One speeding ticket . . .

[larrybard]

It's not that I mind so much the basic fine ($78.50) for supposedly going 88 MPH, it's the fact the total becomes well in excess of twice that, after they add $10 for the "Emergency Medical Services Act," $40 for the "Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund" (sort of rolls of the tongue, doesn't it?), $34.50 for "Costs" (I guess they want to ensure that the fines are 100% profit?), and $10 for the "Judicial Computer Project/Access to Justice."  Sheesh!

I noticed the "style" of my vehicle was listed as "sedan, 2-door, auto"; does anyone know, in that context, whether "auto" is simply short for "automobile" or -- dare I hope a technical error that might get me of the hook -- "automatic transmission"?  There's also the issue of my registration identifying my car as a coupe, but the ticket listing it as a sedan.  (This was not my Porsche.)  I understand that the SAE generally uses the coupe classifications to distinguish interior volumes of less than 33 cubic feet , but I wouldn't think that would be as important for these purposes as the inconsistency between what my registration says and the ticket says.

Larry

[Darren]

I doubt the judge would see that as relevant -- I've tried almost every argument at various times and not many work!

What does work is to keep appealing and hope they don't show up, and even better is to talk to the cop before the hearing and ask him to knock it down to a non-points violation -- which in my experience, if you were polite and nice to them at the time of the stop, they almost always will agree to do.

Of course this all takes time and I now just look at it as a tax and pay it.  I got stopped a week or so ago with my truck and expired registration (I had been procrastinating since it costs $243/year for my truck) -- the cop said just come to court and if you show me it was renewed I'll withdraw it.  I told him it wasn't worth my time I'd just pay -- so he gave me a warning! Haha, nice guy though, usually they have something to prove.

[ccm911]

Just plead five over, no points, and be done with it.  The cop just wants his "conviction", so most folks I have dealt with have been pretty reasonable.  Plus, I get the feeling that they hate seeing folks get their insurance rates raised.

[Phokaioglaukos]

Location? Radar or laser? Any detector in use?

We have "average speed cameras" on many motorways. They read your licence plate at two points fairly far apart and calculate your average speed. If over, you get a ticket in the mail. Our satnavs are programmed with the fixed speed cameras, but these are hard to beat by slowing at the spot.

On a happier note, because of reduced budgets Oxfordshire is turning their speed cameras off.

[larrybard]

Radar.  I never drive anywhere (well, almost anywhere) without my Valentine One, but there's no good defense against "instant on" except extra vigilance (or -- perish the thought -- actual compliance with posted limits), and this trooper was tucked in just over a hill near the Valley Forge exchange.  I forcefully applied the brakes as soon as we saw each other, but my Valentine told me it was too late (though otherwise I could have been clocked at a speed much higher than 88).  Speed cameras probably would not have worked on me; I think this is one of my vehicles with a photo-blocking license plate cover (Shhhhh!!).

[Marty Kocse]

larrybard wrote:

Radar. I never drive anywhere (well, almost anywhere) without my Valentine One, but there's no good defense against "instant on" except extra vigilance (or -- perish the thought -- actual compliance with posted limits), and this trooper was tucked in just over a hill near the Valley Forge exchange. I forcefully applied the brakes as soon as we saw each other, but my Valentine told me it was too late (though otherwise I could have been clocked at a speed much higher than 88). Speed cameras probably would not have worked on me; I think this is one of my vehicles with a photo-blocking license plate cover (Shhhhh!!).

IMHO, simply put, fogetaboutit!!!

[catchacab]

The PA troopers have a new very low powered hand held K band gun that is very difficult to detect. Most troopers are using it "instant on". If you get a short duration, low power K band signal don't blow it off, slow down!!!

The troopers on 95 from phila to NJ also have Ka band guns.

[CarreraS]

I have several friends who are police officers...here is their advice:  First, if you have friends who are cops, ask them for a "courtesy"/PBA card.  When you are pulled over, hand that card along with your license and registration to the officer.  Apologize for your transgression, explain your friendship/relation to the officer who gave you the courtesy/PBA card and then apologize again and ask if there is anything he can do such as give you a warning instead of a ticket.  This has worked EVERY time for me with both local and state police.  One exception was when I was doing triple digits on the NE extension and the trooper let me slide but confiscated my beloved courtesy card.  That sucked because he mailed it back to the cop who had given the card to me with a note that said, "tell your idiot friend to slow down."

OK, as already mentioned, if you don't have a friend in blue and a ticket is inevitable, be polite and ask if he would consider giving you a ticket with an indicated speed that is less than 5 MPH over the limit.  Explain that you don't mind getting the ticket, but you don't want your insurance to go up.  You get no points in PA, (not sure about NJ), and it should not affect your insurance.

Another alternative is to say to the officer, "I heard from a friend who is an officer that there is a ticket called "Failure to Obey Traffic Control Devices", that has no points attached to it.  Would it be possible to get a ticket for that instead?"  Again, you pay a fine, but no points.

Darren, the problem with many municipalities, particularly in NJ, is that if the officer doesn't show, they just tell you that you need to re-schedule.  It is part of their strategy not to show.  The hope is that you don't want to be inconvenienced again so that you'll make a deal with the prosecutor on the spot for a lesser/no points offense.  Either way, they get their money, the officer isn't paid OT to come to court or come off the road from giving other people tickets! 

Be polite to the cops, be polite to the prosecutor, be polite to the judge, pay the fine, hope for no points and that's the best you can do.

[rbasales]

From experience; the advice you have given is right on! The only thing I would add is when caught pull over instantly. If you have sped through a trap and see the cop pull out to follow you; pull over ASAP. It shows immediate contrition and has worked for me several times. My friends in blue tell me they hate to have to trail someone to pull them over and they despise it when they get a "who me" attitude.