Got a ticket

[David Betts]

Do you think it would be to my benefit to bring a video of me launching at a
racetrack and having ZERO wheel spin as proof that my car didn't do what he
said it did?

I think you should quietly pay the fine - then move to somewhere the
police have a proper job to do and don't waste their time harassing
motorists for no reason. Glad we don't have any laws against wheelspin
in sunny Berkshire, because I drive a real Mini - not that awful BMW
thing - when I'm not in my Rex and get through a set of front tyres
every few months ;-(>.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Edward Hayes]

Pay the fine and thank the officer personelly for saving you from a more
serious dumb mistake. He may be your friend later when you do something
really really stupid.

 

[uglymoney]

Pay the fine and thank the officer personelly for saving you from a more
serious dumb mistake. He may be your friend later when you do something
really really stupid.

Yeah, thats the only reason that I am ever nice to traffic cops. They
may have to save me later. As far as thanking him for saving him,
forget that! Just be polite.

nate

 

[uglymoney]

got a ticket the other day for exhibition driving because the cop allegedly
saw me "spin out" with my 02 automatic WRX. I asked him which tires he saw
spin, and he said the front ones, just like every other import I see driving
around. Then I asked if he was sure about that since my car is AWD. He
looked at me kinda funny and said, well, I heard it, and I saw the front
tire spin. I then proceded to tell him that I have launched this car many
many times at a drag strip and never experienced any wheel spin, I asked if
maybe what he heard was my BOV, since it kinda has a "bark-psssshhhhttttt"
sound when it goes off. Again, funny look on his face. I then said, ok
give me the ticket, I'll see you in court. Blank white look on his face,
but he gives me the ticket anyway.

Do you think it would be to my benefit to bring a video of me launching at a
racetrack and having ZERO wheel spin as proof that my car didn't do what he
said it did?

Hey WRXtreme,

Traffic courts seem to be set up slightly different in every state.
In Iowa, where I live, they are bunched into a small misdemeaner
court. Here is how I mitigate the damage from unjust tickets (and
this DOES work and has worked as recently as last January).

Call the county or city attorney that is going to be in charge of
prosecuting your case. Explain the situation, and explain that you
understand the officers intentions, but that you are a good and safe
driver with a good record and do not feel the citation was completely
warranted. Then proceed to suggest that an 'alternative' to the
moving violation that involves a fine of a near equal or slightly
higher amount might be acceptable, and that you would not drag them
into court if such a change ticket order was issued.

I have received a couple of 'faulty muffler' violations in exchange
for speeding tickets in this manner. Keeps the cops from being tied
up in court over a small bit of revenue that they might lose, they
still get their money, and I keep my clean driving record.

Unfortunately I still have to pay a fine, but I think of it as a
driving tax. Every year or so I get taxed by the traxxic cops.
Thinking about it this way keeps me sane and prevents me from becoming
angry at the injustice of speed traps that are tools revenue and have
nothing whatsoever to do with traffic safety.

Good luck.

nate

 

[Richard]

Where I come from, if you just go to court they will offer you a reduced
charge in return for an immediate guilty plea. Its better than mailing it
where the charge will not be reduced . You can also plead guilty with an
explanation. Fighting it ,when the cops father is the judge, is probably not
a good idea. Who is he going to believe you or his son? Its a small town.

 

[John]

for exhibition of speed, probably pretty

substantial, with points to match.

?? You don't know how much the fine is? Wasn't it on the ticket?

 

[John]

If you live in a small town, you will

be watched closely, and sooner or later, they'll bag you

Shouldn't matter if he is truely innocent However, if this is just a ploy
to get out of the fine and insurance surcharge and the cop is correct, the
fine should be doubled for wasting everyone's time.

 

[John]

If you are correct and honestly believe you did no wrong then I would
certainly appeal the ticket. Just be prepared (as someone else mentioned)
and expect the cop to be certain when he says he saw your tire spin.
It is very possilbe that as your turning a tire did spin for a split-second
but that would not constitute "exhibition driving ". I would get photos of
the road area as soon as possible and show (hopefully) that there are no
tire marks and also get photos of the tire in question. If there are marks
you may be able to show they aren't your tire marks.
Another item to consider is to record the BOV and a tire spin and see if the
two sounds are similar. If they are, then bring that also. Beware that if
you start saying things like "when I'm at the track" and "It may sound like
the BOV" they may be inclined to make sure your car is street-legal.
Your driving record may also play into this, how is that? That may be more
of a factor with getting the ticket initially but are you a frequent flyer?

