okay here is the setup.
it was 12:40am i was coming from portage drive-in. I didn't want to drive fast so i stayed on 53 instead of taking 219. anyways the speed limit was 45 MPH and then it dropped to 25 MPH and i started slowing down. but probably not even a 1/4 mile afterwards a cop was sitting and clocked me with a stop watch doing 45 in a 25. well i know for a fact i was not speeding that fast. i was going over 25 but i was still slowing because i'm not one to just slam the brakes after i see a sign.
well i am going to fight it because he was using a stop watch at 12:40am and there are no street lights to see by. i know he goofed up.
i don't want 4 points because i really can't afford higher insurance. and since it was over 1.5 times the posted speedlimit they can go after my liscense. i think this is BS because i was in the process of slowing and it was only like 1/4 after the posted limit.
so anyone care to offer any advice?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Monday, August 14, 2006 6:09 PM
http://www.helpelijah.com
i would say get a lawyer, they always get things reduced......but you cant afford the ticket so all i can say is, is to call around and just consult with a few lawyers about the situation, and act interested in using them for the case (they'll talk more freely about your options)
Call the DA's office before your court date. I had a friend get a 50 in a 30 reduced to disobeying a traffic control device just because of the city's enormous caseload.
Sorry to say, but you were still speeding after the lower posted speed limit sign... that's how they're probably going to look at it. Good luck either way
sometimes you can get a like 5-15 mph knocked off because of "human error" with the vascar. basically his reaction time or sight of the marks and him pressing the button could be off and goof your speed. if you go in there saying you honest to god know you were going say 30-35 they might cut you a break. try calling the officer before your courtdate as well...worth a try...good luck
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PA,MD,NJ,DE,NY and all states north caravan
Deffinently get a lawyer since your licence is on the line! And have him go after the human error/ almost 1am factor like a Pit Bull after a kitten with a steak tied round its neck.
Hows that for a visual!
Good luck man and let us know how it turned out.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
whatever people say, dont get a lawyer, your just gonna waste your money.
plead not guilty. when you get to court, you will more than likely talk to the cop or the judge before hand and they will normally ask you if you want to plead to a lesser charge. in pa you can have the points dropped from the ticket if thats what they wanna do.
I'm sorry if im wrong and its different in your state but up here no matter what when the speed limit is going to change there is a sign that says "reduced speed ahead" and it tells you the speed that it will change to..if thats the case then there's no reason you cant be doing even 30 when u hit that 25 MPH..slow down before it turns to 25 if ur like me and dont wanna slam on the brakes..jus my 2 cents
about figting it..baggedcav is right..jus plead not guilty
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RIP Saint...Semper Fi.
im pretty sure all states have to post that the speed limit is reduced ahead.
Depends on the drop. If its not a big difference the sign isnt required in all states
well 45 to a 25 would require a sign. i go through parts of de on the way to work and it goes from 50 to 30 and there is a sign
plead the fifth....i saw it in a movie once
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yes if the drop is more than 10 MPH then it has to be posted. I know i should have slowed down faster, i don't even really mind paying a fine. i am more worried about my liscense, points, and insurance costs. oh i am deffinately going after human error at almost 1am in the morning. i think i probably caught him off guard and he hit it too quick.
i was also told that there has to be 2 clearly marked signs before they can touch me.
i know that in a less than 55 zone they cannot touch you for doing under 10 over the speed limit.
and in a 55+ zone they can't touch you for doing under 6 over.
i've learned alot about signs and speeding and the such from all the info i looked up. like signs cannot be anymore than 1/2 mile apart and that they can't get you withing 500 feet of a lowered speed sign.
also there has to be a speed evalution study done at least once every 5 years for them to be able to ticket people. so i am going to see if i can pull that up.
http://www.helpelijah.com
Sean McAfee wrote:
i know that in a less than 55 zone they cannot touch you for doing under 10 over the speed limit.
and in a 55+ zone they can't touch you for doing under 6 over.
.
I do not believe this is correct, since I know people who have been ticketed under those circumstances. The speed limit is the speed limit, and if you exceed it you can be ticketed. Most cops won't pull you over if you are not going 5 over in a zone under 55, or if you are not going 10 over in a 55+ zone, but they can.
I know you are in PA, but here are the points you can recieve on your license for speeding in NY
MPH over speed limit Points
MPH over speed limit not indicated 3
1 - 10 mph 3
11 - 20 mph 4
21 - 30 mph 6
31 - 40 mph 8
More than 40 mph 11
Also, I do not suggest trying to pull up speed evaluations studys or anything, as from my experience you will probably miss something and have less of a chance of getting a reduction. Simply plead not guilty, go to court and see if you can get a reduction.
