speeding ticket in california?
I just received my very first ticket today. It was for speeding and I was clocked going 59 at a 50 zone. I feel so bad because I normally never speed, I was driving my brother's car, since mine was in the shop, and he drives a sporty car so i wasn't used to it. I was going down a steep hill and the officer was at the bottom of the hill. I know I was at fault and speeding is wrong, but I'm also human and stuck in a finantial situation. What ways can I go about reducing the fee (if possible) or not getting it on my records. I am a student and highly in dept with tuition and this is so stressful. I live in southern california if that makes a difference. thanks so much for any advice.
i was also pondering, are there any loopholes i can try to drop the ticket? what if i show up in court and the officer doesn't show up. my court time is at 7am on a friday. omg i'm starting to stress out so much i can't study for midterms.
September 4th, 2009 - 00:13
Do not stress. You will get your courtesy notice within a few weeks. It will undoubedly have the traffic school option discussed. You may also be able to find your ticket online (go to the superior court website for the county where the ticket was issued). You can sign up for, and complete, traffic school online in almost every county in California. That will keep this all off your record (and most especially away from your insurance company).
The scheduled fine for going 9 mph over the limit (the 1-15 over range) is $146. That includes assessments. Traffic school will cost a little more. It is possible that if you went to court to enter your guilty plea the hearing officer might lower the fine a bit. I would not count on the citing officer not showing up, though it sometimes happens.
See? Nothing to worry about.
September 4th, 2009 - 00:13
check with the court and see if you can go to a driving class, that way it will be taken off your record and there shouldn’t be a fine
September 4th, 2009 - 00:13
Other than driving school as suggested by Gordon, you can also try and see if you can do community service to pay off the fine.
September 4th, 2009 - 00:13
check as see if there is a START SMART program with the local CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL. since you Ive in California you may be able to see if a judge will let go to a class. also see if the judge will lower the fine of the ticket. you must have been stop by a local pd officer because a chp officer doesn’t stop goin nine miles over the limit.
September 4th, 2009 - 00:13
Well, if the judge is nice, he/she may just dismiss the ticket. Just be careful, because the police may watch you from now on.