Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

[live1053rulz]

So tonight ended up sucking I guess. Went for a nice drive in the Ty over a nice mountain road called Highway 9 tonight. Was out handling, or maybe out driving a set up Prelude the whole way, some friends of some friends. He couldn't pull away from me at all, and I was pretty much puttin along. Went up and saw a really nice view of the valley from Skyline. On our way back down the guy was just puttin a bit too much for me, so I made a pass and hauled some ass for awhile. As we began to near the bottom of the road, there is a very steep, abrupt hill that you need to slow down a lot for so you don't get airborne, etc. Just after that hump, which I slowed down for, and over another smaller hump entering a tight corner, a cop was waiting in the dark (this was at 1:20 am). As soon as I saw him I slowed down even more, quite rapidly, and sure enough he pulled me over. He came up and told me he clocked me at 44 in a 30, which I really don't see possibly after that big hump in the road, and me not wanting to scrape my IC on anything. I was with a couple of my buddies. He asked us all how old we were: 19, 19, and 15. He asked if we had drank anything or done any drugs and I quickly replied, no way, not a chance. He continued to the other side of the truck and flashed his light in the 15 year old kid's eyes and asked him what he was on. He said he didn't do drugs and we all said that was absolutely true. The cop said his eyes were dilated and told him to get out of the car and come back to his unit. The cop made him do all this funky stuff like close eyes, more flashlight shining, etc. By the way, this kid is pretty much the cleanest a kid can get, would never touch drugs or alcohol. He told the cop he swore to God he didn't do drugs, and the cop asked him if he was religious, swearing to God and whatnot. (isn't that some sort of interrogation, or something he's not allowed to ask?) The cop told him to come back to my truck and let me know I was getting a ticket. It's like he did that just to have a reason to give me a ticket because he couldn't bust my friend for being on drugs. Totally unjust. I wasn't even given a chance to explain myself (I was testing out my new brakes and they're not quite broken in yet, I would never drive to a point where it's unsafe for me, my friends, or my truck, etc.) He gave me a ticket for 44 in a 30 and told me I could come back and see it on his gun. I was told once to ask him if it was properly calibrated, so I did. He gave me some smartass line like, why would I use an uncalibrated gun or something and showed me the radar. It said t 44, which I guess means I was coming towards him going 44. The model of the radar was a C10, as written on the ticket, but I think the gun said CH10 on it. I don't want this ticket on my record, or to have to pay a butt load of insurance because of it. I'm thinking of fighting it, anyone have any helpful advice?
Thanks

 

[Robert Lone]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

I don't know the law but I'd think you could burn him at the stake for the religous questioning if the kid wanted to push the issue.:2cents:

 

[live1053rulz]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Well my friend didn't seem truly harmed because of that, but I suppose it's something to fall back on for retaliation.

 

[Robert Lone]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Well my friend didn't seem truly harmed because of that, but I suppose it's something to fall back on for retaliation.

It's not that the kid was offened, it's the fact that the officer should never question someone's religion. He is susposed to be a "professional servant of the public" and not Jerry Faldwell. He was way wrong for doing that. :tdown:

I'm not the most religious person here by a long shot and I wasn't even there, but I'm still pissed he did that. :rant:

 

[T-Bone]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

The sad truth is that in a court of law, it is your word against the officer. The witness (in this case a 15 YO) is not a bystander but rather a passenger in a vehicle where the driver was ticketed for speeding. If the radar showed you going 44 in a 30, then you are guilty as charged. Everything else that transpired (whatever that was) is secondary in nature to what you were stopped for. I feel your pain but I will tell you in advance with almost 100% certainty; Judge's side with law enforcement officer's when a dispute arises over the officers conduct and there are no "outside" witnesses to corroborate your claim. Otherwise, it appears the intent is exactly as you typed...."out of retaliation". On a better note, one ticket will not drive up your insurance rate but any other charges in the next 3 years could .

 

[DynaGlide]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

A speeding ticket isn't that bad. The cop was just doing his job. He was making conversation to try to divide your friends attention to make sure he wasn't doped up; your friend was sober, just like he is supposed to be.

Don't mention your ticket to your insurance agent, and they won't really have a reason to check your record.

