Just got ticketed. Advice ASAP please?

[hounddog]

Horrible advice.? 50 in a 35 is the norm where I live, even on roads that cops sit on like they were a mother goose and it was her egg.? I do 40 and get tailgated like crazy.?

To use a line my mom always used on me, "If all the other kids were jumping off a bridge, does that make it ok for you to do it too?  " 

To be honest, thats a pretty damned thin, remarkably thin, excuse for speeding.  I have heard far better excuses than that!  I would have thought a fellow with your mental abilities would come up with something much more interesting than that.   

[hounddog]

Biggest ticket I ever got was during my rookie year as a police officer.  I was a couple other cops headed over to watch MSU play at Northwestern, and needless to say we were running slightly faster than traffic.  As we passed through Jackson County on I-94 around the city of Jackson  Trooper Dan Palmer of the Jackson post clocked me at about 130 in my old 89 Mustang LX 5.0 notchback 5 speed.  Somewhere I have some pictures of it, it was maroon with red interior.  Remember, everything then was still 55 zones nationwide.

Anyway, when he pulled me over I got my arse chewed and I got a 85/55 ticket from him.  He said the best he could do was to cut it in half.     I was just smart enough not to tell him that was hardly half, and drove on with my tail between my legs and barely broke 60 the rest of the way.    I just paid it and never said a word to my bosses about it.   

[saxonyron]

I may respond at some point with detailed odds for each member, just to see how wrong I am. Clearly, I was wrong to bet on saxonyron and Raza in my original thread. I bet on Ron before finding out that half his in-laws were cops.

Are you implying that my impeccable record has anything to do with favoritism??? ? Wow!? What a harsh and perplexing outlook!? So maybe that one time I got pulled over after 2 minutes of driving my state trooper in-law's new '07 G35.? He was the one smacking the gearshift and saying "C'mon, put your foot into it!"? OK, so I mysteriously didn't get a ticket then, but honestly, I can't come to the well too often or else even they'd not help out for a repeat offender.? Fortunately, I've been amazingly lucky!

Now, for the pool, I'm still amazed Raza hasn't gotten nailed yet.? Here's a guy who likes the police like Bush likes Al Qaida or Gore likes SUV's.? He's young,? drives a Boxster, apparently loves to speed, and apparently looks like a textbook villain by his own discription (or at least someone the police would love to "profile").? I'm still putting my money on him!

[dazzleman]

Are you implying that my impeccable record has anything to do with favoritism??? ? Wow!? What a harsh and perplexing outlook!? So maybe that one time I got pulled over after 2 minutes of driving my state trooper in-law's new '07 G35.? He was the one smacking the gearshift and saying "C'mon, put your foot into it!"? OK, so I mysteriously didn't get a ticket then, but honestly, I can't come to the well too often or else even they'd not help out for a repeat offender.? Fortunately, I've been amazingly lucky!

Now, for the pool, I'm still amazed Raza hasn't gotten nailed yet.? Here's a guy who likes the police like Bush likes Al Qaida or Gore likes SUV's.? He's young,? drives a Boxster, apparently loves to speed, and apparently looks like a textbook villain by his own discription (or at least someone the police would love to "profile").? I'm still putting my money on him!

Raza's too obvious.  And if he got a ticket, he may not even tell us.  I need to come up with a 'dark horse' candidate to be the winner of the renewed contest.

[James Young]

Raza wrote:

?Horrible advice.  50 in a 35 is the norm where I live, even on roads that cops sit on like they were a mother goose and it was her egg.  I do 40 and get tailgated like crazy.?


hounddog responds:

To use a line my mom always used on me, "If all the other kids were jumping off a bridge, does that make it ok for you to do it too?  " 

To be honest, thats a pretty damned thin, remarkably thin, excuse for speeding.  I have heard far better excuses than that!

Far from being an excuse for speeding, it should be a determinative factor for your actual driving speed.  Statistically, the safest speed is ? depending on the road type ? the 85th or the 95th percentile, without regard to the posted limit.  If the 85th is 50 mph and the limit is 35 mph, it is better to travel at 50 mph.   

hounddog then waxes poetic:

Biggest ticket . . .clocked me at about 130 in my old 89 Mustang LX 5.0 notchback 5 speed. 

In my 2 million miles of driving, I?ve gotten perhaps a dozen citations, all for speeding but never for any speed that was dangerous or beyond my control.  The biggest was 70/55 during NMSL, on a road formerly posted at 70 mph and with a design speed of 100+.  BTW, I won that one in court. 

[Raza]

Every time I read one of your posts, James, I miss The Speed Criminal so much.  He was awesome.

[Raza]

To use a line my mom always used on me, "If all the other kids were jumping off a bridge, does that make it ok for you to do it too?? "?

To be honest, thats a pretty damned thin, remarkably thin, excuse for speeding.? I have heard far better excuses than that!? I would have thought a fellow with your mental abilities would come up with something much more interesting than that.? ?

