ticket - what would you do?

Phl · Sep 10, 2012

hey guys,

i got pulled over by a LEO a few weeks ago. coming off an interstate (60mph allowed) onto a 3 lane highway (outside of city limits), no sign for speed limit here, so it should be 55mph right?

here's the situation. going off the ramp, i hit the throttle (a bit) to pass the cars in front of me and get on the left lane, as i have to take the next left later. i see a black dodge charger approaching, passing me, i look in the mirror, he makes a u-turn and turns on the disco lights. i stop.

long story short, the officer gives me 49 in a 40 zone instead of the 58 he measured me. can't see if i get any points on the ticket.
court date is on the 17th. this is my first ticket here in the US, and well, hopefully my last (pretty hard on this bike).
qoute of the <link> SC law SECTION 56-5-1520: ,</link>

"(1) seventy miles an hour on the interstate highway system and other freeways where official signs giving notice of this speed are posted;

(2) sixty miles an hour on multilane divided primary highways where official signs giving notice of this speed limit are posted;

(3) fifty-five miles an hour in other locations or on other sections of highways and unpaved roads are limited to the speed of forty miles an hour;"

i have it all on camera (thanks gopro) and after reviewing it, i can't find any speed sign stating i was going "too fast" meaning the 58 at 55 and not 40... the last sign is a 60 on the interstate a quarter mile before the exit.

trying to pay it online, the case won't show up.

so what shall i do now?
1. just send the check ($89) (okay) and accept the possible 2 points (what i would really hate, the 89 bucks, who cares...)
2. go to court, admit i was "too fast" not try to play clever or so, just try to figure out, how to avoid getting into such a situation again, showing the video and asking them to understand my situation
3. go to court and pledge not guilty, getting charged either 3 mph too fast, 9mph what the officer wrote up or 18 what he actually measured?
4. don't pay, as the system doesn't find me and not go to court?

thanks for the advice.

phil

ducatiguy136 · Sep 10, 2012

Hey Phil. I got a ticket a month ago on my Pani doing 87 in a 55mph. The cop cited me for 87 and I went home. I viewed my gopro footage and was only going 78 at the time. Went to court and pleaded not guilty to the charge of speeding but admitted to the judge I was in fact speeding but not traveling at the rate of speed on the ticket. The judge liked my honesty and the fact that I'm a solider and I ended up with a warning. So long post short at least go to court and explain to the judge your situation and who knows maybe you'll get out of it. Good luck.

Trauma · Sep 10, 2012

Phil said:
hey guys,

i got pulled over by a LEO a few weeks ago. coming off an interstate (60mph allowed) onto a 3 lane highway (outside of city limits), no sign for speed limit here, so it should be 55mph right?

here's the situation. going off the ramp, i hit the throttle (a bit) to pass the cars in front of me and get on the left lane, as i have to take the next left later. i see a black dodge charger approaching, passing me, i look in the mirror, he makes a u-turn and turns on the disco lights. i stop.

long story short, the officer gives me 49 in a 40 zone instead of the 58 he measured me. can't see if i get any points on the ticket.
court date is on the 17th. this is my first ticket here in the US, and well, hopefully my last (pretty hard on this bike).
qoute of the <link> SC law SECTION 56-5-1520: ,</link>

"(1) seventy miles an hour on the interstate highway system and other freeways where official signs giving notice of this speed are posted;

(2) sixty miles an hour on multilane divided primary highways where official signs giving notice of this speed limit are posted;

(3) fifty-five miles an hour in other locations or on other sections of highways and unpaved roads are limited to the speed of forty miles an hour;"

i have it all on camera (thanks gopro) and after reviewing it, i can't find any speed sign stating i was going "too fast" meaning the 58 at 55 and not 40... the last sign is a 60 on the interstate a quarter mile before the exit.

trying to pay it online, the case won't show up.

so what shall i do now?
1. just send the check ($89) (okay) and accept the possible 2 points (what i would really hate, the 89 bucks, who cares...)
2. go to court, admit i was "too fast" not try to play clever or so, just try to figure out, how to avoid getting into such a situation again, showing the video and asking them to understand my situation
3. go to court and pledge not guilty, getting charged either 3 mph too fast, 9mph what the officer wrote up or 18 what he actually measured?
4. don't pay, as the system doesn't find me and not go to court?

thanks for the advice.

phil

Find a local lawyer, and get it "fixed". I haven't had points for a ticket since I was 16! NY/IL/AR/TX, I have always found one when out of state that will "take care" of it. The municipalities just want your money.

zvez · Sep 10, 2012

yep local lawyer who does tickets. We had a Canadian come down to one of our rallies in N> Carol. popped big time speeding in TN, with reckless driving charge. He's bus driver in Can so this would've been bad, he paid $500 and it was knocked down to some insignificant misdemeanor.

