NFB: went to court for speeding ticket

[Dave M]

Originally posted by MikeE24
sorry if I wasn't clear but this was in fact the trial date. I already entered the not guilty plea. But I've noticed the same thing about having a fast car as N20LT4Bird. I wasn't pulled over for over 5 yrs. driving my honda. Since getting the TA I've been pulled over three times(only had it 2 1/2 months!). I thought I had even been driving more defensive in since buying the TA but I guess that can't make the bullseye on my car go away. Thanx for the advice everyone.

If this was indeed the trial date and the prosecution wasn't ready (no cop or evidence) then the ticket should've been thrown out. It sounds to me like the prosecutor was trying to get one over on you, hoping you were ignorant to how the system works.

[bluejs75]

OKay, here we go. I'm a retired motorcycle police officer. So I think I know a thing or two about how the system works. First, this is not a criminal offense so the proof does not have to be like it is in criminal law, i.e. without a reasonable doubt. All the judge needs is " clear and convincing evidence"

Contrary to what goes around, the cop pulled you over for a reason. So right off the bat, your guilty. DO NOT say in court that you didn't think you were speeding!!! In affect what you are saying when you say that is that you have no idea how fast you were going. Based on that you did say that in your message, I believe you were guilty of speeding.

An officer does not have to show up the first time. Just enter your plea. If you contest it, then another date is scheduled and the officer must show or the ticket is dismissed.

The officer must state that he observed your speed for at least 300 feet. He must also have a current, not more than 1 year old, calibration sheet on the radar or vehicle.

[bluejs75]

Now here's a big one. What is your driving record like? This information is available to the officer and judge before it goes to trail. I always looked at the record of someone before we went before the judge. Just by looking at the record I knew a person would be guilty if the record was some what bad. That's just the facts folks. Driving history catchs up with you at some point.

Heres a little advise. If the cop was using a regular radar, not laser, then the radar will read a bigger vehicle due to the fact that the bigger vehicle takes up more of the beam. So was a truck near you? Maybe you can bring that up.

If the cop was using laser, your basically screwed. I clocked vehicles, get this, 1500 feet away with pin point accuracy. So of course when the motorist sees the cop because your only a couple hundred feet away from him now, you're going slower. He had you clocked long before you saw him! I used to love laser!

[bluejs75]

I hope some of this information was helpful to you all. It does suck when you get a ticket. Just remember, the cop is doing his job. Look at yourself in the mirror and be a man. Ask yourself, did you deserve it? If yes, then be mad at yourself not the officer.

If a speeding vehicle hit someone you loved then you would be asking yourself, " Where the hell is the cops"!

One more thing folks. Being an accident reconstructionist. However fast you are going multilply your speed by 1.466 and that will give you your feet per second that your traveling at. Add the perception and reaction time of the normal person of 1.5 seconds. What that means is that it takes a normal person 1.5 seconds to perceive and react to a hazard! So for example at 35 mph you are going 51 feet per second! Now add in your p/r time of 1.5 and you traveled 127 feet when you finally hit the brake. Don't forget to add the braking distance too!

Now that's only at 35 mph!!! Remember that when you want to go 60,70!

[Dave M]

bluejs75, with all due respect, not every state is going to be as you tell it. PA, for example, has very odd rules when it comes to the motor vehicle code. PA is the only state that restricts the use of RADAR to state police. Only state police troopers can legally use radar... township, county, municipal must use LIDAR or pacing. Modern radar guns may have a "fastest target" feature that will pinpoint the fastest moving vehicle, no matter what the size. It depends on the model. Also, some states require more frequent calibration of their radar units. If pacing was used, the officer must follow you for .3 miles before it is considered legal.

And in your example, if you're travelling at 51 fps at 35 mph and it takes you 1.5 seconds to recognize a hazard, you would have travvelled about 76 feet in that 1.5 seconds, not 127 ft. Unless I'm missing a calculation somewhere.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by bluejs75
Contrary to what goes around, the cop pulled you over for a reason. So right off the bat, your guilty.

The only thing I can say about any of this is this is definitely not true. It may be sometimes but I can fill a book on how many times I have been pulled over.

OK there was a reason however bad it was for all but 1. The reason was suspicion of DUI because I was driving the speed limit. After being pulled over a couple of dozen times I got pissed and asked cop what I needed to do to keep from being harassed by them. He said I was being pulled over for suspicion of being DUI because only drunk people drive the speed limit. He said go 5 mph over the posted speed limit and I will be OK. He was right.

The time I got pulled over for no reason was an overzealous little city cop to check for catalytic converts. I posted that story on here before. What a joke that was.

Here's something I learned. In my 79 RED Capri RS I got pulled over about every 2 weeks. Indecently the slowest car I have ever owned. In my WHITE 85 GT in 15 years maybe twice. In my 95 WHITE Z 0 times. Red cars get pulled over more than any other color. I think White may be the least.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Not to hi-jack the original topic of this thread, but I'd throw this in...

