Twenty-one years without a speeding ticket (last one was passing Magic Mountain in my 1991 white Acura Integra RS, going 90 but getting ticketed for 84 with a cost before the judge of $244) perhaps gave me a sense of invincibility or at least laxity behind the wheel.
But two days ago on our family vacation, going 81MPH on the 33 toward Ojai (from the 101), a I called pulled over by a genial balding cop whose cognizance of my twin toddlers did nothing to disuade me from writing a ticket.
I may be in for some sticker shock. My wife's uncle got a ticket going the same speed and his bill was $477, not including the online traffic school.
Everyone speeds, but as my gardener Francisco said this morning, the crocodile gets that one zebra and that zebra was you. Well said, Francisco.
Uh,oh! Freudian slip? "...going 81MPG..." Major ~ouch~ on the ticket. Even worse, as in life is SO unfair, it took place on vacation. Sorry to hear of it. Keep us up to date on the amount of the fine. Chris
Posted by: Chris | July 31, 2013 at 09:46 AM
What was the speed limit?
I'm pretty anal retentive about not going more than 5-10 above, although occasionally I slip into the 10-15 range. My wife is speedier. Anyhow, the vast majority of cops won't pull you over unless you pass that magical 10+ range.
How was your vacation?
Posted by: jonnybardo | July 31, 2013 at 11:22 AM
I was in a 65 zone. I feel stupid there. Ojai is a yoga/Buddhist capital for yuppies but overall a nice place. We rented what was a former yoga retreat, a sprawling compound with luxury digs. It's in high desert. One morning, I killed an oversized Sea Hunter sized gray spider with huge fangs. It was just hanging on my bed.
Posted by: Jeffrey McMahon | July 31, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Ticket prices seem to have gone exponential over the past several years. It's an easy way for cash-poor state and local governments to raise revenue. I think in the past going to traffic school waived the cost of the ticket, but this changed some time ago. In Simi Valley, the magic number seems to be around 5 MPH over the speed limit in order to get a ticket. I keep my speed at 69 or below on the freeway.
Posted by: Gary | July 31, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Shit, it happens. Makes you feel dumb and 22 again, maybe.
Posted by: jonnybardo | July 31, 2013 at 01:40 PM
You lose all man points for hiring a gardener.
Posted by: F2bbs | July 31, 2013 at 02:29 PM
Men don't trim rose bushes.
The good news is that your watch collection is a bit oversized at this point, so with a few sales, this ticket could technically cost nothing..
Posted by: StarHalo | July 31, 2013 at 04:10 PM
StarHalo, you read my wife's mind. She said, "Sell some of your watches to pay off that ticket."
Posted by: herculodge | July 31, 2013 at 04:22 PM
Well you're going to end up handing a stack of hundreds to some nametag at the courthouse either way; you can wonder which watches the money could have gone towards, or know which watches the money came from..
Posted by: StarHalo | July 31, 2013 at 04:38 PM
Jeff,
Go to http://avvo.com, search for 'speeding' or 'traffic ticket', read some reviews and select a top lawyer.
Email him/her with a description of your case and scan of your ticket. The going flat rate up here in Seattle for a top notch guy is $300. But ... he will get the case dismissed, and you will get no points on your record.
I did this a few years ago. Never met the guy; everything via email. On the court date he sent me a brief email saying the case had been dismissed.
If your fine is around $200 and you will end up with points, it's worth it to get a lawyer.
This guy looks good
http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/94105-ca-jason-beahm-1215145/reviews.html
Paul
Posted by: Paul | July 31, 2013 at 07:50 PM
Thanks for the info, Paul. Since I haven't had a ticket in over 20 years, I qualify for the online class to remove the point. If that weren't the case, I'd contact your attorney.
Posted by: herculodge | July 31, 2013 at 08:07 PM
What a freakin' scam though----redistribution of your money for foolishness. If this was about public safety only----I wouldn't rail against it. But clearly, it's just about grabbing money for other purposes----for the judicial system, for public works, etc. I'd respect them more if they had the nuts to hike taxes on everyone instead of putting it on the backs of motorists----having your your insurance rates go up, etc.
Posted by: Angelo | August 01, 2013 at 03:31 AM
I got a ticket for running a stop sign, my first in over 10 years. I talked it down to $100 and I figure, amortized over the decade, it's a bargain at less than a dollar a month for all the shit I've gotten away with.
Posted by: ace | August 04, 2013 at 10:59 AM