Speeding Ticket WB on I94 (Insurance rates up?) (Minneapolis: car, office)

[Gust_Tony]

Just a few days ago i was heading back to Fargo, ND from Minneapolis (where i am from) and i merged into a group of drivers on I 94W. I was there for no more than a minute and i went over a hill and was pulled over for speeding 80 in a 70. The officer even said the two people in front were doing 80 and those 3 next to me were as well but i was in the back so he took me (the easiest to get) I was just merging into the speed of traffic and did not knowingly or intentionally speed. I know that doesn't matter but just irks me.

About a year ago I sped up to pass a semi that was in the lane next to me and got pulled over for speeding regardless that i was just trying to get past a semi.

Being I already had my chance of having a ticket kept off my insurance (American Family) for good behavior 12 months i think then am i screwed for this one?

I heard in North Dakota if its under 10 mph it does not effect your insurance rate but they have the point system and i know we don't apparently.

So basically does anyone no if my insurance will go up being this is my second?

And is this something i could possibly fight in court? Talk to a hearing officer and maybe get another 12 months of good behavior? or a lesser charge with a guilty plea? (continuance for dismissal?)

[golfgal]

It depends on when exactly your other ticket was issued and when this ticket hits your record AND if you don't have any other tickets. Generally if it is only 2 tickets in the household it won't be a problem but it depends on how close together they are too. The rate increase won't be much and only while you have 2 active tickets (2 years) so you might only have one billing period with the increase too.

[Clifford63]

mod cut-deleted post quote

or .... the obvious answer .... Slow down to 75 and start thinking about silly stuff like passing semis on the right side.

[Slig]

I've gotten a ticket on 94 before. I've noticed that speed traps are periodically set up between W Broadway and where it branches off to 252 so you have to watch your speed in that stretch.

[Clifford63]

Originally Posted by Slig

I've gotten a ticket on 94 before. I've noticed that speed traps are periodically set up between W Broadway and where it branches off to 252 so you have to watch your speed in that stretch.

I certianly am not a saint when it comes to speeding. My take on this topic is you really do need to watch your speed in certian areas and certian times of the day and holiday weekends. if you don't know the area well, don't go more than 5 over. My buddy got popped on 94 just past broadway a few years back on Memorial Day weekend. I told him to back down, but he did not listen. He used the "just rolling with the traffic" line and got crucified by the officer.

This may or may not be fully justified, but the patrols do profile in one way or another. If you don't have expired plates, burnt out tail lights, or high profile vehicle, and present a decent attitude, they tend to give you a break. If you get pulled over with tinted windows, psysdo race car stuff like resonation pipe, etc they tend to nail you to the tree.

Also, if you have a ticket or two, they tend to not give you a break.

Another thing that gets you pulled over is aggrsesive driving such as excessive lane changes, passing on the right side, tailgating ....

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Clifford63

or .... the obvious answer .... Slow down to 75 and start thinking about silly stuff like passing semis on the right side.

I can set my GPS (well, Maemo Mapper running on a Nokia 770 web tablet) to beep at me when I exceed a certain speed limit, and right now I have that set at 77 mph because I can't think of any valid reason to go fast than that.

I've never used a real (dedicated) GPS unit, but if that feature exists on yours, that might be a way to avoid something like this in the future.

Just a thought, anyway. I know it doesn't solve your current issue, tho.

[Clifford63]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I can set my GPS (well, Maemo Mapper running on a Nokia 770 web tablet) to beep at me when I exceed a certain speed limit, and right now I have that set at 77 mph because I can't think of any valid reason to go fast than that.

I've never used a real (dedicated) GPS unit, but if that feature exists on yours, that might be a way to avoid something like this in the future.

Just a thought, anyway. I know it doesn't solve your current issue, tho.

Pretty cool idea.

[aluminumpork]

Also, depending on what kind of car you have, many imports (BMW, Audi, etc) have that speed warning functionality built it.