Speeding ticket question

[nomad]

Well, it had to happen sooner or later.:(
I had to go get fuel for the beast, so I got a car wash at the same time(Mobil touch free).
Pulled out of the Mobil station and got on the on ramp to Rte. 81 south to head home.
Tires had a little water on them plus I needed to dry the car off.
Nobody in front of me.Floored it.
Well, wouldn't you know it, right around the blind corner there is a road block set up(checking reg.,seat belts, insp. stickers,etc..)
I see them standing in the middle of the road and hit the brakes.
Tires moan a little and let a a small chirp (probably still a little wet)
Sheriff's deputy says, in a hurry?
I say nope, just washed here, needed to dry her off!:rolleyes:
O.K., roll up your window a little.
Yup, pull her over by that deputy ahead.
Pull it next to this 20 something deputy.He says, you know why you were pulled over here?.I roll my window up a little and say yup probably the windows are a little dark?
He looks confused and says wait a minute.
Radio talk for a few minutes and he hands me a ticket for IMPRUDENT SPEED? Tells me he letting me go for the windows.
They checked the windows.registered 43%,maximum allowed70%
Should I fight this? Clean license.Court date 9-23-03.
I'll be in Texas,or on the way home!What the heck is IMPRUDENT SPEED? A judgement call?

[RF Overlord]

"Imprudent Speed"...heh...

In my day, we got tickets for "Improper Acceleration"...there's nothing in Massachusetts General Laws that allows them to write a ticket for "Smoking the Tires", so they have to find the next best thing...

I think you're boned... :( Suck it up and at least be glad you have a car you can have that much fun in... :D

[Marauderman]

Heck Yeah--challenge it-

Here in NC -and probably in most states, it is similiar in someway--sure others here will chirp in on that --that would be good- anyway----you have to have been clocked with equipment that is certified and calibrated within the past year and have been operated by an officer who is also certiified in radar or whatever the equipment was used.. and now adays a camera video of the event ..and if any of these is NOT in effect at the time of the citation., then an attorney for you will have whats called a "field day " with the locals... a mear visual cannot be factual without supporting evidence..kinda stuff mentioned earlier-anyway--it sounds more of a scare tactic to get you to give in and pay up without a fight--I'd fight it ---good luck--Tom...

[LincMercLover]

Sounds like when you get pulled over without knowing exactly what speed you were doing, but they could tell you were going too fast. Maybe you could fight it and say you didn't notice the road block quick enoph and made a quick stop?

[Logan]

Imprudent speed, in other words, a officer's judgement call. Personally I'd fight it and suggest that you didn't see the road block soon enough and had to use quite a bit of force to stop and that you weren't speeding. It's most likely the force with which you slowed down that led to the belief you were going too quickly for conditions.

Ultimately, the strength of your own convictions when telling the story to the judge helps quite a bit in terms of the judgement. Especially when the ticket is based on a judgement call.

Beyond that, never...EVER offer up a reason as to why you think you were being stopped. Heck, you practically invited a ticket for your tint.

#1 rule to fighting tickets in court? Be anonymous. Don't give the fella any reason to take any more note of you that possible. Be polite, be courteous, but only speak when spoken to and respond to questions such as "Know why I stopped you?" with a healthy, "Honestly, I don't know officer."

Also, in this case, make sure if you take it to court, that the officer who wrote the ticket shows up WITH the one who stopped you. The must both be there. If just the fella who wrote the ticket shows up, you're scott free as he isn't the one who saw you using "imprudent speed".

Anyway, I'm done ramblin.

[Bigdogjim]

Well Logan pretty much summed it up. Nomad I would be happy if we make Texas and back with out get locked up (lol)

I would show up and present my case.

If Texas trip crosses date line ask for a later date?
What do you have to loose??

Good luck............

[Smokie]

nomad. If you go to court, with a clean record on a judgement call you have a better than 50% chance of winning, as Logan pointed out if both officers are not there your chances improve greatly of winning outright. The other side of the coin is you go to drivers school (which can be done online) and you get no points against your license and no insurance penalty (assuming your state works like mine) I have fought 2 tickets in court succesfully with verdicts of innocent which means you don't even pay the court cost I guess is just a matter of how strongly you feel about it. As far as the court date that also can postponed if you request it. Good Luck.

[cruzer]

Just a note for you Marauderville bound folks---just talked to a Texas State trooper and he said a campaign is on to stop 100+ mph speeds ---they have orders to handcuff and impound for speed over 100 and new laser speed guns are making their way to the hiways in this area--it will give the exact speed and identify the individual car--can't argue it wasn't you---maybe we better save the 100+ speeds for the track--don't mean to be a wet blanket--just passing along info

[Bigdogjim]

Originally posted by cruzer
Just a note for you Marauderville bound folks---just talked to a Texas State trooper and he said a campaign is on to stop 100+ mph speeds ---they have orders to handcuff and impound for speed over 100 and new laser speed guns are making their way to the hiways in this area--it will give the exact speed and identify the individual car--can't argue it wasn't you---maybe we better save the 100+ speeds for the track--don't mean to be a wet blanket--just passing along info

Thanks for the heads up sir! I hope some in your area will speak on our behalf. ($$$$$)

And one more question. "Why are their speed limits in Marauderville?"

