Defensive Driving.....Argh......

[Marilyn]

I'm in the process of taking defensive driving on-line, and I hate it. Don't have time to go to the live classes. I've done this before, and it's just as bad this time. It's such a waste of time. I got a speeding ticket a few weeks ago, and the judge would not give me deferred adjudication. He reserves that for indegent people. It was either have the ticket on my record or take defensive driving. My company provides my vehicle, and I did not want the ticket on my record, so here I am being bored to tears.

Sorry, just had to rant.

Originally Posted by Marilyn

I'm in the process of taking defensive driving on-line, and I hate it. Don't have time to go to the live classes. I've done this before, and it's just as bad this time. It's such a waste of time. I got a speeding ticket a few weeks ago, and the judge would not give me deferred adjudication. He reserves that for indegent people. It was either have the ticket on my record or take defensive driving. My company provides my vehicle, and I did not want the ticket on my record, so here I am being bored to tears.

Sorry, just had to rant.

oohhhh....just how fast were you going????

[Marilyn]

83 in a 70. The thing that gripes me is that I am one of the people who sets their curise control at 70. If I'm late somewhere, so what. Better late and alive than never arriving. I have dings in my windsheild from cars who spead around me and their tires sent small rocks flying.

But, I had one of those glitches where for some reason my cruise was not set that particular day and I was lost in a news story on the radio and she got me. It was a young blonde state trooper who has a reputation for not cutting anyone any slack.

I do a lot of driving for my work, so my exposure is much higher than most people. My husband bought me a radar detector since getting the ticket. Not so that I can speed more, but so it can alert me if this happens again. I must admit though, that with the radar detector, I'm not being a good as I was in the past. I'm tending to speed more. I have to get back into my old habits of making a real effort of staying within the limit.

What a mess!!

[Mandy]

It's usually people that stick to speed limits and watch their driving that get caught for the slightest mistake.
If i look at some of the careless drivers around me, i have to wonder how they ever got their drivers licence

[magnolia]

Marilyn,

I feel for ya! I got a speeding ticket last December headed up to our deer camp for a long week-end over New Years. I KNOW better!!! Like you, I'm one who sets my cruise on the interstate at around 74 or 75 mph - they usually don't stop people going 4-6 miles over speed limit (this from a highway patrol friend - the one who helped TJ with his test last week) - they want those that are going 10 miles or faster! Anyways, speed limit is 55 on the highway I was traveling - had TJ with me, the 2 furbabies, and was "lost" in conversation with my son, definitely not paying attention! Yep, busted! Didn't even realize it but I was going 70!!! I almost passed out when he told me that. He was very nice but still gave me a ticket I now set my cruise on 58 mph when I head to the deer camp, make a point to note that I do that.

As for the radar detector, they are great at alerting you however, know that if you are "alone" (no cars in your general vicinity) and you are speeding, most of the time, they "catch" you. A lot of the highway patrol officers are getting "smart" and they have new laser radar - they will wait til the last second to "flip" the switch and if you are alone and speeding, they got ya. I use one but, like you, it's just for alert - they may have someone pulled over ahead of me and it's alerting me to be on the look-out (I'm one of those drivers that pulls over to the other lane if a vehicle is pulled into the emergency lane).

So sorry about your ticket and the boring class - I had the option to take it and the night they were having it (and the night I needed to go to have ticket kept off my record), I had a meeting at work I couldn't get out of so mine will be on my record for 3 years. That's okay though, this was my first ever speeding ticket - and it is my last!

[Janet]

So sorry you got caught, but you all be careful out there.....SPEED KILLS!!! We don't want anything to happen to you, we need you here!!!

[Marilyn]

Thank you for the kind reply's. It's just like where are they when the real speeders are flying by??? I hate spending the money. $160 for the ticket, $40 for defensive driving, $10 for a copy of my driving record, and I have to submit the driving record twice, two forms to get notarized.

I don't have time for all of this. I'm away from home now for 10 to 12 hours a day. I'm taking the class on-line though, and I can login from anywhere, anytime, so you may miss me on here for a while.

Okay, I'll calm down. It's my fault & I should just accept responsibility and move on. My problems are very small in the whole scheme of things.

You are great gals!! Thanks for the support!!!

[Janet]

Well through all of this, don't forget to take care of yourself. Sometimes we get so busy, we put ourselves on the back burner.....