Yay. What a day. I got a ticket by a MOTORCYCLE cop

[dart kid]

I was coasting down a hill, doing about 30 in a 25. It's downhill, cmon?

And a sheriff on a BMW bike, pulls me over. The dude wasnt even radaring, so how the hell does he say i was doing 35?


Is there any way i can get this waved and have it not go on my record?

I'm so pissed.... this is my first ticket.

[DustMan]

Get it deferred. Its a bit off a hassle and you will have to go to court for a few minutes, but they should give it to you. The speculation is if you get another ticket within a year (or two?) you will get nailed with both. Not a bad deal if you drive like a grandma. Since you are King County, you will have to go to Redmond, Judge Nault is really cool, trust me 

[dart kid]

I'm in Snohomish county county actually. I have to go to Lynnwood municipal court.

[318_Magnum]

I'd just fight it. Any kind of reasonable judge should dismiss that. If you do go to court for it, go back and take pictures of the area you were ticketed at, and submit the pictures as evidence. If there are any witnesses that could say how fast you were going, take them with you. Cops often go to court unprepared because they're not expecting the average driver to know the law, and the law is that you win by default if you have the preponderance of evidence to support your defense... I've won that way before, even though I was totally guilty on at least one charge.

Dunno about where you live, but here you can go to traffic school once every two years to have a ticket removed from your record, making it like it never happened. If you're not planning on getting another ticket any time soon, that could be another option for you. 

I've got a right foot made out of plutonium, and I've had MORE than my fair share of run-ins with the court system... (plutonium is heavier than lead)

[DustMan]

I'm in Snohomish county county actually. I have to go to Lynnwood municipal court.

You're screwed.

I'm kidding  The deferred rules will still apply dude. Good luck.

[dart kid]

Yea I'm hoping. I can't afford to pay a ticket and fees and insurance and blah blah.

MOST cops would give you a WARNING, but guess not.

He just said "license and insurance/registration", handed it over, he gave me my insurance card back, walked to his bike, came back with a ticket.

What an A%^hole.

Do i check "mitigation hearing" then?

[DustMan]

I have gotten several tickets over the years, only got let off ONCE after I was speeding then accused of dealing drugs () I'm no scum bag!!! I think the cop felt stupid is the only reason I got let off.

Mitigation hearing sounds right. I would call the court though, just to double check.

[318_Magnum]

I've gotten out of numerous tickets.

Being that you're a young male like myself, MOST cops would have given you a ticket, not a warning. I've never, EVER gotten a "warning". In fact, I don't even think cops give "warnings" where I live... Nobody I know has ever gotten one here, at least... It's a prejudice thing whether or not they'll admit it. A) they think we're all a bunch of smartass daredevils (which happens to be true in my case, but that's besides the point), and B) they're trying to "set an example".

Plus, motorcycle cops are all dickheads anyways, no news there... Same applies to highway patrolmen... Their SOLE purpose is to hand out tickets, so that's what they do. They don't give a damn about you, unlike other police officers, who may actually have an interest in public welfare, helping people, or serving the common good.

Best of luck!

[GON_RACIN]

Ticketed for 30 mph in a 25 mph zone?  Dunno how your state laws read, but around here you are allowed 5 mph speedo error.  You also cannot be ticketed unless you are doing atleast 7 mph over the posted limit.

[golferjohn]

C'mon, chin-up Kid.  First time offense will always yield at least a defferral from the judge...check the box for mitigation.  If you get any more, I have a friend that does Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and King counties and he's won several cases for myself and my friends.  It costs, but it's worth it not to have on your record.
Let me know if you need that type of representation, but your first ticket should allow the judge to give you a warning or at least a defferral.

Happy motoring

[dart kid]

Ticketed for 30 mph in a 25 mph zone?  Dunno how your state laws read, but around here you are allowed 5 mph speedo error.  You also cannot be ticketed unless you are doing atleast 7 mph over the posted limit.

Funny thing, I was doing, maybe 32, and he gave me the ticket for 35. I said 30, b/c thats what i was actually doing.

35 in a 25.... do motorcycle cops even have radar while RIDING?

[golferjohn]

they do have radar and can operate it while cruising

[NYrr496]

Go to a book store and order a copy of Beat the Cops.  It's written by Alex Carroll.  Was it a radar ticket? Here's some of what it says. 
Before a police officer can use the radar reading as evidence, he needs to establish the following:
1. He had jurisdiction to use radar on the roadway where he cited you.
2. He has a certified, up to date, accurate,traffic and engineeringsurvey, if applicable.
3.  His radar unit was properly calibrated.
4.  His tuning forks were properly calibrated.
5.  His agancy has a license with the FCC to use radar.
6.  His radar unit appears on that FCC license.

