Traffic ticket question?
May 16th, 2010 by AutoInsGuy
bride2be09 asked:
I just received a ticket for “Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device” in the city of Philadelphia. The officer “observed” me speeding through a school zone, but I’m really confused with the ticket. First off, I was stopped at a traffic light in the school zone and he was clearly stationed just past the intersection. There is no clocked speed on the ticket and no way I could have gotten my car to 15 mph by him when the light turned green since he was maybe 25 feet away. (My car has sucky acceleration, although it does sound like it’s going faster than it is because the engine works so hard!) My question is twofold – is this worth fighting (it carries no points, but a pretty hefty fine) and will this affect my auto insurance rates (I’m registered in New Jersey)? Anyone with any experience with this?
PS: Not to mention, I’m not an idiot! See police officer ahead = slowwwwww!!!! And the only other time I had a ticket was five years ago when I was 19. I KNEW I was in the wrong then and utterly panicked when I saw those lights go on. This time, I really thought he was going to tell me my headlight was out or something! No way I was speeding through there…..
He was stationed with his lights on in the middle lane of the three-lane road (he was sitting in the middle just past traffic light). Everyone in front of me was moving slowly around him, and especially me because I had a large vehicle in front of me before the light (I have a little go-kart Saturn!) and I thought there may have been an accident with where he was sitting with lights on. When the light turned yellow, I didn’t go through (cop there!! lol) and ended up being the first one in line at the light.
There is no clocked speed on ticket. That section is blank except for the word “Observation” written in the line that says “Nature of Offense”.
Jean
I just received a ticket for “Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device” in the city of Philadelphia. The officer “observed” me speeding through a school zone, but I’m really confused with the ticket. First off, I was stopped at a traffic light in the school zone and he was clearly stationed just past the intersection. There is no clocked speed on the ticket and no way I could have gotten my car to 15 mph by him when the light turned green since he was maybe 25 feet away. (My car has sucky acceleration, although it does sound like it’s going faster than it is because the engine works so hard!) My question is twofold – is this worth fighting (it carries no points, but a pretty hefty fine) and will this affect my auto insurance rates (I’m registered in New Jersey)? Anyone with any experience with this?
PS: Not to mention, I’m not an idiot! See police officer ahead = slowwwwww!!!! And the only other time I had a ticket was five years ago when I was 19. I KNEW I was in the wrong then and utterly panicked when I saw those lights go on. This time, I really thought he was going to tell me my headlight was out or something! No way I was speeding through there…..
He was stationed with his lights on in the middle lane of the three-lane road (he was sitting in the middle just past traffic light). Everyone in front of me was moving slowly around him, and especially me because I had a large vehicle in front of me before the light (I have a little go-kart Saturn!) and I thought there may have been an accident with where he was sitting with lights on. When the light turned yellow, I didn’t go through (cop there!! lol) and ended up being the first one in line at the light.
There is no clocked speed on ticket. That section is blank except for the word “Observation” written in the line that says “Nature of Offense”.
Jean
You can clearly have your day in court. It’s a hassle, but you can explain the circumstances and why the officer could have been incorrect.
I once fought a ticket in Philadelphia. The officer was driving “in front of me” by several hundred yards and said he clocked me doing 40 in a 30 zone…without any radar or vascar or any other device. The judge listened to our story and immediately threw out the case as unbelievable.
I used to work for the DMV and I know that if the ticket holds no point value, then it will not affect your insurance. I am curious why it holds no points. Usually speeding in a school zone is a pretty major offense. Usually an officer does quote the speed on the ticket. Are you sure it is not there? Perhaps it does not go based on speed, but the school zone offense.
I suggest going to court for it. Many times the judge will lower a conviction which will lower your fine. The judge may even drop it completley. It is worth a shot.
your best bet is to plead no contest and ask for a deferral. you must remember that the officer is always right unless you can prove him wrong, but regardless if you plead not guilty you will have to pay the fine any way and then get a lawyer to represent you in dist. court. then if you win you get your money back from city court after you have spent a lot of money on a lawyer. in other words you can’t win for losing. you can, after you plead no contest, try to explain to the judge why you think the officer was wrong. { a deferral is were if you don,t get any tickets in a certain amount of time it will be taken off your record}