Some speeding ticket myths/urban legends ...

[Ruiner]

...for those of you on IA.com who cannot seem to get it right. Instead, you spew these myths and urban legends on IA.com as fact without doing your own research.

Urban Legend #1

“The officer refused to show me the reading on the radar gun. There is no proof of my speed so I cannot be convicted.”

There is no law in any state that requires an officer to show you the reading on the radar or laser gun. Most jurisdictions discourage this as a matter of safety. If the officer does show you, it is a courtesy only. If the officer says you were speeding that is all the proof the judge needs to find you guilty. Most courts will accept a simple visual estimate by an officer without speed detection from any device.

Urban Legend #2

“The officer did not have me sign the ticket. If I do not show up for court the ticket will be dismissed.”

Some states have a line on the traffic citation where you acknowledge the summons and agree to appear for court. It doesn’t matter if you sign or not, you are still required to be in court on the date listed on the ticket. If this were true, nobody would sign and all speeding tickets would have to be dismissed. Not going to happen.

If you do not appear you will be found guilty, a fine will be added for failure to appear, and a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Quite possibly your driver’s license will also be suspended. Texas is the only exception. In Texas if you refuse to sign the ticket you will earn yourself a “Go Directly to Jail” card.

Urban Legend #3

“The officer made a mistake on the speeding ticket. All I have to do is to point it out to the judge and he will dismiss my ticket.”

The story we usually hear goes something like this: My car is pink, my hair color is purple and I am female. The officer wrote on the ticket that I am a brown haired male driving a blue car.

Judges give a lot of leeway for minor mistakes and will allow the officer to correct them. You have about as much chance as a grasshopper at a bird convention of getting a traffic court judge to dismiss you ticket based on the above scenario. As long as you name and driver’s license number are correct you are dinner.

Urban Legend #4

“I sent the traffic court more than I owed for my speeding ticket. When I receive the refund check I will not cash it. Since the transaction is not complete the ticket will never be entered on my record.”

I have saved the best for last. I am always amazed at the lengths an unbeliever will go to believe the unbelievable. This myth has been making the rounds of the message boards for several years. It is absolutely false and I am not going to argue with anyone again over this. If you have a passion for the beans and potato salad served at the county jail, go right ahead.

What really distresses me about a speeding ticket myth is that it may prevent someone from mounting a legitimate defense to a speeding ticket. With the drastic increases in insurance premiums often resulting from just one speeding conviction, a driver needs to know the consequences before entering the courtroom. There are legitimate strategies to reduce the effect of a traffic ticket. Belief in an urban legend is just not one of them.

[IndianStig]

good post +1

edit: can't rep you yet

[dELfONiK]

+1

[Leadfoot_mf]

party pooper

[ORGANIZATIONXIII]

I think some of the "urban legends" hold a ounce of truth, b/c some people have gotten away with it, either a lax officer or a glitch in the computer system that has kicked it back..

as for the other myths, BUSTED..

but myth #3 is exactly on point, due to the fact if an officer writes you a ticket at night, your car looks totally different when the blue lights reflect upon it and they sometimes get the wrong color of the car when they write it down, all they have to do is call dispatch to get the model/make/color of your car..

+1

[Keebs ð¿ð]

Very good post and very true. I found out a new one though. And I only found out about it because my lawyer was able to have my 115 in a 65 ticket dropped. I was racing Max (He has the black SRT with realistic blue flames on the front for those of you who know him). The officer wrote on my ticket that I had the lead of 2 cars at the same speed. He never caught Max, just me. Turns out most cities don't have lasers that are capable of clocking speeds over 100mph. not saying all don't but most around atl don't (I live in Douglasville). Ended up spending 3g's on the lawyer and another 1.5grand on the expert. (had to hire an expert from GA Tech to speak on my behalf in court testifing the laser device was unable to accurately measure speeds greater than 100mph). But that isn't the only thing that got me off the hook. The officers made the mistake on the ticket saying that I had the lead of 2 cars. And since he didn't issue a ticket to Max, the was no proof which vehicle he actually clocked. My lawyer told the judge that the human eye can not judge the rate of speed based on how fast the other vehicle was going. Therefore there was no way to tell which car was actually clocked.

All and all I don't know which of the 2 or if both had to do with having my ticket dropped, but it was dropped nevertheless. The only reason I decided to pay that much for a lawyer/expert is because I am on probation and they were threating to revote my probation (which would put me in jail until december).

