Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches Northeast NJ License PA Speeding Ticket - Help Please!

Tonight I received my first speeding ticket in some time. I was in a rental car out in the PA Pocono's when I got pulled over for doing 50 in a 35. I was blind without my V1 which was hanging redundant in my SVT at home. For those of you who are not sure whether the V1 is worth the investment I would HIGHLY recommend one. Four years of spirited driving and no troubles. They will not save someone being an idiot, but they help prevent the ticket when you are not paying attention. This is basically what happened this evening.

Don't know where the trap was and was just plodding through Rt390 when I saw the Christmas tree lightup in the rearview. Cop was ok, just doing his job and filling his quota, but I still ended up with a ticket. He wrote me for 50 in a 35 - $125 fine. My questions for the group are:

Do you know how many points this ticket will be? Are these points passed to NJ DMV? I have a NJ license and the cop said he didn't believe PA actually passed this info to NJ DMV even though they claim they do. The cop said he was not aware of this ever happening with people he knew. Also, does PA pass this info to the NJ insurance companies. This latter thing is what I am most concerned about since the NJ rates are horrific as is.

In the past I have always been advised it is best to go to court, see the prosecutor and get yourself out of some points. Given the distance to this court, I would rather just pay my fine. If I think this will cost me a grand in extra insurance costs then I may consider the trip to court. Thanks for the feedback

15 over in PA is 3 points. The systems may be different, so our 3 points may be more or less in equivalent NJ points. You were timed by VASCAR (unless you were pulled over by a State Trooper), so your V1 would have been useless as all local cops are prohibited from using radar or laser.

You should call the NJ DMV and ask about points/tickets from PA showing up on your NJ driving record. They will be the only one that will know for sure. No way the local PA cop really knew for sure, since he is versed in PA law, not NJ. The tickets may show or not (transferability IIRC). In addition, I am almost positive that there is reciprocity - meaning if your license is suspended by PA (say for non-payment of a ticket or conviction for DUI or passing a school bus) then NJ will honor that suspension themselves. Not really your concern, just a factoid.

The only way your insurance company is going to find out about it is by getting your NJ record, so that's what you are most concerned with. No way the insurance company gets records from all 50 states (would cost too much in time and effort for them) so be concerned with your NJ record.

I am not sure if judges here can convict you of a speeding violation and remove the points. The points are assessed by PennDOT based on the infraction you were convicted of. They are not criminal penalties per sae in PA, but are seperate from the fine.

i dont know how the system works but my housemate got a ticket in PA by vascar also. this was like a year ago, and the i believe the points just kicked in. his insurance never changed until recently. i guess somehow they found out about it at renewal time or something?

definitely go to court. sounds like you could knock off at least one point. i'd assume its a 3 point ticket. every point counts when it comes to insurance rates...especially in nj. who knows..maybe the cop won't even show up and you will win by default! it's definitely worth a shot i wouldn't even consider not going. go speak with the prosecutor and see what he can do for you.

That experience tells me that a PA ticket will show up on your NJ record. The only time an insurance company is going to find out about tickets, etc. is when you are renewing, since that is when they check your record (if they ever are, I love my agent).

Do you know for a fact that your housemate's premium went up due to his ticket? I just got my renewal and my premiums changed, but due to reclassifications on our vehicles not driving records. I don't know how it works in NJ, but as far as I can tell the insurance companies are out to screw you guys every chance they get. I do know that I got an 80/65 ticket a few years ago (which is how I know 50/35 will be 3 PA points) and it never affected my insurance because my rates are determined by number of accidents, not tickets (as long as I don't get a biggie like DUI or reckless driving or something).

VASCAR tickets are relatively easy to beat. Just have to show that based on xxx distance, an error of xxx seconds (or parts of seconds) would have changed your measured speed to less than 45, at which point the officer would not be allowed to stop and ticket you. Just have to go find out how far apart the markers were for the VASCAR and determine what time 50 MPH is through there, and what time 44 MPH is through there and argue that a difference that small could simply be measurement (ie. human) error. Show up with charts and graphs and most judges will acquit you simply because you look like you know what you are talking about. Seriously, I have a friend that beat 2 tickets that way, and both times he was guilty. The tough part is that you have to go measure the area yourself. Just look for two white lines painted across the road you were travelling on.

good point about disproving vascar. my housemate tried to do that and besides pretty much telling him to go f*ck himself, the judge knocked it down to a 2 point speeding ticket. his insurance did go up a bit because of the points but like i said he just found out about it recently from his insurance company.
i agree that vascar is a totally crappy system. it must be the most unreliable and unaccurate system to measure speed outside of outright guessing, lol.
as far as the ticket goes...i think it depends on the judge you get and his mood for the day. though outside of my housemate's experience i have no other clue as to how they operate over there. a 3 point ticket is NOT good especially living in NJ. luckily i have 0 points...and im trying to keep it that way. (FOP supporter, lol).
unfortunately in NJ they determine insurance rates by points, accidents, and if you sneeze the wrong direction.

I got a ticket in PA for doing 91 in a 55.
$150 or so fine.
Police Officer told me that if I paid the ticket in 10 days, NY would never know it happened.

When I got home, I sent the payment for the fine in
with the summons filled out via FEDEX 2nd day,
and haven't heard from NY since.
I also have a copy of the summons and the cancelled check.
You gotta retain these things for SEVEN years.

Try it, it can't hurt ??

Thanks for the feedback. Not sure I am aware how Vascar works. Ticket says equipment used was Webbe. That is about all I can make out on the ticket.

3 NJ points would suck royally with insurance. I am pretty tight with my insurance agent so may ask her the lay of the land.

Thanks for the feedback. Nick

I looked up Vascar so now understand it and why the V1 would not work. I don't think he used this though since he did not fill in the Miles Followed or Timed sections of the form. I think he would have to provide me with this if he used VASCAR.
Nick

far as i know, tickets from other states don't carry over, but Ilive in NY. I know several people with points/suspended licenses in NJ though that have no problems in NY.

NJ and PA are reciprocating states, so the points info will be transfered over.. Fight the ticket, it'd be better to end up with a bigger fine and no points instead of a lower fine with points.. Usually the DA is willing to cut a deal where both parties come away happy. I've done this a few times myself