Speeding camera ticket

I would probably go look that ticket up - and see what happened. Was it really dismissed with a no contest plea? I can see the ruling being guilty, no fine. A HUGE difference when it comes to your 'prior record' in the future - these are kind of things that come back to bite people in the rear and then 5, 10 years later they are trying to prove something did not happen . . . . seriously. I've never heard of a no-contest / case dismissed. Good luck.
 
My wife got a ticket for improper display of license plates. She, or I should say I, didn't put the front plate on her little sports car. She was in Polk Co. and the trooper told her that if she put the license on the car, took a picture of it, and showed it to the judge that the judge would dismiss the ticket. So I put the plate on the car, we took a picture, took it down to the court house and waited for our turn to appear. My wife told the judge what the trooper said. The judge was really ****ed at the trooper, because my wife wasn't the only one who had come before her with the same story. The judge said that the trooper was not the one who decides whether a ticket got dismissed or not. She did however dismiss the ticket, but she charged my wife with $60 in court costs. So that is my story about getting out of a ticket. It cost me $60.
 
I've seen people pull a lot of clever stunts trying to get out of a ticket. Sometimes the work, usually they don't. I wrote a guy a radar ticket one time and he took it to court. So he was defending himself and he asked me if I had "observed him speeding," I testified that as he approached my patrol car that he appeared to be going faster than the flow of traffic. So this guy dramatically whips a hard boiled egg from his pocket, held it as high as he could, and dropped it on the floor. The judge came unglued on the guy. The guy explained that he wanted me to tell him how fast the egg was going when it hit the floor. I was just sitting there watching the whole thing. It was crazy. I don't know where he came up with that one. So the judge recessed, called the custodian to bring up a broom and dust pan, and he made the guy clean up the egg, which had broken in half and made a bit of a mess. So when we reconvened he asked me about calibrating the radar, then he went off on this scientific tangent asking me all of these technical questions. The judge interrupted him and told him that I was a cop, that I didn't invent the radar, I just operated it. The judge told him to move on. So the guy told the judge that if he wasn't going to be able to question me that he might as well plead guilty and pay the fine. The judge said that was probably the best for everyone. So that is my other story.

That isn't the only one that was kind of silly, but it is one. I had another where a guy turned left on a green light in front of a car coming through the intersection one night. He convinced the judge that the car coming through the intersection did not have his lights on. His defense was that if the other guy's car had had the lights on, he would have seen it and not turned left in front of it. The judge bought it. I liked that one too. That's another one. How many you want? I have a bunch of them. I have to say that court is just a crap shoot sometimes. I used to go up to the court room during traffic court just to watch.
 
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Maxmosbey said:
I had another where a guy turned left on a green light in front of a car coming through the intersection one night. He convinced the judge that the car coming through the intersection did not have his lights on. His defense was that if the other guy's car had had the lights on, he would have seen it and not turned left in front of it. The judge bought it.
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I did this many moons ago when I was 18 or so. The only reason the guy didn't hit me is because he was still 150' down the road. I didn't see him at all until my lights lit him up as I was turning. By that time it was too late to stop.

The girl behind me wasn't so lucky. She didn't see him either and got t-boned. I tried to talk to the responding cop. He asked if I saw the accident happen. I said no. He told me to go away. :dunno:
 
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timwinters said:
I did this many moons ago when I was 18 or so. The only reason the guy didn't hit me is because he was still 150' down the road. I didn't see him at all until my lights lit him up as I was turning. By that time it was too late to stop.

The girl behind me wasn't so lucky. She didn't see him either and got t-boned. I tried to talk to the responding cop. He asked if I saw the accident happen. I said no. He told me to go away. :dunno:
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Was it in Ames?
 
No, in my home town...Ste. Genevieve, Mo...in 1978 or so...eons ago!
 
I had one where I wrote this guy for drag racing. So he heard that if he was charged with drag racing all he had to do was convince the judge that he was not drag racing, but was actually just speeding, and the judge would have to find him not guilty. So he told the judge that he wasn't drag racing, he was just trying to keep up with the other car. That was a good one.
 
