Got my first speeding ticket (California)

[JBird]

You were going 20 over in a low speed area. You need to go to traffic school.

This. I go 15 - 20 over on the highway all the time where everyone is traveling the same way at mostly the same speed and where there isn't any driveways, stoplights, and cross walks.

But 20 over in a low speed area or anywhere in town is not worth it at all!

I would be surprised if you were able to get out of this. How much is the ticket?

[ButtJuice]

I'm going to wait for my summons, request for an extension (the longer I wait the more likely the cop will not remember me or the situation), send in a TBD with a check for bail, then wait for a response. If the cop doesn't respond, great, I get my money back and it's dropped. If he does, I'll get a trial de novo and do traffic school.

I'll check back here when this is all done, if I win the trial, I'll post what I wrote and sent to the court as an example for anyone who gets a speeding ticket and wants to do a TBD.

[Bimmerman325i]

stop speeding, you twit.

[pandaboo911]

Hold off on going to court for as long as possible. Try to move you court date to a later date, better chance the officer won't show for a case 2 months old.
During this time send in a written declaration. Remember that the Judge will always take the officer's word over yours, to win by written declaration you need solid evidence proving your innocence, otherwise hope that the officer doesn't submit his own side of the story.

You should always pursue written declaration because you have probably a 30% chance of winning because the officer doesn't write in. (Officer doesn't get paid for time spent writing in)

Since in this case you are indeed guilty of speeding, I would say man up, learn from your mistake and pay the fines.

[ButtJuice]

This. I go 15 - 20 over on the highway all the time where everyone is traveling the same way at mostly the same speed and where there isn't any driveways, stoplights, and cross walks.

But 20 over in a low speed area or anywhere in town is not worth it at all!

I would be surprised if you were able to get out of this. How much is the ticket?

19 over* 20 over means reckless driving, which I'm not being cited for. I don't know how much it will cost, I have to wait for my summons to come in the mail I think.

Also, I didn't feel like I was going 64. I felt like I was doing 55 or so. (my speedo is about <10 mph off so it's hard for me to know exactly how fast I'm going) and I was keeping up with traffic... which was light.

[ButtJuice]

He said he clocked me at the intersection, which he obviously can't see where he was. Initially I said ok, I wasn't going to argue with him and wanted to get home. But I noticed him right at that bend and he wasn't even looking at the on coming traffic.

I kinda feel like he pulled me over because my car looks "modified" or something biased.

I was in the left lane, closest to the divider.

[turge]

Fight it dude. Go to city hall and request for the documentation on the average speed of that zone. If you are under that average speed, which they calculate as like 80% of traffic flow, then the judge dismisses the case. Also... the officer can not use the speed limit sign as a witness. Also ask for the calibration certificate for the officers radar / laser. If it's not properly calibrated the judge will dismiss the ticket.

[fatsooo]

from my own knowledge, clocking someone doesnt always mean visually estimating the speed.
they can use a technique without using a radar gun from what i understand.
from what i hear, its something like they time/"clock" how long it takes for them to speed up to your speed (which they get from their own speedo or by their visual estimation which they get certified for IIRC) from their own speed (which would be a complete stop in this case) and use some sort of equation to properly estimate your speed.

this can leave some room for error based off information we don't know (what he used to time/"clock" you [his mental counting or an actual clock], if the calculation is even correct because as you say you didnt even feel like you were going past 55, if he used his speedo to determine the speed at which you were both traveling was calibrated recently, etc) your mind can go off from there

you should also think about writing something along the lines of "my own speedometer isn't 100% accurate. it has a 10 mph difference between what it says and real speed therefore I use the flow of traffic to travel at a reasonable yet safe speed as listed in the driver's handbook" and throw in the reference to the book (page number, year number, etc like you would for a school paper) if its in there.

