Help! I need a cop.

[PierBridge]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Pay it your insurance will never no.<br /><br />I get them all the time.<br /><br />

 

[imported_Curmudgeon]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

You might to find out if your state and the opposing state have an reciprocal agreement..<br /><br />Most states are signatory to an interstate compact. As such, they report traffic activity to reciprocal states on a routine basis. You might very well hire a lawyer and have it reduced (several hundred $ later); then again, you might hire the lawyer and not have it reduced (several hundred dollars later). For sure, though, going to court will accomplish nothing if apperance isn't mandatory.

 

[mvaughn]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

I'd pay it and be done with it, not worth that much effort, after all you are guilty.<br /><br />I've ended up paying for every ticket that I deservied, spent alot of time and money trying to save points and suspensions when I was younger. Now I just send them a check, still an unpleasant feeling though, but you play, you pay, one way or another...

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Wreckless driving???? Child endangerment?????? Impounding your vehicle????? Under arrest????<br /><br />All for going over an arbitrarily picked number? <br /><br />Come on folks, is this what you want the USA to become?<br /><br />Ken

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Here all cops will show for traffic court. I have never seen anyone beat a speeding ticket here. But we do everything by the book and a little extra with our RADAR certifications, RADAR testing log, video cameras, and written reports on all speeding tickets.<br /><br />A lot of the time though if someone takes the time to appear in court the prosecution will rfeduce it. Not because of anything special, just for a dollar value. They have already spent the money and lost wages at work to appear, same as a fine isn't it?<br /><br />The issue that will come up in court is not if you were speeding or not, it will be can they prove you were. <br /><br />The excuses that there was no other traffic on the road does not work with courts, and the defense that "everyone else does it" does not work either. That fine is pretty average anymore. <br /><br />Check inbto an attorney to represent you by proxy, but it will cost more than the fine. Check with your local state and insurance to see if they are a compact state. All but about 4 are. Then check and see if you can take a driving course in your state to get the points off your license and drop your insurance rates back down. The driving class I teach allows for a 2 point credit to your license and insurance reduction. <br /><br />Then again it may not hurt your driving record or license at all.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Pay it, walk away or higher a lawyer, go to court..... It is all starting to sound like a crap shoot no matter what I do. I have been driving for 20 years and have been to court a few times. I always go and throw myself on the mercy of the court to save the points. But this time even if I have to pay for it through my insurance rate the cost of going all the way back there, stay over, trip back, work lost (I am a subcontractor)and all the extras I still may be saving in the long run just to pay it and see what happens. Maybe I will be luckier then I was 2 weeks ago.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

why do anything at all? so what if you have an outstanding warrant in Maine? are you ever planning to go back? <br /><br />But what I really want to know is: how did he clock you with radar from a moving car? If he's traveling 55 & you're coming at him at 87, won't the radar show 32 or thereabouts?

 

[RPJS]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

F_in..<br /><br />I have a solution.<br /><br />Move to England!!<br /><br />A friend of mine was on a fly/drive holiday in the US a few years back and picked up 6 tickets , he has never paid the fines, never got any points on his licence and never had his insurance increased due to it.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

"so what if you have an outstanding warrant in Maine? are you ever planning to go back?"<br /> About once a year. Have family there also. I think out of my 2 brothers and me I am the only one without warrants in Maine. <br /> As for moving to England.....and I thought our gas prices were high. I wouldn't even need a license.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