My only points violation was for speeding, which I'll admit, but was most certainly NOT the 22mph over the officer claimed. On my way home one night I wound up behind a Mustang blasting down the road, and being in the rush I was in and 17 and still green, I went along about 10 or so over the limit. Unfortunately, I passed the patrol while he was turning around, and not much further up at the light where I turned, I could see the tail lights of the Mustang a long way down the straight (he didn't turn, light was predominately green in our direction). I was mad, caught an earful from my dad, and like an idiot, I just paid it and didn't go to court.
 
I wonder how many people have seriously used, "I was speeding because I had to use the bathroom!" excuse...
 
comanchepilot said:
I would probably go look that ticket up - and see what happened. Was it really dismissed with a no contest plea? I can see the ruling being guilty, no fine. A HUGE difference when it comes to your 'prior record' in the future - these are kind of things that come back to bite people in the rear and then 5, 10 years later they are trying to prove something did not happen . . . . seriously. I've never heard of a no-contest / case dismissed. Good luck.
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I've seen it happen before, but in a Mayor's court rather than an actual court. The rules said that as soon as the person plead Not Guilty they had to punt it to the actual court, but if they plead Guilty or No Contest, the Mayor could adjust the fine/punishment as he saw fit. A couple times I saw him encourage someone to plead No Contest, then say, "That was a stupid ticket, no fine, just pay the court costs." The Mayor's happy because he gets court costs, the person's happy because they get no points or "fine." If I were confident I could win I would probably fight it just out of stubbornness, though.

I'm not saying that's necessarily what actually happened in the case we're discussing here, but it seems similar.
 
I had a ticket a few months ago for improper lane use (passed a left-turning car in the right turn lane). The thing I enjoyed most about this court (municipal, not just traffic) was watching the idiots who'd been picked up for parole/probation violations.

"You haven't reported to your probation officer since last November. Why?" "Um, well, he told me that I didn't have to anymore." Here's your sign. Oh, and these nice cojoined bracelets.

"Why did you test positive for heroine while on probation?" "Well, I was just smoking some marijuana, and it must have been laced." Here's your sign. Bracelets for you, too.

"Why did you test positive for heroine while on probation?" "I've got allergies, so I took allergy medicine." "Do you know that there is NO over the counter medication that will cause you to test positive for heroine?" Here's your sign. You'll like this new jewelry as well, I think.

There really is a left side to the Bell Curve. :yes: :yesnod: :fingerwag: :hairraise: :yikes:
 
I got clocked in the 80s in Kentucky at 133 in a 55. I got charged with speeding but the Trooper didn't write it for reckless driving. The judge asked why not, and the Trooper testified that the car was under control, there was nobody else on the road, and that I slowed and pulled over as soon as I saw him pull onto the road.

I got a very large fine (I was not yet 17), but I didn't lose my license.
 
Fortunately, I never got picked up for the really stupid things I did in motor vehicles, with the exception of the nice present I got from the WV State patrol after Windwood last year. I usually get nabbed for dumb stuff.
 
HerrGruyere said:
We have signs up here in MD and DC that say "Photo Enforced" below the speed limit sign. About 3/4 to a 1 mile up the road, there is the camera with the lines on the ground. If you are going 11+ over the limit, they will take a picture of your car and fine you.

First of all, if you speed through the camera despite seeing the "Photo Enforced" sign, you deserve the fine. You knew it was coming, why didn't you slow down? However, this does not mean crawl through the camera zone, which is what most people do. Just drive a normal on the limit or five above through the camera.

Second, I don't know how these things are regulated but getting a camera fine for speeding in a school zone at 8:00 p.m. on a Sunday in the middle of summer is a bit peculiar. Same goes for the empty work zones on the same days. Those are the ones I would contest, because no child is in school at 8:00 p.m. on a Sunday in the middle of summer.

Third, I don't know how effective they are. My girlfriend, how I love her so, is not very attentive when it comes to driving. I often look over to find us speeding. She has had a couple of those camera tickets issued, but it doesn't seem to hinder her speeding.

