Speeding ticket cost in California?

[450knotOffice]

(Sorry for the OT thread in Tech. I thought I was in OT when I posted this)

Guys, I got a speeding ticket today and am wondering what fine I can expect to pay. The ticket was for 79 in a 55 and was on a two-lane highway (interestingly enough, only about five miles from where James Dean met his end).

I have a clean record and am pretty sure that I'll qualify for Traffic School, which is an additional $35, I believe.

[ZOA NOM]

Probably north of $150.00

Valentine would have nailed him out on CA 46.

[450knotOffice]

Valentine would have nailed him out on CA 46.

Tell me about it!! I was kicking myself today because he got me head on as we passed each other. I saw him. I hit the brakes (subtly). We passed. He braked and spun a U-turn and that was it. I just pulled over and waited for him.

I think a V1 would've saved me the ticket today.

It's on my Christmas list now.

[dzls rok]

depends on the county. $85 to more than $300.

[dzls rok]

try ticket assassin.

[Joe Bob]

Online Traffic School....

[Uber-fanatic]

Originally Posted by mikez

Online Traffic School....

+1

I LOVE online traffic school...

[MAS956]

Originally Posted by Uber-fanatic

+1

I LOVE online traffic school...

+1 here, too. I think the "eight hour" online session may have taken two, tops, and I'm no speed reader.

[450knotOffice]

I did some research and found that Kern County has an Online traffic School. Excellent (Smithers).

(On a side note, I'm on my old PC in the back room right now because my laptop crashed as I was typing a response about an hour ago. I'm looking into it now.)

[BeyGon]

Can you do the online traffic school in Orange County?
Also, I would wait until I got, if I got, a second ticket before I did the traffic school.

[gigem75]

I was coming back from Shrevport on I-20 around 1AM. Dinner Dancing, etc. The car was running great with the cool night air being swallowed with abandon by the webers.... came over a hill and saw the DPS. Imediatly pulled over and put my hands where he could see them. He never gave me a sobiroty test, just asked me where I'd been. Told him the truth. He said he'd never pulled over a Porcshe before and he'd have to give me a ticket but it would be one were I could still take defensive driving. Turns out the cut off is 75 in a 65 at night on the interstate. After I showed him the engine and he had written the ticket for 75 he said he wanted me to walk bact to his car so I could see what he really caught me at. The radar said 95! He even told me to be careful and watch out for the two units down the road who were working narcotics that night. He was the nicest policeman I ever met. So in texas the cutoff for defensive driving is 75.

[lfot]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

I think a V1 would've saved me the ticket today.

It's on my Christmas list now.

Definitely get one.
Mine has already "paid" for itself, and I've only had it a couple months.

[450knotOffice]

And the sad thing for me is that I've been telling myself to get one for three years now.

[hcoles]

the real cost can be insurance payment increases downstream....makes the cost of the ticket seem like nothing... depends on your record and ins. company. In CA the traffic school does not erase the ticket.... your insurance company can still see and act on the record...

[kjb]

I got a ticket a bit over a year ago in CA, and going to traffic school kept the ticket hidden from my insurance company.

The on-line traffic school in santa clara county was a lot of work. You couldn't speed through it, and at the end you had to go take a written test. Hopefully things are easier in San Luis Obispo county.

/ Johan

[Sapporo Guy]

ugh, In Japan, tickets don't count for insurance rates. Accidents do and one of those knocks back 3 years (should be 6 because you have to figure in the time to regain where you would have been) in price deductions for payments.

years about 36 kmh over cost me $600 (fine) + $100 (school -- 1 month loss of license reduced to 1 full 24 hour day) + other transportation fees (taxi and train)

However, our licenses get nailed by the number of points and you end up being blue colored for years more and miss out on the "gold" license. childish but some like that gold card!

[ZOA NOM]

Originally Posted by hcoles

In CA the traffic school does not erase the ticket.... your insurance company can still see and act on the record...

I don't think that's true. The insurance company is notified by the DMV about violations, and taking traffic school results in no action taken by the DMV on your driving record. I know I've had tickets that never showed up on my insurance.

[450knotOffice]

Taking the traffic school in California will dismiss the violation from your record if you haven't attended another school within the previous 18 months.

[Jack Olsen]

I believe that's correct. I'm pretty sure that the only time they can still see the violation is when you do the school twice within 18 months (repeat offender's traffic school -- only available from a judge, a full 12 hours, and no online allowed). Then the insurers can technically see it, even though your points haven't increased. They seldom act on it, I'm told.

If they could see the every-18-month infractions, my rates would be through the roof.

I have multiple degrees in traffic school.

[Shawn 357]

450KnotOffice,
Because the ticket was more than 70 in a 55 it will be an expensive one. I just got a ticket in the same area for 70 in a 55 (the cop gave me a break I was doing 81) and it was $164. When the cop wrote me the ticket he said that if it was for more than 70 it would have cost more.

Traffic school erases the point from your record. The insurance companies rate you by the points on your record. If you take traffic school then it should not affect your rates.