CRAP!!!(*#&$ I just got a speeding ticket

[Bobblehead]

Pay it. It depends upon your insurance company, but unless it was a bad one it shouldn't make a difference. If you get another within the next 3 years THEN you will probably get dinged.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

well consider your self lucky in this regard: when I got my licence my father worked for Motor Vehicles, if he wanted to randomly check my record, he was able to (not saying he did it, just that he had the ability to). He had access to everyone's record in the province. If I got a ticket it would show up on my record, and best-case scenerio he finds out when I go to renew my licence.

However, two years after I was granted the ability to legally drive a car, he took a new job... woo-hoo! With the Deptartment of Justice... d'oh! Now not only can he check my driving record at random, I have to pay my tickets to him and his co-workers... if I want to fight the ticket, I have to visit him at work... d'oh!

Hiding something like that from dad would be, how do you say... impossible.

I can see the bind your in. I actually think you're doing the right thing... if you're going to try and hide it (don't ever lie about it though, lying snowballs) learn all the ways to get caught. Then compensate for the worst case scenerios in each.

Bottom line though, confess now = punishment now, confess later = punishment for speeding + with holding the truth later

[Ironhorse]

Grow up, you got caught, take some responsiblity for your actions, move on. Learn from it.

And don't be one of those dinks on the road that always has to be one car in front, or get somewhere 2 minutes earlier. Trust me, it ain't worth it...

[Rhettzky]

I agree, fess up and get your folks to help you fight it. Fighting the ticket results in four fairly positive out comes;

1) The cop does not show up for the court date and the ticket is ripped up and forgotten about.

2) The crown let's you get away with paying the fine and dodging any resulting demerits as long as you promise to be a good boy.

3) They reduce the speed on the ticket resulting in a lower fine and lower demerits.

3) They tell you to **** off and you have to pay the ticket and get the demerits. (Same outcome as if you just paid the ticket in the first place)

Don't be scared of court.

[GoinAllTheWay]

You sound like a young guy so I really doubt that one ticket is going to do anything to your rates, assuming it is not adding to any other convictions you have recieved. Regardless of wether or not you are a grid rated driver or pay the insurance companies regular underwriting rates, you should not be affected by a single speeding ticket. Your insurance company likely won't even know about your ticket until your policy is up for renewal.

FYI-The amount of demerits a tickets gives you does not determine wether or not your rates will increase. With insurance companies, its pretty black and white. You either got a ticket or you didn't. The only thing demerits do is determine how close you are to getting your licence suspended.

[CaptainCrunch]

Your best bet is to negotiate with the crown, however if your a younger driver, they might not do anything for you because you don't have a lenghty record of good driving to fall back on.

Chances are if this ticket goes through your parents won't find out until your insurance renewal form comes through in the mail. If your parents are paying for your insurance, tell them now, today, they'll resent you less if your honest with them instead of sneaking around and hoping they don't find out.

Save the big lies for the time that you punch someone out and are going to trial for assault or getting kicked out of school for partaking in the bong.

If you lie and you get caught, your credibility with your family is shot, and they're going to have a tough time trusting or believing you again.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by Dion

I agree with Wookie, Rakiet. You can wait until the court date and ask the prosecutor if he/she would be willing to drop the ticket down to a fine without demerits. They sometimes do this if you have a sqeaky clean record and no demerits. I have done this on one occassion.

you can go early too, doesnt have to be on the date

[Wookie]

Originally Posted by fotze

No one got Wookie's homer simpson quote eh?

sigh... all i got was serious responses.. And with my posting record I'm surprised. I'm never serious about anything I say

However CC made a good point. It's a speeding ticket. They're pretty minor, dealing with it yourself, paying, and visiting the judge is being responsible about it. Ratting yourself out if you don't have to is pointless. What does it do for you. Does the ticket say if you're a minor or driving under someone Else's coverage you have to tell them? Not that I recall. You're not doing anything wrong. If your parents later find out. You say I visited the judge, paid the ticket, got my demerits taken off and have learned a valuable lesson, didn't really see the point in telling you. Chances are your parents have had a few themselves..

[Jayems]

God, Im a grandma for my age. (23). I have never had a ticket, and only been pulled over once on the highway out by bragg, and I got out of it, because i was speeding to an accident.

I got pulled over lots in the hat in my buddies car, but thats because medicine hat police have nothing better to do

I think its all about selective speeding. Speed when its safe for people around you, and if there are no cops (yes, its pretty obvious when a tinted out mini-van is oddly parked on the side of the road on a highway). There is no sense going 80 in a 50, leave earlier.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Jayems

God, Im a grandma for my age. (23). I have never had a ticket, and only been pulled over once on the highway out by bragg, and I got out of it, because i was speeding to an accident.

