Speeding ticket from cop I was following??

[wardnine]

What is the name of your state? Virginia (but got ticket in New Jersey)

Hey, I live in Arlington, VA but was driving up New Jersey Turnpike a couple days ago for the Giants/Saints game at the Meadowlands. On New Jersey Turnpike, I spotted an unmarked police car doing about 90 in a 65 mph zone in the fast lane
so I follow him from about 4-5 car lengths behind (I actually wasn't 100% sure it was a cop at the time but thought it might be). Followed him for about 7-8 miles doing this speed when all of a sudden he quickly turns into the right lane and slows down... I saw this and, not wanting to pass him I also slowed down and was still behind him in the right lane. He then slows down even more (to maybe 45 mph in 65 mph zone) gets over in the right lane behind me, and pulls me over. He was very pissed at me for following him and said he paced me at 86 so I got a ticket for doing 86 in a 65. Would it be possible to fight a speeding ticket from a cop who, for one, paced me despite being IN FRONT of my vehicle and, for two, was speeding along at 90+ miles an hour himself with apparently no emergency as he had nothing better to do than to pull me over and give me a 5 minute lecture before spending another 15 minutes running my license and registration and writing me a ticket. What kills me is before he leaves, he tells me to "drive safely" when he was going way above the speed limit himself! Would I be able to fight this in court?? Also, what would my options be as far as traffic school for this ticket in Virginia (even though I received the ticket in New Jersey)??

[poohmantbb]

I love it. So many times it is said, "If he's doing it... I can". Now, you can attest to the fact that this is not true. Spread the word. It isvery possible he was going to an emergency / call for service and was disregarded by his dispatcher. It is also possible he was just violating the law, but I doubt he would stop you and give you a ticket if he was not ligit in his speed.

As for the TS and point, I don't know, as we do not have it here.

[wardnine]

Hey, I called a bunch of lawyers in New Jersey (the actual ticket was issued in Springfield township in NJ) and asked them what I could do about the ticket. All gave me a price quote in the $300-$400 price range and most told me they would be able to get the ticket reduced to 1-9 miles over the speed limit, which translates to 3 points in the state of Virginia (as opposed to 20+ which would be 6 points and possible suspension of license). The thing is, I had a couple who told me they would be able to get the ticket reduced to unsafe operation, which is 0 points in the state of New Jersey (though you end up paying a $250 fine for this penalty) but I am unsure of how this "unsafe operation" would translate in Virginia. I had a couple lawyers tell me it would translate into reckless driving in VA (6 points, possible license suspension) but there was one other lawyer who seemed certain that, since it was 0 points for it in New Jersey that it wouldn't translate into any points in Virginia. Also, there was one other lawyer who told me he knows the Springfield, NJ prosecutor very well (I had a couple lawyers tell me that acutally) and can get the ticket reduced to "obstruction of traffic" or some other comparable non-moving violation. My problem is that,with Virginia laws being some of the toughest in the nation, I am unsure how something like "obstruction of traffic" translates into Virginia... it might be a non-moving violation with 0 points, or it might be reckless driving. How would I go about determining what a traffic law in New Jersey would translate to in the state of Virginia?? I called the Virginia DMV and the two operators I spoke to told me they wouldn't know until they acutally receive the conviction... but I would assume there has to be a way of knowing beforehand how a traffic law will translate over from New Jersey to Virginia?

Also, because I have a Geico insurance review coming up in January, I was interested in getting the court date for the ticket delayed as long as possible, as I currently have no points or infractions on my license and don't want to have any for the insurance review. Are there any strategies I can use to get court the court date delayed as long as possible?? I live 2-2.5 hours away from Springfield, NJ...

Thanks for any advice!!!

[macmandan]

he probably wouldn't have cared if you were doing 80, but it took some balls to pace him doing almost 90. i've been in this exact situation before, but i usually just keep the cop car on the horizon, not right behind him.

[JudgeX]

This just happened to me tonight, too, except following a marked car going 55 in a 35. I looked up and noticed there was a cop in the left hand lane (I had jsut been kinda flowing with traffic)... continued to do it for a block just to see how fast he was going, and bam, him and his buddy pulled me over.

Pulled a charge that I ran a stop sign somewhere completely out of their ass, too...

I would like to get this reduced or something somehow, but I need advice. I've already posted a full explanation...

[Shay-Pari'e]

Originally Posted by JudgeX

This just happened to me tonight, too, except following a marked car going 55 in a 35. I looked up and noticed there was a cop in the left hand lane (I had jsut been kinda flowing with traffic)... continued to do it for a block just to see how fast he was going, and bam, him and his buddy pulled me over.

Pulled a charge that I ran a stop sign somewhere completely out of their ass, too...

I would like to get this reduced or something somehow, but I need advice. I've already posted a full explanation...

Why are you bringing up old posts? Start a new thread, this one died.

[Shay-Pari'e]

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