Man this sucks

[EGGO]

I was in Maryland going towards West Virginia at I-70. Leftmost lane and was doing about 73. Lots of cars to my right and there was a car coming up to me very fast behind me. He came close and tailgated so I figured it'd be ok to just get in the front of the line of cars to my right rather than just being in his way.

The steep incline was too much even for 5th gear, my car was actually losing speed even when the pedal was all the way down so I had to downshift. Sped to about 85 for about 10 seconds, properly used turn signal and got in front of the line to where I wouldn't cut someone off.

All of a sudden, a black SUV came behind me and turned on his red and blues. Received a ticket, but instead of going 85 in a 65, he gave me a 74 in a 65, doing me a favor.

Though out of state, I live in NJ, meaning I'm still getting the 2 points on my record. The $80 ticket fine easily will be paid. What I'm most worried about is insurance, and to be quite honest also the letter coming to my parents because there's no way I could afford college and dorming in NYC without still living with my parents.

This isn't a post asking about what I'm going to do, just another anecdote should anyone be in my position that there are reprocussions.

[edit] Just in case, even the cop told me he knew that someone as behind me speeding but he decided to pull me over.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

 

[slsmnaz]

Topic Summary: Ticketed for speeding. Deserved it.

Maybe the 1st time I've ever seen that :thumbsup: Usually it's someone asking how to get out and how cops suck.

Also, ask for traffic school. Could help keep the ticket off your insurance.

 

[Xavier434]

Spending 10 min on the phone with these guys will make you feel a lot better. They have yet to lose a case for me which has allowed me to dodge points, traffic school, and the insurance issues.


http://www.ticketclinic.com/

 

[NiteWulf]

Originally posted by: EGGO
Topic Summary: Ticketed for speeding. Deserved it.

This isn't a post asking about what I'm going to do, just another anecdote should anyone be in my position that there are reprocussions.

:thumbsup: for taking responsibility

 

[EGGO]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

Yeah, I was very close to W. Virginia, where the speed limit all of a sudden turns 70MPH.

I took a defensive driving course 3 years ago to help insurance rates, but according to dmv.org:

You can also reduce your point total by attending traffic school. You can enroll in a Driver Improvement Program every two years to subtract three points from your license. Every five years, you can remove two points from your total by completing a Defensive Driving Course.

So it seems that I could pay $100 for a driver improvement program.

 

[Injury]

Well... if you are that worried about insurance, whether you deserved it or not it's worth the time and money to fight it or take other measures such as traffic court, or pleading with the officer to change to a higher non-moving violation. If you can track him down to talk to him and tell him you are a student he might be a nice guy and do you another favor by having the charge changed to a disorderly conduct or something screwy that doesn't affect insurance. Odds are slim, but don't doubt it until you try it.

If you are more worried about your parents knowing your best bet is to come clean before they get a letter. If you are on their insurance they'll find out soon enough if you don't tell them.

 

[FoBoT]

http://www.pics.bbzzdd.com/bet...ed_limit_unveiling.JPG

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

You may be a perfect driver anywhere from 0-100MPH... but the problem is that other people aren't. 80 seems okay to me, but once you get towards 100 you are just asking for someone to do something stupid to cause you and/or them to wreck. 100MPH is not safe.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: EGGO
I took a defensive driving course 3 years ago to help insurance rates, but according to dmv.org:

You can also reduce your point total by attending traffic school. You can enroll in a Driver Improvement Program every two years to subtract three points from your license. Every five years, you can remove two points from your total by completing a Defensive Driving Course.

So it seems that I could pay $100 for a driver improvement program.

Better be sure that doing so will rescind the offense from your record rather than just reducing the number of points from your license. Insurance companies base rates on infractions, not points. No sense in taking the course if it's not worth the $100 and time. Really only necessary if you are approaching suspension for points.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

You may be a perfect driver anywhere from 0-100MPH... but the problem is that other people aren't. 80 seems okay to me, but once you get towards 100 you are just asking for someone to do something stupid to cause you and/or them to wreck. 100MPH is not safe.

I don't entirely understand how you can consider 80 to be safe but 100 not...

Assuming that there was also a minimum speed (which IMHO should be required for any speed limits >60), you're just as likely to get into a terrible wreck at the one speed as you are at the other IMHO. 100 MPH also has the advantage that it's nearing the top end of a lot of cars, so the chances of someone zooming past at 40 over is less likely. If everyone goes nearly the same speed, the roadway is safer...

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: EGGO
The $80 ticket fine easily will be paid. What I'm most worried about is insurance, and to be quite honest also the letter coming to my parents because there's no way I could afford college and dorming in NYC without still living with my parents.

