well only one ticket in the mini, i was going down a road with lots of fun turns, i had just got the mini over the breakin period. after having fun i slowed down and a cop came roaring from one of the turn, i pulled to the side thinking he was on a call because i never saw him through the turns. well he pulled me over and side he was trying to keep up with me for about 1 1/2 miles, and he never got the gun on me(thank good) i was doing 80 during most of the and its a 20 zone, but i got lucky with a careless driving.
also had 2 tickets within 3 months im my honda, but that car was all done out, carbon fiber hood on a biege car will really make you stand out to the law.
tim

 

I think that a few open track days/BMWCCA schools might be a better idea than a radar detector. A judge really won't have a lot of sympathy for you so you might as well slow down. Every ticket I ever got I deserved and the last time I was stopped for speeding I SHOULD have got two tickets (68 in a 45) one for speeding and one for reckless driving (15 over in Va is reckless) but the police let me off because I was in my military uniform. Yes, the speed limit should have been higher on that stretch of road, but don't use that rationale in court.

 

total true, i have desevered all mine, but how can you put down the temptation to just mash it and hear the blower whine.

 

Yes, a lot of young kids get hurt or killed driving very fast cars and bikes without proper training or experience, and sometimes under the influence. Someone mentioned Germany earlier in the thread. Its interesting that their drinking age is 16, but you can't drive till you're 18. The driver's license is very expensive (I think over $1000), and requires real training before they'll issue one to you. The penalties for driving under the influence are steep, and you lose your *expensive* license. It seems to work for them.

 

Thanks for all the war stories and support guys haha, entertained me for a good 10 minutes while reading through the tread. I always thought "The Man" think was stupid, until you get slapped with a bogus ticket. I still have respect for the authorities but i'm a bit less nonchalant around them now.

And for the record, I am not some "spoiled" brat whose parents bought me a shiny new car. I paid for the car myself in its entirety and I live completely independant of my folks. Please don't assume that I am some spoiled kid just because I am young...although 22 isn't relatively young :P

But back to the point, has anyone used ticket buster or any other ticket removal services? Or how to go about hiring a good traffic lawyer...pro bono even?

 

Yes, Let's remember that you can be an illegal alien and get a DL.

But, lets also realize that there are very few single car accidents that are really the fault of the driver. The overwhelming majority are caused due to congestion and people doing unpredictable things. This will not change very much with "trained" drivers. There would be some change but not a huge change


I dont fight traffic fines because for ever one they get me on, I am guilty of 10 they didn't see. Even if I am "wrongly accused" or "picked on". Get over it, what did you get away with? Count yourself lucky and quit trying to get out of things by technicality

 

same place--just young&stuipd

 

Oh great. I can see my driving record doing a 180.

Sorry to hear about the tickets.

 

 

[QUOTE=planeguy]
But, lets also realize that there are very few single car accidents that are really the fault of the driver.


This is a joke right? You mean all single car accidents are the drivers fault, right?

 

SuperCoop,

Unless the law was just recently changed, I think you're incorrect about the VA law. Here's what I understand it to be (from personal experience!). The two main speed-related conditions that are automatically "reckless driving" violations are:

1) 20 over the limit in any speed zone
2) Any speed over 80

Condition #2 means that even 82 in a 65 zone will be reckless, even though it's only 17 over. You mentioned 68 in a 45, which is 23 over - and supports my theory too. My understanding though is that if you get pulled for doing 62 in a 45, it won't be reckless, but a regular speeding ticket.

Kellzir,

LOL - you mean doing a 180. A 360 means your record would turn ALL the way around and end up going the same direction as you started. A 180 puts you in the opposite direction. Common mistake though. :smile:

Incidentally I completely agree with the posts that state how pathetic our system is here in the USA for licensing and traffic enforcement. Driving is all too often seen as a right rather than a priviledge, which means that we have everybody and their grandmother getting a license with very little effort to learn the finer points of driving. Europe (and Germany in particular) sets a much better example. But I still love it here anyway because of the cool cars, open roads and cheap gas (yes, it's STILL cheap, even today).

 

LOL just realized what I posted. Thats what I get for being on NAM while I am at work. No wonder my boss finds me looking at MINIs while at work as being disruptive

 

The thing I notice that causes the most problems on the road today are people who drive while talking on their cell phones! If someone acts likes they are clueless while they are driving then they are probably talking on a phone.

