NY state speeding law questions.

[bobbings]

So I got a ticket in New York State (Town of Wheatly). I tried looking up the laws and point systems and it seems outrageous. Before I plead guilty to the offence, I want to know what it will entail if I'm guilty because some websites and traffic fighters say it will show up on the Ontario record. I just want to know more about it before paying the fines. I assume it will affect the insurance even if the ticket was issued in NY state? The ticket doesn't even have a fine because I read on a website that the fine is assessed after pleading guilty. I don't want to be hit with any surprises so I hope someone can point out more details about it. Here is the breakdown of the points for each speeding group.

3 Points Speeding 1 to 10mph
4 Points Speeding 11 to 20mph
6 Points Speeding 21 to 30mph
8 Points Speeding 31 to 40mph
11 Points Speeding over 40mph

We lose 3 points for going 1 mph over the limit? I am totally out of the blue with the NY speeding laws. Thanks in advance.

[Pete_Coach]

Unfortunately, New YorK State has a reciprocal agreement with Ontario. The fine will be whatever the Judge decides.
Will it affect your Ontario license, it should. I say should because the originating authority has to report the ticket/infraction to the State and then eventually it is sent to Ontario. if the originating authority does not do the paperwork, then nothing will happen. You just need to wait and see.
having said all that, if you were stopped by the State troopers or County cops chances are very good it will show up in Ontario soon. If it was by a local village or town, then they may not want to do the paperwork and it will never show up.
http://fightyourtickets.ca/reciprocal-agreements-between-the-province-of-ontario-and-other-provincesterritories-and-different-us-states/

[bobbings]

I really don't want to be hit with surprises in the future if I pay the fine. I just find it so ridiculous to lose 3 points for even speeding 1 mph over the limit.

I read about that reciprocal agreement prior to all this but to what extent will it affect the ticket. It seems like no one really knows. If I were to switch insurance companies or buy a car, it would mean I have a speeding ticket even though it was out of the country because of that agreement. I don't have a defence to speeding as I was doing so and I got caught which is why I'm not going to fight it off but what's the point of reducing the charge if I get nailed for 3 points with going over 1mph? Those ticket fighters in the states claim that they can fight it off or have it reduced so that it won't affect insurance at all. I don't believe that but right now, I'm just really confused. Everyone else was speeding but I guess I was the unlucky one to get caught.

The main thing I would like to know is just how damaging this ticket is in the long run and their point systems are different from Ontario's, right? Are those points carried over to Ontario as well or is it just the infraction itself?

[active]

3 Points Speeding 1 to 10mph
4 Points Speeding 11 to 20mph
6 Points Speeding 21 to 30mph
8 Points Speeding 31 to 40mph
11 Points Speeding over 40mph

We lose 3 points for going 1 mph over the limit? I am totally out of the blue with the NY speeding laws. Thanks in advance.

I lived in NY City for more than 7 years. You are allowed to go 5Mph over the posted speed limit. But if you are more than 5 should be cautious. I got a speeding ticket, paid, but it never showed up on my drivers abstract.

[bobbings]

I lived in NY City for more than 7 years. You are allowed to go 5Mph over the posted speed limit. But if you are more than 5 should be cautious. I got a speeding ticket, paid, but it never showed up on my drivers abstract.

The point system is the same on several websites I've come across. I think when you say you are allowed, it's more that they tolerate it but it's still against the law to go over the speed limit. I don't think they'll pull anyone over going 1mph over the limit but I just find it very tough to accumulate 3 points and not have anything lesser than that to plea to the way we can in Ontario. Under 15 kmh we don't accumulate points? Again, just how damaging is the ticket or should I just pay some ticket fighter to go on my behalf and plea for any possible lesser charge? It's not even worth my time to take off work and lose a vacation day just to drive 2 to 3 hours down to the states to fight a ticket and end up losing. I don't know how this Ontario-NY State thing works.

[circumventer]

This is what they do/What happened to me:

It doesnt matter what the point system in the states is, they take the milage convert it to kms and based on that and how much you went over they determine the amount of points you will gain in ontario.

