Out-of-state speeding ticket in Michigan

I was speeding in Michigan when going back to my home in Iowa. I was
probably going 75 mph but the ticket says 65/55 for the description of the
offense.

The officer said that I had to give him $50 cash for bond or AAA card.
So I gave him my AAA card. I said I would need the AAA card returned for
the rest of my vacation. He agreed to give back and would write number on
ticket. At first, he said he would need to keep card but agreed to give
it back.

I asked the officer how much the ticket would be? He said for me to call
the court within 10 days. I am not sure if I have to go court but I
probably do because of the bond. I do not want to go to court. I live
almost 700 miles away; it would cost me 2 days work as well as travel
xpenses. I do not contest the charge. I want to plead guilty.

My question is which of the following is best choice for me to do? Or
some combination of these?

1) Should I call the court to ask to pay the ticket or to see if court is
required? And explain that I live very far away and it is not realistic
for me to come. I don’t want to pay very much at all. I would like to
pay the $50 bond and maybe $25 more. I was only charged for going 10 mph
over speed limit. Note there is no specific court date on my ticket.


2) Do nothing at all.

3) Write a letter pleading guilty so that I will not be charged with
failure to appear or contempt of court. I don’t plan on going back to
Michigan anytime soon (probably years). And if I did, I don’t plan on
getting in any kind of trouble so this does not concern me too much.
What concerns me more is this failure to appear (a criminal offense) would
go on my record? I don’t know if writing a letter to the court will even
be accepted. They could still charge me with failure to appear. This
offense could stay on my record and travel with me if I move to elsewhere
(Ohio). I believe the failure to appear is a misdomeaner only.

One other thing that I just learned is some states suspend licenses for
unpaid out of state tickets. I am going to call my DMV to see IA does
this. I don't think they do this.


By the way, when the officer gave back my driver’s license, he did not
return my AAA card. Either he forgot to give back or wanted to keep it
for collateral. I forgot to ask him to give it back as he said he would.
If my car broke down, I would have been stuck.

Any advice would be appreciated.

call and ask how much the fine is. if they tell you it is $100, ask if
that includes the $50 you gave the cop already.also if you did not get a
receipt for the $50 cash you gave the cop, you are most likely out of luck,
and just gave the cop a $50 tip for pulling you over.
"SpeeDDemoN" <dinov4_2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:07cad79d461f8b0063e472e727742ab1@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> I was speeding in Michigan when going back to my home in Iowa. I was
> probably going 75 mph but the ticket says 65/55 for the description of the
> offense.
>
> The officer said that I had to give him $50 cash for bond or AAA card.
> So I gave him my AAA card. I said I would need the AAA card returned for
> the rest of my vacation. He agreed to give back and would write number on
> ticket. At first, he said he would need to keep card but agreed to give
> it back.
>
> I asked the officer how much the ticket would be? He said for me to call
> the court within 10 days. I am not sure if I have to go court but I
> probably do because of the bond. I do not want to go to court. I live
> almost 700 miles away; it would cost me 2 days work as well as travel
> xpenses. I do not contest the charge. I want to plead guilty.
>
> My question is which of the following is best choice for me to do? Or
> some combination of these?
>
> 1) Should I call the court to ask to pay the ticket or to see if court is
> required? And explain that I live very far away and it is not realistic
> for me to come. I don't want to pay very much at all. I would like to
> pay the $50 bond and maybe $25 more. I was only charged for going 10 mph
> over speed limit. Note there is no specific court date on my ticket.
>
>
> 2) Do nothing at all.
>
> 3) Write a letter pleading guilty so that I will not be charged with
> failure to appear or contempt of court. I don't plan on going back to
> Michigan anytime soon (probably years). And if I did, I don't plan on
> getting in any kind of trouble so this does not concern me too much.
> What concerns me more is this failure to appear (a criminal offense) would
> go on my record? I don't know if writing a letter to the court will even
> be accepted. They could still charge me with failure to appear. This
> offense could stay on my record and travel with me if I move to elsewhere
> (Ohio). I believe the failure to appear is a misdomeaner only.
>
> One other thing that I just learned is some states suspend licenses for
> unpaid out of state tickets. I am going to call my DMV to see IA does
> this. I don't think they do this.
>
>
> By the way, when the officer gave back my driver's license, he did not
> return my AAA card. Either he forgot to give back or wanted to keep it
> for collateral. I forgot to ask him to give it back as he said he would.
> If my car broke down, I would have been stuck.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.
>
>

"SpeeDDemoN" wrote:
>I was speeding in Michigan when going back to my home in Iowa. I
was
>probably going 75 mph but the ticket says 65/55 for the description
of
>the
>offense.
>
>The officer said that I had to give him cash for bond or AAA card.
>
>So I gave him my AAA card. I said I would need the AAA card
returned
>for
>the rest of my vacation. He agreed to give back and would write
>number on
>ticket. At first, he said he would need to keep card but agreed to
>give
>it back.
>
>I asked the officer how much the ticket would be? He said for me to
>call
>the court within 10 days. I am not sure if I have to go court but I
>probably do because of the bond. I do not want to go to court. I
>live
>almost 700 miles away; it would cost me 2 days work as well as travel
>xpenses. I do not contest the charge. I want to plead guilty.
>
>My question is which of the following is best choice for me to do?
Or
>some combination of these?
>
>1) Should I call the court to ask to pay the ticket or to see if
court
>is
>required? And explain that I live very far away and it is not
>realistic
>for me to come. I don’t want to pay very much at all. I would like
>to
>pay the bond and maybe more. I was only charged for going 10
>mph
>over speed limit. Note there is no specific court date on my ticket.