If he hasn't established any or all of these, the radar reading may be inadmissable evidence.

All of these certificates are public record.  You have access to them.  If anything is out of date, which it usually is, you win.  It's worked for me in the past.

[mopowers]

Plus, motorcycle cops are all dickheads anyways, no news there... Same applies to highway patrolmen...

Just a quick observation- that statement sounds extremely ignorant. 

[CudaSRT8]

Yea I'm hoping. I can't afford to pay a ticket and fees and insurance and blah blah.

MOST cops would give you a WARNING, but guess not.

He just said "license and insurance/registration", handed it over, he gave me my insurance card back, walked to his bike, came back with a ticket.

What an A%^hole.

Do i check "mitigation hearing" then?

SOME cops on regular Patrol MIGHT just give you a warning.   But a Motor Cop is a Traffic Safety Officer.   His / her primary job is busting people breaking traffic laws.   They see the results (blood, guts, brains, decapitated heads, etc) from people speeding and they're not too forgiving when you're ten or more mph over.    What's really disgusting is how much devastation speeders create for the innocent people they plow into.

He may have had moving radar on his bike;   he may have paced you for just a couple of seconds;  or he may have judged your speed based on other cars nearby or his own experience / expertise (they get to do that).

Chances are you were doing even faster and he gave you a break at 10 over.   

We had a guy run a red light and caught him on video.   He (and his girlfriend) swore up and down that he went through on the yellow.   Came to the P.D. and raised hell with the Sergeant (who told him to take it up in court).    We double checked our video and it was plain ass obvious the guy ran the red.   Should be fun for the officer in court;  embarrassing for the idiot who will undoubtedly fight it.   

Most of the crap in books doesn't work.   It's just written by people making money off of someone foolish enough to buy the book.   Sure, you might find a radar outside it's cert. date, but that's usually not likely, especially with CHPs.   

Hey, you screwed up.   Man up and learn from it...

[guzzimike]

Funny thing, I was doing, maybe 32, and he gave me the ticket for 35. I said 30, b/c thats what i was actually doing.

35 in a 25.... do motorcycle cops even have radar while RIDING?

Kid you fooked up...YOU ADMITTED that you were speeding...!     

When the Police pull you over, you are technically UNDER ARREST...That means that you should SHUT-THE-FVCK-UP and not admit anything..

When they ask you if you know why they puleld you over, your answer should always be:

 " NO, Sir, I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU PULLED ME OVER"

If He asks you : "Do you know how fast you wrere doing..?"

Your answer should be: 'No Sir, I do NOT know how fast I was going."

Everything that they ask you is designed to build a case against you...everything they ask is all about getting you into incriminating yourself

You have the Right to NOT Incriminate yourself..Only YOU have the power to Give Up this RIGHT.

The Cops are tricky...you gotta be prepared.

Too late for this one, 'tho..


My advice: Ask the Court for Traffic School.

And next time, STFU

Be courteous, be nice, keep Both Hands up on top of the steering wheel until they ask you to reach for the paperwork...

but remember to STFU.

[satellite65]

 

......and trying to fight it in court might just be an excercize in futility. In NYC for instance, it's your word against the cops. Guess who the judge is going to believe? They have the whole routine rehearsed, right of jurisdiction, surveys, instrument cal cert., etc.,etc. You WON'T win.
Where I live in Nassau County, it's a different story. Ours is a very unique sort of kangaroo court, you're guilty of something but just what is anybodies guess. Here's how it works. You get nailed for speeding and plead NOT GUILTY. The court is so overloaded with cases that they'll basically do anything to close the case and stick their fingers in your wallet. So, you get to plead guilty to a lesser charge like tailgating or even better, an equipment violation that has a small penalty and no points on your licence.
Try it, it just might work. And by the way, Mike is correct. NEVER admit to anything. Speed limit is 30? You were going 30. Not 29, not 31, just 30.

[dangerdawg]

besides, if you beat the ticket, & make the cop look foolish, him, or his buddies will catch you doing something worse, then it's on. believe me, been there done that, had liscense suspended for it.

