beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
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posted October 01, 2002 10:16 PM
Got a ticket today for absolutely nothing....
I gotta vent, tell my story, anyone feel free to chime in...
Was riding through Spokane today with another friend, I'm on my 12, and he is on his new R6. We were cruising along and we passed two state troopers at the median on our way to Beaudrys in Post Falls. I made a mental note of the mile marker so I would remember where the cops were at.
So were driving back through Spokane heading toward Cheney where we have classes, and my friend cracks hard on his moto and as we approached the mile marker I remembered, I dropped my bike down below the speed limit and stayed in the far right hand lane. I was seriously cruising at 57-58 in a 60 while my friend was pulling away at around 80 and was about 10 car lengths ahead of me.
So he zooms by the cops, the cops see us, start to pull out, realized they probably couldnt catch him and of course since I'm so far behind I'm approaching where the cops were at and they go ahead and pull me over.
I told them I was going 57 to 58 and it was my friend who was in a hurry, obviously so far ahead of me as I was lagging behind. The state trooper never radared, and when I asked him, the trooper told me he "had no idea how fast I was going." No radar, nothing.
So he cited me with not a speeding ticket, even left the speed and zone speed blank on the ticket, but cited me with "SPEED OVER LEGAL" and that was that.
I'm not going to lie, I have probably 26+ tickets on my record, I'm 24, and if I get this ticket, I lose my liscense for at least one year in WA state. I have everything to lose here and I seriously wasnt speeding. What do I do? This ticket cannot stick. And I can hardly afford a lawyer at this point because I just spent over $700 this last week on a new Vanson jacket, armor, and liner so I'm back to broke in the ole Savings account.
Grrr.....not good....
   
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ZHooligan
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posted October 01, 2002 11:40 PM
 Edited By: ZHooligan on 2 Oct 2002 00:41
Check the yellow pages for attorney(s). See if there are any listed as speeding ticket specialists. Make an appointment with one or two asap to talk with them.
The lawyers that I have used a number of times here on this side of the mountains litterally smoke the tickets. You don't even have to show up in court. They handle it completely. Even took care of some for Swft! I got nailed coming home from Pullman about three years ago (apple cup) and had to go to court in Euphrata. Hired a local Attorney for $250 and had to make a $125 donation to the police officer's food bank. You picked up a lame ticket that a reasonable attorney should be able to snuff. You end up paying an attorney but you don't hose your insurance.
This should cost you $250 or less to handle.
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To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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12RPilot
Pro
Posts: 1094
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posted October 01, 2002 11:43 PM
Wow. I wish I had an answer for you. You would like to think this can't happen in America. I hope the judge has a lick o' sense. I gotta say though: impressive driving record, Dude!!!
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ZHooligan
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posted October 01, 2002 11:51 PM
I would of course denie this in some circles but my driving record over the past five years has seen a need for these services in the zone of uum.... 50 or so times.....
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To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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moodybluezx12r
Expert Class
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posted October 02, 2002 12:50 AM
Edited By: moodybluezx12r on 2 Oct 2002 01:51
damn..you got the shaft..same situation occured with me a year ago..now i RUN 
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Raleigh, NC
Ride it! Like You Stole It!
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Hawkman
Zone Head
Posts: 747
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posted October 02, 2002 08:36 AM
Can't you check the box saying you didn't do it? Or did WA change since I was there? I used to take almost all of my tickets to court. Dispute that ticket and the officer has to show up. While you're in there, ADAMANTLY deny to the judge that you did that. Tell them the whole story and I'm sure you'll get off. No proof that you were speeding.
Good luck!
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ZHooligan
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posted October 02, 2002 08:40 AM
The only problem with trusting your wits and the judge is beans age and current driving record would not be helpful. We are not talking about fairness here, we are talking about a young motorcycle rider. Geta lawyer.
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To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
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posted October 02, 2002 08:42 AM
dude,
you have two options.
1) write a really good letter and give it to the district attorney and see what they say. they might plea bargain it down for you to something simple like not signaling or something.
2) when that doesnt work, ask the richest person you know to ask THEIR lawyer to find the best traffic lawyer in the state for you.
thats it, i have done both on multiple occasions and i have never lost doing it this way.
via con dios mi hermano,
jason
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chance
Parking Attendant
Posts: 17
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posted October 02, 2002 10:47 AM
Well I have had this happen to me too many times, but I always win. Usually without even needing a lawyer. But 1 time I was not so lucky, but good thing I did not have my tags on. I never stop anymore they waste my time. But I always let them know I want stop, so they don't try! Here is why:
Chance
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ZHooligan
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posted October 02, 2002 10:56 AM
In Washington State it is called felony flight. Go to jail etc. The State Patrol prides itself in running bikes down and are not afraid to provide you a bump or nudge onto the pavement.
