Wyoming Speeding Ticket

[NYRTGRL]

Hi All,

Had a great time at the Rally in Gillette! My first one and now looking forward to many more! Met a whole bunch of really nice folks and got to see some breathtaking views and ride some spectacular roads touring out and back.

I'm not sure if it's appropriate or not to ask for legal (?) help here - if not, my apologies in advance! What I'm in need of is some legal representation for a speeding ticket I received on Highway 141 in or near the county/city/town of Sweetwater. There really wasn't much out there but a whole lot of flat land and an approaching storm the size of Rhode Island (and of course a Wyoming State Trooper!).

If anyone has a referral to a paralegal or lawyer who can show up in court for me and get this reduced I'd appreciate the info either here or a private email. Any advice really would be appreciated, Thanks!

[nytrashman]

sorry i have no legal advise for you but in all my time at the rally the only cop i saw was the one driving around the cam-plex. i rode on lots of roads well above the posted limited on a daily basis, as i am sure many others did, without seeing a single cop. if it were me i would just pay the ticket and be done with it. sorry about your misfortune but don't let that deter you from attending next years rally in TN.

[From MARS]

Unless you have definitive proof that you were not speeding.

While fighting a ticket I received in Mississippi, I learned that speeding is one of several laws that, if you are doing it, you are guilty; regardless of why you were doing it. In my case, it was a logging truck tailgating me on a downhill stretch of empty state road. I sped up to create space between us and came to the patrolman's attention first. The judge was nice about it. After I pled self-defense, he lowered the ticket to the minimum and saved me a whole ten dollars. If you figure in the cost of riding 500 miles, having breakfast and lunch on the road, and spending 3 hours in court, it would have been much cheaper to just send the check.

The only satisfaction I received was keeping the patrolman in the courtroom for three hours on his day off. That, and a nice ride, of course.

YMMV
Tom

[k75karol]

Hi All,

Had a great time at the Rally in Gillette! My first one and now looking forward to many more! Met a whole bunch of really nice folks and got to see some breathtaking views and ride some spectacular roads touring out and back.

If anyone has a referral to a paralegal or lawyer who can show up in court for me and get this reduced I'd appreciate the info either here or a private email. Any advice really would be appreciated, Thanks!

Lorna-

Glad you enjoyed the rally and hope to see you in TN.

The only experience I had was years ago while riding a 3 Flags Classic. I could see for miles and there was a lot of wide open spaces and nothing that was an immediate danger (except for the LEO) :cry
On the two-laners the speed limit was 65, and he cited me for 75. I think I would have been o.k., and explained my speedo was broken (actually the tac was). His comment was "I thought Beemers didn't break down. I ride a Harley, and everyone expects them to breakdown". I replied with....they don't, but their speedos do :D Needless to say....I got the ticket.

I checked the area for someone to represent me, but ultimately paid the ticket. It wasn't worth the hassle.

Fortunately, the nice officer who stopped me Friday 5 miles from Paonia, CO only gave me a warning.:clap

Good luck, and see you in TN

[Greenwald]

As a career law enforcement officer, my feelings on personal responsibility are pretty well set in concrete - you got caught in the voluntary act of speeding - pay the ticket.

I sympathize with your decision to ramp up the RPM's in lieu of an approaching storm. I myself got caught by two nasty weather cells in South Dakota on the way to the Rally, the second of which, like 'the hand of God,' slapped me into a ditch.

I would have hoped the WY officer had shown more empathy to your decision-making process, cautioned you, and then stayed with you as an escort to the nearest safe exit - that is what I would have done.

But it didn't go down that way and you were cited.

My wife got into a crash while I was in Gillette - and Failure To Yield citation coming. Do I try my influence with the City Attorney's Office over the ticket? Nope - will pay it without a fuss. Need to 'walk the walk.'

However, all this being said, be patient on this forum. I have no doubt that some card-carrying ACLU paralegal will jump to your 'defense' and you may find a way out of this yet.

[GregFeeler]

As a career law enforcement officer, my feelings on personal responsibility are pretty well set in concrete - you got caught in the voluntary act of speeding - pay the ticket.

I live in the west and take advantage of the open roads and light patrols to make time. Once in a while I get caught. I stop, am polite and cooperative, and allow the man (or woman) to do his or her job. In almost all cases they are professional and respectful. Sometimes I get a warning, usually a write down from the cited speed. When I have to pay, I figure it's just a cost of doing business, like gas and tires - and not a bad deal when compared to all the other times I didn't have a road-side conversation. :evil

[rinty]

Lorna:

The main issue here is demerit points on your operator's licence. If your home state and Wyoming are reciprocating jurisdictions, the conviction there may have consequences for you, and make the expense of local counsel worthwhile.

I defend all my local tags, because I don't want points.


Rinty

[72598]

Last ticket I got in Wyoming they said If paid in full within 10 days there would be no record sent to my home state and thus no record to Insurance company. That was however Goshen county Sheriff and not the State Troopers.

[Dennie]

lotsa simpathy you been gettin.... if you dont mind all the appearences, ask about a defensive driving course. I did this for a out of state ticket years back, it cost more than the ticket total, but it stayed off my record. its a neat system- what ever you do costs more money..

[Munchy]

This link will take you to the Wyoming State Bar website and the "need a lawyer" page where you can put the area of need in, and the state, and those lawyers who meet the criteria will come up in a list. You might just choose "criminal defense" rather than the more limited "traffic violations" since the latter will limit you somewhat, depending on the town. I think Mike Newman does that type of work, out of Rock Springs, and there will likely be others. If a lawyer indicates that he does that type of work, that is a reliable indicator that you are getting someone who works in that area of the law.

Good luck.

http://www.wyomingbar.org/directory/need_lawyer.html

BTW, I am not a card carrying ACLU lawyer or paralegal. I am a member of the Wyoming State Bar, and am just trying to help you uphold your right to seek counsel, as guaranteed by the US and State Constitutions. And I work in law enforcement.

[Greenwald]

I live in the west and take advantage of the open roads and light patrols to make time. Once in a while I get caught. I stop, am polite and cooperative, and allow the man (or woman) to do his or her job. In almost all cases they are professional and respectful. Sometimes I get a warning, usually a write down from the cited speed. When I have to pay, I figure it's just a cost of doing business, like gas and tires - and not a bad deal when compared to all the other times I didn't have a road-side conversation. :evil

You are a rarity, Greg, and someone who is appreciated by law enforcement.

Everyone wants to tell us how to do our job, but few line up to actually do it, much less take the kind of personal responsibility you exhibit.

I appreciate your candor, and undoubtably, you would have been one of the thousands of individuals I would have given a warning to over my career. I was always getting in hot water for not writing enough tickets, but hey - I was allowed a certain amount of discretion, and made sure I used it liberally.

Someday, we shall meet - first beer on me.