I got popped for careless driving last week; that sucks.

 

[Syclone0565]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Go to court. All the people I know that take the ticket to court have had the officer not show up and they threw out the ticket. Not worth the cops time for 44 in a 30. now if it would have been 85 in a 55 that would be a whole differnt ballgame. Fight it and mention the cops reply about being religious and all. The court system does not like to get into religious talk anymore either. Just my :2cents:

 

[Syclone#1992]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Just write a letter to the Judge, in Michigan, they usually always drop the points and just make you pay the fine for impeding traffic (a little more expensive but well worth not havign points). I got two tickets for 5 over, when I was going 15 over, wrote a letter paid the fine and was on my way with a clean record. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Not to upset any of our law enforcing SyTy members, but if you truely feel like the officer was out of line you can go down to the police station and file a complaint against the officer, which I believe stays on their record for a long time and if they get too many of these its trouble for them. Only reason I know was because I got pulled over for speeding 35 in a 25 and the officer pulled my out of the car and through me on the ground, didnt turn out to gooder for him. Anyway to our SyTy officer members be safe " mister I am the law " --- Judge Dredd

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

The cop may have heard you from a distance and he probably saw you truck brake heavily (nose squat). Unless I have to, I try to brake lightly when I see a cop if I am just over the limit.

As for complaing about your treatment, you can try but I would be careful. 10 or so years ago, my friends car overheated (blew a radiator house) was on the side of road. The local cop stopped gave us (4 ~21 year old) a bunch of crap. Searched the car, searched us, made us do drunk tests, insiuated the two of with out of town liscense's were drug dealers. He never even offer to help us and drove off after one the parent show up. No ticket though. Once our parents found out they were pissed, letters to the chief of police were written and the offending officer was reprimanded. The problems started after that, the officer started writing retalitory tickets to the family members who wrote the letters. He clearly made it known by saying "what are you going to do write a letter to the police chief?"

 

[midnightbluS10]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

If you were speeding, take your charge.


That is all.

 

[live1053rulz]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Thanks guys. I just kind of feel like there was no way I could've been going that fast in that particular spot. I'm also going to go back and check the signs out (which may have really still been 45 in that spot) and check out the whole situation. By the way, on the Ticket he put 92 GMC Unk. Niiice.

 

[Deanzsyclone]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

So tonight ended up sucking I guess. Went for a nice drive in the Ty over a nice mountain road called Highway 9 tonight. Was out handling, or maybe out driving a set up Prelude the whole way, some friends of some friends. He couldn't pull away from me at all, and I was pretty much puttin along. Went up and saw a really nice view of the valley from Skyline. On our way back down the guy was just puttin a bit too much for me, so I made a pass and hauled some ass for awhile. As we began to near the bottom of the road, there is a very steep, abrupt hill that you need to slow down a lot for so you don't get airborne, etc. Just after that hump, which I slowed down for, and over another smaller hump entering a tight corner, a cop was waiting in the dark (this was at 1:20 am). As soon as I saw him I slowed down even more, quite rapidly, and sure enough he pulled me over. He came up and told me he clocked me at 44 in a 30, which I really don't see possibly after that big hump in the road, and me not wanting to scrape my IC on anything. I was with a couple of my buddies. He asked us all how old we were: 19, 19, and 15. He asked if we had drank anything or done any drugs and I quickly replied, no way, not a chance. He continued to the other side of the truck and flashed his light in the 15 year old kid's eyes and asked him what he was on. He said he didn't do drugs and we all said that was absolutely true. The cop said his eyes were dilated and told him to get out of the car and come back to his unit. The cop made him do all this funky stuff like close eyes, more flashlight shining, etc. By the way, this kid is pretty much the cleanest a kid can get, would never touch drugs or alcohol. He told the cop he swore to God he didn't do drugs, and the cop asked him if he was religious, swearing to God and whatnot. (isn't that some sort of interrogation, or something he's not allowed to ask?) The cop told him to come back to my truck and let me know I was getting a ticket. It's like he did that just to have a reason to give me a ticket because he couldn't bust my friend for being on drugs. Totally unjust. I wasn't even given a chance to explain myself (I was testing out my new brakes and they're not quite broken in yet, I would never drive to a point where it's unsafe for me, my friends, or my truck, etc.) He gave me a ticket for 44 in a 30 and told me I could come back and see it on his gun. I was told once to ask him if it was properly calibrated, so I did. He gave me some smartass line like, why would I use an uncalibrated gun or something and showed me the radar. It said t 44, which I guess means I was coming towards him going 44. The model of the radar was a C10, as written on the ticket, but I think the gun said CH10 on it. I don't want this ticket on my record, or to have to pay a butt load of insurance because of it. I'm thinking of fighting it, anyone have any helpful advice?
Thanks

