Fighting a Speedy Ticket!?

[Brandon Live Veteran]

I don't know what Canada's policy but here in the U.S you have to pay the ticket before you can challenge it.

What?

That's not true at all. In the US, once you've paid it it's pretty much over (unless you went to trial, and decide to appeal).

If you're honest and polite to the policeman you're likely to get off with a warning. Once you have a ticket, mail it in with a "not guilty" plea. Go to the court date. Usually you'll talk to the officer who pulled you over, and they'll offer you a plea bargain.

I've had a 95 in a 65 (MPH) reduced to a no-point violation and $100 fine. In another case, I've had a 95 in a 65 reduced to a 74 in 65. Those are the only tickets I've ever had.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

And how did you get pulled over in Canada anyway?

I've driven to Montreal countless times on 401 and never once seen a police car. We usually drive 100-130 MPH around there.

Of course, that's nothing compared to driving in Germany :)

[asmit]

If you're honest and polite to the policeman you're likely to get off with a warning.

585224221[/snapback]

THERE WILL BE NO POLICE OFFICER!!!!!!

[asmit]

...i never speed in residential areas...

585224219[/snapback]

Nor do I! this was a "OMG, gotta get home for dinner, the highway is free, lets go 100 down it!"

[Post-It Note]

Why would there be no cop? Did you get caught on those cameras that they place at the intersections? Otherwise, the cop would need to be there to be a witness.

[insurektion]

THERE WILL BE NO POLICE OFFICER!!!!!!

585224237[/snapback]

i think he meant when u originally got the ticket.

edit:

heres how it works in Ontario

you get a ticket (which the cop may or may not bump down):

then you have 3 options

-plead guilty - pay it straight up (dumb idea)

-please guilty with explanation (this is where you talk to a Justice of the peace (he smooths things over) and try to get it reduced) there is no cop involvment

-plead not guilty - go to court (the cop is there and you try to legally defend your self (ie accidents not usually speeding unless it was something totally bogus u got called for)

[troGGers]

THERE WILL BE NO POLICE OFFICER!!!!!!

585224237[/snapback]

He probably meant when you got pulled over in the first place. Unless he just didn't read the former posts.

[Post-It Note]

In Vancouver we are dropping the residential speed from 50 km/h to 40 km/h.

[Toology]

What?

That's not true at all.  In the US, once you've paid it it's pretty much over (unless you went to trial, and decide to appeal).

If you're honest and polite to the policeman you're likely to get off with a warning.  Once you have a ticket, mail it in with a "not guilty" plea.  Go to the court date.  Usually you'll talk to the officer who pulled you over, and they'll offer you a plea bargain.

I've had a 95 in a 65 (MPH) reduced to a no-point violation and $100 fine.  In another case, I've had a 95 in a 65 reduced to a 74 in 65.  Those are the only tickets I've ever had.

585224221[/snapback]

Ah, appologies. In Los Angeles they make you pay it before you challenge it. Good luck trying to find a sympathteic policeman. With not nearly enough police on the streets, these guys are overworked and on edge.

[metallithrax]

Nor do I!  this was a "OMG, gotta get home for dinner, the highway is free, lets go 100 down it!"

585224243[/snapback]

How late would you have been if you had stayed to the limits. Would your dinner have been ruined?

[OPaul]

In the U.S it's very simple. You hire an attorney who takes over the whole process for you. He then pleads one of several things such as Equipment or gets it dropped down to a lesser charge. You then just pay court and attorney fees ($100 - $300 depending on county/state), and you get no points on your license or insurance. I'm up to 3 tickets and 0 points so far. However it may be very different in Canada.

[asmit]

Why would there be no cop?  Did you get caught on those cameras that they place at the intersections?  Otherwise, the cop would need to be there to be a witness.

585224244[/snapback]

No, im choosing option 2: "Plead guilty with an explanation" I go to the justice office @ 9am, sign my name in a book, and wait in the courtroom with a bunch of other people, all of whom are explaining their actions surrounding getting the ticket. None of us are trying to get rid of the charge. We are getting fined no matter what. The only thing we are there to do is get the monetray fine reduced. If the officer was to show up, there would be a courtroom of 50 people, plus 50 different officers.

The only time the officer shows up is if you choose to plead "Innocent" and try and argue that you never should have gotten the ticket in the first place!

Get it?

[asmit]

How late would you have been if you had stayed to the limits.  Would your dinner have been ruined?

