I have to reply to myself.

1st, we all know it's Obey, not Ebey. I've been sitting here too long.

2nd, several people above do have a valid point. You broke the law, take heed and pay the piper. Granted, 25 in a non-25ish zone is stupid, but 90 something is equally as stupid. (Besides, it voids the warrantee on the roof graphics. They will not hold on above 90. Not that I know this from experience...)

Unless Office Obee doesn't show, the only way to ease the pain is to negotiate down. And unless he is a real ****, he will negotiate down. Just be very, very non-confrontational, realize you can't win and throw yourself on his mercy. He doesn't get the feather for the quality of the tickets, just the number of the tickets.

You CAN do this without a lwyer. Not that I know this from experience...

 

>>>> He also said that they are writing speeding tickets to everyone--nobody gets off because we have a state budget deficit! (he admited it to me!) So how many tickets does everybody else have?
>>
>>Not that I know this from experience....
>>
>>But, when you show up, try to plead it down to "Failure to Ebey Posted Sign"

I thought this was a typo, but sure enough: Ebay sign.

 

I was last stopped and ticketed on Jan 1, 1977. But my MCS arrives next month!

 

I have not received a speeding ticket ever, but then again I don't really speed except to follow the flow of traffic.

I thought I was getting pulled over for speeding once, but the cop just wanted to check out the MINI

 

Well I just wrote a book in this post about my last ticket.... and it got lost... it's a great MINI story too.....

Short version:

July 24th 2003
MINI is ready for pickup
Wife and I drive my 04 wrx to get it
Get rear-ended on the way to MINI dealer
Get MINI (yeah)
Get taken out to diner with salesman
Drive from Boston Back home (Newport RI)
Show MINI to parents in Jamestown on way
Unplug radar detector because of radar leak in Jamestown
Forget to plug it back in
Pass MINI coming out of toll booth to check it out
Look down... 87 in 40mph zone
slow down before corner
cops get me going 62 in 40mpg coming around corner
wife swerves a bit while rolling up windows/shifter/not used to car
she is passing a utility truck also on bridge at the time
they radio the cops that had gone by about a "little red car swerving"
I stop behing her at stopsign getting off bridge
they flip on lights
I pull over, she make left turn thinking she will be out of the way
they pull in behing me
she pull into parking lot across the street
they rudely tell her to leave
Cop one is a jerk to me
"License and reg"
grabs them out on my hand
as he walks away:"I'm impressed, 62 in a 40"
Nice cop comes back and hands me ticket
Ask why I was going so fast (if only he knew...)
I explain the whole thing
he says they really wanted wife, but since I pulled over....
I get hoem and get yelled at for 5 minutes
I tell her thay wanted her for reckless and speeding
she shuts up....


Worst part is I got a ticket a few months ago and went to court and got off, but we can only do that every 3 years, so I am SOL on this one. I did sed it $76 for a $75 fine because I heard if you do that you are square with them (but overpaid $1), but they won't send the check back and until the $1 is square they won't send it the rest of the ticket to get you the points. This way you have paid, but the points don't get processed. I hope it works.. I also heard that one ticket at under 10 over which is what they wrote it up for won't raise your rates.... but I guuess I will find out in a month or 2. Also had the wife actually pulled over, she probably would have gotten out of it because she was driving a brand new car.. and she's a cute blonde... and if she got it she could have gone to court because she has only gotten warning before (cute blonde women have all the luck)....

Also whenever I drive the MINI I seem to drive very well behave, except on on and off ramps, where in the WRX, I am fast in the corners, but that thing has a mind of it's own when it come to speeding..... After coming down a nice onramp I will look down and see 90mph a lot.... the thing is very fast and it's deceptive because it doesn't feel that fast... much worse than the MINI it that repsect. I feel I have to push the MINI to speed which is good...

Ben

 

Ben,

Maybe you should look into a vehicle with less power, like a 1946 *****'s CJ-2 Jeep. Top speed of 45mph.

That post was surreal. WRX wrecks, show go, speed steed, MINI maneuvers, tix fix.

 

Ben, I love the bit about overpaying by a dollar to keep them from sending the ticket in for points. What state (RI or MA?) is that supposed to work in??

It actually makes sense to me in the logic of the weird bureaucratic world that is the municipal court system.

I just went to court to argue a "44 in a 25" ticket that was issued just around the corner from my house. The thing is that I wasn't actually going 44...AND my town (and lots of towns here in MA I've noticed) is lowering the speed limit on local roads specifically for the purpose of revenue generation. Like MINIGIRL's original post, there's no secret about it. They're doing it for the money.

So, sure, I'm going to fight that. I do, and get it reduced to the minimum..."one mph over the limit" (i.e., I am now on record for going 26 mph in a 25mph zone). OK, I can live with that. I pay $75 instead of the $160 they wanted...and the town still gets some revenue.

