I’m not sure if this should be in GD, IMHO, or MPSIMS, but I’m asking for opinions as well as personal experiences and a factual answer, so I put it here.
A few hours ago I just got my first speeding ticket. I should mention that I am in Florida. I never go more than 5 mph over the speed limit, but this time I did. Partly because I was following another car to a location that I didn’t know how to get to, and also because the flow of traffic was very much over the speed limit. I was going 23 mph over the speed limit, however with the way this road is (only one very visible place where cars can enter the roadway), everyone tends to go 50 though the speed limit is 35. I was going that extra 8 mph in trying to keep up with the other car. This was stupid and I regret it, and I truly have learned my lesson and that I will follow the speed limit instead of the flow of traffic. Anyway, there was a speed trap set up and about 5 cars, including the one I was following, got pulled over. My ticket is $171.
I make enough money to pay for the ticket. My problem is that I don’t want my mom to find out. She won’t believe me when I say that I’ve learned my lesson, although I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’ve never been an any sort of trouble before. It’s just that she doesn’t trust me with anything because she truly belives that I smoke pot, and I’ve never touched the stuff. So basically telling her will upset many things, not even just things relating to the ticket and my driving.
My options are paying the ticket outright and taking the points, which means higher insurance; contest the ticket in court, which if I lose will mean I get the points; and taking a course which will take away the points and my insurance will not go up.
I obviously want to take the class, but do not want my mom finding out. I need to know if I can take the class without parental consent or her finding out in any way. I won’t be able to call the courthouse until tomorrow, and would like some answers tonight from you fine people.
This is plenty long, so basically any opinions or personal experience would be nice.
If you are paying for your own insurance and you own your car, there should be no reason why your mom should know about what happened. Depends on your relationship with her, I suppose. If you are a minor, however, you MAY not have much choice.
Sorry but I have no clue as to your ability to take the class without parent consent. Just for the sake of argument, we will say you can. I think that you would still have considerable stress trying to be sure she never found out. There would be several things you would be required to do. I can appreciate your situation but my gut tells me that the easiest and least stressful thing for you to do is to discuss this with your mom. Don’t predict what she will do. Tell her what happened and be more careful. Getting a speeding ticket is not good but avoiding the next right action only doubles your trouble. One of the biggest steps on the way to adulthood is taking full responsibility for mistakes made.
Good Luck.
If youre over 18, you dont need parental consent for traffic school.
If youre under 18, but make enuf money to pay for a $171 speeding ticket all I have to say is “YOU GO GIRL!!!”
Anyways, if Florida is anything like So Cal, then not only will you be paying for the speeding ticket, but also for the traffic school (which varies depending on which school you go to) and an administration fee.
My suggestion is to find out if you can take an online traffic school. all communications is done via e-mail but you still have to watch your mail for any court corresponse they may send you. I dont really suggest you hide this if you are under 18. Take your lumps, its part of screwing up. It reinforces the notion you shouldnt screw up again.
BUT when youre over 18, your screw-ups are now your responsibility. You take care of things yourself. Clean up your own mess and you have no one to answer to but yourself.
One of my friends was in a similar situation and managed to keep his ticket hidden. He was already over 18 at the time, so he didn’t need parental consent to take the class.
Do you not have a probation option? When I got my first ticket, that was what I chose to do. I didn’t get another ticket for the next six months, and the ticket is “gone.” My points didn’t go up, no harm done.
Sorry, I didn’t specify that I’m under 18. I thought I mentioned I was 16, but I suppose I forgot. And no, I don’t have a probation option. I most likely will tell my mom, but I really just wanted to know if I had any other options, so as not to disrupt an already strained relationship. Al the advice is greatly appreciated.
Fight the ticket, if you can. I’ve gotten more than my fair share of speeding tickets, and whenever I can, I put on a nice dress and go to court on the specified date. Every single time I’ve done this, the fine and the points have been reduced. You don’t even really need an excuse or a reason; it seems that showing up is enough to warrant a reduction.
This doesn’t answer your question about your mom finding out, but it might save you some time and $$$.
I’m in California so truly YMMV.
Read your citation carefully!
My 17 Yr old daughter just got her first ticket. (no seat belt the ditz) It is plainly spelled out on her cite that either Mrs. Rick or I have to show up in court with her on the date in question. No if, ands or buts.
This was true when her older brother got a ticket as a minor, and it was true way back in the 60’s when I got a ticket as a minor.
Also in general the sooner you come clean on something like this the less damage. Think of Murphy’s Law of thermodynamics. Things get worse under pressure
If you tell your mom now, you may get grounded for a while or lose some privileges. If you hide it for a month or so and it comes out, you will be grounded until you are 42.
I have always told my kids that if something bad happens and they tell me we can work on the problem. If they try to hide it and I find out the boom then gets lowered.
My suggestion is stand up, take responsibility like an adult, and admit that you screwed up. Yeah it will be a bitch getting yelled at and grounded and whatever else, but that will be just a small fraction of what will happen if your mom finds out about this a month from now.
