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Got a ticket :(

#22
syciprider said:
Hey is it true that if you show up in court and the cop doesn't, your ticket gets thrown out?
Gotta love the I-15 corridor between San Diego and Temecula. 85 mph all the way baby.
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Yes. Legally, it's a criminal proceeding, albeit a very minor one, but you're still entitled to your rights, one of which is to confront your accuser. If your accuser, the cop, doesn't show, it's thrown out.
 
#23
TrooperFarva said:
Yes. Legally, it's a criminal proceeding, albeit a very minor one, but you're still entitled to your rights, one of which is to confront your accuser. If your accuser, the cop, doesn't show, it's thrown out.
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true, but that does not work in all courts: here in the New Orleans area, in a town called Kenner, a buddy of mine asked to confront his accuser; DA said "what, whoa we don't do that here, and if you pay the fine we will sweep this under a rug" :rollno: yeah we have a problem here with poor application of justice and the laws
 
#25
If you were rolling with traffic, you must have done something that caused you to stand out from the other cars.

But yeah, that's harsh. I haven't had a ticket in over 15 years, so I've pretty much forgot what it's like to get one.

-Mike
 
#26
MJ5150 said:
If you were rolling with traffic, you must have done something that caused you to stand out from the other cars.

But yeah, that's harsh. I haven't had a ticket in over 15 years, so I've pretty much forgot what it's like to get one.

-Mike
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Hit my breaks :rollno:, I only slowed to 65. So that's 6 mph which isn't much when you're at that speed.

It was a speed trap, after I got pulled over I realized that there were 7 traps for the next 2 miles.
 
#27
I must have gotten lucky when I got pulled over for speeding, I was doing 103 in a 65 and only got the speeding violation, still $300 and 5 points though. But no reckless driving charge.

Since then I've gotten pulled over and ticketed for some ridiculous things:
Rolling a stop sign because I didn't think my car would keep going after I stopped, still got a ticket after the cop called me M'am, and I told him he might have to help push to get me going again.
1 of the 2 license plate lights out, apparantly that takes two cops and 15 minutes of questioning as to what you've been doing that night and what's in the vehicle, if you've got long hair and a crappy car full of bass gear.
 
#28
TrooperFarva said:
Yes. Legally, it's a criminal proceeding, albeit a very minor one, but you're still entitled to your rights, one of which is to confront your accuser. If your accuser, the cop, doesn't show, it's thrown out.
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speeding tickets and most other traffic infractions are just that, infractions. They are not criminal charges. Your usual rights don't apply in traffic court because "driving is a privilege, not a right." In traffic court you are also guilty until proven innocent.

In some jurisdictions if the cop doesn't show up the judge will issue a continuance and you get to take another day off work to go to court. Fun.
 
#31
Bob Clayton said:
absolute worst thing to do.
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Yes it was, I was actually going 74 or 75 though. I had set the cruise for 70 and then going down hill picked up that extra 4. So when I hit my breaks she saw me at 71. That saved me a few $$ and I could have possibly been given a warning.

It does suck though, I was really trying to abide by the law (to an extent). Seriously, if it was May 06, I'd have been going 123 (rev limiter hits).
 
#32
What about radar detectors? Mine has a detector detector that shuts it off - until they come up with a detector detector detector at least.
I took mine with me when I spent a couple weeks in MD and VA a few years ago, and even as a turista, I did not worry about the signs about them. Maybe I should have, but didn't.
 
#33
Enchanter_Tim said:
What about radar detectors? Mine has a detector detector that shuts it off - until they come up with a detector detector detector at least.
I took mine with me when I spent a couple weeks in MD and VA a few years ago, and even as a turista, I did not worry about the signs about them. Maybe I should have, but didn't.
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Detectors are illegal in VA, and for the most part the LIDAR detectors don't work.

VA is one of the busiest policed states I've seen. When I go to class every morning I see atleast 9 or 10 cops.
 
#34
Enchanter_Tim said:
What about radar detectors? Mine has a detector detector that shuts it off - until they come up with a detector detector detector at least.
I took mine with me when I spent a couple weeks in MD and VA a few years ago, and even as a turista, I did not worry about the signs about them. Maybe I should have, but didn't.
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Virginia and DC are the only places they are illegal. In VA the penalty is a $30 fine (plus court fees, which are $56 or so). It's also a non-moving violation, so there are no points.
 
#35
Enchanter_Tim said:
What about radar detectors? Mine has a detector detector that shuts it off - until they come up with a detector detector detector at least.
I took mine with me when I spent a couple weeks in MD and VA a few years ago, and even as a turista, I did not worry about the signs about them. Maybe I should have, but didn't.
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Most of the cops around here are using LIDAR now, and they way they use them, you're lucky if the detector goes off after they've already tagged you... I had one, it was great at telling me when I was near a walmart, but useless for LIDAR.
 
#38
karrot-x said:
Yes it was, I was actually going 74 or 75 though. I had set the cruise for 70 and then going down hill picked up that extra 4. So when I hit my breaks she saw me at 71. That saved me a few $$ and I could have possibly been given a warning.
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And if you want to wash the speed off and avoid a fine you can turn the CC off as you start coming downhill. Dunno about yours, but my CC revs up going up the hill, hence exposing a speed up risk coming back down, or never washes off enough speed downhill. :rollseyes:

Hey, I'm no angel! I once raced through a multinova in a 60kmh zone, doing 130kmh while changing lanes to the left lane (closer to the unit over here), saw the unit slamed my brakes on, put my high beams on and the speedo reckoned about 90kmh when it flashed me. That was over 12 months ago. No fine. I have no idea why.
Last month, I got a fine for doing 50kmh in a 40kmh school zone while turning and checking traffic when I looked forwards he gunned me doing 50kmh. $50.

The one and only time I hit 200kmh or so on the dial in my XR8 (I wasn't looking at the dial to truly know, sorry!!!), I didn't get caught or lose total control of the car. When I realised I had very little, I backed it off to see it glide back past 200. I won't lie, it's one of the best experiences I've had!

All I'm saying is if you don't want the fine, choose not to risk getting one and don't complain if you do.

And you don't try not to break the law. You do, or you don't. And you get caught, or you don't. Regardless of flow of traffic. Some motorist is probably dying on a road somewhere right now as we discuss it.
 
#39
Yeah, laser is tough. About the best thing you can do is be sure you're behind another driver so you get some reflection to set off the detector. The locals here use it, but they are told not to shoot until they have visually calculated you're well over the limit. Usually by then, if you are aware of what you're doing, you have already slowed. But they still use a lot of radar around here in the trap areas.
Well, bummer, sorry about the ticket.
 
#40
Phat Ham said:
Virginia and DC are the only places they are illegal. In VA the penalty is a $30 fine (plus court fees, which are $56 or so). It's also a non-moving violation, so there are no points.
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Worth the risk, I would think. Unless cops will bust you by seeing it even in your car (like in a parking lot or something).
And, as is said in other places, their value can be questionable in case of laser; BUT, they can be placed in places that can give you more help. But if you're the prime target, and speeding openly, yeah, you're cooked.
 

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