I have a question about speeding tickets

[saden1]

I was just flowing with traffic this morning on my way to work and I got pulled over by a cop on the side of the highway who had what looked like a radar gun in his hand.

When I pulled over he asked me if I knew I was going 71 mph and I said I was flowing with traffic. There was a guy in front of me and we were going almost the same speed. When I told the cop this he said it doesn't matter and that if the guy in front of me was going 69 mph and I was going 71 mph he wouldn't pull him over. Is this something that's legal? I mean the posted speed was 60 mph and not a single person on the road was going 60ph.

He basically ended up giving me a ticket with reduced speed (65 mph). In any case, can I wiggle my way out of this ticket? Also, do those radar guns have a camera that takes pictures. I want to know if there is a chance that he might have a picture showing my speed?

[GhettoDogAllStars]

There are several ways to beat a ticket, and there are several books written by retired cops which describe the most effective ways to do so. I have heard several retired cops say something like, "ALWAYS fight a ticket, because you'll get off more times than not."

However, there are consequences if you lose. Most tickets give you the option of paying a fine, and taking a driver improvement course to avoid points (if your state uses a point system). Usually this is better than fighting the ticket, because if you fight you risk getting points.

If you fight, the cop and/or the city must do the paperwork to prove their case. This usually involves evidence of speeding (some kind of report from the radar gun), and evidence that the method used to determine speed is accurate and reliable. Radar guns need to be calibrated regulary, and if the calibration has expired for the radar gun in use, then any measurements taken with said gun are invalid.

The argument that there were other people speeding isn't going to help, unless you can prove that to drive slower would have been unsafe (not likely). The bottom line is that everybody was breaking the law, and the cop can choose which law breaker to pursue.

Good luck.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

BTW, a speeding ticket for 5 mph over usually isn't that bad. I'd just pay the Man, and get on with my life. It'd require much less effort than fighting. The Man knows this, and the ultimate goal is to rake in the dough. So, they want to make it an easy decision for the people about whether to pay or fight.

[Redskins8588]

My Uncle is a cop and this is comming from him. The radar guns are accurate with in +/-5mph of your speed. So to write you up a ticket for only going 5mph over rather than the 11mph over is insane, the cop is taking the time to write you the ticket so why not write you up for the additonal 6mph. Either way though, any cop that uses the radar gun has to be trained regularly on them, so if you do fight it I would request, which the police office has to give you, the calibration records for the gun and the officers that are currently trained on using the equipment....

[ArtMonkDrillz]

One of my teachers in high school was once telling our law class about a time when she got a speeding ticket where the cop said something that I've always found funny. Apparently my teacher used the same excuse, that everyone else was speeding and the cop responded with "Ma'am, have you ever gone fishing? Did you catch all of them?"
Mheisig, feel free to use that one.

[MTK]

If your record over the past few years is clean chances are you can get it reduced in court. I think it's always best to go to court to see what they can do.

[hooskins]

Yeah if you have cheap access to a lawyer(a friend) then do it. Because alot of times cops have radar guns that have not been checked in a while, and they are expired. Lawyer is always a good bet to get out of tickets, especially if this is final ticket of many that will land the big fine.

Plus always show up to court and present a clean record if you have one. If you don't have a good record, bring verification of any driver improvement classes you have been to.

If you go to court and try to argue with the judge about what is fair and what is not, without a lawyer, you will be screwed.

Either go alone and plead no contest, and briefly explain how you were going with the flow and you didnt know you were speeding but you understand it is hazardous. Basically bend over and apologize. If you are gonna plead not guilty and try to explain what is right and wrong, get a lawyer.

[jbcjr14]

Be very careful! The worst thing you want to happen is that you LOSE and it show up on your driving record. If the aforementioned takes place then your insurance company can take the full pleasure of jacking your rates due to a moving violation at renewal.

Keep that in mind when you are thinking about this process. The cost to lose might be far greater than a win.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by saden1

I was just flowing with traffic this morning on my way to work and I got pulled over by a cop on the side of the highway who had what looked like a radar gun in his hand.

When I pulled over he asked me if I knew I was going 71 mph and I said I was flowing with traffic. There was a guy in front of me and we were going almost the same speed. When I told the cop this he said it doesn't matter and that if the guy in front of me was going 69 mph and I was going 71 mph he wouldn't pull him over. Is this something that's legal? I mean the posted speed was 60 mph and not a single person on the road was going 60ph.

He basically ended up giving me a ticket with reduced speed (65 mph). In any case, can I wiggle my way out of this ticket? Also, do those radar guns have a camera that takes pictures. I want to know if there is a chance that he might have a picture showing my speed?

Looks like it was your lucky day.

I'd go play a lottery ticket if I were you.

[724Skinsfan]

Originally Posted by saden1

I was just flowing with traffic this morning on my way to work and I got pulled over by a cop on the side of the highway who had what looked like a radar gun in his hand.

When I pulled over he asked me if I knew I was going 71 mph and I said I was flowing with traffic. There was a guy in front of me and we were going almost the same speed. When I told the cop this he said it doesn't matter and that if the guy in front of me was going 69 mph and I was going 71 mph he wouldn't pull him over. Is this something that's legal? I mean the posted speed was 60 mph and not a single person on the road was going 60ph.

He basically ended up giving me a ticket with reduced speed (65 mph). In any case, can I wiggle my way out of this ticket? Also, do those radar guns have a camera that takes pictures. I want to know if there is a chance that he might have a picture showing my speed?

What bizarre day was it in Seattle when you were able to go above 15 mph during morning traffic?

[onlydarksets]

5 miles over? Pay it and move on. It's not worth your hassle unless the cumulative effect impacts your insurance.

[That Guy]

in the US, the "you didn't stop the other guy" defense isn't valid. In turkey, it is.

[htownskinfan]

I've been told that if you request trial by jury they will dismiss it every time,I guess because its not worth it to the city to waste time with a jury trial over a speeding ticket,I've never had the balls to try it because if it doesnt work you have to pay the court cost and the fine

[Daseal]

I always find it interesting that cops can pull you over for speeding and write you a ticket without providing you with any sort of proof. In Virginia they don't even have to show you their radar. So they could pull anyone over they want, write a ticket, and get away with it scott free. Maybe someone here can correct me, but is there any safeguard from this?

[BDBohnzie]

I know when I got pulled over in Arlington 2 years ago, the police officer showed me the radar gun...

All you can do is politely ask to see the radar gun. If they don't show it to you, take it to court and follow Redskins8588's direction to ask for calibration records.