I don't mind the cameras that much. Mainly because I've learned my lessons in speeding the hard way. Four times. I've also seen what happens when speeding goes bad. Despite that, isn't there a way they could be a little more regulated, i.e. times of enforcement?
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My biggest grip with the DC revenue enforcement is some of the locations. On I395 a limited access highway leading toward DCA they have put in a 45 MPH speed limit with photo radar. Does this make sense, No but it sure does make money.
 
Sportsman said:
CA has plenty stoplight cameras and it's a $500 hit. Makes you paranoid to stop one foot across the line and I'm a naturally cautious driver at this point in my life.
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Holy crap! CA is truly the land of nuts
 
TMetzinger said:
I got clocked in the 80s in Kentucky at 133 in a 55. I got charged with speeding but the Trooper didn't write it for reckless driving. The judge asked why not, and the Trooper testified that the car was under control, there was nobody else on the road, and that I slowed and pulled over as soon as I saw him pull onto the road.

I got a very large fine (I was not yet 17), but I didn't lose my license.
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what were you driving?

HerrGruyere said:
I wonder how many people have seriously used, "I was speeding because I had to use the bathroom!" excuse...
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I regularly drive 4+ hours to get to my weekend spot on the chesapeake bay, a lot in rural areas. Thankfully never been caught, but more than once I have been speeding to the next toilet
 
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Usually there is a procedure for challenging the ticket. Check the City's website. You'll probably lose unless there was a problem with the sensor/camera that day.

We had red light camera's here until it was put on the ballot and voted out. There were hundreds of people running red lights every day at just a few intersections. Probably every one of them claiming 'I didn't do it'. You could log onto the City website and watch people blowing through the lights.
 
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I got pulled over two years ago by a state trooper on the interstate. I was heading back home from college one weekend and saw this trooper whip out behind a 18-wheeler and flashed his lights. Never saw him get on the interstate. So I pulled over at the upcoming off ramp that I KNEW no one used. Well the guy came up and the first thing he said was "why did you pull over here?" I replied that it was safer for the both of us since we were off the freeway and on a dead off-ramp. He came back with an angry "I already know where I want you to pull over don't make one up yourself!!" I resisted the urge to tell him I can't read minds. :mad2:

His next "official" statement was that he noticed that I had a state trooper sticker on my bumper. He stated that he ran my license plate and found no one in my immediate family who was a state trooper. He strongly suggested that I remove the sticker before he saw me again. :rolleyes2: To end the madness he gave me a warning for doing 72 in a 70. I guess he had to do something official to make it a legal traffic stop! :idea:

So two years later I'm in the process of selling that suv and the sticker is still on my bumper! :rofl: :rolleyes2:
 
dell30rb said:
what were you driving?

I regularly drive 4+ hours to get to my weekend spot on the chesapeake bay, a lot in rural areas. Thankfully never been caught, but more than once I have been speeding to the next toilet
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I was driving a heavily modified 1967 Cougar, that my stepdad (a mechanic and racer in his youth) and I built. It wasn't a sports car, but we did adjust the suspension and the engine and my stepdad had it at over 150 on an oval track. I was on US 70 on a stretch that was at least 4 miles of straight road.
 
jtheune said:
My biggest grip with the DC revenue enforcement is some of the locations. On I395 a limited access highway leading toward DCA they have put in a 45 MPH speed limit with photo radar. Does this make sense, No but it sure does make money.
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Why doesn't it make sense? The speed limit on 395 coming in and out of the city is like 35 until you get to the main part which is 55.

On some of the roads around here, I don't like to drive fast because the roads are in such poor condition.
 
MadseasoN said:
Usually there is a procedure for challenging the ticket. Check the City's website. You'll probably lose unless there was a problem with the sensor/camera that day.

We had red light camera's here until it was put on the ballot and voted out. There were hundreds of people running red lights every day at just a few intersections. Probably every one of them claiming 'I didn't do it'. You could log onto the City website and watch people blowing through the lights.
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There's always this method:
attachment.php


:rofl:

http://jalopnik.com/5355617/man-avoids-37-speed-camera-tickets-by-wearing-monkey-mask
 

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bluesky74656 said:
I remember reading about a crew in the UK, where they use cameras mounted on vans on the side of the road. Someone snuck up to the van, carefully removed it's license plates, mounted the license plates on their own car, then made multiple speed runs past the van.
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It's easier to just draw a "plate" on a bit of card stock and tape it on. The hard part is deciding who's plate number to use.
 
hopmedic said:
"You haven't reported to your probation officer since last November. Why?" "Um, well, he told me that I didn't have to anymore." Here's your sign. Oh, and these nice cojoined bracelets.

