Speeding ticket - pay it or lawyer up?

[dustygoon]

Has anyone had any success in fighting speeding tickets? I recently received one from RCMP on a Manitoba highway. I was speeding, but it was after passing someone on a single lane highway. I was caught as i was slowing down after making the pass (and car behind me was suddenly speeding up for some reason). Officer said i wasn't slowing down quick enough otherwise he wouldn't have written ticket.

I was going 121 km/h in 100 km/h zone. Ticket is $338 which seems a little high. It's my first ticket from an actual officer at the window of the car. I normally don't speed.

[troutman]

It would not make sense to pay a lawyer $300 - $500 an hour to fight at $300 ticket. There may be para-legal agencies that charge less.

Normally if you show up in court and speak to the Crown you can get it reduced by half.

[ResAlien]

Pay the ticket you criminal.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by troutman

It would not make sense to pay a lawyer $300 - $500 an hour to fight at $300 ticket. There may be para-legal agencies that charge less.

Normally if you show up in court and speak to the Crown you can get it reduced by half.

I live in California, so not easy. I have talked myself out of a couple tickets in the past before they get issued, but i think the site of my california driver license didn't help my cause.

I see some online dodgy lawyers like "Radar Rodney" that does some contingency...."Basically I will charge 1/2 of whatever I save you."

[EVERLAST]

I've had an agency get the demerits taken away from the fine that still had to be paid but that was for here in Calgary and not for an RCMP issued violation.

Losing the demerits or having them against you is what I'd be worried about more than the amount of the ticket.

The amount sounds bang on as I have a heavy foot on the highway and been dinged too.

[Jordan!]

[Fuzz]

Isn't that like, $8 American? You should just pay it because we could use the funding.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

I've had an agency get the demerits taken away from the fine that still had to be paid but that was for here in Calgary and not for an RCMP issued violation.

Losing the demerits or having them against you is what I'd be worried about more than the amount of the ticket.

The amount sounds bang on as I have a heavy foot on the highway and been dinged too.

He has a California license. I don't believe that they can take demerits away for a speeding violation that happened in Manitoba.

From the sounds of it, you were indeed speeding, and the fine was appropriate. Your best bet is to show up and the police officer may not show up, which would get the ticket thrown out.

You can also show up to have the ticket amount reduced. That is usually done on an economic needs basis (not sure what the law in Manitoba is), but you will need to provide evidence about how much you make. If you make a lot, the judge may charge the whole fee anyways. This depends on the individual judge a lot of the time.

[Locke]

Well, feel fortunate, it could have been $46,000, just ask Aleksander Barkov.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

I normally don't speed.

Originally Posted by dustygoon

I have talked myself out of a couple tickets in the past before they get issued

So...what do you consider "normally"?

[GreenLantern]

The only case you could make is that the person you went to pass also sped up, thus causing you to speed up more to pass him and affecting your rate of slowing down after the pass. Not many people know this but it is also an offense to speed up when someone is attempting to pass you.

You could theoretically write that ticket any time anyone goes to pass someone anywhere as all drivers are poop heads.

[DuffMan]

Don't pay it, never go back to Manitoba

[OMG!WTF!]

If you do go back to Manitoba, do not let them take you alive.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Don't pay it, never go back to Manitoba

Pretty much the definition of a "win-win" situation.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Don't pay it, never go back to Manitoba

I'm sure it's different for an American, but I tried this with Saskatchewan. 10 years after I got the ticket and never paid it, I got a notice that the amount was being deducted from my Income Tax return. I never knew they could pass the fines to the Federal government to collect.

Plus I've never tried to use the excuse about not being able to slow down fast enough after passing.. I was taught that when passing you still cannot exceed the speed limit.

[dustygoon]

These comments are hilarious. No doubt i owe some money and shouldn't be speeding, but i was thinking the fine was excessive and thought there was room to lower it.

Thanks for insights.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

I was going 121 km/h in 100 km/h zone. Ticket is $338 which seems a little high. It's my first ticket from an actual officer at the window of the car. I normally don't speed.

Wow $338 is insanely high for only going 121 in a 100 zone. Speeding ticket fines are getting way too high. I wouldn't pay it if you live in the US.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

I live in California,

Damn it Duffman...................

[Locke]

[Jason14h]

If you go to the prosecutor and ask to plead guilt to a lower charge they will rescue the amount.

But you need to show up in person and if you don’t live there I think you have no real option!