DISCLAIMER: im not a lawyer, police officer or anything like that. what i say does not guarantee to get you out of this ticket. i have never used said techniques to get my tickets dismissed.

that being said, i have heard many good things about writing a written response before your trail date. its called deceleration by mail i believe.
i always try to get myself out of the ticket before i even get them, but doesn't always work. i just "man up" and always pay the fine, traffic court, etc. if i get the ticket because i know im wrong and it was stupid but it normally takes me like 5 6 7 times to learn lol
also, i know exactly where you got pulled over and for the past 7 years i have been driving have never once seen a cop there and i frequent that area every so often because i live off jeronimo.
I know my fair share of MV sherrifs, which one was it that got you?
if its the bike cop whos a bit on the heavy set side with a horrible stache, hes gotten me a few times and both my parents.
hes good at what he does lol

[ButtJuice]

Thanks for the info.

But he was a bike cop who was on the heavier side, no mustache though.

[Deathtoll]

The moment you swapped in your S52 this happens..

Dude, it hasn't even been a week.

[LSM3]

God, this is EXACTLY what is WRONG with this country. People who do something wrong and do EVERYTHING besides admit to it and move on...Do you want me to tell you how I know you are guilty? Because in all your post you failed to tell us what speed you were traveling at and/or you were driving the speed limit. Not once have you said the officer was wrong cause "I WAS NOT SPEEDING". You are just coming up with "possibilities" on how the officer may have been wrong....PATHETIC. I am all for contesting a ticket if it was issued incorrectly but this is just sad. I have received many tickets and I did not want to pay for them..but I did. This is the attitude of not taking responsibility is the exact reason why we read posts of on ReV about people who get rear ended and the car takes off (Hit and Run). A person makes a mistake but instead of taking responsibility the take off/try to get out out it....I hope the OP never gets hit in his car then has the person who hit him use there wit/knowledge to avoid taking responsibility...Some people might not think its the same thing but not taking responsibility for your actions starts with small things.....

[Deathtoll]

God, this is EXACTLY what is WRONG with this country. People who do something wrong and do EVERYTHING besides admit to it and move on...Do you want me to tell you how I know you are guilty? Because in all your post you failed to tell us what speed you were traveling at and/or you were driving the speed limit. Not once have you said the officer was wrong cause "I WAS NOT SPEEDING". You are just coming up with "possibilities" on how the officer may have been wrong....PATHETIC. I am all for contesting a ticket if it was issued incorrectly but this is just sad. I have received many tickets and I did not want to pay for them..but I did. This is the attitude of not taking responsibility is the exact reason why we read posts of on ReV about people who get rear ended and the car takes off (Hit and Run). A person makes a mistake but instead of taking responsibility the take off/try to get out out it....I hope the OP never gets hit in his car then has the person who hit him use there wit/knowledge to avoid taking responsibility...Some people might not think its the same thing but not taking responsibility for your actions starts with small things.....

Okay okay.. So you are venting a bit and your right.. but let's put it this way.

Poster, If I was you I would just go to traffic school for 8 hours and then get it taken care of. You were speeding and the law is the law. Do the time in school and then they submit it to the judge. If you try to fight this and the cop happens to show up you will lose. It's my firm belief that if you contest the ticket and you lose you will NOT be able to take traffic school after and your driver's license will gain the points.

Cops sometimes do show up, I wouldn't take the chance. You can even go to traffic school online.

Yes, you may have been profiled because your driving an older car.. this happens all the time. But the fact of the matter is you were going quite fast over the speeding limit and the ticket was justifiable.

BTW, you can only dismiss these types of tickets once per twenty four month period. If you get another ticket within that time frame it's goign to TOTALLY go on your license!

[LSM3]

Yeah, I vented a bit. Im just tired of seeing people who try harder to get out of things then they do just admitting to it...

I see the OP did post that he "felt" that he was going about 55mph and his speedo is 10mph off..yeah he probably has a better idea than the officer who was sitting there with a radar/lidar gun specifically for the reason or monitoring speed....

Ive vented so Im going to give a little info..

Speed limits are set by engineers who conduct surveys. Those are black little ropes you run over. The speed surveys retain the # or vehicles which pass by and their speed. They take the #'s and find a "safe" speed. The 80% is usually used to obtain the speed for a roadway. Furthermore other things are taken into account ie pedestrians traffic, roadway composition, etc etc.