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[RCSignals]

imprudent speed? Is that when it doesn't matter if you weren't speeding?

[Logan]

Anyone doing 100mph on a public road SHOULD be chucked in jail anyway.

Maury did point out something worth noting though. The Cops in and around Ennis/Waxahatchie are VERY focused on speeders, due to the Motorplex being in the area, so everyone would be wise to abide by the limits when in the area.

[jgc61sr2002]

I would plead not guilty. The term imprudent is a catch all. The officer thought you were speeding but didn't clock you. I think you have a good chance of beating it in court. While in court if officer shows up you may want to adjourn the case to get an attorney. IMHO. Good luck.:(

[LincMercLover]

Originally posted by Logan
Anyone doing 100mph on a public road SHOULD be chucked in jail anyway.

So, 99mph's cool right? :D

[Menace]

Originally posted by nomad
O.K., roll up your window a little.I roll my window up a little and say yup probably the windows are a little dark?

You have roll up (crank) windows in your Rauder? :lol: :coolman:

[Rob1559]

I would challenge it in court. The officer may not even appear at your court date. I would ask for a definition of imprudent speed. I was under the impression that you had to be shown your speed on a radar/laser device. Imprudent could also be for driving to SLOW.

[SergntMac]

Originally posted by cruzer
Just a note for you Marauderville bound folks...

Originally posted by Logan
Anyone doing 100mph on a public road SHOULD be chucked in jail anyway.
Don't know if I'm hijacking a thread here or not, and my apologies if I am. This will take just a moment.

For y'all looking forward to driving the Great Road Trip, speeding of any kind will leave you out front and alone. Maybe it's not that important while we're all just small groups trying to stay on schedule, but once the "snake" lines up in Shreveport, speeding, and any other fancy steps, will only break up the train. We'll be keeping it legit so we can keep it together.

Moving 25 some cars as one group will be problematic, expect funeral procession like travel for the final leg. We will require the full cooperation of all drivers, because no one will be left behind. One car stops, we all stop. This will be a "safety first" program and if you can't abide that, don't hook up.

Most likely, Mr. BigDog will have command, seeing how he's the most experienced OTR driver one could ask for. But, we can vote on that in Shreveport before we pull out.

BTW, we may be drawing some advance attention too, no need to look foolish, eh?

'Nuff said, back to the show...

[martyo]

Nomad: I have some thoughts, but first, what county is Liverpool in?

[TAF]

Originally posted by SergntMac
Most likely, Mr. BigDog will have command, seeing how he's the most experienced OTR driver one could ask for.

I'll second that^^^. The man is our Transportation Expert (in more ways than one).


Originally posted by SergntMac
One car stops, we all stop. This will be a "safety first" program and if you can't abide that, don't hook up.


So...who's going to be "Potty Monitor"?:help::lol:


Anyway...you think ANYBODY wants to mess with all of us lined up and not exceeding the limit??!!

[martyo]

Originally posted by TAF
ho's going to be "Potty Monitor"?

Sounds like a job for you my friend....

[nomad]

First off, THANKS for your replies!
Menace, I have the "economy Marauder".:rolleyes:
Martyo, Liverpool, NY.Home of the most polluted lake in the USA!
Follow up, taken from the NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law book;
Section 1180 A [my ticket]
"No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing."
From my limited understanding, usually this is written after a single vehicle accident with no available witnesses.?
Oh,well, I will contact my lawyer this week.
Usually it doesn't do much good to contact the DA's office to try to get a reduction,but amazingly, if you spend the money on an attorney you can get a reduction to a non-moving violation.
As long as I opened my big mouth about the tinted windows, I may as well go for that one.







:confused:

[SergntMac]

In these parts, Nomad, we call it "driving too fast for conditions." Since there is no "posted limit" violation, rather only the officer's opinion, which in your case is based on what he heard, and not what he measured with any device, you would be heard by the court and I think you should explain.

Put your thinking cap on now, and a tie.

Were you not just coming from a car wash?
Are you not the the typical MM owner who just dressed your tires with a product you never used before? (show a spray bottle of ArmorAll tire shine) and not aware that this particular product will cause tire squeal and squeek until the overspray burns off?

You may want to consider expressing how you are not using this product anymore, and how you can demonstrate this unknown side effect in the Court's parking lot right now...Right?

Building race cars in my youth gave me a lot of experience in court. 27 years as a cop also contributes to this experience, and I've spent a lot of time in court listening to stories. First I told them, then I heard them, and the BS that worked never surprised me. It's called creating a reasonable doubt, and absent any testimony of a measuring device and your actual speed, it's your word against the officer, and opinion, K?

