I got a speeding ticket today :(

[bingbong]

I was moving along at 85 (kph) in a 70 zone with HEAPS of traffic and bang there is a hiding cop with a speed camera! I almost shat my pants but nothing happen, I kept on my jolly way and still not ticket in the mail! Mind you I haven't checked if my speedo is correct after 5spd install.

I'm not sure how easy it is to fight tickets over in the US but here at that age, first offence they NORMALLY lessen the sentence or let you off all together. Unless your doing something really stupid.

Good luck with it all

[Gordon]

I went nearly 20 years without a ticket in CA and last summer, I receive two speeding tickets within a month. Both tickets were issued by CHP, both times I was clocked by radar by CHP going the other direction and doing U-turns to catch up with me and write me a ticket. One ticket was on SH 154 near Lake Cachuma in SB county, I got clocked 70 in a 55 zone in my 74 tii. I went to online traffic school for that one. The other ticket was on a rural back country road in SLO county. CHP came over the hill and clocked me doing 65 in a 55 zone in my 91 318i, that ticket was $211. I was not a happy camper to say the least. I'm doing my part to help the state of CA reduce its budget deficit, it sounds like a few others are helping the state of CA as well. I'm thinking need to buy a radar detector, any recommendations? I blame my speeding as from living many a year in Germany and driving on the autobahn.

G-Man

[allbim]

692 views in about half an hour. Wow, I think you pushed a button.

Good luck.

[hulcam]

Speeding tickets are no fun and you're not going to like the fine when you get it in the mail. Not cheep. It's been a few years but what I remember, in California, if you elect to do traffic school you have to pay the fine and for traffic school. At least, if you elect to complete traffic school, your insurance won't go up too.

If it helps, the police in Manhattan Beach are particular, one stopped in front of my house today to tell my neighbor's gardener it was illegal to use a leaf blower. Really? a leaf blower. Who knew.

Cameron

[eastsidebimmer]

Got my first ticket in 15 years trying in my 68 2002...motorcycle cop said I was going 73 in a 55 on the expressway...my response, "cool, my needle bounces up and down, I was wondering how fast this thing would actually go"

Result = $175 ticket.

[Guest Anonymous]

Lot's of good advice...

Here's mine:

Elect to go to court..Why not the cop may not show up, cops are very busy and in Oakland the case is dismissed.

Dress nice.

If the Officer is there he/she will state there case.

When it comes to your turn. Don't make any excuses, the judges have heard them all..Do something different. State "yes" Ma'am/ Sir I am guilty of speeding or whatever, and I apologize......HOWEVER, is there a chance that the fine can be reduced? At this time xxxx amount of dollars would produce a huge financial strain....State again how sorry you are and you have learned your lesson....

In addition, request traffic school.

Judges are human they understand....

Try it you have nothing to lose..

And a tip for the above. It's silly to argue with a cop during a traffic stop, you won't win...Cops always pull you over for a reason, that's what they are out there for, to enforce the law. Just go with it, be polite, it might work in your favor...You don't have to agree with the traffic stop, but the issue won't be resolved on the roadway...especially if you are ranting

Plus, most cops carry a voice recorder...Not to say he will play it in court (he could have it available for court), but he can use it to enhance his notes for court. This includes your demeanor, what you your spontaneous statements were, and the overall nature of this contact....negative or positive

Cops, don't have it out for "you"...They don't know you...And if they have it out for you, it might just be for something that "you" continue to do over and over again in his or her presence...

Just my opinion...

Good luck

ira

[Richard]

Cause your going to need every dime. I use to think and drive the same way. You did know the judge gets a seperate report on your attitude at the time of the ticket.?? It is a total waste of time to claim harassment without proof. AKA video or audio tape. You think you have problems now. Wait till you charge the cop with harrasement.It quickly becomes cops. Californias a bitch because they have a fairly stricit vehicle safety code. Lowered car,no bumper,loud muffler???? It may not be fair but they are Da Man. God I feel old...Good luck.

[FunElan]

Thanks for the good advice all.

Speeding tickets are no fun and you're not going to like the fine when you get it in the mail. Not cheep. It's been a few years but what I remember, in California, if you elect to do traffic school you have to pay the fine and for traffic school. At least, if you elect to complete traffic school, your insurance won't go up too.

If it helps, the police in Manhattan Beach are particular, one stopped in front of my house today to tell my neighbor's gardener it was illegal to use a leaf blower. Really? a leaf blower. Who knew.

Cameron

Where in manhattan beach are you?? megamatt05 at aol dot com

-Matt

[PabloM]

If I was to video or audio record myself and the cop the next time they pull one of us over could I present that in court in the event that I get another ticket or use it as proof of harrassment when they cuss us out as they always do? Do I have to tell the cop I'm recording him?

[Richard]

You need to check wiretap laws. The only way it will work is if the police dont know. The police will take the camera if they know and stick it somewhere. Any of the electronic stores offer pinhole cameras and mini audio recorders

[Guest Anonymous]

I guess the best way to avoid contact with the police, is not to break the law...It's a pretty simple concept..

That way you do not have to endure a good cop or bad cop experience...

If you driving going 5 miles over the speed limit and you admit going 5 miles over the limit..Well guess what, you are breaking the law,so in the rare instance that you get caught...suck it up..That's the game win, lose or draw

Cops are far from perfect....But, not many people that feel they do a bad job, would like to have their job....

Video or record all you'd like however I would caution you, once you start all of that reaching for things and making sudden moves....You may turn that traffic stop into another evolution...

Sorry if I hijacked the thread

ira

[Brandon]

Take the ticket to court....you should always take the ticket to court because they will at least reduce the dollar amount in many cases or dismiss it if the cop doesn't show.

My advice would not be to fight the ticket but the speed limit itself. Posted speed limits, school zone limits or otherwise, are supposed to be figured based on engineering studies, which is a federal law. In most cases no such engineering study exists because they were never done to begin with. You can request the engineering study for the stretch of road the speed limit is for....if it doesn't exist get a written letter from the agency you requested it from (either the town hall for regular roads or a state road agency for major highways) saying it doesn't exist. Bring it to court and show it to the judge. Basically if no egineering study exists for the posted speed limit, the limit is illegal.......you can't be ticketed for an illegally posted speed limit. You can find out more info on this at www.motorists.org

[ray_]

Hey Matt,

Pls post the Google maps link for the location where you were ticketed.

Brandon: if Matt was ticketed in a residential area, I highly doubt your argument will be effective.

Cheers,

Ray

[FunElan]

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Manhattan+Beach&state=CA&address=[800-899]+Highview+Ave&zipcode=90266&country=US&latitude=33.884215&longitude=-118.40414&geocode=BLOCK

let me know if the link doesn't work

I was on Manhattan Beach Blvd between valley and pacific. That whole stretch is a large hill, and then it flattens out at pacific. I'm thinking back, I asked him where he was hiding, and he mentioned two streets for some reason, fisher and highview, which are consecutive streets. I find it hard to believe that I was going 47 at that point, the car is not that fast haha. Does lidar work while in motion? because he would have had to follow me to see me get up to that speed. The school zone starts at pacific btw. Now I'm getting suspicious.

[tgallie]

Pablo those cops are a rediculous waiting up skyline and highway 9 for people racing up there. There probably weren't many people speeding and they got impatient so you were the next best thing. montevina rd. is a favorite of mine because no cops are up there. I got a ticket on 17 and the cop started asking if it was a tii and warning me to slow down because of the brakes unless I had upgraded them (which i have actually) couple of minutes talking 02's and he still makes me take the ticket. I would think someone who knows 02's would have a little more compassion! =[