Another Fella Needs some Advice(ticket)
 

Hello, my grandpa got a speeding ticket the other day. He's 68!!! Who in their right mind would give a senior a speeding ticket.

62mph in a 45. Now he says he wasn't goin that fast but also wasn't really paying too much attention to it.

Possible outs that could help him in this case: He moved here 6 years ago from russia where he worked in the military as an instructor for 30 years. Hes never gotten a ticket in the 5 years he's driven here.

I don't know what to tell him about what he should do. If he goes to court, could they let him off it since its his first violation? Or should he try to knock the price down of the ticket and pay extra for 1 years of probation? I told him to wear his military uniform to the hearing or court :p

Sorry, these kind of forums are annoying but he's in need of some advice...he doesn't have money to throw around at his age.

Laugh, he was speeding, he should get a ticket, 68 or not.... Should they pat him on the back?

Best thing he can hope for is getting it knocked down to 5mph, low cost ticket and low points...

Also, wearing his uniform is a coin flip. Depending on the judge, it may make it worse. You never know what feelings people harbor so I would keep it neutral as possible.

If he's in a military town, that uniform could help. While stationed in Norfolk, I managed to sideswipe a guy passing me in downtown traffic where lanes were unmarked. It turned out this guy and his girlfriend had records and a number of warrants, were driving a stolen car, and were accused of transporting drugs. No wonder they were pretty nervous when the cops showed up.

Still, I had a ticket for illegal left turn and the accident - and I didn't have much of a defense. I was clearly guilty. When I went to court my XO told me to wear my uniform. When I got to the courthouse, the Shore Patrol officer grabbed me and ushered me into a conference room where he told me to wait. He talked to the judge and returned with a paper for me to sign pleading guilty to overtime parking. I signed it. Cost me $10 and no points.

I was thinking because it would be a uniform from russia you may be rolling the dice with the judge :)

if hes able to take a 4 hour driving class to knock the points off hes better off doing that. going to traffic court is a gamble. you might end up worse then what he has. ive been to traffic court and ive seen people end up paying the ticket + court costs+ and told to keep the points. also, if his uniform is a russian military uniform.. its probably not going to help his cause. i could see it working if he was active duty in the US armed forces...

i say skip the court..... and you help gramps pay for the ticket so he can keep on speeding! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

An old family friend and a wonderful character who served as my surrogate grandfather, served in the Navy during WWI and wore his uniform in Armistice Day parades. Oddly, it was a German Navy uniform, and at least for the period between the wars, was reasonably well accepted here in Texas. It seems we have a huge German community here, and although they have been thoroughly "Americanized", they still have an attachment to the homeland.

He recieved better treatment at the VFW hall than he did in the employment line. I guess the "brotherhood of arms" can be a rather extended family. :)

No sympathy from me bro, sorry.

The facts that he's 68, speeding almost 20 miles over the posted limit, and "wasn't really paying too much attention" makes it that much worse! :nono:

Not too many of us have money to throw away on tickets, which is why adhering to posted speed signs is very beneficial to you financially ;)

He's just gonna have to pay up and deal with it like everyone else who speeds. Hopefully he learns from this.

My grandma denies goin that fast, she claims 10 at best.

YEs, it would be a russian uniform, not a communist one if thats what ur thinking.

I honestly don't know what you guys are talking about the points system...does that even exist in Minnesota??

What i'm tryin to get out of this is should he go to the hearing officer, try to talk the price down and take probation or take his chances in court and try to say that its his first ticket and try to get out of it

I thought it was your grandpa who got caught? :uh: