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Sorry to bump an old thread but this really irks me. Everyone (no one's perfect) makes a driving mistake occasionally. I've had two experiences at the Hauppauge traffic court: I was following my GPS to get somewhere while on the Expressway, when the exit suddenly came up, so I cut over three lanes to get off at the exit. There were no cars around me, although a cop van a distance back, and pulled me over on the exit ramp. I got a ticket for making an unsafe lane change (the cop also seemed to think I was stoned even though I really wasn't, but didn't even really seem to care that much). I show up to court and the options were 3 points with a $200 fine, 2 points with a $300 fine, and 0 points with a $500 fine. Taking my parents advice I took the 0 points, $500 option. Half a thousand dollars because I cut over too many lanes when no cars were anywhere near me. Second time about a year later I took the HOV lane during rush hour while I was by myself to avoid traffic and got pulled over within 20 seconds of being in the HOV lane (yes, I should not have done this and am not saying I don't deserve a punishment). The 0 points option was a $660 fine, which I reluctantly took. I understand driving mistakes are bad and should not be tolerated, but how does stealing (and yes, I do consider it stealing) $660 from me make them any better? I never put anyone in danger in either situation, again I know I did wrong but I feel as if a better system would be to just assign points to your license without a fine if you plead/are found guilty, and once you get a certain number of points, your license is suspended. This would help keep unsafe richer drivers off the road, and poorer drivers would have more of an incentive to not get points on their license so that they could continue getting to their job (assuming they have one). Once again driving violations are dangerous and should not be tolerated, but giving out MASSIVE fines for insignificant mistakes is ridiculous and much worse than the driving mistakes being punished. And the fact that pigs are actually praised in the precinct house for giving out the most tickets disgusts me.
On the flip side, my only other ticket I've ever received occurred in Southampton (within the town court's boundaries, so it was handled by the Southampton town court). There was a long, straight stretch of road, and being 19 and stupid with a new sports car I floored it and got up to about 103mph. All of a sudden I see a cop next to me, and when I slow down he pulls up behind me and tells me he clocked me at 113mph (the radar gun was off a bit, I guess). I was sitting in the car waiting for the ticket expecting my license to get suspended on the spot, when the cop comes back and tells me he's giving me a ticket for going 81mph in a 55mph zone. I was grateful, and when I got to Southampton court I noticed a bunch of people had 81 in a 55 tickets (a later online search revealed that it is against state trooper rules to chase after extreme speeders, so when they do, they reduce the speed so that they won't get in trouble). My punishment there was a $175 fine. Even without knowing the true speed I was going, I wouldn't have complained if I had gotten a larger fine. I never even really crack 80mph anymore. This was my first ticket too, so I just found it so backwards when I show up to the Hauppauge court and receive over double and now over triple that fine for infractions that didn't put anyone in danger.
I've only been driving for 3 years, but being basically the only one of my friends who drives (and I hang out with friends every night), commuting to college, and driving all over the island (almost literally) on a nightly basis because my dad basically doesn't let me pay for gas money, I've probably driven the same amount of miles the average 27-30-year old has driven in their life time. And again, I do regret my mistakes (the speeding and the HOV lane one, the other one I didn't even know or do I still even know if it was illegal), but overall I am a pretty cautious driver and have been told so by many people. And it's stressful constantly being the only one of my friends that drives. Constant designated driver, ect. And the average driver probably breaks at least 1 or 2 laws every single day, it really just depends on who gets caught and is forced to supply the local precinct with their doughnut party. The Hauppauge traffic court is basically a criminal enterprise with the amount of fines that they put on you and in my opinion is much worse than "dangerous" drivers (I'm not talking about DWI drivers or texting and driving-ers). Sorry for the rant, but I just can't believe that they're actually able to get away with doing this to people. There were literally about a hundred people there the times I was there, and to think of how much money they are making off of all of these people is disgusting.
You're NOT a good driver, you're a lousy driver and have two tickets to show for it in a short period of driving. All the excuses in the world and all the testimony from your friends won't change that. The fines seem to bother you - good! Now we just need to see if they bother you enough, as intended, to act as a deterrent to future bad driving.
