Plead Guilty or Not Guilty?

[Hey Adrien!]

Now that I have your attention...

On Friday, I was pulled over on I-84 E going 79 on a stretch of the road just west of Newburgh, NY where the speed limit switches from 65 to 55.

I was driving along with traffic, staying on the left lane, but not passing anyone on the right lane. Literally, just bad luck: I guess, the cop could have pulled over his pick of 50 other cars that passed him at the same speed or faster within the 30 seconds the radar got me.

Anywho, it's been a while since my last ticket. Should I simply plead guilty and accept the fine/upcharge of car insurance, etc, or should I feel lucky by pleading not guilty and seeing what happens?

 

[HooperScooper]

Retired trooper once told me they set the radar 15 mph over the limit or they would be pulling eveyone over

Well except some people on this thread who apparently strictly abide by the 65 mph speed limits.

 

[superjohn]

Disagree. It's not impossible. You're just not paying attention. And your father taught you to speed and disregard law enforcement.

It pays to have a badge.

 

[Stinger92860]

No.

Haha, thank god, no.

Was in PA on a one-night getaway in the Northern Poconos, but I did wear my UConn gear the night of the draft.

I highly recommend using Waze so you at least have a chance of knowing when radar is present. Another poster also mentioned it. It has saved me a few times.

 

[UDann]

Now that I have your attention...

On Friday, I was pulled over on I-84 E going 79 on a stretch of the road just west of Newburgh, NY where the speed limit switches from 65 to 55.

I was driving along with traffic, staying on the left lane, but not passing anyone on the right lane. Literally, just bad luck: I guess, the cop could have pulled over his pick of 50 other cars that passed him at the same speed or faster within the 30 seconds the radar got me.

Anywho, it's been a while since my last ticket. Should I simply plead guilty and accept the fine/upcharge of car insurance, etc, or should I feel lucky by pleading not guilty and seeing what happens?

Always plead NOT guilty. Both tickets I got in NY first one the layer made it a lesser charge with no points and reduced amount. 2nd ticket they were so backed up that court date was set for a year later and then they just dismissed the case. Your call but my experience is always please NOT guilty.

Since you have a good record they will probable do one or the other. The court system is backed up.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Or, and stick with me on this, you guys could try driving within 15 miles per hour of the speed limit (10 if the speed limit is 65). I do not recall any of you being pediatric surgeons, so wherever you are going to can wait the extra 10 minutes it would take you to get there by going 68 in a 55, and not risking the ticket, instead of 80.

A lot of you are middle-aged guys whose eyesight and reactions are not what they once were, and you are just trying to change one song you don't like on your Apple Music playlist from killing someone or yourself. Speed kills in basketball, and it literally kills on the road.

Middle age was 20-30 years ago for me.
My car is 23 years old . It’s capable of exceeding the speed limit only going downhill. Just Kidding
Actually my car is in excellent shape and will be on the road long after I’m gone .
My last speeding ticket was 30 years ago. A perfect storm
I was returning to Nashville Airport from Ky on I24 .
The speed limit back then was only 65MPH . I set the Cruise on 70 to avoid being run over by the multiple tandem trailers and was listening to an oldie station to pass the time. Two bad Omens , I was driving a red Pontiac Grand Prix never rent a red car.
But the killer was Steppenwolf came on the Radio , so of course I had to sing along with “ Born to be wild. “
The speed limit dropped to 55 about 10 miles outside of Nashville.
In my Rock rush , I never notice the sign and was stopped 500 yards after it change by a very polite female Tennessee State Trooper .
It didn’t affect my insurance and was around $50 bucks. ironically .next year the entire stretch was changed to 70MPH all the way to downtown.
The truest quote I ever heard regarding speed limits is they’re rooted in culture . “Germans have no speed limit on sections of the Autobon because if they did they would have to obey them .
American’s view posted speed limits as a window of opportunity. “

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I highly recommend using Waze so you at least have a chance of knowing when radar is present. Another poster also mentioned it. It has saved me a few times.

Didn't Google buy Waze? Would have thought they would have added speed traps to their maps but who knows

 

[CL82]

Didn't Google buy Waze? Would have thought they would have added speed traps to their maps but who knows

They are in there.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Or, and stick with me on this, you guys could try driving within 15 miles per hour of the speed limit (10 if the speed limit is 65). I do not recall any of you being pediatric surgeons, so wherever you are going to can wait the extra 10 minutes it would take you to get there by going 68 in a 55, and not risking the ticket, instead of 80.

