Help: Speeding Tickets

[Danical]

I got caught going 92 in a 65.

I have a fine of 387.50.

However, because it's more than 25 over the limit I don't have the option for traffic school.

A cop friend told me I shouldn't try to contest it via court because officers get paid time and a half to show up and would gladly do so.

He said the best option was for me to write in my contestation and hope the officer doesn't review it thereby throwing the entire case out.

I don't mind paying the fine since I was speeding but I'd like to take traffic school for the point on the record.

What are my options?

[Jaimaltz]

I got caught going 92 in a 65.

I have a fine of 387.50.

However, because it's more than 25 over the limit I don't have the option for traffic school.

A cop friend told me I shouldn't try to contest it via court because officers get paid time and a half to show up and would gladly do so.

He said the best option was for me to write in my contestation and hope the officer doesn't review it thereby throwing the entire case out.

I don't mind paying the fine since I was speeding but I'd like to take traffic school for the point on the record.

What are my options?

Contest the ticket. The cop does get overtime, but they don't want work. When it's your turn (basically after you've waited for the 20+ people ahead of you), ask the judge for "additional evidence that was not present at the initial hearing" (In mass you have to have a hearing with the court magistrate first where he declares you guilty, and then you appeal to have a judge hear it). Conveniently forget that it requires a court motion, the judge will remind you and give you more time and annoy the officer a bit. It just delays things and makes the officer sit there longer.

When it's your turn again, ask for everything you can think of that you could construe as possibly helping your case. Ask for a receipt for the "radar device", ask for any evidence that the radar device was targetted at your car rather than one next to you, as for video footage from the police cruiser, as for maintenance records of the radar device, etc. If any of the items aren't available (the officer will fight this as much as possible) make an allegation that the officer is withholding "potentially exculpatory evidence".

Your whole job at the first hearing is to give that officer as much work as you possibly can, and to get the judge to agree to ask for as many items as you can get away with, especially things that make the officer dig through hours of video tape, look things up etc. Cops are lazy, and unless he really wants to screw you over, he wont' show up at the second hearing when the evidence would be there and the ticket will get thrown out.

The price of the ticket is tiny compared to the insurance increases a ticket like that will get you. Don't worry about the cop and his retarded overtime, fight it.

[Khariz]

Pretty good advice. You can't contest your ticket without "discovery" of the evidence that they have. If you follow Jaimaltz advice, you are asking to have the evidence being used against you to defend yourself. If they can't produce it, that's not your problem.

Good advice.

[Ashliana]

Ouch. Good thing you're not in Virginia. Going over 80 miles per hour--anywhere in the state--is considered reckless driving, and Virginia is insanely tough on traffic offenses. It can carry a jail sentence of up to 1 day in jail per mile-per-hour over 90, multiple thousands of dollars worth of fines, loss of your license for up to a year, etc.

Your best bet? I'd say, get a certified copy of your license from the DMV (will cost about $10-15), make sure you have max points on your license. You can increase your points once every 2 years or so by doing a short, bullshit online course (I forget the site. It's like "onlinetrafficschool.com" or something.

Take the certified copy of your record with you to the hearing after you get your points to max, and show the judge you're a safe driver. If your record is clean other than this, the judge will likely knock it down to a significantly lower speeding charge.

Show up in a suit. Speak clearly with formal language. Do not bring a cell phone. That's about the best advice I could give you, short of: hire a lawyer.

[Drew]

Just hire a traffic lawyer, I've never been convicted once, it'll cost you roughly what you'll pay for the ticket (usually costs me between 200-300 dollars including court fees) but what I really care about is the insurance hike.

[Ignot]

why the fuck were you doing 92 anyways? You deserve everything you get.

[Methais]

why the fuck were you doing 92 anyways? You deserve everything you get.

Even if he had to take a massive dump? I don't care who you are, an emergency defcon 5 dump will make anyone drive wrecklessly.

[Krendeli]

What are my options?

Don't speed to start and take your punishment like you should.

[Methais]

I assume that you and Ignot always drive at or under the speed limit, right?

[Danical]

I should mention this ticket is in a county 6 hours away :(

I think I'd rather hire a traffic lawyer because the time driving there would be a real fucking bitch and cost me quite a lot in lost wages and gas etc.

