Fighting reckless driving...

[Timmah!]

Alright, not going to quote, but to answer a few questions that were thrown out there...

No, I was not shown the radar gun that said I was doing 60mph. In addition, he did not tell me that he clocked me doing 60mph, he just told me that's how fast I was going.

I did go back through today when it was not dark out, and I did catch a sign that I didn't see before that did say 25mph when flashing (which it was not obviously late at night). I believe there is a school down the road from one of the intersections that I passed, so that's why the sign is there. Again, it was 2am and the light was not flashing, so 35mph was still the speed limit.

I'm really hoping I can get it thrown out because of the false information on the ticket I was given. If not, I atleast want to get it down to 19mph over the limit in a 35mph so it's not reckless driving.

[petes05st]

I dont know how many ppl told you already... if u can prove there are mistakes on the ticket it should be thrown out...at least thats what happend in my past a few times.....

[ZX4STDoug]

Originally Posted by chiefhighliner

I respect your position, but I think the guy is just looking for more information and not legal advice, since he is still young and just learning. Don't reprimand him for reaching out.

I have three books about driving, I felt I had a right to at least offer some counsel. That's not out of line, is it?

I can see where my post may have come across as a bit rude, but that certainly wasn't my intention at all. I've been driving and riding for over 30 years myself and I've had my share of tickets - some were totally justified and some I felt I got screwed. Some I've fought, some I've sucked up because I knew they had me dead to rights.

I'm just saying none of us were there, laws vary from state to state and short of me throwing another "you've got a case" remark into the mix wasn't going to help his case. He states he has a friend who knows several attorneys...then that is probably the best thing he can do for himself, if indeed he feels the ticket was unjust.

To Timmah!, if I came across as rude or condescending, I'm truly sorry. That wasn't my intention at all.

[mjd4277]

Originally Posted by karguy427

Good advice from Big Red.
Sounds to me like something else was going on with the cop. Why was he out of breath? Could it be that his adrenaline level was elevated from a prior call? If so, that may have affected his attitude. Might be worth your while to check the police log calls for just prior to the time you were pulled over (usually posted in your local paper).

^^ Agreed. Especially on the photographs of the street/highway involved.

[chiefhighliner]

Originally Posted by mjd4277

^^ Agreed. Especially on the photographs of the street/highway involved.

Yeah, you got that right, and I have done research and found out that some states will jack up the charge so they can get more money to pay for the civil servants and salaries. So, if they can get you for a $1,500 fine for reckless driving they will take that over a $175 speeding ticket, so then they make you come into court and state your case, which then takes time out of your schedule just to defend what you thought was right or explain your actions to people who really don't care, they just want your money.

Case in point: a very wide (50 feet) arterial with two lanes in each direction and a shared center lane. The posted speed is 30 MPH (or maybe 35 MPH). Your reflexes tell you 40 or 45 MPH is just fine, and you have to ride the brakes to hold such a ridiculously slow speed in that area, like 30 MPH. The courts know it. The cops know it. So they set the speed limits intentionally low so they can write you a ticket and get your money.

The trick is, if you take the same way to and from work, look in driveways, behind bushes or other landscaping features where the cops hide and set up their speed traps. Then slow down through the traps or take a way that is not all trapped out. These guys sit there all day to get a $100 speeding ticket, so they have $50,000 worth of labor (2 patrols) to try to get $100 or $200 in revenue. How's that for government thinking? Contradiction in terms.

Does it really take half the police force and 15 patrol cars to jump on one guy after a police chase? $750,000 worth of labor and materiel to get guy with a $500 warrant? WTF is going on? Ah! They know the cameras are there, so they play it out. All hamming it for on the camera, because they don't want to look inept on TV.


Been driving since 1978. Drove first in 1970 when I was 8. Not much I haven't seen out there.