Cop gave me a ticket for speeding. NOT POSSIBLE.

ReWriten below.

maybe you should clear up this text a bit ... im having a hard time following the story and information

or maybe its just me

I wrote this when I was a little pissed. I'll rewrite it.

Today was very raining. I have el chepo moto master 4 season tires which do not grip very well in rain and its a manual car. (99 Civic Si)

I was on sources where the ultramar is. I stopped at the red light on the left lane. Middle lane was occupied by someone else and left lane had orange pylons (construction of some pot hole)

I asked the person on my right if I can go infront of her because I should be on the right lane to take a right (I was a little lost). She agreed and waved. Light went green I accelerated. Looked right and my passenger side mirror to insure she is behind me. Gave a signal and switched to 2nd gear around 20km/h and switched lanes. Looked again to my blind spot and switched lanes again. I then saw a cop in front of me waving. I slowed down thinking something is wrong with my car (I was just at the mechanic my transmission is having issues grinding on 2nd and 3rd gear.) I opened the window and he told me get on the side he wants to talk to me. I went on the side a few minutes later he asked for my registration and license. I asked what I did wrong he took them from me and walked away. Came back and said I was going 72km/h and he caught me with a laser I told him that’s not possible I was switching 3 lanes. And its raining harshly I would of slipped and lost control. I asked for the laser reading and he just turned around and walked away.

They were hiding at the stm bus stop infront of the VW dealership. What can I do?

I would not haven driven that fast either I could not see well I told my mom to get me new wipers ( the receipt was paid a few minutes before I got the ticket) There is another reason I did not speed. Plus I drive a manual car for me to have gone to 72km/h on 2nd gear I would of heard the engine noise and I’d have to be in 5-6000 rpm range. I would of noticed plus why would I peal off? Its TRAFFIC time.

How much are court fees if i contest and lose?
Should I write all this in my ticket and mail it to contest maybe when the cop reads it he will know he can't win and drop or will he use that to build a case against me.

Laser/radar have HUGE margins of error in the rain. The water defracts the beams and they will never get an accurate reading. Thats why you usually never see a speed trap when its wet out.

Tell your story, add this to it, and you should be able to walk away.

One thing, I know the area very well, and its VERY possible that you were going that fast. The distance from the light you are talking about to the VW dealership is quite a long way.

Contest it

S-spec > Your right I didn't think about the water deflecting the laser beam and it was raining pretty hard.
I know I asked my mom to buy me wipers from Club price(12.50$ for Michelin Radius with 2.50$ off) So I would not have risked not being able to see and drive fast.

I went back and I noticed I could possible go that fast but do that on 2nd, with rain and switch 3 lanes. I wasn’t racing anyone.. Plus i have cheap moto master 4 season tires would of made me lose control and kill myself.

How much are court fees if i contest and lose?
Should I write all this in my ticket and mail it to contest maybe when the cop reads it he will know he can't win and drop or will he use that to build a case against me. ?

When I contest a ticket I usually write nothing on the ticket itself. I just mark not guilty, and mail it in.

As for the court fees, I am not sure. Somebody else on the board surely knows though. You have time! You can still pay the ticket up to 2 days before the court date and plead guilty for a slight extra fee, so if you see no progress in your case, and you KNOW you will lose, that is also an option. But they will give you a court date for about 1 year from now, give or take a few months.

S-spec said:

Laser/radar have HUGE margins of error in the rain. The water defracts the beams and they will never get an accurate reading. Thats why you usually never see a speed trap when its wet out.

Tell your story, add this to it, and you should be able to walk away.

One thing, I know the area very well, and its VERY possible that you were going that fast. The distance from the light you are talking about to the VW dealership is quite a long way.

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Oh man if you say in court you better back it up with facts.. because you will be asked to provide info. The judge will say prove it now or come back at a later date and prove it. Chances are he will put you on the spot, then you will look like an ass trying to explain it.

Personally I would just pay the damn ticket

If I was speeding I would shut up and pay the ticket. Other thing is. I was at a red light and the next light was red. WHY WOULD I BOLT? to stop at the next light. Tell that to the judge is enough.
Proff it was red was the cop walked towards my car and told me take a right and it was green a few seconds later.

I'd tell the Judge
A) Why would I speed towards a Red light
B) I switched 3 lanes, you can't speed up that fast while switching 3 lanes
C) I have a Civic not an M3 so pulling that speed from Stop to go I must of pushed it really hard (towards a red light)
D) I have a manual and I specifically remember being on 2nd. thats the good part about manual if i was going 72 on 2nd i'd be 5,6000rpm and I'd KNOW. So judge i didn't not know the speed I was going
E) It was raining pretty harshly, I have cheap Moto Master 185 Tires, So accelerating and switching lanes at that speed might of sliped my car out of control
F) Laser has an error margin when its raining
G) I was driving towards the laser (crossing 3 lanes) also another error margin

Do i need more proff? or the judges here are that bios.

If i write this on the ticket, does someone read it and say ohh ehhh lets drop the case. or am i giving information to the cop to prepare?