f_in,<br /><br />most of the advice you're getting here is speculation (including mine). Why wouldn't you at least call an attorney up there to see what he could do for you and at what cost? <br /><br />Shouldn't be any charge for the initial consultation, and most attorneys know exactly what kind of deal they can cut in court (as long as you didn't give the cop a hard time). If it's worthwhile hiring the attorney you wouldn't have to go back up there; like dd said, the attorney can represent you by proxy. <br /><br />Get accurate info first; whether your state shares info with Maine, the implications of doing 87 in a 65 on your liscense in your home state, what a Maine attorney would cost, & what he could do for you. DON'T call your ins co and ask them what would happen to your rates with a conviction of doing 87 in a 65 (but if you could find out that info annonymously it would be very nice to know). Then make an informed decision as to how to proceed.<br /><br />And remember, even if your states don't share info now, that could change before the statute of limitations on the infraction runs out (for a speeding ticket I think it's 3 years here in NC). <br /><br />Recently I went to renew my liscense in NC and couldn't do it because of some issues with a minor accident in VA 20 years before. Only got it dropped cause it had happened a little over 20 years ago, and 20 years is what the statute of limitations happened to be in VA for that issue.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Not only will you have a warrant in Maine, but if they are a license compact state, your license will be revoked for fail to pay in all compact states. Your priveledge to drive in Maine will definately be revoked. Then you would have to pay a re-instatement fee around $125 to get your license back, and add a misdemeanor to your record of failing to comply. Not worth it.<br /><br />The RADAR uses 2 signals. 1 to tell the patrol vehicle speed, the other to tell the closing speed of the patrol vehicle and the target. The unit then subtracts the two giving a vehicle speed. It will figure closing speed or opening speed. The newer units will give speed of vehicles in the same lane as the patrol vehicle traveling the same direction. The newest and best on the market will clock up to 4 vehicles at the same time, both same lane and opposing lanes front and rear.<br /><br />To correctly operate a RADAR unit we must check the unit accuracy once a year with electronic equipment, then at the start of each shift re-check the unit with both the internal self diagnostic program and manuialy in case the self test has failed. We test it with tuning forks, it measures the vibrations and movement of the tuning forks. Also each time we clock a vehicle, we must compare the patrol speed showing with out vehicle speedometer to verify it is working. We must periodically check our speedometer with a stopwatch to make sure it is also right. <br />To top it all off we must also check the tuning forks once a year to verify accuracy. <br /><br />While clocking a car we have to get a visual estimate of speed first. This is another verification, then we must listen for the doppler tone to show definately what the target is. <br /><br />If this is not done the judge could toss the case. Most people don't know this, most officers out of lazieness won't do this. In the end most departments won't spend the money to verify calibration of everything once a year. <br /><br />Then the officers must be certified to oeprate. The older certificates like I used to possess did not expire. Newer ones expire in 2 years. If the officer has not went baqck to 24 hours of class and re-certified every 2 years then the case could be thrown out too. <br /><br />ANyway, to answer the question yes he could tell the speed as he was moving. The RADAR units have a moving and stationary mode to do this.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

thanks, dd, i figured y'all would probably have the technology but I really was curious about it.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Who would build these things?? I hope they were one of the first ones to get popped with them.

 

[11 footer]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Geeze guys, arrested for 87 in a 65? Has that actually ever happend to anyone?<br /><br />Around here, I you don't run 75-80 your going to get run over, the the speed limits are 65, some places 55. Although other do it, I don't like to "cruse" at much over 80

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Originally posted by deputydawg:<br /> Not only will you have a warrant in Maine, but if they are a license compact state, your license will be revoked for fail to pay in all compact states. Your priveledge to drive in Maine will definately be revoked. Then you would have to pay a re-instatement fee around $125 to get your license back, and add a misdemeanor to your record of failing to comply. Not worth it.<br /><br />The RADAR uses 2 signals. 1 to tell the patrol vehicle speed, the other to tell the closing speed of the patrol vehicle and the target. The unit then subtracts the two giving a vehicle speed. It will figure closing speed or opening speed. The newer units will give speed of vehicles in the same lane as the patrol vehicle traveling the same direction. The newest and best on the market will clock up to 4 vehicles at the same time, both same lane and opposing lanes front and rear.<br /><br />To correctly operate a RADAR unit we must check the unit accuracy once a year with electronic equipment, then at the start of each shift re-check the unit with both the internal self diagnostic program and manuialy in case the self test has failed. We test it with tuning forks, it measures the vibrations and movement of the tuning forks. Also each time we clock a vehicle, we must compare the patrol speed showing with out vehicle speedometer to verify it is working. We must periodically check our speedometer with a stopwatch to make sure it is also right. <br />To top it all off we must also check the tuning forks once a year to verify accuracy. <br /><br />While clocking a car we have to get a visual estimate of speed first. This is another verification, then we must listen for the doppler tone to show definately what the target is. <br /><br />If this is not done the judge could toss the case. Most people don't know this, most officers out of lazieness won't do this. In the end most departments won't spend the money to verify calibration of everything once a year. <br /><br />Then the officers must be certified to oeprate. The older certificates like I used to possess did not expire. Newer ones expire in 2 years. If the officer has not went baqck to 24 hours of class and re-certified every 2 years then the case could be thrown out too. <br /><br />ANyway, to answer the question yes he could tell the speed as he was moving. The RADAR units have a moving and stationary mode to do this.

All that and they still clock trees speeding <br /><br />I know technology has improved since then. Thank you for the insight on how they work. By knowing this, yes someone will try to beat the system. But the rest of us will hav ea better understanding of how we got caught, and be able to accept it easier. <br />I'm glad I had started observing the "social" spee dlimit around here of 60mph on the highways. I almost never saw any patrols for years, and then all of a sudden in the last three months, EVERY trip to/from my shop I see a traffic stop along one stretch of highway. I say, good for them (the police). I was getting tired of the M-72 raceway.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

I drive through Chicago every Monday and Friday and the speed limit is like 65 maybe 70. A majority of people are going 85 and the rest 90. Especially on Friday. Almost never see anyone pulled over. That place is just creepy. As for your case, I think I would just pay the fine unless I had a little vacation planned for the week of the court appearance.<br /><br />Otherwise call a local lawyer and see what he say's about your chances. Each area has it's own customs when it comes to these types of violation. In calipornia they have to show you the radar gun if you request it. Why, I don't really know.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

