i don't know about CA, but in TN if you goto court & plead guilty & ask for traffic schol, you don't have to pay court costs or the fine. you just pay for the traffic school (like $50 i think), & after you go they drop the citation & it doesn't go on your record (at least not the one the ins. co. sees). you can only do this once every 12 months though.

i got a ticket a few months ago for 88 in a 70. i went to court & was gonna pled guilty & ask for traffic school, but the officer was out sick so they had to drop the charge