I actually don't speed on that road.  On my way home from work yesterday, I had a Land Cruiser hop on my tail and start flashing his lights.  He didn't like 40mph. 



I assume he liked 20mph even less.

[James Young]

houndog writes:

To another poster; what does it matter if the officer was local, county or state?  The training is exactly the same for all of them.

That?s absurd.  You know better than that.

Do you really expect us to believe that a HS dropout working a speedtrap for $9.50 an hour in East Dog Tick, Alabama, is as well trained as a California Chippie? 

Then you wonder why I?m always on your case.  Geez, you just give me more material than I can handle.

[TurboDan]

I assume he liked 20mph even less.

I love when the least capable vehicles on the road in terms of cornering, braking distance, and high speed handling, want to go faster than me.  If it's a one lane, their tailgating and light-flashing definitely causes me to cut my speed in half.  I mean, it'd be pretty scary if that big, mean Land Rover were to rear-end me.  I gotta drive pretty slow!

[JYODER240]

I actually don't speed on that road.? On my way home from work yesterday, I had a Land Cruiser hop on my tail and start flashing his lights.? He didn't like 40mph.?



I assume he liked 20mph even less.

Just toss coins out the sunroof. They'll back off every time.

[Raza]

I love when the least capable vehicles on the road in terms of cornering, braking distance, and high speed handling, want to go faster than me.? If it's a one lane, their tailgating and light-flashing definitely causes me to cut my speed in half.? I mean, it'd be pretty scary if that big, mean Land Rover were to rear-end me.? I gotta drive pretty slow!

I was in the Passat.  All I kept thinking was "Whiplash, bitch!  Buy me a new car!"

[Raza]

Just toss coins out the sunroof. They'll back off every time.

I'm against that. 

[TurboDan]

Just toss coins out the sunroof. They'll back off every time.

Except for the time they take out a gun and shoot you.

[JYODER240]

Heck, I would never do it. A kid I went to HS with threw a snackpack out his sunroof and the guy rammed him off the road. People are crazy, I find it best to act like you don't even notice they're behind you.

[Raza]

This is why I'm buying a gun. 

[TurboDan]

This is why I'm buying a gun.?

To defend yourself from the crazy people, or to BE one of the crazy people?

[Raza]

To defend yourself from the crazy people, or to BE one of the crazy people?

You throw coins, I'll throw guns.


Er....

Bullets.  I ought to keep the gun.


Seriously.  Someone tried to run me off the road a week ago.  I'm not fucking around with my safety anymore.  I'm of age and I have the money to buy a gun, and I'm going to. 

[JYODER240]

Thats why I like having a car that's faster than 98% of everything else on the road. If someone every tried to run me off the road all I need is a brief second to downshift and then i'm gone.

[James Young]

I?ve never had anybody deliberately run me off the road.  I?ve had several people do stupid things where I had to move off the roadway to avoid them or their consequences.

I occasionally carry firearms but they?re usually in the trunk and the ammo is in the cabin.  I assume that other drivers are armed ? in Texas, this is true more often than not ? and treat them accordingly. 

I also tend to remain calm while driving, a change from my earlier years, and don?t take stuff personally.  Personalizing everything just makes you nuts and it isn?t worth it. 

[J86]

If you guys get THAT worked up over other people freakin' out....

Relax, brah!

[TurboDan]

Er....

Bullets.? I ought to keep the gun.

"Slingin' lead", as "The Greaseman" calls it. 

Is it legal to have a loaded gun in the car in PA or DE?  I know in NJ, they'd probably lock you up and throw away the key for it.

[Raza]

"Slingin' lead", as "The Greaseman" calls it.?

Is it legal to have a loaded gun in the car in PA or DE?? I know in NJ, they'd probably lock you up and throw away the key for it.

Even if it's not, all you have to do is keep the mag near the gun and load up really quickly.  I want a revolver, but it doesn't make sense. 

[hounddog]

houndog writes:

That?s absurd.? You know better than that.

Do you really expect us to believe that a HS dropout working a speedtrap for $9.50 an hour in East Dog Tick, Alabama, is as well trained as a California Chippie??

Then you wonder why I?m always on your case.? Geez, you just give me more material than I can handle.

Jung would say you have father/son issues, combined with an inferiority complex. 

I can guarantee, that I had at least exactly the same amount of radar and Lidar training any patrol officer had in California, New York, or any other state you wish to mention.  Most states mandate the amount of training an officer needs to become certified, and after that they mandate required amount of hours operating and training to remain certified.  Of course, you will tell me you already knew that, however disregarded it because of the "thousands" of speedtraps across the country.   

[hounddog]

I actually don't speed on that road.? On my way home from work yesterday, I had a Land Cruiser hop on my tail and start flashing his lights.? He didn't like 40mph.?



I assume he liked 20mph even less.

Still waiting for a better, more entertaining exuse!

[Raza]

Still waiting for a better, more entertaining exuse!