Your anti-police sentiment is crystal clear. Just because you don't like being held accountable for the choices you make, doesn't mean that you are a victim.
19-years-old and driving a brand new sports car, huh?
The real problem here is that you were allowed to pay fines and get zero points on your license because you are entitled by mommy and daddy. If it wasn't for the "extortion" racket allowing you to pay your way out of DMV points your license would be suspended by now. Not that it would matter, because you would drive anyway.
Just another "millennial" who believes that the rules don't apply to him because he's a special snowflake. The next time you get pulled over for not following the rules, you should tell the cop about how him and his pig buddies eat donuts at your expense.
your anti-police sentiment is crystal clear. Just because you don't like being held accountable for the choices you make, doesn't mean that you are a victim.
19-years-old and driving a brand new sports car, huh?
The real problem here is that you were allowed to pay fines and get zero points on your license because you are entitled by mommy and daddy. If it wasn't for the "extortion" racket allowing you to pay your way out of dmv points your license would be suspended by now. Not that it would matter, because you would drive anyway.
Just another "millennial" who believes that the rules don't apply to him because he's a special snowflake. The next time you get pulled over for not following the rules, you should tell the cop about how him and his pig buddies eat donuts at your expense.
Your anti-police sentiment is crystal clear. Just because you don't like being held accountable for the choices you make, doesn't mean that you are a victim.
19-years-old and driving a brand new sports car, huh?
The real problem here is that you were allowed to pay fines and get zero points on your license because you are entitled by mommy and daddy. If it wasn't for the "extortion" racket allowing you to pay your way out of DMV points your license would be suspended by now. Not that it would matter, because you would drive anyway.
Just another "millennial" who believes that the rules don't apply to him because he's a special snowflake. The next time you get pulled over for not following the rules, you should tell the cop about how him and his pig buddies eat donuts at your expense.
I went pro-se twice and got the 0 points, my parents had nothing to do with it. I work for a law firm which is how I knew the attorney that I brought the other time, again having nothing to do with my parents. And I'm not anti-police, I'm anti-Suffolk county corruption. Only a total fool believes those fines are to "teach me a lesson" and not to make money from the county. So now that I just proved you wrong on the being spoiled thing, what else do you have to say? Other than making a doughnut joke.
I went pro-se twice and got the 0 points, my parents had nothing to do with it. I work for a law firm which is how I knew the attorney that I brought the other time, again having nothing to do with my parents. And I'm not anti-police, I'm anti-Suffolk county corruption. Only a total fool believes those fines are to "teach me a lesson" and not to make money from the county. So now that I just proved you wrong on the being spoiled thing, what else do you have to say? Other than making a doughnut joke.
i will never understand a system that lets someone "plead down" a charge for driving while on a cell phone for a parking ticket with a high fee. If you are caught speaking on a cell phone, you be penalized for speaking on the cell phone, nothing else.
Imagine if this was done throughout the entire court system. Maybe then someone could plead down an assault or murder charge to stealing a candy bar and pay a few thousand.
As we all know, it's about the bucks. It ain't about keeping us safe.
I'm not sure if that last comment was directed at me but I wasn't on my cell phone at all. And how can anyone with half a brain not think that the county officials are corrupt? It honestly boggles my mind. Yeah, Spota actually acts in the best interest of justice with every case. Convictions only matter to him if the person is 100% guility. Burke actually earned his way to being police chief. Anyone who believes that has my pit. As no, I don't work for crooks, I work at a law firm. All very nice attorneys there. No criminal activity that I know of. And if there was, I would absolutely not deny it. The firm I work for handles injuries and has nothing to do with traffic or criminal infractions.
I'm not sure if that last comment was directed at me but I wasn't on my cell phone at all. And how can anyone with half a brain not think that the county officials are corrupt? It honestly boggles my mind. Yeah, Spota actually acts in the best interest of justice with every case. Convictions only matter to him if the person is 100% guility. Burke actually earned his way to being police chief. Anyone who believes that has my pit. As no, I don't work for crooks, I work at a law firm. All very nice attorneys there. No criminal activity that I know of. And if there was, I would absolutely not deny it. The firm I work for handles injuries and has nothing to do with traffic or criminal infractions.
no sir, it was a comment on the original post
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