So a cop hammered me with a huge ticket today

[Homer69]

I was driving in a 60 zone and i know for sure that i was under 85km/hr. But when he pulled me over he claimed i was goin 109, i though to myself "no way in hell i was going 50 over. I know what driving over 100km/hr feels like and i definitely was NOT at that speed. Anyway, long story short he writes up a ticket saying its reduced to only 80km in a 60 zone. He also said that if i go to trial I WILL BE CONVICTED. WTF? i will be convicted? is he trying to bully me? Once he handed me my ticket and heres teh interesting part. He also said there was also ANOTHER DRIVER speeding but i could only stop one which was obviously me. Perhaps it was he speeder to my left that was going 109km/hr? not sure what to do, i definitely feel i got bullied by the cop and i want to go to trial.
Any opinions?

 

[goodandkind]

its a corrupt system in the courts speeding ticket tough to beat most often your word against police officer and you cant win

 

[bebe]

Take your chances and go to court. I have had many friends/coworkers take the ticket court and all most have gotten the tickets thrown out all together or you plead to a lesser charge, say 10 km over.

 

[bestillmehard]

my opinion is for you to decide if it was a he or a she.....you said SHE pulled you over....HE wrote the ticket...HE said you would be found guilty

(kidding)

you have a few options...

you can pay the fine...

you can hire a "ticket buster"...usually ex cops..they will defend you in court and most only make you pay if they reduce or toss out your charge...

you can plea to the Justice of the Peace for a reduction...(cant do anything about the points)...

you can go to trial where the Judge will side with the authority (cop) 9 times out of 10...


Any more ideas Terbites?
EDIT: I should have asked if you were in the US or Canada first

 

[Homer69]

Take your chances and go to court. I have had many friends/coworkers take the ticket court and all most have gotten the tickets thrown out all together or you plead to a lesser charge, say 10 km over.

this is what i want to try to achieve in court a lesser charge 10 km over.
oh and by the way the ticket was
a reduced ticket of 80 km/hr in a 60 zone
a fine of 75 dollars

 

[crystalpalace]

just search the longe, there are many useful posts here about how to try to increase your chances of winning the ticket in court.

 

[Homer69]

Bestillmehard
i got my ticket in Markham

 

[MuffinMuncher]

Pay the damn $75 and be done with it. The time and effort that you will go through to fight this in the courts is worth more than that. The cop was wrong to lie about the 109km/hr but ultimately he gave you a ticket that reflected what you just admitted you were doing!

Don't get cute, the cost to fight this is far more than the tiny fine you got.

 

[Joe Cool]

Did he show something with your speed on it?

Modern speed traps take a photo and your speed is printed on the bottom.

No chance in hell with those.

If you did 110, your car would have been impounded on the spot.

 

[papasmerf]

EDIT: I should have asked if you were in the US or Canada first

Has to be Canada. We use statute miles here in the USA.

 

[lawyerman]

I would take this to court. It's not just the fine but there are demerit points involved as well. That's 3 points right there. That is on your driving record for two years and if you have many convictions, it might be worth his while to fight it.

 

[chrispalen]

I would take this to court. It's not just the fine but there are demerit points involved as well. That's 3 points right there. That is on your driving record for two years and if you have many convictions, it might be worth his while to fight it.

I agree you should go to court. Chances are he/she won't show up and you will get off the charge. If he/she does show up, tell the judge exactly what happened and that there was another car speeding next to your car and they got the wrong car. Tell the judge what the cop told you while writing the ticket. It becomes then the cop's job to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were the driver of the speeding car. I doubt he/she has the radar photo to prove it. Chances are good that you can beat this charge. Take this to court.

CP

 

[Malibook]

Don't get cute, the cost to fight this is far more than the tiny fine you got.

If this isn't his first ticket in the past 3 years, his insurance could go up significantly.

I think everybody should always exercise their right to full due process of the law and fight it.
Make them work for the money plus they would be so backed up that numerous charges would be dropped.

 

[lawyerman]

If this isn't his first ticket in the past 3 years, his insurance could go up significantly.

I think everybody should always exercise their right to full due process of the law and fight it.
Make them work for the money plus they would be so backed up that numerous charges would be dropped.

I thought the insurance factor was mentioned previously in this thread but that is very important. It's Sunday morning and I think I have to make some coffee. IMHO, the most important would be not driving at all.

 

[Questor]

Sorry to hear you had an encounter with one of the many bad cops out there. What a crappy attitude. There are lots of threads about taking tickets to court, including pros and cons of using ticket buster services. It sounds like you can probably get the amount of the fine reduced, but not the points. The cop will more than likely show in court and its his word against yours. How much time do you have and what is it worth per hour? Figure that out and you will know if its worth your while to go to court. For most people, you might as well just pay the fine and get on with life. And try not to speed too much.

