Got my first ticket...

[WNDSRFR]

I've had my FR-S for a couple years now and just got my first traffic ticket in it today. I had a "violation of a traffic control device".
Ran a stop sign.
I came up to this three way stop, stepped on the brakes, Looked to my left as I rolled through the intersection and there was a cop. I said "oh shit" and of course he started following me. I pulled into this park about 100 yards down the road when the cop turned on his blue lights. I proceeded to drive about another 50 feet to a parking space as the cop pulled in behind me. I shut off the engine and rolled down the window as the cop approached. I started to say I was sorry for not coming to a complete stop at the stop sign but the cop started yelling "when I turn on my blue lights that means stop" in a very angry manner. I told him I thought it would be better to park safely rather than stop in the middle of the road. He then demanded my license insurance and registration. I nervously fumbled through my wallet to retrieve the documents. So the cop starts to go back to his car and yells something at me. I asked "Excuse ME"? And he yells back "Stay in You vehicle". About twenty minutes later he returns to my car and says there's a problem with my registration. I ask what the problem is and he says it's expired but he checked and found that it is valid so I wouldn't get a ticket for that. But for running the stop sign the fine is $169 and so many points on your license. Then he started to explain the different options I had. By now I'm pretty pissed off because I fully expected a warning. So I replied "I know what to do" and he says "have a nice day and drives off.
This is the first ticket I've gotten in over ten years. The last ticket I got was for gong 25 MPH in a 15 MPH zone. I well known speed trap that I passed every day. One time I just wasn't paying attention.

Anyway, that's my story. I want to know what you think I should do? Should I just pay the fine and forget about it or should I take it to court?
If I take it to court and are found guilty then I have to pay the original fine PLUS the judge can add a fine of up to $500 depending on his mood. What would you do?
Here is a short clip of the scene of the crime. I'm sitting where the cop was and the car going through the intersection did pretty much exactly what I did.
By the way, I sat in this position for about fifteen minutes and not a single vehicle came to a stop.


I've tried everyway I can think of but I can't seem the upload the video.
Here is a link to it I think:

[go_a_way1]

Just pay it, you were in the wrong so no point to fighting it. It happens and sucks but not worth the headache.

[ChrisSC300]

You ran the stop sign and got busted. Pay this fine and call it a day. Why take a chance at a bigger fine & fight it when your obviously guilty and admit to it.

[UchihaFanBoy]

Go to court and try to lower the points or pay the fine and keep the points and drive safe. I think it 1 or 2 points for that..well in Jersey.. Like a month ago I was pulled over by a state trooper for speeding 80mph on a 55mph. The trooper asked me did I know why he pulled me over I told the truth. It was my first time getting pulled over. I've been driving for 6 years clean record like i told the trooper but he gave me a ticket anyways and said next time dont speed lol I went to court to fight for the ticket without a lawyer and judge let me slide and took all my points off(4 points I had) and paid fine and court fee. Just go to court and see what happens.

[Sportsguy83]

NO, don't pay it. Either go to court and fight it, (you have an incredibly high chance of at least getting no points in your license this being your first ticket in the past few years), or as a last resort take traffic school online and get a reduced ticket fee AND no points in your license.

No points in your license is key to not have the insurance raised.

Never just pay a ticket, fight it.

[Namuna]

Get a lawyer and take it to court.

It won't be cheap, but the lawyer should be able to knock your ticket down to a lower offense and hopefully no points. The no points is what you're really hoping for.

Points are going to jack your insurance rates WAY UP and for YEARS!

[MisterSheep]

Originally Posted by WNDSRFR

Here is a short clip of the scene of the crime. I'm sitting where the cop was and the car going through the intersection did pretty much exactly what I did.
By the way, I sat in this position for about fifteen minutes and not a single vehicle came to a stop.

Unfortunately I can't view the video due to being at work but;

"and the car going through the intersection did pretty much exactly what I did."
- unless you have proof that this occurred and that the cop was looking directly at it, it may only help just a little bit.

"I sat in this position for about fifteen minutes and not a single vehicle came to a stop."
- unfortunately that's how life is when it comes to cops/the law. You can see everyone else roll through stops yet when you decide to do it once there just happens to be a cop there.

