Traffic School and Tickets

[Elisha 1]

I got a ticket by the city police recently for running a stop sign (it was a really weak "California" stop). I'm guilty, I admit it. I was in a hurry to get to work, traffic sucked and I tried to use a side street and was impatient and didn't pay attention to the motorcycle cop.

Well, I get the ticket in the mail (or payment form - whatever) and it says I'm NOT elligible for traffic school. I thought it was 12 months, but maybe it is 18. This is California, btw. My last ticket was I think in July '05, so not quite 18 months.

So, in a couple of months, when it has been "18 months", how will I know I can take traffic school? Will the DMV or court notify me when I'm elligible? Fortunately, this is in Sonoma County which allows traffic school online. All my other tickets were in counties that didn't allow it. Btw, the ticket was $150...sux, but not too bad.

[dropdeded 0]

Cant help you but I did traffic school in Santa Rosa many years ago and it was cake, this was way before online stuff was available, and then there was drunk driving school many years ago also in Santa Rosa, passed with flying colors Sonoma County held my license almost as much as I did
And I remember when RP got its first motorcycle cop, oh hell, I remember getting thier first friggin traffic light.

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[squirrel 0]

You can get a court date, and ask for traffic school. The judge may give you that option, it is up to them.

Check your online traffic shools. Down here in so-cal, you can take the traffic school online, but you must actually go to a testing center to take the final test...no more "all online" available.

Also, simply the court for advice, maybe you can get the traffic school option without a court date.

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Where is Darwin when you need him?

[Shawndiver 0]

If you want some other options, give me a call. There are a variety of ways that you can fight it that do not involve lawyers and do not require you to even step foot in the courtroom.

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[Remster 30]

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I thought it was 12 months, but maybe it is 18. This is California, btw. My last ticket was I think in July '05, so not quite 18 months.

Its gonna be a sate limitation. AZ is 24 months.

Remster

[brianfry713 0]

Either give the court a call or go there in person and ask. I think it might depend on the county if it's 12 or 18 months, and what kind of traffic school is available. I've got a speeding ticket from Calaveras County sitting at home, I'm hoping it says I'm eligible for traffic school.

If you ask for a court date, first you will have to show up and plead not guilty, guilty, or traffic school. If you plead not guilty, you'll get another court date where you and the officer have to show up. You will most likely not be able to take traffic school after that point. I'm not sure if they'll give you traffic school or not if you initially ask for it, given it's been less than 18 months, but you could try.

It all depends on whether going to court or trying to fight it is worth it to you, or if you'd rather just pay it and be done with it. I've gone to court and gotten out of tickets because the officer didn't show up, and I've had them stick.

This should be around my 5th traffic school.

BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

[Cudlo 0]

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plead not guilty, guilty, or traffic school.

well.. thats cool. In Chicago if you ask for traffic school and they don't give it to you, you just pleaded guilty (i.e. why would you need traffic school if you weren't guilty).

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"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." - Kierkegaard

[Zep 0]

Whats traffic school? some way out of paying a ticket.

Here in Spain stop signs mean diddly squat,

Gone fishing

[Nightingale 0]

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Whats traffic school? some way out of paying a ticket.

Here in Spain stop signs mean diddly squat,

Nope. You pay for the ticket AND for traffic school, and the ticket doesn't go on your record. It's pretty much a second chance, and if you don't get another ticket in 18 months (in California), you can go to traffic school again after that if you get another one. If you get a ticket on your record, your insurance company finds out, and the increase in rates usually is much more than the cost of traffic school.

I've got a ticket that I'm going to court for on Monday. I can't do traffic school because Orange County requires you to go to the county approved CHP traffic school, and the traffic schools are scheduled at the same time as my bar review classes. so...

If the cop doesn't show up, case dismissed.
If the cop does show up, I'm going to beg the judge to allow me to take traffic school in march (after the bar). There's really no reason for him to deny this, so it's what will probably happen.
If the judge won't let me delay traffic school that long, I ask for a two week continuance to prepare my defense, and find out if I can do a trial by written declaration instead of a court appearance.

[Remster 30]

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Nope. You pay for the ticket AND for traffic school, and the ticket doesn't go on your record.

AZ is different. You pay for the class, and get the ticket completely dropped. Its about the same price, or even more expensive (I paid about 90$ instead of a 80$ ticket) but as you said, you get to say you have had no tickets to the insurance cie.

Remster

[Nightingale 0]

Well, I did specify California in my next sentence, but I guess I was a little unclear that I was talking about CA in my first sentence too.

[Remster 30]

yourself! I did say different! Not that you were wrong! lol

Remster

[usedtajump 1]

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I've got a speeding ticket from Calaveras County sitting at home, .

Damn, Cali. cops are harsh enforcers.

Seriously, I got unfairly stopped here in Kentucky on Thanksgiving for only going 16 MPH over the limit. What nitpickers. Anyway if no tickets in the previous 12 monts, you can go to traffic school.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[headoverheels 334]

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If you want some other options, give me a call. There are a variety of ways that you can fight it that do not involve lawyers and do not require you to even step foot in the courtroom.

Yeah, Shawn, but not everyone wants to blow a cop.

[cjsgrlsx3 0]

Try getting a parking ticket for stopping in a fire lane to pick up my mother that was waiting on the sidewalk. No that was a bunch of crap because she came out I drove up and the fire dept. drove up in their little car and gave me a ticket. I didn't even have it in park. I was doing a drop off/pick up thing. I called his boss and found out he is not even employed by the city and is a volunteer.

[Gawain 0]

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If the cop doesn't show up, case dismissed.
If the cop does show up, I'm going to beg the judge to allow me to take traffic school in march (after the bar). There's really no reason for him to deny this, so it's what will probably happen.
If the judge won't let me delay traffic school that long, I ask for a two week continuance to prepare my defense, and find out if I can do a trial by written declaration instead of a court appearance.

If possible, just ask the judge to withhold judication. Can they do that California? That way, you avoid the ticket and traffic school. If you mention your work-load, etc, lawschool, I bet you might find a sympathetic ear. CHP officers are showing up in court more and more often.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!