FlyinLowTL

Hey all -

So, I'm driving to work today as usual and passing all the retards on the highway when I come over a hill and spot Johnny Law sitting in an unmarked cruiser on the other side of the street. I swear I made direct eye contact with him as I tried to slow down (without being too obvious about it - I even downshifted). He pulls me over, nice guy really, but still gives me a ticket.

I get to work this morning and I'm checking out the ticket, and it says that I was clocked doing 71 in a 51. Yes, 51 mph speed limit.

I know this isn't true (other than obvious reasons), as well as know that the speed limit is actually 55 on this particular stretch of highway. So, I think I'm going to go fight it, since I cannot determine what the fine is, since the ticket says I was going 20 over (71-51=20)...BUT, I was actually going 16 over (71-55=16)

Who here thinks I could / should go to court and fight this, and what are my chances of just getting this thrown out?

I appreciate the advice, but seriously, keep the speeding lectures to yourself. I am a safe driver.

THX!

Kraftycutter

I think you can get it thrown out . . . based on the 51 limit alone.

Additionaly, most cops don't show up to court

LoveMyTL-S

What do you have to loose? Go fight it.

jumbosizeme79

51mph speed limit? ive never seen such a thing, 16 you might be able to fight it. any previous tickets?

i mean the worst they can say is no, but a hassle and time consuming. how much was the ticket?

FlyinLowTL

Yeah, this was a mistake by the cop. I've had a few tickets in my life..maybe 4 since I turned 16..12 years ago.

The ticket says $140 if I was going 20 over and
$124 for 16 over...which is what I was actually doin

TzarChasm

Certainly worth fighting since he got the calculation wrong however they are not simply going to let you off because he made a mistake on the ticket, contrary to popular TV police drama, thats not how it works.

Bearcat94

You're busted.

"They" should fix the ticket to reflect the correct posted speed.

Did the Crime; Do the Time.

Try to get a reduction.

This belongs in Car Talk.

Kraftycutter

i think you can get it tossed. and depending where you live you can just take defence driving and it will go away . . . plus you can get up to 10% off your insurance. How the hell does that make sense?

FlyinLowTL

Yeah, I know I was speeding. But, I've gotten out of tickets simply because they were dated wrong. I'm not looking to go to trial over this, just thought I could get it dismissed because it doesn't make any sense, and the record shows a speed limit zone that doesn't exist. Loopholes my friend.

YOU belong in Car Talk haha

leedogg

ANY mistakes on a ticket can usually get it thrown out. I wouldnt call traffic court a 'Trial' more like a queue of people that go up plead their case, the judge hears the officer, and then makes a decision.

jimsta

iTrader: (1)

Depending on where you are, most cops will show up since this is a large revenue source for some towns.

But fight it, you may get a reduction if judge is nice.

FlyinLowTL

Yeah, that is a good point, considering that it was from small town I was passing through. They were out in full force this morning. Everyone at work was talking about it when I got in. I passed three more within a two mile stretch. Def on the docket for them this morning for speed traps.

I think at the very least I could get it dropped to a non-moving violation and save me a possible increase on insurance.

Thanks everyone.

visuelz

But cops don't get paid, so as long as the cop doesn't show up then you can get off the hook.

Bearcat94

Maybe it varies by state, but I don't think mistakes of a non-material nature will get it thrown out.

The posted speed is a question of verifiable fact. The office should have written 55 (or whatever) and made a clerical error, BUT the error can be corrected and the correction can be factually/indesputibally *verified* and applied.

Now if he had cited you for 51 in a 55, *that* would've been different (even if you had actully been doing 71).


IOW - correct the posted speed, figure the correct fine and go *make a request for a reduction*.


(And this will get locked. Sooner or later. :lol: ).

TzarChasm

You are 100% correct,.... both times.

Tripnbeats

yea if the juge is a dick he'll be like regardless u were doing 20 or 19 over the limit.

