Things I Have Learned About Tickets

Don't speed in Texas. Ever. You will get caught. Every time. Remember when I got two tickets in one day when I thought I was going the speed limit? Well if not, you can read about it here. Now let me preface this whole thing with: I sincerely am not much of a speeder. I really am a fan of the cruise control. I drive the most ridiculously dangerous highway to Lubbock each week and the speed limit is 70 and I'll typically set my cruise to 74 which I know is technically speeding, but it's more of a safety mechanism because these huge oil field trucks will pass me on a two lane highway if I don't kick it up just a little. And in Texas, when people pass you, you're expected to move into the shoulder as they pass which doesn't feel particularly safe to me. I guess that's the Okie in me. Plus, every cop I have ever talked to ever has said that if you're going less than 5 over, they're not going to waste their time pulling you over. Turns out that's not true and I learned that lesson the hard way. I got pulled over for going 74 in a 70. I repeat 74 in a 70. I was going 5.7% over the speed limit. Really?  Luckily, I got a written warning, but c'mon!

Then, a couple of weeks ago I got another ticket. It was an unmarked car basically in the ditch. I was looking at him feeling bad for him thinking he was in a bind, and then all the sudden he's pulling me over. I was speeding and didn't realize it because I was going with traffic and people drive like maniacs. But, I was in the wrong and so fine, I deserved the ticket. One thing that was really strange was that the cop told me he needed my phone number in case they needed to get a hold of me and he wrote it down on a little pad of paper. It was a strange exchange.  I later talked to a different cop who said that's not common procedure.

Well I'm going to tell you a few things that I have learned about traffic citations because obviously I'm not getting away with anything in this state, even when I have the best of intentions.

First- in Texas, tickets no longer go off your record after a certain number of years. They stay there. Having a conviction- yes conviction! on your record puts points on your license and can affect your insurance rates. It's no good all around. At all costs, you should avoid a conviction on your record. In Texas, once a year you can avoid a ticket going on your record if you take defensive driving. It's a HUGE pain and time consuming AND it costs just as much as the ticket, but it stays off your record so that will save you money over time. Also, taking defensive driving reduced my insurance rate by $5/month so if I don't get a ticket again for 3 years then it will have paid for itself. That's uplifting, right?

If you've already taken defensive driving and you're a poor soul who gets another ticket within a year, you should:
1) Go to court. You can:
      a- ask the judge for a deferment which will result in court fees and a probation but at least it wont go on your record. UNLESS you get another ticket during your probation, and then you have to pay for BOTH. Yuck.
     b- If you go to court and the officer who gave you a citation is not there, ask the judge to dismiss the ticket because there isn't anyone there to witness against you. This would be fantastic luck, but perhaps you shouldn't count on it.

2) Get a lawyer. This could (and probably will) cost you a fee but it's probably worth it. Especially if you get a ticket out of your town because then you don't have to show up to court. The lawyer does the paper work and tries to get you a deferment. You still have to pay court costs which probably equal the amount the ticket would have been. It still costs you money, but once again, not on your record.

I'm not exactly proud that I have all of this information to share. I really try to drive safely, and I've learned that I am incapable of getting away with speeding in any fashion in this state so I am better off just not. But, should you find yourself in a bind, I hope this information helps!

According to the state of Texas, I have no traffic citations on my record and I intend to keep it that way.
Happy, Safe Driving!

Posted in: (Mis)adventures in Texas