 

What a thread, this topic is a big 'un!

Boondocks you WIN, I only know one other person besides myself who ever got a speeding ticket on a bicycle! sheesh! I'm an experienced rider in the city, and I observe Very Few bicyclists (they're all messengers or something not that that's an excuse to take risks) doing all the dorky things I do when I'm on my bike, in the name of safety...

Moonpie I appreciate your post you're right about cell phones... I'm not sure what the answer is for that stupid move, but something similar to a seatbelt law would be a start... I have good cell phone manners, especially when I'm motoring, but I'm sure you realize there was plenty of stupidity to go around way before there were cellular phones...

UUNet - The last (and only) speeding ticket I got, I was on the expressway, it was a vacation trip with my family (in a dodge caravan with a loaded roof rack) when I was pulled over, and I KNOW the trooper had to have seen the junkman's truck that zoomed across 3 lanes in FRONT of me (we slammed on the brakes!) to get off at a particular exit... point being the cop was interested in my out-of-state speeding "revenue" when she COULD have chased the dude who nearly caused a rollover or other ugliness... I paid it and promptly posted unhappy emails to the chamber of commerce of this particular small town in NY .

Edge - how do you DO that, quoting from more than one post? Open several web-browsers, maybe? Inquiring minds want to know .

Lastly, SuperCoop - GMTA i'm sure, because there are more than a few NAM members who actually recommend "driving school" as the numero uno "performance mod"... (tighten the loose nut behind the wheel)...

Like the guys on Car Talk say, "Don't drive like my brother",
Tatt

 

Simple (and you started off on the right foot). You don't even need to use the quote button at the end of the other posts.

1. Right-click on the Reply button and choose "Open Link in a New Window"
2. Switch back to the original browser. Highlight the text you want to quote (from ANY post in the thread), copy to clipboard.
3. Switch back to "reply" browser. Paste. Highlight the text you just pasted and hit the reply toolbar's Quote button (the one on the far right, it looks like a speech bubble).
4. Go to step 2, rinse and repeat.

You can quote anything you want... heck you can make up quotes if you want, just type anything and encircle it with the quote button. But nobody likes to be misquoted.

Case in point:

Yes, you should! Too bad you can't buy them at the Dragon... bring one for me. Sam Adams, Bass Ale, Killians Irish Red... any good amber ale will do.

 

LOL Thanks! that's hilarious, and I say "Cheers!" to another Sam Adams fan! Actually, I shoulda figured that out - I have a theory (excuse) though... devoting so much time to my MCS has either "increased my focus" (have to ask my wife about THAT) or "caused undue procrastination of priority tasks, such as figuring out how to quote multiple posts, paying bills and taking out the garbage" (do NOT ask my wife about THAT one)...

Thanks for the tip, I am increasingly either versatile or dangerous, depending on one's perspective,
Tatt

 

Have been reading this thread with interest as I too am now in this group. Received my VERY FIRST ticket about 1 month ago. Now I've been driving for about 37 years (I'm 53) and there have been many (well maybe not many) times that I could/should of received a ticket. But my wife and I were on our way to Vero Beach on Rt 60 going through construction area and was doing about 70 in a 55. Little car just doesn't like to go slow I guess. I saw him coming at me, watched as he turned and he had me. He asked me how fast I was going and I thought I was doing. I said 67, he clocked 69. But he wrote the ticket for 64 to keep me at the 9 MPH or less. This saved me over half of what they ticket would of cost, plus being in a construction zone, fines are doubled. I would of earned 3 points or I could do a 4 hr school on line and the points don't show up for insurance purposes. Did the class.
As I mentioned it was my first ticket, hopefully my last, but I am finding that keeping the car in the legal range is sometimes tough. I really need to find a track to 'play' on. Maybe Sebring? It's not too terrible far from the house. Anyone else do Sebring?

 

Mini Coopers are very noticible, much like the red car that seems to be tagged the most (I think red is the color). I've found that tickets seem to come in clusters but the point is to be cautious in high traffic (freeway) and populated areas (such as in town). The rest is either agonizingly slow driving or reliance on dumb luck. I rely on luck.

Here in Virginia, with a string of tickets pending, you generally just have to fall on your sword.

I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune.

