A little off topic: regarding NJ police and your perspective...

[Knighthawk]

Ok, I've got a question, I get it a lot in my profession, does anyone else clench up and get paranoid when they've got a cop behind them when you're driving around?  Driving around tonight I just realized how paranoid I get while motoring.  I know I'm not speeding, my car is up to date, shit like that, and I'm still freaking out, just because I keep seeing people getting pulled over for BS like seatbelts, cellphones, and crap like that.  I dunno...the threat of quota seems to continually hound motorists.

I dunno, just my perspective, wondering if anyone else gets the same feeling when they see the PoPo in their rearview.

[Knighthawk]

PS - I've got full respect for the police, just the quota thing throws me.

[Jedi Ram]

I feel the same way. In my neiborhood there are a lot of areas marked as TARGET ZONES. If you get caught speeding there its an automatic court appearance and points on your license. My Father-Inlaw was driving my daughter to a party, he went through one of these zones doing 28 in a 25 and was pulled along along with 3 other cars. He had to go to court and pay over $500 just to get the points off his license.

[Knighthawk]

Yeah, the whole "plea it down" accept-the-deal shtick is pretty crooked.  And then people wonder why NJ is the armpit of the USA...seriously.

[wcshoe]

Didn't they recently pass a law prohibiting plea-it-down offenses if you get charged with a point giving offense?

Right now, your only chance is to try to get the officer to not issue a point bearing ticket.





I have several tickets for not wearing a seatbelt (I was), and a one for having something hanging from my rearview mirror that obstructed by view of the road (it didn't). What I didn't get was tickets for driving (usually) in excess of 15 over the speed limit. (Most often after a long road trip, when i got used to parkway speeds for a few hours...)

[Knighthawk]

They pulled that crap on me too in days past.  The reason they do that is the state / towns make more money that way.  Remember, this is a way of state-fund raising...it's not about the law, or justice, or doing the right thing, it's all about the money, thus why the plea-downs happened, it was more money for the state, and you avoided points increasing your insurance.

Honestly, this state is fucked...out and out. 

[Socket]

Just be wary of the plea-downs.  I believe some have offered "wreckless driving" (or similar) as an option since it didn't carry points, but is basically equivalent to drunk driving as far as insurance goes.

Fortunately the only tickets I've gotten have been for driving an unregistered vehicle and failure to produce documents.  Don't forget when your registration expires, people. I have gotten warnings for "dangerous lane changes" and driving the speed limit (apparently state troopers don't like the set maximum and/or think it doesn't apply to them).

[Des]

I thought i heard that the  plea-down law that was trying to be passed was that new drivers are no longer allowed to plea-down their ticket. I could be wrong though.

[Jedi Ram]

In my area they have these Target areas just to get you to court to plea down your charges. Its all about money. The state has none and they will try and fleece us for as much as possible. Bad enough our property tax is one of the highest in the nation.

[dreamdanz]

Salutations All,
 I am read all these, and all I can think of is the accident Governor Corzine, got in, not wearing a seat belt and all, and the press made a big deal that He went to court and paid a $200 ticket or something. I'm glad he survived and all, and he probably wears a seat belt now, but where they setting something up? HHMMMM. I personally am not a driver, due to health problems, but even as a passenger, clinch factor is high with the fuzz following you.

[LucasJamison]

Didn't they recently pass a law prohibiting plea-it-down offenses if you get charged with a point giving offense?
Right now, your only chance is to try to get the officer to not issue a point bearing ticket.
and a one for having something hanging from my rearview mirror that obstructed by view of the road (it didn't)

It's shocking how completely a rear-view mirror decoration proclaming your support for certain police related charities can obstruct your view... despite being reminded of this fact on several occasions by kindly troopers who, though sympathetic, were forced to write me out citations for this offense, I keep forgetting to take it down!

Just be wary of the plea-downs.  I believe some have offered "wreckless driving" (or similar) as an option since it didn't carry points, but is basically equivalent to drunk driving as far as insurance goes.

Yeah, got hit with that once. Would've been cheaper to take the speeding ticket, both in terms of up-front cash and long-term insurance premium adjustments. Bastards!