Got a speeding ticket, dammit.....

[Rich Z]

Damn it all to hell.

Connie and I drove down to Zephyrhills on Thursday (Christmas) to visit with her sister. Then on Friday we drove up to Eustis, then over to Crystal River, and then back on home here in Crawfordville. Put close to 600 miles on the C5Z without an incident until we were about 15 miles from home on route 267 coming out of Newport. I had the radar detector on, but had lowered the volume through Perry because all the shops there along the road drive the detector crazy. Connie had popped in a CD somewhere along route 98 so the barely audible volume of the detector was no longer audible. As usual I crawled through Newport at a snail's pace since the speed trap there is 35 mph. Turning onto route 267, I figured the speed limit was 55, so that's about what I was driving at. We passed a couple of state troopers on the right hand side of the road just past the intersection of route 61, and I noticed one flip his headlights on, but wasn't too concerned, as I didn't think I was speeding. Well pretty shortly he is right behind me, blinding the hell out of me with his high beams on. He turns on the christmas lights, so I pull over. Connie, is saying "what the heck does he want? You weren't speeding." I really thought he was someone on this forum just jerking around with me.

He comes around to the passenger side and knocks on the window. He says "Hello, Mr. Richard (guess he couldn't pronounce my last name), I'm Trooper Rabun (M.K. Rabun badge #2760). Do you realize you were driving 58 in a 45 mph zone?" Well, I'm shocked, and told him "No, I thought this was a 55 mph zone through here." Long story short, he gives me a citation for doing 54 in a 45. Sonofabitch..... I haven't had a speeding ticket in about 30 years. And here I get nabbed by one of those damned speed traps where the speed just drops 10 mph at the flash of a sign for about a hundred yards and they set up radar to catch the unwary. Yeah, I was going over the limit, and yeah I was tired from driving all damned day so I guess I missed a sign that announced the speed reduction. But Jesus H. Christ! It's the frickin day after Christmas and I obviously was not hotdogging it or flaunting the law. Traffic was pretty much nonexistent so I didn't have any other vehicle to even pace with. I'm sure he had to see my driving record and note that I didn't have ANY history of violations. Hell, there isn't even a WARNING on that record.....

Believe me I was biting my tongue the entire time once the guy handed me the citation. The guy looked about 15 years old and I ALMOST asked him if his dad knew he had taken the cruiser out tonight. He most certainly attained speeds much higher than mine just to catch up with me, so any "danger" from excessive speed applied more to him then it certainly did to me. Plus blinding me with his frickin' lights nearly had me running off the road because I was partially blinded by the damned bright light. Not to mention he was leaning on my passenger side mirror, and had he snapped that sucker off, I would probably be in jail right now.

Oh yeah, he also marked the citation with a notation "STALKER DUAL #046707". Whatever the hell THAT means. Notes a violation of statute 316.183.2. This was put in the "other violations or comments pertaining to offence". I think the guy was just being a real prick.

Anyway, damn this pisses me off. Pretty much ruined the holiday for me, and Connie is pretty damned pissed off as well. Just what we needed was yet another thing to pluck at our nerves. Yeah, the cops are doing a real good PR thing out there pulling people over during the holidays to piss people off and ruin the holiday for them. Hope the revenue they are generating makes the bad will well worth it to them.

[Shadow]

That sucks Rich

Today, they can rant and rave all they want about saving lives and traffic safety, but it's really all about the $$$$.

I can recall the day (not that long ago) that unless you were doing something else that got our attention or we needed a reason to stop you for "other purposes", 13 over on a main road, wouldn't have even gotten our attention

I'm so fed up with our state pissing and whining about "lost revenues" from the tax roll back I could puke. Especially when traffic fines and the lot are so rediculously high!

If you go to court, based upon your records (as stated to us), the hearing officer may give you an withold and -0- points, and reduce the fine to court cost.

Then again...they may not?

Might be simpler (and safer nowdays) to do the on line driving school thing, and be done with it.

Sorry brother.

[85vette]

Sorry to hear about the citation Rich. I wouldn't have written you for 13 over and I doubt many of my associates would. It would probably get you stopped for a look-see, but my guys in green would most likely just give you a warning. Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers in the tan uniform with the orange on the sleeve, but many of them (especially the new guys) are unmerciful with the citation book. I know they're just doing their job and really that IS their job, so I don't knock on em too hard. Several of them are good friends of mine but I don't know the one who wrote you. I haven't written a speeding citation in so long I don't even know how much nine over is anymore. It used to be $118.50 but that's been a while back. You can request a hearing. It will be with Judge Walker. I would just plead ignorance as to your not being aware what speed zone you were in, and let her know of your past record. Get a lifetime copy of your driving record from DMV before you go. Let it be known however, she will ask the officer what his recommendation is....I have seen her withold points and the fine, provided traffic school was completed within so many days, but that was with the officer going along with it. I would just throw myself at the mercy of the court, explain the hardship of your insurance going up, etc....or get a lawyer. That should keep the points off, especially given your driving record. In any event, you have 30 days to think about it. Keep me posted.

