Hey Sean, I don't know what it's like where you live, but here in
Massachusetts the axiom is Deny Unto The Death. Every time I've been
pulled over -- every time -- the cops themselves tell me "you should
contest the ticket in court, and it'll probably be dismissed". And
they are right: every time I've contested a ticket (which is most of
the time) they are dismissed, rubber-stamp style. The traffic courts
here are so swamped that basically anyone who bothers to show up in
court has their case perfunctorily dismissed, not because they're
(we're) in the right, mind you; but because the magistrates and
judges don't have the time to so much as listen to you explain how
the light was yellow, and it was raining, and your kid just dropped
his pacifier, etc.  Rubber stamp, and off you go. Deny, unto the
death.

Massachusetts writes a lot of tickets too, and our insurance rates
are among the highest in the country. So you really do have to keep
your safe driver rating as high (or low, or whatever) as possible or
it can multiply your premiums by a shocking degree.  So depending on
where you live, and which way the winds blow there, I recommend you
don't automatically pay the ticket, but rather risk the court
appearance. It could save you cash in hand, and wasted time in
traffic school, and future insurance hikes. I think it's worth
risking the potential increase in penalty, to have a chance to avoid
all that BS, don't you?

-Isaac in Cambridge