MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring - First speeding ticket

mataku · #1 01-30-2005, 09:03 AM

So i got my first ticket for 57/40. Been driving for about 3 years and this is the first so I'm not sure how everything is supposed to go down (illinois).

Anyways the officer told me that I have a good record and should request a court hearing and that they might just give me supervision or something like that. I'm not sure what's he's talking about, but what would I say when i go to court if we all know i was speeding?

and what is supervision?

letsmotor · #2 01-30-2005, 09:16 AM

I suppose if you are a young driver you might get probation of some sort. Keep your record clean and you won't be punished? I doubt it though. Cities need money from speeding tickets, which I will gladly pay. It's the points and insurance rates that kill you. Oh yeah the accidents from speeding are bad too

addamaniac · #3 01-30-2005, 09:18 AM

Here's how i THINK it works:

You are on supervision, you have to have a clean record for X months. If you dont violate the law in that amount of time, they toss the ticket. Again, I THINK this is how it works. But you should definitely take advantage of it.

and Ill doesnt have points. Its more like...3 strikes in one year and your out

btw, where in Ill?

BrewSwapGuy · #4 01-30-2005, 09:23 AM

My brother went to Chicago for work and got a speeding ticket. They let him sign up for a program where he basically promised not to violate the speeding laws for 6 months and if so the ticket was erased from the record. However, I think he still had to pay the fine.

Even so getting the ticket off your record in 6 months is a good thing as some insurance companies check your driving record and increase your rates for tickets.

Good luck

Matt

mataku · #5 01-30-2005, 09:32 AM

welll he didn't say that I would get it, but he said that I could. he also said I could get traffic school, but I might get supervision. I got pulled in Chicago I believe.

a few more questions, although the whole supervision thing hasn't been explained, how much would i have to pay (any court fees or anything), also, would I get any points on my record?

For sure I want to get this thing of my record, 19 and my rents pay for insurance, so I don't want to get them mad. If i were to get pulled within 6 months, would I still have the opportunity to go to traffic school to get it out, or am I going to get points no matter what for speeding twice withing 6 months. say i take traffic school now, could I take it again if i were to get another ticket within 6 months?

**Dr Obnxs** · #6 01-30-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mataku

welll he didn't say that I would get it, but he said that I could. he also said I could get traffic school, but I might get supervision. I got pulled in Chicago I believe.

a few more questions, although the whole supervision thing hasn't been explained, how much would i have to pay (any court fees or anything), also, would I get any points on my record?

For sure I want to get this thing of my record, 19 and my rents pay for insurance, so I don't want to get them mad. If i were to get pulled within 6 months, would I still have the opportunity to go to traffic school to get it out, or am I going to get points no matter what for speeding twice withing 6 months. say i take traffic school now, could I take it again if i were to get another ticket within 6 months?

But here in CA the point are what kills. A single "infraction" can cause your insturance to skyrocket. If there's any way to keep the points off you record DO IT!!!! The costs of doing this are trivial compared to what will happen to your insurance rates (for 3 to 7 years, depending on the infraction). So Probation (we don't have this in CA) or traffic school (where you can go once every 18 moths) are great. As a 41 year old graduate of about 8 traffic schools over my driving career (I'll get it right one of these times, I promise) I can say that the couple hunderd dollars in court costs and reg fees is much less than the $4k a year insurance I paid in college for racking up a bunch of tickets. (and that was in 87!)

Go to the web-site for the county that your ticket is from. There will be information there, but you'll have to do a little digging.

Good luck, this probably won't be your last, so learn the system early, and use it to your best andvantage.

Matt

MGCMAN · #7 01-30-2005, 10:38 AM

Mataku,

I suspect that only someone very familiar with both the laws of Illinois and the judicial procedures of Cooke County can answer your questions. I'd consult a local lawyer who specializes in traffic offenses. Should be easy to find in the yellow pages or by contacting the local Bar association.

mataku · #8 01-30-2005, 11:54 AM

alright i looked up some information from the cook county site and found out what supervision is:

basically what everybody said, but it's 4 months of supervision and you may be required to a)pay the fine and or b) attend traffic school.

is there any case where you don't have to pay the fine, but just put on supervision or anything like that, or is the fine pretty much minimum pay. I mean if i'm going to have to pay 75 anywyas, i might as well pay the extra 30 for traffic school and not have to deal with the court date ruining my schedule.

Avitor · #9 01-30-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mataku

So i got my first ticket for 57/40. Been driving for about 3 years and this is the first so I'm not sure how everything is supposed to go down (illinois).

Anyways the officer told me that I have a good record and should request a court hearing and that they might just give me supervision or something like that. I'm not sure what's he's talking about, but what would I say when i go to court if we all know i was speeding?

and what is supervision?

Supervision is an option if this is your first offense, or your first offense in the past four years. They will however not automatically offer it to you in court, so don't wait until then. Your local community college may run a traffic safety program, check with them. The way that works is you plead guilty and agree to take a day long traffic safety course. If you local college isn't offering this, make an appointment to see your local State's Attorney. He/She can give you more details on Illinois' Court Supervision program.

