court date coming up

[Aothachos]

Well it has been awhile since I got my first ticket. Speeding i was 17 at the time doing 91 in a 55, it was on the highway.

Well the officer pulled me and another person over I didn't know her nor was I racing with her, I told the officer I wasn't. I was a lifeguard at the time and had my lifeguard uniform on and he said where are you going, I said I'm my way to work and he had to be a smart ass and say I can see by the cloths you are wearing (sometimes i don't understand why cops have to dickheads when they talk when they are already ruining your day and driving record).

Anyways, i got the ticket in august of 2008, it has been almost 2 years now since the ticket. I post poned it twice, first and second time for being unemployed even went in front of a judge and explained he was nice and laughing about it and gave me a 5 month postponement. The courts post poned the ticket 3 times already.

Now during this whole time all of my county police force was removed from patroling the highways and the state (sheriffs and troopers) are the only ones allowed to patrol the highways.

I was wondering since the officer no longer works the highways is there a chance of having this dismissed. Also since it has been so long is there a chance the cop won't show up since it has been so long ago and a position he no longer works as or possibly he has no notes or anything of some sort to remind him what happened, I've been to court once for following to closely but I won the case because the officer didn't observe the scene of the accident, he was cool about it too he said don't worry just plead not guilty ill say "this" and your good to go.

Anyways hoping this ticket it dismissed some how, I can't afford 8 points on my license and 800$ fine at 19 years old.

And I'm not an asshole driver who drives fast all the time, i just got my license and was excited bout my car and the highways was empty, no one in sight at all haha. Now i dont even go past 70 mph today, so please dont judge me for my actions

[Aothachos]

Right here it states:

"The Highway Patrol Bureau was disbanded by County Executive Steve Levy on September 15th, 2008 and its 47 members transferred to other commands. Levy justified the move on the grounds that the New York State Police ought to be primarily responsible for patrolling state highways. In the absence of more state troopers, highway patrol functions were transferred to the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, whose deputy sheriffs are paid less than Suffolk County police officers, but have little to no experience performing highway patrol functions.[1] The Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association is challenging the disbandment."

now since that happened, that police officer no longer patrols the area where i was pulled over, I don't know what kind of work he does. But is there a good chance I can fight this ticket if he shows up saying that he no longer works the highways since state took over blah blah blah

[Aothachos]

I only had a junior license at the time, ny state your not allowed to drive with just a junior license unless you have a fully licensed driver in the passenger seat with you at the age of 21 or older. He didn't give me a ticket for that thankfully. But i could feel the cop didn't like me for whatever reason, it was my first time being pulled over and i was nervous as hell and i was polite as i can be for whatever reason he didn't like me either my skin color, race, cuz i wear glasses, cuz i was a lifeguard maybe he had a bad experience as a kid with lifeguards or something im not sure lol i didn't know what the hell to expect he comes back with a ticket and says here is your summons, i asked politely what is a summons and he said rudely "a ticket!" and left .....so i was confused

[127.0.0.1]

the only way to get this dismissed is:

if the actual witness (the officer) does not show up to plead his side.

chances are he won't show up for an old ticket, unless you gave him a reason
to be mad at you. but budgets are tight and he may show up to make sure
you pay the fine...courts no longer just let officers blow off tickets. they need the coin.

[Darb]

Regarding your question on if it'll get thrown out because county cops don't patrol the highway anymore, the best person to ask that would be a lawyer that does traffic court.

[Aothachos]

the only way to get this dismissed is:

if the actual witness (the officer) does not show up to plead his side.

chances are he won't show up for an old ticket, unless you gave him a reason
to be mad at you. but budgets are tight and he may show up to make sure
you pay the fine...courts no longer just let officers blow off tickets. they need the coin.

i hope he doesn't show up, besides suffolk county cops get paid so much money for not doing as much work as new york city cops who get paid less. I think the base pay rate is 97,000 yearly for suffolk county and its 76,000 for nyc, craziness.

i gave him no reason to be mad at me, i was an innocent 17 year old working kid lol i was going to work to save lives not take a life

[RHDVIPbB]

Just pay it. I went today to pay a ticket that I had since 2006. Long story short, I had it written as a warning on my paper, but the officer turned it in as a speeding ticket. It only cost me $167. Pay it and be done with it. The time and money you will spend going back and forth between the courts to fight it are not worth it.