Whatever, I would definately not consider #4 as an option, then you get pulled again and it could really get nasty.

Trauma · Sep 10, 2012

zvez said:
yep local lawyer who does tickets. We had a Canadian come down to one of our rallies in N> Carol. popped big time speeding in TN, with reckless driving charge. He's bus driver in Can so this would've been bad, he paid $500 and it was knocked down to some insignificant misdemeanor.

Whatever, I would definately not consider #4 as an option, then you get pulled again and it could really get nasty.

NEVER 4. I am always as polite as I can be. It is easier ot get out of tif the ocifer (purposeful spelling!) dosen't have any nasty notes on the tickt!

kensteele · Sep 10, 2012

In my state, you go take care of this yourself. Pay double ($188) and that speeding ticket becomes a parking ticket.* I would go to court and talk to the city atty before you decide what to do, doesn't hurt to ask; but never #4.

*One ticket per city per year, must be < 20mph over, no school/construction zone.

mark419ny · Sep 10, 2012

phil he cant give you a ticket after the fact for what you should have gotten. The ticket is for what its for. The cop can't go to the judge and say oh he's here so now i say he was doing 58 then you could never fight a ticket they will say whatever they want. anyway its a money thing they want the money so you can usually plead to something with no points and pay a higher fine then whats on the ticket. you can only do it once in 18 months though. here in nj if you get a ticket thats say 200 and you plead not guilty you pay basically 400 but gets no points. again only can do it once in nj every 18 months

Phl · Sep 10, 2012

Thanks guys. 4 wouldn't be an option anyway, because if they pulled me over afterwards and ran my data with the unpaid ticket ( which might have made it into the system) i would go to jail. I will talk to an attorney tomorrow.

Thanx

kensteele · Sep 10, 2012

^don't know how it works in your state but often times, you might be paying the atty to go do exactly what you could do on your own. but you are correct, an atty could tell you what your options are w/o getting paid.

tstephenson · Sep 11, 2012

I was pulled over for Lane splitting (Reckless 8 points) and speeding 98 in a 65 (6 points). I went to court fully expecting to loose my license. When I spoke to the DA they dropped the 8 point reckless. All you need to do is show up to court and talk to the DA. They usually will make a deal with you

Phl · Sep 11, 2012

sounds good... will do so, be honest and regretful.

btw, here's the vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXqlqQLtPyk

Styler · Sep 12, 2012

I went to court last week, represented myself and got off with the fine (no points) by being truthful and explaining the context, which like you, was such that the citation was not representative of the situation or my driving record.
Note, you will have to plead guilty to the charge, because you were speeding; but you will have an explanation for which you are deferring to her/his consideration. If you plead not guilty, then you will get a future court date and have to come back. Your only hope then is that the cop does not show up (because you are guilty).

Phl · Sep 12, 2012

that will be the plan. go there, be honest, admit my fault, plead guilty, pay whatever they want and hope for no points.

Zaid1199 · Sep 12, 2012

Phil said:
that will be the plan. go there, be honest, admit my fault, plead guilty, pay whatever they want and hope for no points.

I wouldn't after 7 or 8 driving to endanger/reckless operation/negliant operation...etc, AND BEATING THEM ALL!!

i wouldn't tell them you were speading however, i'd say that you were trying to merge on the highway and the vehicles in front were... (make something up, but make it sound truthful) and that you only had to SPEED UP for a second or so in order to pass them to get into the left lane safetly.

Here is the best part, try and see if they will "continue without a finding" or continue the case, but it gets filed... what this means is as long as your driving record is in good standing, and your not a young punk who likes the speed, good chances they will file the case and continue for "a length of time" mine was 6 months and then after the time has been reached, POOF All gone that was easy.

thats how i beat my cases early in my bike riding path

ticket - what would you do?

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