The Briefing Room
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: 240B on November 06, 2013, 01:53:07 pm
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10 tips to avoid speeding tickets (http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Sk47yhnpT6HCP6K915DAUg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9Zml0O2g9MTY-
/http://media.zenfs.com/290/2011/06/01/Popular-Mechanics_001818.png) (http://www.popularmechanics.com/?link=lgo&dom=yah_auto&src=syn&mag=pop)
By Phil Berg | Popular Mechanics – Mon, Nov 4, 2013 7:47 PM EST
"The motorist is a source of revenue," says Richard Diamond. And it's become his life's obsession to change that.
By day, Diamond is the managing editor at The Washington Times. But by night, he is a relentless advocate for drivers. It started when he was 16 and got a speeding ticket from a California cop hiding in a speed trap. What Diamond considered an unfair tax and nasty constraint on his newfound mobile freedom has grated on him for 26 years. So Diamond launched into years of research on police ticketing strategies, some of it while employed on Capitol Hill, and all disclosed daily on his self-funded website TheNewspaper.com since 2004.
"Ticketing efforts have not gone down one bit," he says. Instead, there is a bewildering new variety of methods such as automated ticket machines with cameras and license-plate readers, doling out tickets for blocking bus lanes during gridlock or idling too long. "Any violation you can dream up, they're working on a device to ticket you. You can get laws passed for anything."
But speeding still makes up about 54 percent of tickets, Diamond says. Factoring the data from 40 states that report speeding revenue, "I estimate that it's $2 billion annually" in the U.S.
Here's some Diamond wisdom to help:
1. "The very first thing is to have situational awareness (http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/just-how-dangerous-is-daydreaming-while-driving-15935216?link=rel&dom=yah_auto&src=syn&con=art&mag=pop). If traffic slows, there's a reason," Diamond says.
2. Be ready for anything. There are speed traps from moving and stationary radar, lidar, known-location speed cameras, as well as hidden cameras, VASCAR stopwatch calculators, and just plain visual observation. In Vermont, for example, a police officer can simply make a guess of a vehicle's speed and it will stand in court, though that has been outlawed in most places.
more
http://autos.yahoo.com/news/10-tips-to-avoid-speeding-tickets-004701391.html (http://autos.yahoo.com/news/10-tips-to-avoid-speeding-tickets-004701391.html)
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I have beaten several tickets and would add that just showing up to court is a big part of getting out of a ticket. The court will view your effort as being respectful and participative in the process and that goes a long way with the judge. Another big tip which has worked for me is to get your speedometer 'calibrated'. The effort and expense of the this will win the judge over in many cases, depending on how far over you were. Most speedometers are calibrated at 50mph and will show you going a little faster than you think you are under 50 and may make you think you are going slower than you are over 50. At least that is what you are hoping for.
As far as being pulled over, do not 'talk', do not be confrontational, do not be overly cooperative or crazy friendly with the cop. You are just any customer in the check out line of 7-11 untl you drae attention to yourself. Then you become an issue. Answer what he asks, do what you are told, no more no less. Never volunteer anything!
On a sidee note, if you start yawning, your car will be searched. Do not giggle or be too casual, or he will think you may have something to hide. Just let him do his thing and go on with your day. If you make a scene, you will be the one to lose, every time.
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I first bought a radar detector almost 20 years ago and use it daily. Best. investment. ever.
In spite of having a famously heavy right foot, I have received only 1 speeding ticket in that time, and that one was the result of a dirty trick: I was making a left turn out of an apartment complex and had to quickly merge into traffic on a local, two-lane road. As I accelerated, a town cop was waiting with a speed gun right around the curve just beyond where I'd merged. Nailed me for 10 mph over the limit (25 mph). I was not happy, but knew enough to hold my tongue. But that was 15 years ago...
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#11 Have a Rush Limbaugh License Plate Frame.
No kidding the last time I was pulled over (not signaling a lane change) my car had a Rush Limbaugh License Plate Frame given out by a local radio station. The officer gave a verbal warning about making sure to use my turn signal, and then said I see you listen to Rush, so I'm going to let you off with just a warning. Class guy.
