Fought speeding ticket in court - Won!

[jeffahart]

Thought some of you might find this interesting. I got my verdict last week before Thanksgiving.

Funny this relates to a Quadrajet too, kind of funny.

I purchased a Qjet on ebay. I wanted a second 7040511, I have one on the shelf and plan to build two at once.

Anyhow, I decided to save some shipping bucks. So, I took a Sunday Morning cruise out to the Antelope Valley to pick up the Carb in person. I get me a coffee and a couple donuts from Dunkin Donuts. I'm happier than a pig in crap and begin my relaxing journey. I merge onto the 14 and I see a CHP with his little crappy plastic toy pointing at traffic. I figure no big deal, I'm going with the flow. He came on my a$$ like I just robbed a bank. Rode my a$$ at a molecule splitting distance. I hate that tactic!

He had his little book out and I rolled down the passenger window. Here's the basic conversation.

CHP: Know how fast you were going?
Me: Is that why you pulled me over, to ask me how fast I was going?
CHP: You know what the speed limit is?
Me: Is that why you pulled me over, to ask me what the speed limit is?
CHP: you were going 85 in a 70.
Me: I see. Well, thanks for the warning. Drive safe.
CHP: I'm citing you for 85 in a 70.
Me: silence from then on. Not another word. I fumed in anger, but shut up.

I signed the ticket.

Paying the fine online. I went online to pay the fine and get traffic school and get it over with. But guess what? The online system denied me traffic school. I have not had a ticket in about seven years. Although I have a PHD in traffic school from my younger years, I've taken some lead out of my foot in the past few years. I noticed the court had my name as HORT not HART. Guess the clerks couldn't read the CHPs slop scribble either.

So I would have had to goto the courthouse and get it straightened out.
So I got a Lawyer. She went to court for me, and fought the ticket for me. The CHP patrolman showed up. Too bad for him though, ticket dismissed! Patrolman lost.

Cost = $520 for Lawyer.
Cost if I would have gotten traffic school = Bail 367 Traffic School fee 52 traffic school tuition 20 = $439

An extra $81 above what it would have cost anyway. Plus I didn't have to stand in line at court or do the traffic school. Good trade. I'm happy!


j

[The Rocknrod]

Well to be honest not a cop in the land wouldn't have ticketed you. By giving him grief because you knew you were wrong wasn't the correct way to handle it. Either way, you paid.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

Well to be honest not a cop in the land wouldn't have ticketed you. By giving him grief because you knew you were wrong wasn't the correct way to handle it. Either way, you paid.

I wasn't wrong, I wasn't speeding. Where do you get the idea I was speeding? He cited me for speeding, that's what happened. And he gave me grief by pulling me over. He failed to do his job. I gave him no grief. I just don't pal up with people that pull me over for no reason. Maybe you do.

It absolutely was the correct way to handle it. I won in court, what does that tell you? Just curious? This is good for the patrolman, he will learn to be a better ticket hander-outer!


j

[The Rocknrod]

Whatever.

[truckster]

I'm not familiar with the law in California. Is going 85 in a 70 zone not considered speeding there?

[cypressbog]

All I can do is literally shake my head back and forth and say WOW!

[Keith Seymore]

What did the lawyer do to win your case (meaning - what was her basic defense?)?

Did she question the calibration of the radar gun, or emphasize you were flowing with traffic?

K

[jeffahart]

I wasn't going 85, that's my annoyance.


j

[Coley]

....lol, ok...how fast were you going?

[el_fantasma]

You were speeding in one of our old trucks ?

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

What did the lawyer do to win your case (meaning - what was her basic defense?)?

Did she question the calibration of the radar gun, or emphasize you were flowing with traffic?

K

I'm not really sure. But from what I gather the radar did not come up. It didn't get that far. I got from a brief conversation, she just said I was in number one lane behind a panel truck in heavy traffic. Then she went to the ticket no one could read. She did say that the patrolman's attitude may have been unfavorable. But I guess it was quick. The judge rendered a quick total dismissal and moved the docket along. I think if I would have done it myself I would not have fared any better than the cop, and the tie would have went to him!

Never fought a ticket before. Not sure I would again, but I will leave that option open from now on. I will never step foot in a court without a lawyer, unless it's for jury duty!



j

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by el_fantasma

You were speeding in one of our old trucks ?

No, I have an E350 sedan. But don't worry, truck will go plenty fast... going down hill in neutral!

j

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Coley

....lol, ok...how fast were you going?

Haha Funny!


j

[Stormin08]

the unfair treatment is what stirs my last nerve....