[YarisSedan]

How is a speed ticket 8 points and 800 dollars?

[tomato]

How is a speed ticket 8 points and 800 dollars?

+1 :confused:

[127.0.0.1]

Just pay it. I went today to pay a ticket that I had since 2006. Long story short, I had it written as a warning on my paper, but the officer turned it in as a speeding ticket. It only cost me $167. Pay it and be done with it. The time and money you will spend going back and forth between the courts to fight it are not worth it.

never just pay it.

I have sat through full days of court (for study reasons) 12 times and tickets get tossed
when officers do not show up. and that happens a lot.

fact is, you have zero chance if you pay it.

you have a little chance if you go to court

[Gideon]

How is a speed ticket 8 points and 800 dollars?

New York has a different point system for offenses regarding driving record. 31 to 40 MPH over posted limit is 8 points. (In contrast 1-10 MPH over the limit is 3 points)

[RHDVIPbB]

never just pay it.

I have sat through full days of court (for study reasons) 12 times and tickets get tossed
when officers do not show up. and that happens a lot.

fact is, you have zero chance if you pay it.

you have a little chance if you go to court

I did show up. I have been back and forth for a year now. Why fight a ticket if you deserved it. I love how people say to fight it all the time. I was speeding and I got caught.

[JBougie]

But i could feel the cop didn't like me for whatever reason, it was my first time being pulled over and i was nervous as hell and i was polite as i can be for whatever reason he didn't like me either my skin color, race, cuz i wear glasses, cuz i was a lifeguard maybe he had a bad experience as a kid with lifeguards or something im not sure lol

You were doing 91 in a 55 while under the legal age to be driving alone and want to question why the police officer wasn't thrilled with you? Then have the gall to actually try and pull the race card?! And you want out of the ticket "because you don't speed all the time"?

You should be happy you didn't get in more trouble than you did, you should absolutely have to pay the full ticket.

[GeneralDon7]

I did show up. I have been back and forth for a year now. Why fight a ticket if you deserved it. I love how people say to fight it all the time. I was speeding and I got caught.

Id have to agree with him. I have gotten a speeding ticket and a "failure to stop at sign" since I have had my license and I know even though everyone does the second one all the time "rolling stop", in the end I was caught breaking the law plain and simple. So I just paid both and got over it and never do it again, I drive either the speed limit or up to 5 under and "stop" at all signs(which piss people off apparently). Im not sure if this is statewide here, but in our county/city, a case will not be thrown out anymore just cause the cop does not show up.

[RHDVIPbB]

exactly. Pay the small fine and be careful next time. Oh and 25 over is usually grounds for them to arrest you.

I agree about the stop signs. I get honked at all the time. I am waiting to get rear ended one day. I check my rearview when coming to a stop sign to see if the other driver is paying attention.

[ezhacker1]

yup, +1 for being rearended at a stop sign, being San Francisco, maybe the guy thought i was gonna roll through.

[sqcomp]

"innocent 17 year old"

That's a good one. Hey pal...you broke the law. I have NO problem going the posted speed. Although I'm in no hurry to go anywhere, even to work. Adjust the two butt cheeks on top of your shoulders and find some personal responsibility.

You've got an issue. It is YOUR issue. Gain some real personal character, have some honor, and integrity.

Pay the ticket and don't come crying when YOU'VE broken the law. Don't break the law and you won't have problems.

Easy fix with the attitude mod that is in dire need here.

oh and x2 on JBougie's post.

[markitect]

Just pay it. I went today to pay a ticket that I had since 2006. Long story short, I had it written as a warning on my paper, but the officer turned it in as a speeding ticket. It only cost me $167. Pay it and be done with it. The time and money you will spend going back and forth between the courts to fight it are not worth it.

You realize if you have your copy of the ticket then you can prove he tampered with it, and get it thrown out?

For the OP, if you dispute the ticket and the cop isn't there as a witness you usually get off. Get there early and look for the cop, if the cop is there talk to the prosecutor and see if he will let you plea down. But these are US standards, if the ticket will be $800 you might want to find a lawyer.

[Aothachos]

You realize if you have your copy of the ticket then you can prove he tampered with it, and get it thrown out?

