I really messed up - speeding out of state, now what?

Submitted by carazm t3_10z8rg8 in Pennsylvania

Driving in New Jersey today, somehow ended up doing 94 in a 65. I am fully aware this is a major f up. I am very sorry, I know what I did was wrong. Trust me, I’m kicking myself for this majorly. This is my first ticket ever, so I am pretty much completely lost. I’m scared about points. Do you get points on your PA license if your ticket is in jersey? Should I get a lawyer and try to fight it? Again- I know I am stupid and what I did was dangerous and careless. It’s a mistake, I won’t make it again. Any help is appreciated.

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aello11 t1_j82439v wrote

https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/Pages/Frequently-Asked-Safety-Questions.aspx

If I get a traffic citation in another state, will I get points on my Pennsylvania driver's license?

If you receive a traffic citation for speeding or a similar violation in another state, you will not receive points on your Pennsylvania driver's license. If you fail to respond to that citation, it could impact your license in Pennsylvania. If you receive a DUI in another state, you could face penalties in Pennsylvania. For more information on Pennsylvania's Point System, check out the Pennsylvania Points System Fact Sheet (PDF).

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carazm OP t1_j824tse wrote

Thank you for your response!! I saw this but I just couldn’t believe my 29+ over would seriously get a free pass

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Xyncx t1_j82hjy2 wrote

It blew my mind the first time, too. What also blew my mind was that the Maryland cop that pulled me over at 85 in a 55 leaving Baltimore WASN'T a dick about it, while the cops around me pull people over just to fuck with them.

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ImOldGettOffMyLawn t1_j83rqzv wrote

In my experience, if the MD cop was a State Trooper; State Troopers in most states tend to be all business and don't act like dicks if you're not acting like one, whereas local municipality police are the ones who have the chance of being total dicks without being given a reason.

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worstatit t1_j83ukmu wrote

This is a valid point. If you act correctly on being stopped, and aren't raising flags to some specialized drug corridor or high crime unit, state police are usually quite businesslike. They're also much more likely to have recording equipment and strict rules about turning it off.

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PensiveLog t1_j82nf6q wrote

Just pay the fine and move on with your life.

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UndeadHero t1_j85bcas wrote

Sounds like you’re fine, but be careful about this when driving out of state. VA for example will give you a reckless driving ticket if you’re going over 85, and that requires a court appearance with a chance of jail time. You can guess how I know about this…

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hamerfreak t1_j8451ab wrote

If you live close enough to the jurisdiction in NJ, you may want to go to court and try to get the fine reduced. Years ago, I used to drive for my job and used to wrack up points. A cop friend told me to go to court and ask to plea bargain. Usually I got 4-5 points reduced to 2. This was in NJ as well. Don't know if it is still the same, but that fine could be a whopper as is. Good luck.

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JJ12622 t1_j83tzca wrote

“Somehow”?

It happened because you decided to disregard the speed limit and put everyone else in danger.

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Fine-Blacksmith-9330 t1_j85af4t wrote

Your just as dead in a car accident at 65mph as you are at 94mph. Did the cop also put everyone else on danger as I’m sure he had to go above the speed limit to catch up.

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JJ12622 t1_j8pwmtt wrote

Let’s assume that you’re* right. You’re* still less likely to get into a wreck when obeying the speed limit. And police have sirens to make other drivers aware of their presence. And police typically have more driving experience than OP seems to have.

And, apropos of nothing, didn’t the Uvalde police decide to not do their duty for fear that it would endanger other people?

And finally, what does the cop’s actions have to do with OP’s? If the cop ran over 15 people to ticket OP, OP still put others’ lives and safety at risk. Anyone else’s actions are irrelevant unless they were, say, chasing down OP with the intent to do harm.

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[deleted] t1_j834hhs wrote

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ImOldGettOffMyLawn t1_j83s61h wrote

He sounds young and thus inexperienced, therefore buys in to all the exaggerated fairytales of people beating all the tickets they get. Cut him some slack.