The clocking trees was a news ploy back in the early 80's. It was proven to be false. What they did was as they filmed the RADAR aimed at a tree, they keyed up a CB radio. The numbers they got were from RFI (radio frequency interferance). Now cell phones will do it too. BUT the new systems have a filter and will blank out the system if RFI comes into play. The only cell phones that effect is the ones that are within 5 feet of the RADAR antenna, so it is usually not a problem.<br /><br />Also if an officer is operating RADAR in stationary mode, with the heater or air conditioner fan on, the unit will catch the reflection of the fan blades off of the windshiels and closk the fan. Just FYI car fans run at 36mph. BUT the system will not give a doppler tone so when operated correctly that will not be used as a correct speed.<br /><br />Places along the highways that have a lot of reflectors in a row will give a speed reading too if there is no other traffic. The RADAR signal or radio waves will bounce off of the reflectors and clock the patrol car. <br /><br />The manufacturers of the RADAR unit have taken all of the arguements against the systems and designed around them. It can get as simple as RFI to as technical as the co-seign effect. All of which will actually give a lower speed reading that the actual speed of the vehicle.<br />Beating a RADAR ticket is easy if the officer can not prove they have done everything properly.<br /><br />Even with all of the advances over the years I have seen cars that I estimated at around 50mph, clocked by RADAR at over 75. It was obvious that the target vehicle was NOT going 75, so I did not stop them. That is the proper operation.<br /><br />By the way, the same guy that thought up the RADAR unit for speed measure, was also the guy that thought up the RADAR detector. He is the only one who profits here.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

Forgot to add....I have some pictures I would like to post here, but they are way way way too graphic for this site. ANy site for that matter.<br /><br />At 4:30 Saturday morning I had the un-beatable oppurtunity of scraping a 39 year old woman off of the road. The cause....speeding!<br /><br />She rolled and flipped end for end and was ejected. <br /><br />I don't have blood tests back, but think she was drunk and no seatbelts. Seatbelts would have definately saved her life. The high speed caused her to roll so far and hard. She skidded a long long ways before hitting the ditch, skidded across the corner of a field and hit an intersecting road then rolled. Nobody else was on the road at that time, an empty road so why go the speed limit I guess.<br /><br />The booze probably caused her to run off the road, and the seatbelt assisted in her death, but the speed was what caused the violent rollover after over 500 feet of skid.<br /><br />Then my day was really brightened when I got to go tell her 15 year old son. <br /><br />So if anyone is wondering why we cops get so "out of line and petty" with traffic violations, or over use our authority on traffic cases, I might think about sending these pictures.<br /><br />Not to be complaining or crabbing too much, but for a few weeks I will probably be a little sensative to some issues.

 

[QC]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

DD,<br /><br />Wow! What a bummer. Wish you could send those pics to my 17 year old and some of his friends . . .<br /><br />We were boating at Lake Havasu for the weekend about three weeks ago (actually a trip for his birthday). They were on their way home in a separate car and got pulled over in Arizona. I got a call from him while they were being pulled over. Then I got to speak to the cop; 92 in a 55!!!!! There were 6 of them in a four door Tundra. A kid named Jesse was driving. They also had unopened beer in the back of the truck!! None of them were or had recently been drinking, we think they were sneaking beers at the hotel where we stayed and that is basically what they have told us. I personally was with them about a 1/2 hour before and there were no empties inside the truck. Anyway, the cop told me that he couldn't let them keep the beer (not sure why he thought I might want them to?) and that Jesse could not drive in AZ for the rest of the day (I thought this was OK too . . .). He only asked if I would approve his release of them back to the road with a different driver? Seemed kinda strange as I was on a cellphone about a 100 miles away (we took a different route) and I could've been anybody.<br /><br />Nobody went to Jail, and the only one in trouble with the law is Jesse. All of them are in big trouble with their parents. I keep reminding my kid about all of the bad things that coulda happened and verbally beating him up over "letting" Jesse drive that fast and the beer etc. etc. etc. We also feel very lucky as we have buried our share of teenagers in our little corner of L.A. You'd think this stuff would sink in just a little . . .

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Help! I need a cop.

It should sink in, but I remember back in my days. Even now I love to hammer down and let it run, but I know what could happen. I have had my fair share of traffic tickets, all of them earned. The 1 and only time I tried to tell my parents that the cops were getting too picky, or they were after me or any of the other B.S. excuses and whining complaints people including "adults" have for officers, dad knocked me on my rear hard. That taught me to show respect and take personal responsibility for my actions.<br />Didn't stop me from driving like an idiot, but at least I was respectful as they hauled me in to call mom and dad.<br /><br />I wish I could set up a class and show all of my nasty pictures, but it would only have an effect on maybe 1/2 of a percent of the people. After all "that will never happen to me, I am a better driver". I myself have used that before.