Don't get speeding tickets in Quebec

Devourers

Registered User
Sep 20, 2013
3,038
12
Montreal
I won in court a couple years ago. I was one of the 2nd half of people to go up so I saw every single person ahead of me lose. My ticket was for doing 110km/h in a 50 zone. Thing is, I was on the ramp to merge onto the highway by the time I hit 110km/h, was only doing 80-85 in the 50 zone.

Every person prior to me had some long tale about their ticket and droned on for 10+ minutes explaining it and lost. I went up there, told the judge flat out what happened, that I was speeding but I was never doing 110 in a 50, I was doing 85ish when I hit the ramp and was doing 85 maximum in the 50 zone. Then subsequently got up to 110km/h in a 100 zone, slowed down to 100 immediately when I saw the cop and the cop tried to tell me I did 110 in a 50.

The judge immediately believed me and told me "so you did 85 in a 50? okay, 85 in a 50 it is then" and awarded me a much smaller ticket with far fewer points. At the time this was all happening the attorney for the government starts flipping out in French telling the judge essentially that he can't be serious blah blah blah and he immediately told her his decision is final and she shut her mouth.

If you plan on going to court over a ticket you deserve with some tall tale don't expect a judge to believe you. These people aren't imbeciles, they became a judge by being smart not some moron you can dupe with some stupid half witted story. If you really were wronged and are fighting a legitimate case, tell your story, be clear about it and make it quick. Other people wasted the guys time with all sorts of BS, I told the truth and made my point quickly.

It isn't that Quebec is the worst place to get a speeding ticket, it's just that so many morons who are clearly guilty fight them anyways and waste the courts time. This one guy said his speedometer was broken blah blah blah and that he had proof from an inspection, the inspection had been done 1 week prior to his court date for something that happened 1+ year ago. The judge told him, if what you were saying was actually true you'd have the speedometer inspected the same week, not over a year later right before your court date.

Truth be told the Quebec court system is littered with idiots trying to get one over on the judges. It's putting a tremendous strain on the system and the people lying in court about their speeding is making it worse. A while back I remember hearing there was a lack of judges and cases were taking a really long time to go to court. If you truly believe you're in the right and not wasting the courts time then fight it, but if you're full of **** just pay your fine and get on with your life.
 

Beaker

In My Lab Goggles
Jun 4, 2007
5,395
1,419
In The Lab.
The one thing about getting tickets in Quebec is that you can bargain before going to trial. 200$ ticket and 3 points? Plea bargain to a 300$ ticket, no points. Essentially, you contest, get a court date, either you or a 50$ ticket lawyer contacts crown and negotiates a plea. Never lose any points. Never goes on your drivers abstract. Insurance doesn't change.

There's such a strain on the system they're happy to avoid a trial... You won't see that in some of the other provinces...
 

Paris in Flames

Registered User
Feb 4, 2009
15,903
7,935
Driving in Quebec (Montreal specifically) is a terrifying enough experience. No need to add higher speeds to it.

I still get 'Nam like flashbacks.
 

Devourers

Registered User
Sep 20, 2013
3,038
12
Montreal
If you've driven in Massachusetts without being scared you have nothing to worry about in Quebec IMO. Roads are much ******** in Quebec but I found people were less crazy tbh.
 

Dog

Guest
I took a pill in Quebec

On rue st catherine

to show Zaide I was cool
 
Jul 17, 2006
12,844
330
New Zealand
What is generally accepted as the tolerance for going over the speed limit in the Canada? When I was there last year most cars seemed to be doing 130+ on the highways.
 

Devourers

Registered User
Sep 20, 2013
3,038
12
Montreal
I drove in Miami, does that count?

Not sure, but when I was in Mass people drove on the shoulder in droves. People would change lanes rapidly almost as if they weren't even checking blindspots. One guy was weaving through some decent daytime traffic going probably 50%+ over the limit. Might have just been bad luck, but in one weekend on the highways in Mass I saw more bad driving than I've ever seen in such a short time period in Quebec, and I still have seen my fair share of awful driving here too.
 

Paris in Flames

Registered User
Feb 4, 2009
15,903
7,935
What is generally accepted as the tolerance for going over the speed limit in the Canada? When I was there last year most cars seemed to be doing 130+ on the highways.

130 is pushing it but you can do anywhere between 100-120 and nobody would blink. Actually...going 100 is probably a more questionable thing then 120.
 

crump

~ ~ (ړײ) ~ ~
Feb 26, 2004
14,969
6,867
Ontariariario
When Ontario had photo radar in the 90's, the threshold was 105. Everyone was going crazy, either going 105 or getting tickets. When you saw a guy driving 120 you knew the poor sucker was late for something and was probably going to get a ticket because of it. The arguments for photo radar were things like fewer traffic jams and Driver safety. It turned out to be a giant cash grab and was scrapped. It would be interesting to see the stats on its effect on traffic flow and safety.

120 seems to be the norm now. With the occasional 140 zipping past you. There is always going to be someone who just doesn't like being behind the pack. i tend to drive 110 -120 on main highways. I have heard from various police officers that 30 over the limit is when they will pull you over even on county roads.
 

Dr Pepper

Registered User
Dec 9, 2005
70,927
16,279
Sunny Etobicoke
I've had cops fly past me on the 400-series highways, going 130 with the lights/siren off.

100 is the "posted" limit, 120 is what everyone drives anyways, and some keep it a little faster than that.

I hate the ones that go exactly 100, and end up in the fast lane. I heard a story once of a few guys who wanted to prove a point about how ridiculous the current posted limit is; they basically drove up the entire 400, spanning across all the lanes, going exactly 100km/h the whole way. It backed up the entire highway with traffic as a result. :laugh:
 

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