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thepennsyltuckyin t1_j846pvj wrote

Most people tell you to fight it(at least in state tickets) because there is a chance that if you talk to the cop they will usually lower the ticket. Depending on the ticket obviously. You don't ever really beat a ticket. At least that's been my experience with being told to fight a ticket.

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thepennsyltuckyin t1_j846qvt wrote

Most people tell you to fight it(at least in state tickets) because there is a chance that if you talk to the cop they will usually lower the ticket. Depending on the ticket obviously. You don't ever really beat a ticket. At least that's been my experience with being told to fight a ticket.

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BukkakeKing69 t1_j84hcxl wrote

Because he is innocent until proven guilty and has the right to seek representation.

The good reason to not bother fighting it is that he won't receive any points in PA for the ticket. The good reason to fight the ticket is that his auto insurance policy will not be happy to discover such an aggressive speeding ticket.

At the very least, I think it is worth going to court to seek a plea deal with the officer. No need to get a lawyer. Usually they are willing to knock the speeding ticket down a bracket. From what I can see NJ has a 1 - 15 over category, a 15 - 29 category, and a 30+ category. It looks like the officer wrote 94 in a 65 mainly to keep it below the 30+ speeding offense. There is a decent chance as a first time offender that the ticket can be plead down to 1 - 15 over which will look way better for insurance.

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roadwarrior721 t1_j84949f wrote

“Somehow ended up doing 94” While it’s good you owned up, that statement is confusing

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Avianna89 t1_j864prd wrote

I got a speeding ticket in Jersey back in the early 2000's they didn't give me a ticket but wanted me to come back to go to traffic court. I never went. I think I still have a bench warrant there, but jersey sucks anyway so it's a win for me! 😂😝

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worstatit t1_j83uya4 wrote

They don't report speeding tickets to each other. Not paying will have consequences, though. Exceptions for commercial licenses do exist.

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Alone-Cartographer72 t1_j86ewrs wrote

Pay one of them mail attorneys, have it reduced. Pay the fine, frame it when done, Congratulations big life event.

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assistant_redditor t1_j8b4ho1 wrote

I'm not sure if choosing to drive 94 mph really qualifies as a mistake

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[deleted] t1_j82n4uf wrote

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carazm OP t1_j82q0sp wrote

I don’t think I am outside the letter of the law. I clearly said in my post that I am remorseful and what I did was dangerous and stupid. I am simply asking what to expect and what the normal procedure is- and what others have experienced.

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[deleted] t1_j82qxaj wrote

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ImOldGettOffMyLawn t1_j83s03n wrote

Are you incapable of reading? He never once said he was outside the law nor did he act like being ticketed was wrong. He was scared because it's his FIRST TICKET, which implies he's on the younger side, and getting a first ticket especially for speeding in another state can be very stressful to someone just starting out.

Stop being an e-badass. It tells people you're a miserable person and probably have much more problems than the person you're shitting on.

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Lost_Found84 t1_j845ts5 wrote

OP literally asked if he should get a lawyer to fight it.

The answer is no. Always pay the ticket if you’re guilty. Trying to fight a ticket where you’re obviously guilty is more likely to result in your punishment getting worse cause the court generally doesn’t like it’s time being wasted.

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BukkakeKing69 t1_j84i399 wrote

This is horrible advice. There is literally no way the court can do some sort of weird retaliation because you decided to have a hearing. We kind of have a bill of rights my man.

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Lost_Found84 t1_j84kl63 wrote

You’re dead wrong. In the punishment phase, the judge has sole discretion over how strict a punishment you deserve.

If you reveal yourself to be the type of person who will contest a ticket even though you’re obviously guilty, you reveal yourself to be the kind of person who needs MORE incentive than the average person to dissuade you from violating again.

