My first ticket. kind of long

DrkGreenStang · Sep 27, 2004

I got my first ticket on Friday. Speeding. It's kind of sketchy though...

I was on highway 26 east of Othello (yes, the boonies in Eastern Washington). We came upon a hay truck. The Honda infront of me decided to pass and since it was clear I went too. No big deal, passing is legal there and he was going 55 in a 65. Now, we were on a steep downhill, that quickly goes back uphill. The sheriff was coming down the other hill, the opposite direction. When we saw an on-coming car, we quickly got back over and slowed back down to speed limit. He claims that as we were getting back over, we were going 83 and 82, respectively. My question is, how accurate is his radar on a completely uneven plane with two cars in a line? I argued with him because I honestly believe I was only going 75 (this was after he explained to me that the driver's manual says that to complete a safe pass, you can go up to 10mph over the posted speed limit if you have to... I'm going to pick up a manual and check on it). I haven't been pulled over since 2 weeks after I got my license (almost 5 years ago) and I've never had a ticket. Also, my ticket is for 15 over... if i'm supposedly "allowed" this extra 10mph to complete a pass, why isn't it 5 over? I'm contesting it, I just need some other opinions.

Oh yeah... and on my ticket location it says mile post 54... I drove past there today and mp 54 isn't the right place. It's a flat, straight stretch of road. We were allegedly speeding at mp 57, between 2 hills... got pulled over at 56. So his location is off. How much does this matter?

Thanks a ton!

Cindy

ZeroCool · Sep 27, 2004

Matters a lot, fight it. Take pictures.

Slappy · Sep 27, 2004

The location he wrote down on the ticket is probably an estimate of where he clocked you at, not where he stopped you at. If you were going 82 or 83 then it's very likely that you went another 2 miles from M.P. 54 to 56 before he got turned around, caught up to you and got you pulled over. Bottom line, though that's a completely irrelevant point that will not be allowed for argument by the judge. Though it will generate some nice chuckles from him and the ticketing officer when you try to dispute that.

As far as the accuracy of the radar on an "uneven" plane, it's as accurate as it would be on a flat stretch of highway (I'm assuming it was radar and not laser).

Third, you can contest it all you want but the officer already reduced the ticket from the actual 17 over to 15 over (which drops the fine down one bracket, from $153 to $122) so you've already been given a "break" by the officer at the scene. You MIGHT get the fine reduced slightly more than that but I can guarantee you it's going to stay.

Finally, there is no "set" speed limit for overtaking a vehicle traveling under the speed limit (contrary to all of the wives' tales). According to RCW 46.61.425, a driver can pass a slow moving vehicle "at only such a speed and for only such a distance as is necessary to complete the pass with a reasonable margin of safety." This also means that immediately after passing the vehicle you must decelerate back down to the speed limit.

If you're thinking about contesting this ticket, I would highly recommend you go to your local library and look at the RCW (Revised Code of Washington) book and look up RCW's 46.61.120 and 46.61.425.

If you want any more help, feel free to PM me.

wythors · Sep 27, 2004

You did what you were ticketed for so pay the fine. That's life.

DrkGreenStang · Sep 27, 2004

Slappy said:
The location he wrote down on the ticket is probably an estimate of where he clocked you at, not where he stopped you at. If you were going 82 or 83 then it's very likely that you went another 2 miles from M.P. 54 to 56 before he got turned around, caught up to you and got you pulled over. Bottom line, though that's a completely irrelevant point that will not be allowed for argument by the judge. Though it will generate some nice chuckles from him and the ticketing officer when you try to dispute that.

A) i wasn't going 80+. It's a two lane highway. That's suicide. I wasn't even going the full 75 when I passed him. I was back to speed limit. B) I was going west bound. mp 54 is 3 miles west of where we actually were. He was going east bound and turned around asap. There's actually a road right where we pulled over, with a marker. 56.

If I was going 80+, I'd suck it up and pay the ticket.

Bobbys97R · Sep 27, 2004

COPS SUCK you think they could be picking up some crack whore somewhere but no they wana waste my tax dollars and pull cars over then tell stories in there reports its happend to me. If you go to court they might reduce or drop the charges all together.

Hugger2371 · Sep 27, 2004

I'm sorry, but people need to take resonsibility for their actions. Speeding = Ticket. Deal with it. That's the thing now adays, police officers try to do their job, but people don't respect that. How would you like it if I came to your workplace and cried about the way you were doing your job? Just my opinion, and everyone is entitled to it. Keep The Peace, -Dan.

