[els_86]

Si I was with this girl I'm seeing, and I decided for like two seconds on get on it. We were at a light, there was a car next to me, I got on it for a couple seconds and saw the lights flashing behind me. The violation says " obedience to traffic-control devices". I guess this is reckless driving. I wasn't speeding, did not really do anything wrong, just basically accelerated quickly. Is there anything I can do if I plead not guilty. I would take a picture of the ticket and post it here, but would I be violating any laws by doing that?

[NemesisX]

Of course you can plead not guilty.

Failure to obey traffic control devices is what cops give you when they don't want to hit you with a full blown speeding ticket but they don't want to let you off with a warning either. In terms of severity it's in between those two. You have to pay a fine, but you don't get any points on your license. I think the fine is usually $170.

Feel free to plead 'not guilty' and take the matter to traffic court, but it'll cost you time and money. You may end up spending lower than $170 total if you manage to win, but it's doubtful especially if you consider the hours wasted. Given that this is a no point infraction, I'd personally just pay the fine but that's me.

[els_86]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

Of course you can plead not guilty.

Failure to obey traffic control devices is what cops give you when they don't want to hit you with a full blown speeding ticket but they don't want to let you off with a warning either. In terms of severity it's in between those two. You have to pay a fine, but you don't get any points on your license. I think the fine is usually $170.

Feel free to plead 'not guilty' and take the matter to traffic court, but it'll cost you time and money. You may end up spending lower than $170 total if you manage to win, but it's doubtful especially if you consider the hours wasted. Given that this is a no point infraction, I'd personally just pay the fine but that's me.

Thanks for the informative reply. I figure if I plead guilty, I have to pay 170. If I plead no guilty and lose, I still have to pay 170. So either way I have to pay the 170 but if I plead not guilty I have a chance of winning. The cop did not record my speed, and I can prove that so I think I might have a case with that.

[X2Board]

That sounds like a 'Display of speed' ticket. Definitely fight it! Unless you were spinning tires through the intersection, there is no law against accelerating quickly.

[BEM-S4]

One of these things will happen:

1. Cop won't show and you win
2. Cop will be there but will work with you and reduce it
3. You are found guilty

Chances of you being found guilty are slim to none, maybe get stuck with a reduced fine. That said they will make you pay court costs so if you lose it can/will cost you more than just paying the ticket.

[Slops]

or just show up to court and take a plea bargain for a reduced cost. But keep in mind that if you do go to court.... there's still that $100 court cost to pay or whatever it is now.

[Petros]

Get a court date and file a disclosure request. When you see the cop's notes this will give you a better idea of what he wrote down as evidence and what you should be doing next.

[els_86]

It says if I file not guilty, I still have to pay the fine, and if I win I will get it back? That doesn't make sense. You are innocent until proven guilty, so why do I have to pay a fine when I am pleading not guilty?

[Freon]

Originally Posted by els_86

If I plead no guilty and lose, I still have to pay 170.

You should check your local and state laws, but if you plead not guilty and lose it could be up to the judge what fine to impose instead of a standard value, which could be higher than the ticket.

Sounds like you already know you were being a jackass, so you should probably just pay the ticket and drive more reasonably in the future.