Edit: You can also get a speeding ticket when you are not going over thr posted speed limit. If weather/traffic conditions make it unsafe to drive the speed limit, you can get a ticket for that.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Tuesday, August 15, 2006 4:36 PM
Wide Body Progress
oh i know that is correct i pulled it directly from PA state laws. it's in writing. i was surprised when i saw it. well with the speed evalutation study i was just hoping it was done longer than 5 years ago. but that will probably just not be the case. anyways i am deffinately pleading not guilty. gonna persue the 1am/human error with a stop watch.
http://www.helpelijah.com
Sean McAfee wrote:yes if the drop is more than 10 MPH then it has to be posted. I know i should have slowed down faster, i don't even really mind paying a fine. i am more worried about my liscense, points, and insurance costs. oh i am deffinately going after human error at almost 1am in the morning. i think i probably caught him off guard and he hit it too quick.
i was also told that there has to be 2 clearly marked signs before they can touch me.
i know that in a less than 55 zone they cannot touch you for doing under 10 over the speed limit.
and in a 55+ zone they can't touch you for doing under 6 over.
i've learned alot about signs and speeding and the such from all the info i looked up. like signs cannot be anymore than 1/2 mile apart and that they can't get you withing 500 feet of a lowered speed sign.
also there has to be a speed evalution study done at least once every 5 years for them to be able to ticket people. so i am going to see if i can pull that up.
Listen, pretty much everything you said sounds like its out of lala land. Like the people who think if the cop doesnt spell his name right or the brand of car then the ticket gets thrown out. But just so i didnt look like a complete ass, i looked it up, and from what i can tell, there isnt one reputable site, that explains the laws that way. On top of that if you look up the PA laws on the actual website it clearly states, that 0-5mph is the normal fine, anything over 5 is 2 bucks per MPH up to 15 blah blah...
A common misconception is that cops cant give you a ticket for traveling 5mph over the limit. But what it really is, that most wont bother, because 1. They need to make up for the fact that not every speedo is 110% accurate and neither are there guns. 2. Its a waste of time for them.
However there are towns, and there is one in PA, where cops will pull you over doing 36 in a 35
Is it bad when a cop comes beside you and revs his engine? And then peels out?
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If it's just a regular traffic ticket DO NOT get a lawyer. It's a waste of money. I paid a lawyer once for a 4 point ticket. He got just 1 point off the ticket. I've got 8 points taken off of tickets myself.
more power to ya do it on your own. definatly plea not guilty i was gonna plea not guilty for a muffler violation (fart cannon) but since i can't take the day off i need for the court date. Im just paying the fine but yeah , talk to them tell them it was 1am n u were just trying to get home explain yourself be open n honest with them, if the judge is nice enuff to understand where you are coming from he will more than likely let you off with just a fine which really shouldn't be that much. also for a fact if u were indeed doing 45 n it dropped to 25 and you let off the gas @ the sign you were more than likely doing around 30 mph just laws of physics. it's almost impossible for a car to coast a 1/4 mile after letting off the gas n still be doing 45 * unless you were going downhill
so ok... sickfire95:.... you got a ticket for having a modified exhaust, and you do infact have a big azz muffler on ur car and u contested it? ok... you broke the law, its obvious just by LOOKING at ur car... what the hell are u contesting??
and for the OP of this thread... i say contest it normaly, go in, plea not guilty, dont worry about a lawyer... and as for some of ur claims... if ur going 26 in a 25.. you're speeding... i dunno wtf ur smoking thinking that if the limit is 55 u can go 65 and they cant do crap, and if the speed limit is 60 u can go 65 and they cant do crap.... that makes NO sense.. if its a speed LIMIT, that is the LEGAL LIMIT period... no ifs, ands, or buts about it. contest it... i personaly have never heard of cops using a stopwatch myself... was he aldo driving a 1974 ford torino? seriously... radar and laser have been out long enough for EVERY police station to use it... maybe im lost on this....
On the other hand....you have other fingers.
I just bought a 20 inch widescreen ultrasharp flat pannel..I'm going to have to subscribe to the high quality porn places now......damn
in my area only state police can use radar and lasers. so the officer that pulled me over can't use it and have to use a timer/ glorified stopwatch or speedometer.
as for 55+ zones the pa state code says they have to give you 5 over read through those links i posted. it accounts for the fact that you are only human and no one can stay at 55 exactly.
i mean it's not something i would test or anything but according to PA state code it's what it says.
http://www.helpelijah.com
Sean McAfee wrote:in my area only state police can use radar and lasers. so the officer that pulled me over can't use it and have to use a timer/ glorified stopwatch or speedometer.
as for 55+ zones the pa state code says they have to give you 5 over read through those links i posted. it accounts for the fact that you are only human and no one can stay at 55 exactly.
i mean it's not something i would test or anything but according to PA state code it's what it says.