[GregFeeler]

You are a rarity, Greg, and someone who is appreciated by law enforcement.

Everyone wants to tell us how to do our job, but few line up to actually do it, much less take the kind of personal responsibility you exhibit.

I appreciate your candor, and undoubtably, you would have been one of the thousands of individuals I would have given a warning to over my career. I was always getting in hot water for not writing enough tickets, buh heh - I was allowed a certain amount of discretion, and made sure I used it liberally.

Someday, we shall meet - first beer on me.

I can't prove it, but I'm non-the-less convinced that the majority of LEOs who have pulled me over took a good look at the bike, me, my gear (ATGATT), and considered my attitude (lack of) and then found a way to cut some slack. Either way, it was my choice to twist the grip. I've even had some excellent road-side conservations about bikes the ended up with, "ride safe" - but no performance award.

That beer sounds like a great idea!! :buds

[kbasa]

I live in the west and take advantage of the open roads and light patrols to make time. Once in a while I get caught. I stop, am polite and cooperative, and allow the man (or woman) to do his or her job. In almost all cases they are professional and respectful. Sometimes I get a warning, usually a write down from the cited speed. When I have to pay, I figure it's just a cost of doing business, like gas and tires - and not a bad deal when compared to all the other times I didn't have a road-side conversation. :evil


We got tagged for exuberant velocity in Idaho. We were pleasant to the officer, making sure we had hands visible when he walked up. We chatted a bit, he wrote me up and we were on our way.

We'll pay it this week. He had me fair and square.

[SheRidesABeemer]

I'm always polite, no excuses, thank them for the warning and am on my way. :p
I just can't imagine "fighting" an out of state ticket.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2679707121_bcc75f625f.jpg

[chilei]

I have to say that the police in WY were quite understanding. They could have stepped up presence knowing what would be happening in an area... but they didn't. Additionally, I went buy two... one was nearly 70 in a 40 coming around a corner, he was on the side of the road, my detector went full alert instantly, I came off the gas knowing that he had me dead to rights, as I was coasting, he simply waved. I guess he figured that I was under control, out of traffic, in my lane, and geared up... not sure but I slowed down for a while after that! Second instance was on the interstate returning to the rally, got clocked around 90-95... again, no response from the officer, coming from VA I feel that I was incredibly lucky though!

Sorry you did not have the same experience though. I am not bragging, just understanding that they could have been totally different, you are the first one I heard of that had any interaction with them.

[nyfty]

Sunday morning there was an increased law enforcement presence. I took Hwy 59 south out of Gillette and was surprised to see 3 of Gillette's finest running radar not at the incoming traffic, but at the outgoing traffic. Which at that time was a large number of BMW's. Then later out in the open on Hwy 59 I saw a WY Trooper on the side of the road chatting with a couple on an RT with CO plates. OOPS!

Personal Responsibility is something thats greatly lacking in the general public these days. While I would reserve my rights provided by the Constitution. I would pay the fine. I did it and I was caught, I'll do what it takes to make amends to the State.

I've also been in the "outrun the storm mode". If the State Trooper I met wanted he could have citied me for at least 20 MPH over the limit. When we meet he did slam on his brakes....then I think he realized what and why I was traveling at such an elevated speed. Was I lucky? Yes, would I have paid the fine? Yes. Would I have wanted to sit in his Crown Vic? Oh hell yes the storm was closing in fast.

[bmwbikertaz]

I left out on Hwy 59 south on Sunday morning and did not see even one Wyoming trooper. Maybe it had something to do with the time I left, 4:30 AM!

[04R1150RS]

Unfortunately I got pulled over twice (Wyoming) , once in town of all places. While trying to keep my speed down to 30 mph (been running 78 all day), I got clocked doing 38 mph, actually surprised he was pulling me over for only 8 over. I was reaching down to the tank bag for the water hose to the camel back when he clocked me, the detector went off then it was too late. He pulled out behind me w/ lights on of course. I pulled over but turned off the detector, long story short I was pleasant to him and received a warning. Plus asked about a few roads.

Believe it or not the next day (crap running for 1800 miles on open roads at 9 mph over and never a problem), I was pulling out between two gas stations onto the main street and believing that the stations were just next to each other and NOT SEPARATED BY A STREET, I pulled diagonally out between the two stations not stopping of course.....you guessed it in front of an unmarked cop. Now I was pretty aggravated as I could have sworn I did NOTHING wrong....unless they have photo radar in the South end of Bighorn and they were looking for me.

So I was a little PO'd, I removed my helmet while walking back to the officer (they don't like that either) and said in a less than friendly voice,"what did you pull me over for?!!" . Seems the two gas stations were separated by a street and STOP sign.

I was prepared to receive a ticket as his attitude was about like mine...less than pleasant. Did I mention that my insurance card was expired, found that out yesterday!!! I explained to the officer that I really thought that I was pulling out between two businesses and didn't realize there was a street separating the two (at home curbs separate businesses and streets), much less a stop sign.

SO, can you believe the officer ended up giving me a warning, and a talking to about carrying expired insurance? He suggested since I was traveling it would be wise to get a copy faxed to me, which I did later that day.

Guess I should have gone to the casino sometime on my trip!!!

[bubbagazoo]

Leaving Gillette on Sunday, I headed north out of town on 59 and didn't see a cop of any sort at all. I think the only LEO I saw was while sitting at Devil's Tower on Saturday, a state trooper in a Charger went by.

[GrafikFeat]

Hi All,

Had a great time at the Rally in Gillette! My first one and now looking forward to many more! Met a whole bunch of really nice folks and got to see some breathtaking views and ride some spectacular roads touring out and back.

I'm not sure if it's appropriate or not to ask for legal (?) help here - if not, my apologies in advance! What I'm in need of is some legal representation for a speeding ticket I received on Highway 141 in or near the county/city/town of Sweetwater. There really wasn't much out there but a whole lot of flat land and an approaching storm the size of Rhode Island (and of course a Wyoming State Trooper!).

If anyone has a referral to a paralegal or lawyer who can show up in court for me and get this reduced I'd appreciate the info either here or a private email. Any advice really would be appreciated, Thanks!


I would talk to your insurance agent in NY and see how much a ticket will raise your rates. Could be a lot less than fighting it. As far as points go, one speeder and "doody". 2 start thinking. 3 - Well, bring popcorn for DMV movies they make you watch on Saturday. Check the NYS DMV site for point duration too. I think they are 36 or 40 months now.
I googled traffic lawyers in WY (http://www.lawyers.com/Traffic-Violations/Wyoming/law-firms.html) and you are SOL. Closest is Cheyenne, 250+ miles away. Where do you have to appear?