It took me until I was 26 to get my 1st ticket. Then I got pulled over FOR wearing my seatbelt (no ticket given obviously), 2 photo radar tickets and I got into an accident and got a ticket for following too closely. 5 things in 4 years. Stupid old age!

I never tried to get out of paying any of the tickets. I broke the law, I paid the price. I'm not going to weasel my way out of something I did.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by Buff

I never tried to get out of paying any of the tickets. I broke the law, I paid the price. I'm not going to weasel my way out of something I did.

I didn't weasel my way out of it (Even though I don't think thats what your implying). It was weird. It was city cops out on the highways by bragg creek... there was a big ball of fire about 3 fire balls, in the distance, so i sped up.

Cops pulled me over, said where are you going, told them.. A truck stopped from the direction of the fireballs, said something to the second cop and they told me to go home.

Found out some car hit a powerline, and the fire ball was something to do with the line.

[Buff]

Nope, not implying that you weaseled out. That was to the thread originator and anyone telling him how to get out of the ticket. I don't like it when people try to get out of their tickets when they deserved them. Like Reg said. Don't want the ticket? Don't Speed.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Buff

Nope, not implying that you weaseled out. That was to the thread originator and anyone telling him how to get out of the ticket. I don't like it when people try to get out of their tickets when they deserved them. Like Reg said. Don't want the ticket? Don't Speed.

I suppose, people can do whatever the hell they want. I for one will be looking for ways to not pay the full fine, take full demerits and have my insurance increase.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I suppose, people can do whatever the hell they want. I for one will be looking for ways to not pay the full fine, take full demerits and have my insurance increase.

A great way would be not to speed or whatever else you've done to warrant you receiving a ticket.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I suppose, people can do whatever the hell they want. I for one will be looking for ways to not pay the full fine, take full demerits and have my insurance increase.

Again, its not the size of the fine or the number of demerits that creates a rise in your rates, it wether or not you actualy got the ticket. Insurance companies only care about what kind of charge was laid against you.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Buff

A great way would be not to speed or whatever else you've done to warrant you receiving a ticket.

True, but this guy already has a ticket. So saying "don't speed" isn't very good advice to give him as it just sounds condescending.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Again, its not the size of the fine or the number of demerits that creates a rise in your rates, it wether or not you actualy got the ticket. Insurance companies only care about what kind of charge was laid against you.

Actually that's not quite true. If you are charged with speeding and get off or have the charge thrown out then the insurance companies wouldn't be able to say anything about it. If you plead guilty or were convicted of the charge then your rates could go up.

I was just trying to give examples of options you have besides just paying the ticket. Because sometimes that's not always the best option.

[fredr123]

With respect to taking care of the ticket or trying to get a lower fine or what have you, there are a number of options. If you are a student at the University of Calgary and you are afraid of court, just have the people at Student Legal Assistance do it for you. It's something you can easily take care of yourself but if you can't be bothered, they are there for you. And it's free.

Best thing going forward though, as others have pointed out, is to fess up right away. Personal experience has shown that owning up to mistakes right away and taking steps to correct the problem go a long way in this world. It has greatly benefited me in my personal life and at work. I like to think it's a sign of maturity that commands respect. Think about it.

And all the grief about not speeding in the first place isn't particularly helpful. I personally don't believe speeding is a problem per se. It's driving beyond your ability or driving in such a manner that causes danger to others on the road. Often times these conditions occur as a result of speeding so making the connection is obvious.

Speeding TICKETS, on the other hand, serve one of two purposes. They are either there to generate revenue or they are there to make you learn a lesson. If you learn to slow down and drive safely, then the ticket has done it's job. If it was simply issued to raise some funds, then I have no ethical issue with fighting it to the bitter end. And in the latter case, there are plenty of ways to go about doing that. This is why I loathe photo radar. I personally believe that being pulled over by an officer and going through that whole experience is far more likely to reduce the incidence of speeding than receiving a letter in the mail two weeks later with a grainy picture of your car. My two cents, of course.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

True, but this guy already has a ticket. So saying "don't speed" isn't very good advice to give him as it just sounds condescending.

It's very good advice. Stunningly simple.

The best way to avoid speeding tickets is to drive within posted speed limits. That's what the signs are there for.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Actually that's not quite true. If you are charged with speeding and get off or have the charge thrown out then the insurance companies wouldn't be able to say anything about it. If you plead guilty or were convicted of the charge then your rates could go up.

I was just trying to give examples of options you have besides just paying the ticket. Because sometimes that's not always the best option.

Well obviously if the ticket gets thrown out, nothing will happen to your rates. The point I was trying to get across is if you ARE chared with the ticket, a reduced fine or reduced demerits will hold no weight with your insurer. Its simply if you were convicted or not.