BenLee

Actually, it's my 2nd ticket in the Cayenne. This car has been bad luck for me from the start when it comes to cops. And I really mean from the start... I was pulled over for speeding when I test drove it in Sept 2003. I'm friends with the dealer so I was driving by myself - I'm sure that didn't help.

Now to the important matter at hand.

I have a V1 but was paced. The cop was hiding high up on a hill above the freeway. I slowed down as soon as I saw him. If he is using landmarks on the road to pace me, how accurate is that and can I fight it? Do they count in their heads as they're starting to drive and then estimate the speed in their heads as well while catching up to their victim?

I was pulled over for 80 in a 65 (280 N, heading toward San Francisco).

TimC.

My two cents - Since the officer does not have physical proof of the violation, it is now your word vs. his. I would plead "not guilty" to the charges and go to court. When I first got my license I was out of control on the road I have learned to value life more than the addreneline rush.
In most states they are only looking for $$$ from you and will hopefully drop the speed and points down, but maybe increase the cost. This is usually worth the time involved because of increased insurance costs from the points.

IMO...take the day off and go to court and have fun!! Its kind of interesting sitting in court and listening to the everyone elses excuses for their violations

FYI...one other thing I realized over the weekend in the Cayenne....as we all know doing 80 or more in these machines feels like your doing 50 in most other production cars. But when using the navigation doing 60 or 85 during a trip really only changes the "destination arrival time" on the display by a very small margin...I guess you need to ask yourself...is it really worth that small amount of time by driving that fast???

philg3

It's real easy to speed on 280, and the cops know it. If you decide to go to court, dress nice, and be nice. Most folks who go to traffic court have a chip on their shoulder, and are not respectful of the process or the judge. Most judges, particularly traffic court ones, bend over backwards to be fair -- particularly if you are nice. Speeding tickets are very expensive in California, and if the decision does not go your way, you will have to pay the fine plus tuition if you choose to do the traffic school thing -- which I would advise you to do. If you were speeding, which I suspect you were, pay the fine and go to traffic school to clean your record. Going to court and challenging the cop for proof will get you no where. Good luck.

TimC.

I have to agree with philg3 here....to clarify my point in my post, your not going to court to argue with anyone....your going there to show them that your a respectful citizen who was caught breaking a law and not doing something that you intentional to harm anyone.....hopefully since they don't have a reading from a radar gun they may be more easy on you. Since they are strict in CA do you think it might make sense to get a lawyer? I have heard of people in NJ getting completely off the hook and only having to pay big fines and maybe some community service.
Anyway, Good luck and let us know how it works out !!

BenLee

Thanks for everyone's advice. By the way, my last ticket (before the Cayenne)was in 1999 so it's not like I'm some maniac on the road. However, I do always drive in the fast lane and I do tend to go around and pass slow drivers in the fast lane.

I went to traffic school in Feb for the Cayenne-test drive ticket so I'm ineligible to go until middle of next year. That's why I'm thinking of going to court. I have nothing to lose but at the same time don't want to make a fool of myself.

I was actually driving with the flow of traffic (people drive really fast on 280) that day but was the chosen one at the time. There were an usually large # of cars getting pulled over that day. The cop told me they were in a training exercise.

mudman2

Wear your most dapper suit and tie, look like a lawyer, take a friend similarly dressed. Carry a brief case and a 3 inch 3 ring binder stuffed with blank paper.

The last thing the prosecutors want is to look a fool so they will ask to see you to discuss the case. Claim you were on cruise control and that other cars were overtaking you and that the cop was picking on you because of the Porsche label.

The cop will deny, you say you agree to differ, let the judge decide. He will try to scare you, stick to your guns, he will confer with the cop.

He will then make an offer, take it

not that this has ever happened to me, but it works everytime.

