# I got a speeding ticket, but I'm not going to rant (I don't think) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624 "2005-08-18T18:20:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/1 "2005-08-18T18:20:19Z")
It’s been a crappy couple of days. I woke up yesterday feeling bad, not wanting to go to work at all, but I had told a co-worker that I would fill in for him, so I pretty well had to go. When I got off that evening (7, if anybody is curious) I was feeling depressed (don’t really know why) and wanted to be anywhere other than the town I work in. And, the point of the story, I got a speeding ticket on the way home. I wasn’t paying attention to how fast I was going (88 in a 70 is what my ticket says, though I was going 85 when I saw the lights go on). Now, I’m not going to rant. Even though he got me for 3 mph faster than I think he should have, 85 is still too fast so I deserved the ticket. What I want to know now is, what exactly are my options? I’ve been trying to google regulations and that sort of thing for Indiana, but I can’t find anything on a website that isn’t telling me to fight the ticket on very minor technicalities. I’ve heard there is a program where, if you pay a little extra money and don’t get any more tickets (which I really think I can avoid) for a certain amount of time (six months, maybe) that the ticket will be erased from your record. However, I can’t find anything about it. Are there maybe any dopers out there who can help me? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/2 "2005-08-18T18:43:32Z")
IANAL, I don’t live in Indiana, et cetera. Is [this website](http://www.dmv.org/in-indiana/traffic-tickets.php) something like what you were looking for? ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/3 "2005-08-18T18:50:01Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > IANAL, I don’t live in Indiana, et cetera. > > Is [this website](http://www.dmv.org/in-indiana/traffic-tickets.php) something like what you were looking for? Yes, something like that, except I can’t seem to find anything of value unless my license has been suspended (it hasn’t). Why is finding this information so hard? ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/4 "2005-08-18T19:32:59Z")
> [@JimSox5](#): > > Yes, something like that, except I can’t seem to find anything of value unless my license has been suspended (it hasn’t). Why is finding this information so hard? Your immediate options are usually stated on the back of the ticket – pay the fine or ask for a court date. I’m not sure why you’re contesting this ticket if you admit that you were speeding albeit maybe a few mph slower than what the ticket says. Since you want to keep your options open, ask for a court date. That’s probably where you will hear about options to keep your driving record clean while paying for the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/5 "2005-08-18T19:34:29Z")
I don’t really want to contest the ticket, but I’m trying to find out about this program that I’ve heard others talk about. That’s where I’m finding no information. ---
**Author:** ![wasson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4da419/32.png) [@wasson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wasson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/6 "2005-08-18T19:36:41Z")
Just go to your local courthouse and ask. If its anything like my local courthouse, the line will be long, but the teller will be pretty friendly and answer all your questions. In my county, you pay the price of the ticket plus $25 and sign up for a class. It takes a few hours and is pretty much a joke, but the ticket is erased from your record. I think the class option varies from county to county though, so you may not be as lucky as I am. Check with your courthouse when you go in to pay your ticket. They’ll have the answers. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/7 "2005-08-18T19:40:20Z")
> [@wasson](#): > > In my county, you pay the price of the ticket plus $25 and sign up for a class. It takes a few hours and is pretty much a joke, but the ticket is erased from your record. I think the class option varies from county to county though, so you may not be as lucky as I am. [This site](http://www.dmv.org/in-indiana/traffic-schools.php) talks about traffic schools approved by Indiana that you can go to to get points removed from your license. It says there are online traffic schools, too. ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/8 "2005-08-18T20:02:40Z")
I used to live in Indiana, and thought this was an urban legend the first time I heard it (or a hardened Hoosier pulling the new girl’s leg). It is however, true, at least in some counties. If you have a clean driving record, meet a few other requirements, and do not get another ticket within 6 months, you can pay a legal bribe, er … fee ($150 or more), and your ticket is not reported to the BMV or your insurance company. This option isn’t as widely publicized as either contesting the ticket or just paying it, but is listed online for at least some counties. You don’t say what county you’re in, or I missed it, so you’ll need to find out what your county’s policy is. It’s sometimes called a Diversion Program, Deferral Program, or Safe Driver Program, so you may need to get a little creative in your searches. Some links to county information are below: Tippecanoe County [http://www.tippecanoe.in.gov/clerk/division.asp?fDD=8-94](http://www.tippecanoe.in.gov/clerk/division.asp?fDD=8-94) Marion County [http://www.indygov.org/eGov/County/Clerk/Court/trafficcourt.htm](http://www.indygov.org/eGov/County/Clerk/Court/trafficcourt.htm) Monroe County [http://www.co.monroe.in.us/prosecutor/traffictickets.html](http://www.co.monroe.in.us/prosecutor/traffictickets.html) Vanderburgh County [http://www.vanderburghprosecutor.org/wps-html/InfractionDeferral/](http://www.vanderburghprosecutor.org/wps-html/InfractionDeferral/) If you can’t find any information online, call up the number on the ticket and ask about a deferral, diversion, blah blah program and see what happens. Can’t hurt to try. Hope this is helpful. And slow down, willya? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/9 "2005-08-18T20:07:53Z")
That’s very helpful. And I’m in Montgomery County, btw. And yes, I will be much more careful about paying attention to my spedometer. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/10 "2005-08-18T21:12:51Z")
I thought you were going to say that you’d gotten a ticket on your way home Sunday afternoon! 😃 Slow down, ya whippersnapper. Damned kids these days … (j/k!) ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/11 "2005-08-18T21:14:18Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > I thought you were going to say that you’d gotten a ticket on your way home Sunday afternoon! 😃 > > Slow down, ya whippersnapper. Damned kids these days … (j/k!) No, if that had happened, I’d be demanding you pay my ticket. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/12 "2005-08-18T21:18:41Z")
> [@JimSox5](#): > > No, if that had happened, I’d be demanding you pay my ticket. 😉 Hey, you’re the one that flew past me on 465, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-speeding-ticket-but-im-not-going-to-rant-i-dont-think/317624/13 "2005-08-18T21:26:20Z")
Now, now, I was just following the (If I remember correctly) black car in front of me. If I also remember correctly, you were behind a big SUV, so I’ll spare the comments of slowpoke.