I keep hearing about this thing called warning, both verbal and written. I've never had a warning. They've all been tickets/citations, whatever you call them. Not that there've been a lot. I average about one every 7-10 years for a total 4 in 30+ years of driving and admittedly doing what the ticket was written for. I've been polite everytime and honest. Maybe that's what does me in. Even my wife gets warnings and not tickets. Oh well. 
Does wifey wear lots of low cut stuff? If so, maybe you should give that a crack. 
GF way back when got pulled for 80 in a 50 on a 2 lane road, 1AM, about half drunk. Not even a warning. I sometimes wonder...
Not that you shouldn't be honest, but maybe you shouldn't be excessively honest. I think sometimes if you're smart enough to avoid incriminating yourself (no, sir, I didn't notice how fast I was going; no, sir, I don't recall what the speed limit is), then the cop figures you're the sort of guy who'd take it to court, and won't be an easy win. He can save himself the trouble by writing a warning. If you admit guilt, on the other hand, the case is a slam dunk if you even bother contesting. Cops are usually well trained to elicit confessions out of whoever they happen to be talking to.
In reply to Jensenman:
Wifey is Korean and often plays the "I don't understand" bit. She's been in the states (and married to me) for almost 29 years and does speak English with an accent and sometimes doesn't know what some big words mean and often has difficulty pronouncing them. Maybe that's how she plays it and they just don't think it's worth writing. Years ago she did come home and ask what a fox was because the MP at the gate called her that and she never heard it before.
Besides, I don't think the cops would appreciate my hairy chest. 
A Korean friend of my wifes who came here when 3 and speaks Korean and Southern English gets pulled over regularly. She cracks the window and does the "me so sorry" bit. Never gotten a ticket.
So that was boring. Wait in line for 20 minutes. Stand there, plead guilty (no lo wasn't an option) and the officer says "the state doesn't have a problem with a reduction" and $81 and 2 pts, non negotiable, no words from me. A lawyer probably could have done better. I dunno.
Jeez if that was helping you out, man.....I've learned my lesson, always go with the lawyer.
I can't read through this whole thing cause I can't get past the "go to court and tell em you did it and you are sorry" technique. Last time I checked you are innocent until proven guilty. That means on a piece of paper signed by the judge. The state must prove you were in the wrong. What's to say the cop didn't make mistakes or lost paperwork or whatever. This country would be less caught up in speed enforcement masquerading as taxation if more people chose to go to court and fight such a system that preys on the timidity of lay people. They want my money they can earn it!
And, forget not the 5th amendment. You may go to court but you do not have to incriminate yourself. Again, burden of proof is on the prosecution--even in traffic court.
The fixation on "points" is just silly. Sure, if you get nailed in your state all the time it can be an issue, but the real problem is insurance upcharges. Any conviction for a moving violation in any state is a 10% increase w/ most insurance companies. An at-fault accident can be a 30% hike.
To my mind, points on the license equals an insurance hike; that's the point I'm making. There may be some nuance to that system as you mention, but that's my meaning anyway.
^^^^ And that is why I recommended hiring a lawyer to get the speeding ticket reduced to faulty equipment. Insurance doesn't go up on non-moving violations.
I got a ticket once, called my agent (he is a friend of mine, drank beer at my house). He said insurance won't go up for the first ticket so pay it an be done with it. I bought a new car six months later, called for an insurance quote. He gave me a reasonable quote, I told him to write the policy. When I got the bill, it was almost double the quote. When I asked, he explained that when it went to underwriting they realized I had a ticket, so I was higher risk. I asked about the insurance not going up with a ticket part, and he said I shouldn't have given them a reason to look at my driving record. No new car, my insurance wouldn't have gone up. Not only that, the other three cars, motorcycle, and truck rates all went up at the next renewal.
This friend doesn't sell me insurance any longer. He doesn't seem to come over to my house and drink beer nearly as often either.
Like I said earlier, my insurance went up when I neglected to turn in a tag off a donated car. No tickie, no fine, nothing but a note on my DMV. State Farm pulls it, see it, increases my premium almost double from the quoted price on my beater Nissan truck.
man, I could write a small novella about speeding tickets. here are the cliffs:
I get about two tickets in the spring of every other year.
I always go into court, no lawyer. Had a 111 in a 55 reduced to 70 in a 55 simply because the judge didn't want to see anyone that day. My results have varied all across the board, had an officer let the little old lady ahead of me go completely scott free, told her she really needed to take her medication and shouldn't been driving. He then turns to me and says there's absolutely nothing he can do for me (I think that was 65 in a 55).
Then I moved to VA, got a no turn on red ticket that got eaten by PA's wonderful non sharing policy.
Had one ticket reduced to 'disobeying a highway sign' that sign happened to be the speed limit, cop was nice and I just paid the fine (figured I just about got all the leniency id see, esp in VA)
Hired a lawyer (not expensive) for an ohio ticket, went out there to buy a car and was driving it home, since I couldnt show up I hired a lawyer out there and got it reduced.