Oooops... Missed this one: --------> Click Me! (http://www.hamptonandnewman.com/index.jsp)

[Greenwald]

Sunday morning there was an increased law enforcement presence. I took Hwy 59 south out of Gillette and was surprised to see 3 of Gillette's finest running radar not at the incoming traffic, but at the outgoing traffic. Which at that time was a large number of BMW's. Then later out in the open on Hwy 59 I saw a WY Trooper on the side of the road chatting with a couple on an RT with CO plates. OOPS!

Personal Responsibility is something thats greatly lacking in the general public these days. While I would reserve my rights provided by the Constitution. I would pay the fine. I did it and I was caught, I'll do what it takes to make amends to the State.

I've also been in the "outrun the storm mode". If the State Trooper I met wanted he could have citied me for at least 20 MPH over the limit. When we meet he did slam on his brakes....then I think he realized what and why I was traveling at such an elevated speed. Was I lucky? Yes, would I have paid the fine? Yes. Would I have wanted to sit in his Crown Vic? Oh hell yes the storm was closing in fast.

I liked your comments on "personal responsibility" and "reserve my rights provided by the Constitution."

I often reflect on my memories of my parent's generation, it having survived the global turmoil of WW II, and how 'personal responsiblity' was a way of life...an expectation of maturity.

Nowadays, there are so many slick avenues out of taking responsiblity, whether they be legal loopholes, corrupt lawyers, crooked cops, political influence, etc. that we are nuturing a society devoid of shame, dignity and honor.

A speeding ticket (ANY ticket) sucks, and the subsequent fine and point assessment will hurt. That's why they're something to be avoided!

But the original poster of this thread didn't deny her speeding. Therefore, while she has a 'Constitutional right to counsel,' she has no need for counsel. Decision to Speed + Getting Caught + Getting Ticket = Pay Ticket.

You know what happens when you make an effort to take more personal responsibility for your behavior? Your behavior improves, you feel better about yourself as a person, and your outlook on life becomes so much more positive.

Give it a try. If it doesn't quite work out, the ACLU will always maintain a toll-free number.

[Ted]

I just can't imagine "fighting" an out of state ticket.

I don't see why you wouldn't - usually it takes calling a local attorney who will often work with the prosecutor to reduce the charges before it even gets to court. The costs are usually a bit more than just the fine, but in the long run it usually pays off.

A speeding ticket (ANY ticket) sucks, and the subsequent fine and point assessment will hurt. That's why they're something to be avoided!

Yep - though not all of us can count on "professional courtesy (http://www.theppsc.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2882)" to make things less painful (http://www.copswritingcops.com/).

[KGT1200]

I liked your comments on "personal responsibility" and "reserve my rights provided by the Constitution."

I often reflect on my memories of my parent's generation, it having survived the global turmoil of WW II, and how 'personal responsiblity' was a way of life...an expectation of maturity.

Nowadays, there are so many slick avenues out of taking responsiblity, whether they be legal loopholes, corrupt lawyers, crooked cops, political influence, etc. that we are nuturing a society devoid of shame, dignity and honor.

A speeding ticket (ANY ticket) sucks, and the subsequent fine and point assessment will hurt. That's why they're something to be avoided!

But the original poster of this thread didn't deny her speeding. Therefore, while she has a 'Constitutional right to counsel,' she has no need for counsel. Decision to Speed + Getting Caught + Getting Ticket = Pay Ticket.

You know what happens when you make an effort to take more personal responsibility for your behavior? Your behavior improves, you feel better about yourself as a person, and your outlook on life becomes so much more positive.

Give it a try. If it doesn't quite work out, the ACLU will always maintain a toll-free number.

:thumb Amen to this line of thought. Age, along with self modulating responsibility resulted in a much happier life for me.

[Vagabird]

I can't help because I've never fought a ticket. Even the ones I thought I didn't deserve I paid because of the many times I didn't get a ticket when I deserved one.

Not many years ago I got stopped 6 times in 8 months in various parts of the US and Canada, with never a ticket. The sixth time was by a trooper outside Greybull WY for going 72 in a 65 zone. At that point I figured the universe was trying to tell me something and so I slowed down (mostly).

Now that I've lived out here a while, I have found that generally the Wyoming LEOs - state and local - expect a lot closer adherence to the speed limit than do they in the more populous states.

[2002redrider]

I have had a few tickets and always lawyer up and make it go away. It will cost more but no moving violation points. You usually won't have to show up, that's what the lawyer does for his $300 or so. It is just the system. The local lawyer knows the prosecutor and they just work a deal. You still pay the fine so the local jurisdiction gets their pound of flesh (after all, isn't that what it is really about?) and you get a ticket for a faulty turn signal or tail light.

If you want to speed, get a good radar detector and use common sense. Don't crest a hill or round a curve 15 over. Even with a radar detector, instant on will get you every time. I saw several Troopers/locals around Gillette, two writing up speeders. All were heading away from town.

[Rod Sheridan]

You still pay the fine so the local jurisdiction gets their pound of flesh (after all, isn't that what it is really about?) and you get a ticket for a faulty turn signal or tail light.

.


Well Mike, I guess your perception is different than mine.

In my opinion, laws are the basis of civillization, not a voluntary tax.

As others have posted, it's best in my opinion, to take responsibility for my own actions.

Every ticket I've been given, as well as every warning, has been deserved. I'm a slow learner, so I've had several speeding tickets.

Regards, Rod

[tommcgee]

In my opinion, laws are the basis of civillization, not a voluntary tax.

As others have posted, it's best in my opinion, to take responsibility for my own actions.


A couple of issues here. I get the ticket and yeah, they are getting steep. $185 for 80 in a 65 on the Maine Turnpike a couple of weeks ago. I pay it. Cost of doing business.

My issue isn't with the ticket, it's with the $600 - $800 that gets tacked onto my ticket by the insurance company, payable over the next 4 or 5 years. And it gets worse -- that $600-$800 is for EACH vehicle I register and insure in Massachusetts.

It's the blatant inequity of the penalty that pisses me off. And we keep electing the same old moonbats who write the laws.

[Ted]

I think Mike was trying to point out the difference between a civil infraction, a ticket that results in a fine and frequently points, and a criminal violation of a misdemeanor or felony, which can carry the threat of arrest and imprisonment.

There is a reason why you are asked to sign such a citation at the time it is issued - it is to acknowledge that you may either either admit fault and pay the fine or go to court to contest the citation. While I respect those who gladly avail themselves of the first option, frankly it frightens me that many of those same folks feel there is some moral high ground that prevents opting for the second option, an option that is codified in and guaranteed by the very same set of laws.

[amiles]

I continue to be amazed at the number of motorists who speed 10 or 20 + with seeming impunity. It seems that speeding enforcement must be perceived by these folks as worth taking the risk of a citation. Many times I was passed by packs of cars seemingly beating my 5-10 by a large margin.

I try to stay under 10 and lately even closer if the limit is on the high side (75-80). I remember the dreadful days of the 55 mph limit and am very grateful that now in most places we can legally drive at 65+.

