Speeding ticket, "I really didn't do it but is that enough"?

[Greg R.]

Watertown, MA

MA

I hopeful that someone can help me out here. I recently received a speeding ticket where the officer stated he used LIDAR, estimated speed, posted.

I now find myself being one of the thousands of people a day wondering if I'm SOL simply because I received the ticket. The ticket is written for 40 in a 20. This was a designated school zone so it falls under absolute speed rules.

I truly have no idea how fast I was traveling, however, I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood and looking for a street sign that I needed to turn down so I was not zipping around corners checking to see how well my car corners. I was going slower than traffic and was even passed by several vehicles, so I have to question the accuracy of this ticket.

The officer told me that he was going to pull the car over in front of me but picked me because of how I quickly swerved out of the lane I was in and into the other lane. This was done because the driver in front of me decided to apply her breaks (I'm guessing because she saw the officer and the officer didn't see her break lights) and instead of breaking I chose to just move into the other lane. The lane change was swift, I had looked at my NAV to see how far up my turn was and my attention was caught by the break lights, but legal.

My "evidence":


- Google maps showing the distance provided for the estimated speed would have meant that the officer would have needed to begin his visual estimate at the previous street.

- Pictures of both corner's, the officer could have been standing, that show the officer could not have had a clear sight of my car at the distance he stated.

After that long narrative, my concern is that this is not going to be enough evidence for the presiding magistrate from all the horror stories of civil traffic court in MA... Would this suffice for most magistrates? I ask because at my first hearing the officer will not even be there and it will be my story and evidence against the officer's notes and a ticket.

Thank you for any advice or suggestions,

Greg

 

[I_Got_Banned]

A couple of contradictory statements that I would try to avoid using if I were you...

First: (from the title of your thread)

I really didn't do it...

And...

I truly have no idea how fast I was traveling...

If you have no idea how fast you were travelling then you "really" don't know if you did it or not!

Second:

I was... looking for a street sign that I needed to turn down...

And...

I had looked at my NAV to see how far up my turn was...

If you have a NAV system that tells you how far up your turns are, then why would you need to look for street signs?

 

[Maestro64]

Did you get a speeding ticket or a reckless driving, obviously if it was speeding and he is using the car in front of you speed that is a problem. next what was the distance he wrote on the ticket for LIDAR.

MA police think they are a bunch of hot shot with LIDAR and do not think it has issues which it does and can easily create error giving a higher speed.

go to this sight there is a guy there who know MA laws really well and know LIDAR inside and out and can help you develop a defense, if you want to do it yourself.

Radar Detector Jammer Forum

 

[Greg R.]

Thank you Maestro for the constructive feedback.

No, I was not cited with anything other than the speeding ticket.

The distance he wrote was 243 FT on the ticket. When I went back to the scene and took a look from the officer's perspective, there is not that much distance of unobstructed view for him. There's a slight slant to the road and the officer's view of the right lane could have been no greater than half of the distance that was written on the ticket.

Thank you very much for any insight Maestro!!!

For "I GOT BANNED", this is still America and while civil traffic violations require preponderance of the evidence, there is still a need for the People to prove my guilt by greater than 50%. Someone's view being obstructed from being able to lock onto my car with a laser at a distance the laser device suggested should provide enough doubt.

While I respect police officers and feel like they get it right most of the time, I have a hard time accepting the fact that they are infallible. I appreciate you pointing out my "contradictions", saying I didn't do it but then saying I don't know what speed I was going.

As for looking for a street sign and having NAV. I appreciate your cute retort but unless you have used a NAV system, just like mine, all you offered up was an opinion that was not based upon facts and was not only useless but detracts from this forum when someone has a legitimate concern.

 

[racer72]

My "evidence":


- Google maps showing the distance provided for the estimated speed would have meant that the officer would have needed to begin his visual estimate at the previous street.

Google maps only guarantees accuracy of 300 feet. It should not be used as an accurate source of measurement. GM shows my house about a quarter mile from it's actual location.