[Ashliana]

I should mention this ticket is in a county 6 hours away :(

I think I'd rather hire a traffic lawyer because the time driving there would be a real fucking bitch and cost me quite a lot in lost wages and gas etc.

Eugh. I hate that. Some asshole out-in-the-boondocks county with no other source of income than to gouge travelers passing through? Nice.

[Drew]

why the fuck were you doing 92 anyways? You deserve everything you get.


Are you retarded? Speeding does not cause accidents, bad drivers do. I know because I was just doing 150MPH in Germany and, SHOCK, nothing happened.

[Danical]

I knew I would get a few fucking idiots that would say OMFG TAKE IT UP THE ASS LIKE YOU SHOULD!!!11

Hence why I said I don't mind the fine in the OP. What I do mind is 2 mph less and I wouldn't be paying out the fucking ass in insurance costs.

People that see things in black and white generally fail at life though so I can't fault them.

[Tea & Strumpets]

I hate you Methais.

[Danical]

Eugh. I hate that. Some asshole out-in-the-boondocks county with no other source of income than to gouge travelers passing through? Nice.

el oh el.

It's Placer County which is right between Sacramento (where the I5 interchange is) and Lake Tahoe (where awesomeness is).

Apparently, it's a fairly common occurrence to catch people speeding between Tahoe and Sac because, as I've been told, the limit and average speed of traffic on I5 is substantially higher.

[thefarmer]

Eugh. I hate that. Some asshole out-in-the-boondocks county with no other source of income than to gouge travelers passing through? Nice.

Giving someone a speeding ticket for 92 in a 65 zone isn't gouging travelers. You act like the OP didn't break the law.

Edit: Do I think he should fight it? Sure, that's his right and I wish him luck. Insurance hikes suck.

[Ashliana]

Giving someone a speeding ticket for 92 in a 65 zone isn't gouging travelers. You act like the OP didn't break the law.

True. I just mean in general. I was on my way back from visiting family this past Christmas. I decided to leave a day early so I could have a day to recover. I stuck to the speed limit (or about 5 miles over) the entire way, until about 45 minutes from home (the total trip was 8+ hours) there's an idiot in the left lane going 15 miles under the speedlimit. The cars in the right lane were backed up, too.

Everyone's in a huge line in the left lane, riding each other's asses. I'm nervous (I hate it when people do that), and quite annoyed at this completely oblivious jackass up ahead of us. FINALLY, after about 10 minutes, the woman gets over and the people in front of me take off. Anxious to get this guy off my ass that was about to ram into me, I stepped on the gas and got a bit ahead--maybe 10-15 seconds. I switched over to the right lane to get out of people's way (and using my blinker--personal pet peeve of mine when people don't) and what do I see in my rear view mirror? A cop.

Asshole cop pulls me over on Christmas day and charges me with reckless driving. The speed limit was 65, and I briefly went 81. In Virginia, it's considered reckless driving if:

You go 20 or more miles over the speedlimit (I didn't)
You go 80 miles or over, period. (I did.)

I had absolutely no criminal record--at all. Nothing. No parking tickets, no speeding tickets. I obey the law, I study and research the law for a living. And this cop charges me with reckless driving in this tiny, po-dunk county an hour away from my house. Since it was a reckless driving charge, I had to appear in court--couldn't pre-pay the fine and be done with it.

So I took time off of work, fearing like hell I'd lose my license and have to inconvenience my roommates driving me to work. I had max points on my license, went to court in my best suit and got it knocked down to a simple speeding ticket. Paid the fine, happily and went on my way. But that cop was a fucking prick, and I was completely polite and cooperative.

I looked that spot up online--hundreds of reports that it was a well-known speedtrap and provides an enormous chunk of this county's local income. What pisses me off is that I see people EVERY DAY on my way to work going 90+ on I-66 or I-95 and they _never_ get pulled over. I see asshole soccer-moms in minivans switch FOUR LANES over in 5 seconds without using a turning signal. I briefly go above the speed limit because I'm about to get rear ended, on Christmas day, and I get a reckless driving charge? That cop can go fuck himself.

Next time I fly.

[Numbers]

What Jaimaltz said. Go to the hearing in a nice suit, be very humble, not confrontational, and pretty much ask for all the evidence you can think of.