And yes it is possible to escape and no it is not easy to remove a felony from your record and felonies don't go well in job interviews and security clearances.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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sliptones629
Parking Attendant
Posts: 3
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posted October 02, 2002 12:14 PM
Ok, something similar happened to me a little while back in jan. I dont know if its different in WA than MD but this is what i did. I got a lawyer and he basically told me that the ticket was BS. They just use it for when they have nothing else to go on. The ticket I got was for "speed greater than reasonable and prudent on a highway". It helps if you remember what the cop looks like too. We went to court and the cop was there. My lawyer and i left and did not show up. he had me go back the next day to the court house and tell them i wanted to "post the fine for a new trial" i posted the $65 or whatever it was. Got a new date and when we went again the cop wasnt there and it was dismissed. I was told i is usually like that. I hope this helps you. Last thing we need is someone else w/o a license. Im still tring to get mine back after 8 months. Good luck
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kawachan
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted October 03, 2002 09:26 AM
Yeah, heck with them cops!! SOB gave me a 109 in a 45 last week and I was slowing down for him, too!!
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beansbaxter
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posted October 03, 2002 09:52 AM
I know the retired sherrif up there in Bellingham, WA, and I spoke to him about the matter.
He said go down to Spokane's courthouse and check to see when they filed the ticket. If they filed the ticket more then 3 days after the incident, then the charge cannot stick.
He said get a copy of what the state trooper wrote on the back of the issuing ticket, his report on the matter.
He said subpoena the state trooper, because 9 times out of 10, the state troopers wont show up in court because they cant afford the overtime. If the trooper doesnt show up, then of course I'm off the hook there.
He said I need to run a clean shave, through on that Men's Wearhouse suit, get a haircut, and tell the judge the honest story, and no lawyer is needed.
He said no can of worms is opened up if he does show up, just tell the judge that the officer verbally told me he didnt know how fast I was going. But I did a little research on the RCW code number that was written on the ticket, and it comes up as:
http://search.leg.wa.gov/wslrcw/RCW%20%2046%20%20TITLE/RCW%20%2046%20.%2061%20%20CHAPTER/RCW%20%2046%20.%2061%20.400.htm
It says the speed cant be beyond reason and prudent, but it doesnt say anything where they have to know how fast you were going. But like ZHooligan said, I'm afraid the judge will look at my record and use that as some sort of influence. Plus, a lawyer might be worth while with so much on the line like me losing my liscence. It just sucks, when for once I did absolutely nothing wrong, and I got stuck with a ticket. Alas....
Do you think a notorized statement by my buddy who was riding with me and state I was going the speed limit when he decided to pull away cause he was in a hurry, not me?
And on a side note, I had just ran into a fellow ZX-12 owner that same morning, and he said the cops in the area leave you alone if you look like a serious rider, with all the proper gear such as what I was wearing. They go after the t-shirt and shorts guys so that proved wrong that same morning.
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted October 03, 2002 10:54 AM
I just got popped last night. I was bopping along doing around 80 in a 45. Slowed down because I saw headlights (divided road late at night - no cars around). Saw it was a cop. Slowed down. I really figgured I'd get a break.
He turns around, gets behind me, flashes blue.
I immediately put up my left hand and turn on the blinker.
He stops me and I admit to it. I was pleasant.
He gives me a break 'because I admitted to the speeding and didn't try to run.'
Wrote me up for a 58 in a 45. I really thought he's let me off.
Next time, I'm a smoke some ass. Fuck 'em.
Thing that kills me is that I think I really coulda just left his ass. He wouldn't have seen me at all.
j
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Hawkman
Zone Head
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posted October 03, 2002 11:47 AM
Such a whole different ball game when you're trying to outrun the cops. Your adrenaline starts pumpin' like a mother fucker and your entry speeds into corners skyrocket. Next thing you know you're goin' off the road. Read this and live it when you out run the cops. CALM DOWN! I literally have to tell myself that when I have the fuzz behind me. I usually pull over, but there are rare times I say fuck this! Usually when it's when I didn't think I was doing anything wrong and they're pulling me over to be dicks. That's when I say fuck that. Each time, though, I'm going so fast that I can't turn down a street that I want to. That's when I tell myself to calm down and concentrate on the physics of riding the bike and not letting the adrenaline overtake you. I speak from experience. I ran off the road once on a 15 mph curve cuz I entered too fast. Fortunately stayed upright and had enough time to get back on the road and haul ass.  The other times I had outlets that prevented me from fuckin' up. I'm getting better at calming down toward the start of the chase. Peace!
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eddyirish
Parking Attendant
Posts: 19
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posted October 03, 2002 11:55 AM
Think about what Hawkman said and think about it very carefully! I don't stop for the cocksuckers & wish the stinking dirty son of a bitches would go fight REAL crime. I NEVER knew a cop that wasn't a piece of shit!
