Sanguine

I just got a ticketed between Jamboree and Warner this morning at 9:30. I got pulled over as I was turning left onto Warner. The cop asked me how fast I was going. I didn't see him pace me though I did see him on the side of Jamboree but before I passed him I was easily going the speed limit. So I told him I was going 65, he replied, "Try again, how about 80." So I asked him if I could look at the radar because I was pretty sure I wasn't going 80 in that section. He showed me the gun and there it was, it said 80 for 355ft. He said he used a lidar to get me. I am not familiar with this, anyone else? At first I thought he was being a smartass because I thought he was calling me a liar =]

Anyways, has anyone been successful contesting the ticket? Should I take my chances and go to court hoping he doesn't stop by? Also anyone know how much this ticket will be w/ traffic school? Also since I got ticketed in Orange County can I take the traffic school online?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I figure I would have to get caught speeding one of these days. Luckily I got caught going "80"

I guess I have to be good for the next 18 months =[

NFRAP1

Just pay it and if its your 1st ticket then go to traffic school

714s2k

Sorry no online school in Orange County.

Edit: I dont think you can go to traffic school anyways for 20mph over the limit Cuz I got a ticket once, and the cop was cool and did it for 19mph over just so I was able to go to school for it.

Sanguine

The zone was a 60. The max speed is 65. I don't know which one they will choose

neveronlines2k

If you fight it he will probably show. Officers get paid to show up when a ticket they write up is being contested.

dirtypwntang

Cops lie with lidar. I had a cop tag me for going 62 mph in a 40 mph zone from "660 feet" away according to his lidar gun. I KNEW I wasn't speeding, so I went and did all the measurements. It was physically impossible for him to have seen my car from where he was parked. I took pics and showed distance measurements and everything. The closest he could have seen my car, even being generous, was 240 feet. I'm 100% sure that what he did was zap somebody on the freeway, which was visible from his point of view, then grab me and claim it was me. It's crooked bull, but the judge took his side (of course, they're all freakin crooks), and I had to pay the fine. Judge can easily override any rules and give you traffic school though. 20mph, less than 18 months, doesn't matter - he can do it. And he did in my case, because I kept contesting all the way.

Sanguine

Yeah, I just saw a website for online traffic school. Hopefully I can vouch for that. That way I don't have to waste a Saturday.

Sanguine

Wow, you really had your shit together and they still wouldn't dismiss it? I saw him parked on the side of the freeway and I made sure to slow down to the appropriate speed. Unless they had some speed trap, does a lidar work differently from a radar? I know for sure I wasn't zipping by him going 80 and I honestly don't think I was going past 75 on that stretch to begin w/. Do you have to contest it to go to traffic school or will they give you an option when they mail you the bill?

JDM AP1

pm'd

dirtypwntang

They originally didn't offer me traffic school. I did trial by written declaration. I had a full report, with plenty of pictures. Showing his point of view, my point of view as I came around the turn where he was. The distance measurements taken via rolling-football-field-measurement thing, and also by meter stick along fence across street, and by measurement of line markers. All three measurements came out to ~240 feet. The ticket clearly said distance 660 feet. But yeah, my case was 100% solid and I lost. The judge told me to pay the fine and did not offer me traffic school, but you can request trial de novo (I think that was the term) if you do trial by written declaration and lose. I did so, but I figured I would lose that too. I wrote the judge directly (court address plus "attn: judge _____"), and told him (not in these words) "I don't want to waste your time, don't waste mine. Just give me traffic school and we'll both go our ways." At that point he granted it to me, so I just settled for that. What can you do about a crooked government eh?

My suggestion to you:

1) Call the court, ask for the clerk's desk. Give your info and ask if you were granted traffic school. If they say yes, I would just go in and pay the fine and ask for the forms for traffic school.

2) If traffic school was not granted, or if you just want to fight, request trial by written declaration. It'll be written somewhere in the fine print on your ticket how to do so. They'll mail you the forms where you can submit your testimony. Keep in mind though: you've given up the right to go to traffic school at this point. They CAN offer it to you again, but you're no longer guaranteed it.

3) If you win via trial by written declaration (I've never heard of anybody actually winning), good. Otherwise, they'll send you what your fine is, and if you have traffic school option. If you have traffic school option, take it and walk away. Not worth it to keep fighting.

4) If traffic school was not granted to you, or if you really think you can win given another chance, request trial de novo. Annoying thing is they just give you a date, with little to no flexibility. You show up, the officer does too, and the case is heard by the judge. If you only came to this step in order to be granted traffic school, then also do step 5.

*5) Before your court date, write a personal letter to the judge. Tell him you really just want to take traffic school. A few of my friends have done this at my suggestion, and it worked. The judge doesn't want to waste his time, and traffic school = more money for the court (which is their ultimate goal. Screw preserving justice and all that. They just want MONEY!) so they'll do it.

That's my five-minute walkthrough. It's worked for me on all 4 of my 4 tickets in past 4 years. My record is 100% clean, with no points.