"Why did you test positive for heroine while on probation?" "Well, I was just smoking some marijuana, and it must have been laced." Here's your sign. Bracelets for you, too.

"Why did you test positive for heroine while on probation?" "I've got allergies, so I took allergy medicine." "Do you know that there is NO over the counter medication that will cause you to test positive for heroine?" Here's your sign. You'll like this new jewelry as well, I think.

There really is a left side to the Bell Curve. :yes: :yesnod: :fingerwag: :hairraise: :yikes:
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Reminds me of Arlo Guthrie sitting on the bench in the song Alice's restaurant.:rofl:
 
In the town where I grew up; there are two intersections that are 4-way
stops ... and one of the stop signs has the following sign below it: EXCEPT
WHEN TURNING RIGHT

If you (legally) turn right without stopping, the thugs w/badges will write a
citation for failure to stop. The fine is $172 - mail it in.

If you take a photo of the signs and go to court. The Judge will dismiss ...
and order you to pay the court costs: $172

Heck, traffic enforcement is such a racket that one merchant decided
warn/remind the citizenry:
 

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X3 Skier said:
Reminds me of Arlo Guthrie sitting on the bench in the song Alice's restaurant.:rofl:
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Then Obie looked at the 27 8x10 color glossy photographs, with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one, explaining what each one was, to be used as evidence against us....

When I was in the Navy, there was a guy that played guitar who came into a small bar near the base one night a week, and I sang that song with him one night. :D

rainsux said:
In the town where I grew up; there are two intersections that are 4-way stops ...
and one of the stop signs has the following sign below it: EXCEPT WHEN TURNING RIGHT

If you (legally) turn right without stopping, the Sheriff and State Police will write a
citation for failure to stop. The fine is $172 - mail it in.

If you take a photo of the signs and go to court. The Judge will dismiss ... and order
you to pay the court costs: $172
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How in the world is it that you'd have to pay court costs if your charges are dismissed???
 
HerrGruyere said:
Why doesn't it make sense? The speed limit on 395 coming in and out of the city is like 35 until you get to the main part which is 55.

On some of the roads around here, I don't like to drive fast because the roads are in such poor condition.
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Because that section of the highway is 3 lanes in each direction and meet all the other parameters of a interstate including a average speed or 65 MPH. It's the section after you turn off of New York Ave. Further down it turns up but that is a mile or 2 down the highway.
 
Here in good old New Jersey (gimme your money!) there is an ongoing outcry over red light cameras. There are lots of interesting concerns, such as an increase in rear-end accidents (from people slamming on the brakes), and even official police cars being ticketed.
What really got my attention however, are the right on red tickets. NJ allows for right on red unless posted otherwise, and only after the vehicle stops and the driver looks for and yields to all oncoming traffic. The glitch in this automated (s)camera system is that if it detects movement within a three second period, it snaps a picture and issues a summons. The precedent this creates (the way I see it) rewrites our traffic code...
 
airbornejohnny said:
Here in good old New Jersey (gimme your money!) there is an ongoing outcry over red light cameras. There are lots of interesting concerns, such as an increase in rear-end accidents (from people slamming on the brakes), and even official police cars being ticketed.
What really got my attention however, are the right on red tickets. NJ allows for right on red unless posted otherwise, and only after the vehicle stops and the driver looks for and yields to all oncoming traffic. The glitch in this automated (s)camera system is that if it detects movement within a three second period, it snaps a picture and issues a summons. The precedent this creates (the way I see it) rewrites our traffic code...
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Well, it shouldn't. Seems like a a couple of witnesses with a camcorder could successfully get that thrown out.

