ECAhatch

pacing you is not a "speed trap".

I would just ask for the speed gun he used, asked when it was last calibrated. Show proof that i was actually speeding. What he's basically saying is that he can pull anyone he wants to over even if they aren't speeding and say he was pacing them and hand them a ticket.

I had an incident end of the month in April. A County cop, pulled me over. He said I ran a red light and then I was going 60 in a 35. Light turned yellow as I was crossing the line...I'm not dumb enough to run a red light at anytime, plus I saw him behind me this entire time. I knew I wasn't going but 40 mph and asked for his radar gun and when it was last calibrated. I was going to fight this in court if he gave me the ticket because I knew he was just trying to make his quota for the month and was just having a bad Friday...He was a bit upset and surprised I asked for those things and got an attitude and asked me if I was a lawyer? shrug*

Gave him my license and registration. I have a clean record, no accidents or traffic violations. He came back to my car, handed my stuff back and said "Have a Nice Day".

If you show up in court, he may not show...which happens quite often.

S2kRally

id just like to point out the more technical approach to this situation... his cruiser, which i assume is a crown vic, probobly uses a cable actuated speedometer, our highly advanced S2000's ( lol ) use an eletronic speedo with a digital display showing exact speed which is much more accurate than said officers vehicle. between the innacurracy of the cruisers speedometer, and the small human error of reading the speedometer incorrectly, or at a small angle, the actual speed of your vehicle could have been well below 66 mph. ^_^ ... just saying, another avenue to argue

takeshi

I always recommend a traffic attorney. Particularly since it doesn't sound like you have much to go on from what you're saying.

AngryTurtle

Id fight it by sending them $195 and see what they do.

berlinablackie

Yep, Lawyer Up. You'll spend around $500.

If what you say is true and this city is using this as income, thats all they are interested in....your money. Get the attorney, it goes away...chalk it up as an expensive lesson learned. This is cheaper than letting your insurance take a hit with the points.

Good Luck!

Sabre

This.

If you're going to try and fight it yourself, against a pacing charge, request records for the last time the cop car was calibrated, which equipment he used and when it was last calibrated, when he was last certified for said equipment, etc.

That being said, 70 in a 55 is pretty tough to fight. Even if you said "I was going 65" the judge is going to probably slap you around because you were still speeding.

Saki GT

Pacing a car until the speed limit drops, so you can tag someone for 15 over instead of 5 over is a speed trap. I've seen people and lawyers argue this successfully in court by stating that they were pulled right when the speed limit dropped, and that they were adhering to the spirit of the law and driving safely for traffic and conditions. In the end you have to convince a judge that he cop acted in a predatory manner, and its not that hard to do. Worst case, you argue and lose.

kimimila

A cop doesn't always have to pace you to determine your speed, if the traffic around you is traveling at 60, and you are moving faster, he can easily write you up for 5-10 mph over the speed limit - at least her in CA

whiteflash

I think the speed trap argument is kinda void.

If you were doing 70...

70 is writeable in a 65, and it's writeable in a 55. Even if it was a "Speed trap", he coulda got written either way. 60 yards is only 180 ft, that's not far at all. Did you not see the cop behind you?

sujohn

I don't know why people sweat speeding tickets so much. Unless the violation was severe, an attorney shouldn't be more than $120. Cheaper than doing defensive driving, cheaper than paying the ticket yourself, and much easier than fighting the ticket yourself (and much more effective).

Now you may not win all the time, but it will work most of the time.