NC speeding ticket Court date 10/30/09

[NCdriverVMGH]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? North Carolina (NC)

I was ticketed going 51 in a 35, 330 ft (I measured) before a blinking red light and stop sign on a route I take daily to college. It was not a hard stop a very smooth routine without an incident stop. The cop, in an unmarked SUV, was behind me. I had no idea. When the street was clear, I crossed it only to have the lights behind me. I freaked out thinking they had changed the flashing red light to a solid traffic light, they did not. I had no idea what he could have charged me with as I was not speeding, I didn't squeal my tires, I am in a 7-year-old minivan!! He asked me where I was going in such a hurry. I wasn't in a rush, I had no classes ahead of me, I had 2 hours until I had to pick up my kids from preschool, I was just going to catch up on some computer lessons.
I did not have my license on me (I had left it in my other pants from when I dropped off my aging mother at the airport and needed to show ID) but I did have my Costco card! No ticket for no license, weird huh?

He gave me a ticket and told me to just send in the payment. I was so shaken I forgot to ask for a proof of receipt of his radar (did he even have a radar gun? I was not allowed to get out of my car). The ticket is computer generated and states R 51 S.

I spoke with a local cop/personal friend of a different county, he knew who the ticketing officer was without me naming him. He said that cop is heartless and merciless. Great!

Now, I found a website that gives the time/distance/speed for a car to brake in enough time for a hard stop. I also found a study, posted by the local paper, that cops give more tickets in NC during economic distress to raise funds for local projects/schools/police dept. The town just had a new school built and the same cop won a commendation for "service to the town". Fundraising!

I have pictures, maps, etc. Court is Friday. ******Does the ticketing cop have to be in court when I am? I know in other states if the cop does not show up the case is dismissed. Does that hold true for NC? ******

****Any other tips on how to get out of the ticket?*****

We seriously cannot afford anything. We have already had to have charitable assistance just to pay our mortgage.
Thank you.

*****Addendum********
My husband and I remeasured and timed the stop. At 51 mph I would have to stop in 4.3 seconds thus resulting in a hard stop. It took me 8.7 seconds to stop going 35 mph.
Has anyone had any luck arguing their case using scientific calculations? Will I piss off the judge?
Someone PLEASE give me some advice!!

[HighwayMan]

The officer doesn't have to give you a receipt for anything. The radar or lidar does NOT produce a "receipt". Where people get these ideas from I don't know.

No ticket for no license, weird huh?

No, why? Maybe he's only interested in major moving violations and it's a waste of time to write something like that. Or maybe he wasn't in the mood.

Fundraising!

Your not getting a "no license" ticket kind of shoots down that idea, doesn't it. If he was generating revenue you'd have gotten a ticket for anything he could think of.

Just because an officer doesn't give warnings doesn't mean he's "heartless and merciless". It means he does his job without discriminating. Sorry, but unless you are on your way to the hospital, or involved in some other major catastrophe, you're getting a ticket from me when I stop you.

You probably won't make much headway with distances and braking tables because how do you know where he measured your speed? You know where he stopped you, but you have no idea where you got caught because you didn't even see him until the stop.

[NCdriverVMGH]

"Where do people get the idea that they should get a receipt of proof?"

Well, if you walked out of a store and a security guard pulled you aside and said you had been caught stealing, although you know you did not, and the police came and took you away, wouldn't you want proof of their accusation? The security guard works as a unbiased employee of the store, he makes nothing more if he catches a thief or if he does not.
So basically you are saying that you would just accept the accusations, correct?

I know all about, "Not me, I'm innocent", my brother is an officer in Florida. In my case, it is not just a catchphrase, it is the truth.

A ticket is not just a piece of paper, it is an accusation without proof to uphold that; it is also extortion... pay or else.

If you truly do not see the illegitimacy of the process then you truly must feel you are above and beyond us "civilians" and I pity whomever you target.

[HighwayMan]

Proof is presented in court. If you choose to go that route. Do you expect a whole case to be presented to you along with the ticket?

The ticket is an accusatory instrument, accusing you of a traffic infraction/violation. Not sure what you're looking for.

How is the process not legitimate?

And I don't "target" anyone other than the violators.

In my case, it is not just a catchphrase, it is the truth.

As it is with everyone else.

[NCdriverVMGH]

Yay!Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

[HighwayMan]

It would help other readers of this forum if you explained why it was dismissed.

[HighwayMan]

Oh, and I guess it was dismissed because of the "illegitimacy of the process "?

I guess the process wasn't so illegitimate for you this time.

[NCdriverVMGH]

When the directions are as follows to a packed courtroom (where others are turned away to return to the next session):
"Sign in, first come, first serve, when the DA's call your name you will go up to the tables and strike a deal then proceed downstairs and pay the fee in cash only, we do not accept credit cards, debit cards or checks. You must pay by 5 p.m. today"

There was no judge in the room at all. I got off only after they tried to knock my ticket down $30 as a favor. Amazingly the DA understood my situation and since I have never had a ticket, she dismissed the case!

Thank God for someone having compassion. It's amazing how some people can be so vengeful and full of "fake" power and others can realize we are all human and everyone's situation is different.

A tip for you... if you ever come across a class that teaches compassion, SIGN UP....TWICE!

May the karma you deserve find you!

[I_Got_Banned]

Originally Posted by NCdriverVMGH

Thank God for someone having compassion.

I'm wondering if its compassion or wanting to clear her case load for the month!!!

And a tip for you... When you post a question, just because the answers are within the realm of what you want to hear does not make them wrong!

Originally Posted by NCdriverVMGH

Yay!Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

And another tip... If you come across a class that teaches maturity... Sign up... But you'll probably fail anyways... never mind!

[HighwayMan]

Sounds like there was no valid reason for the dismissal other than a court trying to clear out a backlog and the prosecutor doing a little triage.

You shouldn't take that as an indication that you were right.