This tactic below of police-following-you instead of using radar seems
to happen more frequently nowadays. Thank goodness we use the Tim Byars
approach to avoiding trouble if alcohol is involved:
http://xent.ics.uci.edu/FoRK-archive/mar98/0172.html
I myself got a speeding ticket January in King City (NEVER I REPEAT
NEVER SPEED THROGUH KING CITY CALIFORNIA) and forfeited my $24 bail for
traffic school because the King City judge refused. So now I have extra
points on my license and my insurance company is ripping me a new
orifice. I should have paid more attention at
when I had the chance. Never speed through King City, CA. No matter
how badly you want to get through it.
> From khare@cco.caltech.edu Thu May 5 18:01:46 1994
> To: taijing@cco.caltech.edu, adam@vlsi.cs.caltech.edu, sonny@cco.caltech.edu
> Subject: Re: Speeding Ticket
> X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #4 (NOV)
>
> I am also in a similar situation. I was ticketed as 67 in 25 (he tailed me
> in a 40mph zone and then ticketed me 2 blocks into a 25).
>
> As it stands, I have to pay the fine ($100 + 170% in fees) + $24 + school.
>
> I *cannot* believe that I was anywhere near 67 at the time -- it's not
> physically possible. The officer was having a very bad day -- he even put
> the +/- 2mph error against my favor.
>
> HOWEVER, I don't think there's anything I can do without risking points.
> Here, I pay $300, and there are no consequences (iff no more tickets for
> 18 mos). I want to argue, in the name of justice, that at least it should
> be 67 in 40 , but my understanding of the fine schedule is that 27 mph over
> is the same fine as 42 mph over -- $270. So, why bother?
>
> Same for you -- the court *will* convict you if you protest, and even
> if the judge believes you, he won't beleive a 41 mph error, and you
> pay the same fine unless it gets reduced below 80mph. And, you lose
> your right to traffic school to mask the points.
>
> Rohit Khare
> khare@cco
>
> PS. mine is in Alhambra court -- yours?
> PPS. let me know what you hear about traffic schools.
>
> In rec.autos.driving you write:
>
> Now it is my turn to have a ticket. Sigh.
>
> I have two questions:
>
>1. The police said that I was driving at 96(!) on a 55mph limit high way. All
> the passengers in my car and I think that number is too much an
> exaggeration. I asked the police how he came up with that number, he said
> that he did not have his radar on, but he followed me half a mile(? I did
> not see him in the rear mirror), and the number was the reading from his
> speedometer.
> I was speeding, and I should pay for that. But 96 is way off. Is there a
> way that I can fight the ticket? In other words, who will the judge
> believe? The police or me with the passengers in my car?
>2. The notice from the court says that if I pay $24 in addition to my
> bail, they will send me info about driving schools, and if I take
> classes there, the violation will not be reported to DMV.
> Is this $24 part of the tuition for the driving school or just
> processing fee? If the latter, is there any other way I can find an
> authorized driving school?
>
>Your reply is greatly appreciated.
----
adam@cs.caltech.edu
...by the end of the day I was convinced that the public consisted
entirely of raging idiots. (This is the fundamental underlying
assumption of journalism.)
-- Dave Barry