 

[CapitalGuy]

Next time slow down. Doing over 80 in a 60 zone is not safe. You were likely in a built up area with parked cars, kids, cross traffic, all that. And now you're pissy about it and blaming the cop instead of blaming the over-entitled idiot who was driving your car. What a ridiculous line - "I know what 100km/hr feels like." Grow up.

I don't get the sense you are a safe driver, and I am happy you got a ticket. Please ensure your 3 demerit points are noted on your record, as I am sure you will accumulate more points in the near future and if all goes well, you will lose your licence and the roads will be that much safer.

And no, I am not some arrogant, preachy jerk. You are just some idiot who, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for what he did, wusses out and tries to weasel his way out of it.

Have a nice day.

 

[LordLoki]

I was driving in a 60 zone and i know for sure that i was under 85km/hr. But when he pulled me over he claimed i was goin 109, i though to myself "no way in hell i was going 50 over. I know what driving over 100km/hr feels like and i definitely was NOT at that speed. Anyway, long story short he writes up a ticket saying its reduced to only 80km in a 60 zone. He also said that if i go to trial I WILL BE CONVICTED. WTF? i will be convicted? is he trying to bully me? Once he handed me my ticket and heres teh interesting part. He also said there was also ANOTHER DRIVER speeding but i could only stop one which was obviously me. Perhaps it was he speeder to my left that was going 109km/hr? not sure what to do, i definitely feel i got bullied by the cop and i want to go to trial.
Any opinions?

Rule number 1.... look at your speedometer when you see flashing lights. Will not help in court or with the cop but at least you will not feel quite as abused.

Rule number 2.... In the last year or so cops get in trouble for not showing up for court. This rule has changed since a few years ago.

Rule number 3..... Since you will almost certainly get a small reduction on the $ of ticket in court the "Ticket Advisor" gets paid. Often more than you saved. Typically a sucker deal.

Rule number 4.... Cops can almost never get all the cars speeding when they are in a "convoy". His words almost certainly mean he could not stop the car in front of you or behind you that was also speeding and matching your speed. Hence the value of the “rocking chair” position in a convoy.

Rule number 5.... Everyone has a friends or coworkers who got off from a speeding ticket. Great stories. Talk to anyone who has sat in a court for a few days and they will give you a more realistic answer.

Rule number 6..... If you have a lot of free time and do not spending time in court for a saving of about $5 per hour spent there (had an accountant friend who calculated it when he tried). Virtually never any point reduction or insurance reduction.

Rule number 7.… Unless you have a black box on your vehicle AND you were not speeding you loose.

 

[Homer69]

thanks for your opinions guys,
I am most likely going to trial. The question now is, what do i have to lose? or whats the worse that can happen? other than me taking a day off and wasting my time.
If i am found guity, i will just be forced to pay the whole amount of the original ticket correct? which is $75. I hear that when you show up to court, before you stand trial they immediately offer you something less. is this true?

 

[james t kirk]

Next time slow down. Doing over 80 in a 60 zone is not safe. You were likely in a built up area with parked cars, kids, cross traffic, all that. And now you're pissy about it and blaming the cop instead of blaming the over-entitled idiot who was driving your car. What a ridiculous line - "I know what 100km/hr feels like." Grow up.

I don't get the sense you are a safe driver, and I am happy you got a ticket. Please ensure your 3 demerit points are noted on your record, as I am sure you will accumulate more points in the near future and if all goes well, you will lose your licence and the roads will be that much safer.

And no, I am not some arrogant, preachy jerk. You are just some idiot who, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for what he did, wusses out and tries to weasel his way out of it.

Have a nice day.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

The cop reduced your speed (I bet there's an "R" written on the ticket where the speed was penned in.)

He will have a copy of the speed record. You stated that you were neither aware of the speed limit (60), nor were you aware of the speed you were driving at. Two strikes against you.

The cop didn't just pull you over for no reason. You WERE speeding, the question is by how much. For all you know, the 60 zone started way back and you were doing 109 at that point.

Doesn't sound to me like you were NOT speeding, so the cop did you a favour. Now pay the fine like a big boy and be done with it.

The reason he told you you WILL BE CONVICTED was because he has you solid. He has your speed recorded at 109, he showed on the ticket that he already reduced the speed and the court will take all of this into account AND CONVICT YOU.

 

[LordLoki]

thanks for your opinions guys,
I am most likely going to trial. The question now is, what do i have to lose? or whats the worse that can happen? other than me taking a day off and wasting my time.
If i am found guity, i will just be forced to pay the whole amount of the original ticket correct? which is $75. I hear that when you show up to court, before you stand trial they immediately offer you something less. is this true?

Sometimes it is true. I was in court once and the judge raised it to the recorded speed. i.e. in that example it went up a LOT.

Most often it s reduced as a plea bargain by the crown. Depends mostly on how busy they are. THe entire court activity also goes onto your record.

On a $75 fine if you are lucky you might get it down to $50.


In 2008 figure average guy saves about $5.00 an hour for the time you spend there.

Ihear next year they are tightening it up.