Another "got a ticket, need advice" thread...

[YTNUKLR]

I got a ticket! I was getting on the freeway for about 1 exit and all of a sudden there was a CHP motorcycle on me. I accelerated hard through 3rd and into 4th gear on the onramp and got up to roughly 95mph (I think) before I started coasting back down for the exit. I don't think he had me on laser or radar because there's no serial number and the ticket merely says "85+".

It's stupid to say, but the fine is not what's really concerning me, it's the fact that I would have to fly down from Berkeley in a month and a half to go to court to pay my fine...

I am strongly considering just getting a lawyer to deal with it. I've talked with one already (Robert Miller) and he basically told me there is a good chance of winning it if it was just an observation ticket like we think this was.

Any advice? If you have a good referral for a traffic attorney (preferably someone that has won one for you?) please email me.

Thanks men

[Sonic dB]

Do a Trial by Declaration!

Go to Yahoo...type in "CA Ticket Assassin" and it will take you to a website that details how and why to do it.

Good luck man

[YTNUKLR]

Dude, thanks. I owe you one. When's the next Mulholland run?

[Steve Carlton]

I think you have a major uphill battle here. A CHP's visual observation is all that's required for speed, and as you know, he was accurate. I can't believe any judge is going to take your word for it over his in a Trial By Written Declaration. You'll be committed to your version once you do that, I would think.

85+ sounds serious; I'd find a proven attorney and hire him.

[singpilot]

I am one of those guys that started wearing full face helmets reluctantly. I liked the open face ones up until I saw what happens with them in even the simplest fall (I have only been off of a bike once, in the pre-helmet days, when I and 18 other guys all missed a turn in the Delta, and we all went nonstop with the bikes into a river).

The point here is that my peripheral vision has suffered ever since the full face helmets cut the field of view. Head has to be on a swivel now, instead of peripheral vison and mirrors doing the job. As I have gotten older, and the armored jackets have gotten stiffer, the head on a swivel has gotten tougher.

The point (still coming here) is that the SoCal Freeway onramp is one of the few places where you can still really get on it. I have 11 bikes, and even the slow ones will exceed the national limit plus 30 prior to the end of the ramp. My superbikes will do it in second gear. It is one of my favourite places to get it on.

I have seen a number of these tickets written lately. I have cooled it a bit. I read that article about stretching exercises prior to riding, and have started doing it prior to my commute.

It has helped the head on a swivel.

Appear on the ticket, with counsel, or take his advice if he says not to.

Best of luck, let us know how it went.

Michael.

[YTNUKLR]

According to "CA Ticket Assassins" even if the original trial finds me guilty, I can get a new trial and have another go at it (with an attorney?).

Is this correct?

Sing, yes, a Socal onramp is great fun...this one is my absolute favorite onramp. It's the closest one near me, a slightly banked 180 degree sweeper that opens right up onto a slightly downhill 210 Freeway E (Angeles Crest). Usually my VW will hold 45 mph (much stiffer suspension) through the turn in 2nd, then it's just flat out...

[singpilot]

Yeah, I remember that one. That part of 210 is the second most heavily patrolled section of LA freeways. The first section is also the 210, east of the 57 / 71 junction in San Dimas all the way to the 15.

My to-work onramp is the NB 405 at Inglewood. Posted 25MPH 180 to a short merge lane with an opening (across 5 lanes) to the carpool lane a mile ahead. The to home one is SB 405 at Sherman Way. Both fun.

[stevepaa]

And why can't you accept the fine and pay it. Do you really need to appear or is that to try and contest it?

[Neilk]

Stevepaa,

I think 95% of us would reluctantly pay the fine and be done with it if the increase in insurance premiums were so high. That $200 ticket actually costs you a lot more when you factor in those higher premiums.

[stevepaa]

It's all part of the price for speeding, isn't it.

[nostatic]

If you haven't had a moving violation in 18 months you can do traffic school and it doesn't appear on your record...no insurance increase. I got popped on my bike outside Paso Robles. I'll get the summons in the next week or two. I'll pay the fine and go to traffic school online. You don't have to appear unless you want to fight the ticket. I'm driving slower now too...for the next 18 months at least.

[gchappel]

I hope the judge doesn't read your original post where you admit to acclerating to 95mph. It doesn't sound like can disagree with the fact that you were in fact speeding. Sure you can hire an attorney and probably get it to go away, heck OJ got off to.
If you are going to play, you may need to pay. Do traffic school, take the car to the track, slow down on the road.
Gary

[84porsche]

Originally posted by nostatic
I'm driving slower now too...for the next 18 months at least.

Me too. I call it the 18 month penalty. But the traffic school in OC sucks, can't take it online. Oh well, hopefully their will be some people of the opposite sex that were speeding as well that I can meet. I have to look at the positives.


Scott,

Did you get the ticket in your VW. The VR6s really get up to speed fairly quickly.

[YTNUKLR]

Yeah.....right....the reason that I won't just pay now is for a really lame a$$ ticket that I got about a year ago--for being "over the stop sign limit line" by about a yard (still stopped!). That was $159 and I went to traffic school for it, no more worries.

Now I don't want to see my insurance go up as it's already ridiculous for people my age. The $200 ticket is going to cost far more in the long run like you say.

Plus, judging from what the attorneys I've talked to say, the "observation/non-laser/non-radar" tickets are easier to beat. It's no guarantee, but it's a start, especially on one that isn't triple digits or something. You see lots of people going "85" around LA, it's nothing new.

In a Trial by Declaration, it looks like you don't have to appear to contest, you just mail it all in. If you get an attorney he will represent me. My main problem is not paying the fine, it's really the fact that I would have to take a day off to go pay the fine. I would write a check for a grand if it would just disappear. Of course I would grimace as I wrote the check, but some of you might understand it's just worth the money to get out of the "trouble"...

I've had the car on track, it's great. It just happened to be "one of those moments" on a relatively uncrowded Sunday afternoon highway that I goosed it. I'm not blasting through residential streets at 50+. Almost everyone here has done something like this on public roads. If we didn't, Germany would be out of business.

84, yes, the VR6. The car is quick for such a heavy car (relative to 911s and such that weigh ~2500 lbs.) because it has torque and perfect gearing. And it sounds so good on full throttle...

[Moses]

Originally posted by nostatic
I got popped on my bike outside Paso Robles. I'll get the summons in the next week or two. I'll pay the fine and go to traffic school online.

Remember I want to help with the ticket fund. PM me your address or Paypal account #.

[pwd72s]

Scott, be careful when wearing Chuckie Taylor high performance driving shoes. They can suck you in until you're over your head.
Seriously, good luck on this one. I had to ride a bicycle for a month when I wasn't a lot older than you. Never a following too close, never a careless driving, etc...all of them were for 15 or more above the limit. All of them were in or on a cop magnet machine. For some reason, dying my hair gray seems to have helped make me immune to tickets.

[YTNUKLR]

Thanks guys... anybody want to follow in the footsteps of Moses for me?

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by YTNUKLR
Thanks guys... anybody want to follow in the footsteps of Moses for me?

Scott, remember...Moses was lost in the wilderness for 40 years. Gee, you sure do know how to kill a thread...

[YTNUKLR]

Paul, I was just kidding!

[pwd72s]

Me too...sorry it didn't come off that way.