[HiPSI]

because I am on probation and they were threating to revote my probation (which would put me in jail until december).

good call! going out streetracing while on probation is super duper crazy smart.

maybe you should have tossed that $4500 you spent down on some track time instead .

[ORGANIZATIONXIII]

you must have a good job to pay that much damn money to get out of trouble..

almost 5 g's, thats like a swapped eg hatch

[2.0civic]

you must have a good job to pay that much damn money to get out of trouble..

almost 5 g's, thats like a swapped eg hatch

or really nice parents....how does a 23 year old have those cars and that kind of money to just throw around??

[Keebs ð¿ð]

or really nice parents....how does a 23 year old have those cars and that kind of money to just throw around??

Well I didn't really have that much to throw around. This pretty much drained all my entire checking account. And I run a Car Wash here in Dville, make pretty good salary + bonus. Should stop by I'll give ya the hook up. Oh and btw my parents pretty much cut me off when I was 16, started cutting grass to buy my first car (94 civic, 100% riced out lol). And the only reason I was able to get the skyline is because I was hit by a drunk driver on my bike back in march, made out pretty well with the insurance.

[FAHHQUE700]

So, what if you're pulled over... speed limit was 65, you were running 55, says your were doing 90. You ask for a video tape to be presented in court. They deny it. This has actaully happened. Even had another witness in a following vehicle, plus one in the same vehicle. What do you do?

[TeeJay]

So, what if you're pulled over... speed limit was 65, you were running 55, says your were doing 90. You ask for a video tape to be presented in court. They deny it. This has actaully happened. Even had another witness in a following vehicle, plus one in the same vehicle. What do you do?

bend over :idb:

[Ruiner]

So, what if you're pulled over... speed limit was 65, you were running 55, says your were doing 90. You ask for a video tape to be presented in court. They deny it. This has actaully happened. Even had another witness in a following vehicle, plus one in the same vehicle. What do you do?

What good is a video tape going to do if they:

A. Don't have a video setup?
B. Don't have the video (car) pointing the right way to view you?
C. Don't have the video camera on?

There is no law that says that they have to use video for writing speeding tickets.

[SixSquared]

Truth #1

There is a very effective way of getting out of most tickets and it goes something like this:



Personally, I have 34 tickets written to me and only 1 posted on my record.

Good post, though, Ruiner! I hate when people pull the "This ticket isn't legit cause there's a mistake on it/whatever". Good info, +1 for you.

[Mr_Mischif]

^I don't see how you could use those to get out of a ticket, Emily. oh yeah, that's right, women can act. I forgot.

[{X}Echo419]

...There is no law in any state that requires an officer to show you the reading on the radar or laser gun. Most jurisdictions discourage this as a matter of safety. If the officer does show you, it is a courtesy only. If the officer says you were speeding that is all the proof the judge needs to find you guilty. Most courts will accept a simple visual estimate by an officer without speed detection from any device.

now that sounds like a myth. I got pulled over 1 time and the cop said, "you're speeding." I said, "horse hockey! lets see the gun." he repyled, "I don't have you on radar. I was pacing you." then I had some scarcastic comment and he went back to his car. when he came back he said, "slow it down a little." and I said, "ok". good night.
if what you said is true then police depts. would save millions by not buying the radar/laser guns. they could just pull people over and say, "it Looked like you were doing 80mph here's your ticket."
I might be wrong but I doubt it. I'm gonna do some research.

[Jaimecbr900]

now that sounds like a myth. I got pulled over 1 time and the cop said, "you're speeding." I said, "horse hockey! lets see the gun." he repyled, "I don't have you on radar. I was pacing you." then I had some scarcastic comment and he went back to his car. when he came back he said, "slow it down a little." and I said, "ok". good night.
if what you said is true then police depts. would save millions by not buying the radar/laser guns. they could just pull people over and say, "it Looked like you were doing 80mph here's your ticket."
I might be wrong but I doubt it. I'm gonna do some research.

Actually, you are wrong on this one.

Police can pace you and don't have to have a radar gun anywhere in the car. As a matter of fact, I'm told police cruisers have their speedo calibrated and certified just for this reason. How do you think an airplane can "clock" you??? It paces you and times the time it takes for you to get from one bright ass white line on the hwy to the next one....a little math....and voila, speeding ticket. Florida does it all the time with planes.