We have a somewhat similar thing. Big bicycle town and the cops do enforce bicycles coming to a complete stop in the downtown area. Trouble is that regardless of the speed, it's not a full-stop unless the rider puts his foot down on the ground.
 
hopmedic said:
Then Obie looked at the 27 8x10 color glossy photographs, with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one, explaining what each one was, to be used as evidence against us....

When I was in the Navy, there was a guy that played guitar who came into a small bar near the base one night a week, and I sang that song with him one night. :D
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"KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?":wink2:

Cheers
 
> "KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?"

No. I am perpetually assigned to the Group W bench.
 
Old Geek said:
Well, it shouldn't. Seems like a a couple of witnesses with a camcorder could successfully get that thrown out.

We have a somewhat similar thing. Big bicycle town and the cops do enforce bicycles coming to a complete stop in the downtown area. Trouble is that regardless of the speed, it's not a full-stop unless the rider puts his foot down on the ground.
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Well, this morniing the car ahead of me sideswiped the front end of a car that ran through the red, but got almost stopped... Jeez, pieces of vehicles for 200 feet down the road... Then all the gawkers had to slow down and I heard a rearender... I pulled two wheels up over the curb and turned into a parking lot and got the flock out of dodge... I wonder how many lies the cop got told...
But, I was on my way to the airport and neither inclement weather or pieces of plastic car will slow my appointed rounds...
 
jtheune said:
Because that section of the highway is 3 lanes in each direction and meet all the other parameters of a interstate including a average speed or 65 MPH. It's the section after you turn off of New York Ave. Further down it turns up but that is a mile or 2 down the highway.
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They might be trying to slow everyone before hitting the city? Not sure. I'd have to go investigate this but I think I know where you're talking about.
 
So I was in a crash in June. <short version> some jerk (worthy of a Captain Jerk thread) was mad because I wasn't going fast enough, passed me in a turn lane on left, swerved to slam on brakes in front of me, his bumper hit my fender, he slammed on brakes in front of me, I stopped short of hitting him. He jumped out, yanked on my door handle, pounded on my window as I was dialing 911. </short version>

He has no insurance, at least that my Ins co can get contact with. So they covered under UMP. Today they tell me that the diminished value of my car, after $1572 in repairs, is $57.42. BAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

I already have a verbal estimate for $900!!!

So I just paid the $95 to get the estimate officially on paper. I'm astounded by the disparity. I worked in the ins industry so I understand to never take their first offer, but we're talking about an offer of 6%!!

Wow.
 
HerrGruyere said:
I wonder how many people have seriously used, "I was speeding because I had to use the bathroom!" excuse...
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True and very sad story:

A couple of years before my mother died from metsstatic colon cancer [to the brain - this is relevant in a moment] she was driving home and had a sudden uncontrollable urge to use the facilities. . . . #2.

A State Policeman saw her speeding toward a roadside rest area [there was a sign saying there was a rest area in a couple of miles]

He pulls her over and she says that she has an urgent need to use the bathroom - he just kind of guffaws, does not believe her - and simply asks her for drivers license and reg and then she goes in her pants- she is 72 years old and has not gone in her bloomers since she was small baby.

He then proceeds to take about 15 minutes writing the ticket- saunters over and hands her the citation with two fingers trying not to breath in what must have been quite the odor. How do I know this - since my 72 year old mother was mortified and embarassed and could not recall much of what happened - I asked for the dashcam video and you could see and hear the entire interaction. And see his face as he walked away.

Once heard the story I was incensed. But revenge is a dish best served cold. I decided to plead her not guilty. Being a member of the bar of the state in which she got the ticket, I could have simply gone to the prosecuting attorney and they would have dismissed it in a heartbeat.

But Officer Friendly here deserved his day in court. As did my mom.

We went to coourt - and I had my mother excused from the room after the Officer testified about catching her doing 70 in a 60mph zone. My cross examination was the dash cam video. All set up nice and legal like.

When it was done - the Prosecutor was staring in horror at the cop. The Judge Pro Tem was open jawed. The entire court room was murmuring. The disgust with the officers conduct was palpable in that court room. Judge said, "in light of the video I find the defendant not guilty." He apologized to me- told me to apologize to my mother and the prosecutor likewise offered the apology of his office.