Wifes brother (23 yrs old), was just hired for a local to home state law enforcement agent (police officer)....travels to my residence last week for the holidays (12 hr drive making good time....), arrives in under 11.

leaves sunday, and upon checking in ( 11 hrs later), has been pulled over doing 92 in a 70...is allowed to leave with a verbal ( drive safe young pig).

that gets me bad !!!!! totally pi$$es me off.

Karma did check in, as he got a flat tire in the middle of arkansas ( nothing for 25 miles)...apparently newer malibus didnt receive spares as standard equipment ($350 option).

but all in all, he got off, sped home and still managed a 12 hr trip in 11 ish !

[In The Ten Ring]

If "going with the flow" means speeding, then yes, you should have been polite and paid the ticket if the officer had written one.

This thread reminds me of a certain movie scene....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeKPgHVov8Y

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by Stormin08

the unfair treatment is what stirs my last nerve....

Wifes brother (23 yrs old), was just hired for a local to home state law enforcement agent (police officer)....travels to my residence last week for the holidays (12 hr drive making good time....), arrives in under 11.

leaves sunday, and upon checking in ( 11 hrs later), has been pulled over doing 92 in a 70...is allowed to leave with a verbal ( drive safe young pig).

that gets me bad !!!!! totally pi$$es me off.

Karma did check in, as he got a flat tire in the middle of arkansas ( nothing for 25 miles)...apparently newer malibus didnt receive spares as standard equipment ($350 option).

but all in all, he got off, sped home and still managed a 12 hr trip in 11 ish !

Cops generally give two groups a pass: police and fire fighters. Some police extend that to security guards.

When I worked for a security company, a coworker (18 year old with Mitsubishi Eclipse) was pulled over for (drum roll) 135 mph in the 70 zone. No joke!

However, the company owner was on very good terms with most police in the area so that ended up being a warning. It has to be some kind of record though.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Stormin08

the unfair treatment is what stirs my last nerve....

Wifes brother (23 yrs old), was just hired for a local to home state law enforcement agent (police officer)....travels to my residence last week for the holidays (12 hr drive making good time....), arrives in under 11.

leaves sunday, and upon checking in ( 11 hrs later), has been pulled over doing 92 in a 70...is allowed to leave with a verbal ( drive safe young pig).

that gets me bad !!!!! totally pi$$es me off.

Karma did check in, as he got a flat tire in the middle of arkansas ( nothing for 25 miles)...apparently newer malibus didnt receive spares as standard equipment ($350 option).

but all in all, he got off, sped home and still managed a 12 hr trip in 11 ish !

It's because safety is relative. Traffic tickets are a revenue game, always have been. The base fine for my ticket was $70 With all the assessments and service fees it bloated up to $367 dollars. My situation was nothing more than me being plucked from the pack. I tried to just pay on-line. But the cop mucked it up so I was going to have to appear before a judge to request his mistakes be fixed. And then ask for traffic school.

Want to be mad or annoyed? You cannot call a Los Angeles court with a problem. You get a recording that states they are overloaded an you have to come in person. They have no problems wasting your time. I sent a lawyer to go in my place. That simple. And her decision was to fight. Fine with me!

j

[Steeveedee]

In general, if an attorney goes to court with you, your case will be expedited. Plenty of experience, there, by observation during traffic court. "Will all accused please rush the bench with your attorneys?" BTDT, but I never hired an attorney for a traffic ticket, because only once have I ever had a "bad" experience with the police. Three times driving through Nevada at 140+ in three different vehicles, and didn't get caught. The one "bad" time was when we closed off a remote section of road and were drag racing (1972, right before I joined the Navy). LA County Sheriffs and CHP patrolled the area where I grew up. One rolled into an eating establishment and asked a guy where everybody was, because it was so quiet. He said, "They're racing up by C*** S****". Dork. We found this out later. Anyway, the popo blocked off both ends of the road and gave us all tickets. The minors got it for "Engaging in a speed contest" and got their licenses revoked for something like a month; all the adults got it for "Spectator to a speed contest". Thing is, not one of the CHP or Deputy Sheriffs saw anyone race. One of the guys getting a ticket was the dad of one of the guys I knew in high school, and wanted to fight it. But the judge told us we could all just go to traffic school, so the rest of us convinced him to just let it ride. Then, I raised my hand and told the judge that I was already scheduled for traffic school for a previous offense, and was due to go into the Navy soon; he made it so that I got one session of traffic school for two offenses. Sweet!

Thing is, if we had decided to fight it as a group, we would have all gotten off, because of the police not actually seeing any crime committed.

