leedogg

Does anybody have any experience of how big of an impact this has on your insurance?

I have the option of paying off $273 for a hov violation ($125) + speeding 72/55($148) or getting a lawyer for $500 retainer fee and then paying whatever fee he doesnt get waived for me.


Suggestions?


For the record, I have this damn aircast on my foot which makes it kindof difficult to control my speed and I was following my nav out of DC, goddamn 66 & virginia.

drdamian

i would say get a lawyer.. you may pay more initially, but you will surely get out of points that will cost a lot more down the road. I got a speeding ticket about 6 months ago and i paid a lawyer.. He got me off with no points and just pay the penalty. At the speed i was going i was lucky to have still kept my license.

leedogg

True, and I would definitely do so if this was a reckless. But its under 20 over, I dont even need to show in court, and the only damage I'm looking at is the $148 speeding fine plus whatever more in insurance I'll have to pay.

Think I should call up geico and ask theoretically if I were to get 4 more points, how much would my rate go up?

Anansi

I had almost the exact same situation, only it was different . (One of my old coworker used to say that) Anyway, I got caught on the toll road going through the toll booth at 19 over the limit. Then to make it worse, somehow I missed my court date. I ended up having to pay the fee anyway, but there has been no impact to my Geico rates.

Before you check with Geico, check with DMV to evaluate your points. VA gives you negative points if you haven't had violations in a while, which I suspect may be why I haven't seen a rate increase. Maybe you've got a few points to burn before you see a rate hike.

leedogg

Good suggestions. If I dont get a lawyer, I would def go to court though and plead my ass not guilty by reason of insanity. Check with DMV or MVA???

Anansi

If you're in VA go through the DMV. If you have a PIN number you can request it online. There is a link to request driving record off of this site: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/dmvnet/online.asp

geekybiker

Negative ghostrider. Your insurance company is not your friend, and questions like that WILL come back to haunt you later.

If its a lot of points, pay the lawyer. More than likely you'll end up with non-moving violations that have the same fees, but no insurance issues.

Elegant TYPE S

iTrader: (2)

I dont know how it is in VA but here in Long Island, NY when you go for your court date, the first time you go there the DA will speak to you for a possible plea bargain, usually it will depend on your past DMV history of how good of plea bargain you get. But here is an example:

Got caught doing 86 in a 55, and the fine and points should have been $300 and 6 points, but because I had a clean record they knocked it down to some weird ass non-movin violation, $400 in fines but no points, I took the deal and then it got signed off by a judge, paid the fine on the spot in cash (which was required) and that was it.

If for example I chose not to take the deal then they will set up another court date for you where this time you get to face your police officer that clocked you, but I obviously wasn't stupid and took the deal since I knew I was guilty.

All this was done without any Lawyer, because that's all they do anyways, they just make a phone call and talk to the DA and get it plea bargain it. My friend is a lawyer and he makes side cash that way so I know. However all this might be different in VA.

V1 was purchased shortly after.

trancemission

This thread needs to be in Off Topic. I cant move threads across the main forums so feel free to start this discussion over there. Thanks....