 

Yeah, I got a rare ticket last Fall...I have the DRLs (it was 2PM) so I'm thinking I may get them canceled next time I'm in for service as I'm thinking it helps the smokie aim the LIDAR (especially since we now know they target us MINIs)

I still find the V1 valuable on the side roads as the local mounties don't have the budget for LIDAR (yet).

 

Is the Lidar that "instant on" thing I keep hearing about on radar discussions?

I've decided to go the ticket busters route, since they have a money back gaurentee, I don't have too much to lose :P

 

Well, i was on a good run (in the US at least). I hadn't had a ticket in almost three years. I know it's sad, but I somehow get a ticket about every two or three. The best was when I lived in Germany my record in the US started to look better. Well one saturday evening driving home with pizza for dinner. I blow right past this truck on a street that I never see the police. low and behold. he's right behind me. I turn down my street and then he turns on the lights. He asks, "do you still live on Cedar Hill?" after reviewing my license. I grinned a little :smile: and pointed to my house where my wife was looking out laughing. Oh well, I finally told my wife, we just need to start budgetting for a speeding ticket, it's a tax on me for driving too fast.

The question, one. I've only had my MINI for a year, so my next one is due in 2007.

 

85 on the freeway in CA really isn't that fast. The maximum safe speed is usually 80 mph. The way "Maximum Safe Speed" is set up, every driver on the road is somehow a criminal - our system is totally bogus.

80 is acceptable in a raised pickup truck, but 85 is unaccpetable in a MINI. Go figure.


And I get to rant for a bit if you guys all do...

Last year I was pulled over in Santa Monica for running a green light. That's right, a green light. I was the only car on the road, and at was about 2 AM (when the bars close here). He wasnted to see if I was drunk and he apparently didn't like me very much. He gave me a ticket for running a red light!!! $340!!!!! I fought it and lost outright. It was pretty bad.


BUT! :smile: The other night I was totally exasperated after not being able to find a friend's concert, and decided to take out my frustrations on an empty parking structure. Apparently a cop downstairs heard my tires and saw my headlights taking the turns rather quickly - he was waiting for me outside at the bottom of the structure. The best part is, the exit to the structure is a small and relatively steep ramp - I took it at about 60 and my MINI went airborne. I made a right turn and there was the Po-Po staring me in the face.

He could have ticketed me for reckless driving, speeding, "reckless endangerment" (?), failing to use a turn signal, disorderly conduct or something like that, tinted windows, tinted taillights, and a couple other things that I really didn't want on my record.

He let me off with the first warning of my life

PS: I've had 4 tickets and 0 accidents. Speed doesn't kill, stupidity and distraction kills.

Flame me all you like, I knew I wasn't endangering anybody - it was literally the middle of the night and I was on a community college campus. The place was like a derelict

 

...with your opinions. Except, I don't think that the PDs are the direct beneficiaries of the revenues from citations.

I would offer the following recommendations to our elected representatives to act on:

Improve or create laws that:
1. Enhance US state licensing requirements to include skills improvement.
2. Regulate cell phone use in cars. (i.e. when in bumper to bumper traffic going less than 10 mph is ok in my opinion...)
3. Enforce prope vehicle maintenance. (i.e. properly functioning lights, good tires, brakes, clean windows etc etc etc)

I would also enforce moving violations other than just speeding; because you are right: speed alone doesn't kill. (I am not advocating speeding.)

Just my 2 cents worth...

-Pete

 

I leave my house for work in MA at 5AM.
The night cops have the radar out every day in two specific MA towns. All the NH towns and the rest of the MA towns are not persistent.
Early in the morning, no kids or pedestrians, but they will write you up for anything exceeding 5mph over posted.
In my opinion, this is just another revenue stream for these towns and I blame the specific Chief in each respective town.
They are so overbearing that most drivers do the speed limit or under through these towns.
What other explanation is there?

 

Edge,

I'll double check on that reckless driving number in Va. I've been driving just under 70 in the 55 zone I drive to work in. Maybe I could be going faster...

Dave



A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who drives a motor vehicle on the highways in the Commonwealth (i) at a speed of twenty miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit where the applicable speed limit is thirty miles per hour or less, (ii) at a speed of sixty miles per hour or more where the applicable maximum speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour, (iii) at a speed of twenty miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limits where the applicable maximum speed limit is forty miles per hour or more, or (iv) in excess of eighty miles per hour regardless of the applicable maximum speed limit.