Need help fighting a speeding ticket.

originally posted by: rickymouse

So they will drop it down to ninety seven MPH. Great strategy.

That's not the strategy. The strategy is to prove that their speed measuring device is inaccurate and render that inadmissible as evidence. Which at that point, the officer would have nothing to go on to claim I was doing 100 mph and the charges would get dropped.

a reply to: smithjustinb

Well you haven't told us the speed yet, so you are not telling us "all the details"
And you may have a bias recall of how the event happened.
So I guess lying was a bad word to use, I apologize.

a reply to: smithjustinb

Usually their radar is within a couple of percent accuracy. Even a car's odometer is only within a few percent accurate, depending on the wear of the tire. I used to have a 69 mustang with N50-15's on it and the car went about ten percent faster than the original tires. I would think the governor has a margin of error on it also and some can be overridden. I would override the governor back when I was young.

Always remember, if you get off on this ticket because you prove the inaccuracy, you have to lay low for many years. I got off on technicalities before, but wound up paying in the end. I got pulled over doing forty five miles an hour in an alley...going backwards...in Sheboygan WI but the undercover cop called in a firebird and it was a Camaro. Two days later the cop pulled me over for jumping a yellow light with no traffic around and gave me a drunk driving ticket, with a .10 breathalyser reading after drinking about three shells of beer. They kicked me out before breakfast at the Jail, didn't even get a cinnamon roll for the 350 buck cost of the ticket. Back then .10 was usually the minimum.

I know others who have had similar experiences with these kind of things. I got pulled over many times for speeding. I got pulled over for passing a car with my 71 comet one time, I had just put a 730 Holly double pumper on it. The cop wanted to see what I had in the car, He gave me a 65 in a 55 ticket, that was a real break. I later put that 302 cleveland in the mustang with headers.

If you can get off of this, that is good, that is a careless driving ticket nowadays. If you do get off though, you better be good for a few years.

originally posted by: smithjustinb
That's not the strategy. The strategy is to prove that their speed measuring device is inaccurate and render that inadmissible as evidence. Which at that point, the officer would have nothing to go on to claim I was doing 100 mph and the charges would get dropped.

That's the problem though - Chances are, if the cop did actually do as he said, then there'd be video evidence to support his claims.

I agree with Ricky's comment as well - Even if you can prove the equipment was defective, what they will probably do is knock it down to whatever the lower number is (IE: 90mph in an XXmph zone). Or, they will knock it down to 97mph instead of 100.

Like I said, seeing as you haven't said how fast you were going, and what the speed limit was in that area (I'd assume that you were on the freeway or a highway, where the limit is 70/75mph). My point is: The jury is going to do like I am now, questioning the circumstances around the ticket - It's clear to me you were speeding in that area, which means were I on the jury pool, I'd motion that you get a reduced charge (IE: Driving 25 over in a 75mph zone). See, regardless of whether or not the equipment is bad, you now have to prove:

1. The radar gun was not calibrated correctly (In order for it to read 100mph, you had to have been doing something close to that).

2. That you didn't bypass the speed limit by a reasonable amount.

-fossilera

Source: My cousin is a cop.

That's why I said he should have a witness lest he lose. I have been there done this like 15-20 times and I beat almost every one.

a reply to: smithjustinb

Remember, knowledge is power. Arm yourself (not literally) as much as possible before your court date.

Another thing that's helped me in the past, is to stay calm and respectful during any dealings with court employees/officers. I've been amazed at the bad attitudes shown by others in court dates, and know for a fact that the court clerk and/or judge appreciates being dealt with in a respectful manner. This can sometimes help you gain some leniency.

Best of luck to you, and keep us posted on how things go.