Day has gone from bad to worst, and then this

[Frankie]

While at lunch, was going to the bank for the office.

I did a first today.

I got a speeding ticket!!!!!!!!! :new_shocked: At the age of 49, I got my very first ticket.

:

So how fast was I going,,,,,,,,,,,,30

No, no typo, that is correct. I was going 30, in a 20 and I got a ticket for $106 big ones! :new_shocked:

I have never ever had a ticket and I get a speeding ticket for going 30. I am a bundle of nerves and just beside myself.

But what bothered me most, the officer being the jackbutt that he was, also accused me of wreckless driving. Why reckless you ask,,,,,,so did I,,,,,,,,because of my speed. I was going 30 for gods sake. He did a great job of making me feel like a complete moron.

Oh, had just pulled onto this road from a 4 way stop, gone maybe 100 feet, he had no radar gun.

Just so can not believe this. I guess it will be a great story to tell me grandkids when they get older. Oh, grandma got a speeding ticket for going 30 in her days.

:

Sorry, but this is just crap.

The entire department must of needed lunch money today.

 

[Relic]

Consider yourself lucky thats all your ticket was for doing 30 in a 20 zone. l got a real heafty one plus a demerit in my old age for doing 28 in a 20 zone l more ticket and my insurance goes through the roof. And l think my husbands temper will also. :lol:

 

[minihaven]

There is no excuse for professional people to behave unprofessional!

I am sorry you were treated this way. Maybe they would feel different if it were their Grand-parent .

I am not saying they were wrong for writing a ticket but they could be nice about it!

Good grief, you were going 30 not 130!

 

[Frankie]

I agree, if I were speeding, it is his job. No question.

But to accuse me of wreckless driving and also got a lecture on safe driving why I needed tounderstand what safe driving was. I told him I am safe, I have never had a ticket and you can check that I'm sure. It would have been different if he had already checked and found me to have tickets, violations all over the place, , , but definately not the case,,,

it was my first ticket.

He said, we're done, and walked away.

No, we are not done. I will be at the court date.

Sorry for the vent, frustration.

I will defend myself somewhere, I am not wreckless.

My 26 year old daughter will not ride with me on the interstate unless I promise to drive the speed limit,,,,,I always drive 5 miles an hour, under.

My main gripe, I am very careful, conscious, and this man who has spoke with me for about 2 minutes, accuses me of being wreckless. I take insult to that, and it was personal.

Please, I was going 30,,,,,,,,get the people in the trucks going 100 with the meth labs in the back.......I'm thinking they are more dangerous.

:

 

[minimule]

I know it makes you feel like a moron. The officer could have approached it completely different. Maybe he was having a bad day and needed to take it out on someone.

Not to make light of your story but here is mine:

My husband's grandfather is 94. He got a speeding ticket last year going 40 in a 25. He was taking his 72 yr old girlfriend home and was deep in conversation and wasn't paying attention! The officer did go easy on him, considering he is still driving at that age, and only wrote him up for 15 over. Still cost him a bunch. The family joke now is that "Grandpa wasn't speeding, he was qualifing"!

 

[tuffsmom]

Similar thing happend to me, the officer was extremely rude, nearly harsh. My husband and I were driving home from Wal Mart one night, and I had just pulled up onto the freeway. Not 5 seconds later, lights were behind me. I pulled over, and the man walked up and proceeded to chew me out. He stated I was going nearly 75 in a 60. Well, I was flustered & upset (I've never had a ticket) so I gave him my license & insurance & he walked away.

Well, neither my husband or I thought I was even going 50. I had JUST pulled up onto the freeway. So, the guy came back and literally threw my license in the car, and proceeded to go through his spill with a ticket. I spoke up and said "Sir, can you show me on your radar gun that I was truly going 75?" Well, he got this enraged look on his face & turned red. And then.....he ripped the ticket off the pad & walked back to his car.

I was going no where NEAR 75!!! He was a jerk on a power trip!!!!!!!

 

[Helen]

I would assume from your post that a 20 MPH zone would have been in a residential, school, or some area where you should go slow? Possibly people have been complaining about people speeding in this area and the police have responded to the public? Sorry, speeding is considered reckless driving. I am sure there have been plenty of times that you were speeding and got away with it. We all do it. You do realize if you went to court, you basically do not have a leg to stand on, and they will add the court fees on top of your fine?

I wish the police officers received the money for the tickets they gave out, my husband would be VERY, VERY wealthy.

 

[Frankie]

I am sure there have been plenty of times that you were speeding and got away with it.

NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

You should not say what you do not know to be a fact. I DO NOT SPEED!!!!!!!!

I am 49, don't you think if I did speed I would have been caught by now?? I do not speed, sorry to dissapoint you.

Never had a ticket, never had a wreck.

I have children, always in my car,,,,,,,,,,they are why I do not speed, I value them.

