Who Will Be the Next To Get a Ticket?

[Morris Minor]

I was taught that you should use the on-ramp to get to about 5 mph faster than the through lane. It's easier to slow down a tad to merge into the gap than it is to speed up.
But I've lost count of the number of times I've been endangered stuck behind people lurching into 70mph traffic at 43mph. 

[FoMoJo]

I've seen some who have stopped on the on-ramp seemingly too timid to merge into the oncoming traffic.  Very dangerous.

[dazzleman]

I was taught that you should use the on-ramp to get to about 5 mph faster than the through lane. It's easier to slow down a tad to merge into the gap than it is to speed up.
But I've lost count of the number of times I've been endangered stuck behind people lurching into 70mph traffic at 43mph.

Being stuck behind a too timid driver in such a situation can be very dangerous.

[GoCougs]

First time in 11 years! A couple of months ago I got cited for 72 in a 60, whilst the whole goddamned interstate was doing 70-75. I was in the carpool/toll lane so stuck out like a sore thumb. It was a sting with no less than 10 state troopers active in a stretch of about a 1/4 mile - made the news and everything. It was real safe in all, in that they were pulling people over into the median, just asking to get trooper and speeder plowed into by a driver.

Of course, got my crack legal team on it, and prevailed, improving my record to 4-0.

[dazzleman]

First time in 11 years! A couple of months ago I got cited for 72 in a 60, whilst the whole goddamned interstate was doing 70-75. I was in the carpool/toll lane so stuck out like a sore thumb. It was a sting with no less than 10 state troopers active in a stretch of about a 1/4 mile - made the news and everything. It was real safe in all, in that they were pulling people over into the median, just asking to get trooper and speeder plowed into by a driver.

Of course, got my crack legal team on it, and prevailed, improving my record to 4-0.

It's great that you finally got tagged, but 72 in a 60 is pretty lame man.  10-15 mph faster would be much more respectable and confer better bragging rights.

What was the legal strategy that got you off the hook?

[GoCougs]

It's great that you finally got tagged, but 72 in a 60 is pretty lame man.  10-15 mph faster would be much more respectable and confer better bragging rights.

What was the legal strategy that got you off the hook?

I don't know - I wasn't there - they've never asked me any details of any of these tickets - generally as I understand they go after technicalities.

[dazzleman]

I don't know - I wasn't there - they've never asked me any details of any of these tickets - generally as I understand they go after technicalities.

But how could they go after technicalities if they don't even know the details of the traffic stop that led to the ticket?  I think there must be a coziness between the lawyers and prosecutors that leads to horse trading on the tickets, with the outcome having little or nothing to do with the actual circumstances of the alleged infraction.  That is what you are paying the lawyer for - his coziness with the prosecutor.  Not a good system, but a good outcome for you at least.  72 in a 60 is pretty lame anyway.  I'm surprised they even bothered to pull you over for that.  There to have been bigger fish to catch.

I guess different states do it differently.  When I got my last speeding ticket, the trooper told me that I wouldn't have to worry about a ticket if I kept it to 15 mph above the speed limit.  I was doing 24 mph over the speed limit when he nailed me (79 in a 55) but he wrote me up for only 65 in a 55.  Is it possible that you were going well above 72 mph, triggering your stop, but that the cop gave you a break?  That might also have been a signal to the court that they could dismiss your ticket, since if 72 mph had been your real speed, they might not have even bothered to pull you over.

[MrH]

This site advertises on The Smoking Tire podcast all the time.  https://offtherecord.com

You just upload a picture of your ticket, they match with a lawyer in the area and assign them.  They fight your ticket and you never show up.  They get the points off your record or you don't pay.  I'm definitely going to give them a shot next time.

It's been a few years at least since I've had a ticket. I've had 2 in the S2000, but they were both probably at least 4 years ago.

[GoCougs]

But how could they go after technicalities if they don't even know the details of the traffic stop that led to the ticket?  I think there must be a coziness between the lawyers and prosecutors that leads to horse trading on the tickets, with the outcome having little or nothing to do with the actual circumstances of the alleged infraction.  That is what you are paying the lawyer for - his coziness with the prosecutor.  Not a good system, but a good outcome for you at least.  72 in a 60 is pretty lame anyway.  I'm surprised they even bothered to pull you over for that.  There to have been bigger fish to catch.

I guess different states do it differently.  When I got my last speeding ticket, the trooper told me that I wouldn't have to worry about a ticket if I kept it to 15 mph above the speed limit.  I was doing 24 mph over the speed limit when he nailed me (79 in a 55) but he wrote me up for only 65 in a 55.  Is it possible that you were going well above 72 mph, triggering your stop, but that the cop gave you a break?  That might also have been a signal to the court that they could dismiss your ticket, since if 72 mph had been your real speed, they might not have even bothered to pull you over.

In WA state, a traffic citation is an "infraction" of the law not illegal (i.e., not criminal) so traffic "court" is only some low-level judge - no prosecutor. It's a family firm and they do traffic law (including criminal cases) all over the state so they're no doubt well known to the legal system. The agitation that the family successfully defends many (MANY) against citations and charges, plus the inherent adversarial system that is US law, I have to imagine they're ain't no cross-aisle coziness in the process.

[AutobahnSHO]

Funny story.