PM me if you have more questions.

kramseib · #10 01-30-2005, 01:03 PM

Complete your probation period, move to Germany and drive on the Autobans. I regularly drive 100 MPH+ without any polizei stopping me.

German autobans are GREAT!!!

minihemi · #11 01-30-2005, 01:43 PM

Mataku

Check out http://www.gototrafficschool.com/ might be an option for you to remove points.
I got a ticket in Nov. doing 70/55 took the class and took the test and got 4 points back on my record...
Check the link for Approved Courts see if yours works with this program.

LeftyS7 · #12 01-30-2005, 02:19 PM

The first reason to go to court is to deny the charge. Then it will be set for trial and, at the time of trial, or before, the prosecutor may offer you a better deal than if you just went in and admitted, e.g., if you were enough over to normally get two points the prosecutor may change the charge to one point. Especially if you agree to pay the fine on the original charge. The prosecutor may also agree to diversion or alternative sentencing that he/she might not agree to if you simply admitted the charge at your arraignment. If you do wait for the trial date be certain that the officer that gave you the ticket is in court. If not, the charges may be dismissed (or the case may be continued if the officer had a good excuse for not appearing).

I've been a public defender for 21 years and have gotten several speeding tickets in my Caterham Super Seven (sold to buy a MINI Cooper S- "en route" as I type).

kenchan · #13 01-30-2005, 03:13 PM

NorthWestern University has an online traffic school program
which takes you about 3hours to do..and you don't have to take the
class all at once. You'll have to pay the fine, but the record will be
erased... probation and going to court might be okay for some people,
but I would rather just pay the fine and get it over with. I don't have
time to be running around for some $75. You can go to the cop's
village where you got pulled over and just pay the fine to get your
drivers license back, if you didn't have a bond card too.

Goodluck. :smile:

mataku · #14 01-30-2005, 04:24 PM

alright it looks like i'm just going to pay for the traffic school thing. With the whole traffic school, I always thought they tell you where you can go, isn't this the case? Or do you have to pay the 105 instaead of the 75$ and THEN look for your own traffic school and pay there?

I checked the northwestern internet deal, it's an extra 40$. I'd rather just go to the damn place. Thanks for the info though.

kenchan · #15 01-30-2005, 09:14 PM

I think I paid $105 total including the online traffic school.

It was several years ago though.

mcswrks · #16 01-31-2005, 11:42 AM

Okay-I know Alabama's system backwards and forwards; I have been in the passenger seat of tickets at LEAST 20 times, NO JOKE-I am a ticket lawyer. Amazingly, I have no tickets, I just like to say-"they never caught up"...

Anyway, If it is your first ticket, you can either pay the fine, get it over with, or go to court. However, when you go to court, the judge will say "first offenders step forward"-(your cue) and unless it is wreckless driving (25+), they will give you the option of driving school. Driving school cost money, and is a couple of hours, but is beneficial, because it doesnt go on your record, nor does insurance increase.
A buddy of mine had 6 tickets, but they were all in different districts. Different districts = different judges. As usual, they all asked for first offenders since he had always gone to driving school. He kept it like this until he got caught in the same area.

Drive safe, but dont let the police ask you for doughnuts.

DrkSilver163 · #17 02-16-2005, 11:14 AM

i got pulled over in Mount Prospect and i got supervision. I got lucky though, my jusde was awesome, some woman who wanted to go shopping and gave everybody supervision. Where are you going to court? in skokie?

mataku · #18 02-16-2005, 11:59 AM

I just opted out for the online traffic school. I didn't want to deal with missing school to go to court and such. Also I was worried about what happens if you get caught during supervision. With the traffic school, i still have the 8 hour class option if i get another ticket, but if on supervision, what happens?

anyways, did you still have to pay the fine or go to traffic school?

DrkSilver163 · #19 02-16-2005, 02:21 PM

I drove like a sissy for the time i was on supervision, so I didnt have that problem. But i think its kinda bad, i cant recall what though. I think its time to invest in a radar detector

BearsMCS · #20 02-16-2005, 03:04 PM

Just for the record - You did have a good reason for going 57 MPH in a 40 MPH zone.

DrkSilver163 · #21 02-16-2005, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mataku

anyways, did you still have to pay the fine or go to traffic school?

yeah i paid a 50 dollar fine. NO traffic school. and if i get another ticket, it is considered my first offense and i can go to traffic school. supervision is like a freebie, as long as you dont get pulled over again.

mataku · #22 02-17-2005, 04:38 PM

well I was just driving to the airport to pick up my uncle from the airport who just came back from Cambodia. He was supposed to call me when he got off the plane so I'd get there when he finished checking out and such, but instead he didn't call me until he was out of the airport already. Anyways, there were literally no cars around, with it being a big street with no sidewalks by the highway, I honestly did not see any harm in it.

although i'm sure there are those who disagree