Got a %$#&@%! Ticket Today!

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by island911

what's the Latin... that which is necessary is legal.

IOW, he was doing nothing unsafe.

Safety has nothing to do with it. I got a ticket many years back for "driving through a bus zone." I was trying to find a building on a college campus to drop off some paperwork. There was a bus area near the entrance, with a campus cop parked near it. I'd been driving around looking for the building, and slowly (we're talking 5mph) went through an open area with zero busses or people in it to get over near the cop to ask directions. He wrote me up. I went to court, cop showed up, I asked him if I was operating my car in a manner that was in any way, shape or form, unsafe and a risk to any person or property. He said, "no." Judge still found me guilty.

[island911]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Safety has nothing to do with it....

Well, sure. I was just try'n to translate the OP.

Ever get a no seatbelt ticket from a cop on a motorcycle?

Clearly it's about authoriTay and revenue.

[rusnak]

I got a ticket for going 5mph over the limit in a 35 mph zone.

The motorcycle cop told me that the police leutenant in charge of traffic had adopted a "zero tolerance" policy on speeding because a popular radio talk show was complaining about all of the speeding tickets that police were issuing, aparently in a bid to raise some revenue to save a bunch of cop jobs. I think if you're anywhere near 15-20 mph over the limit, then you sort of just pay the ticket.

[Bill Douglas]

Craig, a car that gorgeous, you've gotta be guilty of something.

[John Rogers]

Whine, whine, whine! Yesterday at the intersection near a Costco near where I live, the police setup and in an hour tagged 51 drivers for using their cell phone, 6 of them for texting, one had been drinking, all had not stopped at the red light at the intersection AND 2 would not roll their windows down so their cars were impounded!

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by sballard

I am sure that a cop can give you a ticket because you look like you were going fast. They will just have a hell of a time convincing a judge that they were justified in writing you up.

CHPs are considered expert witnesses in CA and his estimation of your speed is probably quite accurate. A judge here will have no problem with his testimony.

[911SauCy]

The problem here...

You opened mouth, out poured excuses. Excuses = guilt.

Whether or not you were doing wrong or the trailer guy was wrong, doesn't matter.

Next time.

Car off, window down, right hand at 12 on wheel, left hanging out window..."hello sir." Shut up and let him talk.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

CHPs are considered expert witnesses in CA and his estimation of your speed is probably quite accurate. A judge here will have no problem with his testimony.

Police officers actually are considered almost as accurate as a radar gun. They perform regular, documented, exercises where that have to guess a cars speed within 5mph of its actual speed. To pass my buddies have to be within this window 45/50 times.

[sleepy911]

I got a speeding CHP ticket driving through Merced once. Cop said I was doing 75 in a 55. I was in my 92 volvo wagon loaded to the max with camping gear, going uphill, with my wife and 2 kids in the car. I don't speed period. I haven't gotten a ticket for in over 20 years. I don't like to drive fast and anyone who knows me would agree. I called my CHP friend, who works in Merced, and wouldn't you know they had a meeting that same morning about all the speeders from out of town driving through to Yosemite. He told me a little secret. Challenge the ticket. They set a certain day for that officer to be in court. Then a week before the date call and reschedule, your allowed to do this once. He said the chance of the officer being able to appear because of schedules for the second date is slim. I did it, he didn't show and it was dismissed.

[sc_rufctr]

It's worth fighting but at some point it will become cheaper to just pay the ticket.

The whole system is setup like that... and it sucks.

Good luck with it.

[speeder]

So you started 2 %&#&%ing threads about a ^$%^$ing ticket??

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by id10t

That recording you made could maybe cause you trouble, depends on the wiretapping laws in Cali

Bingo - In my state, you would have committed a crime. "One party consent" is illegal.

[LakeCleElum]

Tell the judge your radar detector didn't go off. That works every time

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Bingo - In my state, you would have committed a crime. "One party consent" is illegal.

Consent has already been established by the fact that the cop is recording YOU on the stop.
Additionally, there is a ton of case law stating that there is no expectation of privacy for a public servant performing their duty.

[lonewolf]

Lifes short bud ,don't even worry about it .pay it and forget it ,move on.
think of all the times you are speeding and never get caught, evens out, or you're probably ahead.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by HHI944

Consent has already been established by the fact that the cop is recording YOU on the stop.
Additionally, there is a ton of case law stating that there is no expectation of privacy for a public servant performing their duty.

Wash Law established when "Baggy" tried to sell his influence to get gambling allowed: I knew Baggy very well; a little history lesson:

http://www.rentonreporter.com/news/78824712.html?mobile=true

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

Lifes short bud ,don't even worry about it .pay it and forget it ,move on.
think of all the times you are speeding and never get caught, evens out, or you're probably ahead.

I see your point but it never feels good when you just roll over and take it...

If the cop just guessed at the speed then it's worth trying.

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Not in my state.......Let me know if you need help in getting your law school tution refunded?

In CA, where the OP is located, it is entirely legal.

[HHI944]

And the 9th circuit has overturned Washington's recording laws when in reference to public officials executing their duty...

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

Just wanted to share my sad story regarding a speeding ticket I got this morning.

I was on a divided freeway that had two lanes each way. There was a 5th wheel with a very large trailer in the left lane that was pacing a semi-truck in the right lane - basically blocking traffic for at least 5 minutes.

It was a 70mph zone (but vehicles with trailers have a limit of 55).

Finally, after the trailer eventually passed and got into the right lane, I stepped on it and instantly saw the CHP parked in the shadows. He was not using radar as my detector did not go off.

The cop immediately pulled into traffic and pulled me over. I explained to the cop that I was passing a trailer that was spewing rocks all over the cars behind, was traveling with a wide-load in the left lane, and was going over the limit for trailers. The cop told me he clocked at 94mph (which is bull). As he went back to his car to write the ticket, I turned on my phone recorder.

After the cop had written the ticket, I asked him when his radar was last calibrated and he replied "it's on file". I asked if I was allowed to see that and he replied "you can subpoena it". I explained that I was very disappointed that he did not see the unsafe, wide-load, truck that was blocking traffic and causing a problem.

When I got to work, I read the ticket and it states "approx. 80+mph". Why didn't he state 94mph if he had his radar on as he stated he clocked me? I think I was targeted because I was in a sports car and they are doing a state-wide campaign for tickets today. Sounds like he has a quota and he targeted me without any support as he stated he had - I will definitely take this one to court!

How fast were you going?