Another Pelican with a speeding ticket

[dd74]

Traffic school will be part of this. I don't want my rates to rise. I like Masraum's advice as well, if that's possible here in L.A.

Hard to be "Ho-Ho-Ho."

[tabs]

I have a feeling you need to refer to the "Cornhole" thread.

[daepp]

I know for a fact that over 20 over the limit used to keep you from going to traffic school. I supose it could have changed, but it would surprise me that if here in CA it got easier to go to TS.

OTOH, one time I plead guilt to a speeding ticket. I waited for the opportunity the judge gives you when you plead "guilty with an explanation" and used my time to request traffic school even though I'd been about a year earlier. At the time you could only go every 18 mos. Anyways, the judge asked me a few questions and then waived the 18 mo. requirement. You might try to give an explanation to allow you to go to TS. You'll still pay your fine and your penance to society, but at least it wouldn't affect your insurance rates.

[tabs]

Yep plead... "NOT GUILTY YOUR HONOR, That Copper was just jealous of me driving a Porsche." That ought to get ya a little time, and while your doing your time in the Pen...U could always write a book..."Cornholing, Learning to Love It." Yep i can see it now when you come out you will be a changed man, with a whole new attitude.

[gprsh924]

The whole thing with speed limits is that they were set, for the most part, in the 1950s. How far has the technology in cars come since then? Have the speed limits been changed? NO.

[Scooter]

The last time I looked, California requirements for Traffic School were paying the fine, paying an extra fee for traffic school, paying for traffic school class and:

Eligibility:

If you meet the following requirements, you may be eligible to attend Traffic School:
You must not have attended traffic school on a prior citation issued within 18 months of the issue date of your present citation.


You have a valid driver's license.


You must not have been cited for exceeding the maximum or reasonable speed by more than 25 miles per hour or as determined by the judicial officer.


The citation must not require a mandatory court appearance. (This information will be listed on the Courtesy Notice.)


The due date on your ticket must not be past.


As of September 20, 2005, if you have a commercial driver's license, you are not eligible for traffic school.

[slodave]

Hi Dave,

Sorry to hear about your predicament. I looked the TS thing up online and I hate to break it to you, but 20+ over the limit and NO TS and the ticket cannot be erased from your record.

http://www.trafficschoolincalifornia.org/traffic-school-eligible.html

Who is eligible to take traffic school?
There’s a certain moral order to the rules about attending traffic school. For example; if you’ve been caught driving more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, your speeding ticket can’t be erased by passing traffic school, either online or in person. There’s the kind of speeding that says, “I was listening to the radio and my speedometer crept up seven miles over the limit”, and there’s the kind that says, “I know how fast I’m going, so get out of my way!” The speed limit rule is designed to punish the wanton rule-breaker, while giving the slightly distracted a break. There’s also a logic that says professional drivers should be more careful than the rest of us driving slobs. Commercial drivers can attend traffic school in order to have a ticket dismissed, but it won’t be erased from the DMV record. In general, a non-moving violation will get you a ticket and a fine: a moving violation will get you a ticket, a fine, and if you’re lucky, the chance to take traffic school.

Good luck! I hope the fine is not too steep.

Dave

[dd74]

Thanks, guys. This is all good advice. I'm gearing up to just pay the fine. Motion's advice about dragging the cop into court on everyone's dime was something I didn't consider. I don't think that's fair to anyone. Pleading deferred adjudication/deferred disposition will be about as far as I take it just to see what happens. Wish me luck when the time comes.

[dd74]

Of course, how could I not reply to this:

Originally Posted by tabs

Yep plead... "NOT GUILTY YOUR HONOR, That Copper was just jealous of me driving a Porsche." That ought to get ya a little time, and while your doing your time in the Pen...U could always write a book..."Cornholing, Learning to Love It." Yep i can see it now when you come out you will be a changed man, with a whole new attitude.

A felony of drinking, unsafe use of KY Jelly on one's self, and posting on a public forum at the same time.

Thanks, Ted. You're a true model for society.

[Steve Carlton]

I'd still ask the judge for TS, as I think he can make the exception if he wants to. I don't think there's any deferred anything in CA.

[edgemar]

Go to court hope he doesn't show up. Maybe he'll cut you a break and not show since he "talked shop" with you briefly. If he shows admit everything and ask for a reduction in the fine b/c you are very poor. My fine was cut in half for a jaywalking ticket after the cop showed up....the judge cut be a break. Is it worth your time to take a 1/2 for court?

[charleskieffner]

Originally Posted by dd74

I like to know my options. Yours isn't yet high on my list. But thanks.

man that was GOOD! too damn funny! LMFAO!