For the OP, if you dispute the ticket and the cop isn't there as a witness you usually get off. Get there early and look for the cop, if the cop is there talk to the prosecutor and see if he will let you plea down. But these are US standards, if the ticket will be $800 you might want to find a lawyer.

Yea i think it would cost total of 800$, not on the spot though. Surcharges and all that crap haha. I could careless what people say that i broke the law, everyone breaks laws everyday, whether if its the simplest thing from throwing a gum wrapper on the ground or taking your dog for a walk and crapping in the park without picking it up. Rules are meant to be broken, but anyways.

I have a feeling the cop won't show up, but theres a good chance, odds of him showing up idk 2:3. So i have a small chance of getting out of it. If he does show up I can always talk down the ticket, i had a couple friends do worse than i did, 90 in a 30 and such and they talked down the ticket to a lower speeding ticket and community service.

I wasn't in no hurry either, on that highway everyone usually does around 85-90mph average going out east, because out east on long island is kinda dead, mostly woods. Things are meant for a reason. If he doesn't show up I can look at it as a warning, but I learned my lesson awhile ago haha. Who knows, I wouldn't be surprised if I get another letter in the mail saying they post poned the court date again. They've done that so many times already for no reason.

The country makes 10's of millions of dollars each year only from speeding tickets and I'm pretty sure about 3/8 of members speed all the time and probably a handful get caught.

I bet this happens to everyone, when your doing the speed limit and theres an ass on the highway driving crazy, diong 80 90 mph zipping in and out of traffic and passes a cop and the cop doesn't do nothing ive seen that plenty

[Aothachos]

never just pay it.

I have sat through full days of court (for study reasons) 12 times and tickets get tossed
when officers do not show up. and that happens a lot.

fact is, you have zero chance if you pay it.

you have a little chance if you go to court

Yea i never plead guilty at all. If you plea guilty your pleaing to paying the full price, over here in long island for speeding tickets, sometimes depends on the judge and who the judge is, you can talk down your ticket at least if you plea not guilty. If the cop shows up you can always talk down the ticket, in NYC you cannot do that i heard, its 0 tolerance out in the city once you get the ticket for the speed your going thats it no talking it down, but on long island you can bargain with the judge. So possibly as i said before, i may do community service for a couple hours and pay a fine as well, and my ticket my be lowered to at least 4 points and not 8, then i can just take a defensive driving course to get i think 3 points off my license and lower my insurance to normal again.

I've seen just 4 points raise peoples insurance 600$ a year in new jersey i read. So figure 8 points can be anywhere from 1200-1600$ for new york state thats a minimum of 100$ extra a month. Same amount i pay for my rent for my apartment for me and my girl and kid to live in would be the same of having a little yaris around lol

[sqcomp]

All the more reason to do the posted speed.

[Aothachos]

All the more reason to do the posted speed.

ok?

[BailOut]

never just pay it.
That is the most irresponsible thing I've seen someone say on this forum in quite a while. One day in the future, when you're hopefully wiser, I believe you'll look back on this part of your personality with shame and regret.

[Dave]

hey i have an idea , next time anyone gets a ticket why not just keep it to yourself.
Reasons being:
1). You won't get flamed (no one will know but you )
2). Minimizes wrong advice (as there will be 50 different opinions and "theories" about the application of the law).
3). You won't feel like no one understands you.

Seriously people we like to help, but these threads never lead anywhere only to finish in a flame war. Like Darb said, best person to ask advice about stuff like tickets and how or if to fight them is a lawyer or hitting the books and reading up.

That said you want to go to court and see if they will side with you , it is your right and no one can say don't, it's your choice. So all the people who say "just pay and shut up" you really can't because he does have that right. Will the court side with you....95% NOPE, not with the way you wanna go about it. As soon as you say I was excited to drive my car , the judge will throw the book at you and slap you with the fine and court fees just to teach you a lesson, and he/she will have all the right and almost an obligation to do so.

Again go to court only if you think you have more than a 50-50 chance of succeeding.
And again please guys at least try to be civil with each other

Best post in this thread.


I'll keep my editorial on the OP's situation (and subsequent posts) to myself. But I will say, as someone who's paid his own car insurance since 18, thanks for reinforcing stereotypes of young male drivers.