Oh, and the "cop doesn't show up" thing doesn't work in most states that I'm aware of. It's an old wives' tale. Just about all ticket hearings nowadays are before a clerk magistrate and a "representative" of the law enforcement agency. The actual cop who wrote the ticket doesn't have to be there...just someone who represents the cops in general and who reads the issuing officer's report. Do you think they'd crimp their revenue generating stream by tying up one of their ticket-issuing-officers all day in court?? Nahhhh. This is business folks.

 

I'm in RI, but I read about this in a MAXIM article a year or so ago. They had an ex cop telling stuff about tickets and how to avoid them. It was not state specific, but it said to try it. I figure, what do I have to lose, a buck? But if it works, I have a lot to gain!


You are exactally right.... I'm not sure where this story came from, but just think about it, The cops would be in court everyday to hear the cases of their tickets.... like that would happen, and if it did, we would be free to speed at will because they would be in court at certain times. They send one person to represent all the tickets issued by one station... so each town has someone there, it might be your cop, it might be a detective, who knows, but someone will be there.....



Yeah, Iwas was thinking about a another MC or MCSI (not to rip on their power, but the speed is much easier to control than a WRX) but I like my WRX too, I just wish the wife would share the MINI more so I could drive both. She thinks sharing is letting me drive when we go somewhere together.... well it kinda is, but if we are both in the car we both would be in the car anyway, I want special treatment, especially "alone" time now that the ODO is over 1250!

Ben

 

>>Minigirl, I would also like to know what state you're in. It seems all states have deficits.
>>
>>I see you like parrots, I have three of them!
I am in MINIsota. The cop was nice, but it was a bummer because there were others going the same speed. (I was in the right lane going the same speed as the guy in front and back of me...I just happened to have the shiney new red car.)

I have 2 parrots and 2 dogs...What kind of parrots do you have? They are sooo cool!

 

>>>> He also said that they are writing speeding tickets to everyone--nobody gets off because we have a state budget deficit! (he admited it to me!) So how many tickets does everybody else have?
>>
>>Not that I know this from experience....
>>
>>But, when you show up, try to plead it down to "Failure to Ebey Posted Sign" EVERYONE knows that is a speeding ticket, and you are screwed for the fine, but it's not a speeding ticket on your license and I believe the points are less.
>>
>>Not that I know this from experience....
>>
>>Just ask the nice officer if there is anything you two can work out. And, if you end up sleeping with him, or her, let us know. Finally, an UPSIDE to getting a ticket in a MINI.
>>
>>Doesn't count though if you two eventually marry.
>>David
My husband hates it when I sleep with the police to get out of tickets...he would far rather pay the fine!

 

Also, does anybody know if you can get off on a technicality? He wrote my car's make and model wrong. Instead of Make: MINI Model: Cooper. He wrote Make:Coo Model: 2 door red.
Normally I would just pay up because I "got caught" but it was such a sneaky little trap! I guess 1 ticket in 11 months isn't too bad considering the car makes everybody drive like a fiend!

 

Got one last night

 

>>
>>I'm in RI, but I read about this in a MAXIM article a year or so ago.

I heard this several years ago about NY too.

>>[quote] Oh, and the "cop doesn't show up" thing doesn't work in most states that I'm aware of. It's an old wives' tale.

>>You are exactally right.... I'm not sure where this story came from, but just think about it, The cops would be in court everyday to hear the cases of their tickets.... like that would happen, and if it did, we would be free to speed at will because they would be in court at certain times. They send one person to represent all the tickets issued by one station... so each town has someone there, it might be your cop, it might be a detective, who knows, but someone will be there.....


No, the law states, and the constituion states, you must have your accuser present. Having someone else read the report doesn't count because the police man can't be there to swear to it.

The police bunch the tickets. It might take a fortnight to write 50 tickets, but only a weeknight to stand in front of a judge and say "guilty'.

 

>>The police bunch the tickets. It might take a fortnight to write 50 tickets, but only a weeknight to stand in front of a judge and say "guilty'.
>>

Thought about running towards dictionary,,,, dang, too tired to try and look all that up! Layman's terms next time would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

 

>>Oh, and the "cop doesn't show up" thing doesn't work in most states that I'm aware of. It's an old wives' tale.<<

Well, I must be an old wife (not a bad looking old wife for a guy!) Here in Cali, I have gone before a judge for every ticket I've gotten in the last ten years (that would be 3 times) and the one time the officer did not show, I got off scot free. The other times, the officers did show and I was convicted of not only the tickets but paid court costs as well. One judge went so far as to deny me traffic school BECAUSE I took up the courts time.

just my $0.02

 

Minigirl,

I have an Umbrella Cockatoo, a Rainbow Lorikeet and a Perfect Lorikeet. Also a white, domestic shorthair cat. Yes the parrots are very entertaining.....and a lot of work!

Good luck with your ticket, definitely go to court. I always go to court (thankfully it's been awhile), and it's always been to my benefit, with or without an attorney!

 

YIKES!!!!

)
3. OK state trooper...warning (wife was following me and got a warning too...)

