Why am I not eligible for traffic school?

[dawerz]

I don't understand why my courtesy notice said I was not eligible for traffic school. I have a valid driver's license (moto), no tickets in the last 3+years, no alcohol or drugs involved, etc. Is there some mistake or something I am missing. Below is the info.

1. section you were cited for - 22349a
2. city where you were cited - San Mateo County I280
3. your vehicle info (not required, but helps alot) - SV650S
4. what the OFFICER TOLD YOU - 80+mph
5. what you TOLD THE OFFICER - 70 mph
6. a brief description of the location (ie...lights, what type of intersection, what type of street, etc.....) - 4-lane freeway, dry, clear, light traffic

Thanks in advance for any insights.

 

[}Dragon{]

It sounds like you should be eligle, but there is a LEO or two who are familiar with traffic court in San Mateo County who may know better.

 

[Mickey_D100]

You should be able to get it but may have to make a mandatory appearance to request it. I've had that happen to me. Just showed up, asked for traffic school, and that was that.

 

[zefflyn]

You can also do the trial by written declaration and request traffic school.

 

[L-2]

Some specifics vary by county. For a specific defendant's case, always contact the court directly and ask them why no traffic school option.

Some reasons could be:
-license type, commercial license don't get traffic school;
-mph over the limit or what's safe;
-defendant's prior record or if traffic school was already exercised within a certain time limit;
-adult or juvenile;
-and, already mentioned, a mandatory appearance is required to request traffic school (could be approved or denied by a Commissioner.)

 

[wsmc831]

20+ over precludes you in San Mateo county I believe, otherwise you should be able to go.

 

[motorman4life]

Go in to any of the 3 SMCo traffic courts and ask the clerk what the cut-off is for traffic school. It may be $100. You did not say what the preliminary fine was, on your notice. Anyhow, I suspect that your fine is the problem. Go in to your arraignment and ask the judge if you can plead "nolo-contendre" (no contest) to a speed of 70 and take traffic school. If s/h e accepts your plea, your fine will likely be reduced to the fine for 70 and you can take traffic school.

The bonus is, SMCo allows you to take on-line traffic school. They will give you a list of approved schools when you pay the fine. The on-line schools allow you to do your course in modules and you can pick up where you left off. I believe one school is more video-based and can be quite dry. The other has tect to read and there is an automatic delay built in before you can take the accompanying quiz for that module. You can load the page, walk away, come back a while later, take the quiz to knock out that module, etc..

 

[Junkie]

Wow, I guess I was lucky as far as my ticket and traffic school went.

I got "85+" in a 65 a year and change ago, and traffic school was an option on the courtesy notice. Fine was $236 I think (somewhere in the $23x range), and I could take online traffic school... which took me something like 40 minutes. www.easyonlinetrafficschool.com is where I went.

 

[mud]

It's greater than 25 MPH over the speed limit. That means, if you were cited for going 26 or more over the speed limit, the court clerk cannot automatically approve traffic school, but the referee may.

20+ over precludes you in San Mateo county I believe, otherwise you should be able to go.

 

[dawerz]

Thanks for all the advice so far. The notice said the fine was $158 so maybe the over $100 thing is the problem...

 

[Lester Green]

Thanks for all the advice so far. The notice said the fine was $158 so maybe the over $100 thing is the problem...

i don't recall ever seeing a speeding fine for less than 100