Spokane-The $91 Aftermath

[calnalu]

My first ever International Rally was great! Thanks to all the organizers for a job well done and a big hello to all the forum folks I met through the weekend and in the Beer Tent.

Bugs have been washed off my ride, sleeping bag aired out, and riding gear cleaned and put away until the next ride. The last task to take care of is the $91 'welcome to Spokane' greeting I received from a WA LEO in the middle of a wheat field on Hwy 2 going into Spokane. I was made the 'example' and cited for doing '70+' in a 60 mph zone.

Can someone please explain how out-of-state citations affect your driving/riding record? Does WA have an on-line traffic school program where I can work off any 'points' I may have received from this citation?

This one encounter with the LEO didn't put too much of a damper on my rally experience. Everyone else I met in Spokane was great!

Thanks in advance for any advice/input.

Marty

[Ghostryder]

Usually If you pay the fine off in a hurry, there is a good chance that it will not show up on your record. I have had one or two out of state tickets that never did show up on my driving record. It all depends on how "up to date" there state system is, and how well they communicate with surrounding states. Just my experience. :burnout :burnout :thumb

[Cliffy777]

there is a good chance your insurance company might not catch it even if it makes it to your state. It all depends on how up to date your insurance carrier keeps its records.
Pay the fine fast and cross your fingers.

[Gizmo]

The last time I received an out of state ticket "performance award", I paid it soon after arriving home and it never showed up on either my driving record or insurance.

[kbasa]

Hiya Marty! Nice to meet you!

:wave

Now, back to your regularly schedule thread.....

[BradfordBenn]

You also can call your local neighbor hood Police or Bureau of Motor Vehicles and ask them what state they have reciprocity with. However paying it quickly helps ALOT.

[Unregistered]

It's been a few years since I received an out-of-state award, but I just paid them off as soon as I returned home. Insurance or home state DMV was never affected.

[YB in IN]

I thought that I was home clear with my out of state ticket. Funny thing is that it showed up this last insurance renewal two years after the fact. :dunno

[GSTom]

Here is a web site with some strategies you may want to consider in handling traffic tickets. I do not have any personal knowledge of the effectiveness of any of the techniques described.


http://www.motorists.com/

[dlearl476]

Like everyone else has posted: Pay up quick. I wouldn't worry about the online traffic school, unless your points are on the edge. And one more thing: Try to avoid doing anything that would cause your insurance to LOOK UP your driving record ie: adding or deleting a vehicle, changing coverage, adding a driver, etc.
My insurance is in Utah and I've had tickets in NV, CA, and CO. and the only one that showed up on my insurance was the CO right after I deleted a car.

[lorazepam]

Too bad you cant go to court. the "70+" sounds like an estimate. If he doesn't have proof other than that, I bet you could win.

[Jackie Hughes]

To my knowledge Washington has reciprocity with Idaho, Oregon and California as well as British Columbia in some cases. As far as the insurance goes, most larger companies now do national searches when "something" triggers one. As said before, adding or deleting a car or driver can be that trigger. Random searches, backgrounds checks for new jobs and the like can also dig up the infraction. If you live close enough to go to court and they find your record is clean you may have the option of taking a defered sentence. Basically that means you pay the fine and keep your nose clean for one year and the ticket never goes on your record at all. If you are cited again within the one year time frame, the fine increases and both infractions are reported. In Washington, paid tickets automatically drop off your record after three years.

[Fritzc]

FWIW category. Got a speeding ticket in Bloomington Ill. and paid it on the spot to the officer. (yes, it was legit. got a receipt from City) Officer said it was the money or the body! You can't pay any faster than that. However I had State Farm Insurance at the time whose headquarters is in Bloomington!!!!! $50 added to my premium immediately. Double Whammy!

[calnalu]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I paid the ticket and we'll see what happens. I'll let you know if it shows up on my insurance anytime soon.

Marty

[SheRidesABeemer]

Hmmm, I got stopped doing 83 in a 65. The nice officer wrote me a warning and then we chatted about my little cross country trip.

[calnalu]

Jeez! You got off with a warning PLUS you had the short lines at the showers in Spokane.

Could be time for Mrs. Doubtfire to do the next rally!