On the other hand, if you show up to plead guilty, but request financial consideration when it comes to the fine because of some hardship you face, the judge may lower your penalty as well.

But the idea that you can feel free to piss off the judge because the Bill of Rights exists has got to be one of the stupidest things you could believe while walking into a court room.

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BukkakeKing69 t1_j84o3k4 wrote

I said nothing about actively pissing off the judge lol. Yes, they can choose how strict the punishment is. That strictness cannot be greater than what it would be to just sign the ticket and turn it in, unless you create some type of chaos in the courtroom.

I have experience with this. I've self represented with a 15 over charge I was obviously guilty of, got it knocked down to a 5 - 10. Generally you talk to the cop before the hearing and that's pretty much the end of it.

I've also been party to a multiple car accident that involved a roll-over. I hired representation in that case despite being "guilty by the book" and had everything thrown out other than a small, no-point fine. The judge called me in to the courtroom to give a verbal beating and felt satisfied after that.

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Lost_Found84 t1_j845uu1 wrote

OP literally asked if he should get a lawyer to fight it.

The answer is no. Always pay the ticket if you’re guilty. Trying to fight a ticket where you’re obviously guilty is more likely to result in your punishment getting worse cause the court generally doesn’t like it’s time being wasted.

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bparry1192 t1_j82va0s wrote

Second that- never worth trying to fight it, you have to go back where you got the ticket- just pay and forget about it.

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IamSauerKraut t1_j86cop5 wrote

Unless you are as stupid as your ticket suggests, absolutely get yourself a lawyer.

Why are you even asking such a question??

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Zealousideal_Ad3860 t1_j83o3ya wrote

Just throwing some extra information your way...

Points are decided by PennDOT ultimately. Not by the officer. So if you lived in NJ and were doing the same in PA, it would be up to NJ DOT to actually assign the points, which they may not.

I've gotten the book thrown at me for some moving violations, but I've never been given any points.

81 in a 45 at 17, no seatbelt me or my brother. Officer could have taken my license on the spot, but made me call my mom so he could tell her I was speeding in her car and just gave me a fine.

PennDOT let me keep my license when I was 19 and got a DUI. I was actually sober, but stupid and let them search my car. My friends who were actually wasted hid there weed and pipes in my seats. Blood test showed weed in my system but no alcohol. 3 month mandatory suspension waived because I had nothing against me. $3,300 in fines tho, which I am sure they appreciated.

I've had maybe 3 or 4 other speeding tickets and 1 trespass with a motor vehicle and no points at all.

Last one I was going 112 in a 45 and my license was expired. Also I just renewed my plate and forgot to put the paperwork back in the car. 57 mph over which should be 10+ points automatic suspension, a hearing with PennDOT to deem if I am fit to drive, and a retake of the road test if so. My license ended up being suspended for 6 months, but that was how long it took me to come up with the $1,100 to pay the fine, so it was from the magistrate and I refused to do the PennDOT hearing because of covid. Turns out 6 months was longer than any suspension I could have had for what I did, so after I paid the fines and paid to re instate my license, they just sent me a new one.

I didn't even have to get a picture taken, which is why my old was expired because every single time I go they are packed like it's sale day at the DMV and I just refused to do it. Still no points, nothing ever said to my insurance either.

Point is don't sweat traffic tickets. It's just a money grab. Just like our stupid yearly inspections and emissions testing, (in some places). Pa doesn't care if you are safe and neither does NJ. They are just trying to bolster up the coffers. As long as you pay what they want your driving record will be fine.

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12thNJ t1_j85bhfv wrote

Holy shit. I thought you PA drivers would only go as high as 45 in the fast lane.

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ImNorm29 t1_j87ixpc wrote

I've probably driven my pickup faster on 2-lane roads in PA than most people can on NJ highways - AND I didn't have to smell that unique combination of diesel fumes and rotting garbage like you do when you drive the NJ turnpike.

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