CTNYC

So on my drive back from the CT/NY area to the DC Metro area, I got pulled over for doing a whopping 75 MPH (He did write it down to 74 though) in a 65 zone on the NJ Turnpike. There were literally cars passing me, but I guess the officer decided to pick on me because I had out of state tags.

Anyways, I just want to make sure that Hertz will not find out about this event and will not charge me some crazy admin fee if I decide to fight the ticket (Not exactly sure how the whole ticket thing works, this is my first ticket)

Also, going off topic here, but the officer wrote down the wrong license plate number (yes, he failed to copy the license plate of a car that was stopped in front of him), and the wrong address (from a license that was in front of him). In addition, there were many other cars are going 80-90MPH, so any chance I can fight the ticket? (Heard that NJ courts aren't the nicest) - Also, I live in Connecticut and go to school in DC, if that makes any difference.

Dave Noble

That other cars were failing to adhere to the speed limit does not provide any mitigation for your exceeding the speed limit. You got stopped, they didn't

With the ticket, I assume that there are details on how to pay it or how to contest it. I wouldn't try contesting it using the grounds that others were also in breach of the limit

If you want to avoid Hertz becoming involved, the simplest approach would seem to be to pay it before the due date ( or to try contesting it by that date )

Auto Enthusiast

You might be able to get the ticket dismissed if it contains any kind of errors, that you can prove.

dwbf11

Speeding tickets follow the driver, not the car. You could have been driving Aunt Sally's Buick, but ultimately it's your insurance which will go up (or not) as a result of the ticket.

That said it sounds like you have multiple bases to challenge the ticket. Just don't speed when you drive up to challenge it.

CTNYC

Thanks for the info/advice - Wasn't saying that others doing it made it right for me, but just seemed like the cop chose me b/c of out of state plates vs the instate plates of other cars

As for trying to pay the ticket, NJ has an online portal, but when I enter in my ticket info and car info (tried both with correct license plate and incorrect license plates) it can't find the ticket. If I mail in that I'm planning on fighting the ticket, there should be no way that Hertz finds out unless I go over the payment due date right? In the end, its only a $81 ticket, but I'm more concerned about my insurance going up

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"In the end, its only a $81 ticket, but I'm more concerned about my insurance going up"

Perhaps you can contact your insurer, and inquire as to whether a speeding conviction for exceeding the speed limit by only nine miles per hour will affect your rate.

Beckles

Can you just get it 'fixed'? The details vary from state-to-state usually, but basically you find a traffic lawyer, they plea your offense down to a non-moving violation but with a higher fine and you don't get as many/any points on your license and it shouldn't impact your insurance.

CTNYC

It seems like the increase will be ~$250 to $300 more per year for me for a few years which seems a bit steep (~$750 to $900 more over 3 years) This is pretty much a boarder for me since it is a decent amount of money I'll save if I can get it into a parking ticket (not on my record) but also it'll be a 7 or 8 hour round trip in addition to gas and ~$30 in tolls that I'll lose if I go to the court and can't get it off my record :/ I'll see if I can plea not guilty via mail and not show up to court physically

Kyle27

I think the best excuse for you would be that you were "going with the flow of traffic "

heffa

For any system it will take a couple of days (a week?) until it hits the computer record. Patience!

CTNYC

I'll definitely use that in addition to other reasonings/options that might help (ie. student with no adverse driving history, was going a safe speed for conditions (sunny, dry, moderate traffic, no curves, etc)) But as of right now, trying to decide if I should try to fight it given the time I'll need to take to go to essentially the NJ/DE line from central CT to fight a $80 ticket

The officer told me it would be available that night, so I was under the impression that it would be available within 24 hrs - It is available for me to see now though

canyoncar

The judge has heard it all, none of that will help your case and you'll be out the money driving up there. Unfortunately admitting you broke the law but trying to rationalize it doesn't work in a courtroom.

Either hire a NJ traffic lawyer or try to get it thrown out due to incorrect info on the citation. Or hope the trooper doesn't show up and you win by default. he wrote 9 over to give you a break in hopes you don't fight it.

oldgoldflyer

Hiring a lawyer will be expensive for this ticket, probably many times more than your fine. You can fight it yourself but you have to create reasonable doubt if your case makes it to court and you want to win your case. Just saying you were not the fastest car on the road will not work. How can they prove you were going 74? Was it radar based? If so, when was the radar unit calibrated? Were you going faster or slower then the prevailing traffic? Were any cars going slower than you? Were any cars going faster than you? What lane were you in when the officer first caught you speeding? Since they issue so many citations, the officers often can't recall details, which can help create reasonable doubt. The errors in your case can do the same thing.

If I recall from fighting a ticket in New Jersey years ago, first they have you meet with a prosecutor to "discuss the case". Do not reveal your defense here. However, if your record is clean, often they will offer a plea bargain in which you can plead no contest, get no points and no fines, but you have to pay "court costs" which can be like $50. Since you have an insurance payment to protect from points, this may be a good deal for you. YMMV.

Exec_Plat

This.

OP- STOP worring about "Hertz finding out". You are concerned about the wrong things.

"Going with the flow" is a moronic defense.

Did he get your name and license number correct? If so your best bet is to get a traffic lawyer to plead it down or get it dismissed. You will not win on merits- it will be luck or the court being pragmatic and accepting a lesser charge with the same $$$

The real cost is the impact on insurnace.

In CA can take traffic school once every 18 months. A ticket sooner than 18 months will result in points. So I fight every ticket. My last ticket was 17 months and 14 days ago. Even if I get an over 100 ticket, I would pay to plead it down. Having points on the record will make that more difficult, so every one counts.

I dont know about NJ, but FLA tickets you just write a check for $150 to an atty, he pleads it, you pay the same fine but no points.

powerup25

Hertz will NEVER get a notice about that ticket, if you pay it or not. the ticket is on your driver license number, not the plates, and it never shows up overnight, it always takes a few days till it gets in their system

its also interesting you got a ticket going just 10 over, I drive a lot of times with out of state plates and didn't get pulled