I got my first speeding ticket today :(

[GK]

I was heading up to Santa Cruz with Mary and we're on a mountain-ish 2 lane highway. The speed limit was 55MPH, but I got clocked at 64MPH. I thought it was a 65MPH highway.

I saw the CHP officer pulled over at the side a few hundred feet ahead. I lowered the car into 3rd instead of braking so he wouldn't see me hitting the brakes. I didn't think it was a big issue since I really thought the speed limit was 65 and I was two miles over.

After I pass him I see him get onto the highway and I thought to myself "oh shit." But a BMW was driving at about the same speed as I was and he pulled up behind the beamer and I thought I was ok. He tailed the beamer for about five seconds and then got into my ass and I couldn't even see his front bumper anymore. I kept looking at the speedo and I was doing exactly 64MPH.

After a few seconds, he fired up his red light and I thought "aww shit." I pulled over to the side a hundred feet ahead or so since we were on a two-lane highway with no shoulder.

He came up to the passenger side window and said "I pulled you over for speeding. When you and that beamer came around the bend you bother were doing 64MPH. I followed the beamer and he slowed down and then I came after you and you still drove 64MPH."

I told him "I thought the speed limit was 65MPH and I even lowered my car into 3rd gear around the bend for safety."

He then asked for my license, insurance, blah blah...

He came back a few minutes later and said "OK I'm ticketing you for driving 64MPH in a 50MPH zone. Here's the court date....." Yadda yadda yadda...

I want to be mad at him, but he was very courteous and nice so I can't do that. :)

I was thinking of going to court since I've never had a speeding ticket and hopefully getting it dismissed.

Any suggestions guys?

EDIT: I just noticed on the ticket he put my old house address then crossed it out. I have one of those little cards you keep in your wallet with my new address. He wrote down the street name, but not the number. I'm concerned that my ticket may not arrive to my home. Do I call the CHP or court house?

[MrDude_1]

usual procedure here:

show up
plead guilty
dude cuts the ticket
get in line
pay
leave.


thats how it works here at least... heh

[Jay87Z]

Mail in the fine and get on with your life.

[MrDude_1]

Originally posted by Jay87Z
Mail in the fine and get on with your life.

0% chance of reduction if you mail it in

[TC]

No, don't mail the payment. If you have time, go to court on it. Judges almost 99% of the time give you a lower fine than the standard set mail-in fine. NEVER just mail it in if you can make the court date.

[GK]

Thanks guys. I didn't plan on just giving up and mailing in the fine. If anything, I'd do traffic school since I have a ton of discounts on my insurance. I've got California Good Driver discount, Good Driver Discount (like a general good driver or something), a discount for having a high GPA in school, a discount for being a full time student, etc.... :)

Should I just go in there and plead guilty or is there anything I could mention to get the ticket dismissed?

I do NOT plan on lying about anything.

[TC]

Go in and plead guilty with an explanation, then tell the judge what you just said....about your GPA and driver habits, etc. Tell him you made an honest mistake and request the mercy of the courts. You'll get a HUGE break, I'd bet! That's if you don't want to take defensive driving and have it wiped out, which would be my first action if I were you.

If you're taking defensive driving, you have to go in and plead no contest and request defensive driving. You apply for it with the court clerk and they submit it to the judge.

[GK]

Originally posted by TC
Go in and plead guilty with an explanation, then tell the judge what you just said....about your GPA and driver habits, etc. Tell him you made an honest mistake and request the mercy of the courts. You'll get a HUGE break, I'd bet! That's if you don't want to take defensive driving and have it wiped out, which would be my first action if I were you.

Thanks Pete! I'll be sure to take in some school goodies and copies of my insurance records.

[GK]

I'm not trying to grasp at straws, but what about the thing about him tailing the beamer and not ticketing him. He was after him first and let him go.

Would I be able to get off on a technicality of some sort since I was driving a "sports car" and he let the beamer go?

I'm just trying to prepare myself for court. :)

[TC]

Not really. He had the option of getting either car since he got you both at the same speed. The fact that the BMW slowed down helped the officer make his decision. We can't stop all the speeders. ;)

[Jay87Z]

Well, I go by "ignoreance of the law is no excuse"... so if I get a ticket.. whether I knew I was breaking the law or not, I just pay it, since I deserve it :shrug:

Sure if I had a bunch of points and was at risk of losing my license.. I'd go to courrt and see what I could pull off. But I'll never be in that position.

[GK]

Originally posted by TC
Not really. He had the option of getting either car since he got you both at the same speed. The fact that the BMW slowed down helped the officer make his decision. We can't stop all the speeders. ;)

It was worth a shot. :)

Originally posted by Jay87Z
Well, I go by "ignoreance of the law is no excuse"... so if I get a ticket.. whether I knew I was breaking the law or not, I just pay it, since I deserve it :shrug:

I totally agree with you. I fiqure its worth a shot and I'll try to defend myself. If it dosen't work, I'll pay it. No biggie. :)

[Newsance]

Ask if it would be possible for you to get a deferred sentence. This is where as long as you don't get ticketed again in a certain amount of time, it does not go on your record. A lot of times they only make you pay court costs as well.

The downside is, if you do get ticketed again within like a year or so, you get BOTH tickets.

My first ticket was 25 over, with the same GPA/drivers ed etc stuff as you, and I got a deferred sentence, a $16 court cost charge, and had to spend $100 on a saturday drivers ed on an autocross track. It ruled.

