Jump to content

Screwed, and I'm under 18


El Karacho1647545492

Recommended Posts

Last night (friday) myself and 3 friends were on our way to Mitch Hedberg on 270N right before Hamilton. As I swerved into the left lane to avoid someone cutting me off from the right lane, a Franklin Co. Sheriff turned on his headlights + spotlight. Thinking it was high beams from oncoming traffic, I was completely blinded and hit the brakes and went back to the right (I had to go back home to get something). As I got over to the exit ramp, the cop flicks on his flashers and pulls me over. Apparently I was doing 80 in the 65. I exercised my right to see the radar, and he showed me how the tracker works etc. (It is one that is dash-mounted and monitors speed from all cars).

There are a couple problems with this ticket that I recieved. First of all, my dad's 530 (the car that I was driving at the time) has a speed warning that he has set to emit a loud "PING" if speeds reach 80 MPH. This PING was never emitted. Secondly, the cop said that when he locked onto my car, the speed supposedly only dropped to 78 MPH. There is no way this happened, because I slammed on the brakes when I was blinded by the lights.

 

I am fighting this ticket because I've generally been a VERY cautious driver since my first ticket in July. I have a few questions

 

Will this argument stand up in court if I have a signed statement of all 4 people in the car, including myself?

 

Is there any inherent flaw in the tracking system of the particular speed tracking device, and would it contribute to a flaw in my ticketing?

 

On a related subject, could this tracking device possibly track another vehicle then mistake me for that vehicle?

 

 

EDIT: Disregard the comment in my sig, this is for real.

 

EDIT: Read the end

 

[ 31. January 2005, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: 10xworse ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Avenger:

It sounds like he got you BEFORE he turned his lights on. Why would he fire up the flashers if he hadn't gotten you already? You were zapped before you even hit the brakes.

I explained already though, if I had been going 80 (which his radar said) the speed sensor in the car would have let me know with the warning sound.

 

Regardless, I was in the middle lane in moderate traffic, and then swerved in the left lane to avoid an accident, THEN he put on his spotlight and headlamps, but no flashers. There was a car ahead of me before anyone cut me off, and I know I wasn't doing 80 in moderate traffic in the middle lane, because people were passing me on the left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the lawyer I had for my accident got alot of charges dropped and got my suspension cut from almost 3yrs to 6months he is a very expensive guy

 

Koltak & Gibson, L.L.P

5 East Long Street Suite 100

Columbus Ohio 43215

Phone # (614) 221-7381

 

Peter Gibson handled my mess very nice guy will work with what you got

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by 10xworse:

I explained already though, if I had been going 80 (which his radar said) the speed sensor in the car would have let me know with the warning sound.

that's assuming the car's speedometer is 100% accurate...

 

it's your word against his. i wouldn't expect to get off...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see how he could have gotten me though, because I was in the middle of traffic with cars almost surrounding me, and cars passing me, so I definitely wasn't doing 80. Also, I braked more than he said I did (aka, he thought I was doing 78 after he clocked me, leading me to believe that his tracking was incorrect)

 

I'm just wondering if it is possible that the equipment messed up. Does that stuff have any major flaws?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by 10xworse:

Does that stuff have any major flaws?

no, not really. it doesn't sound like you were too sure of your speed though if you were relying on that buzzer. he probably clocked you long before you saw him...

 

how old was the cop? from what i understand, it takes quite a bit of training and practice to operate radar properly. if you take it to court, the prosecutor will more than likely have the officer describe his training for the judge, as well as the schedule and procedure for calibrating the gun. unless he slips up, you're probably toast. just be adament that you weren't speeding. i wouldn't bring up swerving to avoid that other car unless they ask you about it.

 

with a prior ticket, i'm not sure how much a laywer is going to be able to help you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by StreetRacer434:

the lawyer I had for my accident got alot of charges dropped and got my suspension cut from almost 3yrs to 6months he is a very expensive guy

 

Koltak & Gibson, L.L.P

5 East Long Street Suite 100

Columbus Ohio 43215

Phone # (614) 221-7381

 

Peter Gibson handled my mess very nice guy will work with what you got

Thanks for the info!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Crankshaft
Originally posted by 10xworse:

 

I'm just wondering if it is possible that the equipment messed up. Does that stuff have any major flaws?

<font color ="midnightblue"> I remember reading somewhere, perhaps from something someone posted here on CR, that the radar guns today are really inacurrate, that they miss by some varying degree the majority of the time. But, the state governments don't change them because they bring in a large amount of revenue.

 

I don't know how much credibility this article had, or even where it was from. I just vaguely remember reading it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Folkvang:

<font color ="midnightblue"> I remember reading somewhere, perhaps from something someone posted here on CR, that the radar guns today are really inacurrate, that they miss by some varying degree the majority of the time. But, the state governments don't change them because they bring in a large amount of revenue.

 

I don't know how much credibility this article had, or even where it was from. I just vaguely remember reading it.

Never heard that.

 

Every car I have ever radar'd has a spedometer that is 3-5 mph optimistic.

 

But being under 18, your screwed. Sorry. Attorney will run you ~750 per the ticket.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright so i'm accepting the fact that I'm screwed, even though I don't believe for a minute I was speeding.

 

I'll pay the damn ticket and even lawyer costs, but I need to keep SOME driving privileges because I can't lose my job. I may be a damn yuppie, but I am pretty self-reliant as far as money goes. Any suggestions on how to get provisional driving? I know my ex was able to do it for school and work, because like me both her parents work and are unable to drive her every day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...