Your parents aren't going to jeopardise your college shenanigans over a ticket. Chill

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

You may be a perfect driver anywhere from 0-100MPH... but the problem is that other people aren't. 80 seems okay to me, but once you get towards 100 you are just asking for someone to do something stupid to cause you and/or them to wreck. 100MPH is not safe.

I don't entirely understand how you can consider 80 to be safe but 100 not...

Assuming that there was also a minimum speed (which IMHO should be required for any speed limits >60), you're just as likely to get into a terrible wreck at the one speed as you are at the other IMHO. 100 MPH also has the advantage that it's nearing the top end of a lot of cars, so the chances of someone zooming past at 40 over is less likely. If everyone goes nearly the same speed, the roadway is safer...

Because driving 30 miles per hour over the average driver is a lot different than driving 10 miles per hour over the average driver? When you are doing nearly 1.5 times the speed other cars are doing people freak out? Because going 80 compared to 70 gives people time to react, but 100 compared to 70 does not?

Pick which one you want.

But you're dead right about if everyone was going roughly the same speed it would be safer... hence why there is a difference between 80 and 100. Don't see how you missed that contradiction.

 

[EGGO]

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Spending 10 min on the phone with these guys will make you feel a lot better. They have yet to lose a case for me which has allowed me to dodge points, traffic school, and the insurance issues.


http://www.ticketclinic.com/

Thanks. I did an e-mail consultation giving them the same story and hopefully I'll hear from them soon.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

You may be a perfect driver anywhere from 0-100MPH... but the problem is that other people aren't. 80 seems okay to me, but once you get towards 100 you are just asking for someone to do something stupid to cause you and/or them to wreck. 100MPH is not safe.

I don't entirely understand how you can consider 80 to be safe but 100 not...

Assuming that there was also a minimum speed (which IMHO should be required for any speed limits >60), you're just as likely to get into a terrible wreck at the one speed as you are at the other IMHO. 100 MPH also has the advantage that it's nearing the top end of a lot of cars, so the chances of someone zooming past at 40 over is less likely. If everyone goes nearly the same speed, the roadway is safer...

Because driving 30 miles per hour over the average driver is a lot different than driving 10 miles per hour over the average driver? When you are doing nearly 1.5 times the speed other cars are doing people freak out? Because going 80 compared to 70 gives people time to react, but 100 compared to 70 does not?

Pick which one you want.

But you're dead right about if everyone was going roughly the same speed it would be safer... hence why there is a difference between 80 and 100. Don't see how you missed that contradiction.

I very much agree with your reasoning. That is why I generally just go along with the speed of traffic, which is typically over 80 mph.

I've done the CC set to 80mph thing before, and lots of semi trucks, etc pass by like I'm doin 45. So, instead, I just go with the speed of traffic.

Of course if there is heavy traffic, then that often means 5-10 mph.

Then there's also all those rural roads where the biggest danger is possibly hitting a dear

And I don't claim to be a perfect driver, but, its very easy to drive 100mph when the lane is open and you're only going 5-15 mph faster than the right lane ....

If It was up to me, I'd drive much faster then just 100, but ... I don't want to risk losing my license just to get somewhere an hour or two faster .....

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

You may be a perfect driver anywhere from 0-100MPH... but the problem is that other people aren't. 80 seems okay to me, but once you get towards 100 you are just asking for someone to do something stupid to cause you and/or them to wreck. 100MPH is not safe.

I don't entirely understand how you can consider 80 to be safe but 100 not...

Assuming that there was also a minimum speed (which IMHO should be required for any speed limits >60), you're just as likely to get into a terrible wreck at the one speed as you are at the other IMHO. 100 MPH also has the advantage that it's nearing the top end of a lot of cars, so the chances of someone zooming past at 40 over is less likely. If everyone goes nearly the same speed, the roadway is safer...

Because driving 30 miles per hour over the average driver is a lot different than driving 10 miles per hour over the average driver? When you are doing nearly 1.5 times the speed other cars are doing people freak out? Because going 80 compared to 70 gives people time to react, but 100 compared to 70 does not?

Pick which one you want.

But you're dead right about if everyone was going roughly the same speed it would be safer... hence why there is a difference between 80 and 100. Don't see how you missed that contradiction.

I very much agree with your reasoning. That is why I generally just go along with the speed of traffic, which is typically over 80 mph.

I've done the CC set to 80mph thing before, and lots of semi trucks, etc pass by like I'm doin 45. So, instead, I just go with the speed of traffic.

Of course if there is heavy traffic, then that often means 5-10 mph.

