Speeding Tickets

[Deneb]

Okay, here's the long and short.
A few years ago, I got a ticket. I've not really drove fast, or over the limit since (the cost of the insurance increase hurts a 22 year old). It is 52 days, until that ticket is off of my record.

I'm so excited, I can count the days [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Bad news, today on the way back from band practice, I had to take one mean crap (so my gut tells me and with IBS, I'm pretty sure it's right), I know there is a diner up ahead, about 10 mins away, so I hold it and keep going. I'm about 1 mile away, and the urge hits me bad.

I speed up a little bit..13 miles over the speed limit.

State Trooper pulls me over, blah blah blah, doesn't want to hear it, and won't let me crap while he writes the ticket.

Yeah, speeding is wrong, blah blah blah. However, I want to see if anyone knows how you can fight a ticket.

I've got no problem with paying the fine, and I've heard before from people, and online if you ask for a lesser penalty (one with no points) at the magistrate, but you're willing to pay the fine, they almost always work with you. Also, I thought in PA at least, cops were not allowed to *hide*, they had to be somewhat visible. When I asked the officer where he was, he was hidden in some brush, infront of a van, so he can see out, and they can't see in. I thought that was entrapment?

Has anyone done this, or know of this, in regards to a lesser penalty, but still paying the fine?

[Rocker8090]

Re: Speeding Tickets

Trust me, as an ex-police officer there is no way to fight that, the only entrapment catches to tickets are when the officer sits down the road from a bar waiting for people to leave, & that excuse is used very often to get out of tickets, it's an ugly job-that's why I left it after 10
years. The only police that cannot hide are on military installations. Most will work with you if you go directly & speak with the Magistrate.

[AfterForever]

Re: Speeding Tickets

I was riding on my bike once, and some cop told me to stop, because I was riding on the sidewalk. I did that because it's a shortcut that saves me around 12 minutes traveling time.. but I kinda increased spead and "escaped" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
a friend of mine was there too, he stopped and had to pay a fine of... 10 euro haha

but on-topic.. I've never had a speeding ticket..so.. can't really say anything about it

[wulfe13]

Re: Speeding Tickets

Get a lawyer and have him go to court for you... It's fairly cheap considering how much you insurance goes up.

[Emthrax]

Re: Speeding Tickets

[ QUOTE ]
The only police that cannot hide are on military installations.

[/ QUOTE ]

You must be talking about non-military police on military installations, because the security forces (MPs) hide ALL over the bases! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
They are sneaky little buggers.

Em

[Deneb]

Re: Speeding Tickets

See I thought that the way they were, was that the officer, who sites you is the one who writes the citation, was bringing you up on charges. I didn't think the magistrate could change the charges.

I can't really fight something I did wrong, and like I said, I've got no problem paying a ticket. I just don't want the points. Hell I'd pay 2x what this ticket is to NOT have the points. Now granted, I didn't admit that I was wrong [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] and I made sure when I signed that ticket, I wasn't admitting guilt.

I also heard, for fighting speeding tickets, that most of the time, if they arrange a hearing, and you go to it, the charges are dropped, because the cops never show up. Then again, I don't want heresay, I want actual stories.

Bottom line, is if anyone here has ever had a ticket, and fought it, (maybe not fought it, but had the penalty changed) at the magistrate or something.

[etaeniura]

Re: Speeding Tickets

I believe if you want to fight it, you still have to send either the whole cost, then if you win, they take 50 bucks for court costs, or you may only have to send the 50 as a deposit-i forget which, as it has been a few years.

The magistrate has the authority basically to do whatever he wants within the limit of the law. What I would do is get a note from your doctor confirming the affliction, get a driving record printout from the DMV, go to the magistrate and be like "I am very ill, I have not had a violation in several years, I was cooperative witht he officer, blah blah blah" basically ask for leniency in the case. The worst case scenario-you have to pay the fine anyway. Best case, he drops it. I have many friends who have gone to fight tickets and either had the points and or fine reduced, or had the charge reduced to "failure to obey a posted traffic sign" which is a lesser fine and no points. It won't hurt to try.

[Ace]

Re: Speeding Tickets

Fight it, you have nothing to lose.

[LarryL]

Re: Speeding Tickets

I've gotten out of tickets I didn't deserve (branches covering a "no parking" sign). When I get a speeding ticket I pay it if I was speeding. Your choices are to pay the ticket, fight it and lie (and probably lose) or tell the truth and lose. I feel for you but if needing to use the restroom was a valid excuse for speeding they would never be able to enforce the speed limit.

[Ralph E.]