58 in a 35..............big damn deal!

heres what i would do with also a STELLAR(knock on wood) RECORD...........

plead not guilty. this puts it off for awhile. bone up on legal beagle angles. come trial day its a crap shoot for cop to show up. maybe yes maybe no. day before trial date call in sick, call in your going out of town fer biz. some stupid excuse.

this now brings a continuance of yer trial date. another month or so. this time the cop will either show or no show.

if he shows be prepared to have 8 x 10 glossys w/picture/arrow on back of each one, showing direction you were traveling, exact street, blah blah, time of day. make up some stupid lines basically you could not be traveling that speed at that time of day in that type of traffic.

now go over to TRE or whomever you deal w/there and get a receipt showing you had your speedo calibrated. show this to judge.

at this point explain yer STELLAR RECORD in your car to the judge.

now the finale..................ask the cop where his calibration is for his speedo/radar/death ray lazer beam that he clocked you with. 9 times out of 10 hes so pissed having to show again they forget all the documents.

case dismissed. and you have juan pissed off cop that will be looking fer yer kind. solution: avoid that area for awhile.

they expect you to belly up and pay. they do not expect you to contest it. i have fought every single ticket i have gotten over 34 years since i was 16. and im running damn near 99% on getting out of them.............well ditching the cop on my YAM IT-175 didnt sit too well and i kinda got bent over on that one. i was 18, what can i say????? i was drunk!

[motion]

Its interesting to see what people are really made of in a thread like this. Charles... I hope one day you own a company with employees and they pull stuff like you suggest. Karma and all that...

[CurtEgerer]

Calif is probably different, but in Michigan your insurance company would generally not know about a speeding ticket. Unless you change insurance companies down the road, then they would obviously run a check on your record. Even with an insurance rate increase, divide it by 17 and its a pretty cheap fine/tax for 1000's of times driving over the limit and not being caught. Unless of course, this was the first time you've exceeded the posted limit

[charleskieffner]

Originally Posted by motion

Its interesting to see what people are really made of in a thread like this. Charles... I hope one day you own a company with employees and they pull stuff like you suggest. Karma and all that...

what in hells name does owning a company w/employees have to do with BEATING a lousy speeding ticket! or better yet making the cop prove you are guilty instead of you having to prove your innocence?????


WTF? karma? company? employees?

im not rich.............therefore i have to BE CHEAP! and paying tickets does not fit into my budget any way shape or form! i fight them tooth and nail anywhere anyplace, anytime.

and that kiddies is why my insurance is so DIRT CHEAP it will make most of you CRY!

motion...........by the way...........you couldnt give me a company with employees...........PEOPLE ARE NO DAMN GOOD!

and that is the beauty of being self employed!

KARMA! give me a break. im speeding in my porsche and a cop gives me a ticket..........thats karma??????? no,.......... more like speeding in yer porsche and a cop gives you a ticket! end of subject and you go fight the ticket on the basis of karmonic dysfunction/dysruption and how the planets were not aligned!

[artplumber]

Originally Posted by dd74

Thanks, guys. This is all good advice. I'm gearing up to just pay the fine. Motion's advice about dragging the cop into court on everyone's dime was something I didn't consider. I don't think that's fair to anyone. Pleading deferred adjudication/deferred disposition will be about as far as I take it just to see what happens. Wish me luck when the time comes.

Are you nuts? The cop is going to get paid that day whether or not he shows up to court for your trial.

Compare this to the two OC women with the $49mill settlement from Dana Point over an accident their lawyers claim was predominantly due to the street markings. Which one of these situations is a waste of taxpayer money?

[charleskieffner]

hell i beat one ticket on my chevy truck when i put larger tires on it by simply going to speedo shop, getting receipt for installing lousy nylon TH-400 speedo gear with correctly calibrated nylon gear.

$25 receipt and i was going 20 over the limit. after that i knew i was really speeding and it was accuarate!

now i take my vehicles and hit the radar trailers(not photo radar-just warning you of yer speed) we have around here and see if any of my speedos are off.

[dzls rok]

As of September 20, 2005, if you have a commercial driver's license, you are not eligible for traffic school.[/QUOTE]

i just found this out myself. the hard way.

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by dd74

Questions:
1) Is this something worth fighting in court? How would I fight it? ........

absolutely


I'd start with a traffic ticket lawyer who deals with the city you'll go to court in.

or contact National Motorist Association on their web for a ticket lawyer in your area.


chances are the speeder can be changed to a traffic light or something similar. You have a clean license and are a good candidate.

I had 2 red light tickets changed to 2 "no seat belt" for $500 + court fees.

Traffic court is a game. If you don't use a lawyer you're associated with little people imo.


good luck

[livi]

Cop: - What are your lap times at Willow Springs ?

dd: - What ? This isnīt Willow Springs ?!!