Speeding ticket (house, employment, public school)

[chaotix]

Originally Posted by beckycat

The speeding ticket was $210. The cop said I was doing 12 over the speed limit. I really don't think so, maybe 5-10 at most.

$210

12mph over the limit, hmptf! I dare go out on a limb here and say that most people that are pulled over for speeding are driving over 15-20mph speed limit.

Unfortunately, the system is purposely designed that way. Police Officers have a quota to meet, hence, they need to generate revenue, as they have to justify their jobs/existence.

Your best bet will probably be to take a driving safety course to remove the points off your drivers license/record and should your insurance rate go up in the interim, you will have a drivers safety course certificate, your rate would be adjusted accordingly.

Good Luck, maybe, he will not show up and you can get this ticket/points dismissed. You never know.

[Infinite loop]

Police Officers have a quota to meet

They used to have a quota, but now... they can write as many tickets as they want! I think you're stuck with it, but maybe a traffic lawyer can at least help reduce the amount of the fine/points. Call around.

[AONE]

Originally Posted by beckycat

Does anybody know if you take it to court, do they still give you the option to take the class? I know if the officer doesn't show, they drop everything. (good chance it could happen) I'm afraid to take the chance of not getting the option to take the class and be stuck with the points. Does anyone know it there are points for the seatbelt ticket?

yes you can usually bargain to take the class if you lose at court. ok maybe this happened to me... eyes rolling looking innocently around :-)

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by AONE

yes you can usually bargain to take the class if you lose at court. ok maybe this happened to me... eyes rolling looking innocently around :-)

LOL, thanks.

[hgebel]

Are you being treated for the panic attacks? Panic attacks are very dangerous for both the driver suffering the attack and other drivers and passengers. The officer was entirely correct, panic attacks that effect your driving, depending on their severity, can be considered a psychiatric disturbance which can disqualify you from holding a driver's license. It may have seemed like the officer was being uncompassionate, but remember that he has probably seen many accidents caused by people who were in an excited mental state of one kind or another. Certainly, the law would be unlikely to recognize a panic attack as an emergency requiring increasing your speed. There are treatment programs for panic attacks, and even if they don't eliminate the attacks they can help train you to deal with them in a safer manner.

If you are already getting treatment, I'm sorry for bringing this up since you probably already know all of this. I felt like I had to say something because a good friend of mine from school was permanently disabled while having a panic attack while driving; he had had panic attacks for some time and had not sought treatment for them.

-Harry

[rogercobb]

Originally Posted by beckycat

The speeding ticket was $210. The cop said I was doing 12 over the speed limit. I really don't think so, maybe 5-10 at most.

That's ridiculously expensive for going 12 over the limit. Its strange that cops in Florida are real quick to give out hefty speeding tickets but they'll never ticket a driver for running a red light.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by hgebel

Are you being treated for the panic attacks? Panic attacks are very dangerous for both the driver suffering the attack and other drivers and passengers. The officer was entirely correct, panic attacks that effect your driving, depending on their severity, can be considered a psychiatric disturbance which can disqualify you from holding a driver's license. It may have seemed like the officer was being uncompassionate, but remember that he has probably seen many accidents caused by people who were in an excited mental state of one kind or another. Certainly, the law would be unlikely to recognize a panic attack as an emergency requiring increasing your speed. There are treatment programs for panic attacks, and even if they don't eliminate the attacks they can help train you to deal with them in a safer manner.

If you are already getting treatment, I'm sorry for bringing this up since you probably already know all of this. I felt like I had to say something because a good friend of mine from school was permanently disabled while having a panic attack while driving; he had had panic attacks for some time and had not sought treatment for them.

-Harry

Hi Harry,

I've been to counseling for it on and off. After, I do well with counseling, it usually is a while until it comes back. The reason it happens in the car is b/c my mother was killed in a car accident when I was 11. Part of my treatment is to get into the car and drive. It's called desensitization and it has worked tremedously for me. It doesn't happen every time I drive either. If it does, I usually pull over right away until it passes. In this case, there was no place to pull over until about 5 blocks. I don't drive like a maniac either when it happens.

I'm going back to counseling soon. The problem I had with the officer is that he needed to understand this was an emergency and didn't need to talk to me like that.

[blueoktober]

Just want to give you a head's up that if you go to court and you lose you have to pay court costs on TOP of the fine and you cannot go to driver's school. I learned that the hard way 2 months ago when I got my very first speeding ticket EVER (38 years old!). It was rush hour in the morning, I entered I4 downtown and some @sshole of course wouldn't let me merge in, so I just went on over anyway (like I had a choice?!). So the car behind me starts riding my butt acting like it is going to hit me and then they did some "gang" thing with their stupid hand, so I kicked my mustang to get away from the winged sentra and right as I sped up to go around a cop clocked me. Instead of listening and understand there was no way in hell I could be doing 75 at rush hour in the slow lane, he gave me a ticket. I tried to fight it in court, lost and paid a tremendous amount more in court costs and I cannot have the points removed.

Choose very wisely.



Oh, and I have panic attacks and high blood pressure so I am on low dosage of xanax which totally changed my life for the positive...if the cop had said that to me I would be at the station demanding an apology and some kind of reprimand for that ignorant cop.

I love Orlando, I really do, but there's times it's hard not to hate as well.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by blueoktober

Just want to give you a head's up that if you go to court and you lose you have to pay court costs on TOP of the fine and you cannot go to driver's school. I learned that the hard way 2 months ago when I got my very first speeding ticket EVER (38 years old!). It was rush hour in the morning, I entered I4 downtown and some @sshole of course wouldn't let me merge in, so I just went on over anyway (like I had a choice?!). So the car behind me starts riding my butt acting like it is going to hit me and then they did some "gang" thing with their stupid hand, so I kicked my mustang to get away from the winged sentra and right as I sped up to go around a cop clocked me. Instead of listening and understand there was no way in hell I could be doing 75 at rush hour in the slow lane, he gave me a ticket. I tried to fight it in court, lost and paid a tremendous amount more in court costs and I cannot have the points removed.

Choose very wisely.



Oh, and I have panic attacks and high blood pressure so I am on low dosage of xanax which totally changed my life for the positive...if the cop had said that to me I would be at the station demanding an apology and some kind of reprimand for that ignorant cop.

I love Orlando, I really do, but there's times it's hard not to hate as well.

Thanks for the feedback. Sorry to hear that. I was debating going to court b/c of that. I know it's up to the judge, but it only takes one @@@hole judge. I was hoping the cop wouldn't show up, but you never know. UGH!

I can't take medication b/c I have the opposite effect. Counseling works pretty well for me, I just have to be able to get myself there.

When you went to court:
1. Was the cop present.
2. Did they give you the options of not guilty, guilty, no contest and take the class before making a decision.

It's just so crazy what they charge. Everywhere I read, it says alot less, so I don't know where the cop came up with the amounts.
By the way, I'm 38 too.

[gaucon1973]

I got my speeding ticket 3 weeks ago too while I was on my way taking my son to his Dr appointment.. This is my third ticket within 3 years) I explained to the cop that my son was sick so I did not pay attention to the speed limit ..but he still wrote me a ticket.. I was driving about 82 miles/h on 429 when he caught me with his rada gun.. My husband said I should not put my foot on the brake when I saw him cause that will trigger his rada.. is it true ?? Btw, I don't think go to court is the good idea.. just pay the ticket and spend couple hours taking a online traffic class ( it costs around 15 bucks) , then you r done with it .. No point will show up on your record .. This is my point of view if you want a peace of mind ..