I went back and checked. The speed limit is not posted,,,,,,,I was driving 30 because it is residential.

 

[Ashley]

Well obviously you do speed that you got a ticket.

I also agree be happy that is all it was.

I have one speeding ticket on my name from almost 4 years ago. I was doing 69 in a 55, it was almost $300.

 

[CKC]

I understand 100%.

I got a ticket doing 52 in a 25 last year. Now here's the problem. I try not to speed in a 25 zone. I may get to 26 or 27, but nothing over that. I try not to speed any other time, but of course, even 1 mile over is speeding. So yes I speed. But when it comes to 25 zones I DO not intentionally speed.

I was on a road I was not familiar with. I had someone tailing me that wanted me to go faster, but I wouldn't. The speed changed from 35 to 45 to 35. Then at the end it turned into 25 which I wasn't paying attention to it because I was too worried about this butt head behind me. So I come over a hill look in my rear view and the guy behind me had turned off and there sat a town cop. He pulled me over in our small town in the Giant Food shopping Center. Very embarrasing. Now he was decent. He could have given me reckless, but since it was my first speeding ticket he gave me improper driving. The ticket was $156.

Now if I had truly known I had been speeding I wouldn't have a problem with the ticket, but I felt that this was a bad place to have 25 miles an hour. If you saw where it was. There are no houses around and it's about a mile from anything. I really did think it was 45( it was a straight away). So in my logic if I were to get a ticket it should have been for 7 miles over.

I just sat politely and took my ticket. I pretty much was worried about all it all night and the next day. The good news is my insurance never went up. Thank goodness.

 

[Bluerocket]

You can go to court (see the specific date on your ticket) -- and speak with the judge -- it is POSSIBLE that he/she will lower the ticket -- or even excuse it -- since it is your first ticket -- and you can respectfully relate the experience from your perspective --- the cop should be in the court too at the time -- so keep that in mind.

Keep in mind you might have to sit there for quite a while before it is your turn.

You may find it worth it.

JJay

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Carolyn, how could he give you a ticket if he did not have a radar gun?? What did he do, guess??

 

[Minimor]

Here, we drive in kilometers/hour. If anyone is caught driving at 20 km over the posted speed limit, in addition to the fine for speeding, it's an automatic charge of reckless driving. It doesn't matter if the posted speed limit is 30 kmh, 50 kmh or 90 kmh. 20 km over is 20 km over & you get charged with reckless/dangerous driving. Now, our 20 km/hour is equal to 16 miles/hour. If your laws state that 10 mph over the limit is 'reckless driving' then it's reckless driving. It doesn't matter if you've never had a ticket before--the law is the law.

And, in a residential area the police are usually less lenient than they are in a non-populated area--that extra 10 mph can make a big difference in an area where a child could run out into the street or a pedestrian step out into the cross walk. As for it not being posted, here the towns/cities have laws that "unless otherwise posted, speed limit within city/town limits is _____ kmh". Residents are expected to know that if they are driving; non-residents should see the signs that are posted as they enter the town/city. Residential streets are generally not posted, but ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse.

Here on the highways the Mounties will often overlook anyone driving 9 or 10 km over the limit. In the city--no, they do not look the other way if they see you driving 10 km over! On the highways, 11 km over will earn a ticket.

Once upon a time I was driving through a small town--we were going to visit friends, I had my mom with me--there had been some rain & I was worrying about the road being icy by the time we went home. There's a big valley we have to drive through--I don't like the road through that valley at any time, but if it were icy I would prefer not to be on it at all, so I was thinking about that. I was still watching the road & believe that if a pedestrian had stepped out into the crosswalk I would have noticed & stopped in time, but I was not watching my speed. As I came into town the speed limit dropped from 90 to 70 to 50. When the cop pulled me over she told me I'd been doing 65 in a 50 zone. I was just sick, because I was positive that meant a big fine--15 km over the limit through a crosswalk....lady cop....I apologized nicely & said I wouldn't normally speed (& in town like that it was the truth!). She said she could tell I wasn't the sort that would...& she handed over a warning. No fine. No demerit points. Whew!! When I told our friends about it they told me I was lucky, that cop was known to be very tough on speeders. I was lucky, but ya, if she'd handed over a ticket & a citation for dangerous driving, yeah, based on speed I'd have deserved it.

You can go to court & argue, I'll be surprised if it does you any good, but I guess it's worth a try. Best of luck.

 

[Frankie]

I am going to court. For a few reasons. You may not agree with me, but the number 1 reason is his calling be a "wreckless" driver and his other suggestions of my "aggressive" speed. To go this far in my life, being careful, obey laws, and then to have all of that thrown at me for going 30. I have no idea why he felt to give me that kind of a lecture.

Ashley, there were no signs posted, I did go back and check. I chose to go 30 because it was residential.