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How about - "Don't speed?"
Works every time. No camera will go off, no radar will beep.
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Except that speed limits are set artificially low, EC.
Watch this fascinating video, "Speed kills your pocketbook":
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKdbxX1pDw (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKdbxX1pDw)
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Except that speed limits are set artificially low, EC.
Watch this fascinating video, "Speed kills your pocketbook":
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKdbxX1pDw (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKdbxX1pDw)
A good video. Surprised a few laughs out of me, which was not expected. :beer:
I do have some dispute with his arguments, as well as some agreement.
It's true. In Germany, on the autobahns, there is no speed limit. Accidents are way down. There was a state (Wyoming? Nevada? Can't remember off the top of my head) that took the speed limits off their highways and saw a similar drop in accidents. In the words of a mate of mine, "People are not total morons."
I worry about his 85th percentile speed limit claim though. It reminds me too much of Code 3. (It is pulp and pretty bad, but raises some interesting questions - you can grab it for free here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19111 )
Can't put my finger on it at the moment, but something about that argument just doesn't sit right.
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Thanks, I'll check out Code 3. By the way, I love that website. Anytime I can get free reading material I'm a happy camper.
I'm also a commuter sick and tired of traffic cops and parking enforcement making my life miserable.
I fought a speeding ticket once in New Jersey. Cost me more than if I had just paid the ticket.
Fought a ticket once for a mutilated inspection sticker that wasn't mutilated. Sent in pictures and everything. I lost. $65 ticket for a little scratch along the edge of the inspection sticker. Where is the fairness?
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Drive the speed limit in the states and they run over you..... especially on the freeways, nothing worse than getting behind a pokey driver in the fast lane (aka doing the speed limit)..... My car runs like a top at 90.
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Purchase either a concealed radar warning device that fits over visor or a laser jammer that fits over your license plates. But to avoid an ticket just drive the legal limit.
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Thanks, I'll check out Code 3. By the way, I love that website. Anytime I can get free reading material I'm a happy camper.
I'm also a commuter sick and tired of traffic cops and parking enforcement making my life miserable.
I fought a speeding ticket once in New Jersey. Cost me more than if I had just paid the ticket.
Fought a ticket once for a mutilated inspection sticker that wasn't mutilated. Sent in pictures and everything. I lost. $65 ticket for a little scratch along the edge of the inspection sticker. Where is the fairness?
Traffic cops come in two flavors. Salt of the Earth or Scum of the Earth. Got pulled for a tail light out, once, 3AM. and I had been cranking it a bit. Wanted to get home. Pulled over, thanked him, got the spares out of the glove box. No screwdriver, and you had to unscrew the cover to change the bulbs. He was checking my license at the time. His partner got out of the car, walked over with that slow, ominous walk they have and asked - Philips or Flat head? He had both in the patrol car. No ticket, fixed, carried on.
Another pair arrested me for having a crash. I had a bottle of whiskey - in the trunk, not in the car itself - in a pretty box, wrapped nicely with a ribbon and everything. Present for an old friend I was going to see. Of course, it broke during the crash - smell of booze everywhere. The next thing I knew, still dizzy from spinning a dozen times or so, I was handcuffed in the back of their car. They wouldn't listen. That was expensive.
Parking enforcement - now those guys I don't like.
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When I was a younger man, I enjoyed exceeding the speed limit but not on high travelled roads. There are still places in NJ that are desolate, more so 30 years ago. I would drive out, sometimes only 20 minutes, half hour and have a blast.
Never like an bleep though. Safety belt and helmet, no passengers, straight empty roads, no more than a mile at a time.
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How about - "Don't speed?"
Works every time. No camera will go off, no radar will beep.
Doesn't work unfortunately. Before I was smart and knew about going to court, keeping my mouth shut, etc, I was hit south of Dallas as I merged on to the Interstate. A car very similar to mine zoomed past me as I merged, then, even though I was going well under the limit because I hadn't gotten up to speed yet, a copy rushed up behind me and hit the lights. They thought I was the other guy and would hear nothing of my explanation.