They ALL turned to the next case with the cop, in full uniform, still sitting on the witness stand. The bailiff refused to let him out the side sally port door and he needed to do the walk of shame through the court room.

So yes - to answer the question - sometimes people use that excuse and they really need to go. Her last illness presented in the part of the brain affecting control of the bladder and bowels - and for my mom I kind of understood that dying was a relief.
 
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ARFlyer said:
I pulled over at the upcoming off ramp that I KNEW no one used. Well the guy came up and the first thing he said was "why did you pull over here?" I replied that it was safer for the both of us since we were off the freeway and on a dead off-ramp. He came back with an angry "I already know where I want you to pull over don't make one up yourself!!" I resisted the urge to tell him I can't read minds. :mad2:
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Ok - here is the funny story - about 8 years ago - right after I got my Boxster - I'm driving back from lunch with my law partner and we pass a school bus pulled off the side of the road - with the road flashers on but not the 'I'm gonna let kids off the bus" flasher going. Its 1p - there are no kids on the bus.

A kid in local PD car pulls me over - he can't be more than 22 or 23 - and I'm kind of smart azz and he makes the actual statement . . .

"Hello, Sir, I see you passed that school bus back there, do you know why I stopped you?"

I could not resist it - I KNEW that I was not speeding, had current plates, no lighting issues, no open containers in view, my insurance was valid and JimBob just wanted to harass someone driving a car he could not afford [even though I only paid $28k for it but thats another story] - so i said:

"Officer, I have many talents, but clairvoyance is not one of them"

He looks at me funny for a moment, I know he's trying to figure out what clairvoyance means, and my law partner spits out some coke he was drinking and says "you're going to jail!'

Well, Jimbob figures out that I just insulted him and asks for license and registration and the when he [I'm sure disappointed] discovers valid plates, a valid license, no wants or warrants, tells me that I passed a school bus with its flashers going.

I then asked him - "which flashers would that be Officer? The I'm broken down on the road flashers or the I'm letting kids out of the bus flashers. Because I'm pretty sure those are the broken down on the side of the road flashers. . . . "

He looks back and sure enough, they are the broken down flashers. I can see the panicked look on his face when he realizes that I have broken no law in his vision.

He takes a moment and goes back to his squad car - looks up a few thing - in the mean time I am snapping photos and taking cell phone video like a fool. He comes back and hands my license and reg and just says: "drive safely, have a nice day."

I still feel a little bad for that one . ... but it just blurted out.
 
Back about 20 years or so ago, I was a volunteer fireman. Blue light bar on top of the car, and IVFA (Indiana Volunteer Firemen's Association) license plates. I was on my way home from the hospital where I worked in the ER as an EMT at the time. There was a place where there were two railroad crossings, separated by about 50' of space. Each crossing had a stop sign. The first set of tracks was in use, the other was rusted and had two-foot tall weeds growing over it.

I frequently stopped at the first set of tracks, but not the second - why bother? This particular day, I get about 2 miles down the state highway after crossing the tracks and turning on the highway, and I see a county sheriff's car coming up behind me, rapidly (very little other traffic). The lights come on and I pull over.

He walks up and tells me how he pulled me over for blowing the stop sign at the RR crossing. He says, "You're a fireman, so I'm sure you've heard of the rash of crossing deaths we've had around the region lately, haven't you?" Yes. I didn't tell him that I worked in the ER, or that the week before I did CPR on the daughter of one of our house supervisors (the highest ranking nurse on the shift for the whole hospital) who'd been killed on the crossing that I DID stop at, nor that a few months prior I did CPR on my own cousin, killed at a crossing in a neighboring town.

He asked me, "Why did you blow the stop sign then?" I said I stopped at the first one, but not at the second one, because the second one isn't in use. He told me it was. I didn't argue. I cross it twice a day, see the rust and the weeds, but I bit my tongue.

He gave me a warning, and I went home. The next morning when I picked up my newspaper, on the front page was a picture of that crossing, rust, weeds, and all, with a headline and story telling how these long unused tracks would soon be back in use, as whatever railroad had either sold or decided to use them again (I don't remember). I remember hoping he saw the front page. DOH! :mad2:
 
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