Yesterday was definitely a day I would not want to live over.My 17 month old had been throwing up for 2 days and was severely dehydrated. I took her to urgent care in the morning and they adviced me to take her to the ER for an IV. While on the way there I got pulled over for going 65 in a 55. I told the cop my situation, showed him my dr's. note but no sympathy whatsoever I got slapped with a $115 speeding ticket and got sent on my way. I was just wondering if anyone out there has ever fought a ticket and what the outcome was? Does it actually end up costing you more $ if you lose? I have all the paperwork from the ER assuring that that was where I was going. Any advice on this matter would be great. Thank You.
FIGHT IT!!! Take your paperwork to court with you to prove where you were going and why. It never costs more to fight a speeding ticket. I have gotten two (years ago) and fought both of them, one got thrown out and the other was reduced.
It just takes a little time out of your day and if you don't fight you won't know.
Good Luck
FIGHT IT!
I would even call the Captian of the police department and ask him why his officer would not help a sick child. My daughter started to slip into a comma when she was a few days old because of dehydration. I had tried to convience the nurses at the hospital that she was not getting milk and wanted formula to supplement for her. They treated me like I was an idiot even though this was my 3rd child. Any way she had to spend 2 days in icu becasue of the dehydration. That police man should have offered to help you get there quicker!
If the judge insist on keeping the fine he/she should at least reduce the fine.
Good Luck
Jo Ann
I haven't been caught speeding to the E.R but if I had I would fight it!!!!!!
Go to court and present your case. More then likely the ticket will stick due to them viewing at endangering your child or others speeding, WE ALL would do the same thing in the same instance. However if you get the right judge that day it may get dismissed as a warning. It sucks that the officer wasn't more concerned with a sick child!!!
It doesn't cost anymore if you lose. I mean it was 10 miles over and maybe appearing in court with your paperwork you can find a sympathetic judge.
Good luck!
FIGHT IT!!! A lot of the time if you take a ticket to court and the officer doesn't show up then they will drop the charges. At least that's how it is where I live. But hopefully you won't get a judge that's as cold hearted as the officer. He should have helped you to the emergency room instead of delaying you. I would call his supervisor and complain.
Usually when you show up in court that helps decrease the amount anyway. They won't increase it, it's definitely worth it. Act super sorry, and show your paperwork. Depending on the state, sometimes just because you show up in court, they'll give you the option of traffic school with no costs, or less cost, or a warning, etc.
When I was younger, I was thrown out of a jeep and ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt (while I was getting aid from paramedics!). Even though I let the officer know I was trying to put on the seatbelt and actually had the shoulder harness across my shoulder, trying to dig the other half out of the middle of the console before the driver even began to actually start driving, it didn't matter to him...so I understand the sort of frustration you are dealing with. I went to court and explained what happened to the judge. I can't remember what the fine was had I not gone, but I know it was much more than what I walked out having to pay ($25). Based on this experience, I would suggest you go to court. I didn't walk in with the idea that I was fighting anything, I was just there to tell it like it happened. The judge wasn't the nicest thing in the world, which is why I believe I still had to pay something...but the something was better than what it would've been!
I work as an emergency and sheriff dispatcher. We always tell people no matter what the emergency don't speed because you can be pulled over. So, not to sound like it is your fault but as far as the fine goes if you go to court. It will really depend on the judge you get. If you lose you'll also be paying court costs and any other fees the judge tacks on, so it can cost way more than just the speeding ticket. Also, the judge may look at it that if it had been really very emergant an ambulance should have been called and avoided the whole thing. Weather or not you have insurance that could pay for that most likely won't come into play. So, you may get a judge who understands or one that follows the law no matter what. Sorry. Good luck
I agree w/ Sarah S. My sister did the same thing and lost. She ended up paying $65.00 more than the ticket originally cost. Our brother-in-law is a cop and so were my dad and uncle's, and they all say ere on the side of caution.
My husband is a cop and his response to people who are speeding is two-fold...he says when you speed you run the risk of being further injured and speeding really only saves you a few seconds of driving time. (and they have ambulances for life-threatening emergencies)
Having said that...winning your case depends on where you are. Here in Idaho the state police always go to court to defend their tickets but the county and city guys hardly ever do-which would make your case easier. Sometimes the prosecuter will let you plea down to a lesser ticket. But they probably won't care that you were on your way to the emergency room because of the reasons I said above. Your best bet is to be super polite and respectful and super sorry for speeding. Good Luck!
