The last one was for speeding in the Company Astrovan on Company time. My boss would find fault with me for doing everything right, and I took a chance and didn’t report it and went to T.S. and got it off my licence, and got away with it. I still think it was a bad gamble, and I’m glad I’m away from that boss.
Before, I got tickets when I was taking care of our parents in their old age, and was driving always in a hurry and under stress. One I remember was on the highway when I had reached the bottom of a valley, gaining speed to get a start up the hill, and someone came out of a side road right through the stopsign at about 35 mph in front of me and kept it at 35. No space, no getting past her on the right, double-double lines on the left, well I passed her on the double doubles and the Highway Patrol coming downhill toward us saw the whole thing. Ticketed us both, too.
I was getting about one ticket a year and getting every 2nd one taken care of in T.S.
Later I made up a saying, He who takes stress out in driving gets more stress.
One for one day. It was eight hours long on a Saturday in Chattanooga, about a thirty minute drive from where I lived, which I found a bit ironic.
Going 70 in 55 'cause I was late to work. I was chased for two miles because I wasn’t paying attention and had my radio up. Was almost arrested for felony: evasion of arrest but I guess I looked properly abashed when I finally saw the flashing lights and pulled over.
I’ve had my license for six years but had only been driving for five months when I got the violation
No but due to the time and day of the week and that it was on a four lane highway, I got it reduced from reckless driving to just speeding.
Yeah but I still have a long ways to go before I consider myself even a competent driver.
I got my second ticket in 27 years of driving this past February. I was taking a convalescing friend to the mall to find him some bedroom slippers (honest!), and I had just gone through a construction zone, carefully following the speed limit, when I turned right onto a larger street where there were no signs or workers. I was going almost 30 mph when my friend pointed out a cop by the side of the road; I didn’t slow down because I thought I was going under the speed limit. Turns out that was the tail end of the construction zone, the speed limit was supposed to be 20 mph, and the fine/points were doubled because it was a special speed zone. I chose not to fight it in court because, really, I should have been paying more attention.
I took a one-day traffic school course, which cost less than half what the ticket would have been. Being a teacher’s pet type at heart, I participated fully in all the activities, and I actually did learn something (the legal following distance behind an emergency vehicle, something to which I’d never given much thought). We were treated to a horrific anti-drunk driving video involving a teenaged driver, the net effect of which was to convince me to never let my children drive.
I was somewhat more cautious for 90 days after the school, since the rules stated that the deferral of the ticket would be nullified if I got another moving violation within that time. Now, of course, I’m back to being the speed demon I was before.
One. There was no Internet. CD Roms & DVDs were not invented yet. Used a book.
DUI. I had gone to a Hallow’een party at the home of some anesthesiologists. They thought it was clever to put Ever Clear in the punch and tell every one it was wine. Two glasses & I couldn’t get down the stairs. I was too drunk to know I was too drunk to drive. I was stopped 100 yards from my exit. My B.A. was 0.23
At the time, I had been driving 13 years. At present, I’ve been driving 31 years.
I got a lawyer who kept me out of jail and off the side of the freeway. I did community service, and 8 weeks of traffic school. I was not convicted of DUI. It was reduced to wreckless driving. Total cost in 1986: $3000.
Yes. I’ve had one ticket since then, for failure to yeild. That was when someone (speeding) hit me in an uncontrolled intersection. He was to my right, so had the right of way. I went to court that time too. The judge reduced the fine from $90 to $10, and no points. That was in 1992. Also, I don’t drink at parties or bars, if there is even a potential I might have to drive home.
How long have you been driving?
A few years. I started driving around age 30 (after doing Drivers Training in high school), and believe it may be better to absorb such a complex physical-plus activity in the teen years, even the early teens.
Did you ever try to fight it in court?
Once. I asked the judge for T.S. even though not qualified (I’d just recently done T.S. & the repeat was too soon). Mistake; you pay the fine, plus you pay the T.S., plus you spend 8 hours at T.S., plus in this case the judge sending me there didn’t change the fact you can’t take it that often and have it clear the ticket from your record, plus it pushed out the date I’d next qualify for T.S… Oh well.
Are you being more careful now that you’ve finished T.S.?
Yes. Specifically I’ve learned several good habits, which I use.
I’d recommend the live school because it’s more real, and also you get to hear what everyone else did, and you also observe some amazing attitudes amongst the attendees. Educational.
1. How many traffic schools have you been to?
Only one, It was an eight-hour session held on a Saturday. This was back in 1990 when I was in my callow, reckless and carefree youth (age 20).
2. What was your violation? How or why did it happen?
I was in danger of losing my license for too many speeding tickets. Taking the class was necessary to save my driving privileges,
3. How long have you been driving?
20 years (wow, I’m that old now?!) I had been driving for six years at the time I attended the class. I got my license at age 14 when Idaho’s minimum driving permitted 14-year-olds to drive. It’s 16 now, which, as an adult, I feel is more sensible.
4. Did you ever try to fight it in court?
Nope, I just took my licks as they came.
5. Are you being more careful now that you’ve finished T.S.?
Definitely. I’ve only gotten three speeding tickets since then. It’s been over five years since the last speeding ticket.
1. How many traffic schools have you been to? Or did you take home a book, CD ROM or DVD? Did you complete it on the Internet?
I’ve been to traffic school 7 or 8 times. The latest was on the Internet.
2. What was your violation? How or why did it happen?
Mostly speeding; a couple for driving on the shoulder (motorcycle – irony is, that shoulder is now a lane) and once for running an on-campus stop sign on my bicycle.
3. How long have you been driving?
23 years – regularly, though, for only 15
4. Did you ever try to fight it in court?
No. I have appealed a suspension, though (collected several tickets for…uh, “youthful enthusiasm” when I got my first motorcycle).
5. Are you being more careful now that you’ve finished T.S.?
Not really; I drive a little more slowly and more cautiously, but that’s more because I’m older and have a family. I still drive pretty fast, but with more regard for where I am.