ZeroCool · Sep 27, 2004

Cops around here can kiss my a$$. They harrass for no reason at all.

P_T_Bishop · Sep 27, 2004

ZeroCool said:
Cops around here can kiss my a$$. They harrass for no reason at all.

they have reasons...like they dont like how loud your car is, it disturbs the neighbors...they have reasons, but they're not all that great

ZeroCool · Sep 27, 2004

How about when I drive my honda?
"Pulled you over because you didn't signal 200 feet into my driveway from a PRIVATE street." Beaverton can kiss the big one!

SVTdriver · Sep 28, 2004

Go for the deferred posecution. If you don't get another ticket in a year. It goes away.

DrkGreenStang · Sep 28, 2004

SVTdriver said:
Go for the deferred posecution. If you don't get another ticket in a year. It goes away.

That's what I want to do. I'm a decent and safe driver anyway, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal. And I'm probably down-grading from the SUV to a Jetta in January.

Slappy · Sep 28, 2004

DrkGreenStang said:
A) i wasn't going 80+. It's a two lane highway. That's suicide. I wasn't even going the full 75 when I passed him. I was back to speed limit. B) I was going west bound. mp 54 is 3 miles west of where we actually were. He was going east bound and turned around asap. There's actually a road right where we pulled over, with a marker. 56.

If I was going 80+, I'd suck it up and pay the ticket.

So basically you're saying that you think he just made up a speed and decided to ticket you because he was bored? That sounds reasonable (LMAO). I think you should try that one in court. It'll work out really well for you.

SVTdriver · Sep 28, 2004

Slappy said:
So basically you're saying that you think he just made up a speed and decided to ticket you because he was bored? That sounds reasonable (LMAO). I think you should try that one in court. It'll work out really well for you.

I don't think she ever said that the cop made up the ticket. The question was about accuracy of the But if you (Not you personally)don't fight every ticket. You(Again not you personally) are just plain stupid.

DrkGreenStang · Sep 28, 2004

Slappy said:
So basically you're saying that you think he just made up a speed and decided to ticket you because he was bored? That sounds reasonable (LMAO). I think you should try that one in court. It'll work out really well for you.

I never said that. But it is Adams County... I'd get bored patrolling onion, wheat, and corn fields too...

Thank you, I couldn't have said it better myself. (SVTdriver)

a351Must2 · Sep 28, 2004

No reason to pay a ticket if you weren't doing anything illegal (passing a slow moving vehicle in a legal passing zone)...look up the RCWs noted previously and fight the @#@$@ ticket. I also don't seem to remember hearing about any radar capable of clocking two different cars in the same stop, so I assume he didn't write a ticket for the Honda.

Hugger2371 said:
I'm sorry, but people need to take resonsibility for their actions. Speeding = Ticket. Deal with it. That's the thing now adays, police officers try to do their job, but people don't respect that. How would you like it if I came to your workplace and cried about the way you were doing your job? Just my opinion, and everyone is entitled to it. Keep The Peace, -Dan.

I can't imagine paying every ticket recieved...cops lie, exagerate, etc. I've experience everything from catch & release harrassment (pulled over 15 times in 30 days with no tickets, 2 cops in town got fired for multiple complaints of this and I never complained myself), to straight up lying on the police report (a friend of mine just had a wreckless driving ticket dropped because after hearing the witnesses statements, the cop finally admitted to the prosecutor that he had not seen the infraction, only heard the exhaust noise. His statement had been so far off from fact that my friend and I laughed when we read the police report. We had actually laughed when he got the wreckless driving ticket too, knowing that he hadn't done anything even close to bad enough for a felony driving ticket).

Hugger2371 · Sep 28, 2004

Not just cops do their jobs horribly. BUT, they are doing what they are paid to do. The police force will always be there, and NO, not fighting your tickets is not stupid. Deal with it!!! If you know you did something wrong, even if it's a little questionable, deal with the consequences.

YellowLightning · Sep 28, 2004

If you didn't, then fight it. Don't let 'em bully you. Cops around my home town can be dicks too. My buddy and I got pulled over for "getting into the turn lane too early". We pulled in just barely on top of the crissed crossed yellow lines before the turn lane to get out of the way cuz traffic was heavy and the tun lane was full. We were trying to be nice and not hold up traffic. The judge laughed at it and the ticket went by by.

hotboy1966 · Sep 29, 2004

there are lawyers who specialize in beating traffic infractions...even speeding tickets. The guy I use charges $200...he shows up in court, rattles off some case law, and I walk out having paid more than the fine, but without the nasty aftershock of increased insurance rates for the next 3-5 years.

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