Nonsense Thread

[roguetoaster]

Never take points as the cost is high in the long run, mostly in auto insurance. Always use alternate methods or hire representation to settle.

[2mAn]

Yeah, and I can also just wait a year (I think) and they'll disappear. Basically, I just wanna know if I should fight it and get it reduced to a no-points ticket, and probably a big ($300+) fine, or just take the points and pay the $86 online and be done with it. I'm not sure if there's a downside to taking the points and letting them go away vs not having them to start with.

Here, it affects your Auto Insurance and does make the difference in dealing with it immediately VS letting it drop off.

[rturbo 930]

Sounds like the increase in Ins cost is the only negative? I've been doing some reading, looks like the no-points ticket is an unsafe driving charge, which is a larger fine ($335 total), and can only be used twice in 5 years, or it comes back to bite you. Kinda leaning toward pay the ticket + online course for the points ($50). I have other things I need to deal with so I'd rather just make this go away than deal with court and all that.

[MrBurgundy]

IDK which state you're in, because of this new update.

You want to avoid the point on your record at all costs, no pun intended.

I got a point on me record and my insurance skyrocketed, albeit it was a new "sports" car with full coverage.

Also, here in California, if you fight your ticket and lose, you're going to forfeit your right to traffic school, which takes the point of your rec.

[2mAn]

pretty sure he's in Jersey

[rturbo 930]

Yup, NJ. From what I was reading, it sounds like any way you slice it, I have to pay, so IDK. I've got til Friday to plead not guilty and fight it.

[flyboyx]

just wanted to check in with all you Floridians to see how everyone is fairing?

[varg]

I can't speak for everyone but for South Florida it seems that we dodged a bullet and the storm was largely uneventful. We got a good amount of rain, but nothing crazy, and wind was rarely any worse than an afternoon storm. The Treasure Coast and Space Coast regions are certainly getting it a lot worse than we did down here.

Since we were forecast to suffer a direct hit for some time, the last minute preparers were out in droves last week, every store mobbed, gas stations running out, etc. It was the worst I've seen it, but then again, the worst storm we've had coming directly at us in recent history.

[ForcedFirebird]

Yeah, not too bad as far as the weather.

RE: Traffic tickets, not sure in NJ, but down here I have used the Ticket Clinic. They guaranty no points and no school or they waive the fee in some cases if you get either - but OTOH, I had to pay a more hefty fine than the ticket in the end, but it's far more convenient than school, court and points etc (lawyers do everything, you don't even show up). If you are lucky and the cop doesn't show, often times the case is dismissed and you just pay the lawyer. Might be worth looking into.

[rturbo 930]

I've heard of Ticket Clinic. Unfortunately looks like they only do FL and CA. Anyway, I got half a dozen letters from local lawyers today, and called one of them. It's handled. Gotta show up unfortunately. Sounds like it'll be around $450 all done. Oh well.

[ForcedFirebird]

Sounds about right. I got a speeding ticket that was around $200-ish when I hired the TC. They charged me something like $70 or $100. Ticket was dropped for points/school, but had to pay the ticket and $200-ish for court costs - so I was in the $-500 range. That was 15 or 18 years ago, forget the exact numbers.

Year or so later I got another one, but used my prepay lawyer (for my business we paid a monthly retainer for many services). They didn't do as well as the TC, ended up having to do school and pay court costs/ticket, didn't have to pay the lawyer, but the school cost just as much as the TC would have charged me. I was livid at the time, but haven't got a speeding ticket since. Cop wasn't very forgiving - he was prepared complete with his motorcycle riding boots, RayBans, and had taken the time to print out my entire driving record. I was pulled for doing 81mph in a 65 (65 just for a short span on a causeway, he was out to get people). When I asked why he picked me when I was traveling with the fast lane - he said he noticed they all braked when they saw him and I didn't - then asked what speed he would have let me go and he replied "80", grrr. I have no problems with police, have family members and friends on the force, but he was very unkind to put it nicely.

[flyboyx]

I've heard of Ticket Clinic. Unfortunately looks like they only do FL and CA. Anyway, I got half a dozen letters from local lawyers today, and called one of them. It's handled. Gotta show up unfortunately. Sounds like it'll be around $450 all done. Oh well.

well, that sux, but in the long run it is a lot cheaper than the insurance increase amoratized over several years.

[2mAn]

well, that sux, but in the long run it is a lot cheaper than the insurance increase amoratized over several years.

Exactly my thought. Ours went up by ~$100/month because of an at-fault accident my wife had bumping someone at a stop sign... I called them and made adjustments so net bump was only about $20/month which still works out to being cheaper if it was something we could've fought... sadly you can fight an accident haha

[LowR3V'in]

how did you fight it exactly?

[2mAn]

how did you fight it exactly?

me? ... changed our coverage. My wife is very paranoid so our coverages were and still are much higher than the state minimum.