The other things, these are small, but the ticket said, Feb. 2, and today is the 8th. He wrote the ticket for the name of the street I pulled off onto, not the street I was "speeding" on. He wrote New Castle, IL,,,,,this is New Castle, IN

He wrote blu/brow for my hair and eye color. They are both brown.

Hmmmm, maybe he was more nervous than I.

It is not about the money, yes, I know very well when I go to court he will be there.

I have already had copies of my driving record faxed to me.

Venting works!

 

[runamuk]

I am sure there have been plenty of times that you were speeding and got away with it.

NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

You should not say what you do not know to be a fact. I DO NOT SPEED!!!!!!!!

I am 49, don't you think if I did speed I would have been caught by now?? I do not speed, sorry to dissapoint you.

Never had a ticket, never had a wreck.

I have children, always in my car,,,,,,,,,,they are why I do not speed, I value them.

I went back and checked. The speed limit is not posted,,,,,,,I was driving 30 because it is residential.

OK this is all the further I got......I am another who DOES NOT SPEED EVER no tickets no wrecks really annoy the rest of the world with my law abiding driving

: ...I have some sort of freak radar and if I even start to speed I either realize it instantly or see cops everywhere I turn ( and I mean like 2mph over the posted limit)

:

:

:

: sucks being law abiding when goons are passing me in a 65 and I am ACTUALLY GOING 65

:

I am sorry one of our finest was being less than.....I had a friend who used to rate any officer who was less than professional....she once told an officer that the stain on his shirt was not proper presentation for an officer of the law paid his salary by the citizens of which she was one...he actually forgot why he pulled her over :bgrin :bgrin

: then she called his superior and complained about his blatant disregard for professionalism :new_shocked:

 

[Kim]

I am going to court. For a few reasons. You may not agree with me, but the number 1 reason is his calling be a "wreckless" driver and his other suggestions of my "aggressive" speed. To go this far in my life, being careful, obey laws, and then to have all of that thrown at me for going 30. I have no idea why he felt to give me that kind of a lecture.

Ashley, there were no signs posted, I did go back and check. I chose to go 30 because it was residential.

The other things, these are small, but the ticket said, Feb. 2, and today is the 8th. He wrote the ticket for the name of the street I pulled off onto, not the street I was "speeding" on. He wrote New Castle, IL,,,,,this is New Castle, IN

He wrote blu/brow for my hair and eye color. They are both brown.

Hmmmm, maybe he was more nervous than I.

It is not about the money, yes, I know very well when I go to court he will be there.

I have already had copies of my driving record faxed to me.

Venting works!

Frankie, it sounds from what you're saying that you may very well have no trouble getting off on this one, what with him having had no radar gun, the speed limit not having been posted, and on top of that, all the mistakes on the ticket. Check your state laws, but here, one thing that has to be proven for any offence is jurisdiction (where the offence occurred). If the cop wrote the wrong state on the ticket, then that alone should be enough to invalidate it. Make sure you gather up all of your evidence before going to court, including bringing maps of the town, if necessary, to show where you were driving and where you got pulled over. Bring your driver's license that shows your address and correct hair/eye color. Also, where were you on Feb 2? If you have some sort of proof that you were somewhere else, or otherwise occupied so that you were unable to be driving at the time written on the ticket, bring that as well. Also check that he spelled your name correctly on the ticket, as another thing that must be proven to convict you of this offence is identity, and a misspelled name can often raise reasonable doubts. Also know that there are certain things that if you argue, won't help you at all, such as whether or not a speed limit of 20 is reasonable, the way the cop acted toward you, and the fact that you have never received a ticket previously (although that last point might factor into the equation if you are found guilty--if you ask, your fine might possibly be reduced because of your clean record). Of course, please keep in mind that the above is only information, and NOT advice of any kind and is not to be relied upon--sSeek professional legal advice if you have questions!)

And I totally sympathize with you about wrongly given speeding tickets--VERY frustrating!

 

[Robin1]

Depending on how big the town/city is that you got the ticket in. There is a decent chance that the officer will not even show up. You definately want to be prepared just in case though.

Robin

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Perhaps this will help you if you decide to fight this. http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title9/ar21/ch5.html

The court is only going to deal with these issues and to argue the unfairness or unprofessionalism of the officer I can guarantee you, will be a total waste of your time and may predjudice your case. They only want the facts and that's it--no emotional outbursts or you can expect them to make it even more difficult for you. My ex was a cop and I know how they think and how the system works--you will not prevail by getting angry at them.

If I were you I would request an appt with the magistrate before pursuing court action if you don't think you have a strong case to argue. However, depending on your state, you may have to accept the magistrate's decision as final and forfeit your day in court if you go that route. Most likely you may receive a reduction in the fine and charges whether the officer shows up or not. Many times the officer won't bother to show up unless your speed was extreme or reckless which as you said wasn't. Good luck no matter how you choose to pursue this.