[NYrr496]

......and trying to fight it in court might just be an excercize in futility. In NYC for instance, it's your word against the cops. Guess who the judge is going to believe? They have the whole routine rehearsed, right of jurisdiction, surveys, instrument cal cert., etc.,etc. You WON'T win.
Where I live in Nassau County, it's a different story. Ours is a very unique sort of kangaroo court, you're guilty of something but just what is anybodies guess. Here's how it works. You get nailed for speeding and plead NOT GUILTY. The court is so overloaded with cases that they'll basically do anything to close the case and stick their fingers in your wallet. So, you get to plead guilty to a lesser charge like tailgating or even better, an equipment violation that has a small penalty and no points on your licence.
Try it, it just might work. And by the way, Mike is correct. NEVER admit to anything. Speed limit is 30? You were going 30. Not 29, not 31, just 30.

This is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH.  Every ticket that I've ever fought in Nassau, I've beaten or at least paid some reduced fine for a reduced charge and walked away happy.  One thing about court... Bring everything and have it ready fast.  SO many people show up without this or that and it takes up time.  The judge is actually relieved when you go in and out and may see things your way to a point if you make his job easy.  One time in NYC, I got pulled over for a cracked windshield in my work van.  I KNEW my license had expired a long time ago and hadn't time to get a new one.  I insisted to the officer I left my wallet home.  She couldn't find me in the system. She gave me a ticket for operating without a license and an equipment for the windshield.  I went straight to DMV and took a written and made a road test appointment.  The court date came up before the road test, so I took a chance and went with the permit.  EVERYONE in front of me had some BS story about why they did what they did.  The judge was a beaten man.  I came up, produced my permit, which he didn't even look at and paid the fine for the windshield because even though it was fixed, it was not fixed within the 24 hour window. I walked out of there happy. 
 I look at tickets this way... If you can't win the cop over immediately, you're not going to. Now you just have to know that you have to do what you gotta do in court to save some face.   My wife was married to a cop before and had this strange idea that once you were given a ticket, you were to pay the fine and that's that. I explained to her that it's like a bad business deal.  The cop attempts to sell you something you don't want and now it's your job to fight it off in court. 
  In our six years together, she's gotten two speeders and lost on both of them because she doesn't want to try my way.  I've gone to court twice, although neither time for speeding, I came home without spending a dime.  She has no idea how I do it.

[1967dart406]

He was prolly bumper pacing, it sounds funny but it holds up in court and the judge usually follows his officers decision.  only solution to the problem is slow down next time

[dart kid]

Funny thing, I was doing, maybe 32, and he gave me the ticket for 35. I said 30, b/c thats what i was actually doing.

35 in a 25.... do motorcycle cops even have radar while RIDING?

Kid you fooked up...YOU ADMITTED that you were speeding...!     

When the Police pull you over, you are technically UNDER ARREST...That means that you should SHUT-THE-FVCK-UP and not admit anything..

When they ask you if you know why they puleld you over, your answer should always be:

 " NO, Sir, I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU PULLED ME OVER"

If He asks you : "Do you know how fast you wrere doing..?"

Your answer should be: 'No Sir, I do NOT know how fast I was going."

Everything that they ask you is designed to build a case against you...everything they ask is all about getting you into incriminating yourself

You have the Right to NOT Incriminate yourself..Only YOU have the power to Give Up this RIGHT.

The Cops are tricky...you gotta be prepared.

Too late for this one, 'tho..


My advice: Ask the Court for Traffic School.

And next time, STFU

Be courteous, be nice, keep Both Hands up on top of the steering wheel until they ask you to reach for the paperwork...

but remember to STFU.

NO, I said on here, I was doing 30. I said hardly anything to the cop. HE asked me for my licesned and registration, i said "yes sir". he handed it back and said he'd be right back. Wrote ticket, said where to go, I said I was sorry about this, and said "thanks". and left. That was it.

I know for a FACT i was going 30. Yes, i was speeding. But seriously, I'm driving a freaking riced out jetta almost. If i was driving a nice DODGE DART, i bet he wouldn't even cared.

ALSO, what makes me wonder is... I didn't sign no ticket...

[rarefish]

I just got pulled over a couple weeks ago, 40 in a 25. He asked do you know how fast you were going? I said "sorry , no , I wasn't paying attention, Just heading home from work. He said"you work the night shift?" I said "Yea, I'm beat" He was gone a minute or two and came back with a warning.

I guess what you guys call a deferral is the same as what we call PBJ. Probation Before Judgement. I think you're supposed to ask for it when they ask how you plead. You don't say guilty or not guilty. That way they make no judgement at that time. A reasonable time limit is set and if you make it with no more tickets you're good to go. If you screw up you're double busted. Good luck, Joe.