Marty

[lorazepam]

Being an attractive woman helps even more. Us ugly guys just don't have a chance. :p

[Bill2]

Going up to the rally, I got a ticket in Nevada, Humbolt county near the OR border, for 91 in a 70 (he wrote me up for 80). I called the DA's office in Nevada and they don't have any program for getting out of the ticket (i.e., being on probation). I just paid the ticket. I live in CA, and wanted to know if my record will reflect this ticket. Does anyone know what will happen? I don't plan on adding a car or person to my policy, and will keep in mind what has been said on this forum.

Thanks for any advice.

[Ghostryder]

Pay and pray!!!!!!:)

[RTRandy]

It's called a Valentine 1 folks. Put one of these bad boys on your bike and you won't be thinking about where to mail a check or how many points might show up on your record. :brow

[Unregistered]

I think states vary on reporting fast driving awards to the winner's home state. Coming back from RA last year, one of Kentucy's finest awarded me 73 in a 55 ($140). My license came up for renewal in May and I was informed that I had to take both the car and bike written tests because of my "close encounter" with Officer Davis (perfect score on both, BTW). So, Kentucky talks to Illinois!

[AltheBiker]

I prefer to find out which states have a "No chase" law. Seems many states have laws that if someone is trying to outrun the cop, that they won't chase them. It's worked every time I've tried it. OK...none....but it's a nice thought. Funny thing though...radios travel pretty quick. I've gotten to the point where I travel a 'bit' slower than I used to. BUT...if someone passes me going a good clip, I'll drop back about a third of a mile and use him/her as my cruise control, sit back and enjoy the ride. I've donated my share of money for the FDAs I've received so it's nice not having to pay for awhile. Been just over three years now. My insurance company seems to get all my tickets except the one I got in Montana one time...paid the cop in the car and they didn't report to anyone at that time...1970s. Good luck all.

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by RT RANDY
It's called a Valentine 1 folks. Put one of these bad boys on your bike and you won't be thinking about where to mail a check or how many points might show up on your record. :brow

Then again there are people like me, who just like to ride at the speed they feel safe, which is within reason - about 10 to 15 over the posted limit. Basically with the flow. has worked for many years..... costs me less than a V1.

[kbasa]

Originally posted by RT RANDY
It's called a Valentine 1 folks. Put one of these bad boys on your bike and you won't be thinking about where to mail a check or how many points might show up on your record. :brow

Not necessarily.

Valentine 1. No traffic. Zapped with instant on from an oncoming police car.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/393625-M-2.jpg

[Ghostryder]

Great Pic.!!!!!!:D :D

[BradfordBenn]

Cop said "I am not going to smile." he meant it

[Ghostryder]

Dont you hate it when they dont have a sense of humor?????:stick

[dlearl476]

>Not necessarily.

>Valentine 1. No traffic. Zapped with instant on from an oncoming >police car.

Dave, V1 is radar detection, not radar jamming! You GOTS to pay attention. When travelling "ultra-legal" you HAVE to have your brake covered and brake HARD at the first beep, especially with "instant on". From what I understand, radar reads 10 times a second and has to have two identical readings to get a lock. If you're slowing down, it won't lock until you hit the speed limit. (I dont' know if this holds true for laser, I haven't run across it on highways yet. Both the NHP and UHP use "instant on" Ka band)

Then again, a LEO doesn't HAVE to have a radar lock to write you up.


I put 300 H.A.R.D. miles in the other day and need to write a trip report. I like the heads up, led warning INFINITELY more than the audio (through the xma3 and earmolds) beep. About 7 warnings total and nary a raised eyebrow from NHPs finest. (Although I DID just about get rear-ended by a "radar parasite")

H. A. R. D. (http://www.legalspeeding.com/index.htm)

[MarkF]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Cop said "I am not going to smile." he meant it

Originally posted by Ghostryder
Dont you hate it when they dont have a sense of humor?????:stick

Don't you think not smiling was a form of humor. Drier than sherry!

MarkF

P.S. I never smile without a cocktail in hand.:beer

[kbasa]

Originally posted by dlearl
>Not necessarily.

>Valentine 1. No traffic. Zapped with instant on from an oncoming >police car.