[Allereli]

Are you retarded? Speeding does not cause accidents, bad drivers do. I know because I was just doing 150MPH in Germany and, SHOCK, nothing happened.

lucky bastard, I'd love to rent a porsche and drive the Autobahn

[The Ponzzz]

I'd talk with a ticket doctor lawyer. If you don't mind a fine but removing the points, it is the best way to go.

[Asile]

I looked that spot up online--hundreds of reports that it was a well-known speedtrap and provides an enormous chunk of this county's local income. What pisses me off is that I see people EVERY DAY on my way to work going 90+ on I-66 or I-95 and they _never_ get pulled over. I see asshole soccer-moms in minivans switch FOUR LANES over in 5 seconds without using a turning signal. I briefly go above the speed limit because I'm about to get rear ended, on Christmas day, and I get a reckless driving charge? That cop can go fuck himself.

Out of curiosity, where was this, just so I can avoid it?

The 2 1/2 years I lived between Fairfax and Arlington taught me how to be a bitch on the road when I need to be, which is why I usually do the driving once we go north of Fredricksburg while my husband closes his eyes and prays for his life.

And no, there's NEVER a cop on 66 or 95 or 395 or 495 (or hell, on ANY major road in northern VA) when you most need one. That's one of the big reasons I'm glad I don't live there any more.

[thefarmer]

True. I just mean in general.

OK. That I can sorta agree with.

However, I think it's more a quantity issue. Busy urban areas have a lack of officers able to catch bad/reckless/speeding drivers, rural areas don't (since traffic areas are limited, one office can post up and see 90% of the cars in the area). If you drive like that, you should be ticketed. Unfortunately, the chances you are going to be are better in a smaller area than a larger one.

I don't see it as an assholeish thing to set up a speed trap. There's a busy section of interstate near my house that's an almost permanent speed trap with usually 4-5 cops set up. It's funny to pass by and see a line of flashing blue lights and pulled over cars in the emergency lane.

[thefarmer]

And no, there's NEVER a cop on 66 or 95 or 395 or 495 (or hell, on ANY major road in northern VA) when you most need one. That's one of the big reasons I'm glad I don't live there any more.

Come down to the NC part of 95. Plenty of highway patrol cars parked under bridges or cruising around.

[Asile]

Come down to the NC part of 95. Plenty of highway patrol cars parked under bridges or cruising around.

You're serious? The last time I was that way (May 2007), I don't remember seeing a lot of cops along that stretch of 95 either. (Unless my husband was driving that stretch, so I was therefore asleep and didn't see anything at all.) We're probably going to be heading to SC in late October, so I'll take a look then.

[Allereli]

You're serious? The last time I was that way (May 2007), I don't remember seeing a lot of cops along that stretch of 95 either. (Unless my husband was driving that stretch, so I was therefore asleep and didn't see anything at all.) We're probably going to be heading to SC in late October, so I'll take a look then.

the cops are there. actually the cops are the only thing to see, it's the most boring drive ever

[Drew]

lucky bastard, I'd love to rent a porsche and drive the Autobahn


It's a yearly tradition with my friends and I. What can I say? I really like cars.

[NocturnalRob]

Even if he had to take a massive dump? I don't care who you are, an emergency defcon 5 dump will make anyone drive wrecklessly.

http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=31459

[NocturnalRob]

lucky bastard, I'd love to rent a porsche and drive the Autobahn

couldn't find one in english:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBv3HDjX-hc

[Ashliana]

Out of curiosity, where was this, just so I can avoid it?

The 2 1/2 years I lived between Fairfax and Arlington taught me how to be a bitch on the road when I need to be, which is why I usually do the driving once we go north of Fredricksburg while my husband closes his eyes and prays for his life.

And no, there's NEVER a cop on 66 or 95 or 395 or 495 (or hell, on ANY major road in northern VA) when you most need one. That's one of the big reasons I'm glad I don't live there any more.

Shitty place called "Shenandoah Valley County" or something. It was on my way back from visiting my mother's family in Kentucky. I forget the route.. It was right after I got off I-80, I think. I'm not good with roads I don't travel often.

[Drakefang]

You're serious? The last time I was that way (May 2007), I don't remember seeing a lot of cops along that stretch of 95 either. (Unless my husband was driving that stretch, so I was therefore asleep and didn't see anything at all.) We're probably going to be heading to SC in late October, so I'll take a look then.

