ChuckDaMaxRider

Maybe a tad O/T but this is important so I figured I'd post this somewhere that has lots of readers...

I was just driving home from the Nissan Dealer yesterday morning and all of a sudden a cop steps out in the middle of the road and stops me for speeding. He says I was going 69 (didn't get me on radar/laser/pacing- he simply mentally estimated it) and I got a ticket for $290! (FYI I'm in MA so go figure haha.) It was a 40 zone...I'll definitely fight the ticket in court. The kinda area I was driving in would usually have a speed limit of 50-55. Any legal advice DEEPLY appreciated. I'm hoping that if the cop (a sergeant) doesn't show up to the hearing this may be dismissed. Any other ways around this? A few people have recommended I get a lawyer but I'd imagine that would cost around $1K which I don't feel like paying. It's not like they have me on radar, his accuracy is definitely questionable. Funny thing is he noticed my radar detector haha.

Also, let's say I fight this and lose..how long does it usually take for the increased insurance premium to kick in?

urmab

iTrader: (7)

well if the cop dont show up he have 3 times to miss the appoitment and after that the case would be desmissed. If he have no evidence that u was speedint the case will be automaticaly dismissed. Well here in NY the offer a deduction another words the lower the points and put you for not speeding but for like tail gating which dont effect the insurance, I dont know if they offer thsi in MA but good luck

deezo

iTrader: (3)

You're in MA, just fight the ticket. If the magistrate or judge is in a good mood then you'll get a break. I've beaten a few speeding tickets in MA.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

3 times to show up? Damn, here if he misses it once the case is dismissed.

Mr. Peabody

I would think that your best bet is to hope that he doesn't show. If he does your going to have to insist that you were not going any more than 10 miles over the limit.

Generally any insurance priem increase will start with your next billing cycle.

Mr. P who unfortunately has had a few tickets in his day as well ....... though not as many as I used to get on the motorcycle. Hey did I ever tell ya about the time I outran the cop who was driving an unmarked Trans am ...................

ChuckDaMaxRider

Sorry but I find this absolutely sick!

As it is MA already has some of the highest insurance/tax rates in the country. I mean is $2250 yearly enough for a step 14 driver? Then my X-sized (sp?) $100 for this 4th generation Maxima! Now after over a year of clean driving I get this $290 ticket cuz the officer f#cking estimated how fast I was going? I'm so outraged that I am definitely taking this to court and if I lose I am appealing again to a judge, don't you find it sad how an 18-year old who hasn't missed a day of school since his freshman year now has to miss a day to go to court over something as ridiculous as this? How sad...

Mr. Peabody

Well hold on for a moment take a deep breath and tell us ....... were you speeding?

ChuckDaMaxRider

Let's just say I wish driving at a speed that was reasonable and improper. And it was not 69 MPH. It's not uncommon to see that kinda road around here with a speed limit of 55, it was a 40 zone with 2-lane traffic (how pathetic.)

deezo

iTrader: (3)

In MA it doesn't matter if the cop doesn't show, they send a rep for the officer which could be a lieutenant or someone who has a desk job at the precinct. You can't get away in MA.

ChuckDaMaxRider

Well that's MA for you. How pathetic. And how can this "rep" accurately represent this cop if he wasn't the one who saw me speeding? ("Oh yeah I know you were going 69 even though I wasn't there and we have no radar/laser record on file. The proof is in the pudding son.") Maybe if I was on radar he could represent the cop but c'mon this is just senseless...

SE01

How do you know he wasn't radaring/lasering? Was he outside of his car? What do you mean he "stepped out into the road."?

98SterlingMax

Huh?.........

ChuckDaMaxRider

On the ticket he checked off this box that says "estimate." Also, my radar/laser detector didn't sound. He stepped in the middle of the road, put his hand out and directed me to pull over. It was kinda freaky cuz at first I was like "how come a pedestrian is just standing there?," then I notice it's a cop... Oh **** I'm gonna have nightmares if I think anymore about this

Kolyan

lucky me, i got 2 tickets this month in MA. one on route 9 in natick for going 65 in 50...i had a rental Murano and was just checking how it pulls up the hill and cause of the dimming mirror i didn't even see the cop in the back. got court hearing for October. and just few days ago got ticket for "driving too fast in crouded area" and "seat belt", i guess this one can be taken care of easy since the cop didn't even know how fast i was driving (which really was like 35 MPH) and he pulled me over on my parking space near my house, i was ready to get out from the car and there i see the lights.......so this should take care of "seat belt" since i don't wear belt when the car is parked and engine is off.

ChuckDaMaxRider

Wow your court date is October? That's very soon, friends I've talked to around here are saying 4-6 months for me, even if I lose that I'm hoping to gain another 4-6 months for another appeal on it- that way my premium increase wouldn't take effect til April 2006 when I'll be in college not driving too often..Natick is pretty close to Boston; do they tend to have more court houses in that area- which is why you have such a soon hearing?

DaKeG

In my younger days I have a 92 si hatch and was pulled over. He wasn't able to get a reading on the radar cause I had my second set of temp. tags. I was doing well over 100++ he estamated me doing 90 so I got lucky hopefully you get some luck too.

Nismotic

iTrader: (25)

In Pa they have two ways to measure speeding: radar (highway only) and a system where they calculate your speed fromt point A to point B. I forget what its called, but thats what the local cops use.


go to court and fight it. here in PA if you go to court and lose, they usually give you a plea bargain of reducing your license points but have you pay your/stiffer fine, but not sure how it is up there.


i believe your insurance will take the hit at the end of your policy...at your renewal. Correct me if im wrong, PA guys.

Mr. Peabody

Nismotic They actually do that from an airplane. There are marks on the roadway & PA tpkw and they "spot you" and radio it in to a patrol car.

I had it done to me on my bike back in 1982.

Mr. P

NYPD-Arnold

iTrader: (8)

I've seen jets above when going to VA and Kentucky.