Dave, V1 is radar detection, not radar jamming! You GOTS to pay attention. When travelling "ultra-legal" you HAVE to have your brake covered and brake HARD at the first beep, especially with "instant on". From what I understand, radar reads 10 times a second and has to have two identical readings to get a lock. If you're slowing down, it won't lock until you hit the speed limit. (I dont' know if this holds true for laser, I haven't run across it on highways yet. Both the NHP and UHP use "instant on" Ka band)

Then again, a LEO doesn't HAVE to have a radar lock to write you up.


I put 300 H.A.R.D. miles in the other day and need to write a trip report. I like the heads up, led warning INFINITELY more than the audio (through the xma3 and earmolds) beep. About 7 warnings total and nary a raised eyebrow from NHPs finest. (Although I DID just about get rear-ended by a "radar parasite")

H. A. R. D. (http://www.legalspeeding.com/index.htm)

I think our closing speeds were too high. I was nearly 95, he was getting up to speed at 70 or so. I came around a corner and he just blasted me at point blank range.

I stopped, turned around to look for him and he had the wheels locked and was smoking to a stop.

Radar detectors are good, especially a V1 (love mine) but if you're out there in the middle of nowhere, it's a crapshoot.

[Ghostryder]

Just so you know, radar needs a steady, clear target to "lock" onto thats why when traveling on the highway it is good to stay next to larger objects. The doppler radar has a hard time picking the smaller object up and you can get lost in the "Shadow" of the bigger vehicle. However when your taged in the middle of nowhere, a honest approach always works. Like, "Yes sir I know I was speeding, Why? Because I didnt think you were around of course"
Laser on the other hand is target specific. Look through the cross hairs, press the trigger and whamo. You can be taged from about 5-600 feet away. In other words by the time you see them, they have you. Also difficult to fight in court. Laser does not disperse like radar over a distance.
I guess just stay about 15 over and you should be o-kay. Now as for a sense of humor, If he was smiling, walking towards him with a ticket book in one hand, and a pair of cuffs in the other....now that is a sense of humor.:D :D

[MarkF]

Originally posted by Ghostryder
Just so you know, radar needs a steady, clear target to "lock" onto thats why when traveling on the highway it is good to stay next to larger objects. The doppler radar has a hard time picking the smaller object up and you can get lost in the "Shadow" of the bigger vehicle.

Believe it or not we got new radar units that can distinguish from multiple targets going both directions. It will display both the largest and the fastest target. Heck I can even track a car coming up behind me, same direction, while I'm moving. Fighting it now comes down to operator error and how much the court will hear.

The other night I had some squid go by me at 20 over a little after midnight. Not smart on a twisty country road prone to deer and loose cattle. It didn't prompt a response til he went WFO as he passed me. The next cop down the road clocked him at 85-100 MPH and the third cop barely saw him as he crossed the town line but was amazed he even stayed upright. And none of the these cops pursued him! Seems like a big risk for a little ticket. Those idiots give up all a bad name.

MArkF

[Ghostryder]

I see you work for one of thos fancy departments that have all the new fun toys!!!!:D I bet you even have some of those luxry items like, working radios, cars with ac, and probably even a computer or two huh????
I have heard about those units, but we stay away from them, our dept likes the laser units, and I must admit they are kinda fun, They do have some limitations though. Well thanks for the update on the radar units. Stay safe.

[MarkF]

Originally posted by Ghostryder
I see you work for one of thos fancy departments that have all the new fun toys

our dept likes the laser units, and I must admit they are kinda fun

Some kinda grant. The town would never buy them. We used that last unit (bought on a grant) for over ten years.

I don't like laser - too much work. It's the difference between watching cars and "shooting" cars. Although it is great for multi-lane highways.

MarkF

[BouncinBob]

This thread has me confused. MSF says ride between the clumps of traffic. This thread says ride in traffic and then we are told they can track us in traffic. Damn, one of these days I may have to give up speeding. :p

From a speeder point of view I like laser (Widely used in Ohio). The V1 and CB do not exempt me from a dillgent watch. (yes, it is a sport, not getting caught I need more toys to avoid capture). The beauty of Laser is they need a sraight line of sight which means they are close to the painted white line on the side of the road and easy to see.

