ever_onward

so far i've lived without driving my protege for about a month now, and i still have two more...
all this due to some new laws in Washington state...
I've had two tickets since i started driving in december of 2001, both minor speeding tickets, and since i'm not quite 18 yet, washington suspended my license until i am.

One ticket was for 37 in a 25 school zone(when children are present, 35 normally), long before school would even start, and not a child in sight.
The other was for 37 in a 30 zone...

i've called the court, there is no sort of appeals process, no way to fight old tickets (i had both reduced but not taken off my record), no way to get out of it at all except just waiting...

now i understand why this law is in place... for people like my cousin, who have 4 reckless driving tickets (one for going 100 in a 45 zone) within a year of getting his license, and another of which before he even did...
...but...

it doesn't seem fair that there is no way to even appeal it at all...
i mean, i miss my car, and working full time with a girlfriend that lives 15 miles away (half of that distance not near ANY bustops), it's kind of stressful...

maybe i'm just whining, and washington did a good job at taking a "horrible driver" like myself off the road, and is teaching me a lesson.
yeah, wonderful job court system, by taking tons of teens off the road for a little while, watch how many accidents there will be once they get back.
it's only two months, but anybody know any legal loopholes...?

:shrug: it's not too bad, but now i have yet another reason on the list of why i want to be 18... NOW

PhatTrax

Problem with being 18, you're responsible for EVERYTHING you do. But I do agree that your tickets are bs. I usually try and go 25 in a school zone even if school is out. 7mph over the speed limit and you get a ticket... wtf. What you should've done was fight the tickets on the court date that was given to you in the first place. I know in the California driver's handbook it says that the posted speed limit is not the speed you should be driving, but that you should be driving at a speed that is reasonable and safe for current driving conditions. Which means that the speed limit is just a sign that means nothing. I think suspending a license for two minor traffic tickets is also bs. That law should be used for people who are retarded and could end up hurting or even killing someone.

SpecialK111

Hey ever... I live in Washington state as well.... I never got pulled over here but did manage to go 101 in a 65 down in Oregon and got busted for that... As far as legal loopholes I'm not too sure, I'm with ya though... My G/F received two tickets: going 31 in a "school zone" she was at least 100 ft. past the speed limit sign posted (35 mph) before the cop pulled her over and slamming into two other cars in front of her during a rainy day and still has her license. The law seems to bite those in the *** that learn their lesson early and let some serious offenders off the hook.

--Kevin--

ever_onward

i really think it should be on a case by case basis...

i made a mistake on my first ticket though... i know NOW that i could have fought it, and most likely had it taken off my record, but at the time i didn't really know what i was doing and my dad pushed me into taking the deferred ticket option.
(basically, if i don't get any tickets within 6 months, that ticket gets wiped from my record...) ... sure enough, like, a week before it would have been 6 months... i get another ticket...
like, 2 days after getting my protege (after my shitty '86 accord died of multiple causes)...

there have been a couple times where i've been MUCH more deserving of a ticket, but all in all, i really think that i'm a pretty good driver... i mean, i put 15k on my protege in 7 months... i drove all the time, of course i'm good at it...
i think they should have like, a fine + some sort of proper driving course, then you can get your license back...
it makes perfect sense...

torpedan

Heh move to texas.. the defeered period is 90 days.. i have gotten 14 tickets total and have nothing on my record.

but yeah i would have fought both of those tickets.. Were they radar or laser... radar guns can be off by up to 5mph on any given day and need regular calibration.. a lot of times they pass it.. jsut think you couild be going 32.. your speedometer says your going 30 and you get a ticket for 37..

hihoslva

NOt trying to be a dick, but personally, I think you're whining.

Yes, it sucks to lose your license. But you wanna play, you gotta pay. Neither of them are bullshit tickets. And to get two speeding tickets before the age of 18 is pretty bad.

Especially school zone tickets. No matter if kids are "in sight" or not. Most kids who get killed by cars were not "in sight", or they wouldn't have been hit in the first place.

Truthfully, the US has some of the most lax traffic laws. There are countries in the world where one too many speeding tickets and you lose your license for LIFE.

And just FYI - here in NY, if you get 3 speeding tickets (even 5 mph over the limit) within 18 months, your license is suspended for 18 months. This applies to everyone, not just teens. Once you get over 11 points on your license, kiss it goodbye. And the minimum speeding ticket is 4 points.

~HH

MisterT

Wow, some of you drivers suck!! Remind me not to drive to your city or I may get hit!!! I have gotten speeding tickets in the past, but don't really speed any more. Traffic is too much stop and go here. I may go 5 over in the city and 10 on the highway, but it depends on where you are at. I also have a radar detector, but never used it, so took it out of my car. I commute mostly to work which is close by, a lot of traffic, so no speeding is possible. You are lucky to get up to the speed limit around here But if you get caught speeding in a school speed zone, your *** is grass. Never happened to me, but I see why. Then with insurance hiking up for every point lost on your license, that in itself is enough incentive not to speed. Maybe my age is starting to show. Now if you excuse me, I must take my metamusil.