As always, if you did pop the clutch and were showing off, don't waste the
judge's time.

 

[John]

If you are correct and honestly believe you did no wrong then I would
certainly appeal the ticket. Just be prepared (as someone else mentioned)
and expect the cop to be certain when he says he saw your tire spin.
It is very possilbe that as your turning a tire did spin for a split-second
but that would not constitute "exhibition driving ". I would get photos of
the road area as soon as possible and show (hopefully) that there are no
tire marks and also get photos of the tire in question. If there are marks
you may be able to show they aren't your tire marks.
Another item to consider is to record the BOV and a tire spin and see if the
two sounds are similar. If they are, then bring that also. Beware that if
you start saying things like "when I'm at the track" and "It may sound like
the BOV" they may be inclined to make sure your car is street-legal.
Your driving record may also play into this, how is that? That may be more
of a factor with getting the ticket initially but are you a frequent flyer?

As always, if you did pop the clutch and were showing off, don't waste the
judge's time.

 

[Henry Paul]

You can plead no contest or guilty here and then have the option to go to
driving school. You pay a reduced fine and pay for the school (which is
actually HIGHER than they actual fine), but no points against your license.

 

[jimuntch]

"Just like every other import"...that really bothers me! It sounds like
he's prejudiced against any car with a Jap name...still, it sounds like you
were a bit confrontational (like me!) In Illinois, you can ask for court
supervision if you have a relatively clean driving record. That way, you
pay the fine, but your insurance company won't find out...good luck...jim

 

[CompUser]

?? You don't know how much the fine is? Wasn't it on the ticket?

It usually isn't on the cite, in most places.

 

[John]

I guess I was assuming, here in New England I know that in Mass, Maine, and
NH they take pride in telling you how much the fine is and putting it on the
ticket.
Here in MA is even if its a $20 fine, the insurance surcharge kills us for
years. You wind up paying a few hundred more over three years because of
one ticket.
Thus the backlog in traffic court.

 

[Hallraker]

got a ticket the other day for exhibition driving because the cop allegedly
saw me "spin out" with my 02 automatic WRX. I asked him which tires he saw
spin, and he said the front ones, just like every other import I see driving
around. Then I asked if he was sure about that since my car is AWD. He
looked at me kinda funny and said, well, I heard it, and I saw the front
tire spin. I then proceded to tell him that I have launched this car many
many times at a drag strip and never experienced any wheel spin, I asked if
maybe what he heard was my BOV, since it kinda has a "bark-psssshhhhttttt"
sound when it goes off. Again, funny look on his face. I then said, ok
give me the ticket, I'll see you in court. Blank white look on his face,
but he gives me the ticket anyway.

Do you think it would be to my benefit to bring a video of me launching at a
racetrack and having ZERO wheel spin as proof that my car didn't do what he
said it did?

I knew a guy once who had a really old Escort. Got pulled over in it once
and the cop claimed he was doing some unthinkable speed. I say unthinkable
because he was driving *uphill* and there was no way he could have attained
that speed from his starting point (which was at the end of a dead end
street.) Anyway, he went to court with some technical documents involving
his car's performance ability (or lack thereof) and he got a measurement of
the street somehow, I think from a map or survey of some sort. Armed with
this information, he proved in court that it was literally impossible for
his ancient Escort to have reached that speed at the point where the cop
supposedly clocked him. In fact, he hadn't even reached the speed *limit*
yet.

Sorry I don't remember any details, I heard this story a good 6-7 years ago
and haven't talked to that guy in at least 5.

-Matt

 

[Guido]

What he does at the track is irrelevant. It is not germane to the spinning
of the wheels at the time the citation was issued.