The "timer/glorified stop watch" is called Vascar. I did my police ride along for work and got to see how they're calibrated... it's pretty spiffy.
And, state code does not have to give you 5mph over the speed limit... there's just no points listed for 0-5mph over the posted limit. They can still pull you over.
Honestly, if you go trying to dig up every possible thing to try to get the ticket thrown out (ie looking up your "speed studies" etc)... that's going to come off as you knew you did something wrong and are trying to weasel your way out of it... it's not going to help your situation at all or make them sympathize with you at all.
Honestly, your best bet is to just plead not guilty, and go in there for a hearing and tell them that you know the speed limit dropped and that you were going over the posted limit, and explain why. Explain to them it was late and that you're sorry you didn't slow down fast enough and you'll be sure to be more careful in the future. If you don't have a long history of speeding tickets or whatever on your driving record, unless you get a real prick of a judge odds are the police officer will compromise with a lesser charge and MAYBE drop the ticket (the latter is more likely if you have a clean driving record)
Basically, if you go in there and be honest and respectful to them... they're going to be more willing to work with you and not against you. If you're going to go out of your way by digging up things you think might get you off, you're going to lose respect points and lessen your chances of getting a lesser charge or getting out of it. I haven't gotten any tickets in 5 years *knock on wood*, but when I was younger I got tons.. here's an example of how respect will help you out when fighting a ticket:
Case#1. I was comming home from New York and had only been in PA for about a half hour. There was me and a tractor trailer on the highway, that's it. There was a wind storm, with wind gusts up to 70ish mph. The trailer was tipping up a bit, an I didn't feel safe. I went up to about 75 in a 65 trying to get out of the trailer's way... and got pulled over. I got a tickeet for 85 in a 65. Fought it,drove 3 1/2 hours from my house for the hearing, not getting any sleep because I was on 3rd shift at the time. I got lost 3 times on the way up there, and was sick... the police officer had already been there and left. When I got there (the judge reminded me of Judge Judy), I had explained to her my situation. "Your Honor, I was speeding, but I wasn't doing 85, I was doing 75." and explained what was going on. She asked me why my eyes were all puffy and red, I explained to her I was sick, and I worked third shift and left to come up right afterr I got off of work. She looked at my ticket and asked where Glen Rock was. I explained to her it was in York County PA, 8 miles from the MD line.
I was respectful to her and honest with her... and she told me "I was going to just leave your ticket at 85 since you were late. But I appreciate your honesty, and I don't personally believe you would drive 3 1/2 hours with no sleep and sick if you didn't have something honest to tell me. How about I drop it to 75?" (that wasn't verbatim, but it was something like that... this was 7 years ago) Granted, I had to pay more money for the court costs, but the points were less.
Bottom line, granted,... there are some pricks and crooked cops out there,... but most of the time they're just doing their job. They don't make the laws, they just uphold them. If you show them respect and don't try to pull things out of your arse to weasel your way out of something when you know you messed up... they're going to respect you more and be more sympathetic towards your case.
Uh... surprised noone from NY or CT asked this question yet. I'm from New York and now live in CT. Not sure how things work in PA but.. Have you ever been pulled over for speeding or wreckless driving before? If you have, you may have used it already. If not, apply for AR. Basicaly no points on your record,pay a small fine [prob $50] BUT..you will be put on probation for 1 year. not bad realy. You have no PO to report to and the terms of your probation are simple. DON'T SPEED FOR 1YEAR. or more simple. Don't get caught sppeeding for one year. lol AR=Get out of jail free card. It can be used once and ONLY once. Hope youve never used it before. =] Like i said tho. NY and CT have AR, but not sure about PA. It's worth the look into.
Good Luck to you.
Don't judge a book by its cover. Atleast wait till the last page.You may be surprised by the end results.
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oh and also =P sorry forgot to mention. if you apply for AR, depending on the judge, you may have to take some sort of Drivers Traing course. Basicaly you lose a free saturday. =) figured id shouldn't forget that part hehe
Don't judge a book by its cover. Atleast wait till the last page.You may be surprised by the end results.
Hollow Ground Entertainment Presents:
Project Sunfire
[under heavy contruction]