BlacuraTL-S

iTrader: (3)

if you go to court and it doesnt work and you get stuck with a 20 over or 16 of whatever


PM me...

clavodulce16

as you can see you have a solid ground to fight this ticket. You can clear see that the cop was trying to be a dick about it and was trying to get you to pay the highest amount. The cop knows that 20+ is the highest amount in fine. So all he really did was add 20 to your actual speed. lol use his error in your favor. And remember you had your cruise control set at 51MPH

01tl4tl

Many states use a system where you get a hand written ticket at the time- that information is entered into the computer and then in the mail you get the 'official citation'-
Which will show 55 speed limit- and the fine $, and if is possible to go to traffic/driver school and keep it off your record.
There will be deadline dates and numer to call for more info

So the Officer didnt write hard enough to get your copy to say 5- and it looks like a 1 - for whatever reason. Doesnt matter- his copy is right.
If the wrong DATE was on the ticket- thats different.
20 mph over, they usually let you do school- one time
21 over- sorry, ticket plus 1 point on your record

The insurance doesnt go up until the current policy period ends

01tl4tl

If he wrote it was a 50 zone and you have photo of 55 sign...that would be something

rksokol

Post a photo of that "51 mph" sign; I'd like to see that!

In court I'd go for a reduction. I wouldn't fight this one head-on.

FlyinLowTL

I scanned the ticket...just so you all know that it isn't that the '5' looks like a '1'. It IS a 1

ac08odl

i say they will fix it... good luck with that.... i know i got pulled over for passing on the right about 2 years ago and the cop spelled my last name oter but my last name is otero and he also wrote i had a honda civ..they threw it out

ac08odl

question for you flyln. what happens is you chose not to sign that ticket

JCL622

if you don't sign and the cop at the moment claims 20+ he can haul your ass to jail.

at least that's how i understand it in MO.

i recently got a ticket coming back from camping and the cop yelled at me and cursed at me that he had to go "140" to catch up to me. I didn't argue because i knew i was speeding; ~ then come the ticket and it says 100 on a 60 and that he paced me for that speed. (this is also in MO)

i'm still trying to figure out wtf to do with this ticket; i think i'll plead guilty but not to 100 and that i had the cruise control set to 85, which was the flow of traffic and that the cop was stationary and drove 100 to catch me.

ac08odl

wow 140 to catch up.. i would had told him you should give your self a speeding ticket for going 140 you were driving faster then me officer lmao... dont blame him for screaming at you blame his wife she put him in a bad mood and he cant scream at her so he took it out on you lol.... so after 20+ the speed limit you have to sign it?

leedogg

if i was a lawyer i would have a field day with this. If the posted speed limit was a 'mistake' maybe his recording of your speed was likewise a 'mistake'. I would argue that you were not going 71, and that you were not in a 51 mph speed limit zone.

as for non material mistakes, tell me there is no material difference between a ticket recorded as 20+ vs a ticket under 20+. If the cop writes you were going 32 in a 12 zone when its actually a 25mph zone, thats a serious error.

bhavin3623

yea ive gont to court 2 times and got out of it both times..usually the officer isnt there and the prosecutor will tell u how much u owe...tell them u dont want it on your record and they will make u pay a lil more but its better in the long run b/c of insurance..but be aware they will make u wait in court for a long time..i went like 2 weeks ago and amost missed an exam..i had to wait 4 hrs

Tripnbeats

i wish u can run over some cops and say ur foot slipped off the brake.

ac08odl

lmaooooo lmaooo lol lol... oh man thats funny lol...

visuelz

Do you think if a TSX was rebadge Hond Accord, they would make the mistake and write Honda Accord

BlacuraTL-S

iTrader: (3)

postpone your date once and then og to court...

ac08odl

no because its on the registration..

ac08odl

no because its on the registration..

frenchbiker

As far as I know, cops get paid when they go to Traffic Court and I've yet to see a cop not showing up at a hearing.

ac08odl

if they were to get you with a parking ticket back then when they use to write the tickets by hand then maybe. but now theu got the little guns that zap you bar code and the ticket prints out. i cut 5 lines out my bar code on my reg. so now they cant scan shit lol let them write the shit lol

ac08odl

yeah this is ture thats why im going to see if they lower my ticket i got for having my music so loud that you can hear it 2 blocks away as that cop said which was bs.

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

This discussion belongs in Car Talk. Since we can't move threads there, feel free to restart it. This thread is closed.