Let’s all list the things that have happened to us in our car-driving history: We’ve had to drive our car.
We’ve had to drive our car somewhere at a certain time.
We’ve had to drive our car somewhere at a certain time, and we have been running behind.
We’ve had to drive our car somewhere at a certain time, and we have been running behind, therefore driving a little faster than we’re supposed to…
We’ve all had a speeding ticket… wait. Just me? Well, that’s awkward.
Over Spring Break, while I should have been relaxing and spending days in a bathing suit or pajamas (both of which I did not do), I was driving to school to drop off an assignment, a result of my last Been There Done That about my computer crashing. I had been in contact with my professor, and when I got her email, I was thinking she meant we would meet on Tuesday. That would have worked perfectly since I wasn’t scheduled to work on Tuesday. As it turns out, I was supposed to meet her on Monday right in the middle of work. She offered for me to go turn in the assignment outside her door over my lunch break. I work for a chiropractic office in Bridgeport, and my commute is approximately forty-five minutes every day. Our morning didn’t allow me a break before 2:15. I had less than an hour and a half, just enough time to get there and back. To make matters more complex, I had to drive my mom’s car because my car was making some funny noises after the wreck I had in the past month (check out Wrecked). It took me until I got to Buckhannon to get used to the steering and driving a 4-cylinder engine (I don’t like it). I took Rt. 20 so I didn’t have such a push from other vehicles to drive like I was comfortable. Now, are you familiar with that big hill on Rt. 20? I was going down that hill, and paying attention to staying in the lines. Before I could slow down or figure out how fast I was going, I saw flashing lights following me to the side of the highway. The nice police officer came to my car and asked for my license and registration. I explained to him that I was driving my mother’s car and I wasn’t familiar or very comfortable with driving the car I was in. He took my speed down a few miles-per-hour (VERY GOOD THING). I turned on Jesus Music (yes, I did), hoping he was a nice, old Jesus-loving man and would let me off with a warning. He didn’t buy it. This past Friday, I put $165.25 of my hard-earned money into the Upshur County kitty.
Fun Fact: Every time I have been pulled over or got a ticket, it has been in Upshur County.
Here are some tips that I’ve come up with in case my Been There Done That becomes your I’m There, Now What?!
● Remain Calm I know there is that notion that, if you cry, you will get out of your ticket. I think that is ridiculous. Just stay calm, get your license, insurance, and registration ready, and then listen and reply evenly and without the “dramatics” (as my mom would call it). I think you’ll make a lot more ground if you remain calm.
● Listen to whatever the officer tells you when the officer is done writing out your ticket, he will come back with all the information you gave him and explain the ticket as well as the next steps you need to take. Make sure to listen to all instructions he gives you. You will have to call a number or appear at the courthouse to pay the ticket or set up a time for a preliminary hearing, based on what you decide to plead. I plead guilty to the charge of speeding and paid the ticket. You have the option of pleading not guilty or requesting a hearing with the magistrate judge.
● Contact the Police Department/Courthouse ASAP My ticket stated I had to make contact with the court within five days (I called within 20 minutes). They were able to give me an estimate of how much the ticket would cost and where I would go to take care of that. You can ask them any questions you may have about the ticket you have received.
● Pay Your Ticket When I had to pay my ticket, I had 14 days from the time it happened. Make sure that you go and take care of that as soon as possible. There was an option I had to talk to the magistrate judge about a payment plan, but I wanted to get it out of the way as soon as possible so I didn’t have to keep dealing with it. I don’t know what would have happened had I not paid in the time allotted, but I sure wasn’t about to find out!
● Find Out What Happens to Your License I got 2 points taken from my license for my ticket. It’s good to find out what will happen to you points-wise because that will affect your insurance. Also, some places offer for you to take a class that will take away the penalty. Contact your DMV to find out about these traffic schools. Normally, it will be one Saturday and cost about $50.
● Be More Responsible This one may seem pretty obvious, but apparently I forgot that when I got my ticket. If I’m worried that I’m going to have to speed to make it to my destination on time, I need to be more responsible. Get up earlier, leave earlier, and budget my time more wisely. If you slow down, you’ll spend less gas going to and from and you’ll avoid a ticket. When have you had a time where you’ve had to pay a ticket? If I missed any tips, share with us your best Been There Done That tips in the comments below or on our Facebook and Twitter pages!