What's best defence in fighting speeding ticket in court?
I have a court date coming up where I was clocked at 63km in a 30km zone.
I swear I couldn't be doing that fast especially since there are rumble strips and it's a hard curve on the road.
Can I raise reasonable doubt given that the radar gun could not have accurately measure speed through a curve?
I don't mind the $150 fine so much as the 3 demerit points.
Any suggestions?
I swear I couldn't be doing that fast especially since there are rumble strips and it's a hard curve on the road.
Can I raise reasonable doubt given that the radar gun could not have accurately measure speed through a curve?
I don't mind the $150 fine so much as the 3 demerit points.
Any suggestions?
Comments
The better defense is to play the idiot : i don't understand your honor, i have not the feelings to go at these speed, especially with these rumbed strips and the curve.
In an another way check if it's legal to make a control in a hard curve : it's your only chance. Ask some association of car's driver.
you could quiz the officer on the radar equipment and it's calibration
... when was it last tuned, service history of that radar, what were the baseline readings in that location, any offscale measurements (trees doing 40?)...
specific to that curve, the speed on a curve isn't the same as straight, you can test the math of the officer (but do it first yourself to see if it helps or hurts your case)
as well, intervening traffic might have confused the gun where you could claim they were actually tracking the other guy, or doppler tracking two objects and tagging you with the combined net
arguing that it couldn't have been you because your car has "stealth paint" that the guy you bought it from claims makes you 'invisible to radar' is known as the "magic beans" defence and should be used for comedy value only.
was this photo radar?
idiot #4
A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40 and a photo of his car. Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40. Several days later, he received a letter from the police that contained another picture of handcuffs.
Originally posted by pfflam
best defense is show up to court . . . in the States, the police officer has to be there, if he isn't then it will be thrown out . . . . of course its never worked for me.
worked for me... twice! once for a speeding ticket and once for an underage drinking summons
Nick
what kind of tires do you have?
what was the radius of the curve?
how much do you weigh, and was the tank full?
You may be able to prove that your car could not be able to physically go 63k around that turn, checking against the spec skidpad numbers.
Originally posted by CosmoNut
You were speeding. Pay the damn fine.
I wouldn't mind so much paying a fine when I feel it's just. If there were lives at stake or a school zone, I'd pay.
Sure I was going a bit faster than the posted limit. But this took place in an empty industrial part of town with no pedestrian traffic. The cop just had nothing better to do on a sunny day.
Sure I was going a bit faster than the posted limit. But this took place in an empty industrial part of town with no pedestrian traffic. The cop just had nothing better to do on a sunny day."
Then pay the fine, or go to court and give this impassioned excuse.
THAT I would like to see.
Originally posted by mrmister
Then pay the fine, or go to court and give this impassioned excuse.
THAT I would like to see.
What's your point? It's not a moral or righteous issue.
As originally stated is, I admit I went over the limit but not by that much. I'm asking how to question the accuracy of the radar gun.
Originally posted by CosmoNut
You were speeding. Pay the damn fine.
No kidding.
Cheers
Scott
"I wouldn't mind so much paying a fine when I feel it's just.
I hate to break it to you, but you don't get to make that decision.
If there were lives at stake or a school zone, I'd pay.
What about if there were only people you don't like in the area? Again, you don't get to make this determination.
Sure I was going a bit faster than the posted limit.
Then you admit you were speeding. Pay the fine. And when you get tired of paying the fines, you'll either stop speeding or stop driving.
But this took place in an empty industrial part of town with no pedestrian traffic.
So you're aware of every possible contingency? Of every possible pedestrian who might have been making his/her way through the area?
Pay the fine.
The cop just had nothing better to do on a sunny day."
You do not know that, and it's a naive notion of what policemen are all about. Yes, there are cops who are assholes. But by your own admission, you were speeding.
Pay the friggin' fine.
Cheers
Scott
Don't speed around curves.
Don't speed over the crest of a hill.
Don't speed past any large object that cops can hide behind.
If you manage to do that, you won't get caught.
BTW, I have heard it is NOT an automatic win if the cop doesn't show up.
If you are humble you will do better. Treat the judge with the UTMOST respect. He MIGHT reduce the fine or elminate the points. Perhaps say that the speeding was unintentional and that you have an otherwise outstanding record (not sure that's true...but only you know that). Perhaps some asllusion to how the points are going to kill you on your insurance.
Then, there is always shameless groveling.