slapshot

Ok gang, those of you who know me, know my love of the Malibu canyons. Well, I just wanted everyone to know that at the first "lookout", top of Las Flores and Schueern sat a contingent of CHP patrol cruisers and another fine gentleman on a motorcycle. In the straight, just before you make the lookout hairpin, he says he did a visual on me from above, noting, "You were going at least 55." I kept saying "No way, it is the supercups, I like to hear them scream, in low gear". Then he said, "Ok, let's just say you were going approx 50 in a 40, and I am being really generous." I still say I was going 40.

My ticket had the V.C # for "No License Plate" violation and a handwritten, "Advised of speed but no V.C. Violation # with my speed noted as 50 mph in the "Approx. Speed" box. Strange he only wrote "Advised of Speed" vs. putting in the actual code number.

So . . . if you go up in the canyons this month, please be aware your speed/presence is being monitored.

And . . . without pacing me, without radar or any calculations (as in you took X seconds to go from telephone pole X to pole Y), how can the patrol officer make a speed guestimate stick. His word against mine? He could have said I was doing 90, no? By viture of the fact that one is CHP (highway patrol) and I am a male with a black Porsche Carera which screams speed (literally) does the judge simply throw the book at me? Can a person with a trained eye really visually pace a single autombile on a 100 yard straight but partially obscured road and get an accurate speed that will hold up in court?

What do you guys think?

And this after a successful weekend DIY oil change, fuel filter, air filter, pollen filster and SAI check valve changes.

pedsurg

Sorry bout the tix and good luck fighting "the man". Fight, drag it out, don't give them the easy money., cause it's allways about the money. That said, could you elaborate on "sai valve changes" on a new thread??
TIA

Jack

Tonydec

Hmmmm, from your description sounds like you received a "verbal warning" for the speed, but the officer placed it on the citation for the judge to see, i.e. "You already got a break," so full boat on the plate violation. It still is a break as in most jurisdictions the plate is not a moving violation as the speed would be.

993polarsilver

No front plate used to be a "fix-it" ticket. The law might have changed, but the last time that happened to me I just had to put the plate on the car and take it to the local CHP office for an inspection. They signed off, I paid a small admin type fee and that was it. No points, no record.

Sounds like they didn't cite you for speed, so you might have sqeaked by on this on. Thanks for the heads up, I have also noticed a real uptick in traffic ops by local motor cops and CHP lately. Their coffers must need toping up...

slapshot

Interesting observation. Thanks. I was thinking (desperately hoping - what I intimated to wifey) that might be the case as there is a specific code violation 22357 for what I was accused of doing which I would think would have been listed on the violation also vs. a hand written "Advised of speed."

The motor officer kept trying to get me to crack up stating "come on sir, you're up here all the time, you know these tight turns, the track like feel, and that's why I'm here, so you don't exceed the limits of these roads and get into trouble", as all along I am explaining to him how this car could not possibly exceed 40 mph on these twists without the rear end swinging around. "Not a chance officer." Officer: "Nah sir, no, that is why you have those wide back tires. Don't try to kid me now."

Either way, I will know in a few weeks one way or another and until then I keep up "wishful thinking".

Jack ...please check your PM. In short, "Go for it!"

Bull

Second best reason to not display the front plate (looks being #1). In my area, it often gets a warning for speeding while they write the $47, no points/no record ticket for the plate.

pedsurg

Tnanks, I think I will.

aaronutk

I have heard, from an officer here in TN, that he was required to guess a vehicle's speed within +/-5MPH during his radar training. I don't know if they are the same out there, but I'd bet most (good) officers running radar are pretty good at judging speeds.

obchuck

I got a "no license plate" ticket while my car was parked in Palo Alto, Ca. Apparently they have nothing better to do (go figure in Palo Alto) than walk around and ticket cars for whatever. I hear they give Jaywalking tickets too - seriously. Anyway, was lazy and waited and then went to get new plates. Went to put them on and found the "Euro"??? alignment of the plate holes. I'm sure there's a conversion holder to US screw specs but I just said screw it and paid the $100 ($75 but I was lazy in paying). Damn the Man!!!

fbfisher

No VC# = no violation.

Opinion of the court is that officers are trained professionals capable of making such judgments.

The plate violation process may vary based on the law enforcement agency. Last one I got for that was while parked at LAX. Sent the $25 fine in the envelope provided. No proof or expectation of remounting the front plate.

Thanks for the heads up, my quess is that they are really after the crotch rockets

FGL28

It looks like you might have dodged a bullit. As I understand it they have to give the VC number of the law you broke. You are doing what they want; telling all of your friends that they should not speed in the canyon. So keep it cool for awhile.

slapshot

Therein lies the query: Can CHP Officer Friendly (who was actually very cool in his own omnicient way) merely "guess" at my speed as he did and bring that guess to court when I ask for a hearing and challenge him on it which I will (no radar or pacing was used) or must he have some concrete identifiable manner of determining speed other than his Sunday afternoon visual "approximation" skills? A pure visual would seem highly subjective no matter how accurate one "could be" on any given day. Probably a California V.C. specific question. But, that truly is the question.

Air Kuul TT

Christian,

Sorry to hear you got interrupted while strolling through the canyons this morning. Were you running by yourself? Best of luck and let us know... I'm thinking that you just got a warning

Fred,

I got the same citation while parking in one of the terminal at LAX. However the ticket didn't exist in the system when I tried to pay for i online... that was 2 years ago.

fbfisher

Answer: Yes he can and will (if he shows up), and the judge will consider his opinion as expert testimony. Lacking any evidence that he was 1) wrong 2) not really an expert capable of making this judgment = you lose.

Trial by declaration would be the first step in the process though. Get him to respond to your claim in writting. If he does not respond, "not guilty"

But don't sweat it, you weren't site for speed. You got off because you are a guy driving a really nice Porsche as intended, but not in a way that was reckless or posing a danger to others. Recklessness would have resulted in a less friendly encounter.

slapshot

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I will let all know if the wallet screams loudly or softly! Hopefully you are right, plate violation and good press that the canyons are not the place for spirited summer driving. Sure as heck put a damper on my Sunday running.

They probably had the crusiers to cart off those crotch rocket drivers who are unlicensed. Which they sometimes do.

BTW FF, been quite a while since we have had a run. Hope you are doing great this summer!

Hi T! Running alone!