A lot of you are middle-aged guys whose eyesight and reactions are not what they once were, and you are just trying to change one song you don't like on your Apple Music playlist from killing someone or yourself. Speed kills in basketball, and it literally kills on the road.

About 10 years ago I got my license suspended for text messaging (long story, my re-education camp letter was put in the bills).

Get this. Because i didn’t go to the driver Ed training , my license was suspended. Drive 6-8 weeks on a suspended license, no idea.

Anyhow, when I went to look at my bills (wife thought the dmv letter was a registration) we found out.

I then flipped out and got into driver camp that weekend. From there…state took 30 days to process my license after completed training because their computers sucked. I wasnt happy with that and made life miserable for a couple of dmv people.

Anyhow, here is what I learned in training.

If you are flying or weaving, you gain maybe only a minute or two. Many times you actually are just driving inefficiently.

I can’t tell you how dumb drivers who speed and go in and out of traffic and flip fingers off. I just stay steady.

Lastly…time management. Haven’t gotten a ticket since.

Worst part was it wa disengage spring practice. Bummed rides to practice for media colleagues and took bus whenever I could. Pre Uber and busway. It sucked .

 

[JohnFSilver]

80 isn't that fast. There aren't any modern vehicles that can't handle 80. This isn't 1970 when most cars had drum brakes, bias ply tires, tie-rod steering and lacked independent rear suspensions. The limits are human or traffic congestion based, not based on the vehicle at that speed. At rush hour in suburban Boston 80 is about the normal left lane speed. A modern car is rock solid stable at 80, and most are capable of much more than that.

Now human limitations are real, as are congestion related risks. Speed is an issue when it varies too much from those around you, when there isn't room/time to stop or when your own reaction times or vision makes it unsafe.

Humans can deal with 80 if everyone agrees to drive 80. But the issue isn’t the speed. it ls the variance. If you are driving. 80, and I am driving 65, when congestion hits and you come up on me you have To be precise in your driving not to hit me.

Your reaction time is less at 80. Vehicle control is certainly still staves at 80. But against someone at 65, reaction times are different.

Also, I have no expectation that someone could be driving illegally behind me. Just no reason to go 80. you work 30 miles from house. Considering traffic, varied speeds weaving and slowing down…how much time are really saving?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Humans can deal with 80 if everyone agrees to drive 80. But the issue isn’t the speed. it ls the variance. If you are driving. 80, and I am driving 65, when congestion hits and you come up on me you have To be precise in your driving not to hit me.

Your reaction time is less at 80. Vehicle control is certainly still staves at 80. But against someone at 65, reaction times are different.

Also, I have no expectation that someone could be driving illegally behind me. Just no reason to go 80. you work 30 miles from house. Considering traffic, varied speeds weaving and slowing down…how much time are really saving?

I don't disagree. But where I live in Mass, the normal speed in the left is 80. If you are going 65, even in the middle lane, you're causing a traffic jam and putting people at risk as they try to maneuver around you. 65 is the right lane speed. Middle lane is 70-75. I'm also always aware of the pace of people behind me and will anticipate and move over. In MA the one thing that will get you a ticket is not moving out of the way fast enough when a state trooper comes up behind you at 90.

I hate the highway. I drive an extra 5 minutes to work via the backroads, where I can relax, open the windows etc. As for saving time, on a long trip, it saves a lot of time. I made it from San Jose to Salt Lake City in a day. 768 miles. At 65 that's 11 hours 50 minutes with no stops. Since we drove 101 MPH for over half of it we did it in 8 hours 30 minutes (average 90).

 

[CL82]

Humans can deal with 80 if everyone agrees to drive 80. But the issue isn’t the speed. it ls the variance. If you are driving. 80, and I am driving 65,...

So perhaps the answer is for you just drive 80 like everyone else?

 

[Umami Zen]

Now that I have your attention...

On Friday, I was pulled over on I-84 E going 79 on a stretch of the road just west of Newburgh, NY where the speed limit switches from 65 to 55.

I was driving along with traffic, staying on the left lane, but not passing anyone on the right lane. Literally, just bad luck: I guess, the cop could have pulled over his pick of 50 other cars that passed him at the same speed or faster within the 30 seconds the radar got me.

Anywho, it's been a while since my last ticket. Should I simply plead guilty and accept the fine/upcharge of car insurance, etc, or should I feel lucky by pleading not guilty and seeing what happens?

@Hey Adrien! Didn't see this mentioned anywhere.. What time of day did this happen?? Rush hour?? Mid-afternoon??