TilhasBB said:

If I was speeding I would shut up and pay the ticket. Other thing is. I was at a red light and the next light was red. WHY WOULD I BOLT? to stop at the next light. Tell that to the judge is enough.
Proff it was red was the cop walked towards my car and told me take a right and it was green a few seconds later.

I'd tell the Judge
A) Why would I speed towards a Red light
B) I switched 3 lanes, you can't speed up that fast while switching 3 lanes
C) I have a Civic not an M3 so pulling that speed from Stop to go I must of pushed it really hard (towards a red light)
D) I have a manual and I specifically remember being on 2nd. thats the good part about manual if i was going 72 on 2nd i'd be 5,6000rpm and I'd KNOW. So judge i didn't not know the speed I was going
E) It was raining pretty harshly, I have cheap Moto Master 185 Tires, So accelerating and switching lanes at that speed might of sliped my car out of control
F) Laser has an error margin when its raining
G) I was driving towards the laser (crossing 3 lanes) also another error margin

Do i need more proff? or the judges here are that bios.

If i write this on the ticket, does someone read it and say ohh ehhh lets drop the case. or am i giving information to the cop to prepare?

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dont write anything on the ticket... write all of that down on a piece of paper and bring it with you when you go to court. if the judge is not an asshole he'll let you go...

How far apart are the lights? If they're not THAT far apart, take a pic of the light you were stopped at, and to where the 2nd set of red lights were, and where the cop gunned you. It takes a little while in a civic to go from 0-7x kmhs, ESPECIALLY in rain. And to top that off, why would you be so foolish to not only very gradually spin your way up to 7x kmhs in the rain, but then to risk sliding through the next red light trying to stop. I would try and explain all that to a judge

Its quite a distance more than enough to hit 0-120 with pedal to the metal but according to SKY on another thread he said they were lazering at the Subaru dealership. I am going to take a ride their this week and measure the exact distance and get some pictures.

Does anyone know the model and make of the lidars that the cops use here? and if its possible to get the manual. Its P900 something.

TilhasBB said:

If i write this on the ticket, does someone read it and say ohh ehhh lets drop the case. or am i giving information to the cop to prepare?

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When you play poker how do you hold your cards?

Nice story dude, I've been caught speeding too like 4 hours ago. I was 80 in a 50 km/h long route near the exit 640 on the 19. A nice 156$ ticket with 2 points, what's your's ?

Dude personally I think you have no case. Payup and go home. All that stuff about being in second and having cheap tires and no wipers etc. etc. is all heresay. (That is not evidence) the judge is going to ask you if your in any position to judge the safety of your tires or your wipers, are you the manufacturer of the tires or the wipers? Are you a mechanic? No your not. So you may as well throw that out, it makes you less credible everytime the judge shoots your defense down. If you insist on fighting it I suggest you find out what that margin of error is regarding the laser in the rain. Also, ask when the last time it was calibrated. Oh yeah, police don't have to show you the laser or radar gun, it's at there discretion the same way they can decide to give you a 48hour notice or a ticket.

And lastly, I have fought a ton of tickets most of which I have won. My word of advice, don't call them "cops" ever... they are officers. A "cop" is a semi derogatory term to which they can take offense. Plus every other person I've watched in court that has referred to the officer as a "cop" has lost. Come in prepared with your story well rehearsed, dress nicely, shirt with tie, black pants and no running shoes, and shave. (It shows you are serious enough about winning) If you have a girlfriend, bring her in (It shows you are mature) Make sure she's not dressed as hooker though...lol. Good luck bro!

mastertee31> Thanks for the tips.
I fully understand those are weak points but my strong points are.
A) I was fully stopped at a red light and the next light was red, why would i accelerate to such a speed? (on such wet conditions my car would not have been able to stop at the red light)
B) I was switching 3 lanes, accelerating and switching lanes (also having to do it slow by checking blind spot and mirrors) would have a huge chance of having the car spin out of control. This is from a point of view of someone who's been driving the car for almost a year.
C) The laser has an error margin in the rain.
D) The police officer might have pointed the laser at a car on the oposite side because I was switching lanes not going straight.
E) From full stop to 72km/h in such a short distance I'd have to be pushing the pedal to the metal. This is a little civic. I Don't recall doing that plus i was on second so I know the speed I was going, not like an automatic where I might be going the speed of traffic and not notice i am going above the speed limit.

Where can I get info on the lasers error margin?
Does anyone know the make of the laser? I know its P900 the model but thats it.

I think i'm gonna start driving around with a 2 hour revolving camera for proof.

cops are just way to off the mark with their radars/lasers. i was hit at 115km/h on a service road when I was only at the top of second gear (~85km/h) and let off after I saw him.. ;0

never write ur reasons when u contest... keep em for the court. good luck.
CONTEST ! more we contest, less tickets they give... believe me they dont want to be stuck with millions of cases of that kind... or tinted windows, or speeding 55km in 50 zone etc... so more we contest, more tolerent thepolice will have to be.