Q: UK citizen received speeding ticket with COURT DATE in US, but I'll already have returned home. What should I do?!
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.
- 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 be unable to return to the country/state? Will the hire car company chase me as well?
A: It sounds very much like you want to break our laws and scoot back to the UK without consequence. If so, you likely can as it is highly unlikely the State of North Carolina will bother to hunt you down for a speeding ticket.but doing so would demonstrate incredibly poor character on your part.
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