Let me start off by saying that I live in VA.

I got a ticket, 64 in a 45 (I could've sworn I was going over 80, oh well). No need to draw things out, I was obviously speeding. Officer asked me if I knew what the speed limit was, and I (honestly) said that I didn't know. I also said I had no clue how fast I was going, which is also true, because I was making a sort of complicated pass (the reason why I was speeding to begin with) and I would've been a complete moron to take my eyes off the road to look at the speedometer. I didn't argue with him and everything went well, we were both kind to each other and I went on my unhappy way.

I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get out of this one, but I can probably get it reduced. I have a friend who works at an auto shop who might be able to write me up a speedo calibration error of about 10 - 13 mph. Now I have two questions:

1. Will the judge have no option but to buy this? He could write me a faulty instrument whatever but I'd much rather have that than a speeding ticket.

2. Last time I went to traffic court, some guy got a ticket reduced to 55 in a 50. Then the judge leaned over to him and quietly said, "I don't even know if that'll stick." What did he mean by this? Is there some kind of margin of error where tickets like that are automatically thrown out?

 

When I was 20 I got a ticket for 79 in a 55, A-hole cop, but I deserved it. Long story short, a family member knows the court clerk of a near by city, and when I went to court I got the speeding ticket reduced to a broken speedometer. Don't know how really, but I am grateful. I hear, usually, if you just show up, and seem like a normal guy, they will do you some kind of favor.

 

Well funny thing is, he actually reduced it from a 74.

So he was being a VERY nice guy and I really appreciate it, I admit that I deserved it. Especially with these new bullshit laws that we have in VA. I wasn't consistently going that fast, it was literally for maybe 6 or 7 seconds and that's when I got nailed, so he probably knew that. Money rules though, and I'm gonna consider my options and play the game before I man up and pay this thing.

Oh and if anyone feels the urge to make the typical, "WELL IT'S E-Z!!!11 Just don't speed. " comment, please don't even bother contributing and off yourself. I'm coming here for advice on a specific move, not to bitch about the fact that it happened.

 

You can't win this one. You already shot yourself in the foot when you told the officer you didn't know the speed limit and you didn't know how fast you were going. NEVER tell an officer those two things. That's the first thing he'll tell the judge if you go to fight it. Anything you try to tell the judge after that has no credibility.

 

Where are you located?