Officers write notes on the back of their citations, therefor 10 years can go by and all they do is read their notes and testify. Unless your a complete D-bag they wont remember you.

"keeping up with traffic" isnt an excuse. So everybody was speeding...

Let me guess...He cited you 22350vc "Unsafe Speed"? If so that violation is a type of "catch all". It actually can be issued if you are traveling under the limit..That is why there is a 3rd speed box on the citation that says "SAFE SPEED"

Example..There is thick fog w/ 10ft visibility, heavy rain, and pedestrians walking around and you are driving 40 in a 50. You are traveling at a speed "unsafe for the conditions".

You are driving with a dog in your lap and eating a bowl of cereal while traveling 60 in a 65 zone. You are traveling at a speed "unsafe for the conditions". The safe speed for a dog on your lap and eating cereal is closer to 0 than 60.

The 45 speed limit sign which is posted in that area was found to be the "safe speed" for the piece of roadway. Just from the picture you posted I would say its probably true being that there are blind curves due to vegetation, intersecting roadways, uphill etc.

[Deathtoll]

Yeah, I vented a bit. Im just tired of seeing people who try harder to get out of things then they do just admitting to it...

I see the OP did post that he "felt" that he was going about 55mph and his speedo is 10mph off..yeah he probably has a better idea than the officer who was sitting there with a radar/lidar gun specifically for the reason or monitoring speed....

Ive vented so Im going to give a little info..

Speed limits are set by engineers who conduct surveys. Those are black little ropes you run over. The speed surveys retain the # or vehicles which pass by and their speed. They take the #'s and find a "safe" speed. The 80% is usually used to obtain the speed for a roadway. Furthermore other things are taken into account ie pedestrians traffic, roadway composition, etc etc.

Officers write notes on the back of their citations, therefor 10 years can go by and all they do is read their notes and testify. Unless your a complete D-bag they wont remember you.

"keeping up with traffic" isnt an excuse. So everybody was speeding...

Let me guess...He cited you 22350vc "Unsafe Speed"? If so that violation is a type of "catch all". It actually can be issued if you are traveling under the limit..That is why there is a 3rd speed box on the citation that says "SAFE SPEED"

Example..There is thick fog w/ 10ft visibility, heavy rain, and pedestrians walking around and you are driving 40 in a 50. You are traveling at a speed "unsafe for the conditions".

You are driving with a dog in your lap and eating a bowl of cereal while traveling 60 in a 65 zone. You are traveling at a speed "unsafe for the conditions". The safe speed for a dog on your lap and eating cereal is closer to 0 than 60.

The 45 speed limit sign which is posted in that area was found to be the "safe speed" for the piece of roadway. Just from the picture you posted I would say its probably true being that there are blind curves due to vegetation, intersecting roadways, uphill etc.

I read this post and learned something today. Thank you for the insight.

[mulletman]

God, this is EXACTLY what is WRONG with this country. People who do something wrong and do EVERYTHING besides admit to it and move on...Do you want me to tell you how I know you are guilty? Because in all your post you failed to tell us what speed you were traveling at and/or you were driving the speed limit. Not once have you said the officer was wrong cause "I WAS NOT SPEEDING". You are just coming up with "possibilities" on how the officer may have been wrong....PATHETIC. I am all for contesting a ticket if it was issued incorrectly but this is just sad. I have received many tickets and I did not want to pay for them..but I did. This is the attitude of not taking responsibility is the exact reason why we read posts of on ReV about people who get rear ended and the car takes off (Hit and Run). A person makes a mistake but instead of taking responsibility the take off/try to get out out it....I hope the OP never gets hit in his car then has the person who hit him use there wit/knowledge to avoid taking responsibility...Some people might not think its the same thing but not taking responsibility for your actions starts with small things.....

No, what's wrong with this country is too many bullshit laws to begin with. Violating a bullshit law is still a violation, but it's also still bullshit.




OP: Go to traffic school if they give you the option. If not, I'd lawyer up. That's simply your way of insuring yourself that the court and the officer followed all appropriate guidelines. If they find you guilty at that point, pay up.