[BIGKAT1100]

Go on down there and take your medicine .... you may have been running with the flow of traffic but speeding is still speeding .... the posted limits are the posted limits ... it is what it is

[mambopalace]

Fight it!!!!

Ask for an informal hearing. Before going to the informal hearing, get a Written Appearance from a Traffic attorney.

When you get your date for court, go early and wear a suit/sport coat and tie.

Try to find the officer before he enters into the courtroom and ask if he would be willing to change it to an Impeding Traffic or some other non moving violation with no points.

If the officer is unwilling to do this then wait for your case to be called. Assuming, you have a good driving record with no priors, Ask the judge if you can ask a question BEFORE the informal hearing starts. If he says NO, then tell him you have retained an attorney and have a Written Appearance which you will file with the Court Clerk at this time.

If he says ok, Say your honor. Assuming I have a good driving record, does the court have a program which allow me to have the alleged infraction abstracted on my driving record. This is a yes or no answer. If he says yes they do, continue with the hearing.

If he says yes but it would require me to talk wih the officer and discuss the situation. Then that is a maybe and unacceptable. Tell the judge you have retained an attorney and have a Written Appearance which you will file with the Court Clerk at this time.

Do not let the informal hearing start without a definite yes to the question above.

Several things can happen here.

1) The cop may not show

2) The cop may have a change of heart and throw out or change to a non moving violation with no points. No points is the real goal here. You will still have to pay a fine, but you do not want the points on your driving record.

3) The court may throw out the ticket or knock it down too.

ALWAYS FIGHT THE TICKET!!!! It can only benefit you and not hurt you at all by doing what was said above, every time.

Be early, polite and nice, you would be suprised at the outcome sometimes. You have nothing to lose.

Good luck

25 years in law enforcement with the last 5 years strictly radar. I can tell you that some of the things you advise will only hurt the violator.

[Zepp]

25 years in law enforcement with the last 5 years strictly radar. I can tell you that some of the things you advise will only hurt the violator.

How do you figure that?? Nothing said will hurt. I think my attorney knows a little more about this than you. What stated above will hurt, I would love to hear it? The worst case is you pay the fine.

Then again your a little biased now aren't you? If your going to make a statement like that, back it up with something.

This isn't a job interview, I don't care how long you been a cop, you get paid to generate revenue for PA, attorneys get paid to try and help people minimize or get out of their tickets.

Bottom line is revenue, the courts want our money, the insurance companies want the points.

[barryjay]

How do you figure that?? Nothing said will hurt. I think my attorney knows a little more about this than you. What stated above will hurt, I would love to hear it? The worst case is you pay the fine.

Then again your a little biased now aren't you? If your going to make a statement like that, back it up with something.

This isn't a job interview, I don't care how long you been a cop, you get paid to generate revenue for PA, attorneys get paid to try and help people minimize or get out of their tickets.

Bottom line is revenue, the courts want our money, the insurance companies want the points.

I'd have to agree with Zepp. it's all about money. thats why there's such a need for lawyers.
Now I want him to fight it, just to see what happens.

[garrisonls]

Question? As an officer with experience, do you think it's safer for a motorcycle to run at posted speed limits when traffic is zooming by or just go with the flow of the traffic. No sarcasim here. I've wondered about it myself and the one thing that I'm always looking out for is someone running up on by back side.

[BIGKAT1100]

Question? As an officer with experience, do you think it's safer for a motorcycle to run at posted speed limits when traffic is zooming by or just go with the flow of the traffic. No sarcasim here. I've wondered about it myself and the one thing that I'm always looking out for is someone running up on by back side.

PLEASE NOTE THE DISCLAIMER ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST

In all my years of riding experience, what has worked for me is riding slightly faster than the flow of traffic. Ideally, we're supposed run the posted limits otherwise you open yourself up for the ticket. I don't mean obscenely fast and dippin' thru traffic, just slightly faster. I have the same issues you have with people running up on me, I HATE THAT.

