Had my day in court...

[Black Dog]

You may remember me posting about getting stopped for using a bit too much zest, on my last ride of the season...

I drove through 35 miles of snow covered roads this morning, for an 8:00 court time...  When my name was called, it took all of 3 minutes to get a 'Holy Crap' ticket, reduced to a 'bad boy' ticket...  Reduction in 'speed' and points, but still got to pay the full price 

Here's to 2010 being officer free 

Black Dog

[Devl]

OUCH...well could have been worse.  I hope as you do that 2010 will be officer free...for us all.  Assuming we survive the winter this year, got much snow?????

[Windjammer]

However, with the States (All of them) being strapped for cash! Expect to be stopped for the slightest infringement that they can get away with. Hoping you don't show up for court.

[Black Dog]

Got much snow?

Been snowing since 3:00am...  Lookin' for anywhere between 7" - 12" by later tonight...

Black Dog

[thumper]

I got pulled over the other day for flashing my lights to alert oncoming drivers of a speed trap.

I told the cop that I was just trying to alert my fellow drivers that there was an emergency vehicle parked up ahead and they should slow down for the safety of the officer. 

He huffed and puffed and gave me my license back.

Pretty sure that it's not a crime anyway.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I was coming out of Georgia today in a tractor-trailer and heard a few drivers talking on the cb about a new law in Georgia that took effect 1-1-10 . If you get caught 10 mph over it's a $250.00 fine...15 mph over it's a $500.00 fine.... I did'nt do any search on the www to see if its true or not just a reply to the thread 

[..]

I was coming out of Georgia today in a tractor-trailer and heard a few drivers talking on the cb about a new law in Georgia that took effect 1-1-10 . If you get caught 10 mph over it's a $250.00 fine...15 mph over it's a $500.00 fine.... I did'nt do any search on the www to see if its true or not just a reply to the thread 

Super speeder. 75+ on a 2 lane or 85+ on a 4 lane will hit your bank balance an extra $200 on top of the usual fine.

[Normandog]

I was coming out of Georgia today in a tractor-trailer and heard a few drivers talking on the cb about a new law in Georgia that took effect 1-1-10 . If you get caught 10 mph over it's a $250.00 fine...15 mph over it's a $500.00 fine.... I did'nt do any search on the www to see if its true or not just a reply to the thread 

If that's true I'm glad we were in GA last month 

[Jess from VA]

Joe, here is what I have seen on that.  This may not be the whole story.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/955491.html

[BamaDrifter64]

You may remember me posting about getting stopped for using a bit too much zest, on my last ride of the season...

I drove through 35 miles of snow covered roads this morning, for an 8:00 court time...  When my name was called, it took all of 3 minutes to get a 'Holy Crap' ticket, reduced to a 'bad boy' ticket...  Reduction in 'speed' and points, but still got to pay the full price 

Here's to 2010 being officer free 

Black Dog

I can tell you, after 15 years of being a lawyer, that it's ALWAYS about the money...they don't care about points or anything else...they'll reduce or dismiss charges totally as long as they get their money...if you had an attorney representing you, you would have probably gotten the ticket dismissed upon payment of court costs....fines are usually less than $100 and that goes to the state...court costs stay right there in that jurisdiction and they're usually $150+....

Dave

[Jess from VA]

Dave, after 30 years of being admitted to the bar (not THAT bar), I can tell you that while it is about the money, it is also about the pound of flesh in many jurisdictions. 

Two years ago, I got my only speeding ticket ever on a bike in 40 years of riding (not that I didn't have 500 coming); a nice 20 over.  I am not admitted in VA, though that is where I live and was ticketed.  I did my homework and discovered that because there are so many Fed Govt attorneys in the area, Fairfax county prosecutors will not even deal or talk with a non-VA lawyer.  So I took a buddy who was admitted in VA.  It took herculean efforts to get it reduced to 19 over from 20 (20 over = 6pts in VA, same as reckless and DUI, stays on your record for 7 yrs, and bad on the insurance).  We (he) had to threaten a jury trial and subpoena of the lidar certification, despite my good driving record (and the fact I had been a deputy sheriff, asst US attorney, JAG officer veteran).  AND I still paid the full 20 over price of admission.  It took 3/4 of the day in a busy court to get one MPH off the ticket (4 pts, instead of 6).  They knew what we were doing, and wanted me to get the points. 

I completely agree with you that going to court and asking for a break is a good idea....... but there are plenty of (I believe mostly populous) counties where they want both money and blood.   VA has a long history of being the Nazis of traffic enforcement nationwide. 

And I will also say that any parent with a new 'child' driver in the household would be well served to drag that child down to traffic court for a day to show them what they have to look forward to if (when) they start getting performance awards. 

[asfltdncr]

I heard this morning on msnbc or cnn that approximately 50 million tickets were written last year.
1 out of 6 people take away non-drivers probably brings it to 1 out of 3 to 4 drivers were ticketed last year.
If cited, admit to nothing, ask to see the radar reading.  While waiting for cop to return, take in your surroundings, how the lines of the road are laid out, visibility (theirs), distances.
Don't waist time arguing with the speed taxer, save that for court.
Go to court-they will mitigate the ticket to lesser charge and fine. 
Do not say that you were speeding and this why.  Even without the taxer present, you'll eat it.
Many times, the patrolman is not there to contest your version leaving a good opportunity for dismissal if your story is logical.
By the way, I read in the Spokane newspaper that at every light, to the light, accidents and injuries have went up where ever they have put cameras at stop lights.  This is the exact opposite of what was not only intended but promised.I believe they had generated 50k+ tickets.  If I'm not wrong, that's a whole lot of bread for a population of 500k.

With little exception, it's all about the revenue.

[valkmc]

It is $206.00 in Florida for 10-14 over, the cool part it is now a warning for 1-5 over, they can't write you a ticket if you are only going 5 over.

[thumper]

In Georgia we have the "Ludowici" law which requires you to be traveling a minimum of 10 miles per hour above the posted speed limit to be charged.  The law got it's name from the town of Ludowici which lies on one the main highways runing north/south through Georgia.  This town got such a notorious reputation as a speed trap that then governor Lester Maddox had a billboard erected on the highway warning motorists that they were entering the town and to slow down.  He then passed the law that I have described.

The law does not extend to state patrol officers or school zones.

[ArmyValker]

Why have a speed limit? Why not just raise the speed limit 10mph? Oooor, why not limit the percentage of revenue that can be obtained by traffic violations?