I have heard rumors that if a police officer is parked on the side of the freeway at night (using his radar gun or waiting for speeders or something of that sort), That he has to have his parking lights turned on so you can see him. Is this true? If so, does this apply to motorcycle cops as well?

TIA

-Ted

 

no it is not true

it is a rumor that they have to sit there with their parking lights on.

 

but couldnt that be considered entrapment? which IS illegal.


just wondering

-Ted

 

Not in california. Some states force this, but not here. That was something I liked when I was stationed in CT. If they were stopped they had to be in plain view and at night they had to have the red and blue lights on(not the strobes). Never got a ticket in 6 years and was driving a 280zx with a chevy 350 and a blower. First ticket back here in Cali was at dusk. I was driving along and all of a sudden three people come out from behind some bushes and block traffic motioning towards the side street, I got closer and noticed they were cops. I did as I was told and turned down the street and there was 5 cruisers and 2 bikes with 4 other people getting tickets.... These jerks were hiding behind a bush tagging people. They wrote me a ticket for 51 in a 45 I just took the class and chalked one up for sneaky fockers.

 

thats ****ed up....sorry to hear that.....Thanks for the info though.....


ok, so my next question is.....

I got a speeding ticket tonight, (This is the FIRST moving Violation of any kind I have EVER gotten since I got my DL when I was 17.....and I am 28 now)......


The cop wrote me up for 85 in a 65.....my speedo said I was going 80....I'm not trying to pass off the blame....yea I was speeding but I WASN'T going 85!

SO what is this gonna do to my insurance? OR can I take traffic school and have the point removed from my record? Can I contest it, that I was not going 85? Or go to court? Also, how much is this ticket gonna cost me? Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the input.

I am so pissed off about this....I KNEW I should NOT have left the house tonight....I was already having a ****ty *** day....that should have been a sign. DAMMIT!

GRRRRR

-Ted

 

go to traffic school and it won't go on your record. good luck trying to contest it.

my guess is it will cost at least $10 per 1 mph over the speed limit + the cost of traffic school which should be around $25-30.

 

U can try to fight it, or pay the fine which should not be too much since this is ur first ticket, and go to school...Try online traffic school, last time I spent only 3 1/2 hours gettin it done ..not the 8 hours they make u take if u go in person.

 

I would highly suggest AGAINST fighting it.

If you fight and loose you are NOT eligible for traffic school.

Plead guilty and go to traffic school...it will stay off your record.

 

damn, ted, that sux! i missed my goal of no ticket during my 1st two years of wrx ownership by 33 days!

how the hell do you drive for 11 years & have this be your 1st moving violation? you are one stealthy s.o.b. [ala john tuturro in mr. deeds]So Sneaky![/ala john tuturro in mr. deeds]

btw, i'll try to swing by for a bit bdg this week. i haven't been by for over a month now. i should be back fr: my day trip of riding @sierra by then.

i can find out the answer for sure fr: my brother-in-law. he's a CHPig(heh heh).

 

You can try www.ticketassasin.com but I have a question, how did he clock you at 85? Was he following you? Did he get you on radar? Plane? Timing you between two points?

In CA (per DMV 40801 and 40802) he must either pace you OR get you on the radar. If all they use is the plane or if he times you between two points this is called a speed trap and isn't admissible in court, but they will write you a ticket for it.

 

Entrapment requires that they effectivly encourage you to do something illegal. His sitting on the road w/ lights off does not encourage you to speed.

 

That is not always true. The law says that traffic school is up to the discretion of the judge. (CVC 42005) When people go to court they often ask for traffic school if they lose, and often get it. My guess is that when its a he-said-she-said but there are obviously some fishy but not exhonerating circumstances, the judge will be mecriful. The drivers handbooks and court officers do not preach this because they don't want to waste their time and money on your $250 ticket - so it keeps the mindless drones from fighting tickets and the money machine going. Either way though, traffic school only covers points, it never covers fines. You always gotta pay.

However, if you were driving a commercial vehicle or committed a "serious offense" as described in 15210, you're right.


jason

 

it encourages me

jason

 

I totally agree... just go to traffic school. hometrafficschool.com I generally complete it in 45-90 minutes.

I fought a ticket, lost and went to traffic school..... although it is VERY likely that you will not be permitted to attend traffic school, it is possible that you will.

 

Traffic school guidelines suggest that Judges not allow it for speed violations >15 over the limit or 80 max (so only 10 over in 70 zones).

As Jason pointed out, it is ultimately at the Judges discretion, so I'd be sticking to your story that you really did not think you were going over 80. Plead guilty to 85 and the judge has every right to deny you traffic school -and for that, insurance will screw you.