YASTT (yet another speeding ticket thread) ugh what a way to ruin my day

[zixxer]

pulled over for going 57 in a 35 - in kennesaw, ga most of the 'side roads' are 45 - there are a couple of roads (particularly on my way to work) where the speed limit drops for seemingly no reason to 35.


People normally go 55-60 in the 45, and when it drops noone slows down. I ride a motorcycle and when the speed limit drops I really don't have the option of slowing down - and getting run over.



Long story short, I get pulled over. I saw him around the bend, and again, couldn't slow down (idiot lady behind me obviously not paying attention)




He lowered the ticket from 57 in a 35 down to 48 in a 35. I'm still worried about this going on my insurance. Anyone have any tips for trying and fight this? I would just pay it (as technically I WAS speeding) but imo it's a combination of safety and my insurance.


I already pay >$1300 a year for insurance on my bike. If my insurance goes up from this I may have to sell it.





EDIT:

anyone know at what point insurance companies look at tickets? Would 13mph raise my rates? I don't want to call and ask - thus 'letting them know'....

 

[zixxer]

also, there is a section of the ticket that says:

"License displayed in lieu of bail" and NO is checked. That doesn't seem right to me... anyone know?

 

[thehstrybean]

Originally posted by: zixxer
pulled over for going 57 in a 35 - in kennesaw, ga most of the 'side roads' are 45 - there are a couple of roads (particularly on my way to work) where the speed limit drops for seemingly no reason to 35.


People normally go 55-60 in the 45, and when it drops noone slows down. I ride a motorcycle and when the speed limit drops I really don't have the option of slowing down - and getting run over.



Long story short, I get pulled over. I saw him around the bend, and again, couldn't slow down (idiot lady behind me obviously not paying attention)




He lowered the ticket from 57 in a 35 down to 48 in a 35. I'm still worried about this going on my insurance. Anyone have any tips for trying and fight this? I would just pay it (as technically I WAS speeding) but imo it's a combination of safety and my insurance.


I already pay >$1300 a year for insurance on my bike. If my insurance goes up from this I may have to sell it.

Have you had a ticket before? Go see if you can take the drivers ed option and it won't go to your record or insurance...

Kennasaw? I love Kennasaw. Drive through it every time I go south torward Hilton Head or Atlanta...Great town...

 

[zixxer]

I got a ticket about 4 years ago - so I don't believe it's on my record anymore.


Kennesaw as a city is great. I think it's the most policed city in the country though

we have cobb co cops, city of kennesaw cops, cobb co sheriffs dept, kennesaw state cops (which have jurisdiction throughout the entire city), ga state patrol, and in some parts of the city marta police which also have full jurisdiction over you.



It's a revenue generating machine.

 

[thehstrybean]

Originally posted by: zixxer
I got a ticket about 4 years ago - so I don't believe it's on my record anymore.


Kennesaw as a city is great. I think it's the most policed city in the country though

we have cobb co cops, city of kennesaw cops, cobb co sheriffs dept, kennesaw state cops (which have jurisdiction throughout the entire city), ga state patrol, and in some parts of the city marta police which also have full jurisdiction over you.



It's a revenue generating machine.

Wow...I'm in Soddy Daisy, TN, and we have city cops (which have jurisdiciton in the county, somehow), state troopers (who seem to care less), and Soddy Cops (which let you do 15 over most of the time)...

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: zixxer
I already pay >$1300 a year for insurance on my bike. If my insurance goes up from this I may have to sell it.

Sounds like a good option to me.

Seriously tho, if you feel you can't slow down on your bike due to traffic maybe its not the wisest option.

Could you afford to keep a bike as a weekend vehicle and have a commuter car or something?

As far as the ticket, if you have any priors the DA might not drop it to 9 over (which TMK doesn't hit insurance). Depending on your state, you may be able to do driving school to void the ticket. Personally if its a big deal, I'd pay a lawyer a few hundred bucks and move on.

 

[zixxer]

Couple questions:

1) on the ticket is says "License displayed in lieu of bail" and the NO box is checked. Seems to me like it should be yes?


2) He got me with laser. On the ticket it says he was 498ft away. HTF could someone hit me on a motorcycle from 500ft away??? I wonder if I could argue that he must have hit a different car - don't those things work similar to a pistol in the way they aim? I'm a damn good shot and could not hit a motorcycle from 500ft away.

 

[Ulfhednar]

Tip: Don't speed.

 

[fbrdphreak]

1)

(a) Any other laws to the contrary notwithstanding, any person who is apprehended by an officer for the violation of the laws of this state or ordinances relating to: (1) traffic, including any offense under Code Section....<snip>.....in lieu of being immediately brought before the proper magistrate, recorder, or other judicial officer to enter into a formal recognizance or make direct the deposit of a proper sum of money in lieu of a recognizance ordering incarceration, may display his or her driver´s license to the apprehending officer in lieu of bail, in lieu of entering into a recognizance for his or her appearance for trial as set in the aforesaid summons, or in lieu of being incarcerated by the apprehending officer and held for further action by the appropriate judicial officer. The apprehending officer shall note the driver´s license number on the official summons. The summons duly served as provided in this Code section shall give the judicial officer jurisdiction to dispose of the matter.

(b) Upon display of the driver´s license, the apprehending officer shall release the person so charged for his or her further appearance before the proper judicial officer as required by the summons.

Yes, seems like it should've been checked, probly just missed by the officer.

2) Definitely challenge that laser ******, sounds like something is off to me.

 

[zixxer]

I'm not sure that the in lieu of bail thing can actually help me - even if he did mark it wrong




The laser thing is sketchy. I'm trying to find more info right now that I could bring with me to court. There were definetely other cars - I'm not sure if the gun has some way to 'lock on' to a vehicle or something.

 

[fbrdphreak]

If you're so worried about your insurance, why don't you get a lawyer? Few hundred bucks and you don't have to worry about it

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
If you're so worried about your insurance, why don't you get a lawyer? Few hundred bucks and you don't have to worry about it

I think I'm going to call one and see if they think this can get dropped somehow

 

[PingSpike]

You were on a motorcycle man, you should have just ran. Thats what my friend always does.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
You were on a motorcycle man, you should have just ran. Thats what my friend always does.

for one, I really didn't think I was going *that* fast.


secondly, it's not worth my life or the lives of others.