Since moving to falls church ive been hit by the same local speed trap twice (I know, really dumb) the officer even called it a racket and that residents were complaining about people speeding through.. (30mph on a four lane divided road called lee HIGHWAY... I feel like im taking crazy pills) and then again on the beltway in MD.. Finally had to hire a lawyer (really expensive this time) around here and take driving class etc.
If you call the court clerk and ask for probation the Judge never even knows you exist. Judges are lawyers that are also politicians. You figure it out from there. Court clerks feed the lawyerpoliticians,they hope they starve too.
Datsun1500 wrote:kcmoken wrote: ^^^^ And that is why I recommended hiring a lawyer to get the speeding ticket reduced to faulty equipment. Insurance doesn't go up on non-moving violations.It does not matter what you get it reduced to. If the insurance company sees you have just been charged with a ticket they can raise your rates, even before you go to court.
I have never had a non-moving violation raise my insurance rates. I see plenty of "parking" tickets, no change in insurance.
Datsun1500 wrote: It does not matter what you get it reduced to. If the insurance company sees you have just been charged with a ticket they can raise your rates, even before you go to court.
No. To start with, they have no access to that information. Secondly, there has been no crime. It's only after you have been convicted that the record is made and an entry placed in your driving record. Before that time, it's just an entry in a cops ticket book and then a hearing entry in a court docket.
Here in SC, points are what determine your insurance increase (if any). Less than 4 points = all is well. 4 points or up = increase. IIRC 16 points = lose your license. The points decrease over time, i.e. if you get a 4 point ticket one year, the next year it is halved so you have 2 points, etc. So that's why it's a big deal around here for point reductions.
In reply to Datsun1500:
Seems unconstitutional to me, innocent until proven guilty and whatnot else... Not that I read the fine print of my insurance paperwork...
tuna55 wrote: So that was boring. Wait in line for 20 minutes. Stand there, plead guilty (no lo wasn't an option) and the officer says "the state doesn't have a problem with a reduction" and $81 and 2 pts, non negotiable, no words from me. A lawyer probably could have done better. I dunno.
Well damn. What the berkeley? I suppose that's what you get for listening to a dumbass like me! Sorry dude. That sucks.
Well guess what, I got another one! Hurray! In West Virginia, traveling to Syracuse from SC. Three cars in a line in the left lane, I am in the middle. I see the cop, but don't hit the brakes, my speedo says 74 (in a 70). The guy in front (going faster) slams the brakes. 82 in a 70. Wha? The GPS said 76. Wonderful. The fine is only $180 but 4 more pts puts me into insurance raising category, so $500 to a lawyer this time. We'll see how it goes.
I got one too a couple weeks ago. I was in Kentucky for business and was driving back to the hotel. 55mph zone and I was trying to keep it under 60. Looked in my rear view mirror and saw only a grill of a pickup that wouldn't back off, must of been maybe 4 feet of my bumper. I slowly sped up to a place where either I can move out of his way or he can pass me. Well he passed me and I slowed back down. A few miles later I saw blue lights behind me and pulled over, also noticed he had the truck pulled over also. Told me when the truck was tailgating me that I sped up to 71 and he had it on radar but only wrote the ticket for 65 in a 55, no points & same fine. 71 would have been 2 points on my license. Well I admit I probably did hit 65 but I know I never hit 71. I drive a 99 Miata with the Flying Miata alignment on it and a couple other minor suspension mods causing the infamous 67mph shuffle to be a bit more pronounced with the car setup. I never experienced the shuffle so I know I never hit 71 but since he wrote it for 65 and I probably did do that, oh well pay the fine and get on with life. I still think the highway patrolmen could have been a little lenient since he did admit the truck tailgated me and contributed to me speeding up to get out of his way and had us both pulled over together but gave both of us a ticket anyway.
tuna55 wrote: He writes me the ticket, 4 pts and $150. He says, "come to court and I'll help you out", my best question to this is "why?".
The judge will base his decision largely on what the cop tells him, some also on how you behave, and a very little bit will have to do with the actual ticket itself.
The cop has already written his coded note in his ticket book, and will use the various code words to the judge ("Cooperative", etc). You will most likely get a pbj for this ticket if you go to court. It's worth going, particularly with the cop telling you he'll help you out.
foxtrapper wrote: You will most likely get a pbj for this ticket if you go to court.
So do they just have a pile of sandwiches right there in the courtroom, or what? Can I get a fluffernutter if I ask for one? I guess I need to go to court more often.
i do my best to only get pulled over in municipalities where my family are cops.
had a ticket in cleveland get "taken care of" a few weeks ago - kinda silly one anyway - he ticketed me for no mudflaps on my truck.
pbj = probation before judgement.
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