Mesquite sucks!

[altiain]

I got a speeding ticket in Mesquite the other week when I was coming back from Austin. I’m not arguing the ticket – I was speeding, and I deserved it. Not that I was moving that much faster than the flow of traffic…

However, the fine amount is ridiculous! 83 in a 60 = $297.00! Are you kidding me?

I got a ticket for a similar speed in Mineral Wells about a year and a half ago, and the fine was $150, iirc.

Anyway, just wanted to vent. I always knew Mesquite was the armpit of Dallas County. Now I have proof.

[goofygrin]

Don't get hit in Plano or Frisco then.

Wifee got a 6 over in Plano in like 2000 and it was $225 IIRC. + to do deferred adjudication was another $40-50.

[Titus]

I would love to see a list of the cities you have been ticketed in. I'm sure it would be epic!

[Sharpie]

73 in a 60 cost me $225 in Dallas county this summer, I'd hate to see 23 over instead of 13.

[jrj512]

I remember back when you could go to the courthouse with a nickel, pay the ticket, and still have enough left for a movie, some hard candy, a pop, and a Moon Pie!

I agree -- that is a lot of money.

[MiataMike]

I got hit a few months back in Mesquite as well. My attorney has it delayed 10 months and is taking it to County Court. Where I will claim defferd Judication for $100 less than the $297 i would have paid.

I got popped just getting off the highway. I was on the ramp doing 63 in a 45. Yea! for being a duche`

[2004Busa]

Did you guys know that it is law in Dallas county that the police can NOT get in a high speed chase with anyone? I work with the Dallas police every weekend and every officer I have spoke to says the samething, unless it is a felony charge, as soon as they hear you hit the gas they will shut the lights off and let you go. Yes, they probably have your license plate number but....

[smartmx5]

23 mph over the posted speed limit??????? You are very lucky s/he did not take you to jail!!!

[Miatamaniac92]

23 mph over the posted speed limit??????? You are very lucky s/he did not take you to jail!!!

60's not realistic/reasonable driving through Mesquite, or most of the metromess. I LoL that it's 55 through Downtown Austin on 35.

Chris

[tailchaser]

23 mph over the posted speed limit??????? You are very lucky s/he did not take you to jail!!!

But this is why I love Texas... Were I to be popped for 94 in a 70 on the way home from work today, I would be AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFIED to take a court approved driver safety course, so long as I wasn't in a school zone, work zone (with workers present) or given another simultaneous moving violation.

[altiain]

23 mph over the posted speed limit??????? You are very lucky s/he did not take you to jail!!!

Alan - I wasn't doing 23 over in a school zone or residential street. I was on 635 northbound.

BTW, they can only take you to jail for reckless driving or doubling the posted limit. Don't ask me how I know.

[POS Racing]

I remember back when you could go to the courthouse with a nickel, pay the ticket, and still have enough left for a movie, some hard candy, a pop, and a Moon Pie!

LOL so can Altiain! Surprisingly traffic fines have increased over the years go figure!

Heck I got $197.00 ticket for rolling a stop sign in Ft. Worth max speed during the offense was less than 2 mph.

[Titus]

20 over (55 in a 35) in Denton County seemed relatively reasonable at $174. The $149 no front plate ticket that accompanied it was not nearly as palatable.

[motorollow]

Mesquite got me too about a year and a half ago. 81 mpg in a 60. They must have it in for our forum members OR maybe we just drive too fast!!

[trickyrix]

I'm going to go ahead and knock on wood here, but I haven't been stopped on LBJ in a long time. If traffic is light, it easily flows at 75-80. Seems like Dallas cops could give two shits about patrolling it. Garland is another story... I've seen them set up monster speed traps on the Garland/Dallas line - laser-equipped squad cars read speeds, then they radio ahead to bikes to run people down. I've also seen the occasional Irving cop popping speeders on that side of town. Fortunately, I don't make it to Mesquite much.

[channelmaniac]

Just be glad it wasn't Kansas... 19 over - 89 in a 70 on I35 cost me $250 and it would've been another $325 to get it "deferred".

To add insult to injury: to get a deferral they run a nationwide license check AND a credit check on you.

Before that I got busted in Lewisville showing off. My kiddo said "Go fast daddy!" and I did. OOPS. Construction zone. No workers (THANK GOD!). On the access road going south on I35E... In that short distance I got it up to 75mph when the cop stepped in the middle of the road with a STOP sign. I slammed on the brakes and JUST stopped where he was inches from the front bumper.

He wrote me up for 64 in a 40 so I could get deferred adjudication. Cool cop! He laughed when I told him why I did it. Then he laughed because he remembered my wife as the one who called the City Manager to complain about folks driving 50+ across the 35mph Fox Ave.



He was still cool about it.

[altiain]

Just be glad it wasn't Kansas... 19 over - 89 in a 70 on I35 cost me $250 and it would've been another $325 to get it "deferred".

To add insult to injury: to get a deferral they run a nationwide license check AND a credit check on you.

Where did you get ticketed? I've gotten two tickets in Kansas (yeah for Nationals! ), once on the Kansas Turnpike and once on 75 just outside of Wayside, KS. Both times were for ~20 over, and the fine was less than $200 in both cases.

I looked back in my records - my ticket from '07 Nationals was only $156.00.

[altiain]

I would love to see a list of the cities you have been ticketed in. I'm sure it would be epic!

It's a long list. But I'm getting mellower - it's been ten months since I last got a ticket. I used to get 4-6 per year.

[autocrosspicturesnet]

Plano is awesome! I got popped for 7 over (42 in a 35), and no front license and not changing my address on my license = just under $400.

[Maverick]

Alan - I wasn't doing 23 over in a school zone or residential street. I was on 635 northbound.

BTW, they can only take you to jail for reckless driving or doubling the posted limit. Don't ask me how I know.

Not quite. They can jail you for any offense except for Speeding or Open Container. Those two they must give you a release to appear (citation) and let you go. Only by refusing to sign the ticket (or doing something stupid) will you earn a trip to jail on those two.

That $297 price tag sounds suspiciously close to the fines in the JP Courts. Was it a city officer or county constable?

Mesquite is notorious for being JBT's with traffic tickets. Garland is the only city I'm aware of that has a worse reputation east of I-75.