[THOR]

Ouch Ouch Ouch. Sorry to read about your woes. I liked what 85Vette said and hopefully his suggestions will help.

[Ms. AntiVenom]

Im sorry that Im laughing at the thought of you asking him if his daddy knew he had the cruiser.

I hope you ease out of it, you dont deserve it!

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by 85vette

Sorry to hear about the citation Rich. I wouldn't have written you for 13 over and I doubt many of my associates would. It would probably get you stopped for a look-see, but my guys in green would most likely just give you a warning. Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers in the tan uniform with the orange on the sleeve, but many of them (especially the new guys) are unmerciful with the citation book. I know they're just doing their job and really that IS their job, so I don't knock on em too hard. Several of them are good friends of mine but I don't know the one who wrote you. I haven't written a speeding citation in so long I don't even know how much nine over is anymore. It used to be $118.50 but that's been a while back. You can request a hearing. It will be with Judge Walker. I would just plead ignorance as to your not being aware what speed zone you were in, and let her know of your past record. Get a lifetime copy of your driving record from DMV before you go. Let it be known however, she will ask the officer what his recommendation is....I have seen her withold points and the fine, provided traffic school was completed within so many days, but that was with the officer going along with it. I would just throw myself at the mercy of the court, explain the hardship of your insurance going up, etc....or get a lawyer. That should keep the points off, especially given your driving record. In any event, you have 30 days to think about it. Keep me posted.

Yeah... I think the best route will be to just pay the fine ($101) and do the online traffic school thing. I really don't want to chance the judge asking about the muffler thing and making an issue of it. Not sure what sort of pandora's box that could open up on me. The trooper did sort of threaten me that if I DID take it to court, he would press for the 58 in 45, so I got the impression he wasn't real keen about going to court. I believe the muffler thing was also added incentive that I wouldn't press it.

I really wasn't rude to the trooper, but I did not hide the fact that I was pretty pissed about it. Like I said, I really was biting my tongue the entire time.

It's not the money, of course, just the whole petty way this sort of thing is being done. It just seems so damned mercenary and predatory, and lowers the inherent respectability that we wish for law enforcement agencies. Catching people exceeding the speed limit blatantly is one thing, but come on.... Sitting like vultures along the road hoping someone will miss the speed reduction signs on rural roadways just lowers them to being common highway robbers, in my opinion. Yeah, things are tough for the agencies right now with budget cuts, but things are tough for everyone. All something like this does is to add insult to injury. There are some people who will get caught up in crap like this where $100 bucks might make the difference between them being able to pay their electric bill or not that month. Of course, maybe if I hadn't been driving a Corvette, things might have gone differently.....

[floridaZ]

Sorry to hear about that man. They were going for your New Year's party money.

Originally Posted by Rich Z

Of course, maybe if I hadn't been driving a Corvette, things might have gone differently.....

I don't know about that... I've done a load of **** right in front of a cop (usually unknowingly) and they don't really seem to care. One time I was driving home with my friend in the Vette, and he'd never been in it with me giving it any real motivation, so I decided to show him. Leave half a tire at the stop sign, only to blast past an SUV to see a cop coming my way. So I dart back in my lane (a 2 lane road with double yellow lines) and get on the brakes, but if his radar gun was on he got me going at least 60 in a 40. All he does is shake his finger at me. I know a lot of cops are either Vette owners or Vette fans, so I figured that I only got away with it because it was a Vette.

And then, in my super flashy Z, with the wheels and big spoiler and pearl white paint, the worst I've had anyone do is turn on the disco lights for about half a second. Which is... uh, enough warning for me. But my friend has the same car; stock wheels, stock spoiler, black paint; and he got pulled the day before Christmas for going 90 in a 70 (wrote it up as 84 in a 70 though).

So it could just be luck of the draw. Or maybe he heard your exhaust note, smelled heavy modifications, and salivated at the thought of a speeding Vette full of potentially illegal modifications to be ticketed. Either way, it's wise to avoid areas heavy in Police, and to travel in packs.

[Shadow]

The entire experience sounds unfortunate. Like 85 said (and I'll add my $.02), none of us would have written at 13 over with the exception of a heavilly pedestrian area, a school zone or working construction area.

