Traffic ticket on the Sprain Brook Pkwy (how much, lawyer)

[Mentat]

Today while driving on the Sprain Brook, I was distracted and went above the speed limit. It was 8 am, clear, sunny and the road was almost completely empty. (I'm not excusing my behavior; I just want you to know that I wasn't putting anyone else's life in danger.) Before I knew it, a cop was bearing down on me. I pulled over, and got a ticket that said I had "disobeyed a traffic control device." Other than a speed limit sign, there was no "traffic control device" on the road. Is the speed limit sign a traffic control device? The ticket requests that I plead guilty or not guilty and mail it in, or appear in court. There's nothing on it about a fine.

Has anyone ever gotten this type of ticket? What are the penalties?

What do you think I should do? Check "guilty," mail in the ticket and see what happens? Or go to court and say that I didn't see a traffic control device and hope for the best?

[7 Wishes]

Did the cop say what you exactly did? Sounds pretty strange to me.

I have twice in my entire driving life (25 years!) gotten a speeding ticket and both times they plead it down in court. The first time it was pleaded down to what you got, "disobeyed traffic control device", where the device was the speed limit sign (this cut the number of points on the license), the other time to "parking on the Interstate" (which made it a non-points violation).

Good luck!

[sdcity]

Originally Posted by Mentat

Today while driving on the Sprain Brook, I was distracted and went above the speed limit. It was 8 am, clear, sunny and the road was almost completely empty. (I'm not excusing my behavior; I just want you to know that I wasn't putting anyone else's life in danger.) Before I knew it, a cop was bearing down on me. I pulled over, and got a ticket that said I had "disobeyed a traffic control device." Other than a speed limit sign, there was no "traffic control device" on the road. Is the speed limit sign a traffic control device? The ticket requests that I plead guilty or not guilty and mail it in, or appear in court. There's nothing on it about a fine.

Has anyone ever gotten this type of ticket? What are the penalties?

What do you think I should do? Check "guilty," mail in the ticket and see what happens? Or go to court and say that I didn't see a traffic control device and hope for the best?

My father in law got a ticket on the sprain also. It was the day after last thanksgiving. There was no one else on the road. I forget how much he was speeding, but the cop definitely hinted that he was more pissed that we were in the left lane a head of him than anything else. It was probably the same cop that gave you a ticket, there's no way any cop could be so upset over nothing.

This is why I always let cops pass me when I see them behind him. Unfortunately we were all so tired from the long trip that that we weren't paying attention to who was behind us on an empty road.

Anyhow, we have a lawyer in the family so went to court and got a minor fine. If it doesn't give you any points I would just pay the fine. Otherwise look into going to court. Sorry I can't help any more.

[Mentat]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Did the cop say what you exactly did? Sounds pretty strange to me.

All he said was that I driving too fast. Since I realized that he could have given me a speeding ticket, but didn't, I just kept real quiet. I didn't want to blow it by saying the wrong thing.

[Mentat]

Originally Posted by sdcity

My father in law got a ticket on the sprain also. It was the day after last thanksgiving. There was no one else on the road.

Now that I've had this experience, a number of people have told me about having similar experiences on the Sprain--tickets with weird charges that get dropped or lowered in court. I'm guessing that this is a way of raising revenue for the county, since most people don't bother to go to court and probably just end up paying the fine just to get rid of the charge.

Originally Posted by sdcity

If it doesn't give you any points I would just pay the fine. Otherwise look into going to court.

That charge gives 3 points!! I'm pleading not guilty with the hope that it'll get dismissed or lowered.

[ponytrekker]

Originally Posted by Mentat

Today while driving on the Sprain Brook, I was distracted and went above the speed limit. It was 8 am, clear, sunny and the road was almost completely empty. (I'm not excusing my behavior; I just want you to know that I wasn't putting anyone else's life in danger.) Before I knew it, a cop was bearing down on me. I pulled over, and got a ticket that said I had "disobeyed a traffic control device." Other than a speed limit sign, there was no "traffic control device" on the road. Is the speed limit sign a traffic control device? The ticket requests that I plead guilty or not guilty and mail it in, or appear in court. There's nothing on it about a fine.

Has anyone ever gotten this type of ticket? What are the penalties?

What do you think I should do? Check "guilty," mail in the ticket and see what happens? Or go to court and say that I didn't see a traffic control device and hope for the best?

He probably cut you a break. But not that much depending on how fast you were going. A speed limit sign is a traffic control device. If you have a NY license that's fewer points than a speeding ticket, usually. You may be able to plead it down.

When the road is empty is when you are most likely to get ticketed. No where to hide and impossible to go with the flow.

[porsche060]

Unless he had a radar reading the case will be dismissed