A few times on my trip I was restricted to 55 and it brought back bad memories from the 70's.

[mrich12000]

I have a Paralegal firm here in Oshawa, :stick Pay the fine.


sorry to be so blunt but as stated unles you have a green or other authorized light on that bike or vehicle to speed(or one hell of a fish story) then your busted.:deal :deal

[Vagabird]

While I respect those who gladly avail themselves of the first option, frankly it frightens me that many of those same folks feel there is some moral high ground that prevents opting for the second option, an option that is codified in and guaranteed by the very same set of laws.

I've run with the traffic at well over the limit and have done triple digits in the open spaces, but generally I ride close to the limit because I have a low hassle tolerance. (One reason I live in small-town Wyoming.) I pay my tickets for the same reason, but I have no problem with those who work within the system to lessen the impact.

I don't think the moral divide is between the payers and the fighters but between those who accept their lumps and those who are indignant that - this time - they got caught.

As for Massachusetts (see tommcgee), the vehicle insurance system is a nightmare. In Mass it's not so much working the system but working to protect yourself from the system.

[From MARS]

My two more cents;

I live in the middle of nowhere. The towns around here are really small. There isn't a lot of traffic on the local roads. Some of my neighbors, though few they may be, don't always look before pulling out. Nobody is ever coming, right? This is especially true in the small towns.

When I ride or drive around here, I take into consideration the known to me danger points. For instance, there is this farm situated right at the exist of a curve. His hay barn is on one side of the road, and the cattle pens on the other. I can't count the number of times I've come around that curve to find the road blocked by a big ol' tractor with a round bale of hay stuck on the front of it. So, I always slow down when entering that curve. And then there is the creek bottom were 7 out of 10 times I'll have some form of wildlife cross the road. There are other known dangers on my ride to the main road, and I prepare for the worst before getting to them.

The small towns out in the sticks will probably have a lot of older folks driving around. I volunteer at the senior center here, and I know we have people drive to the center for lunch that probably won't see you coming, even if you have everything flashing. They're like horses that have followed the same path for years; they can do it blindfolded. And in some cases, that would be an improvement.

That's why, when I come close to civilization out in the boonies, I pull it back to the speed limit or slightly below. Call me cheap or a coward, but speeding through small towns isn't something I would recommend doing.

Now, out in the open spaces? Well, all I'll say is that I ride one of those incredibly stable at high speed K1200RS's. I have met the patrolman out of Alliance, NE. (Last year.) And, I have contributed (gladly, considering what it could have been) to the local treasury. So, I understand the "need for speed" at times, but we have to remember, the locals are likely to be in there own world as they go about their day, and we're not part of their routine. Be careful.

Tom

[RICHO2006]

While I can't advise NYRTGRL one way or the other about fighting the ticket, the last ticket I received I did hire an attorney. I was willing to pay the fine to the city/county or what ever; I just didn’t want to pay for the ticket for years to come on my insurance. As far as the cops are concerned they are by far the most hypocritical group of people I have ever known. They practice something called Selective Law Enforcement. If its one of their own speeding, do you think they’ll get a ticket? It’s very rare that a cop will apply the law equally to all people regardless of their profession.


Richo

[RJM2096]

Why would you pay a lawyer's fee to save a few bucks on the fine and maybe insurance rates?

Unless you already have a bad record, one ticket won't make much of a difference.

[RJM2096]

A BMWMOA member rode his brand new BMW R1200RT out of the dealership. Taking off down the road, he cranked it to 80 mph, enjoying the wind blowing through what little hair he had left.

'Amazing,' he thought as he flew down I-90, cranking the grip even more up to 100 mph.

Looking in his rear view mirrors, he saw a state trooper on a HD behind him, lights flashing and siren blaring.

He took it to 110 mph, then 115, then 120. Suddenly he thought, 'What am I doing? I'm too old for this,' and pulled over to await the trooper' arrival.

Pulling in behind him, the trooper walked up to the cycle, looked at his watch and said, 'Sir, my shift ends in 10 minutes. Today is Friday. If you can give me a reason for speeding that I've never heard before, I'll might let you go.'

The old gentleman paused. Then said, 'Years ago, my wife rode off with a State Trooper on a Harley. I thought you might be him bringing her back.'

'Have a good day, sir,' replied the trooper as he mounted his HD.

[NYRTGRL]

Thanks for all of the spirited discussion and sound advice! I am most relieved to report I checked with NYSDMV and this speeding ticket will NOT add any points to my license. The fine is going to be paid and this can all be put behind me. I was never trying to avoid my responsibility to pay the fine - my major concern was racking up six points. The ticket was for 94 in a 65. The fine was doubled to $230 because of a road work zone - all fifty miles or so was designated this way according to the trooper, there was no road work in or around the area I was in so don't be too quick to draw conclusions!

Thanks again and hope to meet you all some time down the road!

[mrich12000]

Why would you pay a lawyer's fee to save a few bucks on the fine and maybe insurance rates?

Unless you already have a bad record, one ticket won't make much of a difference.


Rabit:bow

[KGT1200]

Rabit:bow

Maybe you have an extra $300.00 laying around that you want to give to support some poor esquire and his family? Idunno? I sure as hell wouldnt!!

[DarrylRi]

Why would you pay a lawyer's fee to save a few bucks on the fine and maybe insurance rates?

Unless you already have a bad record, one ticket won't make much of a difference.

Because, in California and Washington -- where I have lived and have experience about it -- you could pay a lot more than $300 in increased insurance over 3 years. Also, if you can conceivably save the points this time, it might be an advantage when you can't the next time.

I got home last night from the national and the Top of the Rockies rally, with just over 5,000 miles over two weeks of travel. Had a great time at both!

My closest call was 60 miles from home on one of the bay area freeways where a few CHP motor officers were having a field day picking off speeders (everyone, and I mean everyone, on that freeway was going at least 10 over). I managed to both see them and slow down enough without being run over...

[GrafikFeat]

Key Facts

• Half of the 42,000 crash-related fatalities in the United States each year occur on two-lane rural roads.
• Sixty-two percent of all alcohol-related fatalities involving passenger vehicles occur on rural roads.
• Crash victims are five to seven times more likely to die if arrival to a hospital exceeds 30 minutes. The average time between a crash and hospital arrival is 52 minutes in rural areas.


http://www.saferoadmaps.org/home/index.htm

Safe Road Maps is a GIS-based (Geographic Information System) Mashup to communicate public health issues related to rural and urban road transportation safety through a publicly accessible website. This GIS integrates a range of spatial data regarding motor vehicle crashes, transportation policy legislation, and driver behavioral data. It is anticipated that this GIS will help raise awareness and change fundamental perceptions regarding the magnitude, risk factors, and impacts of motor vehicle crashes.

The Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS) facilitates citizen-centered research, training, and outreach activities related to rural transportation safety. The Center’s research activities explore policy, behavior, and technology innovations through projects addressing safety conscious planning, ITS and rural emergency response, integrated policy approaches, and related human factors, societal trends, and stakeholder needs analysis.
Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs State and Local Policy Program and the Center for Transportation Studies, and sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration. Congress created the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety in July 2005 as part of a broader, multiyear, multimillion-dollar directive establishing four national centers for surface transportation excellence in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) transportation funding legislation.

Pretty Interesting Site.

[2002redrider]

Well Rod, it does appear that we have different thoughts on this issue. Nothing wrong with that is there? I guess that's why they make more than one flavor of ice cream and more than one brand or style of motorcycle.

I don't have a bad driving record as someone suggested. I am a conservative old guy like many of us but it is hard not to let the big dog eat sometimes. My last speeding ticket was in 2004 but I feel that they can come in bunches and while it is easy to make the first one go away, the second or third in a short period will be much more difficult and costly if you haven't taken care of the first one.

If the points don't follow you to your home state or drivers record as was pointed out by the poster who started this thread, then I wouldn't bother with it. Because it is the points and increased insurance rates that are at the heart of my position, plain and simple.

On a related topic, I was heading out of Moorcroft about 8:00AM going to Devil's Tower and running mid to high 70's (actual GPS speed) in a 65 zone with light traffic. The road was mainly long sweepers and hills so I was easing off a bit when cresting a hill or taking a corner. A black Camero had passed me and I was staying about 1/4 mile back and using him as a "rabbitt." He crested a hill and my Valentine 1 went full tilt boogie so I slowed down to under 65. When I topped the hill there was a county boy with lights blazing waiting for the next guy. When he measured me at the limit or under, he made a U turn in front of me, which could have been another, more serious issue and nailed the Camero. He could have written thousands of dollars of tickets every day during the rally. Nice revenue stream for that little jerk water county.

[grumpyone]

Well I cant tell anyone anything about tickets and the law but I can say one thing if you are riding a motorcycle, hell even driving a semi truck, "WATCH OUT FOR DAD" There are lots of them out there this is just one case "mine" but we see lots of them everywhere. "and MOMS are worse"
Since the rally in Colorado our home state just after we got back from Gillette I figure this is a worthwhile and very very true story ; One that could be facing any of us anywhere any time.
When your crusin down a nice highway and you see "DAD" parked on the side to enter the road and he makes eye contact with you and you sigh and start to crank it on again. "DONT" !! He just might take that big pick up truck and his big boat behind him right out in front of you and make his left turn. Closing of all your escape routes and maybe ending everything.
You see we were harping at "DAD" for years to ware his glasses and he says til this day HE DONT NEED THEM ! Ok were stopping by "DADS" one day and in his recliner waring his glasses is a real welcome site. Wife ask DAD see your finally waring you glasses? Thats Great! Had to he said : I was watching the TV there (very large screen) and I could not tell if it was Bull Riding or Wrestling I was watching :bolt . SOOO you see we have never seen "DAD" ware his glasses again and he drives a big pick up truck and pulls a big boat twice a week to the lake. In Colorado.
Our only point is "NEVER NEVER " assume he sees you! Be very careful til he is in your rear view going the other way :deal
I had a lady at an intersection I had the ROW and she was stopped at her stop sign ; Waved at me "how nice" then pulled out in front of me . :doh :doh
We ride fast too sometimes but only when were 1000% sure were alone and DAD is not around ANYWHERE !
POINT; Ride how you want , live how you like, but be careful as you can and prepared to pay the price for your actions.
PS Be extra careful in COLORADO ; Were movin to Texas.:bolt :laugh
Thanks for a great forum
Jim and Esther

Plays with guns for a livin
:nra

[eljeffe]

When leaving an event in Jackson Hole a few years ago, our group was pulled over and ticketed by a Wyoming State Trooper. We all made various inquiries, and unlike many states, there doesn't seem to be an easy "get out of a ticket" avenues available to the unlucky driver. Make sure you pay it within the period, because Wyoming does report unpaid or late pay tickets. The Wyoming ticket that I got was paid before the due date, and never showed up on my Texas driving record.

[MPATROVSKY]

I will fight every speeding ticket I get. I will file appeals on any cases I lose. If I am speeding it is because I can and it is safe to do so. There is a straight highway, no traffic, no cross streets or intersections and just me and my RT. Speeding in and of itself is not dangerous. The interstate highway system (in Oregon anyway) was designed in the fifties and sixties to permit safe travel at speeds of over one hundred miles per hour. That was the plan then, before the city and county counsels learned about ticket revenue. I ride to work daily and it is a rare day I don't break through the triple digit zone on my speedometer. I have had only one ticket in sixteen years and I went to court on five different occasions to beat it finally. The Officer who wrote the ticket collared me after the last court case and asked what the heck was wrong with me? He wanted to know why on earth I'd spend that kind of time and money to beat his lousy ticket. I asked him if he'd be inclined to write me another or give me a warning next time we crossed paths and he admitted it wasn't worth his time to write me. I then asked "any more questions?"

[Greenwald]

:type Here's a point of view to chew on.

As a veteran LEO, I and many fellow officers / troopers / deputies that I knew compared notes once and the two most prominent excuses offered for speeding were:


"But officer - what about those other drivers? They were speeding too!"

and

"But officer - I was only keeping up with traffic!"


From time to time, we are challenged by motorists we detain as to why we even have the 'discretion' to warn some, while others are cited.

Let me offer these comments:

Excuse # 1 has no merit. In fact, we document it on the back of the ticket as an admission of guilt. It is simply rationalization to get out of personal responsibility - got caught, but don't want to suffer the consequences. An LEO can only stop one motorist at a time, so "Today is your day - tomorrow, maybe the Camaro." Whom I stopped had more to do with my ability to pursue, get noticed and safely get to the side of the road, than the usual accusations of profiling or discrimination or favoritism, or revenue, etc.

You do realize that none of those other speeders are going to rendezvous with you later at the Park & Ride and pool their money to pay for your ticket, so why would you 'throw in with them,' and choose to speed?! Hellooooo.

Excuse # 2 is better suited to understand the nature of discretion. Anyone trying to negotiate the Illinois TriState around Chicago on a motorcycle had BETTER be keeping up with traffic flow or you're going to get clobbered. In all my years, I've yet to see anyone other than a reckless biker get pulled over.

However, 'change the rules and you change the game.' At any given moment between Gillette, WY and say, Rochester, MN, as I rode home from the Rally, there were no more than 5 - 9 cars in sight. That's not exactly a 'flow of traffic,' and any speeding along that stretch would have been my personal responsibility, and consequences shamefully accepted.

As for the "I'll speed every chance I get," "I don't believe in seatbelts," "I never wear a helmet," "A couple of drinks won't matter" crowd?

I learned not to get too worried about them - Darwin will thin the gene pool over time.

[RJM2096]

:type Here's a point of view chew on.