I'm unsure if a rolling through a stop sign gives a point on your record or not.. if it doesn't I would just pay the fine. If it does, it doesnt hurt to go to court and just pray that the cop doesn't show up.
Theres times where I've met nice and mean cops, unfortunately 1 lead to a point on my record. (I did 75 on the freeway in the carpool lane and the cop originally pulled me over because he couldn't see my passenger. He then gave me the ticket for "speeding" instead.) I also once got out of a ticket for doing 5 or 7 over the speed limit at a speed trap but when he came to the car and asked for license and registration I said the following "I have my license in my wallet which is in my back pocket and my registration is in the glovebox. Do I have your permission to reach for these items." he told me to have a good day and left.

Cops like reassurance, some just happen to be d*cks. I know this might not be a lot of help but it's up to you on what you'd like to do. I never fought a ticket because those were the only times i've gotten pulled over. It just matters on the mood of the officer on your court date...




hoped this helped!

[UchihaFanBoy]

Originally Posted by Namuna

Get a lawyer and take it to court.

It won't be cheap, but the lawyer should be able to knock your ticket down to a lower offense and hopefully no points. The no points is what you're really hoping for.

Points are going to jack your insurance rates WAY UP and for YEARS!

No lawyer its a waste of money

[pinski]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

NO, don't pay it. Either go to court and fight it, (you have an incredibly high chance of at least getting no points in your license this being your first ticket in the past few years), or as a last resort take traffic school online and get a reduced ticket fee AND no points in your license.

No points in your license is key to not have the insurance raised.

Never just pay a ticket, fight it.

Paying a ticket is an admission of guilt. You can go to court and potentially get it dropped or traffic school like Sportsguy said, or maybe even reduced to something else that doesn't add points.

[Sportsguy83]

In Miami, you get a lawyer for $60 or so, and he drops the ticket completely, no ticket to pay, no court fees (I got a ticket for running a stop sign close to work in the middle of nowhere at 6 am) and got it dropped completely from the system.

But I know lawyer prices are higher in other parts of FL that is why I didn't recommend them.

[UchihaFanBoy]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

In Miami, you get a lawyer for $60 or so, and he drops the ticket completely, no ticket to pay, no court fees (I got a ticket for running a stop sign close to work in the middle of nowhere at 6 am) and got it dropped completely from the system.

But I know lawyer prices are higher in other parts of FL that is why I didn't recommend them.

Are you sure lol Im moving to Miami then lol. Lawyers here are like $400+ if your lucky to find one $300... but still pay court fee and ticket .. low cost.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by UchihaFanBoy

Are you sure lol Im moving to Miami then lol. Lawyers here are like $400+ if your lucky to find one $300... but still pay court fee and ticket .. low cost.

This is an example http://www.theticketclinic.com/

starts at $49. Moving violations are at like $79.

Another company Alex Hanna, does like $69.

But there are smaller lawyer firms, and those can be like $50. (I think I payed $60 for that last dismissal, so much worth it).

[Braces]

LOL .... our court system is really working well when $60 attorneys can turn your guilty offense into being innocent. I mean ... you broke the law and admitted it. The police officer did sound like a D-bag, though.

The people to blame for this is .... the court system. Just having an attorney present shouldn't sway the judge.

Now ..... if your INNOCENT .... then you fight it in court.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by Braces

LOL .... our court system is really working well when $60 attorneys can turn your guilty offense into being innocent. I mean ... you broke the law and admitted it. The police officer did sound like a D-bag, though.

The people to blame for this is .... the court system. Just having an attorney present shouldn't sway the judge.

Now ..... if your INNOCENT .... then you fight it in court.

The traffic ticket system in general, is in it to make money, at least in Miami. I'd say 99% of the time you get a traffic ticket, if you haven't had one say in the last 3 months, you will be let go with no points, but they will collect "court fees" similar to the traffic ticket.....

Now about how guilty or innocent I was (I know each case is different, but read this one). We have a stop sign at work literally miles out in the middle of nowhere, on a street barely driven by anyone else but my workplace. There's a 4 way stop sign, which while you're approaching, you have clear view of all sides and know beforehand if you need to stop because someone else will be there before you. Going to my work is turning right, so it's not even running a stop sign to continue forward.

So one day, this cop decides to hide, and get hundreds of my co-workers who don't full stop in the sign.

Now, I can understand, if this was peak hour, there's a lot of traffic in the area, or someone just blatantly runs through the stop sign. But this is at 6 am, not one soul in the road except the cars turning right going to work, and he's there nailing everyone. I almost stopped, basically rolled over the sign at 5 mph and got nailed.

Is he really enforcing the law to make it safe for someone, or just racking up thousands of dollars in tickets, for the fun of it? I understand the law is there to be respected, but I also think there are cases and cases.

Well anyway, got off it clean. YMMV