speeding ticket

[txiko]

Hi, last Friday I got my first speeding ticket.
It was at 1am, it was raining and dark.
The policemanwrote this: 90/17 clocked and estimate and that I was driving at 90mph. I totally desagree with him( I didn't argue, I just got the ticket),
My car is a 13 years old 4 cylinders and it is almost impossible that Iwas at that speed.
I would like to fight the ticket, I have already send the ticket asking for a hearing, but I would like to know what can I do and what my chances are.
Thank you.

 

[army judge]

People rarely beat traffic tickets.

Even rarer is when they beat speeding tickets.

Texas allows you to do traffic school in most cases.

Texas also allows you to get a deferred adjudication.

In both cases, the charge goes away.

It will cost you a little money, but the charge goes away.

Ask the court clerk if you're eligible for either disposition.

Those solutions are 100% fool proof.

If the clerk says no, in most cases, you can ask the judge.

But, to do that, you'd have to appear at the appointed date and time on the citation.

 

[mightymoose]

Arguing that your car is old won't win your case.
I have been involved in pursuits with some pretty old pieces of junk that can really move when the peddle is down.
I am sure your car can easily do 90... even a 3 cylinder car can go that fast.

Your best bet here is to pay the fine and take traffic school.... however if you were more than 20 over the limit that may not be an option for you. In that case, go to court and do what you can to get it reduced to something that will allow for traffic school.

Don't expect to just get out of it though... not gonna happen.

 

[txiko]

Arguing that your car is old won't win your case.
I have been involved in pursuits with some pretty old pieces of junk that can really move when the peddle is down.
I am sure your car can easily do 90... even a 3 cylinder car can go that fast.

Your best bet here is to pay the fine and take traffic school.... however if you were more than 20 over the limit that may not be an option for you. In that case, go to court and do what you can to get it reduced to something that will allow for traffic school.

Don't expect to just get out of it though... not gonna happen.

Thank you. My point is that I was not driving 90mph not even a chance ( I don't like to speed and that is the reason why I didn't get tickets before).
If I get a reduction it helps but my insurance will go up big time. I do not know if Massachusetts allow traffic school.

 

[mightymoose]

Now that I read it again... it appears that a radar was not used. Do you know just how exactly the officer determined your speed?
It sounds as if maybe you were timed... and that might depend on the laws of your state.

If your speed was estimated then you probably could make a good argument to get it reduced... but you will not likely get out of the citation entirely.

I notice that in your information you aren't saying how fast you were actually going... which means perhaps you really don't know... which means you could have been speeding.

 

[txiko]

Now that I read it again... it appears that a radar was not used. Do you know just how exactly the officer determined your speed?
It sounds as if maybe you were timed... and that might depend on the laws of your state.

If your speed was estimated then you probably could make a good argument to get it reduced... but you will not likely get out of the citation entirely.

I notice that in your information you aren't saying how fast you were actually going... which means perhaps you really don't know... which means you could have been speeding.

Thank you for your help.
In the ticket said Clocked and Estimate. I was going with the traffic maybe at 70-75mph (speeding) but never at 90. I didn't sign the ticket that I believe is required by Massachusetts. With this info do you think
I still having a good argument? Thanks again

 

[mightymoose]

Honestly, no, you don't have a good argument. However you can ask questions as to how your speed was determined and that might help to minimize the fines.

Perhaps the officer followed behind you and paced you for a short distance?

When the time comes you will have opportunity in court to say that you were in fact driving 70-75 with other traffic and ask how the officer determined you were going 90.

I am curious also, did the officer actually tell you 90 or is that just what you are reading from the citation?

It could be a sloppy 7 with a line through it, and might look like a 9... maybe...

 

[tpajet]

Refusing to sign the citation does not void it. If that were the case, then everyone would just refuse to sign. In some states, including Florida, refusal to sign the ticket is a trip to jail. Signing the citation (at least in Florida) is not an admission of guilt. It is simply stating that you will take care of it (either pay the fine, go to court and fight it, or go to traffic school).

 

[txiko]

Refusing to sign the citation does not void it. If that were the case, then everyone would just refuse to sign. In some states, including Florida, refusal to sign the ticket is a trip to jail. Signing the citation (at least in Florida) is not an admission of guilt. It is simply stating that you will take care of it (either pay the fine, go to court and fight it, or go to traffic school).

Hi: I didn't refuse to sign the ticket I believe it is required by Massachusetts, I will try to find that law and I will posted here.

 

[mightymoose]

Your signature is only a promise to appear. If you did not sign they can still summon you to court by other means... lack of a signature won't get you out of the ticket.