I have to agree. The ten or so times in the last three years I've driven between Richmond and the SC border on 95 have been smooth sailing. Granted I set my cruise control at ten over and leave it at that. It's going north where I always see all the VA state troopers. The NC guys that I do see are usually blowing past me on the left.

[Asile]

the cops are there. actually the cops are the only thing to see, it's the most boring drive ever

I know it's boring. I've done the drive along 95 between Richmond and exit 6 in SC so many times I can pretty much do it on auto-pilot now. I still don't remember ever having seen a lot of cops along the highway through NC.

And...are you sure you aren't confusing NC with SC, calling it boring? At least there's actually STUFF along most of the highway in NC (and, if nothing else, South of the Border billboards); once you get about 3 miles into SC, it's rare to see anything but trees. And since I usually hit this stretch around or just after lunchtime, it's so much worse and makes me so much happier to finally get onto US278.

And to get back to the topic of speeding...the locals drive like lunatics on 278 between Hilton Head and I95. I just stay to the right and tell them to kiss my ass if they don't like me going 5 above the speed limit; no way am I getting a speeding ticket 800 miles from home :P

[Allereli]

And...are you sure you aren't confusing NC with SC, calling it boring?

I drove DC-Raleigh a couple of months ago, the most interesting things I saw were the mullets at the gas station. The drive itself sucked.

[Berylla]

Some other things to consider....

Every time I've gone to traffic court, the first thing that happens is you meet with the prosecutor outside of the court and if you don't have too much else on your record, they will usually lower the charges, especially if you make it clear that you're going to contest it.

My uncle got his son off scott free by taking his car immediately to have the speedometer calibrated. Then they went to court with the receipt for the calibration and said that the speedometer was "off" and they've since fixed the problem. First time offense, the charges were dismissed.

Even though it's far away - definitely go to the court date and show up in a suit as previously suggested. If you don't go, they're not going to give you any leniance.

[Warriorbird]

The route most folks take from DC to NC isn't interesting. I personally love doing 86 from Danville down to Chapel Hill.

[AnticorRifling]

Contest the ticket. The cop does get overtime, but they don't want work. When it's your turn (basically after you've waited for the 20+ people ahead of you), ask the judge for "additional evidence that was not present at the initial hearing" (In mass you have to have a hearing with the court magistrate first where he declares you guilty, and then you appeal to have a judge hear it). Conveniently forget that it requires a court motion, the judge will remind you and give you more time and annoy the officer a bit. It just delays things and makes the officer sit there longer.

When it's your turn again, ask for everything you can think of that you could construe as possibly helping your case. Ask for a receipt for the "radar device", ask for any evidence that the radar device was targetted at your car rather than one next to you, as for video footage from the police cruiser, as for maintenance records of the radar device, etc. If any of the items aren't available (the officer will fight this as much as possible) make an allegation that the officer is withholding "potentially exculpatory evidence".

Your whole job at the first hearing is to give that officer as much work as you possibly can, and to get the judge to agree to ask for as many items as you can get away with, especially things that make the officer dig through hours of video tape, look things up etc. Cops are lazy, and unless he really wants to screw you over, he wont' show up at the second hearing when the evidence would be there and the ticket will get thrown out.

The price of the ticket is tiny compared to the insurance increases a ticket like that will get you. Don't worry about the cop and his retarded overtime, fight it.

This is good except for the "cops don't want to work" and "cops are lazy" and "he wants to screw you over" comments.

Facts in that post = good.

Opinions in that post = opinions.

[Kyra231]

And...are you sure you aren't confusing NC with SC, calling it boring? At least there's actually STUFF along most of the highway in NC (and, if nothing else, South of the Border billboards); once you get about 3 miles into SC, it's rare to see anything but trees. And since I usually hit this stretch around or just after lunchtime, it's so much worse and makes me so much happier to finally get onto US278.



No NC is pretty dead on damn boring to drive thru. I live about an hour from Raleigh, most places I've driven to from here, after about 30 minutes it's about all I can do not to pass the fuck out at the wheel.

"Oh look! Trees, pine trees, lots of them!....again, again, again, again ag..zzzzzzz"

And fight the damn ticket, insurance companies rape the fuck out of you for points. I'm still 'paying' for an accident(high ass premiums) 3 years ago where no one was injured & no damage was done to the vehicles.