Moogle

the road landmarks/helicopter game is really flawed in the sense that it all depends on the reaction time of the guy clicking the timer.

alex911s

Hey Ben,

I got the same thing downtown livermore , gave me 39 on a 30, but as soon as my radar showed Ka I slowed down to 30, he followed me for more than 1 min, going 30, and pulled me over anyways. I havent gotten the mail yet, but I wanted to fight it as well. Try fighting it maybe he wont show up, then u win anyways. i havent gotten a ticket since 1997. Usually u can take traffic school, i suggest trafficschoolonline.com i think, i took me 1 hour to take the whole thing, in 1997, maybe they changed the rules, usually u can fail the quiz review your answer then take it again. Good luck, i'll let oyu know what i'll do.

Alan Smithee

If he "paced" you, he was going off of his own speedometer reading; CHP uses airplanes to obtain speed based on mile markings painted on the freeway...not landmarks...and info is radioed to ground units (this is important stuff to know if you are planning to defend yourself in a court of law). Either way, both methods are deemed accurate by the State, so unless your argument is that the officer was incorrect and/or made an error, you have no defense. It will still be your word against the officer's, and you already know who the judge will believe. Your only hope is that the officer doesn't show up.

If you're serious about fighting it, try ticketassassin.com.

Jessa

Time/distance calcs aren't a valid way of determining speed in California. Even if the aircraft times you based on mile markers, a guy on the ground must confirm it by using radar, or pacing you against his own car's speedometer.

alex911s

Hey Ben,

Just cleared my ticket. Took the trafficschool.com class. It took me 45 minutes, I highly recommend. You can have the study guide open while you take the quiz, 6 Quizzes total) and one 25 item finals(u can also have the final reviewer open) , I got a 100% hehe. Now i have no point on my record. I think you can pay your ticket then go again after 18 months to delete it off your record. Hope this helps!

Torags

Did you get caught in Redwood City where there is a rest stop? If you did, I don't think there are defensable markers to time you. since the chp is high. He would have to follow you fro 1/4mi (Ithink) for a speedo time.

BTW - you might have gotten a recruit (trainee). He might not show up.

Consider fighting it, and insist (in a nice way) you weren't going that fast. But ask the chp to explain how he decided that speed.

ozr

Pacing depends on a
1. state
2. court.

Forget your excuses about the fact, that cop has to proof pacing speed. WRONG FOCUS.
"Pacing" depends on a state traffic law and varies by state differently. In many states REALISTICALLY judge doesn't need cop proof and 90% of the time just SIMPLY takes cop side, if they see, that you are UNPROTECTED.

PROTECT yourself and your RECORD. GET a traffic violation attorney. Fight the case in court, pay money in exchange for NO POINTS violation/fine.

ALWAYS make hard for them (burocrats!..) to simply "use" you...Shield yourself with the attorney.

...just showing up with him and looking professionally will send a JUDGE a MESSAGE, that they can't just MAKE you a VICTIM in a case. Cop will have MUCH HARDER time to PROOF facts to court, if you are shielded by an attorney...

First attorney will request cops violation facts/proof full "disclosure". You'll know at this point, WHAT ACTUAL PROOF cop HAS. Then attorney may reschedule a court date couple of times for the purpose to get cop to the point of NOT SHOWING UP. But if cop still comes, proceed as described above with the attorney...

Good luck, it's a BUROCRATIC STATE MONEY COLLECTION GAME...Play it TO WIN...

kerdmann

in addition to above comments, you can get a second traffic school within less than 18 mos,
but you may have to go to court for that and its more extensive than the first - and no online.

k.

philg3

True, it's up to the judge for this post graduate course -- my wife took it years ago when she got what a call a compound ticket (rolling through a stop sign and going 35 in a 25. That was about 15 years ago, and the fine of about $350 was waived in lieu of tuition of about $75. Fines are no longer waived in California. The other interesting tidbit, at least to me, was that shortly after this incident, she got a letter from DMV congratulating her as one of the worst 2% of drivers in the state and threatened to take her license away with one more ticket. I had to read it twice because I couldn't believe the DMV would offer congratulations for such a feat.