[jjzepplin]

I fight every ticket every time and I guess they just know it. I have a squeaky clean record that reads something like "dismissed","dismissed" etc.

[Red71gmc]

Sometimes a cop can be much worse (and rightfully so) too.
When I was in high school (80's) I liked to drag race. A buddy of mine lived in a very small town 6 miles from school. We decided to drag race after school to finally put to rest who had the fastest car.
We started the race out in the country about a mile from school. After 3 or so miles we were pretty much side by side the whole time or close enough a winner couldn't be decided. The country road then turned into the highway as we both refused to give up. As we were rolling into his small town we were side by side doing about 120-130 mph and finally locked them up at the only stop sign in town (still side by side).
We went to his house and laughed about it all and I proceeded home. I'm know going the opposite direction on the same highway doing around 95 and not even realizing I was going so fast as that speed seemed slow from what I was just doing. State cop stops me and all I could think was crap he knows what I just did. He told me that I was doing 95 and could loose my license since I only had one for less than a year. He gave me a verbal and I drove like a grandma the rest of the way home.
The state cop knew exactly what I had done as I'm sure someone called it in and rightfully so. He also apparently thought a young idiot kid needed a break and it did work. I never did such a idiot thing again.
He could have, and in today's standard should have just plain cuffed me and took me to jail along with a whole list of charges. What I did was extremely dangerous for innocent people in that town and highway. I of course wasn't thinking about that when it was all in good fun.
It was an extremely stupid thing to do and that guy scolded me and explained I was getting a free pass for the 95 in a tongue and cheek way. It worked.
Yes sir, thank you sir and message received in full. They aren't all bad.

[special-K]

Double standards are a very weak minded way of operating. Lead by example is the proven best way to get best results in anything. Double standards are also a poor way to gain any amount of respect. It is a fact that with respect enforcement comes easy... if ever at all even necessary.

[Rickysnickers]

Nice story. Thank you for sharing!!!

Originally Posted by Red71gmc

Sometimes a cop can be much worse (and rightfully so) too.
When I was in high school (80's) I liked to drag race. A buddy of mine lived in a very small town 6 miles from school. We decided to drag race after school to finally put to rest who had the fastest car.
We started the race out in the country about a mile from school. After 3 or so miles we were pretty much side by side the whole time or close enough a winner couldn't be decided. The country road then turned into the highway as we both refused to give up. As we were rolling into his small town we were side by side doing about 120-130 mph and finally locked them up at the only stop sign in town (still side by side).
We went to his house and laughed about it all and I proceeded home. I'm know going the opposite direction on the same highway doing around 95 and not even realizing I was going so fast as that speed seemed slow from what I was just doing. State cop stops me and all I could think was crap he knows what I just did. He told me that I was doing 95 and could loose my license since I only had one for less than a year. He gave me a verbal and I drove like a grandma the rest of the way home.
The state cop knew exactly what I had done as I'm sure someone called it in and rightfully so. He also apparently thought a young idiot kid needed a break and it did work. I never did such a idiot thing again.
He could have, and in today's standard should have just plain cuffed me and took me to jail along with a whole list of charges. What I did was extremely dangerous for innocent people in that town and highway. I of course wasn't thinking about that when it was all in good fun.
It was an extremely stupid thing to do and that guy scolded me and explained I was getting a free pass for the 95 in a tongue and cheek way. It worked.
Yes sir, thank you sir and message received in full. They aren't all bad.

[blazer2007]

here usually the cop doesn,t show up at court, dismissed.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by blazer2007

here usually the cop doesn,t show up at court, dismissed.

Here the CHP show up to court, they have to or they get in trouble. Plus, I understand they care for their radar guns better than their pistols now. The old days of them not showing up or trying to claim the radars not maintained doesn't work on CHP. That's the basic gist I got. CHP are hard core traffic cops. Even Deputies and local police don't like them. For the rest of the agencies, you can usually win by a simple written trial by declaration!


j

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

Here the CHP show up to court, they have to or they get in trouble. Plus, I understand they care for their radar guns better than their pistols now. The old days of them not showing up or trying to claim the radars not maintained doesn't work on CHP. That's the basic gist I got. CHP are hard core traffic cops. Even Deputies and local police don't like them. For the rest of the agencies, you can usually win by a simple written trial by declaration!


j

Not totally related, but reminds me of a story:

One time here a development engineer got pulled over for speeding in an experimental GM vehicle.

He told the officer: "...see that speedometer there? It just got calibrated with a fifth wheel!"

The officer replied: "see that radar gun there? It just got calibrated with a tuning fork!!"

K