What are you talking about? You already admitted you were speeding. So, you got caught. Live with it and carry on. If you were speeding, as you mentioned, then it's your fault. I take chances and I'm positive others do also. If you break the law be prepared for the consequences. Remember, they're only doing their job. I personally don't like it, but I admit my wrong doing and continue on without bitching.

 

Here a traffic school link

http://www.california-traffic-school-online.com/

Still Haven't found how much the fine will be.

 

I agree that we take our chances, and I agree that they're just doing their job. No question about that.

But writing me down for 56 when I know that I just broke over 50 is another thing. As most of us experience, you don't want your engine ******* the uphill so you kinda give it some gas, and almost always that we end up over the speed limit.

It was the classic scenario, wait on the top of hill, clock anyone going uphill or anyone just getting on the bottom of the hill. They always get someone, that's either just coasting going down or someone trying to get over the hill.

 

chesterc, let's be honest: You were speeding, so I advise you strongly not to use stereotyping as defense in court (if you decide to go to court), it will just annoy the judge and get you in bigger trouble.

Will lawyer help you there? I don't know, I am not a lawyer and I don't have experience with any. How much ticket is for doing 56 in 40 where you are? I don't know. What I do know though (based on how things were 4 years ago) is that in California if this is your first ticket in last 18 months you pay the fine and go to traffic school (gotta pay for that too) and that cleans your record. However if you get another ticket within 18 months that one will stay on. Which means that if you pay your dues and lay low you will be fine.

On same subject, but different thing: Dude, doing 56 on surface streets in 40 zone? Even worse, this is not first time you are driving like that (just look at your old posts). What are you thinking? You are leaving impression of reckless driver based on your posts. You better start thinking before you, heavens forbid, hurt or kill someone. Streets and freeways are not for racing, that's what tracks are for.

ZoranC

 

Thanks for the reply ZoranC, some very valuable advice.

I do not contest the fact that I was above the posted limit. You play you pay, and trust me I am very responsible. I brought up the stereotyping issue just as a thought, but I never considered using it as a defense.

Speeding is speeding, breaking the law has it consequences. I am not however bitching, if that is the tone of my posts that was not my intention.

My goal is to minimize its impact, short and simple.

Will I lay low in the future? I hope so, but only time can tell. Was I reckless in some previous driving occasions? Let's just say there are some days that seem so. Six years have passed and this is my first ever, mainly because I was cautious in driving and still am.

Edit: Of all the years of driving, not a single accident, no warnings, not even parking tickets, no radar detector. One hit-and-run with my old truck that was parked in the mall, someone rear-ended my old truck while I was waiting on a toll booth. I consider myself a good driver.

 

Hey Chester...

I am glad I could help - your appreciation is appreciated!


I was doing 58 in a 40 and ended up with no loss except the $70 lawyer fee.

 

Personally, I've been stopped 4 times for speeding. The first time I defended my actions to the officer and tried to talk my way out of it. The conculsion, I got a ticket for speeding.

The next three times I was polite and admitted my guilt on the spot. The conculsion, let off with a warning (all three times.)

I'm all in favor of trying to get out of paying a fine or reducing it but I show no sympathy to those who try to defend their actions.

 

get a V-1 radar detector........ never had a ticket in my vette, and so far so good with the Harley !!!! Expensive...... but worth every penny !

 

Hey chesterc, I have had a few California speeding tickets over the years and I deserved all but one.

I have never tried the lawer thing, but the last ticket I did do the traffic school online thing. It ends up costing less than $30, and takes maybe 4 hours (at the MOST!). Be sure to shop around for the best school. In fact, you don't even have to take it all at once. The one I took, allowed you to save your spot and come back when it was conveinent (I did most of it at work - during lunch ). Take my word for it, this is supremely better than spending an entire day doing it, or even a couple of nights. For me it wasn't the money that bugged me the most, it was having to spend an entire Sunday in a room learning about traffic (reminded me of detention).