A few years ago, when I first got the T/A, my friend and I were coming back from a late night movie. All of a sudden, we saw tons of muscle cars and ricers going down the street, so we decided to follow to see what's going on (being naive to the street racing scene - seriously). All of a sudden, a cop pulled us over!!?? We stopped and he said "What are you guys doing here?" I responded and told him the truth. He seemed to not believe (typical because I was 18 at the time). So he said, "Oh yea, I saw a black Trans Am racing here, and you're the only Trans Am." My friend and I responded, "NO!! We don't even know what's going on! We don't race this car." He started giving us a harder time, then gave the breathalizer test - with no reason to!! Of course, it turned out as 0 because we don't drink. He then said, "You know, if you would have had 1 oz. of Nyquil, I would take you to jail." Then he inspects the car and sees I have no front plate, then writes it down. He takes our drivers licenses and goes back to his car. All of a sudden, an LT1 black Z28 (loud as heck) goes by us! The officer then came back. I said, "sir, did you see that black Z28 go by??" He said yes. He seemed to realize he pulled over the wrong guy, as a matter of fact, the wrong make/model car!!! He gave our licenses back and told us to head home. He seemed a bit embarassed and didn't even give the front plate fix-it ticket. So it just struck me how he could just attempt everything in the book to nail us, but realized we were clean and innocent.
The moral of my story.... when cops pull you over, you are NOT guilty of anything, until he can show the facts and prove it. My example shows this is true.
I felt a bit good after this experience because
a) I learned about the street racing events and never would want to participate.
b) I think the officer felt bad for pulling the wrong car over because he did not even give us a no front plate ticket.

[TraceZ]

Originally posted by Jeff 95 Z28
The only thing I can say about any of this is this is definitely not true. It may be sometimes but I can fill a book on how many times I have been pulled over.

I was once pulled over at gunpoint. In fact, the cops blocked the entire side of the highway, all 4 lanes to stop me. They made me throw my keys out the window, in the rain, and then get out, arms first and walk backwards twards them with my arms up. The 2 girls I had in my car with me were in tears when they were extracted from the car the same way.

It turned out, some guy in a "red Camaro" had robbed a PDQ and driven the same general direction I was headed. My red Iroc fit the description. LOL. I'm glad nobody's trigger finger twitched!

[bluejs75]

Hey Dave thanks for your imput. You are misiing something. You forgot to add the original 51 feet per second.

[bluejs75]

51 plus 76 equals 127. You always have to add the p/r time to the original mph( feet per second)

[bluejs75]

Also I was just giving everyone some pointers. OF COURSE things are going to differ from state to state but being in contact with officers all over the country the rules of engagement are pretty close.

[bluejs75]

As I stated earlier, I hope my tips help some of you in the future. Thanks for the imput. That's what great discussions boards, like this one, is all about!

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by bluejs75
As I stated earlier, I hope my tips help some of you in the future. Thanks for the imput. That's what great discussions boards, like this one, is all about!

I always like hearing "the other side" of issues.

[i]
"the rules of engagement"
[/B]

It's funny you put it like that because I have always felt like it was them against me. Every time I have been pulled over it has felt like a combat situation. I understand how that is the worst time for a cop but I was taught that cops were to protect and serve but when all your contact with the police has been bad and there has been no good contact it has a tendency to skew your opinions of the police.

Anyway back to the original thread, I wonder if it would help to have the speedometer professionally checked and take the receipt with you to court. I use the cruise control as much as possible so I can set it to 5 mphs over the limit so I can say that in court.

[bluejs75]

Cops are there to protect and to serve. People may not have thought this before but everytime they stop someone for, say running a red light or stop sign or even stopping someone for passing a school bus with it's lights flashing, those officers are protecting the other motorist who has the green light or the right of way at the stop sign. He's also protecting that child.

Unfortunately, most "good " people's only contact with police are from traffic stops. That's why it's critical for the officer to be professional and courteous. So if he does give out the ticket, hopefully the person will say that he was just doing his job and I deserved the ticket. Maybe the motorist will say, "Gee I should know better than to speed in a neighborhood or to run a red light,stop sign etc.

People may not believe this but most officers hate to give out tickets and many get reminded frequently to do so. We know what it takes to live today because we pay for the same things everyone else does. That's why people consider fire fighters thweir friends more than they do police. Fire fighters are truly there to help someone. But police officers are helping out others when he stops the one for the infraction. Next time you see a cop out there giving someone a ticket, say thanks.

[bluejs75]

As far as the question of the speedo. I personally had the judge "drop" tickets if someone came in with a notorized letter and proof that the speedo was faulty. guess you can call me one of the good guys