>
>
>
>2) Do nothing at all.
>
>3) Write a letter pleading guilty so that I will not be charged with
>failure to appear or contempt of court. I don’t plan on going back
>to
>Michigan anytime soon (probably years). And if I did, I don’t plan
on
>getting in any kind of trouble so this does not concern me too much.

>What concerns me more is this failure to appear (a criminal offense)
>would
>go on my record? I don’t know if writing a letter to the court will
>even
>be accepted. They could still charge me with failure to appear.
>This
>offense could stay on my record and travel with me if I move to
>elsewhere
>(Ohio). I believe the failure to appear is a misdomeaner only.
>
>One other thing that I just learned is some states suspend licenses
>for
>unpaid out of state tickets. I am going to call my DMV to see IA
does
>this. I don’t think they do this.
>
>
>By the way, when the officer gave back my driver’s license, he did
not
>return my AAA card. Either he forgot to give back or wanted to keep
>it
>for collateral. I forgot to ask him to give it back as he said he
>would.
> If my car broke down, I would have been stuck.
>
>Any advice would be appreciated.

You should have posted a cash bond if it was offered to you and done a
bond forfieture (not show up in court). On minor offenses they take
the bond and use it for any fees or fines and close the matter and be
done with it but they do not advertise this. They may either dismiss
it or find you guilty but the matter is still closed and you did not
plead guilty to it either. I have used this trick in years past but it
has been many, many years since I have had a speeding ticket.

--
Posted using the http://www.autoforumz.com interface, at author's request
Articles individually checked for conformance to usenet standards
Topic URL: http://www.autoforumz.com/General-Di...ict137232.html
Visit Topic URL to contact author (reg. req'd). Report abuse: http://www.autoforumz.com/eform.php?p=665314

this is the most stupid advice I have ever seen. failure to show will result
in a conviction and your home state will be notified, unless you live in
south carolina or alaska. they are the only two states that are not in the
loop. once your home state is notified, you can end up with anything from
points to license and registration revocation.
"SnoMan" <UseLinkToEmail@AutoForumz.com> wrote in message
news:1_665314_268dda0b1d42a9c6684203b2f66b08e6@aut oforumz.com...
> "SpeeDDemoN" wrote:
> >I was speeding in Michigan when going back to my home in Iowa. I
> was
> >probably going 75 mph but the ticket says 65/55 for the description
> of
> >the
> >offense.
> >
> >The officer said that I had to give him cash for bond or AAA card.
> >
> >So I gave him my AAA card. I said I would need the AAA card
> returned
> >for
> >the rest of my vacation. He agreed to give back and would write
> >number on
> >ticket. At first, he said he would need to keep card but agreed to
> >give
> >it back.
> >
> >I asked the officer how much the ticket would be? He said for me to
> >call
> >the court within 10 days. I am not sure if I have to go court but I
> >probably do because of the bond. I do not want to go to court. I
> >live
> >almost 700 miles away; it would cost me 2 days work as well as travel
> >xpenses. I do not contest the charge. I want to plead guilty.
> >
> >My question is which of the following is best choice for me to do?
> Or
> >some combination of these?
> >
> >1) Should I call the court to ask to pay the ticket or to see if
> court
> >is
> >required? And explain that I live very far away and it is not
> >realistic
> >for me to come. I don't want to pay very much at all. I would like
> >to
> >pay the bond and maybe more. I was only charged for going 10
> >mph
> >over speed limit. Note there is no specific court date on my ticket.
>
> >
> >
> >
> >2) Do nothing at all.
> >
> >3) Write a letter pleading guilty so that I will not be charged with
> >failure to appear or contempt of court. I don't plan on going back
> >to
> >Michigan anytime soon (probably years). And if I did, I don't plan
> on
> >getting in any kind of trouble so this does not concern me too much.
>
> >What concerns me more is this failure to appear (a criminal offense)
> >would
> >go on my record? I don't know if writing a letter to the court will
> >even
> >be accepted. They could still charge me with failure to appear.
> >This
> >offense could stay on my record and travel with me if I move to
> >elsewhere
> >(Ohio). I believe the failure to appear is a misdomeaner only.
> >
> >One other thing that I just learned is some states suspend licenses
> >for
> >unpaid out of state tickets. I am going to call my DMV to see IA
> does
> >this. I don't think they do this.
> >
> >
> >By the way, when the officer gave back my driver's license, he did
> not
> >return my AAA card. Either he forgot to give back or wanted to keep
> >it
> >for collateral. I forgot to ask him to give it back as he said he
> >would.
> > If my car broke down, I would have been stuck.
> >
> >Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> You should have posted a cash bond if it was offered to you and done a
> bond forfieture (not show up in court). On minor offenses they take
> the bond and use it for any fees or fines and close the matter and be
> done with it but they do not advertise this. They may either dismiss
> it or find you guilty but the matter is still closed and you did not
> plead guilty to it either. I have used this trick in years past but it
> has been many, many years since I have had a speeding ticket.
>
> --
> Posted using the http://www.autoforumz.com interface, at author's request
> Articles individually checked for conformance to usenet standards
> Topic URL:
http://www.autoforumz.com/General-Di...cket-Michigan-
ftopict137232.html
> Visit Topic URL to contact author (reg. req'd). Report abuse:
http://www.autoforumz.com/eform.php?p=665314