My best tip for you if you decide to do the traffic online thing, is to get it done as early as possible. The way California law works is you can go to traffic school for speeding tickets up to 20 mph over the limit, BUT you can only have the ticket erased from your record once ever 9 months (it could be 6 months I am not sure). The longer you put it off, the longer it will be before you have the option of doing it again. That means the second ticket WILL be on your insurance and record. CHA-CHING$$$ I am not saying that you will get a ticket again, but I did and now I have higher insurance.

P.S. I don't know how the police handle the traffic school thing. I think they still have a record of you getting a ticket when they run your driver's licence and plates. Basically, once you have a ticket. . .you are a lot more likely to get another one if you get pulled over.

 

Chester, I'm one of them 'radar totin' guys. A couple of things you may try:

1. Take your truck to a certified speedometer calibration shop, and run it on their dyno. See if there is a speedometer error. If so, bring that to court.

2. When you plead, plead No Contest!! What you are saying is that you agree with the officer's charges but you have an excuse for what happened. Like, the calibration.

3. Bring a copy of your perfect driving record, and present that to the judge as part of your testimony. Explain that you do not speed (don't say you've don't get caught, I had a guy tell the judge that on a case...judge wasn't in a good mood.)

4. Ask for a deferred finding. Return to court in a year, with no other violations, and see if they will drop the charges then.

I don't think the Lightnings or HDs are picked out, but if you were the only car on the street, then you don't have much of a chance against the radar.

Did he pace you? If so, the speed he wrote for could be the speed he was closing in on you at. You may say that when you looked at your speedometer after the officer lit you up, you were doing 50. The 56 could have been the officer's closing speed. It might put enough resaonable doubt into the judge's mind to dismiss or go lightly on you.

Tell the judge that the officer was courteous with you. Don,t lose your temper, shake your head, roll your eyes, or anything like that. When I am listening to a violator's testimony, I always focus on a spot on the wall behind the judge. Keeps me from rollling my eyes, shaking my head, etc.

Did a CHPpie get you, or a city cop? Typically, the state patrols are primarly traffic officers, while city and county officers are more into answering calls for service. The reason the city officer let you go. I have had people here blow past me while I'm on the interstate, then get upset I stopped them because "city cops don't work the interstates....WRONG!!!" Mostly, we're on the side streets, doing domestics or taking reports. The city cop may have been going to a call.

Good luck with it.

 

Thanks for your response PhillyRube, I really appreciate it.

The note on the citation is for "radar". He did not pace me, when he made the infamous high-speed, break-neck u-turn I knew I was toast. I am guilty of being above 40, but again I don't think that 56 was correct. He was on top of the hill, waiting to turn left / or maybe just waiting for anyone. The sun right between my eyes and I was accelarating to the top, and normally let go of the gas when you get the sense that you can coast all the way up and then go downhill.

It was a city officer on surface streets, right outside my apt complex on lazy Sunday afternoon. The kind of streets that top a hill with a sweeping right hand turn.

Thank you for your valuable advice, I will definitely put it to use.

 

Thanks for your reply, I am now gaining more knowledge on how I can minimize the effect of this ticket.

A fellow member mentioned that you need to pay the fine and then enroll for traffic school. If so, was this how your case resolved?

Thank you

 

Geez, haven't looked at the forum in 20 hours and this thread already has 2 pages of posts!!

Can't really add anything you already read here but sorry to here you got caught, regardless of the situation. If you truly have not had any tickets before then you are either a good, responsible driver or very lucky. I would have to think if you own an HD you must be pretty responsible since these trucks stick out like sore thumbs on the road.

Anyways, good luck with it and see you Saturday.

BTW, try to keep your foot out of it!

 

Yeah, it is going to cost sum buck$.

I had a ticket for 20mph over. It ended up costing $200-250 after it was all said and done.

I think it was layed out like this:

Ticket: $190
State Traffic school charge: $25
Traffic school cost: $30

The cost of one entire Sunday, hung over and having to cancel my plans: Priceless

It was 4 or more years ago so it is hard to remember the exact prices. You will be getting something in the mail telling you how much it will cost. Sometimes it takes a month, sometimes 3. For me it was always just when I thought they had forgot about me.

 

I consider myelf one, but at there are times that one gets a brain fart and screws up real bad. This is one of those times.