Well this morning I got a 77 in a 55...what a way to start a drive to work! I guess I was lucky he didn't notice that I didn't have a front plate.

With my past driving history, I'm not sure how to handle this ticket. My record since moving to St. Louis in 1994:
July 1997 -- ticket for running a red light
August 1997 -- ticket for running a stop sign
Spring 1998 (or maybe it was 1999) -- ticket in Springfield, MO for doing 74 (I think) in a 60
October 2000 -- caused a 2-car accident (no ticket, but a claim on my insurance)
today -- 77 in a 55 (a $200 ticket)
All the tickets were issued in the St. Louis area except for the one noted.

Does anyone know how points are handled and/or how the insurance company keeps track of these things? So far my insurance company hasn't raised my premiums and I'm still getting a 'good driver' discount. I'm not sure if I should try to get a lawyer and get it reduced to a non-moving violation (likely expensive), show up to court and hope the cop doesn't and hop it gets thrown out , or just pay the ticket and hope my insurance company doesn't find out about it.

Any suggestions would be helpful...

 

STL,

Do you have the option to dismiss the ticket by means of defensive driving class...or deferred judication in St. Louis?

I believe your insurance checks up on you through your driving record that is recorded by the state.

 

The cop didn't mention that, but I guess I'll call and ask. But I doubt it...

I guess I wanted to know if the insurance company only looked at the points (as reported by the state) or if they looked at the actual offenses? Does anyone know how Missouri (or any other state -- just for reference) handles points and tickets over time...do they go away after a certain period of time?

 

It would probably be best to contact a lawyer. The cost of getting the ticket reduced to a non-point violation would be less than the reoccuring cost of increased insurance premiums.

I am in STL area as well, I believe the point system works like this.

Every year 1/3 of your points expire. A moving violation such as speeding is 3 points. After 3 years the ticket is off your running total. I think that 10 points gets your license pulled.

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, but have had my share of roadside interviews with Highway Patrol...

Where abouts are you in STL? I work in the ChesterField area but live south.

 

STL,

Call the precinct office and ask the clerk if you qualify for dropping the ticket through defensive driving.

When you appear before the judge...request defferred judication if they have such a program.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by s2k_scott
[B]It would probably be best to contact a lawyer.

 

I'll give it a try.

 

Good question on the calendar vs actual ticket date. I know a good lawyer but he is south. I think the Ticket1 people are too expensive but are located everywhere. My work email is sbierman@e-commsolutions.com if you would like more info.

 

my suggestion is to go to court and plead down the ticket...don't plead not guilty.

 

Well the way it's setup you either plead guilty or not. If you plead not THEN I guess they assign a court date. This is new to me too! Usually (in the past) they assign a court date when they issue the ticket, but it looks like now they wait and see what you plead before bothering to assign a date.