As for the "I'll speed every chance I get," "I don't believe in seatbelts," "I never wear a helmet," "A couple of drinks won't matter" crowd?

I learned not to get too worried about them - Darwin will thin the gene pool over time.

Thanks for your LEO insight. I am not sure about thinning out the gene pool, you are assuming that they have not procreated on mass yet.

[Greenwald]

Thanks for your LEO insight. I am not sure about thinning out the gene pool, you are assuming that they have not procreated on mass yet.

Ahh....a point I may have failed to consider. Thank you.

Ride Safe!

[KGT1200]

:type

As for the "I'll speed every chance I get," "I don't believe in seatbelts," "I never wear a helmet," "A couple of drinks won't matter" crowd?

I learned not to get too worried about them - Darwin will thin the gene pool over time.

I hope they get taken out via the darwinian method before they take out my son or my wife!

[zzkvsl]

I got luck twice as far as tickets went at the rally, the first was burning though the twisties in the Black Hills and the on coming cop flicked on his lights as a warning. the second was trying to make it back to the closing ceremonies from the Black Hills along Hwy 16 was doing 85 like everybody else has, seen him crest the hill and tapped the brake in an effort to slow enough to get close to the speed limit . as soon as he passed me he did one of those u-turns only the cops can do ( I thought I was screwed) so I pulled over before he had a chance to turn on his lights ........he said I’ll just give you a warning since you have all your gear on and told me that in an hour or so the dear would start moving closer to the road .....real nice guy.

[swall]

Higdon had a great article on this ticket fighting thing in the last issue of OTL. Basically, the system is rigged against you, which has been my experience, and he tells you to just "pay the $2" unless your violation has serious consequences, such as jail time. At that point, you need an attourney.

[RJM2096]

I got luck twice as far as tickets went at the rally, the first was burning though the twisties in the Black Hills and the on coming cop flicked on his lights as a warning. the second was trying to make it back to the closing ceremonies from the Black Hills along Hwy 16 was doing 85 like everybody else has, seen him crest the hill and tapped the brake in an effort to slow enough to get close to the speed limit . as soon as he passed me he did one of those u-turns only the cops can do ( I thought I was screwed) so I pulled over before he had a chance to turn on his lights ........he said I’ll just give you a warning since you have all your gear on and told me that in an hour or so the dear would start moving closer to the road .....real nice guy.

As more and more speeding cameras are installed, we are going to get fewer warnings and more chances to help enhance governmental revenue. :drink

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/RJM2096/TrafficCameras.jpg

[Krazo]

Just pay it...Are you daft? This is an arbitrary act conducted by LEO's. It is their job description...giving you a ticket in the middle of no where for 10 over.

The least you can do is call the county/city and see what the options are. In most cases, they have a standard "plea bargain" that reduces the points significantly, and may or may not reduce the fine. That may be a big enough help to rule out seeking local counsel. This is not about a criminal act...it is random enforcement of blanket policies that set a speed limit for an entire stretch of highway regardless of conditions. Help yourself out by at least making the call and taking the automatic reduction. (Often the gatekeeper receptionist, clerk, etc. is all you need to talk to.)

Or not...then go stew in your self-rightiousness in the right lane at the speed limit forever.

[Munchy]

Or not...then go stew in your self-rightiousness in the right lane at the speed limit forever.


+1+1+1 :clap

[Greenwald]

+1+1+1 :clap




ANARCHISTS OF THE WORLD.....UNITE!:bottle

[jcpuckett]

Hi All,

Had a great time at the Rally in Gillette! My first one and now looking forward to many more! Met a whole bunch of really nice folks and got to see some breathtaking views and ride some spectacular roads touring out and back.

I'm not sure if it's appropriate or not to ask for legal (?) help here - if not, my apologies in advance! What I'm in need of is some legal representation for a speeding ticket I received on Highway 141 in or near the county/city/town of Sweetwater. There really wasn't much out there but a whole lot of flat land and an approaching storm the size of Rhode Island (and of course a Wyoming State Trooper!).

If anyone has a referral to a paralegal or lawyer who can show up in court for me and get this reduced I'd appreciate the info either here or a private email. Any advice really would be appreciated, Thanks!

get an attorney. i am in the process of getting one for Byron WY speed trap.

this is not about quilt or innocence! it is about points and insurance rates. the attorney and plea bargin arrangement will cost you more on the front end, but much less in the long run.

[slugger]

If it makes you feel any better, on the way home, via Colorado, all four of us in the party got tickets at different time. I guess we didn't learn after the first one. Like they say, he got us fair and square and the state of CO made about 600 bucks on the four of us.

[lancew]

"But I'm not in a hurry, officer. I just like to go fast."

[glurkus]

I have a CDL and I would fight any ticket I might get. Two speeding tickets in a 24 month period is a two year suspension of your CDL, even if the violation is in your personal vehicle. If my CDL gets suspened I lose my job.
I usally cruise 7-8 miles above the limit, and I get left alone by LEO's. Last spring I got my first ticket in two decades while driving my car. It was rush hour traffic, I was in the right lane on the I-State going 70 in a 65, being passed by people in the left lane going 80 plus. I came upon slower traffic and sped up to merge with the faster traffic in the left lane, passed the slower vehicles and merged back in the right lane and slowed back down. The Trooper in the unmarked car behind me, who had been ignoring the speeders in the left lane the whole time he was behind me, pulls me over and cites me for 18 over, 4 points and $240 fine. When I asked him why me and he said I passed him about 5 miles earlier ( in a city where he had no jurisdiction) Is this what Greewald means by the discretion of the LEO? :confused:
I took the ticket to court and the asst DA drops it to 2 points and obstructing traffic, and the fine was lowered 50 bucks.

[Greenwald]

Good Morning Whitewater.

I thought my examples of 'discretion' from my July 30th post were fairly spot on, and still do, so no space wasted defending them.

But I find some 'holes in your boat,' when it comes to your incident.

By your own admissions, you were already traveling 5 mph over the posted limit under the nose of a WI State Trooper.

You came upon slower traffic and changed lanes to the left to pass. Understandable, but no need to 'merge with higher speed traffic' to accomplish going around a pokey driver. Cars behind you can just slow down a bit and wait for you to complete your passing maneuver.

No need to assume their speed.....they're not planning on assuming the debt of your ticket.

And then, you describe this traffic as going "80 plus."

So, throwing in with them, you are now cited at 18 mph over the posted limit!

Finally, you passed the Trooper five miles back in "a city where he had no jurisdiction."

My son (an Ozaukee Co. Sheriff's Deputy) routinely relies on WI Troopers for back-up on high-risk calls when no other manpower is in the area. Guess what? While they confine their traffic efforts to state roads as a matter of routine, by statute, Wi State Troopers have enforcement jurisdiction ANYWHERE in the State of Wisconsin.

