[SeanGTS]

Got into a little bit of trouble the other day. Running late for the Seahawks game I was zipping along a little spirited and got caught on my favorite backroad. The offense was committed in washington state.

The traffic infraction was just a regular moving violation, for 117 in a 50. No wreckless driving or other offenses were charged.

Does anyone know if courts can ADD on charges to the original infraction, or even raise fees if I were to contest this?

I ask because I see a minor slip up on the cops part (well two, I really deserved a wreckless). I notice that in the model category, he put my bike down as a ZX1100, where as the bike is really a ZX10R. Is this enough to perhaps escape out? I don't want to risk having more fees put on my record by contesting, but I feel like its worth a shot.

Trouble maker:

 

[smalls23]

I am a police officer in Louisiana and can only comment on my areas laws and regulations.

The citation does not need to contain reckless driving or any other offense unless the officer deemed it necessary. Next the model of your vehicle does not matter as the license plate #, vin #, and your information in on the citation. The court's judge can deem a higher violation cost due to prior driving record and also adds court costs for the day if you are found guilty.

hope this helps...

Smalls

 

[phastone]

^^^

"You did the crime now do the time" as they say.

 

[tedg04]

Yeah, I had a co-worker in WA once try to challenge a ticket because the officer listed his Toyota as a 1994 when it was a 1986 or something. His argument was that if the officer can't read the registration and record it correctly, who's to say he could do the same with the number from the radar gun. He didn't win, even knowing the prosecuting attorney (he's one of those guys that was raised in the city, and somehow everyone knows him). You might try to mediate it to a non-moving violation, but unless you have a sterling record I don't see any prosecutor doing you any favors on that one. Be happy it wasn't a reckless, anything doulbe the speed limit or 30 over in WA and they can write it, just have to uphold why it was reckless in court (other traffic, etc).

 

[SeanGTS]

Yeah, I'm not to set on fighting it obviously. As I was incredibly lucky with what I got.

 

[mityaz]

dont try to cheap out, get a lawyer. my lawyer dismissed my wheelie in the Bronx (for $500 of course)

 

[motomike]

some state have license suspention when you do so much above the limit and start adding $ the higher you get.pay the ticket before court date would be cheaper than seeing the JUDGE.

 

[Patrick]

The officer will be allowed to amend the ticket for any clerical, spelling, or typographical errors.

 

[Spyderman]

Here is what you do. You can contest the ticket. But first get an extension on it. Then try to get one more or as any as they will let you get. When they wont give you any more try to move the date of the court hearing to any other day they give you. What this does is drag out the ticket. The way the courts are set up is they try to have everyone on a schedule. The cop knows what days he goes to court. So you try to change the day or the court appearance to a day he is off or on vacation or has something else he has to do. This works a lot of the time. I also know in California you can do a trial by written declaration. You fill out some paperwork telling your side of the story. It get sent to the court house. The cop has to do the same. The judge reads it and makes a decision. Here is the kicker. If you lose you can contest it and go to court. Then the cop has to show up for that. So there are a couple of ways you can play the system to work in favor of you.

The best way to never see that ticket is if everyone would plead NOT GUILTY! It would backlog the system so bad that your ticket would take years to be seen. In most states it would be dropped because they would have other crimes to deal with not the little petty stuff.

 

[cesarb714]

Does it say if you have to go to court? I don't know how the court system in Washington works but in California if the ticket doesn't say you must appear in court then all you have to do is pay it. Where I'm getting at is that if you just have to pay it and not see a judge then I can almost guarantee you they will not add anything to it.

If you do have to see a judge, your best bet is just dress nice, be respectful and say you know you were wrong. Don't try to explain why you did it because they don't want to hear it and by trying to explain it means that in your head you had justification to go that fast even though it's illegal. If you say you know it was wrong and apologize a lot of times they ease up a bit. I think it's your best bet in court.

 

[cuhuba]

I had wreckless driving added to a speeding ticket by the county 2 weeks after I hired a lawyer to "handle" my ticket. I never got a warning, only a warrant and a huge headache. I learned the hard way that in San Antonio, TX, they can add whatever the hell they want to after the fact.

 

[tedg04]

You can just pay it in WA if it's just a std ticket - though I've never had one at this rate of speed, maybe there is something different.

I agree that trying to explain it may show you've justified it to yourself, and that you don't take responsibility. It would serve you more to admit that you knew it was wrong, and are willing to take responsibility for it, just want to limit the damage as much as you can.

Given that it's written as a speeding ticket only, I wouldn't do this, but there is another option in WA. You can defer it. You only get one every seven years or something, but you basically pay a reduced fine, and providing you have no more infractions it goes away after a 12month probation. I wouldn't defer a speeding ticket as long as you have a motorcycle, you'll likely need it for a wheelie/reckless or something more major.

 

[phastone]

Here is what you do. You can contest the ticket. But first get an extension on it. Then try to get one more or as any as they will let you get. When they wont give you any more try to move the date of the court hearing to any other day they give you. What this does is drag out the ticket. The way the courts are set up is they try to have everyone on a schedule. The cop knows what days he goes to court. So you try to change the day or the court appearance to a day he is off or on vacation or has something else he has to do. This works a lot of the time. I also know in California you can do a trial by written declaration. You fill out some paperwork telling your side of the story. It get sent to the court house. The cop has to do the same. The judge reads it and makes a decision. Here is the kicker. If you lose you can contest it and go to court. Then the cop has to show up for that. So there are a couple of ways you can play the system to work in favor of you.

The best way to never see that ticket is if everyone would plead NOT GUILTY! It would backlog the system so bad that your ticket would take years to be seen. In most states it would be dropped because they would have other crimes to deal with not the little petty stuff.

Or.......

you could just be an adult an pay the ticket. There are many laws, especially here in Illinois(2nd most "unfree" state in U.S.), that I don't agree with but if I am guilty of breaking a law then it is my responsibility to deal with the repercussions of doing so.

 

[SeanGTS]

I paid it today. 411 dollars..

Thanks for the tips guys. I have one year left before I can defer another ticket lol.

 

[busa41]

I paid it today. 411 dollars..

Thanks for the tips guys. I have one year left before I can defer another ticket lol.

That is actually pretty cheap for the speed you were going.in my county that would have been at least $1000.

 

[bluedevil]

That is actually pretty cheap for the speed you were going.in my county that would have been at least $1000.

:+1: That's nothing more than a Red Light Violation fine or Running in the Car Pool lane in California $390 I believe...count your blessings you got off easy. :wink: