Going to Court for Speeding Ticket

[Bonafide83]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Alabama

I received a traffic ticket about one week ago. Per the officer, I was going 41 mph in a 25 mph zone. I verified today that the speed limit for the area is 25 mph; however, I do not agree that I was driving 41 mph. Prior to being cited, I noticed the officer's position and even that fact that he was on a cell phone. I am wondering if I would be able to observe all of this if I was proceeding at that speed, especially as I was driving around a sharp curve.

I would appreciate advice regarding how to proceed regarding this matter. I know that the officer, who was on a motorcycle, was depening on a radar gun to measure my speed. I am considering inquiring the last date the gun was calibrated as this would normally affect the gun's accuracy.

Also, I have reviewed the ticket closely to determine what information the officer captured. Per a statement on the bottom of the ticket, the officer is instructed to verify my mailing address. I moved to a different city over one year ago but still have a home at my former residence, the address of which corresponds to my address per my driver's license.

I have looked into eligibility for the jurisdiction's driver improvement program and will not likely qualify as the driver must have never had a moving violation or no moving violation within 5 years. I received a speeding ticket last June.

The ticket is not yet in the system but per the ticket a court date has been assigned that is approximately one month away.

Please inform me of which options I have to fight this ticket should I decide to go to court or the overall best course of action in this situation.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

[HighwayMan]

How fast were you going? Do you even know?

Your ability to see the officer on a cell phone is NO indication to a court that you were traveling at a low speed. It also doesn't necessarily prevent the officer from doing anything.

I had someone in court once state that I was eating a bagel while I was pacing them, eventually stopping them and writing them for speeding. While I don't think I was eating while driving, the judge found it to be totally irrelevant.

Certain things that you might think help your case are pretty meaningless in reality.

If you got a speeding ticket last June than you should already know what to do and what your options are. What was THAT disposition?

[Bonafide83]

In that instance, I simply paid the ticket as I was not as observant when I was pulled over. In Alabama, we have the option of paying for tickets/fines online. Mine has finally been processed and I noticed that the license number listed is not correct. I have had the same license number for almost 8 years, the second number 2 recorded as a 7. Will this impact my case at all or will it likely be viewed as a typo?

Thanks.

[IsabellaSoriano]

Originally Posted by Bonafide83

In that instance, I simply paid the ticket as I was not as observant when I was pulled over. In Alabama, we have the option of paying for tickets/fines online. Mine has finally been processed and I noticed that the license number listed is not correct. I have had the same license number for almost 8 years, the second number 2 recorded as a 7. Will this impact my case at all or will it likely be viewed as a typo?

Thanks.

no impact. it's a simple clerical error.

[DRTDEVL]

Originally Posted by HighwayMan

I had someone in court once state that I was eating a bagel while I was pacing them, eventually stopping them and writing them for speeding.

Hmm... Round, and with a hole in the center? I think he might have been going too fast to tell the difference between a bagel and a doughnut!

[racer72]

FYI, most modern radar guns are self calibrating, the gun perfoms a self diagnosis and calibration everytime it is turned on. The only time certification from a calibration lab is required is when the gun fails the self calibration. This of course depends on the manufacturer and age of the radar unit, of course. As new units are purchased and old ones are retired, this will soon become a non issue when challenging tickets.