Speeding ticket advice (West: live, cost of, adjudication)

[SteelBubble]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

SteelBubble, if you're speeding when you get a speeding ticket, the state trooper isn't "generating revenue" or "abusing power", he's doing what he's paid to do, enforcing the law. Which you, yourself, made the unilateral decision shouldn't apply to you.

So quit whining and own up to and take personal responsibility for the predictable consequences of your own actions. (I'm beginning to think that the ability to do that should be a prerequisite to getting a driver's license.)

Unless you really do believe it can't happen the first time and a woman can be just a little bit pregnant. In which case you've got bigger problems ahead of you than a simple speeding ticket.

Speed limits were set to ensure the safety of all drivers. It's completely reasonable to issue a ticket when a driver is aggressive and reckless. But when a motorist is going 5 mph over the speed limit and receives a ticket, that's a way for the state to generate revenue. Haven't you noticed the abundance of police officers and speed traps since the economic recession? It's not just a coincidence.

Requiring cops to meet a quota is illegal, but that doesn't stop the state. Politicians have concocted a way around that. They use different terminology to refer to the quotas such as "point system contracts." Look it up.

In fact, federal studies have shown that slower drivers going significantly below the speed limit are more prone to accidents. It is more dangerous to drive slowly than to drive 5 or 10 mph over the speed limit. Since you're really big on analogies, think of it like a rock in the middle of a creek. The water has to go around the rock, disturbing the flow—much like traffic.

Let's set this straight: I'm not condoning reckless behavior nor am I advocating driving 100 mph on the interstate. I am simply pointing out the obvious.

[TexasHorseLady]

The obvious is that if you're speeding, even a little bit, you've made a decision to do exactly that. And you should accept responsibility for that decision and its consequences instead of blaming others.

Setting aside the "little big pregnant" comparison, how about the burglar saying, "But I only took a little bit, and none of it was really important to them, so I shouldn't be considered guilty of burglary and I should be let off."

If you wouldn't buy that, you shouldn't expect to be given a pass because you, yourself, consider that your preference to speed (to the point of recommending radar detectors, even) not to be dangerous to others. Some of the worst drivers I know consider themselves to be excellent drivers to whom the traffic laws shouldn't apply because they're obviously not a danger to anyone else.

I haven't noticed a particular increase in traffic enforcement since the economy went south. They've always patrolled the stretches of highway that I drive most (north of Georgetown where drivers think they can just put the pedal to the metal and there will be no consequences) pretty heavily.

[SteelBubble]

I'm sorry the world isn't the black and white picture you paint it out to be.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by SteelBubble

I'm sorry the world isn't the black and white picture you paint it out to be.

I agree with TexasHorseLady. If you break a law then you should be prepared and willing to suffer the consequences. The odds are that you have broken the law with impunity on many occasions and "gotten away" with it. Therefore you have effectively given up your right to whine about it.

Grow a pair and take your medicine. Next time, if you do not wish to pay for your offenses - obey the law. Simple as that.

20yrsinBranson

[getmeoutofhere]

Is this the part where TexasHorseLady constructs straw man arguments and argues that the world should be the way she thinks it ought to be and ignores how it is?

I love that part!

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by getmeoutofhere

Is this the part where TexasHorseLady constructs straw man arguments and argues that the world should be the way she thinks it ought to be and ignores how it is?

I love that part!

Is this the part where getmeoutofhere whines that the law is just WRONG and shouldn't apply to him?

Like 20yrsinBranson said, grow a pair and accept the consequences of your own actions. It really is as simple as that.

Not even any requirement to obey the law, just a requirement that if you don't, you don't whine when you get caught I realize that's quite a stretch for some, but it CAN be done.

[ascension]

Just took another look at the speeding ticket and I noticed that the trooper also put the color of the vehicle wrong. He put the color as blue when my vehicle is green? The radar calibration shows as 22:23, don't know what this means.

[getmeoutofhere]

So, if we are going by what the law is, why shouldn't you fight it, as is your legal right? Why should you just give in and pay? Make them work for their money.

Your legal right to fight any and all charges against is far more important than the state's speeding fine.

Originally Posted by ascension

Just took another look at the speeding ticket and I noticed that the trooper also put the color of the vehicle wrong. He put the color as blue when my vehicle is green? The radar calibration shows as 22:23, don't know what this means.

Color won't matter.

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by getmeoutofhere

Deferred adjudication is better than defensive driving. Do that.

I was going to suggest this as the way to go if they'll let you. If you haven't had a ticket in 6 years, odds are good you can go 90 days w/o one. Be very nice to the D.A. and very repentant and tell you you haven't had a ticket in 6 years.

If not, defensive driving is the way to go. It keeps the ticket off your record and yes, you certainly want that! Also, take the defensive driving completion slip to your insurance company and they will give you a discount on your insurance for the next 3 years (I believe it is) and it's like a 10% discount, so it will pay for itself. Sure beats the alternative of having a big insurance hike because of the ticket on your record.

Good luck!

[getmeoutofhere]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

I was going to suggest this as the way to go if they'll let you. If you haven't had a ticket in 6 years, odds are good you can go 90 days w/o one. Be very nice to the D.A. and very repentant and tell you you haven't had a ticket in 6 years.

If not, defensive driving is the way to go. It keeps the ticket off your record and yes, you certainly want that! Also, take the defensive driving completion slip to your insurance company and they will give you a discount on your insurance for the next 3 years (I believe it is) and it's like a 10% discount, so it will pay for itself. Sure beats the alternative of having a big insurance hike because of the ticket on your record.

Good luck!

Are you kidding? These days there is no DA - speeding tickets are such an obvious money grab that instructions for getting deferred adjudication are on the backs of tickets, usually. No judge, no DA, just apply for it and move on.