[damopars]

I got a ticket when I was your age, 34 years ago. Have not had one since. 

[318_Magnum]

Plus, motorcycle cops are all dickheads anyways, no news there... Same applies to highway patrolmen...

Just a quick observation- that statement sounds extremely ignorant. 

Your observation is only a reflection of my own observation, and I assure you, I am far from ignorant. In other words, you're entitled to your opinion, but I could care less.

My rationale? I have yet to meet a single one, on- or off-duty, in or out of uniform, in ANY circumstance, be it professional or unprofessional, that was not a complete ass wipe. Much different story for city cops, I may add. And I have had ample experience with both, trust me. Are there a lot of perfectly good motorcycle officers out there? Of course. Are there a lot of douchebag city cops out there? Of course. However, do I have basis for my "ignorant" comment? You're damn right.

Again, allow me to re-state that, as mentioned previously, I think the area has a lot to do with the general attitude and demeanor of the police officers that work there. My city is very different than many of the areas where the rest of you live (generalizing here, of course), so that may have a profound impact on our differing views.

[guzzimike]

Funny thing, I was doing, maybe 32, and he gave me the ticket for 35. I said 30, b/c thats what i was actually doing.

35 in a 25.... do motorcycle cops even have radar while RIDING?

Kid you fooked up...YOU ADMITTED that you were speeding...!     

When the Police pull you over, you are technically UNDER ARREST...That means that you should SHUT-THE-FVCK-UP and not admit anything..

When they ask you if you know why they puleld you over, your answer should always be:

 " NO, Sir, I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU PULLED ME OVER"

If He asks you : "Do you know how fast you wrere doing..?"

Your answer should be: 'No Sir, I do NOT know how fast I was going."

Everything that they ask you is designed to build a case against you...everything they ask is all about getting you into incriminating yourself

You have the Right to NOT Incriminate yourself..Only YOU have the power to Give Up this RIGHT.

The Cops are tricky...you gotta be prepared.

Too late for this one, 'tho..


My advice: Ask the Court for Traffic School.

And next time, STFU

Be courteous, be nice, keep Both Hands up on top of the steering wheel until they ask you to reach for the paperwork...

but remember to STFU.

NO, I said on here, I was doing 30. I said hardly anything to the cop. HE asked me for my licesned and registration, i said "yes sir". he handed it back and said he'd be right back. Wrote ticket, said where to go, I said I was sorry about this, and said "thanks". and left. That was it.

I know for a FACT i was going 30. Yes, i was speeding. But seriously, I'm driving a freaking riced out jetta almost. If i was driving a nice DODGE DART, i bet he wouldn't even cared.

ALSO, what makes me wonder is... I didn't sign no ticket...

NO....you wrote above that you had said to the Cop that you were doing 30 yet YOU knew in your own mind that the limit was 25

Go ahead, re-read your own lines above...I highlighted your line in RED.

Even when you told the Cop you wrere doing 30, you were admitting to speeding...

That's what I meant when I said to not admit to them ANYTHING..

[NYrr496]

Was it Jim Goose?

[guzzimike]

HARRRR.....


Hey check this out..

I built a Mad MaX Kawaski..

It's a 1979 KZ1000

 

I even got the fairing in Australia. It is the same fairing that was on the Jim Goose Bike...

[mopowers]

Plus, motorcycle cops are all dickheads anyways, no news there... Same applies to highway patrolmen...

Just a quick observation- that statement sounds extremely ignorant. 

Your observation is only a reflection of my own observation, and I assure you, I am far from ignorant. In other words, you're entitled to your opinion, but I could care less.

My rationale? I have yet to meet a single one, on- or off-duty, in or out of uniform, in ANY circumstance, be it professional or unprofessional, that was not a complete ass wipe. Much different story for city cops, I may add. And I have had ample experience with both, trust me. Are there a lot of perfectly good motorcycle officers out there? Of course. Are there a lot of douchebag city cops out there? Of course. However, do I have basis for my "ignorant" comment? You're damn right.

Again, allow me to re-state that, as mentioned previously, I think the area has a lot to do with the general attitude and demeanor of the police officers that work there. My city is very different than many of the areas where the rest of you live (generalizing here, of course), so that may have a profound impact on our differing views.

So, since you've never met a motorcycle cop or highway patrolman that wasn't a "dickhead," they are all "dickheads?"  Frankly, unless you've met every single motorcycle cop and highway patr