Re: Speeding Tickets

Funny, I was just talking about this today with a friend who has gotten out of a few tickets himself by doing the following...

1) Show up at court, and half the time the cop doesn't show up.

2) Show up at court and half the time when the cop does show up, he doesn't have paperwork on the gun being certified properly at the time you were tagged.

[OnlineStageGear]

Re: Speeding Tickets

[ QUOTE ]
Funny, I was just talking about this today with a friend who has gotten out of a few tickets himself by doing the following...

1) Show up at court, and half the time the cop doesn't show up.

2) Show up at court and half the time when the cop does show up, he doesn't have paperwork on the gun being certified properly at the time you were tagged.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ralph is right on the money. If the cop does not show up for court, some jurisdictions will dismiss the case. Also, if the Radar that the cop used has not been calibrated in a long time, you may have it dismissed too.

Matt

[Leppermessiah]

Re: Speeding Tickets

I went to court last month for my first ticket. The judge was so nice! she was giving everyone PBJ, even one guy that had the worst record ever. If you get a nice judge, just be polite and admit your guilt.


Maybe if you would have crapped your pants while getting pulled over, it would have saved you. Not that i recomend that or anything...

[charvelguy]

Re: Speeding Tickets

Ok, well having been in about the same boat about two months ago.. here's what I share with you that I learned.

My senario was similar to yours. I had a speed 4 years ago in July. OTW way to work one day this summer the construction on most of the major highways were getting pretty bad. This day, even tho I had given enought time, I didn't want to risk a late for work while trying to navigate a new route to avoid the construction hot spots.
I had a clear shot around a cement truck, as I passed, I went over 70 in a 55 and there was a trooper on a hill who tagged me even tho I saw him and hit the brakes.

Anyways.. long and the short of it.
I went to court. Chances are when fighting a speed and you haven't had one in a good period of time and you have what you feel is a reasonable argument and a good attiude, the prosecutorhas the authority to alter the charge to something that won't go on your record to effect your ins and you still pay the fine, or if your lucky, you'll get a charge reduction and a charge alteration or at best, dropped altogether.

Contrary to the advice given..the cop doesn't need to show for preliminary or even for court. If I'm not mistaken...they only have to show if there is a trial, which you have a right to if you are charged with a crime..even a petty one.
The prosecutor can still enforce the officers/states charge, and he'll be aware of your record by the time you get to court, so don't lie about that.
This can be solved between you and him/her if you don't have any issues with relaying the reason why you were speeding is that you desperately needed to take a crap.
You don't need a lawyer to tell a prosecutor your side of the story and chances are they'll let you have free counsel with an on sight atty for a ticket anyways. Do not sign the ticket unless you want to pay it now...just take it in to the prelimary and explain your side of the story 1-1 with the court clerk inprivate. If it goes to court, then you'll stand in line and tell the court clerk you're there for a speed. Then you take a seat, they open the session, then you can speak to the prosecuting atty at the table in private and if you just talk with them and they are not a troll...I'm almost positive they'll work with you in some respect. Worst case senario, you'll just have to pay the fine and everything stays the same. More likely is they'll change the charge to have it at least not appear on your ins or some other reduction. You settle it with him/her, you won't even go before the judge and have to explain the incedent in public.

[charvelguy]

Re: Speeding Tickets

[ QUOTE ]
I believe if you want to fight it, you still have to send either the whole cost, then if you win, they take 50 bucks for court costs, or you may only have to send the 50 as a deposit-i forget which, as it has been a few years.

The magistrate has the authority basically to do whatever he wants within the limit of the law. What I would do is get a note from your doctor confirming the affliction, get a driving record printout from the DMV, go to the magistrate and be like "I am very ill, I have not had a violation in several years, I was cooperative witht he officer, blah blah blah" basically ask for leniency in the case. The worst case scenario-you have to pay the fine anyway. Best case, he drops it. I have many friends who have gone to fight tickets and either had the points and or fine reduced, or had the charge reduced to "failure to obey a posted traffic sign" which is a lesser fine and no points. It won't hurt to try.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, this is pretty much right on to what I was trying to say. Just talk to them and ask for leniency, agree with the charge, but give fact or evidence for conditions. With that, they may change your charge. I doubt it'll hurt since you aren't a habitual abuser and have multiple recent offenses, proving you aren't a danger to society or yourself.

[charvelguy]

Re: Speeding Tickets

After reading this further..you signed the ticket? You admitted guilt my friend and you did so in writing with your signature stating you agree to being guilty, says right there in the print. I really dislike it if they try to intimidate you into doing that on the spot. Even so, you could still try to fight this, especially if you have any medical condition factoring into it. Where's Keith?