midnlghtsun
Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Minnesota
I'm 18 and I've been driving since January. Got the speeding ticket on a freeway on 11/19, doing 74 in a 60 zone. I go on the freeway everyday and it just happened that day that I was on the inside lane (there are 3 lanes) and a semi was next to me, making me a little nervous because I heard something hit the front of my car and I could just feel that debris was coming off the semi. There was a lot of traffic in the other 2 lanes, and the rest of the cars were doing about 65 and just as I sped up to try to pass the semi, I saw a police officer. Obviously I had been more worried about my safety.
We pulled over and she asked me if I knew why she pulled me over. I told her yes (...I just found out that wasn't such a good idea). I guess I should have tried telling her the reason but it was my first time being pulled over and I was really nervous (& would it have really helped?). Anyway, she came back and told me that she wrote me up for going 70 in a 60 zone so that it would reduce my fine. She also said that if I contacted the district courts, and if I don't get another speeding violation within 1 year, this ticket will be off my record.
I really feel like I should fight this ticket because it is my first, and I feel like my reason is legitimate. I just don't know if it will hold up in court, since I did admit to the officer that I was speeding. I'm reading the court processes online and it seems very complicated, but a friend told me that his friend appealed a speeding ticket by telling the judge that his reason for speeding was that he had to go to the bathroom, and the judge let him off. I really don't know. I think I will go to court tomorrow in the morning and speak with a hearing officer and then see how it goes from there.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'm 18 and I've been driving since January. Got the speeding ticket on a freeway on 11/19, doing 74 in a 60 zone. I go on the freeway everyday and it just happened that day that I was on the inside lane (there are 3 lanes) and a semi was next to me, making me a little nervous because I heard something hit the front of my car and I could just feel that debris was coming off the semi. There was a lot of traffic in the other 2 lanes, and the rest of the cars were doing about 65 and just as I sped up to try to pass the semi, I saw a police officer. Obviously I had been more worried about my safety.
We pulled over and she asked me if I knew why she pulled me over. I told her yes (...I just found out that wasn't such a good idea). I guess I should have tried telling her the reason but it was my first time being pulled over and I was really nervous (& would it have really helped?). Anyway, she came back and told me that she wrote me up for going 70 in a 60 zone so that it would reduce my fine. She also said that if I contacted the district courts, and if I don't get another speeding violation within 1 year, this ticket will be off my record.
I really feel like I should fight this ticket because it is my first, and I feel like my reason is legitimate. I just don't know if it will hold up in court, since I did admit to the officer that I was speeding. I'm reading the court processes online and it seems very complicated, but a friend told me that his friend appealed a speeding ticket by telling the judge that his reason for speeding was that he had to go to the bathroom, and the judge let him off. I really don't know. I think I will go to court tomorrow in the morning and speak with a hearing officer and then see how it goes from there.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.