SaddleUp

I need some advice regarding my newly acquired speeding ticket I received tonight on my way home from work.

The trooper said to me "do you know why I am pulling you over"?

I said "No, I do not".



He took my DL, ins and reg cards. When he returned he said "I could not confirm what speed you were going, but it was in excess of 80-85mph in a 60 mph zone".

He dropped the violation to a 69 in a 60.

Should I just pay it and be glad I don't have an additional 5 points to my license? I kinda thought the speed had to be documented? I've never had a police officer say he "couldn't catch the speed" on a radar. How can this be?

I knew today was going to suck when my radar detector batteries went dead, and I was running late for work.

FYI...I posted this here because I trust the advice I receive here best.

Cal26Stang

Take it to court, you have a fair chance of winning based on the evidence, although your ticket might be reduced to excessive speed, which is when they dont know exactly how fast

SaddleUp

I am concerned if I dispute the ticket, it will turn into he-said, she-said, and the judge may just up the ante. I'd rather pay than get an additional 5 points. I just found his wording very odd. Never encountered such an explanation from an officer before.

kenthicken

Wow man... I don't know, I might fight it. If the officer literally said "I could not confirm what speed you were going" you may have a case.

If he wrote you for only 9 over, he pretty much kills his case if he says to the judge "he was going over 80, but I wrote him for 69." Which is it officer? 80 MPH or 69 MPH? You wrote 69, right?

Since he wrote you for 69, ask him how he determined it was exactly 69 miles per hour without a radar gun. Did he pace you? Was he estimating 69? Why did he not say 68 or 70? By eye, he can determine exactly 69?

If he was estimating, couldn't have been 60? Can he visually tell the difference in exactly 9 miles per hour? Can he tell that line between a legal speed and over the limit?

I don't know... I might fight this one, but only if losing doesn't mean you'll get 5 points tacked on.

SaddleUp

Under "violation committed" on my ticket it even says "80-85mph" in a 60.
Weird. And no way was he following me. I was the only car on the interstate. He even told me he was sitting on an exit ramp when he caught me speeding.

Menace

Fight it.

The cop most likely won't even show up when you go to court, and you will speak to the little attorney guy or whoever is walking around and tell him your case. Then you'll go up to talk to the judge. Remember just be confident and believe you are right. Worst case, nothing happens and you wasted your evening and you still have to pay the ticket. Though there is a plus to this, is you might have the case dropped all together.

A while back I was driving past three state troopers who had a guy pulled over. I slowed down to 25 mph on a 50mph road, for their safety, and once I passed them I accelerated back up to the speed limit. I had O/R H and SLP Loudmouths, so you can imagine how loud it was. ALL THREE came storming after me, all young, and all cocky. Tried to give me a wreckless driving ticket. Of course I fought, and won.. it was reduced to a "noise violation" and they also got me for no front license plate.

Back to the point. He admitted to you that he has no proof on how fast you were going, and there has to be some type of Radar proof to justify your speed unless you live in some ****tard town that doesn't do it that way.

stang06lv

Just because they dont have proof doesnt been anything, thats pretty much how it is nowadays. You really should fight it though youd have a better chance man...goodluck.

BleedinBlue

If you fight it Shella, you will lose.

I have never wrote a ticket when I couldn't 100% confirm someone's speed, either by radar or pacing, but under the right circumstances I would. I have seen others do so and I've seen it successfully prosecuted in court.

95% chance that if this trooper thought you were doing 80+, he genuinely believed it and can testify to that in court. Him writing the speed for lower than he thought you were going is not a defense, that happens all the time. I low-ball nearly all of my speeding tickets, when the driver is respectful.

Don't count on the trooper not showing in court either, when we don't show up for court, WE GET IN TROUBLE.

08blackoutstang

I got un safe lane change ticket just a little bit ago, i took it to court and the judge was super nice, he actually ended up poking fun at the cop (who was not at the hearing) i didnt want to take any chances since i am a minor and i just asked to defer the ticket which he did with no problem

Orion_240

can't you take traffic school?
You might still have to pay the ticket, but at least it won't go on your record.