Then there's also all those rural roads where the biggest danger is possibly hitting a dear

And I don't claim to be a perfect driver, but, its very easy to drive 100mph when the lane is open and you're only going 5-15 mph faster than the right lane ....

If It was up to me, I'd drive much faster then just 100, but ... I don't want to risk losing my license just to get somewhere an hour or two faster .....

You've seen semi's doing 90+ mph? I call shens

 

[BillyGoat]

believe the semi thing, its quite the norm on the turnpikes and expressways of NJ and PA

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Highway speed limits are too low.
It's all about revenue generation and not at all really about safety.

Anyhow, sucks you got caught. Hopefully you have an option like traffic school or something where you sit in a boring classrom for 4 or 8 hours ... but it doesn't go on your record then?

EDIT: For the record I live in IL, and when I'm in residential areas, I stick to the speed limit, but on the tollways/freeways .... I just go with the flow ... usually between 80 and 100mph ...

You may be a perfect driver anywhere from 0-100MPH... but the problem is that other people aren't. 80 seems okay to me, but once you get towards 100 you are just asking for someone to do something stupid to cause you and/or them to wreck. 100MPH is not safe.

I don't entirely understand how you can consider 80 to be safe but 100 not...

Assuming that there was also a minimum speed (which IMHO should be required for any speed limits >60), you're just as likely to get into a terrible wreck at the one speed as you are at the other IMHO. 100 MPH also has the advantage that it's nearing the top end of a lot of cars, so the chances of someone zooming past at 40 over is less likely. If everyone goes nearly the same speed, the roadway is safer...

Because driving 30 miles per hour over the average driver is a lot different than driving 10 miles per hour over the average driver? When you are doing nearly 1.5 times the speed other cars are doing people freak out? Because going 80 compared to 70 gives people time to react, but 100 compared to 70 does not?

Pick which one you want.

But you're dead right about if everyone was going roughly the same speed it would be safer... hence why there is a difference between 80 and 100. Don't see how you missed that contradiction.

I very much agree with your reasoning. That is why I generally just go along with the speed of traffic, which is typically over 80 mph.

I've done the CC set to 80mph thing before, and lots of semi trucks, etc pass by like I'm doin 45. So, instead, I just go with the speed of traffic.

Of course if there is heavy traffic, then that often means 5-10 mph.

Then there's also all those rural roads where the biggest danger is possibly hitting a dear

And I don't claim to be a perfect driver, but, its very easy to drive 100mph when the lane is open and you're only going 5-15 mph faster than the right lane ....

If It was up to me, I'd drive much faster then just 100, but ... I don't want to risk losing my license just to get somewhere an hour or two faster .....

Hey, if there is no one else around then who am I to judge how you drive? If you lose control then you're only going to screw yourself. But even in moderate traffic you need to err to the side of caution with each and every driver. You never know when they might be dozing off... on the phone not paying attention... changing the radio station... I entirely agree that going with the flow of traffic is the best and safest thing to do, but if there is enough traffic that there is an actual flow, sometimes it's just much smarter to get all the way to the right and get the hell out of their way. Better safe than wedged between a guardrail and mangled metal.

I've never seen traffic flowing any faster than ~70-75

 

[glenn beck]

were you coming up the mountain near Hagerstown? that is a very steep incline and hard as hell to go slow on it

 

[akshatp]

If you dont have any points on your license before this infraction, 2 points will not cause your insurance rates to go up nor will you be hit with any surcharges as far as your insurance is concerned. Drive safe for the next year and the points come off.

 

[TallBill]

I wouldn't worry to much about your parents. You are 18 and an adult. Decisions are solely on your shoulders now, no matter what they say.

I've had various tickets over the years, and suprised that I don't have more. Either slow down or look at it as a price to pay for the right to drive faster then everyone else.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: KLin
You've seen semi's doing 90+ mph? I call shens

I routinely see semis going 80-90 mph. Everyday.

 

[dustmann]

Yeah that sucks man. I just got one about a month ago for going 72 in a 55 (was going down hill not really paying attention to my speed), and he gave me a 64. Still 80 bucks down the drain though. :thumbsdow;

 

[Quasmo]

Originally posted by: Injury

I've never seen traffic flowing any faster than ~70-75

You must live in the middle of no where. On 285, in Atlanta, 75-85mph is the norm.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: Quasmo

Originally posted by: Injury

I've never seen traffic flowing any faster than ~70-75

You must live in the middle of no where. On 285, in Atlanta, 75-85mph is the norm.

Traffic on I-95 here in CT travels 75-80mph at any none rush hour time .... driving to Vermont in the winter (on dry roads) I've been passed like I was standing still by over half the traffic when I was doing 85.