Speeding Ticket Advice Request

If you were doing 120, then just politely say so to the judge, apologize, and suck it up. If you weren't doing 120, but under 100, then yeah - get an attorney and fight it.

<rant>

I really don't understand why anyone tries to get out of something they actually did. If we are the victim of a crime, we would be furious if the perpetrator got away with it, yet when we are the perpetrator, we try to get away with it. Forget about the arguments of speeding is a victimless crime etc... A crime is a crime no matter what. To paraphrase the current Australian Treasurer during a debate about immigration, "If you don't like the laws of this land....LEAVE".

This is not directed at Jay, but just a general observation. Can you tell I have kids at the age where I am trying to teach them to take responsibility for their actions, and that bad choices have bad consequences?

And yes, when I got caught speeding, I just sucked it up and paid the fine.

</rant> Dave

 

You should definitely fight the ticket. If you are lucky, the officer will not show up and your case will be dismissed automatically. I know people say that the officers usually show up these days, but on my last three tickets(the first one for dong 105 mph), and on my wife's last two tickets, we fought on all of them, and none of the officers showed up.

If he shows up, you can always plead guilty at that time. Don't go down without a fight!

 

And I think that's a positive and sensible attitude. All you can do is ask the judge for leniency, and have some good reasons why you deserve leniency (remorse, first offense, etc) and hope for a good outcome.

Please, PLEASE know that I wasn't attacking you in my rant. I was criticizing the "get out of it at all costs" that many "other" people display. To get off of a speeding ticket on a technicality, repeatedly, does nothing to deter anyone from future speeding. If anything, it encourages it! And of course we all know that these "others" are the best drivers on the road in the best cars etc, but it is the moron in an SUV who isn't paying attention while doing 75 that pulls across 3 lanes directly in front of the other who's doing 100+ that results in carnage. Strangely enough, the SUV getting hit from behind by a small, low sports car fares very well. The sports car - not so good.

Same goes for DWI - why anyone EVER thinks they deserve to get off that one I have no idea.....

 

Jay, could you give more detail about where and how you were caught?

I got nailed doing 95 a few miles before the agricultural check point. The CHP car was actually parked behind a bush in the dirt on the side of the freeway using radar. It took him forever to slog through the dirt and get on the asphalt to catch up with me.

Just curious if that area is a hot spot for CHP activity.

 

I have been stopped at least 5 times in the last 7 years and have not been written up. I know enough cops and they have all told me the same thing:
IF I am guilty (and I always am), do not try to make the cop look stupid or like a fool. Give him the impression that you know what you did was stupid and wrong. And find something that you have in common to talk about.
2 Sundays ago I was stopped in T.O. for speeding up to an intersection to beat a light, but the light turned red before I got there so I made a right turn on a red without stopping. 2 violations! So what happened...I told him I was a complete idiot for doing what I did, we ended up talking about hockey for 10 minutes and he let me go. It pays to be nice. Never try to BS a cop.

 

Why even suck up? Wouldn't that also be trying to lessen the consequences of your actions?

Not directed at you, Dave, but being nice to the officers when you get pulled over? Isn't that also trying to "get away" from the consequences of our actions? Not only that, but is that not trying to compromise the duty of the officers in properly enforcing the law? Is the officer really behaving in a proper way when he "selectively" enforces the law? Choosing who to give tickets to and who to let go with a warning?

Just a crazy rambling of mine....

 

So he used radar on you while he was driving in the other direction? Yikes! I didn't know they could do that. Time for me to get a Passport 8500.

 

Getting written up for over 100mph will get your license taken away for 30 days. The fine will probably be less than $300. It is a 2 pointer so good luck with your insurance.
If you can, plead with any cop that tries to write you up for over 100mph. Or try plead guily to 99 in court.

Been there, done that....... twice!

Rick

 

do you have to go to Nevada for your court date or can you go to court in CA? If you can go to court in Cali, I highly recommend you sit in on as many traffic court hearings as possible, the courthouse changes judges ever week (or is it per session?) and some judges are infinitely nicer than others.

When I was appearing before a judge last time - to request Level 2 traffic school - there was a girl (not good looking) appearing ahead of me for a 2 point violation (exhibition of speed in a school zone, outside of school hours) and the judge offered to lower the ticket to a 1 point violation and offered level 1 traffic school. The judge offered this! All the girl had to do was accept his offer. Then when it was my turn, the judge offered me level 2 traffic school before I could ask for it. Then again, maybe I just caught that judge on a good day. During level 2 traffic school, however, when we were sharing our stories about our violations - many people shared similar advice about 'shopping the judges' essentially

best of luck.

 

I am unfamiliar with Barstow, but I am sure your attorney will know if you can sit in on different traffic court sessions to try to pick your judge - assuming they change judges regularly and you have adequate time between now and your court date.

best of luck

 

My understanding of radar gun is that the officer (actually the gun) has to be stationary in order to capture an accurate reading. If the officer was moving, that reading can be be established as accurate, hence invalid ticket. Do some research online to see if you can use this approach.

 

DEFINATELY...not. The non-stationary radar has another radar picking up the ground speed of the police car. It is added (following) or subtracted (oncoming) from your relative speed to get your actual speed. Sorry.

 

I have not heard of non-stationary radar. I thought all radar guns needs to be stationary during operation. Perhaps more research myself

 

I don't thnnk you can go to traffic school, but it never hurts to ask. You never know what kind of mood he may be in. He may reduce it to one point with traffic school for your first offence.

Yep, that will be me. See you there.

 

suck IT up ie admit idiocy, stupidity and the offense and pay the fine and be done with it. I am always polite to the officer, and am happy to "chat", but I never expect to get off the ticket because of this. They have the power of discretion, but the simple fact is, if you get caught towards the end of the month, and they are behind on quota, you're gonna get the ticket no matter what.

As for radar and laser speed detection, I have to say that folks here in California have no idea how good we have it. In Australia, highway patrol cars can be, and are, unmarked, of any type, and they have speed cameras in the cars. So, you speed past a Porsche or an Explorer and a week later get a ticket in the mail. The cameras are 100% accurate BY LAW so you can't fight it. 3 MINOR speeding offenses in 3 years, you lose your license. Done.

Needless to say most people there stick to the limit. As for general driving ability - it is about as bad as here, but Sydney drivers are way more agressive than here. I am amazed at how polite drivers here in SoCal are.

Enough from me....

 

There is no quota whatsoever for any Agency in CA. Officers are expected to be productive... Meaning If Motorcycle Officer Joe cites ten people a day and Motorcycle Officer Adam cites 2 people a day... Officer Adam would appear to be slacking off...

There is no magical number that they have to meet. I had partners that hated to write traffic tickets unless they were blatent violations. Some just rather make arrests all day and respond to calls Some are assigned to Traffic and all they do is write tickets all day, ie CHP and Motor cops.

 

Please get a good traffic specialist attorney. This could impact you for years.