Headed home from a shift at the bar, so about 3am.  Ishpeming PD pulls me over for an out headlight (I legitimately wasn't aware).  The officer recognizes me from the bar since he had just been in that night...I had called them in on some unruly people, but that's another story.

So he runs my info, says the usual "alright, Chris, just get it fixed."  I thank him, etc., and mention half-jokingly that I'm gonna have to get through Negaunee (4 miles away, where I live) with the out headlight as well.  He says, no worries, if I hear it on the radio I'll tell 'em you're good.

Sure as shit, I cross paths with a cop in Negaunee...I pulled over before he even turned around.  Had my info out and ready.  The officer isn't even up to my window before he stops, says, "Free to go," and goes back to his vehicle.  Just like that!  No other words spoken...the IPD officer pulled through!  That was really nice of him. 

I have missed a few years of this thread

My ex-in-laws were driving from Maine several hours across NH at night way way back when-

They hit a deer about 20miles into the trip, knocking out a light. A cop was right behind them and saw it, pulled over, checked they were ok. He wrote them a 'report' about the deer hit, and sure enough they got pulled over twice on the way home but the note meant no issues besides the inconvenience of stopping.

[AutobahnSHO]

In WA state, a traffic citation is an "infraction" of the law not illegal (i.e., not criminal) so traffic "court" is only some low-level judge - no prosecutor. It's a family firm and they do traffic law (including criminal cases) all over the state so they're no doubt well known to the legal system. The agitation that the family successfully defends many (MANY) against citations and charges, plus the inherent adversarial system that is US law, I have to imagine they're ain't no cross-aisle coziness in the process.

it's all a cash racket. I too wonder how they're successful!

[AutobahnSHO]

I was taught that you should use the on-ramp to get to about 5 mph faster than the through lane. It's easier to slow down a tad to merge into the gap than it is to speed up.
But I've lost count of the number of times I've been endangered stuck behind people lurching into 70mph traffic at 43mph. 

YES. Holy garbage balls I hate that! My morning commute is a cloverleaf into a construction zone with a short merge area. So so so so dangerous!

[giant_mtb]

I have missed a few years of this thread

My ex-in-laws were driving from Maine several hours across NH at night way way back when-

They hit a deer about 20miles into the trip, knocking out a light. A cop was right behind them and saw it, pulled over, checked they were ok. He wrote them a 'report' about the deer hit, and sure enough they got pulled over twice on the way home but the note meant no issues besides the inconvenience of stopping.

Something similar happened to me once. Was driving home after a bartending shift in the next town over, got pulled over about a block and a half away from work for an out headlight. After we were all clear, the cops said "we'll keep an ear on the radio for you 'cause we know you just wanna get home." Sure enough, a cop in my town spun around to pull me over for the same thing (it was like 2:30am, so a good time/reason to catch drunk drivers) and before he got up to my window he just called out "nevermind, you're free to go" and walked back to his car. The other town's cops musta heard it on the radio and let him know they'd already told me about the headlight. Small town life.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I just got a $130 ticket for reckless driving in the VA hospital parking lot. Their radar clocked me at 35 mere seconds after I came to a complete stop behind a disabled(?) vehicle, and after a brief pause, went around them rather swiftly. Apparently, the campus security was having a safety checkpoint another 200 feet up the road. I was yelling at every one of those idiots because they were being completely reactionary to the numbers on their radar and the loudness of the Jeep at 1/4 throttle. They called for backup and then the chief showed up. Now I have to pay a lawyer $500 to get rid of this crap.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I actually took videos with my phone, but the camera autofocus is broke.

[giant_mtb]

I actually took videos with my phone, but the camera autofocus is broke.

Submit your videos to the LackLuster channel on YouTube.  Or Audit the Audit.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Submit your videos to the LackLuster channel on YouTube.  Or Audit the Audit.

Never heard of them. I don't know how to post videos anymore.

[dazzleman]

I just got a $130 ticket for reckless driving in the VA hospital parking lot. Their radar clocked me at 35 mere seconds after I came to a complete stop behind a disabled(?) vehicle, and after a brief pause, went around them rather swiftly. Apparently, the campus security was having a safety checkpoint another 200 feet up the road. I was yelling at every one of those idiots because they were being completely reactionary to the numbers on their radar and the loudness of the Jeep at 1/4 throttle. They called for backup and then the chief showed up. Now I have to pay a lawyer $500 to get rid of this crap.

Does a reckless driving ticket in Connecticut require a court appearance?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Does a reckless driving ticket in Connecticut require a court appearance?

It wasn't in Connecticut, it was in the VA hospital parking lot, which is under federal jurisdiction. Court is not required if I just pay.

If that hospital wasn't over an hour away, I would go there take some measurements and pictures with an properly working camera. I would definitely get harassed and kicked out by the same parking lot special forces.

[dazzleman]

It wasn't in Connecticut, it was in the VA hospital parking lot, which is under federal jurisdiction. Court is not required if I just pay.

If that hospital wasn't over an hour away, I would go there take some measurements and pictures with an properly working camera. I would definitely get harassed and kicked out by the same parking lot special forces.

What is the court that has jurisdiction over this stupid ticket?  I didn't know that VA Hospitals didn't fall under the jurisdiction of the place where they are located.

[Eye of the Tiger]

What is the court that has jurisdiction over this stupid ticket?  I didn't know that VA Hospitals didn't fall under the jurisdiction of the place where they are located.

Some US District Court. I will get a letter in the mail.