585224266[/snapback]

No, it wouldn't have been, and next time i'll choose not to pay $120 for my meal! ;)

[turbomonkeycock]

You don't half have relaxed policies in the US! Policemen knocking down your speed by 20mph, being able to speed without getting penalty points. In the UK you will get no grace for speeding, or most other car-related crimes.

Just part of the war the government has against drivers

[asmit]

And to all you people who live in the states, 25km/h over the limit @ 6:00pm on a Saturday evening on an Ontario highway is not that fast!

If it were 25mph over during rush hour or something, I could see you point! ;)

[troGGers]

How late would you have been if you had stayed to the limits.  Would your dinner have been ruined?

585224266[/snapback]

That's exactly what my parents always told me. :D If you figure out the actual time you "save" it's usually menial unless you're making a 10+ hour trip. Now...he was caught, and much later to arrive than he would have been had he just stayed within the limits. I've had two speeding tickets...never again. I'm always the unlucky one. :rofl:

[insurektion]

How late would you have been if you had stayed to the limits.  Would your dinner have been ruined?

585224266[/snapback]

It may have been or he might have incovienenced the people he was going to see. I have driven on these roads they are literally straight for miles. the ground is flat so you can see way ahead and there are few if any intersections for extended stretches of road. i sincerely doubt anyone was put at risk from his driving. Getting charged for speed is supposed to make sure you are being safe. IMO There is absolutly NOTHING unsafe about 100 km/h (that is 62.1371192 mph) on a straight empty road. stop being so over zealous to critisize him. Like i said the speed limits are arbitrary in Canada. Ideally they would have summer and winter limits or varying limits based on weather but no such luck. HE WA NOT BEING DANGEROUS. The government is just cash grabbing the people.

[asmit]

That's exactly what my parents always told me.  :D  If you figure out the actual time you "save" it's usually menial unless you're making a 10+ hour trip.  Now...he was caught, and much later to arrive than he would have been had he just stayed within the limits.  I've had two speeding tickets...never again.  I'm always the unlucky one.  :rofl:

585224295[/snapback]

It would have been really nice if someone would have said this to me ah..oh..5:30pm on Saturday evening! lol :D

[+M2Ys4U Subscriber¹]

just pay the goddamned fine and be done with it.

[insurektion]

In the UK you will get no grace for speeding, or most other car-related crimes.

Just part of the war the government has against drivers

585224280[/snapback]

Shouldn't the government be working FOR the people in so called Democracies (well in Canadas case democracy). 90% of Canadians would agree the limits are bogus and were only lowered when we swtich from mph to km/h highways were 70 mph and back roads 60 mph. They pick 100km beause its a nice round number.

[metallithrax]

You don't half have relaxed policies in the US! Policemen knocking down your speed by 20mph, being able to speed without getting penalty points. In the UK you will get no grace for speeding, or most other car-related crimes.

Just part of the war the government has against drivers

585224280[/snapback]

The government will always hit against the easiest targets, but a crime is a crime - you get caught, you pay the price.

If we didn't have some many do-gooders in this country, maybe the police could fight more crime instead of going after the easy targets.

[insurektion]

just pay the goddamned fine and be done with it.

585224309[/snapback]

That would be a sucker move. Why wouldn't you try to get it reduced. Im not going to bend over and take it so the government doesnt have to deal with my problem. The made it not me.

[asmit]

I find it very hard to believe that all the people who are criticizing me have never (or very rarely sped) in their driving careers! Now it would have been a different story if I came in here asking for help to get off scot free. But im not. So good luck to all you "perfect drivers"! And if you ever get a ticket, I walk you to walk in pay the entire fine, pay your tution the next day, pay your insurance a month later, then tell me how easy it is to "Suck it up man!" ;)

[insurektion]

a crime is a crime - you get caught, you pay the price.

585224326[/snapback]

Speeding is not a crime it is an infractions and who the hell do the government think they are making up bogus limits so they can fill their pockets with our hard earned money. I hate that expression more than anytying because you accept fault where you were not necessarily doing anything that was dangerous. Look at the logistics please.

[Pentaborane]

There is nothing to argue.

From what i read...

Legally there is an "Actus Reus" - in otherwords.. the action was done.

Legally there was a "Mens Rea" - You intended to do the act

You were being criminally negligent.

You were being criminally reckless.

"which I will explain I was not used to driving" - This does not matter. If you were not used to the vehicle, then you should not have driven it.

This is an absolute liability offence, so you can offer no defence. Actually which reminds me, these offences do not require the mens rea anyway.

There just isn't anything to argue :wacko:

Edited January 3, 2005 by rocketship