Monday, May 10, 2010

Weekly Poll: Speeding Tickets

On my way back from New York last month I was pulled over for speeding (in a construction zone) and given a speeding ticket. Now I'm 38 years old and have been driving since I was 16 and this is the first speeding ticket I have ever gotten. I'm not a huge speeder, I usually just follow the flow of traffic (or 5-7 mph over) depending on the traffic but I guess I have been lucky not to have been stopped before.
This Friday I am going to court to try and plead this ticket down to keep from having our insurance go sky high. I was talking about this with someone last week who was very surprised that this was my first speeding ticket. She says that she not only has multiple tickets but has been stopped many more times and just given warnings. (Due to flirting with the officer and batting her eyes no doubt)
This got me to thinking. Is it rare that I have been driving for over 20 years and never been given a ticket prior to this? I figured I would make a poll and ask for your comments. Have you been pulled over and given a ticket? Multiple tickets? Have you gotten off with just a warning? Tell us the stories. Let us know....

-Doc

21 comments:

Dana said...

I have been driving for *cough*thirty*cough years. I have received TWO tickets - one for running a stop sign just months after getting my driver's license and one speeding ticket when I was 22 (which was dismissed after taking traffic school)

I PAY ATTENTION when I'm driving. Like you, I usually drive 5-7 mph over the speed limit, or with the flow of traffic (20 over the speed limit in Chicago)

Shanel said...

It's not that rare... I've gotten six or seven tickets and I haven't been driving as long as you but some of my coworkers are in their 50s-60s and they have never gotten a ticket.... you are not only smarter but blessed though that's for sure...

Karen said...

I drive like a grandma. No tickets. My friends say that even if they were in labor or bleeding, I'd still drive the speed limit.

Paige said...

I've had plenty of tickets in my lifetime. But that's mostly cause I'm impatient and not the best attention-wise. Some I've been able to talk my way out of, some I haven't.

Anonymous said...

I've had only 1 ticket in the last 7 years. Being a mom slows you down, lol. Pre-kids... that's another story, LOL.

Unknown said...

I've had tickets for 3 car accidents (ages 18, 19, 20).

Diversion for a speeding ticket when I was 19. I was going 10 miles over and was hurrying to get to my honorary grandfather's rosary service. The officer knew George and still gave me a ticket. I didn't want my insurance to go up so I got a diversion.

I got a speeding ticket when I was about 21 that I could not get out of for going 25 over the speed limit. I thought it was only 20 because I wasn't going to go over 85 because that is as high as the speedometer went.

I got a ticket for running a yellow light. I always thought that with a yellow light you should stop if possible but proceed though with caution if stopping would involve squeeling tires and jerking to a stop. Apparently in Topeka is is better to be rear ended that go though a yellow light because it is illegal. I went to my then boss who had no respect for the guy because he wrote "red" initially and I said it was "yellow" so he changed it since it is still illegal. My boss said I would have stuck by red and made you fight it in court. One Trooper I worked with said my boss wrote her a ticket even though she showed her badge - she felt stupid and never did that again. Anyway he talked to someone in the city attorney's office and got what qualifies for a diversion.

I did not get a ticket for the flying deer incident.

Jay said...

I haven't gotten a ticket since 1986 and that one was a total speed trap.

Doc said...

Mine was a total trap too... BTW - I will let everyone know if they throw me in jail or whatever on friday (or whenever I make bail) lol

Anonymous said...

My husband is 40 years old and he has never had a ticket...I can not say that for myself.

Charlene said...

I have had two tickets. I've been stopped many times without a ticket. Yes, I have a lead right foot!

I've not had a ticket since 1996.

Each event has been a story.

Andygirl said...

I've been driving for 15 years and for the first 7 or so of that, I drove a sporty little silver coupe. I was pulled over so often in that damn thing (even when I wasn't speeding, which wasn't often)! I have one speeding ticket though (*in sweet voice* what? I was speeding? ohmygoodness I'm sorry! *slight tear*) and one ticket from running a red light with a camera (which was an accident, but no way to get out of those.)

In 2004, I traded in my coupe for a small SUV and I haven't been pulled over since. And I do still speed.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

I did not receive my first speeding ticket until I was about the same age as you - 38...have had one more since then

Jetsa said...

I owe $1,232 on speeding tickets in my PR license. If I ever go back, I'm majorly screwed. Thank God the only insurance you need there is a flat $99 a year rate sponsored by the government, no matter how many violations you have. Private insurance is optional.

Unknown said...

My mom is 70 something and she's never received any type of ticket.

But, everyone else I know has gotten SOME type of ticket in their life, so yea, you are very lucky!

The Mountain Cat said...

I have zero tickets since 1994 but previous to that I got 4 in less than two years!

Ken said...

Got one at about 20 and one at about your age.
I have been clean since then.

Now if you want to talk about unregistered vehicle....or inspection sticker expired I hit the top the charts in New Hampshire in my younger days.

Kim said...

I can't even begin to count how many tickets I have gotten. Most of them came between 18-19.

Now, I drive slower

Just me... said...

A ticket is the price you sometimes pay for driving the way you want and can.. I couldn't count the times I've been stopped.. However, to date, I have only gotten one speeding ticket..
When stopped, smile a lot, be kind and show a little cleavage... Works almost every time..
The one ticket? The cop was gay.... :):):)~~~

Schmoop said...

I have nevah gotten a speeding ticket. I am Mr. Law Abiding. Cheers Doc!!

HalfAsstic.com said...

Let's see... don't drive anymore due to visual limitations, but when I did, yes. I was pulled over a number of times for one thing and then another, speeding included, but never got a ticket.
A couple of years ago my husband got the first ticket he'd had in 20 years for not having his seatbelt on. My daughter and I were in the car with him at the time and gave him hell for it.

Monkey's Mom said...

I've never had a ticket. Im am afraid of getting in trouble, have been that way my entire life. I have been pulled over once tho. I had just been asked to move out of my parents house (long story) and bought a new car. I didn't have any tools to put the license plate on and got pulled over for driving without tags. I cried and cried. the poor cop atached my license plate for me and wouldn't let me leave until i stopped crying.

No more cops for me thank you