I got a speeding ticket today! So now I'm wondering...?

Question

...how much will it be? I was clocked going 51 in a 35 mph zone- which, actually, I had been going faster prior to the officer stopping me. He told me he was unable to issue warnings on that particular street which I think sounds like a crock of BS, besides which I heard that they always have the authority to issue a warning and officers who say otherwise probably have a quota of tickets to fill! So I'm wondering if I have anything to go on as far as fighting the ticket in court- I know if I go to court and he isn't there, the case has to be dismissed.
And...if not...anyone have any idea how much that ticket will be??? I live in Ohio.

Yeah thanks for all the "slow down"s but getting pulled over and getting a ticket pretty effectively got me to do that, thanks.

It's my first ticket, also. My driving record is clean.

Answer 1

I've been trying to find you at least some sort of internet resource you can use to get a estimated figure, or at least a good 'idea' of what a fine might be. I does depend on the state, and you've named that. In my state of California, there is a website that lists the "uniform bail amounts" for traffic violations and it explains how fines are calculated. But I cannot find one for Ohio, and it's a bit of a deterrent in finding one without knowing what county you're in. Knowing the county I'd probably use key words such as "county name, traffic bail schedule" and see if I could get a hit on it that way.

But I did find a 'forum' that might allow you another place to ask the same question - specific to your state - and from what I saw of the forum, it may be worth a try, since it's still an internet inquiry. It is below:

http://forum.freeadvice.com/archive/index.php/f-13.html

Answer 2

Your ticket will be in the $250 range (depending upon the state you're in). You're lucky - 4 more miles per hour, they would pull your license for a period of time.

You are right - an officer has a choice to issue a warning or a ticket. But you caught him off (somehow), and got the ticket. The only thing that will happen if you go to court is that the judge will tell you to pay the fine. The only break you will catch by going to court is on your insurance going up due to speeding. Fighting the ticket is like pleading "not guilty", and in some states, the court will put you under court supervision, which means that insurance will not go up (I don't know about that in your state for sure).

I don't know where you think that you will not have to pay the fine for the ticket. You got caught. You need to pay. And at the speed you were going, be ready to pay a lot.

Answer 3

these folks are absolutely right about losing the fight. the only thing you can say is i wasn't speeding and the cop is more credible than you, no matter who you are. that's a losing battle.
you can pay the ticket and take the insurance increase that comes with it which ensures you pay again for years.
you can take defensive driving, have the ticket dismissed then send the defensive driving certificate to your insurance provider and they will give you an insurance discount. that's a win-win situation. you'll end up paying the court costs and the class charges. all in all, that's not a bad deal.
your last option (and my personal favorite) is to find one of those sheisty lawyers who makes a living getting your traffic tickets cancelled. all they really do is put off the court date until the case gets too old or petty to deal with it anymore. i've had four tickets dismissed that way. one ticket actually went to court and i got defensive driving. the lawyers available in my city charge less for their services than the court costs for the ticket. i only had to actually go to court once and at that time the attorney stood for me instead of having me walk up to the judge. five tickets, one day of court. it was pretty painless and cost less than defensive driving. this happened over the course of six or seven years. i don't get tickets often. its just unfortunate when it does.
if you pay a lawyer you're running the risk that you'll lose and end up with the charges anyway. talk to the lawyer (or the secretary) about their success rate. ask for a reference. they can tell you how painless the procedure is.
i'm sure that ticket scared you into slowing down but i know that sometimes slow isn't always going to happen. so long as you're careful and you know you'll have to pay for your bad decisions then you don't have to listen to idiots like these who are telling you that you deserve to be punished. i hope they all get tumors on the face for judging others.
lol

Answer 4

It should say on the back of the ticket how much you owe.

Why on earth would you want to fight it? You yourself said you were going FASTER than 51 in a 35. The purpose of driving the speed limit isn't "so that you don't get a ticket." It's so that you don't get anyone killed!

I hope the judge makes you pay.

Answer 5

I absolutely agree w/ the previous answerer! SLOW DOWN. You'll save lives & cut your fuel bill BIG time!
However.... that little lecture doesn't answer your question. I've found that the best way to fight a ticket is w/ the law. Look at the section you were cited w/. Don't take the word of the citing cop, or the back of the ticket. Look at the code. They often use the wrong code. another thing is that you are entitled to adiquate knowledge in order to prepare your defense. I got a ticket once that the cop cited the wrong address as the location. I argued that this violated my right to prepare my defense. The judge agreed & dismissed the ticket.
Make sure that they got every fact correct! I've beat tickets for having my license in my windsheild. The code says that it has to be no higher than 54" & visible. In the windsheild meets that requirement. I had one cop that wrote on the ticket that I was cited for not having it on the bumper. The code doesn't require it to be on the bumper.... I beat the ticket.
If you don't beat the ticket, as for traffic school. In my state, we can go to traffic school & it won't appear on the MVR (motor vehicle report - even tho it's my me) that the insurance company gets for my insurance. Different jurisdictions let you go w/ different frequency... check to see ifthat's available to you.

Good luck & SLOW DOWN!!!

Answer 6

The officer may have been unable to issue warnings because of directives from his superiors. Maybe the neighborhood demanded stricter enforcement. Either way you got the ticket. If you plan on going before the judge to fight the ticket, the officer will (more than likely) be there. Even if he is not there it is up to the JUDGE to dismiss the ticket.

Quota? Nahhhh! They let 'em write all the tickets they want!

Answer 7

I don't know about the costs of it, but if you were clocked at 51 in a 35, then you should have gotten a ticket instead of a warning.

You could go to court and fight it, chances are you won't win. I know in my town, and a few others I've lived in, if you show up for court, they usually reduce the fine and the count.

Good luck

Answer 8

He didn't give you the ticket yet? It should say how much it is right on the ticket. I wouldn't worry about fighting it in court, if you were going at least 51 in a 35, you WERE speeding. And all they have to prove is that you exceeded the speed limit. I'd just pay the ticket.

Answer 9

You want a warning for 51 in a 35???? I could see 40 getting a warning. The real crock of BS is you driving that fast in a 35.

Answer 10

I'd say $65 for speeding and $5 for each mile above so about $105. I've heard of people getting the chance to plead guilty to the court official, when you make an appointment for the case so people don't clog up the court and the cop doesn't have to take time off, when you do that (if you get that opportunity), usually you pay half and just plead guilty. They know you are busting their balls if you try to get the cop to come in, if he shows, up then what' your defense?
Breaking the law=a ticket no way around it.