California, why doest thou hateth mine guts?

[sagedil]

Just a FYI, click around the net on the subject, the first thing you will find is fines determined by county, NOT state. Everyone is different. Also, don't y'all have traffic school for first one?? Or is this not your first one?

EDIT. DAMN, they are nasty. So traffic court just makes it even more expensive. What a freakin SCAM.

BTW..... This is exactly why, 14 years ago, I had to kinda twist my wife's arm to move back home to North Carolina. Although, I miss California much, she is my blood. I can always vist, I won't live there ever again.

[sgreger1]

Just a FYI, click around the net on the subject, the first thing you will find is fines determined by county, NOT state. Everyone is different. Also, don't y'all have traffic school for first one?? Or is this not your first one?

EDIT. DAMN, they are nasty. So traffic court just makes it even more expensive. What a freakin SCAM.

BTW..... This is exactly why, 14 years ago, I had to kinda twist my wife's arm to move back home to North Carolina. Although, I miss California much, she is my blood. I can always vist, I won't live there ever again.

After my wife finishes getting her bachelors this year, I am seriousely thinking about moving. It's just hard because both of our family is here.

But for a young family, California is not a very hospitable invironment. Its too damn expensive.

When studio or 1 bedroom apartments run between 1200-1700$ for a regular small apartment, how do they expect kids to move out on their own?

[sgreger1]

Also, not only do I have to pay the court 40$ for the privaledge of going to traffic school, but I then have to pay another 40$ to the actual traffic school.


Raising the cost of this to 460$. That's going to have to cut into my snus budget!!!!

(No, just kidding, I keep my snus fund hidden in an offshore bank account in switzerland. They'll never take my snus money!!)

[RobsanX]

Go to court!!! If the cop doesn't show up you're off the hook!!!

If you are found guilty, plead with the judge for leniency on the fine. The judge CAN reduce the penalty. Just don't get cocky, because the judge can raise it too! Throw yourself on the mercy of the court. Tell the judge your hard up story. I've seen it work before!

More people need to fight their tickets until the court system is jammed up with them. Maybe then they'll start re-thinking their enforcement tactics.

[sagedil]

I have never NOT gone to court here in NC. And had probably 10 tickets over 14 years. (reason I only ride a motorcycle, car insurance is high for me)

[sgreger1]

Go to court!!! If the cop doesn't show up you're off the hook!!!

If you are found guilty, plead with the judge for leniency on the fine. The judge CAN reduce the penalty. Just don't get cocky, because the judge can raise it too! Throw yourself on the mercy of the court. Tell the judge your hard up story. I've seen it work before!

More people need to fight their tickets until the court system is jammed up with them. Maybe then they'll start re-thinking their enforcement tactics.

This is my current plan. Show up, hope cop doesnt show up. I am also reqesting a change of venue since I got this in a county where I don't live. Hopefully this will cause the cop to not want to show up since it's farther for him.



I plan on explaining how I support a student wife and have a kid, how I served in the military and just got back a few months ago, how hard it has been to find a job during the recession, and give the biggest sob story ever, stopping just short of kissing his boots.

It's all i've got at this point since I definately was and routinely do speed.

[sgreger1]

I have never NOT gone to court here in NC. And had probably 10 tickets over 14 years. (reason I only ride a motorcycle, car insurance is high for me)

Not sure why its so different in california. For me I can get car insurance ofr about $100-$130 a month but to insure a motorcycle for full coverage, the cheapest is 5,000 a year. That's like a car payment!

Which is why I only have minimum required liability insurance on my bike currently, which is only 340 a year.

[sagedil]

I was paying $2160 a year strictly liability on my car, a 1989 Saab Turbo Convertible. FULL coverage on the bike is $300 a year. But it is a 250, don't know what I would be for a liter bike, or worse, a sports bike.

All with Progressive.

[Vegan's Wife]

I got a speeding ticket in a "fines are doubled" road work area in 2002, most recent ticket (never say last) I was going like 30 miles over... should have been reckless something or other... ticket was 250 or so. Should have been a felony in Alabama with the WAAAY over the limit speeding and whatnot, but I was 20 and irresponsible and apparently didn't see what he wrote me down as speeding. Paid from college and just had to tell my dad what happened when he got the notice in the mail (mailed to home address= busted)


My dad just thought it was funny. When he was 20 he was bootlegging

[sagedil]

I once got caught doing over 90 mph on an Indian Reservation in Oregon. Got dragged an hour away to the tribal police station, as it was considered reckless driving. But by then, I had already been arrested 12 times during my Berkeley activist days, so was really cool with it, cops realized how chill I was and the appreciated it. Rode back to my car in the front with a different cop, showed me how his radar worked, was really cool.

I took the day off, and drove the 4+ hours back to my court date. While in front of the tribal judge, the prosecutor made a point of making sure the judge knew I showed up, even though they hadn't confiscated anything. Seems normally, they take something of value, a gun, a car stereo system, anything, to "make sure" a white person shows up for court.

The judge noted how much I showed my respect for the tribe, then launched into a 20 minute dress down of me, telling me just how many cattle they lose to stupid drivers who don't understand the risks of driving in open range land. But he did drop my fine from the $500 they normal would charge, to $175. All in all, it was a kinda cool experience.

[sgreger1]

I was paying $2160 a year strictly liability on my car, a 1989 Saab Turbo Convertible. FULL coverage on the bike is $300 a year. But it is a 250, don't know what I would be for a liter bike, or worse, a sports bike.

All with Progressive.

Yah I have 1 speeding ticket so not a bad record but since it's a sport bike it is very expensive. 500$ a month for insurance is unreasonable man, I can't imagine anyone actually pays that.