speeding and seatbelt (separately) in NC - please help!

[rainyseason73]

I'm from Tennessee, still with a TNDL, just moved to Danville, VA and it seems that every time I cross the line into NC I get slapped with a traffic violation. The first was in Greensboro and I got stopped in an assembly line type fundraiser under the guise of a "click-it-or-ticket" sting. My wife and I were just leaving a restaurant going literally down the road not even a 1/4 mile to look for a nearby parking space to get out and walk around the area, when we got
waved over by a cop standing in the middle of the road near the uncg campus. When we did one cop left the lineup and came to get our licenses, then retreated to an unparked lincoln towncar only to come back with 2 seventy-five dollar tickets (YIKES! for seatbelts - it's $10 in TN.) In the time we were there, we saw another 15-20 cars get pulled over. This seems extremely draconian and unfair. Is there anything we can do about it?

Second incident, a speeding tik, which the cop claimed was for me doing 69 in a 55, I think I was doing more like 60. Anyway, he was going in the opposite direction when he clocked me, the turned around to chase me down. I admit I was speeding to some degree, but this is my first speeding ticket in at least six years,first ever in NC and I dont want it on my driving record. What would I have to do/say in court to get it knocked down to 9 over? Also, I've been reading about the prayer for judgment. Is it true that I need an NCDL to be eligible for that? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lwpat]

You do need a NC drivers license for the PFJ. I don't think that NC reports minor tickets back to Tenn. You can check with the two DMV's to be sure.

 

[Cyrider]

I feel your pain from NC, I'm glad I moved. See if you can get the tix reduced to 64 in a 55, and I dont think it will go to your insurance. You can also pay court costs and like $ 50 or so and go to a four hour driving class, and NC will reduce the ticket from a moving violation down to "improper equiptment" which is like a headlight out, wont raise your insurance. Last time i checked you can take the class once every three years in NC. I've done it twice. In florida, once a year, but a maximum of 5 times. Always go to court early and find out when you can chat w/ the DA about your options. good luck

 

[rainyseason73]

Thanks a lot for the info, cyrider, that's what I was looking for. But are you sure that NC offers driving classes, someone on another forum had told me that they didn't. And you are right, NC is brutal. I've been there twice and got pulled over each time. I hadn't been pulled over for seven years, but I slipped up and they were right there

 

[Cyrider]

I Know for sure that I took a class twice, in two differnet cities. It has been a few years though. Hopefully they still offer it. Sometimes you have to go to a different town in NC to take it, it is not offered in every town. I think it was called "defensive driving class." I would call the courthouse and ask for the district attorneys office, and ask them if it is an option, to make sure.
Good luck.