I don't give a fuck about arbitrary, bullshit "laws".   I'm waiting for an excuse for them!

[James Young]

houndog writes:

Jung would say you have father/son issues, combined with an inferiority complex.

No, he would criticize me for over reliance on science and fact as well as my dismissal of such phenomena as astrology, alchemy and spirituality.   

I can guarantee, that I had at least exactly the same amount of radar and Lidar training any patrol officer had in California, New York, or any other state you wish to mention.  Most states mandate the amount of training an officer needs to become certified, and after that they mandate required amount of hours operating and training to remain certified.  Of course, you will tell me you already knew that, however disregarded it because of the "thousands" of speedtraps across the country.

I made no assertion about your personal training but only pointed out that your assertion ? that all officers receive the same radar training ? is false.  States usually require only that the radar operator be ?qualified,? which is not further defined except to note that a ?few hours? of training are sufficient and that the operator need not be able to understand the scientific principles or explain the internal workings of the unit [New Jersey v Dantonio (1955 NJ)
115 A2d 35; 49 ALR2d 460] and  ?it is sufficient an operator have knowledge and training as enables him properly to set up, test and read the radar,? [Honeycutt v  Kentucky (1966 KY), 408 SW2d 421].  That?s more an excuse than a  mandate.

More egregious is the assumptive error that lowering actual driving speeds positively affects public safety, which itself is compounded by the assumptive error that radar usage and threat of legal penalties will lower actual driving speeds.  But I digress.

You can attempt to dismiss those thousands of speedtraps across the nation but they remain in force, their officers have just as much authority as you do, and the money that they cost motorists is no less real than if it were extracted by a legitimate state patrol.  Few of those officers are POST- or CLEET-certified, some not even HS graduates.  They are shown the power switch, and how to trigger the instant-on switch but little more. 

BTW, your quote is incorrectly formatted in that it assigns to you what I said.

[Tave]

Still waiting for a better, more entertaining exuse!

As others have pointed out, travelling at the speed of traffic is statistically safer that doing 15-20 mph less than everyone else. I think that's the only excuse he needs.

[hounddog]

houndog writes:

No, he would criticize me for over reliance on science and fact as well as my dismissal of such phenomena as astrology, alchemy and spirituality.? ?


I made no assertion about your personal training but only pointed out that your assertion ? that all officers receive the same radar training ? is false.? States usually require only that the radar operator be ?qualified,? which is not further defined except to note that a ?few hours? of training are sufficient and that the operator need not be able to understand the scientific principles or explain the internal workings of the unit [New Jersey v Dantonio (1955 NJ)
115 A2d 35; 49 ALR2d 460] and? ?it is sufficient an operator have knowledge and training as enables him properly to set up, test and read the radar,? [Honeycutt v? Kentucky (1966 KY), 408 SW2d 421].? That?s more an excuse than a? mandate.

More egregious is the assumptive error that lowering actual driving speeds positively affects public safety, which itself is compounded by the assumptive error that radar usage and threat of legal penalties will lower actual driving speeds.? But I digress.

You can attempt to dismiss those thousands of speedtraps across the nation but they remain in force, their officers have just as much authority as you do, and the money that they cost motorists is no less real than if it were extracted by a legitimate state patrol.? Few of those officers are POST- or CLEET-certified, some not even HS graduates.? They are shown the power switch, and how to trigger the instant-on switch but little more.?

BTW, your quote is incorrectly formatted in that it assigns to you what I said.

You have me on one point, here unless you can show paper trail that you operated a radar unit for no less than one hundred hours your MSMTF certification runs out.  Same applies to lidar unit. 

I would like you to post links or proof of these infamous "thousands" of speedtraps, and their officers who do nothing more than write tickets, and have no high school education.

[dazzleman]

You have me on one point, here unless you can show paper trail that you operated a radar unit for no less than one hundred hours your MSMTF certification runs out.? Same applies to lidar unit.?

I would like you to post links or proof of these infamous "thousands" of speedtraps, and their officers who do nothing more than write tickets, and have no high school education.

Tony, do you speed when you're off duty?  If so, how far above the speed limit do you typically go?  When was the last time you got pulled over?  When did you last get a ticket?

[hounddog]

Tony, do you speed when you're off duty?? If so, how far above the speed limit do you typically go?? When was the last time you got pulled over?? When did you last get a ticket?

I am not allowed to drive anymore.  Thanks for bringing up a sore subject.     Seriously, I used to only go about 5-10 over about 90% of the time.  Everyone speeds, its a matter of daily life.  But, if you do not wish a summons simply behave like it.  The last time I got pulled over was last summer on my way up north.  I was doing 81 in a 70 Zone on I-75 around the point where 75 and I-69 meet.  It was during a Click-it-or-Ticket campaign.  I got a no seatbelt ticket, but you did not hear me bitch and piss and moan about it did you?  No, I paid it like a man and moved on with my life.  I still have the receipt, and can scan it in and email it to anyone who wishes to see it.