I've actually wondered how much they like being so close to traffic. Seems to me they spend enopugh time there when they stop someone. I had a friend when I was a part time medic. He saw the mini van coming, with mom turned around yelling at the kids, he tried to get out of the patrol car, he was in the doorway when she impacted the Cruiser. I was unfortunately dipatched to the accident. He was badly hurt, but did survive on disability till he died of cancer a year later. This still bugs me.

Maybe this helps me get just a lecture sometime, but my last stop a couple years ago was in PA on I80. I knew he was coming and considered stopping. But my memories make me concerned for both of us. I eased up, waved to him, pointed ahead to try to indicate around the bend, saw the exit 1.5 miles and pointed to that, pulled into the dirt off the paved shoulder of the exit ramp, well away from traffic. We had a nice long talk about bikes, nice guy.

[Ghostryder]

Im sorry I was not trying to tell anyone to ride in clumps of trafic. I personally like to ride in between the clumps. I was just trying to offer up a suggestion or two for those of you who like to particapate in the sport or speed detection, or evasion which ever side you happen to be on. I like to look at it as a sport myself. Just something that is kind of fun to do on those days when I get bored. Like a big video game. Well that is just the way I look at it.
As far s sitting so close to traffic....not me I never do it. I will usually sit around a curve, or at the bottom of a hill, somewhere I can get a view of about 5-600 feet or so. This way I can sit off to the right of the road and get a good "shot" while I am safe, and away from the flow of traffic. I have seen, and been caught by the troopers here in Ga that sit on the left side shoulder, just past he crest of a hill, or around a bend and I think that they are nuts. That is way too close to traffic for me.....for what? A speeding ticket? Nope not worth it.
To me the important thing is to just keep an eye on your surroundings, and drive in a defensive mode. Always ride safe. :bliss :bliss

[BouncinBob]

My tongue was firmly planted in my cheek for much of that post. Ohio troopers on the turnpike use barrier cut throughs that protect most of the car from both directions. Troopers elsewhere are different.

In Columbus you see them out with the "students". I've seen this on the left berm on the outside of a curve standing between the car and the cement barrier, doesn't look safe to me. Around my home Progressive Ins. donated a bunch to local departments. Some of these officers are nutz!!!!! I came around a bend in express lanes to find one on the left berm. He could barely get the door to the car open enough to stand there with his laser gun and only inches between his car and the lane of traffic. To make it worse (good for surprise) is the barrier was high enough he was concealed until you were on top of him. I was startled when he came into view. Ohio law says you must slow down or change lanes for law enforcement on the shoulder. This guy was going to get killed or kill someone who too rapidly changed lanes into another vehicle or braked suddenly in heavy traffic. This was rush hour on a heavily traveled road. You had to be lucky to be between packs and able to speed, but he was going to get that sucker come hell or high water.

[FN in MT]

MT Troopers may be a lot more laid back so take this with a grain of salt. THE big thing out here with the majority of us is not so much the NUMBER on the radar unit but the SITUATION.
+15 over or even more on a wide open stretch of Interstate 15 or I-80 is one thing. But 55 mph on a small Town street with kids,dogs,etc is another thing. Or 100+ through heavy traffic, bad passes, high speeds on a road with deer,elk,cattle.

I have always looked at the totality of the situation; the weather,road conditions, VEHICLE, DRIVERs ability,etc. Plus I have to say the Drivers ATTITUDE has a lot to do with it. It's tougher to write one out to a friendly and HONEST violator who admits to the speed, than a wisee ass with a confrontational attitude.

Honesty is a big one, as we tend to deal with so many irresponsible people. That dishonesty and lack of responsibility tends to wear on us after a few years.

And you have to remember too. We are the ones who have to clean up the mess when YOU wreck. Even after many.many years on the job injury accidents are upsetting and fatal accidents even more so. You don't know what its like to call or worse yet stop in person to give a death notice to a Family.

FN in MT MHP#237

[wgraybuckley]

Car, daylight, Interstate, downhill. No other vehicles. Paid $90 for 84 in a 75. WHP said he gave us a $10 break since we were wearing seatbelts. Local rider said to stay out of court in WY. The court would just add costs to the fine.