buying down a speeding ticket?

[brantley847]

Originally Posted by thebighar

I don't understand how people always say their insurance goes up when they get a ticket. I have had probably 6 or 7 tickets in the last 20 years and never had my insurance go up ever.

It is generally a point to year ratio... if those tickets are spread out, it should never bother your insurance. If you get tagged with numerous citations back to back to back, that is where you will see a huge hit.

The people that say get a lawyer, call the DA or SA, plea for a less-included charge are making it much harder than it needs to be.

If you want a lawyer, fine... get one and have him represent you in court. Most in Florida will charge you 50-70 dollars and will guarantee no points and no extra fines included (I know you are not FL, but it an example and I have seen the same advertisements across FL lines..)

However, in most cases.. go yourself to court. Cop doesn't show you win. Cop does show and just inform the judge you would rather get community service at your local church or the Y..most will also get it reduced to no points in most instances and possibly a minimal fine.

It baffles me that some people treat these like murder charges...

[Caspers2SSRS]

Not sure if missing a day from work is cheap, a guarantee that the judge will cooperate with "the usually", the "most of the time" or the "possibly" theory's, the affects on insurance may vary according to the drivers history with the company..............lots of other unknowns, including the odds that the points may affect the drivers existing point count driving priviledge's.

The lawyer/da method is definitive. Value, cost verses price.

What amazes me is the extent and risks taken to pursue and catch speeders doing nominal amounts over posted limits, like their really harming anyone.

[FastEddie]

Ay. Motley. Chill. He's gonna be fine. It can be done. Easier with lawyers. But I've done it without them.
Trust me. I know what I'm talking about. $181 or $220 (I get SO many) reduced to Reckless Driving... Yada yada

[thebighar]

Well I don't agree with everything you are saying caspers but you car is friggin sweet lookin....we can agree on that I think.

[mike25]

Originally Posted by WICG2772

I've had 3 tickets and 3 accidents and my insurance went up maybe $30 after all was said and done.

I had two accidents, both considered at fault ( all though one was weather related) and the other was my fault, and my insurance company dropped me. Claimed i was a high liability.. so you have to be careful there..

[Caspers2SSRS]

Originally Posted by thebighar

Well I don't agree with everything you are saying caspers but you car is friggin sweet lookin....we can agree on that I think.

Its all good......................invested a few bucks raising the home pack, and only speak from experience. Nearly forty years of steering behind me and nary a second look from the brotherhood of blue........ I couldn't afford Casper otherwise.....Heheeeeee and Thanks :-)

[Weezerj]

The best time to "buy down the ticket" was right after you got pulled over. You slide the LEO a couple hundies in a non-conspicuous handshake and a big smile.....

[REDXIIIDave]

It seems pointless to ask for advice, when every jurisdiction is different in how they handle speeding tickets.

[WICG2772]

Originally Posted by mike25

I had two accidents, both considered at fault ( all though one was weather related) and the other was my fault, and my insurance company dropped me. Claimed i was a high liability.. so you have to be careful there..

I must have been quite lucky back in 'the day' then...I was rear-ended by a large flat bed straight truck (I was driving a Sunfire) and my car was totalled. ONE month later driving an extended cab Dakota...rolled it on ice...totalled ...Only about a $30 ever difference...the tickets came a few years after that...and the other accident was a few years before that. I still have the same company actually. They've been real good to me.

[REDXIIIDave]

Remind me to stay away from WisconsinJust kidding!

[Ron66Vette&10SS]

Your sig says "midwest", not sure where that is, but here in Kanas you can ask for a "diversion". Here's the link for Wichita's program: http://www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/M...n/Speeding.htm


In a nutshell, as long as you haven't had a moving violation in the last 2 years and the ticket isn't for more than 15mph over the limit you can pay an extra $75 "Diversion Fee" + $25 "Application Fee" + $71 "Court Costs", add that additional $171 to the fine for your speeding ticket, and as long as you stay "clean" for 6 months the ticket will dissapear.

Something else they do here in Kansas (at least in Sedgwick County) is allow you to pay an extra "fee" IN ADDITION to your speeding fine to change the speeding ticket to "Inattentive (NOT careless) Driving" which isn't suppose to count as a moving violation, so it won't be reported to your insurance.

Is it really any wonder that some people think that PRIMARY purpose of speed limit enforcement is just way to make money and NOT to keep people "safe"?

[Hollywood2010]

Originally Posted by mike25

ps if you fight the ticket, sometimes the leo wont show up, and they have to throw the ticket out..something to keep in mind. But in my three or 4 tickets..ive never been this lucky.

I will show up, it means O.T. to me. In Ohio you can't just have the ticket reduced over the phone. You have to go to court and speak with the prosecutor. If he is agreeable then he may change it to an "equipment violation" that means no points, cost is about the same.

However I have worked with several different courts and they all vary. There is one judge I know that will not change the ticket unless you can prove to him that it will cost you hardship (as in losing your job).

Pay it and move on. Most insurance companies dont ding you for one violation.

[Todd3544]

Go to court, police more than likely will not show up, judge will assess new fine depending on the judges mood and will not assess points.. I had a judge once that came in to traffic court, waived everyone's tickets points and fines and only required that we "donate" $100 to the cities rescue mission prior to leaving. Just goes to show it can go either way..

[Wizard1183]

I dunno but I know in Louisiana if you send em a money order paying the ticket but DONT send the ticket, it wont go on drivers insurance. I've ALWAYS done this and my insurance sees no speeding tickets, On back of ticket you have to sign saying you are GUILTY, Dont sign it dobnt send it with the ticket, just call, ask how much it is and send em a money order. Thats it. Oh and red light cameras, dont EVER pay those!!! Those are NOT affiliated with the police. Its a company that does this. You dont pay, they send it to your credit score which you can easily dispute. Those red light cams are just like me going near a road with a radar detector and stopping the speeders and telling them to give me $25. Total BS!!!