So far no one has mentioned my "mysteriously" missing front plate but all have been very interested in checking out the MINI!

2 out of 3 ain't bad...I guess!

_________________
03 MCS-CR/B>>>>Now motoring through a twistie near you<<<<<< CWFAC 03 Rocks!

 

>>Minigirl,
>>
>>I have an Umbrella Cockatoo, a Rainbow Lorikeet and a Perfect Lorikeet. Also a white, domestic shorthair cat. Yes the parrots are very entertaining.....and a lot of work!
>>
>>Good luck with your ticket, definitely go to court. I always go to court (thankfully it's been awhile), and it's always been to my benefit, with or without an attorney!
I have a Greenwing Macaw and an African Grey (aka "the golden child&quot a retired racing greyhound and a rescue mini poodle--it is an interesting mix! The neighbors used to know us as the parrot people, now we are the MINI people!

 

I've never got a ticket and have 2 cockatiels--one cinnamon and a gray. They are very friendly birds.

 

>>I've never got a ticket and have 2 cockatiels--one cinnamon and a gray. They are very friendly birds.
I had 'tiels for years! They are wonderful little souls!!

 

zero tickets, zero birds........

I'd like to keep it that way.

 

Well not in RI. The cop DOES NOT have to show.... makes sense though when you think of it. Also in Montana, the cop doesn't need to show... and the 2 weeks to write 50 tickets and do them all at the same time doesn't hold up either... in RI... becuase there were like 2 other people there with the same police department and officer as me out of 100 plus people.... You idea would be that all officer Joes tickets are ehard on the same night and he goes, well not so, there were only 2 oficer joe tickets with me! So maybe in your state, but not in RI!

MINIGIRL,
if they mess things up on the ticket you are supposed to get off. Make:MINI Model:cooper would be right and what you have is wrong, but I'm not sure if the type of car will work for this. I know if they say blue and your car is red you get off, or if the date, or your name are wrong you get off, but not sure on make and model if it is just a slip like that... worth a try though for sure.....

I don't mind tickets are paying fines, I just hate that the ins. companies raise my rates because of it. I drive "resonable and prudent" like I learned when I was in Montana and that was the posted speed limit. Like at 5:45am this morning I was on a 3 lane highway with dry roads and 1 other car in a 55. The road is built for 100mph+ so why couldn't I be going at least 80mph??? And at that hour there were 2 cops patrolling, thank god for my fuzz buster.... Oh yeah and the worst part is that they were sitting right at the bottom of the onramps so us MINI people (or me in my WRX) that like to take onramps fast would have been nailed....

At 5:45 with 1 other car with me..... 3 lane road....

Come On!

Luckily the radar detector caught it and I slowed down, but please.

Ben

 

No speeding .....but does this count?



My excuse - new Magnaflow and intake.

Now I have a V1.....no more problems - the cops in my town ALWAYS run with their radar on so they can't sneak up on me anymore.

 

Save your buck. It does not work in any state. The ex-cop is making a living by telling people goofy things to do. In colorado, it you pay within 20 days, the points are cut in half anyway and the violation goes on record as a non-moving violation. As far as going to court to "make them pay in the court system" (different person made this quote), who do you think "them" is? The court system is run off of our money!!! These posts about speeding tickets just get goofier everytime they are done!!!


>>>>
>>I'm in RI, but I read about this in a MAXIM article a year or so ago. They had an ex cop telling stuff about tickets and how to avoid them. It was not state specific, but it said to try it. I figure, what do I have to lose, a buck? But if it works, I have a lot to gain!
>>
>>
>>>>
>>You are exactally right.... I'm not sure where this story came from, but just think about it, The cops would be in court everyday to hear the cases of their tickets.... like that would happen, and if it did, we would be free to speed at will because they would be in court at certain times. They send one person to represent all the tickets issued by one station... so each town has someone there, it might be your cop, it might be a detective, who knows, but someone will be there.....
>>
>>
>>
>>>>
>>Yeah, Iwas was thinking about a another MC or MCSI (not to rip on their power, but the speed is much easier to control than a WRX) but I like my WRX too, I just wish the wife would share the MINI more so I could drive both. She thinks sharing is letting me drive when we go somewhere together.... well it kinda is, but if we are both in the car we both would be in the car anyway, I want special treatment, especially "alone" time now that the ODO is over 1250!
>>
>>Ben

 

You can only get off on a technicality if the mistake has anything to do with the what is called LOVID...location, offense, venue, identification, date. You still have a red mini so it won' t fly this time. Plus the officer can make a correction on a short form, send it to the court, and you won't even know about it until you are there looking silly.

<quote> Does anybody know if you can get off on a technicality? He wrote my car's make and model wrong. Instead of Make: MINI Model: Cooper. He wrote Make:Coo Model: 2 door red.
>>Normally I would just pay up because I "got caught" but it was such a sneaky little trap! I guess 1 ticket in 11 months isn't too bad considering the car makes everybody drive like a fiend!