You just have to "ride your own race" and get down the way you get down.

just my .02

[garrisonls]

PLEASE NOTE THE DISCLAIMER ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST

In all my years of riding experience, what has worked for me is riding slightly faster than the flow of traffic. Ideally, we're supposed run the posted limits otherwise you open yourself up for the ticket. I don't mean obscenely fast and dippin' thru traffic, just slightly faster. I have the same issues you have with people running up on me, I HATE THAT.

You just have to "ride your own race" and get down the way you get down.

just my .02

Yea, but don't you hate when you get some sheep in a cage that tries to pace with you?

[thetable]

Yea, but don't you hate when you get some sheep in a cage that tries to pace with you?

I love those guys. I can, with 80% certainty, get them to play rabbit for me.

[BIGKAT1100]

Yea, but don't you hate when you get some sheep in a cage that tries to pace with you?

Yeah .... but what can you do ? I get over and let them pass pretty much all the time. I have nothing to prove to anyone. I know my BigKat ain't the fastest bike out there but I'm at peace knowing that I can ditch at least 95% of the cars I'll encounter on the road .

[Jacobz]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with you guys. I actually wrecked my kat the very next day doing 60 (in a 60) when I hit some gravel in a corner. So I haven't given the ticket a whole lot more thought since then.

I plan to just pay and ticket and do defensive driving. As far as I know there shouldn't be any reason why they wouldn't let me. As far as it being radar or pace, it was laser. There was two motorcycle cops hiding behind some bushes timing people. When I said I was in front I didn't mean I was the only one in front, there was a car running the exact same speed as me next to me.

The guy was really ****ed when he first pulled me over (I guess he thought I was just another squid). After I explained everything he was actually pretty nice, he said that I was doing alot better then other people because I have my endorsement and I was wearing all my protective gear. He told me to just get my inspection and not let it happen again. I was actually really surprised he gave me a ticket, I had him laughing before he left.

I could show up to court and plead my case, but honestly, what are the odds of it doing any good?

[thetable]

You only have a clean record up until you have that first ticket. I still say lawyer up. it will be cheaper in the long run. Add the cost of the ticket to the increase in your insurance premiums for three years, and see if it doesn't end up being cheaper to lawyer up now. That is assuming that you talk to at least one lawyer who gives you the warm fuzzies and indicates that he can either get the charge reduced or dismissed.

Oh yeah, read through this thread for some good advice from Cyber and CenCalKat. http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.p...ghlight=ticket

[Enjay386]

Jeez, I'd just plead not guilty. Expensive tickets! If it makes you feel any better I was so frustrated driving out of Manhattan today that I went through an EZ pass lane and uh, I don't have an EZ pass. Lol so that ticket should be coming in the mail rather promptly.

[Jacobz]

Jeez, I'd just plead not guilty. Expensive tickets! If it makes you feel any better I was so frustrated driving out of Manhattan today that I went through an EZ pass lane and uh, I don't have an EZ pass. Lol so that ticket should be coming in the mail rather promptly.

That's my plan. I'm going to dress very nice (or as nice as a college student can) and go to court and plead not guilty. I've only lived in this town for about a month and I have a perfectly clean driving record. I was very nice to the officer and if he remembers me he may even be for the idea of dropping the ticket. If they say no then I'll just ask for defensive driving or something of that sort, I really don't want it on my record.

[Enjay386]

That's my plan. I'm going to dress very nice (or as nice as a college student can) and go to court and plead not guilty. I've only lived in this town for about a month and I have a perfectly clean driving record. I was very nice to the officer and if he remembers me he may even be for the idea of dropping the ticket. If they say no then I'll just ask for defensive driving or something of that sort, I really don't want it on my record.

Oh yeah, I think the driving course reduces 3 points in NY state. Not that I've taken it or anything... lol.

[tamerwi]

My last ticket I went to court to fight it, the officer wasn't there (if they went to court for every ticket, they would only be able to write one ticket a day) and I would have to come back another day. Meaning ANOTHER vacation day wasted. My vacation is more valuable to me than the cost of the ticket. The judge was very polite, but made it clear that they don't go against the officer very often.