So, I got my first ticket...
 

And I completely admit guilt. I made an illegal left turn, I didn't see the no left turn sign until I had already turned, and a cop just happened to be right behind me. Oh well. Ticket is for 39:4-124, failure to turn. Found online that it's 3 points.

It's my first ticket ever in nearly 9 years I've had my license (1 week away from 9 years, lol). I could go to court and try to fight it to get rid of the points. But I don't want to go through the hassle. I'd rather just pay it and then do defensive driving to remove 2 points and reduce my insurance.

My question is, has anyone ever used the online course, I Drive Safely? Or any other online courses? It says it's approved, and shows the letter saying it is approved. I'm just skeptical. Since I"m off today and tomorrow, I could take the course and be done with it.

Fight it, get it down to something with no points. A moving violation is going to raise your insurance and cost you waaaayyyy more than just the fine.

-Tim

Yup... I got one last year, never knew it was a 3 point ticket. I just payed it...

Try to ask for something like failure to obey sign or something. That's less points (and money) I hope...

Don't matter how guilty you are, you can always talk to the officer in court (dress nicely and show some respect).

see if you can talk it down..... it a hassle but will save you big bucks in the long run

you wont even really need to talk it down, just showing up and talking to the prosecutor while he sees your past "lack" of a driving record, and they will most likely offer you unsafe operation........zero points but probably a little more money

Agreed with Mike.....you can most likely get it dropped to Unsafe Driving which is a zero points ticket....fine is a bit higher but it will save you money in the long run.

How much did your insurance go up?

I went to court when I got my careless driving ticket a few years ago. I was in there for a total of about 1 1/2 hours. The prosecutor did most of the talking and offered to drop the ticket to Unsafe operation and no points. They dropped the points and I had to pay $400.

same here!

…a ticket for failure to turn because you made a turn…hhhhhmmmmmm…did you also get a ticket for parking on a driveway and driving on a parkway?

just paid one the other day. but i wasn't guilty. it was incorrectly signed. still didn't matter.

plead it down to Unsafe Operation of a Motor Vehicle. $400-$500 and totally worth it! i took a state defensive driving course. 4 hours and it removes up to 3 points. i would call MVC before taking an online course, just to be safe

im in the middle of fighting one. I got a carless beign invlovled in an accident. They forgot to notify the witness when i called a month in advance and made the court date. So now they have to give the witness a second chance and re notify a court date. Then the next day i get a failure to appear in the mail, had to call and strainten that out. Bunch of morons Even worse the cop came in and changed the ticket to no point ticket since my record was clean. But they still got to go through all this crap
________
Jailbroken

Yup. A little less than $500 now or thousands over the next three years. Most people benefit from showing up for court.

price is pretty much at the judged discresion.

I was doing 63 in a 45. Cop knocked it down to careless driving there. Took it to court (had a lawer), and got it reduced to failure to yield to a stop sign or some crap. No points, and $180 dollar fine.

I would just go to court and talk to the procesutor like everyone said.

Problem is that you will be sitting there all day. With a lawer, you could be done fairly quicly since they do those cases first. Municipal courts mainly just want money in the end.

and the lawyer's fee is $500.

must've been a female cop...

stop cutting ppl off ;)

what a d*ck cop. couldnt cut you a break since you said it was your first ticket in 9 years?? damn... I would try to get the points off it, having points sucks. insurance is always high and it sucks lol i did do the I drive safely course, that helped. but if you dont have to do it dont waste the time. i would talk to the prosecutor and see what can be done.

Did'nt surprisingly. I have 5 cars on the same insurance too...

go to court talk to the proscuter and try to pay a high fine no points

Well, my court date listed on the ticket is for 6:30pm. So I won't have to sit there all day.

I don't know. If I get rid of the 2 points, the last point gets taken off in 12 months assuming no other convictions in that period. Sounds easier than having to deal with court.

These type of comments never fail to make me laugh. Yes the cop could have cut her a break but he didn't she was wrong and he had every right to give her a ticket.

Either way it sucks you got a ticket. I would go to court and try to plead it down to unsafe operation like the others have said. But first I would call your insurance company to see if they will even raise your insurance since you have been so long without a ticket.

court is easy, fun, and entertaining. you have to call to plead not guilty and the court clerk will put you on the court calender. trust me, i would go to court rather then risk the points. i think that ticket is valued at 5 insurance points. your time is worth that, but its entirely your decision. save the defensive driving course for another time, like a speeding ticket. most of those courses take HOURS anyways and aren't near the entertainment value of a courtroom.

isnt it 3 years before you lose points?

Yes