 

[uglymoney]

I knew a guy once who had a really old Escort. Got pulled over in it once
and the cop claimed he was doing some unthinkable speed. I say unthinkable
because he was driving *uphill* and there was no way he could have attained
that speed from his starting point (which was at the end of a dead end
street.) Anyway, he went to court with some technical documents involving
his car's performance ability (or lack thereof) and he got a measurement of
the street somehow, I think from a map or survey of some sort. Armed with
this information, he proved in court that it was literally impossible for
his ancient Escort to have reached that speed at the point where the cop
supposedly clocked him. In fact, he hadn't even reached the speed *limit*
yet.

Sorry I don't remember any details, I heard this story a good 6-7 years ago
and haven't talked to that guy in at least 5.

-Matt

I once had an old Ford Escort. An 86 model with a 4 speed manual and
200,000 some miles on it. Downwind downhill in a hurricane I think I
may have hit about 105 once, but the magazines rated its top end as 99
mph.

Really wasn't a bad car. Ran and ran, didn't blow a headgasket until
166,000 miles. Wish I could say that about my low mileage Subaru.

nate

 

[Brian]

Yeah, thats the only reason that I am ever nice to traffic cops. They
may have to save me later. As far as thanking him for saving him,
forget that! Just be polite.

A cop only had a chance to save me once. Unfortunately, he arrived ten
minutes after the fire truck, twelve minutes after the ambulance, and
twenty minutes after I delivered my son parked on some iceplant on CA163.

He was the first to leave too. I think he asked, "What's your name? And
your wife's?" Paperwork or something. Then he sped off to save others.
Thanks officer! Three traffic tickets worth of kharma my ass.

 

[Hallraker]

I once had an old Ford Escort. An 86 model with a 4 speed manual and
200,000 some miles on it. Downwind downhill in a hurricane I think I
may have hit about 105 once, but the magazines rated its top end as 99
mph.

Really wasn't a bad car. Ran and ran, didn't blow a headgasket until
166,000 miles. Wish I could say that about my low mileage Subaru.

Sounds like you got lucky. My Mercury blew a gasket at 66,666 miles.
Actually started happening before that, but it became undriveable as I
rolled into the Ford lot on what sounded like 1 cylinder.

I've gotten the Subaru up to 110, but nowhere near the 140 indicated on my
optimistic speedometer.

-Matt

 

[geoff_m]

You know where you were supposed to have spun up the tyres? An skid
marks on the road surface?
In my experience, you will be lucky to get out of it, not because you
are wrong, but because the courts assume the cops are honest,
infallible and never make mistakes.

 

[WRXtreme]

got a ticket the other day for exhibition driving because the cop
allegedly
saw me "spin out" with my 02 automatic WRX. I asked him which tires he
saw
spin, and he said the front ones, just like every other import I see
driving
around. Then I asked if he was sure about that since my car is AWD. He
looked at me kinda funny and said, well, I heard it, and I saw the front
tire spin. I then proceded to tell him that I have launched this car many
many times at a drag strip and never experienced any wheel spin, I asked
if
maybe what he heard was my BOV, since it kinda has a "bark-psssshhhhttttt"
sound when it goes off. Again, funny look on his face. I then said, ok
give me the ticket, I'll see you in court. Blank white look on his face,
but he gives me the ticket anyway.

Do you think it would be to my benefit to bring a video of me launching at
a
racetrack and having ZERO wheel spin as proof that my car didn't do what
he
said it did?

Ok, an update to this. I did get out of the ticket. I brought my wife with
who was a witness as well. The thing that is funny is that the judge asked
if I ever partake in any racing. I said yes, I attend sanctioned events and
am (really) a member of RASR (racers against street racing). He then asked
if I could produce any "proof" that my car is AWD. I showed him the owners
manual. Then he asked if my car was capable of spinning. I said on dirt
sure, but asphalt, not real likely and that I have video footage showing my
car running down the 1/4 mile if he would like to see what it looks like
when I take off INTENTIONALLY hard. I played the video and about 4 seconds
into my run he says "I've seen enough.....Not Guilty". I found out later he
is a big NHRA fan and also that the cop had some questionable tickets in the
past and is kind of known as a drunk who is unreliable for even showing up
to work not hung over.