Well first off... your 19, and I know, your saying yahh soo? well trust me that makes a bit of a difference when it's a 19yo standing in front of a judge bitching about how unfair all this was.

Second off... the question of "are you religious, and do you swear to god" is not going to get you sqaute. There is no reason he can't ask you a simple question and assertain your values and determin his (the other kid) level of honesty. You bring that statement up in court and the judge will probably just role his eyes, maybe not visably but deffinetely internaly.

Third you need to make your case (if your going to go through with this) against the radar it self. Did he have a clear line of sight from his cruiser to you? were thier other vehicles next to you that could of been going faster than you ? Can the officer provide documentation in court of the last time the gun was calibrated? Radar is EXTREEMLY accurate, but can have glitches if the above scenarios were in place.


One trick I like to use is to fight the ticket, and keep my fingers crossed that the officer won't show up to court. This can happen for a couple of reasons. The officer is on vacation out of the area, local emergencies in the city/county he works on keeps him from breaking away to get to court. Example, major traffic accident that he is working, or.. in my case, severe rains in the county caused multiply emergencies that prevented officers to break away from the drastic amount of emergency calls comming in. I also like to wait untile the day before the scheduled court date and then call the courthouse and ask for a 30 day extension, or whatever the max time I can get from them.


44 in a 30 is not a drastice ticket, you could quiet easily go to drivers school to dump it off your record.

Hope this helped even a little bit.

 

[Flyin Ryan]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

WIth my experiences with the local cops here.. I have one word to describe them.. useless

 

[live1053rulz]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

Thanks for your responses guys. It just makes me mad, I'm not even close to pushing it, or driving unsafely, but he puts on the ticket unsafe speed. Unless I can find some signs or something that conflict with what the ticket was written for, I'll probably just end up dumping the point, not chancing it, and taking traffic school. What a waste of a couple hundred bucks. Coulda been a nice wastegate... Like you said, useless.

 

[T-Bone]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

It just makes me mad, I'm not even close to pushing it, or driving unsafely, but he puts on the ticket unsafe speed.

In most states, 15 MPH over the posted limits is reckless driving and that normally equates to 6 points. I got a 42 MPH in a 25 MPH zone which a couple days prior was a posted 35 MPH zone (country road, sunny day, 11:04 AM). In my mind, I was really 7 MPH over but the sheriff was bent on writing a citation, although just a speeding one. Result was $186 loss on my part. A lot of others got the same treatment so I didn't feel targeted but I sure could have spent the $$ other ways.

 

[DynaGlide]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

WIth my experiences with the local cops here.. I have one word to describe them.. useless

Everyone hates cops until they need one.

 

[gkrcr882]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

I really can't complain, I got super lucky. I was caught doing 54 in a 30, but the cop wrote up that I was doing 49, thus I recieved a $104 ticket, which is still a lot of money to me. Part that sucks though is that I never saw him behind me, I was driving my friends car (he was riding in the front seat) and he didnt have a rearview mirror :rant: .

 

[ircwet]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

I can tell you for FIRST hand....going to court for 10 mins on ANY ticket and get paid for 4 hours OT. ....Your DAMN RIGHT I will show up !!!

 

[live1053rulz]

Re: Got my first ticket today in the Ty on Hwy. 9, Total BS

True. I'm thinking I'll just do traffic school. Pile of crap though. Shouldn't he be off at the parties where kids are breaking the law? That's what that area is all about. Sheesh, leave the car guys alone. It's gonna bug me for probably another week.