When i got my speeding ticket it took a whole year before Ontario found out. How do i know? because 6 months after i got my ticket and pleaded guilty to it in the states i got my drivers abstract and there was no mention of the ticket. About 6 months later i got a letter in the mail from the MTO speaking about the infraction i got a year ago and how i gained 4 points.

Its 4 points from the day of the infraction, and i believe it takes 2 years for the points to be reset, and 3 years for the speeding ticket to be wiped from my system. I havent told my insurance company and they haven't found out about it.

I wont switch insurance companies until i know its not on my record any more. Switching will prompt them to look up your abstract.

----

My ticket cost 300$ american, then about 3 months after i paid it i got another letter from the states saying i got a certain amount of demerit points and if i want that waived i pay another 100 dollars a year for 3 years, or all 300$ of it at once. - it was from some other company, not the DMV.

**** that.

I haven't paid that fine. Its important to pay the ticket off if you ever plan on returning to the states, i dont think think you have to pay the second one. i dont even know what the consequences are if you dont pay, those points prolly stay on your american record forever?

who cares?

[circumventer]

if anyone can elaborate what happens if you dont pay off the second company. I didnt do any research i just knew that if you didnt pay off the actual ticket you will get arrested at the border the next time you cross.

I dont remember the name of the second company, i think ive accumulated 6 demerit points in the states because of that ticket.

What happens if you have that many demerit points there?

[wmahmud]

You DONT get arrested at the border for not paying - you think at the border they care about a stupid speeding ticket? They are more worried about hassleing you for other stupid things.

I got a NYC ticket - and yes it showed up on my Ontario drivers abstract and yes the insurance company takes it into consideration - I know first hand.

I paid the intital ticket but like the other person also got another letter for some Driver Assessment $100 for 3 years thing - Never paid it, and eventually the letters to pay it stopped coming, I could care less about that and won't be paying that, its just ridiculous.

I also got a ticket in Pennsylvania one time - till this day have NEVER paid it, and it has NEVER shown on my abstract (Penn. is not connected to Ontario as New York is, I think only the state of New York and Michigan are connected).

I go over the border atleast twice a year and they don't ask me a thing about my unpaid $100 for 3 years to NYC or the Penn. ticket I never even paid.

Take it for what its worth, but I have got back to the states atleast 10 times since these tickets with no issues. If I get pulled over in NYC or PENN again, THAT could be a different story, not sure what would happen, but I just go 5MPH over the limit now when I drive so no worries.

[wmahmud]

If you don't pay the second company it mentions your "New york state drivers licence will be suspended" well good luck with that, I have an Ontario licsence, so I guess you could get in trouble - who knows.

[m4gician]

Careful,

These convictions do probably affect your insurance so try and appeal it and look for the same loopholes Ontario has.

[bobbings]

If you don't pay the second company it mentions your "New york state drivers licence will be suspended" well good luck with that, I have an Ontario licsence, so I guess you could get in trouble - who knows.

By second company, you're talking about the fines that come after you paid off your initial ticket?

Careful,

These convictions do probably affect your insurance so try and appeal it and look for the same loopholes Ontario has.

I was going to either go for a lesser charge or pay the ticket because it's really giving me a headache that I just want to get it done and over with but what you're all saying is it's going to haunt me so I should take it to court? I actually just got off the phone with a ticket fighter from NY and he is going to charge me $500 to fight for me. He mentioned something about having the charge brought down to no points which meant that the ticket is no longer a speeding ticket. Depending on the judge, it could range from a seatbelt ticket to a parking ticket. I've heard of charges being brought down ie: from one speed bracket to a lower speed bracket but I've never heard of any lesser charge to a totally different charge.

Is that even allowed or is the guy lying to get my business?

He says once it's dropped down to zero points (which would mean it's no longer a speeding ticket because any speeding ticket 1mph over, we're accumulating points already), it won't show up in Ontario or even if it does, it's just a parking ticket or something along those lines. What do you guys think?

