Hi there, this is my first post on the forum - hopefully somebody will be able to provide me with some help/advice on an issue I am very unsure about...
I am a UK citizen, currently travelling across the USA for the first time in a hire car rented by Hertz. Earlier today (11 Sept), I was driving in North Carolina (Dare County) and was pulled over by a cop and given a speeding ticket for driving "78mph" in a 55mph zone. Apparently, as the speed I was travelling was above 70mph, the offence automatically goes to court rather than being a simple payable ticket. So, the ticket I have been given lists a court date for mid-October, by which point I will have already left the country and returned to the UK. I said this to the cop at the time, who said I would have to hire a local attorney to attend the court on my behalf.
Here are my questions about this: -
1) If I choose to do nothing in this situation, what will happen? Will they chase me back in the UK for a US speeding offence? Will I have any issues returning to the US, or just NC, in the future?
2) The "78mph" listed on the ticket is wrong, I am sure of that. I was going much closer to 70mph and in fact may have been under the 70mph threshold for this offence to have to go straight to court. Could this be a defence? And if so, how would I be able to defend my case if I cannot attend the court date due to being back in the UK?
3) Again, going back to the "do-nothing" option, would this be traced back to me by the hire car company? Or is the fine only related to the person and not the car/insurance?
4) If you believe the best option would be to hire an attorney, do you have a rough idea as to what the total costs of this would be? And does anybody have any suggestions for a Dare County attorney firm that may be most appropriate (and lowest cost!)
Any help or advice on the above points would be really appreciated. Many thanks in advance!
I am a UK citizen, currently travelling across the USA for the first time in a hire car rented by Hertz. Earlier today (11 Sept), I was driving in North Carolina (Dare County) and was pulled over by a cop and given a speeding ticket for driving "78mph" in a 55mph zone. Apparently, as the speed I was travelling was above 70mph, the offence automatically goes to court rather than being a simple payable ticket. So, the ticket I have been given lists a court date for mid-October, by which point I will have already left the country and returned to the UK. I said this to the cop at the time, who said I would have to hire a local attorney to attend the court on my behalf.
Here are my questions about this: -
1) If I choose to do nothing in this situation, what will happen? Will they chase me back in the UK for a US speeding offence? Will I have any issues returning to the US, or just NC, in the future?
2) The "78mph" listed on the ticket is wrong, I am sure of that. I was going much closer to 70mph and in fact may have been under the 70mph threshold for this offence to have to go straight to court. Could this be a defence? And if so, how would I be able to defend my case if I cannot attend the court date due to being back in the UK?
3) Again, going back to the "do-nothing" option, would this be traced back to me by the hire car company? Or is the fine only related to the person and not the car/insurance?
4) If you believe the best option would be to hire an attorney, do you have a rough idea as to what the total costs of this would be? And does anybody have any suggestions for a Dare County attorney firm that may be most appropriate (and lowest cost!)
Any help or advice on the above points would be really appreciated. Many thanks in advance!
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