I've gotten a 90 in a 55 by L'ville PD on 316 eons ago by being paced. All he/she has to do is stay the same speed/distance from you and he/she can easily approx. your speed. Their word is as admissible in court as a paper ticket. Besides, think about it: IF you ever fight a speeding ticket in court (I have many times), the officer doesn't drive his cruiser into the courtroom. He merely appears and says either A: his gun was calibrated X day, X time or; B: He says he SAW you speeding. That's really all the testimony he is required to give. That's why if they don't show up to court and you are contesting it, it will get dropped. You also end up with a higher fine if he does and you lose, but that's another point.

[ATK_Designs]

Actually, Myth #1 wasn't entirely true.

They can give you ticket if and only if:
a. They caught you on a speed detection device (radar, laser, whatever).
b. Pacing

However, VISUALLY tell is not proper as regard to how much they're being trained, it's not correct and effective.

This was said to me by a friend of mine who's also in the force.

[Ruiner]

Actually, Myth #1 wasn't entirely true.

They can give you ticket if and only if:
a. They caught you on a speed detection device (radar, laser, whatever).
b. Pacing

However, VISUALLY tell is not proper as regard to how much they're being trained, it's not correct and effective.

This was said to me by a friend of mine who's also in the force.

My father was a judge for almost 20 years. I have seen people come into his court and get a ticket even though it was visually done. Does it happen all the time? No. Will it stick in court? Most of the time, yes.

[ATK_Designs]

My father was a judge for almost 20 years. I have seen people come into his court and get a ticket even though it was visually done. Does it happen all the time? No. Will it stick in court? Most of the time, yes.

You're also correct. It's depends on the attitude of the defender as well. Technically, "Visual inspect" is not correct, but yes, they do hold their account in court. That's where lawyers come into, they can say the same thing a regular defendant may say, but 1000 times more effective

[{X}Echo419]

Believe it or not, it CAN hold up in court that an officer "witnessed" you going over the speedlimit as many are trained to make a visual speed recognition. Is it an easy conviction? No. Can they pursue it if they want? You bet your ass.

Also, "pacing" WILL hold up in court as their speedometers are calibrated (I know, as I was a victim of this about 12 years ago).

that's your fault for letting them get away with it. these kourts rely on that inorder to rase more money to do more "city/county projects" to Buy votes with. and that is a damned shame.

My father was a judge for almost 20 years. I have seen people come into his court and get a ticket even though it was visually done. Does it happen all the time? No. Will it stick in court? Most of the time, yes.

does that make it Legal or right just b/c it happens alot? no.
thrth is most people are so afraid of getting their fine increased or getting more points on their license that they just roll over in court.
or when someone gets pulled over and they say, "but I'm late for work." that pretty much eliminates their defence of not being guilty regardless of how th officer determined they were speeding(or not).

it's not about "getting out of a ticket". it's about holding the 1's that are "supposed" to uphold the law to the same standard as everyone else.

[Ruiner]

now that sounds like a myth. I got pulled over 1 time and the cop said, "you're speeding." I said, "horse hockey! lets see the gun." he repyled, "I don't have you on radar. I was pacing you." then I had some scarcastic comment and he went back to his car. when he came back he said, "slow it down a little." and I said, "ok". good night.
if what you said is true then police depts. would save millions by not buying the radar/laser guns. they could just pull people over and say, "it Looked like you were doing 80mph here's your ticket."
I might be wrong but I doubt it. I'm gonna do some research.

Believe it or not, it CAN hold up in court that an officer "witnessed" you going over the speedlimit as many are trained to make a visual speed recognition. Is it an easy conviction? No. Can they pursue it if they want? You bet your ass.

Also, "pacing" WILL hold up in court as their speedometers are calibrated (I know, as I was a victim of this about 12 years ago).

[{X}Echo419]

just b/c you got a ticket doesn't make it Legal.
http://thegeorgiaspeedingticketkiller.com/home.php

[Jaimecbr900]

just b/c you got a ticket doesn't make it Legal.
http://thegeorgiaspeedingticketkiller.com/home.php

He has useful information on that website, but he's also trying to SELL something.

[ShooterMcGavin]

lol, #4 has been around since before brett was born, ppl still believe that shit?