Went duck hunting with some friends in Arkansas this weekend. On a run over to Mack's Prairie Wings, I managed to get a ticket in Wabbaseka. Might have been doing around 62 in a 45.

Question is, according to my local friends, when I call in to pay the ticket they will offer to convert it to a non moving fine (parking fine) for $200 extra. To me this seems excessive, and I haven't had a speeding ticket in several years, so I wonder if it's worth the extra cost incurred to keep it off my record?

Insurance guys, any input? Pay the $$ or just take the hit?

Is the $200 more than a rate increase?

Talk about government corruption. That’s nothing more than extortion.
If you have an otherwise clean record, I’d say screw them and take a chance that your insurance company doesn’t check.

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:
Is the $200 more than a rate increase?

That's really the question I guess I'm asking. May have to break down and call my agent, but figured I'd go to the source for all knowledge first.

That's more than 15 over, and my insurance would not overlook that. Might want to check worth your agent (if thou have a good relationship) to see about the rate increase.
I argued a ticket a few years back, they got me for 18 over just after a 10mph drop in the speed zone. I was polite, and the officer dropped it to the 8 over I thought I was going.
Saved me a bit on the ticket, and quite a bit in the insurance.

Ignore what 220-9er said, because your insurance will find out. Instead, ask yourself if the extra $200 is worth spending to avoid the time required to take traffic school.

10 over in NY in 2008 raised my rates by $200 the first year alone and they stayed higher for at least 3-4 years after that. Pay the extortion now to the state or pay it later to your insurer.

Have you actually received an offer to amend it to a non-moving violation?
Until you do, this is all just speculation.

Funny thing is I have rarely gotten a rate increase with a single speeding ticket and when I did get one for 2 tickets in 2 years, it was like $30 more over 6 months.

Then again I'm sure it depends on your insurance co.

And for an additional $50, you can call it a charitable contribution and deduct it from your fed taxes (maybe only in CA )

Find a local lawyer who specializes in traffic tickets. Pay him to go in and handle it for you. You will likely pay him around $100 for this, at least that's what it cost around here.

[Buzz Lightyear] It's not speeding, it's parking with velocity![/Buzz Lightyear]

You are at the edge of a high cliff.

Behind you is the insurance agent and the system.

You hear a voice; "Jump off or be pushed off."

The the upside is, you are being offered a choice.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
You are at the edge of a high cliff.

Behind you is the insurance agent and the system.

You hear a voice; "Jump off or be pushed off."

The the upside is, you are being offered a choice.

Perzactly how it feels.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:

Perzactly ...

What the freak is that?

Anyway, I'd pay the $200 and be done with it. It is extortion, but such is life.

Precisely + Exactly = Perzactly

Travesty + Sham + Mockery = Traveshamockery

It's like that.

I saw the cop there in Wabbaseka when we came through weekend before coming home from El Dorado. Must be a newish thing because in the past I've never seen one there.

Here is the scoop. All these Arkansas towns are doing this shit. We went through this with Bald Knob this past summer. If they make it a city ordnance violation it doesn't go on record, they charge double or so what the speeding ticket would be, and the city gets the whole fine.
If they write it as a speeding ticket, goes on record, ticket is less but city has to share revenue with state.
The Bald Knob ticket was a little over $300, didn't show up on her record.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Precisely + Exactly = Perzactly

Travesty + Sham + Mockery = Traveshamockery

It's like that.

Yeah, I know what it is, hence the rolleyes. But don't mind me. Those silly marriages of words are one of many pet peeves of mine.

If it's out of state they may not find out. At least that was my experience when I lived in Kentucky and got nailed for 3mph over in Ohio. Paid the fine and was done, never saw a rate increase. That was 10ish years ago however, times may have changed and state law will vary I'm sure.

Never heard of a place offering to change the type of violation. Most places will lower the speed or points against the license when you show up in court, but changing the type of violation from speeding to parking??? I'd have to learn/hear more about the legitimacy of that before taking that offer...

If you pay for a speeding ticket in your own state though - your insurance is going to know about it. Unless you get your insurance from some outfit running out of a barn without electricity.

quote:

Originally posted by MattW:
If it's out of state they may not find out. At least that was my experience when I lived in Kentucky and got nailed for 3mph over in Ohio. Paid the fine and was done, never saw a rate increase. That was 10ish years ago however, times may have changed and state law will vary I'm sure.

This depends on the state. Tenn. for example would not pass on the ticket to SC (unless it's recently changed), where NC or GA definitely will.