If two speeding tickets in 24 months would cost me a CDL, and possibly my livelihood, I guess I wouldn't consider doing "80 plus" in a 65 zone under the nose of law enforcement to pass anyone. A little slower would have still done the trick.

That's what I would call "driver discretion."

[glurkus]

Yes, I assume resposibility for speeding. I even told the Trooper that he was only doing his job. However, I question his motives. If he was concerned about me passing him in Milwaukee, where I was going about 60 in a 55 at the time, he should have pulled me over right away. The fine in a 55 zone for speeding is much less than in a 65 zone. According to a lawyer friend of mine, the chances of getting a speeding ticket dissmissed with a good driving record is much greater in Milwaukee County. Waukesha County, where I got my ticket, rarely, if ever dissmisses tickets. The Trooper had opportunities to pull over dozens of other speeders for miles before he pulled me over. I believe I ticked him off by passing him (he was in an unmarked car and with the volume of traffic I never saw him.) He wanted me, and he waited until I did something (and it was my fault for give him the opportunity) to really punish me.
On a side note, I see you are from Sheboygan. My cousin Fred Zittle, is a retired cop from there. Maybe you know him.

[Greenwald]

Yes, I assume resposibility for speeding. I even told the Trooper that he was only doing his job. However, I question his motives. If he was concerned about me passing him in Milwaukee, where I was going about 60 in a 55 at the time, he should have pulled me over right away. The fine in a 55 zone for speeding is much less than in a 65 zone. According to a lawyer friend of mine, the chances of getting a speeding ticket dissmissed with a good driving record is much greater in Milwaukee County. Waukesha County, where I got my ticket, rarely, if ever dissmisses tickets. The Trooper had opportunities to pull over dozens of other speeders for miles before he pulled me over. I believe I ticked him off by passing him (he was in an unmarked car and with the volume of traffic I never saw him.) He wanted me, and he waited until I did something (and it was my fault for give him the opportunity) to really punish me.
On a side note, I see you are from Sheboygan. My cousin Fred Zittle, is a retired cop from there. Maybe you know him.

You express your frustration well, and I can understand why you wished the outcome had been different.

But you also took responsibility for your decision to speed, and I find that both admirable and rare among this demographic. I salute you.

As for your cousin, I know Fred and his wife Monica quite well, and worked with him for nearly my entire career. A dedicated cop and quite a good pistol shot as well (earned a number of trophies!).

Small World.

[kantuckid]

An interesting thread on speeding. I have a concern why it costs an"arm & a leg" for a ticket? I think I know the answer, but have observed serious misdemeanors and lessor felonies that were cheaper on the offender. It just seems all out of kilter to me when looking at the cost compared to the actual speed vs. the hwy situation where many tickets are given. I also want to comment FWIW that , while I try to honor work zones for logical safety reasons, I find that here in KY they are marked in a ridiculous manner and not nearly so sensibly as in most other states. They use the "light flashing" many places and have the start and end clearly marked in relation to the actual work. I have a heavy foot/wrist and have earned some of my tickets while others have been equally costly and illogical , IMO,based on the wide open spaces where they occurred . There has been much written, statistics are there that in certain kinds of vehicles you are far more likely to get a speeding ticket.Having driven sports cars and ridden bikes for many years, I find that is the case for me. Don't say it is just because those kinds of sporty rides are taken to higher speeds, because there is more to the story than just that.
If as much attention was given to driver training as there is to writing speeding tickets it would be a safer place out there!

[KGT1200]

.....you also took responsibility for your decision to speed, and I find that both admirable and rare among this demographic......
.

What I find a mystery is how anyone could get a ticket , and NOT take full reponsibility! A warning ticket or a reduction of charge can't be factored in when making the decison to speed. When I've been speeding, and caught, I am responsible; who else? I chose to speed, and then if caught, must accept the full responsibility. That is the game we play, and the rules are clear on the outset of getting your permit! It makes it very hard when running machines that are full well designed to run 80-90 as well as 60 to 70.

Any warning or reduction is just icing on the cake!

Red

[wezul]

What I find a mystery is how anyone could get a ticket , and NOT take full reponsibility! A warning ticket or a reduction of charge can't be factored in when making the decison to speed. When I've been speeding, and caught, I am responsible; who else? I chose to speed, and then if caught, must accept the full responsibility. That is the game we play, and the rules are clear on the outset of getting your permit! It makes it very hard when running machines that are full well designed to run 80-90 as well as 60 to 70.

Any warning or reduction is just icing on the cake!

Red

Indeed. I got stopped in Dodge County (WI) last weekend. 72 in a 55. I pulled over, the officer walked up and I said to him with my hands in the air, "guilty"! Hey, I was, what am I going to do, try to weasel out of it? Wait, that didn't come out right! :doh

[Greenwald]

What I find a mystery is how anyone could get a ticket , and NOT take full reponsibility! A warning ticket or a reduction of charge can't be factored in when making the decison to speed. When I've been speeding, and caught, I am responsible; who else? I chose to speed, and then if caught, must accept the full responsibility. That is the game we play, and the rules are clear on the outset of getting your permit! It makes it very hard when running machines that are full well designed to run 80-90 as well as 60 to 70.

Any warning or reduction is just icing on the cake!

Red

Well said.

Ride Safe.

[Greenwald]

Indeed. I got stopped in Dodge County (WI) last weekend. 72 in a 55. I pulled over, the officer walked up and I said to him with my hands in the air, "guilty"! Hey, I was, what am I going to do, try to weasel out of it? Wait, that didn't come out right! :doh

Good for you.

Well...................did you get a ticket?!

[wezul]

Good for you.

Well...................did you get a ticket?!

In Dodge County?! What do you think? :bluduh
Honestly, I should have known better, especially in those parts.
The ride around Horicon marsh was beautiful and I found real honest to goodness 100% gas premium at the BP in Waupun.
I didn't have the heart to tell the officer if he had crested the rise 20 seconds earlier he would have had me at 95.

Guilty!