 

[Husky25]

It's been a while since I got a ticket (expired registration, though I do tend to have a heavy foot), but some time ago a lawyer acquaintance of mine said you should never plead No Contest, which is the "guilty" option in CT. At the very least, they reduce the penalty in the pre-court meeting the vast majority of time. If they don't, you used to be able to satisfy the fine by making a donation to charity and avoid points.

Back to my registration citation. I had no idea my car was unregistered, as it was a recent purchase and about the time that CT stopped issuing stickers. I also did get the renewal notice. When the court asked for further consideration for pleading not guilty, I wrote a letter describing the situation from my POV. I included the fact that that I rectified the situation that same day, paid all associated fees for inspection and registration, and I also mentioned that the officer admitted to running my plate as he was following me down the road. IOW, distracted driver.

The ticket was dismissed.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Didn't Google buy Waze?

Yes, in 2013. Just yesterday, Google announced Waze advertising systems are being integrated with GOOG’s and some Waze ad systems staff laid off.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Yes, in 2013. Just yesterday, Google announced Waze advertising systems are being integrated with GOOG’s and some Waze ad systems staff laid off.

i feel like once in a blue moon i see the speed trap warning on google maps but not as often as what would be on waze. I dont know how easy it is though on google maps to note a speed trap that hasnt been reported. Waze it was pretty easy.

 

[nyhuskies13]

When a cop asks "Do you know how fast you are going," you shouldn't say "no" either. You should say "yes" and decline to give further information. Or go by wife's (a lawyer) advice and say "I do not answer questions from the police without my attorney present" and hand them your documentation so they can write the citation.

Rule #1 of defense is STFU. You can get away with murder if you just STFU and answer nothing without an attorney present. The worst kind of client for a lawyer is one who won't shut up.

Sounds like the advice I've been hammering home to family and friends for a couple of years.

Don't give a statement, dont have a casual conversation, dont come in for questioning, dont provide information you think removes you from guilt, dont offer ANY information without an attorney present. Its insane people voluntarily walk into a police station alone to answer questions without understanding its all recorded and can all be used against you to build a case, whether youre innocent or not.

 

[superjohn]

Humans can deal with 80 if everyone agrees to drive 80. But the issue isn’t the speed. it ls the variance. If you are driving. 80, and I am driving 65, when congestion hits and you come up on me you have To be precise in your driving not to hit me.

Your reaction time is less at 80. Vehicle control is certainly still staves at 80. But against someone at 65, reaction times are different.

Also, I have no expectation that someone could be driving illegally behind me. Just no reason to go 80. you work 30 miles from house. Considering traffic, varied speeds weaving and slowing down…how much time are really saving?

Hahahahaha

 

[Frank06830]

God dammit. for The last 18 months I have a daily driving route of 200+miles/day going from Rye NY to Brewster (684) to Waterbury (84) back using the Hutch for 20 miles. Have not gotten a ticket yet it seems 80 MPH the acceptable norm.
Have not come close to being stopped. I just know having read these replies I get dinged in the next two weeks. Thanks

 

[B1GEast]

I just received a speeding infraction ticket by mail from MD.

Debating if I should pay it. I know there were challenges to the law for our of state drivers.

 

[Waquoit]

Have not come close to being stopped. I just know having read these replies I get dinged in the next two weeks. Thanks

Nah, just continue to take your foot off the accelerator when you see unexplained brake lights in the distance. You don't need to hit the brake, you just need to take your foot off the gas.

 

[husky8273]

I just received a speeding infraction ticket by mail from MD.

Debating if I should pay it. I know there were challenges to the law for our of state drivers.

ignore it unless you are a MD resident or drive there frequently. I had a few. sooner or later the demand lettters end and unpaid traffic tickets no longer are reported on credit reports.

 

[Zanzman]

ignore it unless you are a MD resident or drive there frequently. I had a few. sooner or later the demand lettters end and unpaid traffic tickets no longer are reported on credit reports.

Friend did that in New Jersey his license got suspended

 

[husky8273]

Friend did that in New Jersey his license got suspended

was his/her license in the same state as where the tickets were issued? see also Which states share speeding ticket information?

 

[Zanzman]

was his/her license in the same state as where the tickets were issued? see also Which states share speeding ticket information?

Lived here in CT

 

[CL82]

Lived here in CT

Well there you have it. You Connecticut scofflaws need to obey traffic regulations when you're passing through the lovely Garden State.