~K.

[Jaimaltz]

This is good except for the "cops don't want to work" and "cops are lazy" and "he wants to screw you over" comments.

It's basic psychology, most people want the path of least resistance, and don't want to dig through hours of video tape, search through records, etc. Of course not every cop is that way, relax dude, it's just been an effective way to get most of my tickets to go away. Should I put a disclaimer on all of my posts from now on? Vulvamancer was asking for opinions on how to deal with the ticket.


Facts in that post = good.

Opinions in that post = opinions.

I would be so lost if I didn't have you to point out that opinions are opinions.


Disclaimer: Opinions are in fact opinions. Not facts. Opinions.

[SHAFT]

Nevermind. I failed to read the original post correctly.

[Ignot]

Even if he had to take a massive dump? I don't care who you are, an emergency defcon 5 dump will make anyone drive wrecklessly.

Crap, I stand corrected.

[AnticorRifling]

It's basic psychology, most people want the path of least resistance, and don't want to dig through hours of video tape, search through records, etc. Of course not every cop is that way, relax dude, it's just been an effective way to get most of my tickets to go away. Should I put a disclaimer on all of my posts from now on? Vulvamancer was asking for opinions on how to deal with the ticket.



I would be so lost if I didn't have you to point out that opinions are opinions.


Disclaimer: Opinions are in fact opinions. Not facts. Opinions.

He asked for options, they both start with O so I can see how you got confused.

[Jaimaltz]

He asked for options, they both start with O so I can see how you got confused.

... Count to 10. Then read the first 20 posts in this topic. Every one of them has an opinion in it. Pointing out that they are in fact opinions is a waste of time. Everyone already knows that they're opinions. This isn't an online encyclopedia, it's a social forum. Get over it.

[Stretch]

http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=31459

Dude, seriously...there's a 30/70 chance that I would have gunned it and been the featured highway chase on "Cops" some Saturday night if I had been pulled over. Even knowing that it was useless in a 155 HP 4 cylinder automatic.

Do not underestimate the destructive power of bad food on your internal organs.

[AnticorRifling]

... Count to 10. Then read the first 20 posts in this topic. Every one of them has an opinion in it. Pointing out that they are in fact opinions is a waste of time. Everyone already knows that they're opinions. This isn't an online encyclopedia, it's a social forum. Get over it.
Saying shit like cops are lazy and only show if they they want to screw you over was the waste of time. Everything else you said, as I mentioned, was actually good though.

I didn't realize you got butt hurt/sandy vag/ass chapped so easily when someone agrees with you but suggests you leave the factless "opinions" out of an otherwise helpful post.

[Jaimaltz]

Saying shit like cops are lazy and only show if they they want to screw you over was the waste of time. Everything else you said, as I mentioned, was actually good though.

Given that that's the reason the 'ask for everything that could possibly be construed as evidence' method I offered works, I'd say it's not a waste of time at all. The entire plan depends on the cop being too lazy to both keep the months old evidence, and spend time digging through it just to nail someone with a speeding ticket, when he could just take 15 minutes nailing some other poor bastard with a new ticket.


I didn't realize you got butt hurt/sandy vag/ass chapped so easily when someone agrees with you but suggests you leave the factless "opinions" out of an otherwise helpful post.

:flamewar:

[AnticorRifling]

Given that that's the reason the 'ask for everything that could possibly be construed as evidence' method I offered works, I'd say it's not a waste of time at all. The entire plan depends on the cop being too lazy to both keep the months old evidence, and spend time digging through it just to nail someone with a speeding ticket, when he could just take 15 minutes nailing some other poor bastard with a new ticket.



:flamewar:

It couldn't possibly work because the cop is overworked or busy, it's only going to work if he's lazy.....


Your mother! :flamewar: lol

[Jaimaltz]

It couldn't possibly work because the cop is overworked or busy, it's only going to work if he's lazy.....

Heh, if he really cares he'll go above and beyond the call of duty! But seriously, LOL @ an overworked cop. <insert violin music>


Your mother! :flamewar: lol

Your mother's nipple cheese! :whipit:

[Warriorbird]

Overworked cop... (like overworked ADA and overworked public defender) varies a lot by location and events.