I was driving down a very well visible side street with no trees, sidewalks or houses (30 MPH zone sadly) listening for a strange noise that coincides with the RPM in my car.
I had all of my windows down, listening and in 2nd gear speeding up. Mind you, it is COLD out…
I did not realize that on that particular day a cop was sitting on the side of the road throwing radar (in a little pull-off area not on the road). I get up to him and he turns his lights on. I knew I was speeding, so I pulled right over to explain (or so I thought)
He comes walking up, and I instantly say “good afternoon officer. I’m sorry about that, I was listening for a noise that my car is making” He cuts me off and says “62 in a 30.” and I say “What? I was only in 2nd gear” and he said “listening for a noise you need to be going 62?” and I said “officer, my windows are down and I’m sorry. I wasn’t …” cuts me off again “where is your front license plate?” …
you see where this conversation is going. He gave me the 62 in a 30, and a no license plate ticket. Bogus considering in 2nd gear at 6750 RPM my cars top speed is 58.7 MPH with my gearing. I was MAYBE going 45 MPH and nowhere near redline.
I have no points on my license. I think I am going to plead not guilty to both, and bring a gear ratio/MPH graph in to show the prosecutor. Sadly, nowhere on the tickets does it show the conversation so it is my word against his. I rarely if every speed in a 30 MPH residential zone. I was being safe by choosing a well visible street.
On the technicality that it was impossible to go 62, shouldn’t it be thrown out.
Sadly, LZ and Slopoke are right… there is no way to prove what gear I was in.
He did include a supporting D. that says “radar at 62 in a 30” so I’m sitting here shaking my head thinking “fuck, this is dumb”
I just don’t want the judge to look at me and say “twice the speed limit? WTF is wrong you with? Stupid kids…” in front of everyone. I always laugh at those people when I’m in court, and now I’m gonna be one of em? Bullshit.
I got pulled over on french by union (cheek) and wasn’t even out of 1st gear when the officer said I was doing 50. I told him thats not even safe nor possible, so he wrote me 3 more tickets for my time.
Sadly there were a lot of cars out and that was the one road that allowed me to drive slowly without impeding traffic. Just really bad luck that a cop was there watching that neighborhood at the exact same time.
I got arrested and was given 3 misdemeanors last fall taking JT76 for a test drive in my cam/stall Firebird because it left a little rubber on the road when I demonstrated the stall from a launch (I had drag radials on the car and it was on a street with no traffic what so ever)
the fucking cop didnt even witness it
well 2 months, $600 in lawyer fees and having to plead to disorderly conduct and 6 months of ACD later it was done with
so yeah if this is the worst run in you have had and will ever have consider yourself lucky
It’s not that I was speeding that I’m mad about. I knew I was speeding…
It is the speed that he accused me of that annoys me. I hate that cops are the end-all be-all of what happened, when they don’t know shit and can actually be wrong.
I’ve had plenty of tickets in my life I deserved. This double the posted limit ticket is B.S.
I deserved maybe a 45 in a 30. 50 MAYBE on a sunny day with a wind blowing up the back of my car… as I was speeding and pulled right over to get my ticket.
It is the speed that he accused me of that annoys me. I hate that cops are the end-all be-all of what happened, when they don’t know shit and can actually be wrong.
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well if you figure out how to fix that minor glitch in the legal system let me know because my solution to it isnt legal
Is it legal to video tape or record the interaction with the police officer? Would he pull out his gun if he came to the car and I had my cell phone recording video?
Step one, put your front plate on. You would be amazed how much better things will go when you get pulled over.
Look at it from a cops perspective, dealing with idiots every day. He walks up and sees the no front plate which basically says to him the driver is some prick who thinks he’s above the law, a stupidly easy law to follow no less. Not a good starting point if you’re hoping to talk your way out of a ticket.