Don't worry here, if the Court takes you up on your offer, just wipe the threads along with the sidewall, and drive through court's parking lot (with their permission of course), the Judge may see your side of it.

OTOH...Nahaaa, pay the fine. WTF are you going to do, eh?

[martyo]

Have your lawyer call the County DA. Tell him to explain the situation, particulalry the lack of visual confirmation by the P.O. Then have him offer to have you pay a fine in exchange for no points. That should work (and has worked for me in several NY counties in the past -- including for myself (2x)).

[SergntMac]

There ya go Nomad, thanks Marty!

Local advice is always the better advice. I can't see there from here anyway, eh?

[nomad]

Thanks again,all. Marty, will try what you suggested.People who know me say I'm better off letting someone with,should I say, a calmer attitude do the talking to people in authority.
Not saying I have a problem with authority, but.........................
:)

[FordNut]

Don't just pay it, which is in effect a guilty plea and will go on your driving record. Go to court. Several different things can happen. I've experienced the following:
Officer(s) don't show, judge dismisses case and you're done.
Officer(s) don't show, judge dismisses case on payment of court costs (other option is to schedule another court date when officers can be there).
Judge dismisses case on payment of fine and costs, sentences 30 days probation after which time the case is dismissed and doesn't go on driving record (stays at local level instead of being reported to state).
Judge dismisses case on payment of fine and costs and completion of driving school (doesn't go on your driving record).
These have happened to me, usually with a guilty or no contest plea. Another option is a guilty verdict and the same fine, costs, and driving record points as simply mailing in the payment but usually if you take the initiative to show up you can keep it off your record. Also I've had my charges dismissed with a guilty plea while others have had the book thrown at them with a not guilty plea even when my offense was a larger over-the-limit amount. I reckon it's just a little more work for the system to deal with the contested cases so they get even with ya.

Good luck.

[cyclone03]

Challenge EVERY moving violation.
Even if you are dead wroung.
At least you'll cost the city/state more money and there profit will be less for your offense.

Also contact the court and get an extension,what ever they call moving the date,do it 2 or 3 time if you can,this will lesson the chance the officer will show.

The improper speed catch all will be hard to beat,if the AO noted that you where driving to dry the car,and you may have had water on the tires,then you where using improper speed.

As for deffinitions,get them all yourself it's up to you to know them.

Good Luck.
See You in Marauderville.

[FordNut]

Another tip...
If your name is high in the alphabet your case will probably be called after several others have been tried (at least they call thm alphabetically where I'm from). You will be able to hear how a lot of the early cases plead and what the outcome is. If the judge is having a bad day (mad at wife, got up on wrong side of bed, etc.) and being particularly hard on folks who plead not guilty, maybe you should act or plead accordingly when your time comes.

[Bigstan]

Had my Marauder up to 125mph 1 am route 50

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Bigstan
Had my Marauder up to 125mph 1 am route 50

And that's all she'll do without different programming. Doesn't that stink?:mad2:

[hitchhiker]

Remember - Texas is full of A**Holes!

This sounds like a typical Texas situation.

The rich folks in Texas are connected and don't have to
obey the law but, of course, woirking folks do.

Look at Kenny-Boy Lay and the Enron situation...

Just look at what "W" the shrub is doing to our jobs and economy...

His daddy's oil money bought two of his sons a governorship and then some!

Nuff Said.

Best Regards,

David

[Krytin]

In NY State, all police officers (at least highway patrol units) are trained and certified to make a visual reading of the speed of a moving car. In my younger days I went up against this situation and did NOT win. I had to sit there and listen to the officer recite this training procedures and when he was last certified - and then I had to pay the fine plus court fee.

[DL04]

In NY State, all police officers (at least highway patrol units) are trained and certified to make a visual reading of the speed of a moving car. In my younger days I went up against this situation and did NOT win. I had to sit there and listen to the officer recite this training procedures and when he was last certified - and then I had to pay the fine plus court fee. your right Krytin-at least in Suffolk County police are trained to be 'experts' at' independant estimation of speed', it also helps to pace the speeder or use radar thats all thats needed for a conviction.Imprudent speed is usually written when the pavment is slippery-rain/snow or low visibility- heavy fog or smoke.Have your day in court it cant hurt any more than just paying it up front.

[gja]

Do NOT set foot in a court without a lawyer.
It is the equivilant of showing up for a card game without knowing what rules are in effect, you are going to get fleeced.

[ParkRanger]

In California it's called "exhibition of speed" which really means you peeled out so fast that you represented a danger to those around you. The bad thing is you did it in front of an LEO and that spikes their righteous indignation. (you dissed him)
Your best chance is that the LEO won't show at the hearing if you plead innocent. If he shows, change your plea to guilty and ask for traffic school.

PR