As well, it sounds like 85 is familiar with the judges modus operandi

If she's about asking the officer if it's freakin' ok with him if she uses some common sense then I wouldn't place my driving record in her hands either

And if the officer implied that he didn't want to go to court, I can almost assure you he won't agree to any reductions.

That said, he can't "push" for chit in court. It is what it is!

In all my career, I've never seen a judge or magistrate allow an officer to amend a citation upward on speed.

They've allowed us to amend statute numbers and other scribner errors, but once you designate the speed, it's there!

Guess I'm too old school, but I believe in doing the job the right way!
Either write it right, live with what you write, or don't write it at all!

If you did go and he tried, I think I'd use that as an opportunity to make him look like a fool (sorry).

Huum? Let's see now? You said you got me at "X" but you wrote it at "X" (which is still a violation BTW), so, which is it? And am I correct when I say that you mentioned to me, "if I go to court you'd do....?"
That should get the judge/magistrates attention that something "ain't right in Disney" or she's asleep at the helm!

Of course, if he doesn't proudce the required documentation in his initial presentation, you could start asking about that as well.
His radar log, etc, make sure he has all his "stuff" with him.
Most do but if he's sloppy enough to do this, he might be sloppy enough to think you won't know

I've NEVER reduced the stated speed on a traffic citation! It is what it is!

If I wasn't comfortable with a ticket I either didn't write it, or charged the offender with "Failure to obey a traffic control device" which carries a lower penalty and points (depending on the speed).

Or I just didn't write the citation...period! But I wouldn't lower it when done on radar or laser.

It's too sleazy for my taste. Looks and sounds too much like revenue generation.

His "threat" is hollow but there's more he can say that could effect the outcome of your case.

Sorry to be so hard on the brother, but the initial stop was BS, the attitude as you've expressed was BS and the implied threat was BS. Did I mention that it sounds like BS?

I believe in traffic enforcement and saving lives

I despised being used as a revenue collector!!!

[THOR]

Originally Posted by Shadow

Sorry to be so hard on the brother, but the initial stop was BS, the attitude as you've expressed was BS and the implied threat was BS. Did I mention that it sounds like BS?

I believe in traffic enforcement and saving lives

I despised being used as a revenue collector!!!

Gordon, nicely put.

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by Shadow

The entire experience sounds unfortunate. Like 85 said (and I'll add my $.02), none of us would have written at 13 over with the exception of a heavilly pedestrian area, a school zone or working construction area.

As well, it sounds like 85 is familiar with the judges modus operandi

If she's about asking the officer if it's freakin' ok with him if she uses some common sense then I wouldn't place my driving record in her hands either

And if the officer implied that he didn't want to go to court, I can almost assure you he won't agree to any reductions.

That said, he can't "push" for chit in court. It is what it is!

In all my career, I've never seen a judge or magistrate allow an officer to amend a citation upward on speed.

They've allowed us to amend statute numbers and other scribner errors, but once you designate the speed, it's there!

Guess I'm too old school, but I believe in doing the job the right way!
Either write it right, live with what you write, or don't write it at all!

If you did go and he tried, I think I'd use that as an opportunity to make him look like a fool (sorry).

Huum? Let's see now? You said you got me at "X" but you wrote it at "X" (which is still a violation BTW), so, which is it? And am I correct when I say that you mentioned to me, "if I go to court you'd do....?"
That should get the judge/magistrates attention that something "ain't right in Disney" or she's asleep at the helm!

Of course, if he doesn't proudce the required documentation in his initial presentation, you could start asking about that as well.
His radar log, etc, make sure he has all his "stuff" with him.
Most do but if he's sloppy enough to do this, he might be sloppy enough to think you won't know

I've NEVER reduced the stated speed on a traffic citation! It is what it is!

If I wasn't comfortable with a ticket I either didn't write it, or charged the offender with "Failure to obey a traffic control device" which carries a lower penalty and points (depending on the speed).

Or I just didn't write the citation...period! But I wouldn't lower it when done on radar or laser.

It's too sleazy for my taste. Looks and sounds too much like revenue generation.

His "threat" is hollow but there's more he can say that could effect the outcome of your case.

Sorry to be so hard on the brother, but the initial stop was BS, the attitude as you've expressed was BS and the implied threat was BS. Did I mention that it sounds like BS?

I believe in traffic enforcement and saving lives

I despised being used as a revenue collector!!!

Yeah, but if I were to succeed in making the trooper look like a fool in court, do you think that would be very wise of me in the long term? That's all I would need is to have some cop with an attitude out to get even with me for embarrassing him..... And you know that is exactly what would happen in such a case.