[RedLightning]

I got a ticket for 92mph in a 65mph zone in NY state and successfully hired a ticket fighter to bring it down to a Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device offense, which is not a speeding offense and carries less points. This is important because at the level I was ticketed at before in addition to the ticket itself I would have been fined an additional $150/year by NY for the next two years (I believe it was) for having 4 points on my record in New York state, PLUS the hit it would take on my Ontario record. The exact numbers are not clear to me any more but if you are more than 20mph over I would fight the ticket due to all these additional hidden costs and get it at least brought down.

I had a paralegal in Toronto find the guy in NY to fight the ticket for me though, so I can't recommend any particular guy to find myself.

[m4gician]

The thing again is:

"Does any conviction down there affect your insurance rates here?"

I'm pretty sure this will follow your DRIVER'S ABSTRACT and will still count against your insurance, especially when you get a real ticket in Ontario.

Do some research on fighting speeding tickets in New York state, you may turn up something similar to www.ticketcombat.com or roadwarriors.ca . and get back to us.

I'm of the mindset that all tickets should be fought, but that is rooted in ONTARIO (and from what i've seen) Alberta traffic law.

[circumventer]

hmmm all my sources and everyone i talked to stated that there would be a warrant issued and you could get arrested for crossing the border.- if you dont pay the initial ticket.

Maybe the warrant is issued in the state, and stayes within it, so the ticket you got in Pennsylvania is not being communicated to NY.

Good luck, make sure you don't get pulled over in Pennsylvania again.

[Whitedart]

I was going to either go for a lesser charge or pay the ticket because it's really giving me a headache that I just want to get it done and over with but what you're all saying is it's going to haunt me so I should take it to court? I actually just got off the phone with a ticket fighter from NY and he is going to charge me $500 to fight for me. He mentioned something about having the charge brought down to no points which meant that the ticket is no longer a speeding ticket. Depending on the judge, it could range from a seatbelt ticket to a parking ticket. I've heard of charges being brought down ie: from one speed bracket to a lower speed bracket but I've never heard of any lesser charge to a totally different charge.

I did not see if you indicated how fast you were driving or how many demerit points were involved, but depending on the fine and demerits, this may be your best option.


Is that even allowed or is the guy lying to get my business?

He says once it's dropped down to zero points (which would mean it's no longer a speeding ticket because any speeding ticket 1mph over, we're accumulating points already), it won't show up in Ontario or even if it does, it's just a parking ticket or something along those lines. What do you guys think?

It is a different country, with it's own laws and court systems. So many of the arguments used in Ontario will not work there.

As much as I travel in NY, PA, & OH, I have never received a traffic ticket there because I know from US friends that there is almost zero speeding tolerance in those states. Yet every trip, some car with CDN plates is zooming along the left lane passing everyone else that is driving single file in the right lane and often a moderate amount over the limit, and almost every trip see at least one CDN plate pulled over a by a trooper sitting the highway median.

[Quiggie]

I also got a speeding ticket in New York, 85 mph in a 65 zone. I plead guilty since it was easier than going back to NY to court, and I had no defence anyways. The fine was about $220. I have no idea if it's on my driver's abstract. My insurance rates did not go up, so either my insurance company never found out, or they didn't raise my rates because this was my first and only ticket.

[superdeals]

I did not see if you indicated how fast you were driving or how many demerit points were involved, but depending on the fine and demerits, this may be your best option.



It is a different country, with it's own laws and court systems. So many of the arguments used in Ontario will not work there.

As much as I travel in NY, PA, & OH, I have never received a traffic ticket there because I know from US friends that there is almost zero speeding tolerance in those states. Yet every trip, some car with CDN plates is zooming along the left lane passing everyone else that is driving single file in the right lane and often a moderate amount over the limit, and almost every trip see at least one CDN plate pulled over a by a trooper sitting the highway median.

My experience is quite the opposite. I have seen american plated car mostly speeding. I have tried to go 'with the caravan' some time( most of the time I don't). But I have never got a ticket. More than one occasion I saw trooper pointing the speed gun towards my car (over the limit by 5-8 but always less than 10 mph), but I never got pulled. I think it is unfortunate that the OP got a ticket for only 1mph over. >:(