Particularly intersted in hearing from people from MA, but all advice welcome!
We had an office function in Boston yesterday, and was out until 10:30 or so. I live an hour from my office, and had a 7am meeting today, so getting up late was a real risk. (I am not a morning person!)
Sure enough, I got out the door about quarter after six. Traffic was light, and it was looking as though I was only going to be a few minutes late.
In my efforts to get there on time, however, I was travelling a bit higher than the speed limit ... 76 MPH per my citation. Of course, this wasn't on the highway, but on State Route 9 -- with a posted speed limit of 45.
Eek.
Now, no one goes 45 on Route 9. 55 maybe, so if I was going 76 that was certainly too fast.
The officer said he couldn't cut me a break when I was travelling 31 mph over the limit. I have a ticket, therefore for $310.
The citation said he used LIDAR and that the speed is estimated. The officer said that if I didn't think I was going that fast, I could request a hearing (I will anyway).
I have a clean license and am at step 9 on the state's SDIP.
I tried doing some reseach about what the effect would be and it appears that the increase in step is not dependent on the MPH over. Speeding is considered a "minor" violation and is worth 2 points. That will raise my insurance about 12% (maybe $200) for the next 2 years.
Plus the $310 fine, of course.
Now, obviously I don't want to pay this ticket. I'll go before the magistrate but the best I can do is say that I was speeding but not that fast.
I could hire a lawyer, but that could cost more.
I dunno ... anyone have any advice?
Grrr.. stupidity is sure one way to ruin a Friday.
We had an office function in Boston yesterday, and was out until 10:30 or so. I live an hour from my office, and had a 7am meeting today, so getting up late was a real risk. (I am not a morning person!)
Sure enough, I got out the door about quarter after six. Traffic was light, and it was looking as though I was only going to be a few minutes late.
In my efforts to get there on time, however, I was travelling a bit higher than the speed limit ... 76 MPH per my citation. Of course, this wasn't on the highway, but on State Route 9 -- with a posted speed limit of 45.
Eek.
Now, no one goes 45 on Route 9. 55 maybe, so if I was going 76 that was certainly too fast.
The officer said he couldn't cut me a break when I was travelling 31 mph over the limit. I have a ticket, therefore for $310.
The citation said he used LIDAR and that the speed is estimated. The officer said that if I didn't think I was going that fast, I could request a hearing (I will anyway).
I have a clean license and am at step 9 on the state's SDIP.
I tried doing some reseach about what the effect would be and it appears that the increase in step is not dependent on the MPH over. Speeding is considered a "minor" violation and is worth 2 points. That will raise my insurance about 12% (maybe $200) for the next 2 years.
Plus the $310 fine, of course.
Now, obviously I don't want to pay this ticket. I'll go before the magistrate but the best I can do is say that I was speeding but not that fast.
I could hire a lawyer, but that could cost more.
I dunno ... anyone have any advice?
Grrr.. stupidity is sure one way to ruin a Friday.