Was he meeting monthly quota?

[Girlpower]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey
I was at the stop light. I was talking on my cellphone(using my earpiece so my hands were free) but I didn't realise the light changed right away and the car behind me honked the horn. I was startled and took off but I levelled off to around the speed limit and stopped at the subsequent traffic light.
At the light after that one, I pulled up behind two cars and I heard a police siren, the police SUV was behind the car in my rear. I thought either the cop had an emergency or he was pulling over the person behind me. He turned off the siren and didn't pull the person over. He came to my right and didn't do anything. I didn't know what was going on, so I didn't pay any attention to the SUV anymore.
When the light changed I moved off behind the two cars and the officer put his siren back on and motioned for me to pull over. I pulled over. He claimed I was doing 48 in a 24mph zone and that I was going so fast that he only just caught me; he said he was trying to catch from about 0.1miles from the first traffic light ( he was on a cross street after the 1st light). He posted the ticket location as the intersection of the main road and cross street. I feel like he was trying to meet his quota for the month and was just looking for someone. I'm pleading not guilty because I feel that I was targeted.

Can I say that I may have accelerated from the light and exceeded the limit at that instance because I was startled but I wasn't speeding consistently ( no more than 5 seconds). He also didn't pull over the person behind me. And I couldn't have been going "so fast that it took a couple of light before he could catch up to me" on a road with a lot of stop lights. Help I've never been to traffic court before.What is the name of your state?

[cepe10]

Originally Posted by Girlpower

What is the name of your state? New Jersey
I was at the stop light. I was talking on my cellphone(using my earpiece so my hands were free) but I didn't realise the light changed right away and the car behind me honked the horn. I was startled and took off but I levelled off to around the speed limit and stopped at the subsequent traffic light.
At the light after that one, I pulled up behind two cars and I heard a police siren, the police SUV was behind the car in my rear. I thought either the cop had an emergency or he was pulling over the person behind me. He turned off the siren and didn't pull the person over. He came to my right and didn't do anything. I didn't know what was going on, so I didn't pay any attention to the SUV anymore.
When the light changed I moved off behind the two cars and the officer put his siren back on and motioned for me to pull over. I pulled over. He claimed I was doing 48 in a 24mph zone and that I was going so fast that he only just caught me; he said he was trying to catch from about 0.1miles from the first traffic light ( he was on a cross street after the 1st light). He posted the ticket location as the intersection of the main road and cross street. I feel like he was trying to meet his quota for the month and was just looking for someone. I'm pleading not guilty because I feel that I was targeted.

Can I say that I may have accelerated from the light and exceeded the limit at that instance because I was startled but I wasn't speeding consistently ( no more than 5 seconds). He also didn't pull over the person behind me. And I couldn't have been going "so fast that it took a couple of light before he could catch up to me" on a road with a lot of stop lights. Help I've never been to traffic court before.What is the name of your state?

It's his "performance goal" not his quota. Given your good driving record it would be wise to try and protect it. MD gives probation before Judgement on almost every case like this but I don't know about NJ. Call the court clerk and ask about it. If not and you don't want to learn all the case law, and argue it yourself - it is going to be cheaper in the long run to get an attorney for $500 or so - it sounds like you have a case. You will lose your good driver discount and get a hefty insurance hike if convicted as is.

[Girlpower]

My ticket is $200 with 4 points Is it really worth it to pay $500 for the lawyer? I've never received points before and have been driving for about 10 years.

[fairisfair]

Originally Posted by cepe10

It's his "performance goal" not his quota. Given your good driving record it would be wise to try and protect it. MD gives probation before Judgement on almost every case like this but I don't know about NJ. Call the court clerk and ask about it. If not and you don't want to learn all the case law, and argue it yourself - it is going to be cheaper in the long run to get an attorney for $500 or so - it sounds like you have a case. You will lose your good driver discount and get a hefty insurance hike if convicted as is.

surprise surprise!! Just when I thought you couldn't possibly get any more ridiculous. You find a way. A good case??? based on what?? The fact that he/she was distracted by talking on a cell phone?? Maybe it was the fact that they were only speeding intermittently, and not consistently?? Or maybe it was the part about how the officer didn't pull over the car BEHIND them?? Cmon Cepe10. Yeah, they will lose their good driver discount. That is why it is called a GOOD driver's discount.

[cepe10]

Originally Posted by Girlpower

My ticket is $200 with 4 points Is it really worth it to pay $500 for the lawyer? I've never received points before and have been driving for about 10 years.

Yes, very worth it. You could be looking at a %30-40 increase in insurance premiums as well.

If anything at least show up in court describe what happened and say how sorry you are and beg for probation or leniency.

The national motorists association is a good read as well...

[url]http://www.motorists.org/[/url]

[Girlpower]

so it doesn't matter that he didn't pull over the other vehicle?

[cepe10]

Originally Posted by Girlpower

so it doesn't matter that he didn't pull over the other vehicle?

No they are somewhat allowed to be arbitrary and capricious in their enforcement unfortunately... It may be a mitigating factor though if you were being tailgated and honked at to go faster... There are far better defense strategies to use first (or the begging for mercy option)

And of course you need to consider that the officer probably "will not remember" that happening and will "tailor" his response to what the court wants to hear.