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted October 03, 2002 01:06 PM
Well, I know some officers that are good guys. One of them races motorcycles and he leaves sport bikers alone.
But there are a lot of 'em out there.
I usually think as long as I am cool with them they'll let me off - and most of the time it's worked - in my cage.
But on my bike, I'm 2-3 for getting tickets when stopped. That sucks compared to my cage.
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eddyirish
Parking Attendant
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posted October 03, 2002 03:53 PM
Some "Good Guys"? All cops are pieces of shit! There is NO escaping that God Damn FACT! What sort of person writes tickets for the slime ass form of government they work for? Their the scum of the earth!!!
Want to help speeders?????????/ Send them to traffic school instead of making $ off them. It is pure slime ass BULL SHIT!!! I despise cops for the fake slime that they are!!! PERIOD!!!!!
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ZHooligan
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posted October 03, 2002 05:49 PM
Edited By: ZHooligan on 7 Oct 2002 08:21
eddy... how do you really feel about all of this?
My problem with the whole ticket thing is that we as tax payers pay the police to write us a ticket. We then pay the ticket, we then pay taxes for some giant ass data base that our tickets are kept in, the insurance compaies then have free access to that data base and use it to rip us a new ass in insurance rates. It is a racket. On top of that the states and the police (really the bureaucrats and politicians) use tickets as a way to punish the voters for not voting for more or new taxes. So I don't have a lot of fond feelings for traffic cops.
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To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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aliveagain
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posted October 03, 2002 06:08 PM
insanity is doing the same mistakes over and over and expecting different results. although I like to open it up every now and then, the road is not my private racetrack.My advice is to plead innoscent,wait for the court date and see what is offered.If you don't like it, ask for a continuance.By that time you'll have had time to save up for a mouthpiece.Try to keep you're ass wiped for a while.
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I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
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aliveagain
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posted October 03, 2002 06:08 PM
insanity is doing the same mistakes over and over and expecting different results. although I like to open it up every now and then, the road is not my private racetrack.My advice is to plead innoscent,wait for the court date and see what is offered.If you don't like it, ask for a continuance.By that time you'll have had time to save up for a mouthpiece.Try to keep you're ass wiped for a while.
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I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
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aliveagain
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posted October 03, 2002 06:09 PM
insanity is doing the same mistakes over and over and expecting different results. although I like to open it up every now and then, the road is not my private racetrack.My advice is to plead innoscent,wait for the court date and see what is offered.If you don't like it, ask for a continuance.By that time you'll have had time to save up for a mouthpiece.Try to keep you're ass wiped for a while.
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I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
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eddyirish
Parking Attendant
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posted October 04, 2002 10:14 AM
LOL...ZHooligan...Filthy scum ass traffic cops! How can anyone call thenselves a MAN when they hide behind cover to sneak up on someone speeding??? Their not MEN! They are punk ass stinking snakes & when I read that another piece of garbage blows one away it doesn't bother me one fucking bit!
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
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posted October 04, 2002 01:42 PM
Edited By: worm~hole on 4 Oct 2002 14:53
...hey eddyasswipe...ALL sportbikers are scum and are not real men...they are ALL clown-asses on the street who wanna be like Ben or Eric...and when one of these clown-asses crashes and gets maimed or killed, I laugh out loud and celebrate with beer and steak...hey! it means more room for me on the road, more gas for me to fill, maybe even some cheap spare parts to get...its all about ME ME ME...get it?...do you get it?...your statements are just as stupid as this one...get it?...DO YOU GET IT???...probably not, if ever...anyway, grow up...ride safe...and watch your back...we're watching you heh heh heh...
your friendly neighborhood cop,
worm~hole ponchorillo
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
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posted October 04, 2002 02:12 PM
Edited By: worm~hole on 4 Oct 2002 15:37
...nice t-shirt, chance...do they make one that says, "I Like To Chase & Catch Sportbikers Cuz' I Like To Waste Their Time."
...or how about, "I'm a multi-tasking officer of the law providing you great tax-payers the maximum amount of law enforcement services, and as soon as I'm done writing this ticket, I'll commence with fighting other real crime."
...or, "I may be a piece of shit in your opinion, but you're still getting a ticket, sign here."
...or "No sir, ma'am, or small child...this does not make me happy...riding my ZX-12R up in the twisties with my buddies is one of the things that makes me happy...and not crashing, of course ...sign here, please."
All you runners and cop haters, thank you for your honest and candid opinions...you're entitled...and please heed the Hawkman's advice...CALM DOWN...
beansbaxter...from what you've described, you may have a chance getting the ticket dismissed...look presentable, be calm and articulate, and don't whine on the witness podium...if the judge does his/her job properly, your past record should not be an issue....there shouldn't be any double jeopardy because of your past record...the issue is about the TICKET you got THAT DAY, not what you did in the past...good luck...
worm~hole
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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