[kantuckid]

I got a picture in the mail a couple of years ago of one of my sons sipping a drink from a paper cup ,while tooling down the I road in Phoenix. I sold him the Z3 and both our names (he is single)were on the title/registration. I did a little research on the photo speeding thing and of course it is a major industry there and some other places. A lawyer has a book out for those lucky persons who get the photo, and there is much on the web regarding the subject.There is even a school of legal thought that the tickets are not legal. Either way , with the picture thing, it is really about the money, and I will not be convinced otherwise. I personally know some of those that live with the reality (cops and emergency workers)of driving drunk and too fast and dealing with the gore and sadness that surrounds it, so I am not ignoring the serious side of speeding in the wrong place or road conditions,etc.. He was driving "at the same speed as everyone else", as we are given to say, and got lucky. Woe unto those that would drive too slow in a metro area and risk the tailended issue!
But on the other hand , it does sound so adult and patriotic and oh, I could just go on and on, it makes tears come to my eyes to read the thoughts of you who "Take Ownership of your guilt". WOW! Sure, we all know what the speeding is trying to prevent, but the overdone allocation of valuable officers to the way it is enforced is a joke to many of us. I went in for a ticket on a 4 lane near me around ten years ago(62 in a 55 limit-they had gotten a grant to move up enforcement on this stretch(which almost never has an accident!) and the large courtroom was full-there were like over a hundred in there. The deal was ,if you plead guilty , the judge would defer the fine and court costs, but if caught again you had to pay the old and new tickets. I live in a state where to get my MC license I had to ride around the block with the examiner following me and there is no vehicle inspection law. You tell me, that money would not be better spent on Driver Education, vehicle inspection and dealing with drunks via traffic stops-which seem to yield results, so I read. It is a fact that my nearby university stopped doing driver education teacher certification in 1975!It is also a fact that many if not most HS schools in the country don't offer driver education anymore. That is where the efforts need to focus, not on catching my son on the I road going 60+ mph or the other -I'll say unnecessary speeding tickets that get written.
I am trying to stir the pot a bit, if you can't tell...:blah :blah :blah

[Greenwald]

But on the other hand , it does sound so adult and patriotic and oh, I could just go on and on, it makes tears come to my eyes to read the thoughts of you who "Take Ownership of your guilt". WOW! Sure, we all know what the speeding is trying to prevent, but the overdone allocation of valuable officers to the way it is enforced is a joke to many of us.

I am trying to stir the pot a bit, if you can't tell...:blah :blah :blah




Thank you for volunteering to speak for 'this demographic' I made reference too in an earlier thread. Personal responsibility is no joke and is truly becoming quite rare among motorcycle riders (and cagers too!).

As for the pot, I don't think you managed to stir it...perhaps a slight ripple, but definitely not stirred. All of the points you made reference poor allocation of funding are correct. But all that pointed out was that more, not less financing is sorely needed in traffic law enforcement and education.

As funds dry up, the LAST thing to go will be the actual enforcement efforts of patrol officers; not the programs we also desperately need.

Come to the rally.....we could debate all this further over a cold one.

[kantuckid]

Thanks for the invite-I'll be @ TN but found Gillette,WY a bit hard to get excited about,and thats coming from someone who is going to WY in a couple of weeks on vacation with the wife in a truck/camper! To the mountains that is.I'll tell you about an interesting experience I had with the Indiana State Police this memorial day. It was the kind that can change ones perspective about law enforcement officers and what kinda place we live in!I'll write it down as a testimony to how bad a stop can get for going 65 in a 60 on an old 4 lane divided hwy!See you in Tn/09-blk - 03- R1150R-old stocky guy with red helmet.:laugh

[R184]

Suck it up and pay the ticket. Unless your in danger of loosing your licence or the points will get your insurance to cancel you, it easy just to pay.

You took your chances and got caught. Don't let it bother you, lots and lots of people get tickets. Doesn't mean they're bad or evil, they made a little mistake and got caught.


If you do fight the ticket; take traffic school if offered to you and never, never never say you were speeding. If you admit to speeding, then you will be found guilting, regardless of the reason. If the ticketing officer didn't give you a break, then the judge or traffic commissioner won't either. And never, never, never lie in court (and an ommission is not a lie).

:deal (press hard, 4 copies)

[jcpuckett]

Suck it up and pay the ticket. Unless your in danger of loosing your licence or the points will get your insurance to cancel you, it easy just to pay.

You took your chances and got caught. Don't let it bother you, lots and lots of people get tickets. Doesn't mean they're bad or evil, they made a little mistake and got caught.

If you do fight the ticket; take traffic school if offered to you and never, never never say you were speeding. If you admit to speeding, then you will be found guilting, regardless of the reason. If the ticketing officer didn't give you a break, then the judge or traffic commissioner won't either. And never, never, never lie in court (and an ommission is not a lie).

:deal (press hard, 4 copies)
How 'bout 45 in a 30 mph zone in Byron, WY (a well known Speed Trap)? The points would have raised my insurance premium $1,000 per year (from $500 to $1,500).

I have received 4 speeding tickets on my 1150RT in 4 years. All less than 20 mph over posted. In Missouri points don't disappear very quickly. 1/2 after 2 years; then 1/2 at the end of year 3, and so on and so forth. Our insurance company, American Family, keeps speeding tickets on your record for even longer.

So I paid an attorney $75.00 to plead guilty to a "cracked windshield".

[R184]

A wise use of $75 dollars. Moving violation goes away, you keep your licence, you have a nothing mechanical violation on your record and life goes on.

Too bad they can't all be that easy.

Read in a British M/C magazine that in the U.K. you can be imprisoned for a year for some moving violations (like exceeding 100 mph). Doesn't seem right, being jailed for speeding (As long as you don't endanger or hurt someone).

[kantuckid]

Lets turn this into a "who got the most ridiculous speeding ticket" thread! I'll start off with the time around 1979-80, I was going KC to St. L on I-70, driving my 1976 Toyota Corolla SW(1600cc-pretty fast car!) and was stopped by a county sheriffs deputy,he was wearing a blue Perry Como sweater, white shirt and had a gold badge thereon and a real revolver.The car was the real thing too! Well he said I was charged with racing another car that I had supposedly been near on the hwy, or so he said. I had my Wife and three sons-all under 3 yrs old- and driving this pretty crappy car and asked him if he was serious? I then am told that my car will be taken and I'll be escorted to jail if I don't "get serious" or something to that effect. End result was no ticket and much wasted time, but had to be the corker of all time as I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. I've got a better one about the Indiana State police this May, but I'm saving it for the TN rally as it is hopefully going to earn me a mooched cold one from an MOA LEO:laugh :laugh :laugh !

[Greenwald]

Lets turn this into a "who got the most ridiculous speeding ticket" thread! I'll start off with the time around 1979-80, I was going KC to St. L on I-70, driving my 1976 Toyota Corolla SW(1600cc-pretty fast car!) and was stopped by a county sheriffs deputy,he was wearing a blue Perry Como sweater, white shirt and had a gold badge thereon and a real revolver.The car was the real thing too! Well he said I was charged with racing another car that I had supposedly been near on the hwy, or so he said. I had my Wife and three sons-all under 3 yrs old- and driving this pretty crappy car and asked him if he was serious? I then am told that my car will be taken and I'll be escorted to jail if I don't "get serious" or something to that effect. End result was no ticket and much wasted time, but had to be the corker of all time as I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. I've got a better one about the Indiana State police this May, but I'm saving it for the TN rally as it is hopefully going to earn me a mooched cold one from an MOA LEO:laugh :laugh :laugh !


If it's as good as you hint, I might even spring for a refill!!

[rinty]

Maybe one of the mods can start a new thread at kantuckid's post.

Rinty