Something interesting that happened to me.
 

So, I got a ticket a few weeks ago in the lovely state of Georgia. I was doing 91 in a 70 according to the cop. Being as I live in South Carolina I dont want to have to go back to GA to fight it. I had contacted an attorney to help. They charge $250. I figured I would call the clerk of court myself. I called and told them that I was hoping to get the charge reduced to an offense that would not be sent to the state of SC so it wont go on my insurance. She asked me how much was it worth for them not to report it :ugh2: I didnt know what to say. She then told me if I paid the ticket and paid an extra $150 she wouldnt report anything and would reduce it below a "super speeder". Is this even legal? Im not complaining, Ill pay the extra money to ensure my insurance doesnt get hit but this seems so wrong for a county to try to blatantly take someones money. Any thoughts? has anyone had this happen before? maybe GA does things differently than SC.

LOL- wow.

Hopefully that's proof enough of how corrupt most state governments are.

Not that I would be complaining, but there's no guarantee that she will hold to that statement. I'd be willing to bet they take the extra money, and that ticket shows up on your record anyway, NOT reduced to a lesser offense.

I would tread carefully.

What county was it that you got pulled over in ? Or was it a state trooper

At least the bribe didn't involve knee pads.

:ohsnap1:

To be on the safe side, just use the lawyer.

The clerk may have the ability to adjust the charge, but is not telling you all of the details involved in it. Perhaps they have a system in place to skip the court system and just lower the charge for an increased "fine." Essentially, what would happen if you had a lawyer handle it in court.

That also sounds like the "take a traffic course for no points" thing. Maybe she can apply the traffic course without you actually taking the course.

i'd like to have that offer in writing.

I'm going to be sure I have something in writing or some sort of proof as to what she said. I am a little hesitant on this whole thing. Its one of the if its too good to be true it probably is things.

I'm with kenchan and asyzd. Get it in writing and make the lawyer get it in writing. Dealing with out of state legal systems are like a box of chocolates, you never know what yer gonna get.

Did you get pulled in Darien, Ga. on I-95 going to Florida or was it a little further down (Kingsland)? LOL, They are some crooked money hungry SOB's.


Got me in a Construction zone going 73mph 4 years ago. It wasn't. The construction zone had ended, I just bumped my cruise back to resume to 75mph.

Similar thing happened to me when I lived in the Socialist Republic of Maryland. Got popped doing 15 over, he wrote me up for 10 and told me to take it to court. Go to court, and they tell me to make a donation to the sheriff's department for twice the amount and it'll be dropped and no points. That is a bunch of crooked motherfuckers. Made the donation and they dropped it.

no it was a different county. Im not going to disclose which in case someone is from there and may be in law. It was on I20 that I got pulled. Its a small county dept that got me. Just cant believe how corrupt the system really is.

I'd run from that offer.

Ive hired an attorney to get everything in writing. I paid the $250 this way im not doing anything shady and its all documented. Id rather be certain they dont send the ticket to SC so my insurance doesnt go up. I figure im still saving money in the long run.

It's all about the money.

Either way you lose it and they get it.

Soliciting a bribe is a crime last i heard.

Write up the police!! :bowrofl:

good luck with that...

My own tale (canadia) I got caught 32 over in a 60 resulting in 4 points and a 300 ding. Got an attorney, charged 340. Reduced to 60 ding and 0points.

Out of curiosity I asked my insurance broker what the difference would be
let's just say I saved atleast 1000 in insurance and I wouldn't be with the provider I am with right mkw

Yeap, it is a revenue thing. Small county sheriff department, they just need the money and you unluckily became the donor.

I got a ticket in Arkansas last year just west of the Mississippi line. The local cop told me I could pay the $150 fine and get points or I could pay $250 and get it dropped. I called the number on the back of the ticket and they confirmed it. I paid the $250 and they DID drop it. It's be a new thing that small cities are doing but I think it's a great deal!

Don't ever speed in Tifton GA, or Tift County, crooked as hell down there.

Grew up one county over from there. I use to be able to driver however I wanted on the back roads. Not anymore. More State boys than I can shake a stick at now.

the clerk can't reduce the ticket, that's not her job. she just takes your money and gives you a receipt... you were caught well above the super speeder mark here in GA, i honestly don't see them just throwing that out, with a lawyer maybe. i got a ticket for going 9mph over in SC coming back from myrtle beach and it went on my record here lol. when in GA do not go over 79 to be safe. 0-14mph here is 0 points on your license. so i usually tend to go 10-14 over and they usually won't bother you, unless it's the state troopers.

It sounds like a bribe and smells like a bribe. You did not ask follow up questions like how does that work, what documents will I get that will show that, etc. if it does not sit right to you, your option is to report and speak with or write down the incident to a supervisor (and the sups supervisor) asking how it works. Just be a good citizen and pay it off and move on. Learn from the unfortunate mistake.

Speeding tickets are nothing but revenue generators anyway. Why not make it so that you pay more to not have points? They get more money, and you get to not have points. I think we all win...

^ I would agree it is but if used properly (not squandered as we have all seen) it would be more acceptable. Eg 70% went to offset the tax burden of the cops and 30% went to road maintenence or something like that