First speeding ticket. How to read it? How to fight? (insurance, how much)

[Fricodam]

Just got my first speeding ticket in 22 years. The irony is that I have a sertain condition, sort of phobia of speed and always drive within the speed limit (can you imagine?) or even slower. Today it happened on the neighboring town road, completly empty in the middle of the day. This is a 30 mph zone. I didnt realized I was speeding, I was not sure I was speeding until I saw a police car behind me. The officer claimed that I drove 50 mph. On the ticket he checked "posted, clocked, estimated". Does anyone know what these checks on the ticket mean?
The fine is $200. There is no way I could drive with this type of speed on the town road. I might went a little bit over 30 mph, but 50? No way. I would like to appeal.
How can I prove I wasn't speeding?
Please help, if you have any experience with fighting this type of ticket. My driving record is spotless.
Thank you very much in advance.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Fricodam

Just got my first speeding ticket in 22 years. The irony is that I have a sertain condition, sort of phobia of speed and always drive within the speed limit (can you imagine?) or even slower. Today it happened on the neighboring town road, completly empty in the middle of the day. This is a 30 mph zone. I didnt realized I was speeding, I was not sure I was speeding until I saw a police car behind me. The officer claimed that I drove 50 mph. On the ticket he checked "posted, clocked, estimated". Does anyone know what these checks on the ticket mean?
The fine is $200. There is no way I could drive with this type of speed on the town road. I might went a little bit over 30 mph, but 50? No way. I would like to appeal.
How can I prove I wasn't speeding?
Please help, if you have any experience with fighting this type of ticket. My driving record is spotless.
Thank you very much in advance.

You can't prove anything, it is your word against his.

Of course go ahead and repeal it. Dress nice, show up with a good attitude, and hope for the best.

[Bob Lanata]

I am agreeing with Massnative. I will add that fighting speeding tickets is harder than ever as the law is doing their best to slow us all down for our own safety. I have learned the hard way myself, but a good lesson. Good luck friend

[bostonguy1960]

They may offer you to pay a bit less than the $200, if you show up to the hearing-- but you'll still have the mark on your record and the added insurance cost for years, I think.

When presented this option last year for my ticket on Soldiers Field Rd., I turned down the reduced fine option and asked for another hearing. They dismissed it entirely at the next hearing. The officer was asked if I was polite when stopped. When he said I was, the ticket was dropped due to a clean record. I may have been clocked at 54 in a 40 zone. It's hard to go under 50 on the stretch most of the time, but it was 1 am, so I was an easy target with nobody else on that stretch.

Years ago, they decided to drop a $200 ticket to $125 or so. When I asked them to reconsider, I was told to "just be grateful, sir, just be grateful..." So it was on my record for years.

Maybe it mainly depends how much over the posted speed you are clocked at.

[jeperry]

The economy has had an effect on state and local communities. Traffic tickets are a good source of income and it is being used everywhere. Returning to New England from Summit Point, WV I was stopped in PA and got a ticket. The police officer was really nice and informed me I was not getting a ticket for speeding but one that would not show up on insurance or be sent to any other authority. I was ticketed for not obeying a "Construction Area" sign. This was a Sunday afternoon, no construction was going on and the only difference between me and the other cars around me was my plates. I was speeding 70 mph but was keeping up with the local traffic. Be careful when you drive, a few things I believe they counted on ware: I probably wouldn't fight it seeing it would cost me more to drive back to fight it than to pay it. If it effected my insurance rate I might fight it.

[db508]

Several years ago, I received a speeding ticket. It was in a town I knew well, but was about 20 minutes away from where I live. A speed trap was set up as I entered onto a rotary - he was pulling several people over. I paid the $50 to have a hearing. Went before the magistrate, said some story about not being from the area and following someone out to the highway, mentioned I had an excellent driving record which the magistrate looked at right there and said be more aware of your speed and let me off. I don't know if it matters, but I am a woman. Nothing on my record.

[Jthree]

Having just been to traffic court and successfully fought a ticket (not speeding-- complicated story) I can tell you what I learned from my experience:

-The ticketing officer is not required to show up in court; most likely there will be one representative officer reading all citations.
-If it's your first offense, you will get points but not an insurance surcharge; if you have another offense then the surcharge starts.
-Points start to get erased after 3 years of good driving.
-Your case will be heard by a magistrate, not a judge.
-The job of the magistrate is to decide if you did violate the law. If he/she thinks you did, the only discretion of the magistrate is to reduce the fine by 50%-- they can't reduce the points.
-The magistrate can take into account mitigating factors of whether you violated the law. For example, a colleague told me he was ticketed for speeding in an area where the speed limit was poorly marked. He took pictures of the signage and the magistrate agreed it was confusing.

So, I would go, tell your story, bring anything that could be helpful evidence, and see what happens. Good luck!

[sgttrunk]

Originally Posted by Fricodam

Just got my first speeding ticket in 22 years. The irony is that I have a sertain condition, sort of phobia of speed and always drive within the speed limit (can you imagine?) or even slower. Today it happened on the neighboring town road, completly empty in the middle of the day. This is a 30 mph zone. I didnt realized I was speeding, I was not sure I was speeding until I saw a police car behind me. The officer claimed that I drove 50 mph. On the ticket he checked "posted, clocked, estimated". Does anyone know what these checks on the ticket mean?
The fine is $200. There is no way I could drive with this type of speed on the town road. I might went a little bit over 30 mph, but 50? No way. I would like to appeal.
How can I prove I wasn't speeding?
Please help, if you have any experience with fighting this type of ticket. My driving record is spotless.
Thank you very much in advance.

Posted means the speed was posted. Clocked means he was behind you driving at the same speed and comparing your speed to his speed. Estimated means he estimated your speed also. Always appeal, at worst the magistrate will reduce the fine, and at best you will catch a break. Tell them you are asking for the mercy of the court and that it will create a financial hardship for you which is not a lie.