Anyone ever been to traffic court?

amy919

New member
I have to go at the end of the month and I'm scared! I've never been before and have no idea what to expect.

A little background on why I'm going...I was driving Teagan to school one morning and we were on a busy road. It's got a ton of traffic in the morning with lots of big trucks. I was in the right hand land and there was a huge truck in front of me. I was a safe distance behind him, but still couldn't see the traffic light. The cars on the left hand side of the road continued to go through the light - no one was even slowing down. It wasn't until I was halfway through the light that I noticed it was yellow and turned red before I was all the way through. Now, as an aside, the car BEHIND me also went through and 2 cars next to me went through. One at the same time, the other pretty even with the car behind me.

I got pulled over and the a**hole cop tells me that I went through a steady right light - which I didn't. I watched it turn red. But, I've learned not to argue. It's not going to get me anywhere. Then he tells me "before you say anything, I know the other cars went through the light as well. But they went flying down 611. You were the easiest one to catch."

I was SO mad. Nothing only did I NOT go through a steady red light, this idiot cop came after me, who was diriving the speed limit, instead of going after the other cars who flew down the road swerving in and out of traffic.

So, I'm fighting the ticket on principle. I don't expect to win - I know it's my word against his, but I don't feel right just letting it go.

Any advice for me?

Amy
 
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AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
I've been and both times had the ticket thrown out. I think the judge admires drivers for showing up and has more leniency, especially if you have no prior (recent) traffic violations. It helps your case alot if the officer doesn't show up...
 

mominabigtruck

New member
I always fight all of my tickets, just on principal. The only way you are going to get out of it is if you have a witness, and no your kid doesn't work because I have seen people bring their kids to court before to lie for them. I'm doubting you don't have that though so your best bet would be to get them to lower the fine. This is why I fight my tickets, ticket costs are not set in stone unless you just pay them, the judge is completely at his discretion to charge you however much he feels like.
 

TheRealMacGyver

New member
It's been a long, long, long time ago, but yes I did go to fight a traffic violation and yes, I lost!

You might not like what I'm going to say, but understand that I'm not trying to mean, just honest. The fact that others ran the light doesn't excuse you. The fact that the truck blocked your view of the light doesn't excuse you. The fact that the cop pulled you over because you were convienient to pull over doesn't excuse you. In my experience the judge gave me very little time to speak and it was over before I could blink. Also, I ended up paying the fine plus more, AND the judge made me go to defensive driving school to boot! The only real chance you have is if the arresting officer is a no-show. I know that isn't what you wanted to hear, sorry to rain on your parade!
 

amy919

New member
It's been a long, long, long time ago, but yes I did go to fight a traffic violation and yes, I lost!

You might not like what I'm going to say, but understand that I'm not trying to mean, just honest. The fact that others ran the light doesn't excuse you. The fact that the truck blocked your view of the light doesn't excuse you. The fact that the cop pulled you over because you were convienient to pull over doesn't excuse you. In my experience the judge gave me very little time to speak and it was over before I could blink. Also, I ended up paying the fine plus more, AND the judge made me go to defensive driving school to boot! The only real chance you have is if the arresting officer is a no-show. I know that isn't what you wanted to hear, sorry to rain on your parade!

I'm not making excuses, however, the fact remains that I did NOT go through a steady red light, which is that I was ticketed for. I hope my experience is different than yours! I'm praying the cop doesn't show up!

I don't have a witness. Teagan was in the car with me. I wouldn't take a child anyway, let alone a baby. It's not like she could speak anyway!

Amy
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Worse case scenario, you have a fine to pay & you can take the Defensive Driving course every 18 months for point reduction (at least this is true in NY).
 

amy919

New member
I guess I'm confused about something, and maybe this works differently depending on where you live?

I already paid the fine. It's not optional here. You HAVE to pay the entire fine, plus an additional $8 for court costs. Then you appear and if they lower your fine or get rid of it altogether, you get your money reimbursed.

It sounds like it worked differently for some of you.

Amy
 

Morganthe

New member
It depends on what state you're in, but many times if you show up and the cop doesn't, the ticket is automatically dismissed because "you have the right to face your accuser". No one tells the complaintant that reason so it's not passed along in public :p

I got a ticket last year for going 7 miles over the speed limit on a country highway where absolutely no housing or civilization nearby. The vehicle behind me was also pulled over by the State Patrol, the other 6 following us were let by.

Yes I was going over the speed limit. Yep, I broke the law. Honestly though, I really don't care about that fact. I was driving safely. I was really surprised when I saw the patrol car, in the middle of other vehicles, pull a very unsafe u-turn to come after me.

Every other place I've lived in, as long as you're not driving through a built up area (town or suburbs) any speed you go as long as its under ten miles over the set limit is good. (I hope that makes sense).

But I was all set to play the game and pay it...... Until........
Apparently, 1 or two years before, TX decided to really go after speeders. It was a $175 ticket! I almost had a heart attack when the fine was listed. We'd just moved here. No money to spare. It was less expensive to run a red light! :eek: And that made absolutely no sense to me.

So I dressed up in my Sunday go-to-meeting conservative clothes & dd was all darlinged up and drove the 45 minutes to that county's little courthouse.
I told the prosecuter (no judge that day) my story, told him I was new in the State and said I had absolutely no experience in my 22 years of driving where a cop would drive crazy to pull over someone going just over 7 miles over the speed limit. I was very apologetic and just asked for a reduction in fine amount. There wasn't any points assigned until 11 miles OVER the limit. He was very nice and sympathetic.. told me to wait, but he'd probably go ahead and just dismiss the ticket.

Came out 15 minutes later and said that it was dismissed. I would get paperwork to that affect in 2 days. That was it :shrug-shoulders:

3 months afterwards, I purchased a really good radar detector for dh for $130. I prefer keeping my cruise control at exactly 5 miles over on the interstates between cities. I can't stand the thing. It TALKS!

Yes, I'm a speeder on highways. I fully admit it. But for those of you in constant high density traffic on the East Coast, there is absolutely no way you can understand how empty and long the roads are out in West Texas. 5 miles to the west of town, the speed limit is 75mph... but to the east with the same empty highway for 160 miles until the next city, it's 70mph. There's no reason logically that there's a difference.

What I find funny is that I drove in very high density traffic all over A-5 & A-6 in Germany at speeds between 85-95mph without thinking twice. On the empty open roads of TX, I crawl at 70! I sometimes feel as if I'm going to sleep :p

Anyway, that's my recent story of going to court.
I would contest your light change too. You did not go through it completely on the red. It did change in the middle. You could have sneezed when it was yellow, then it was red. ;) It is medically impossible to keep your eyes open during a sneeze.

good luck :)
 

Morganthe

New member
I guess I'm confused about something, and maybe this works differently depending on where you live?

I already paid the fine. It's not optional here. You HAVE to pay the entire fine, plus an additional $8 for court costs. Then you appear and if they lower your fine or get rid of it altogether, you get your money reimbursed.

It sounds like it worked differently for some of you.

Amy

That is unusual. Everywhere I've been, there's a citation issued. If you choose to contest it, contact the court for a date or else a bench warrant will be automatically issued when the fine hasn't been paid by the due date. The court then decides what's to be done afterwards.

Perhaps it's because Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth and the charter is different for some reason. :confused: :shrug-shoulders:
 

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