I'm sorry for that! I cannot believe how inconsiderate the cops are these days. I had to rush my oldest to the ER when we lived in FL and in AL. We put on our flashers and sped past everyone. We did not get a ticket but it's because I don't think we passed any cops. I'll be interested to see if anyone has any advice. Getting your daughter to the ER was the most important thing but I'm sure they figure, if she isn't unconscious then they don't care. Pathetic....I would think because you had all that paperwork they would have just given you a warning but in my opinion, they could all care less about us as people and just want to get their ticket quota up. Good luck.
Personally I would contest it. First there's a chance that the officer wont show up, second you have the documentation proving an emergency. I've had a DD who was hospitalized with dehydration. If our dr's office wasn't right across the street, you bet I would have gotten a speeding ticket, only mine I would have been going faster. GL
Jen
For what it's worth I fought a ticket in a different state and sat through traffic court watching cases all morning. From what I saw there people did not need lawyers and if you were matter of fact and not aggressive the judge was incredibly nice. He let masses of people off with lessor reasons than yours. It really comes down to the personality of the judge. I would certainly take my chances and turn up at court if it were me, but if you get a stroppy judge the ticket will stand.
PS I sympathize. My 4 year old was in hospital for 3 days because of dehydration and they had a terrible time finding a vein to rehydrate her. It's serious and very scary. If I wasn't stuck in stationery traffic I would have been speeding too!!
Fight it. When I was in college my boyfriend at the time got a ticket for blowing a stop sign simply from the word of another driver. The cop didn't witness it. He fought it and won and it didn't cost any money at all. I think it only costs more if you hire your own lawyer. But I'm not totally sure about that. First, there should be a hearing date on your ticket. Show up for that and plead not guilty and then you'll go from there. But I would fight it. That's ridiculous. He actually could have given you an escort to the hospital. Fight it. Totally fight it.
It is no reason to speed though.
But go to the Court House on the day it says and you will meet with an assistant DA and under your circumstances the ticket will more than likely be greatly reduced or just thrown out.
But MK Speed kills and that would have been worse for your child.
RIGHT?
Good Luck
It is my understanding that it won't cost you MORE than the original ticket amount if you fight it in court. (unless you are fined for bad behavior, language or doing something dumb like that.) You may still have to pay something, but it should only be the same amount or less, or nothing at all. The previous poster said there will be a hearing date on your ticket. Sometimes the date on the ticket is just a deadline to SCHEDULE a hearing. If you just simply show up on that day, you may have to schedule a hearing for another day and come back. Just be aware of that. Read the ticket to find out. Or you can always call the court and ask them. Anyway. Good luck. Hopefully you can get out of it.
I fought a ticket before. I just had to meet with a city prosecutor or someone like that. It was in a courtroom and I can't remember if they had a judge on hand or not. On the back of my ticket was a court date that I could contest it, so I just showed up that day. I still had to pay the ticket, but it wasn't anymore then what was listed on my ticket. I think it was 35 dollars. That's been about seven years ago though. I think it would be worth a try to fight it, but that's just my opinion.
Personally, I would just pay it. Why risk possibly paying more for court costs and wasteing your time going there. Unfortunately, you were in the wrong. I'm not sure how far you had to go, but you probably would only gain a few minutes by speeding and you put yourself, your baby and others in danger by speeding.
When my son was 14 months old, he had been throwing up for 2 1/2 days and I was also told to go to the ER due to dehydration. An extra 10 minutes in the car would not make a difference as far as getting him on an IV. So I personally don't think this was a life and death situation and driving carefully would have been the better choice. My son ended up being admitted for 3 1/2 days, so I know you wanted to do the best for your child, but you need to keep everyone safe if it's not an emergency.
At the same time, it would have been decent for the cop to just give you a warning and let you get your child to the ER. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Well, that really sucks! You definitely want to take the time to fight it though. It is worth it. I've fought a couple of tickets in my time and they will usually reduce the fine and may not put it on your record. Especially where you have a dr's note. Just be calm when talking to the judge and show that you are sorry for speeding, but you were really worried about your child and just couldn't help it. They are usually fairly decent to you.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
Stacey