Got my first speeding ticket..how to proceed?

[sciwizam]

Yup, got my first ticket today...doing 80 in a 65. I'm 19 and in MA. I don't know if this matters but the cop wrote the wrong address in the ticket, I moved to a different place about 2 months ago and I notified the DMV so I have the correct address label stuck to the back of my license. Seems like the cop didn't notice it and wrote the wrong address.

Anyway I don't know how to proceed, pay the fine($150) and hope my insurance doesn't go through the roof or go to the court?

And, can someone explain this from the Mass RMV website?

The following is the current surchargeable point schedule in Massachusetts:

*Major traffic violation (such as DUI): 5
* Major at-fault accident (such as a claim over $2,000): 4
* Minor at-fault accident (claim of $500 to $2,000): 3
* Minor traffic violation (such as speeding): 2

You get a free pass on the first non-criminal minor traffic violation, which will not be subject to a surcharge. After that, the points start to rack up.

Are they saying my first minor violation won't increase my insurance rate? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[WA261]

It is your 1st ticket. Go to traffic school and it will be dropped. Nothing more to it.

 

[Sukhoi]

Those kinds of points are the ones that add up and if you get too many they take your license away. Insurance will still know about the ticket.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: WA261
It is your 1st ticket. Go to traffic school and it will be dropped. Nothing more to it.

Didn't work for me (FL) -- paid the ticket, but they dropped the points.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Contest it ASAP.

 

[WA261]

Yes, you have to pay the fine, but it does not go on your insurance. NO POINTS to your insurance... Period. Trust me...I know 1st hand.

 

[50cent1228]

congrats on your first speeding ticket

 

[OVERKILL]

1. be a man

2. pay the ticket

3. Learn not to speed

4. Move on

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
Contest it ASAP.

What for - to plead not guilty for something he did?

 

[XZeroII]

<Jim Carry> QUIT BREAKING THE LAW! </Jim Carry>

 

[Rage187]

Originally posted by: OVERKILL
1. be a man

2. pay the ticket

3. Learn not to speed

4. Move on

 

[WA261]

Contesting does not do jack in most cases. Just pay the fine, take the class and be done with it.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: WA261
Yes, you have to pay the fine, but it does not go on your insurance. NO POINTS to your insurance... Period. Trust me...I know 1st hand.

Aren't BMV points and insurance points different?

 

[tweakmm]

Talk to the D.A. and see if you can plead down to a lesser offence with no points. As long as the state get's it's money, it's happy.

Or you could do what I did when I had a moving violation, just keep asking for a continuance until they drop the charges.

 

[WA261]

Why do you guys keep talking points? Once the class is taken his record is clean. Insurance will never know. It really is that simple.

Here in Utah you can do it once a yr. Well, I mean...if you have no tickets for a yr. and get one..you can take the class to have it dropped.

 

[n19htmare]

It's his first offense.... he can pay the fine and take a class and it won't show up on his record and won't be reported to DMV. Sounds like you're first ticket is a free pass so you might have to take the class at all and just pay the fine.

If California, you are allowed to take a class after ever 18 months. meaning, i could get a speeding ticket every 18 months and take a class and it won't go on my record. If I get 2 with-in 18 months, one goes on my record.

When in doubt. Call the court.

 

[TuxDave]

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Originally posted by: WA261
It is your 1st ticket. Go to traffic school and it will be dropped. Nothing more to it.

Didn't work for me (FL) -- paid the ticket, but they dropped the points.

So they didn't let you take traffic school or something? Sounds like a better deal than what the rest of us have to do so I'm not sure what's not 'working'

You: Pay Ticket = No points
Me: Pay Ticket + Waste 8 hours on a weekend = No points

 

[EGGO]

"Got my first speeding ticket..how to proceed?"

Not too fast, henceforth.

 

[MajinWade]

Insurance might not know, so don't help them by telling them about it.

 

[sswingle]

I wish people would just pay it and not come running here. Either that or find one of the other 1000 speeding ticket threads and read that.

YASPT


argh

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: OVERKILL
1. be a man

2. pay the ticket

3. Learn not to speed

4. Move on

:thumbsup:

 

[beemercer]

Where were you driving, just out of curiosity (I also live in MA).

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: WA261
It is your 1st ticket. Go to traffic school and it will be dropped. Nothing more to it.

Exactly

 

[sciwizam]

Originally posted by: beemercer
Where were you driving, just out of curiosity (I also live in MA).

On the 290.

I know I'll be paying the fine, it's just the thing with the insurance that is confusing to me. On the RMV site, it says I get no increase in points because, it's my first offence, but people I've talked to say my insurance will get a hike.

 

[state 08]

Originally posted by: OVERKILL
1. be a man

2. pay the ticket

3. Learn not to speed

4. Move on

Quite possibly the dumbest thing you could do.

First of all, you're going to want to appeal it. They'll send you a letter the mail for the court-date. Most likely, the officer that gave you a ticket that day will have given a buncha ppl a ticket that day, so you're gonna want to call the court and tell em' you have to reschedule for a later date. They'll mail you another letter, and give you a new date. You're gonna want to do this until they say you can't anymore (I did it 4 times). This way, there is a smaller chance of the officer showing up if its 3-4 months down the road.

If he shows up, make sure you plead not guilty, have a good alibi ready, and bullsh1t if you need to.

At best, you shouldnt receive points.