[Blue_Chameleon]

Dude...you're done for. Might as well hang up those keys to your car now....

Just kidding...hehehe...lets chat over this at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz :D

[GK]

I got my Courtesy Notice today from the Santa Cruz Courts. I've been cited for "I VC 22350 UNSAFE SPEED."

My options are to pay the $141.00 bail or contest the citation. I'm going to schedule an appearance as it says on the paper and hopefully work with it.

[Newsance]

If you show up, the DA should at least cut it in half, and I would seriously ask for a deferred sentence.

[GK]

Originally posted by Newsance
If you show up, the DA should at least cut it in half, and I would seriously ask for a deferred sentence.

Are you talking about the fine? I could care less about the money. All I'm concerned about is getting my insurance policy raised.

I'll definatley try the deferred thing when I get there.

I called them today and after weeding through about 15 minutes of automated BS (It tells you when you first call that you will have the option of getting to a real person at the end), another automated message tells me that they're closed for the holiday!

:mad: Oh well, I'll try again tommorow. :)

[JmeierZ28]

Originally posted by GK


Are you talking about the fine? I could care less about the money. All I'm concerned about is getting my insurance policy raised.

I'll definatley try the deferred thing when I get there.

I called them today and after weeding through about 15 minutes of automated BS (It tells you when you first call that you will have the option of getting to a real person at the end), another automated message tells me that they're closed for the holiday!

:mad: Oh well, I'll try again tommorow. :)

LMAO

Dude.. Just show up. I got my 2 FTAs and Fix it reduced to just the Fixit ticket by showing up.. Total savings? $500.

[JmeierZ28]

And I cant stress enough the importance of dressing nice.

[GK]

Fix it tickets... Bah! :)

I called the courts today and they told me what to do. I can either drive to Santa Cruz and sign up or send in the bail amount of $141 along with a plead of not guilty. I chose the latter.

If I'm found not guilty, the $141 will be refunded.

I'll keep you guys updated!

[GK]

Here is the letter I am planning on sending in. What do you guys think?

-----------------------------------------------------

Dear Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz:

I wish to please not guilty and request a court date. I received a ticket on 2/3/02. The QT number is listed as XXXXX. I was also told to put “Time not waived” in this letter to request a speedy trial.

I was going towards Santa Cruz on 17 (I believe it was 17. I’m on 880 and it turns into 17 if I’m correct). I was coming around a very steep bend in the mountains and my car started to accelerate on the decline. I lowered my car into 3rd gear and was braking to sustain a safe speed.

I noticed a CHP officer parked on the side and double checked my speedometer to make sure I wasn’t speeding. I was doing 64MPH on the dot. The speed limit there was 50MPH and I complety admit fault in that respect.

The CHP officer gets onto the highway and I think “Is he coming after me?” I again check my speed and I’m doing 64MPH in 3rd gear. He tails a new BMW for a few seconds (he’s on my right) and then backs off. He then proceeds to tail me and I again check my speedometer thinking the speed limit is 65MPH and I’m doing 64MPH. I attempt to slow down and switch lanes thinking he was maybe on a call and was trying to pass me, but he was riding my tail so close that not only couldn’t see his front tires, but his push bar was complety invisible to me. I was unable to slow down and switch lanes.

He fires up his red light and I pull over after about 30 seconds since there was no shoulder in the area I was driving on. He comes up to my car and says “I pulled you over for speeding. You and the beamer were doing 66 around the bend. I followed the beamer and he (or she?) slowed down. I followed you and you didn’t slow down.”

I told him that “I even lowered my car into 3rd gear to safely reduce my speed.” He simply stated “I need your license, registration and proof of insurance.”

He was very courteous and respectful throughout everything, but I feel that I was stuck in an awkward position (literally). I have included a copy of my most recent insurance papers so you can you see that I’m a very responsible driver.

A few things that I want to mention that are on the insurance paper:

- Driving Safety Record Rate Level A+ (the only higher level is A++ and I haven’t been driving for 5 years, yet).

I’ve received 3 Premium Reductions for my flawless driving record. They are:
- Driving Safety Record - $306.73 premium reduction
- Driver Safety - $228.78 premium reduction
- California Good Driver - $230.32 premium reduction
- I’m also now receiving a “Good Student” discount, but it’s not listed on the paper because I recently turned in a copy of my transcripts from school and I wasn’t able to atain an updated insurance print out. I have a 4.0GPA, I’m on the Dean’s List, and have made the Honor Roll. These things combined have also given me another $100 premium reduction.

I’d appreciate any help the court could give me in this matter.

Sincerely,
George Khawahie

[firecop]

And the Judge was singing....

Like a Virgin.....
Porked for the very first time...

Like a Virgin.........
It's gonna be me on his hinie this time.........
:D

[GK]

Anybody?

[FivePointSlow]

I doubt that your letter will be read by anybody other than the clerk that schedules the court dates (if they even bother to read it). I'd save most of that for the trial, but I think youre gonna be SOL. I'd leave out the stuff about what you thought the speed limit was, and concentrate on your good record in hoping for leniency.

just IMHO, of course :D

Ryan

[GK]

I got my traffic school stuff today. There's a fatty list of different traffic schools listed and about half of them are on the internet. I'll sign-up with one of those soon.

[Evil Cartman]

Heh, I just did it the easy way, paid the ticket and went to 2 nights of traffic school. Got to watch worlds wildest police videos too :thumbup: I got done for 45+ in a 35. :(