Speeding ticket for doing 50 in a 50!

[ihatearizona]

What is the name of your state?Arizona

My husband received a speeding ticket today. In the box on the ticket asking for the approximate speed of the driver the police officer put 50. In the box asking for the posted speed limit the police officer put 50! The actual posted speed limit for this street is 40. Do we have any recourse due to this error?

Yes, show up in court and ask for a dismissal based on Stupidity.

[dequeendistress]

Maybe the carbon was crooked.

Fight the ticket state:

Your honor my husband was traveling at 50 mph in a posted 40 mph zone, but the ticket reflects 50 in a 50, I am sure the judge will enjoy.

[ihatearizona]

I have to wonder if the ticket my husband received was incorrect on purpose. Last week we received on our door a flyer from the local police union detailing our city's new rules requiring a quota system for police officers. They are now required to write 2.5 tickets per hour. The police union is VERY unhappy about this development drawn up by the city manager and new police chief.

I have to wonder if the error the police officer put on the ticket 50 in a 50 was on purpose? Probably just hopeful thinking though.

Also, is there any chance that this ticket might be dismissed BEFORE the court date? Wouldn't someone have to read the citation to enter it into the computer system and wouldn't that person be scratching their head just like us?

[CdwJava]

A "quota" for tickets? My God! The defense attorneys should have a field day! It ought to be relatively easy to argue that a citation was issued solely to keep an officer out of trouble.

In CA these are illegal. I am amazed that quotas are permitted in AZ ... unless you misinterpreted the article.

But normally, a clerical error like that won't make a difference.

Carl

[dequeendistress]

Wether the state permits quota's or no 2.5 tickets per hour is hard to swallow. Feasible to write yes.

I think rewording quota to "contacts made" is another way of addressing the issue.

In Arizona you can in fact be issued for traveling at speeds even below the posted limit.
Just about every state words the maximum speed laws as for "clear, dry, daylight conditions without any unusual circumstances" of something like that.

So at night, in the rain, when it's cloudy, in hight winds, etc. you could be cited for traveling at 45mph in a 50mph zone.

As for what will happen at your hearing: The hearing officer will basically prompt the officer to fix (ammend) the traffic citation, and perhaps add on any other violations you may have made. You will not escape the fine based on the paper work error.

On a larger note... if you live in the Phoenix metro area and are traveling in a 45mph zone, there is no benefit to going any faster. In most all the cities, the lights are timed for 45mph, if you set your cruise control at about 43mph you will simply cruise through all green lights and save significant wear on your car and money in fuel costs.
It is near impossible to average more than 45mph on the surface streets for more than 2 miles without running red lights or colliding with someone or something.

[dequeendistress]

You are not serious

So at night, in the rain, when it's cloudy, in hight winds, etc. you could be cited for traveling at 45mph in a 50mph zone.

Surely you do not believe this.

Surely he does. If you appear to be out of control of your vehicle, you could easily be cited for driving at an unsafe speed. This is moreso true in snowwy and icy conditions than just in rain.

[ihatearizona]

The weather they day the ticket was recieved was 105 degrees, sunny, not windy - typical AZ summer day. No unsafe conditions existed.

[dequeendistress]

The correct terminology would be

Speed too fast for conditions

On the other issue about a ticket for driving under posted limit: NO officer, in his/her right mind, has the desire to write someone for doing 5 mph under.

If the speed limit is 50 and there's 2 inches of snow on the road, everyone else is doing 30, and you're ripping by people, passing (in legal passing zones) doing 45, you can expect a ticket if a cop sees you.

[dequeendistress]

I believe I misread the post about traveling under the posted mph~I meant during normal driving conditions an officer is not going to cite you for 5 under.

Never want a speeding ticket again? Dont speed!

Your husband is guilty. Why doesnt he just pay the fine, and slow down? For your information, I recieved a ticket in a 45 mph zone, and the officer wrote down that it was a 40 mph zone. The judge didnt really care, I plead guilty, life went on.

JOse.