 

[Greg R.]

Thanks Racer,

Where can I turn to get a good map to show distance between two points to use in court as an exhibit? I would also want to use the map to show the positions of the cars as well.

Thank you, everyone, for the feedback and information.

 

[Zigner]

While I respect police officers and feel like they get it right most of the time, I have a hard time accepting the fact that they are infallible. I appreciate you pointing out my "contradictions", saying I didn't do it but then saying I don't know what speed I was going.

As for looking for a street sign and having NAV. I appreciate your cute retort but unless you have used a NAV system, just like mine, all you offered up was an opinion that was not based upon facts and was not only useless but detracts from this forum when someone has a legitimate concern.

You came to this forum asking for opinions...what did you expect?

And, your contradictions will sink you. But, have at it! Make sure the judge knows that, unless he has your EXACT make & model of nav system, he can't make a decision on your contradictions.

 

[I_Got_Banned]

For "I GOT BANNED", this is still America and while civil traffic violations require preponderance of the evidence, there is still a need for the People to prove my guilt by greater than 50%.

What does that have to do with contradictory and inconsistent statements that you made that will only serve to get you convicted if you made them in court?

You need to understand that most people who get convicted in traffic court, do so because they say too much. And in your case, and if you happen to make the same statements in court that you made here, then you've back yourself up in a corner with only your checkbook and a pen in hand.

Someone's view being obstructed from being able to lock onto my car with a laser at a distance the laser device suggested should provide enough doubt.

So you look at a Google map and that tells you whether his view is obstructed or not?
Good luck proving that in court!

While I respect police officers and feel like they get it right most of the time, I have a hard time accepting the fact that they are infallible.

Don't you mean you used to respect them but now that you got cited, they have become infallible?

I appreciate you pointing out my "contradictions", saying I didn't do it but then saying I don't know what speed I was going.

No you don't...

As for looking for a street sign and having NAV. I appreciate your cute retort but unless you have used a NAV system, just like mine, all you offered up was an opinion that was not based upon facts

This entire forum and most posts that you will read here are in fact “opinions” and are mostly based on statements (notice I didn't say “facts”) that are posted by someone making an inquiry. You posted some statements and I pointed out some inconsistencies... Just because my comments did not fit within the realm of what you wanted to hear does not make me wrong. In fact, if you still fail to see the benefit behind my “opinion” (which I based upon statements that YOU made) then don't listen to me... Go to court, make those same statements and see where that gets you!!!

You are obviously too wrapped up in your own "I really didn't do it..." (even though you have nothing to support that)... that you fail to see the constructive nature of my "opinion"... Think of it this way; if my opinion will help you put forth a better defense, then how can it detract from the purpose of this forum???

Lastly, you posted on a forum on the internet... If you're not open to criticism then you should have kept your inquiry “PRIVATE”!

 

[Greg R.]

I agree with you “I GOT BANNED” with mistakenly contradicting myself, that is why I said thank you that is helpful. I did not intend, nor do I believe I said, that if I contradict myself in court I would be found not guilty.

The google map was to show that the distance shown on the ticket represented more than a block from where he was standing. I was planning on using that in conjunction with the pictures that I took from where he was standing. Those pictures show that he would not have had clear sight of me until I was more than halfway closer than the distance on the ticket. That being the case there is no way the distance data was taken from my vehicle.
I get your point though, if not google maps, where can I get a map to use in court. Will any old store map work? Also, where could I get one of those courtroom displays of my location?

I promise, I do appreciate it. It forces me to be more concise with my description of the events. I understand how that is very important.
Please understand that I don’t know anything about you, your personality… I do not know how you go about assisting someone. I see what you are doing now but on your first response, how could I? It looked like you were offering a smart a** response to a poorly worded statement instead of constructive criticism.

Thank you again, I see the light

 

[Greg R.]

Make sure the judge knows that, unless he has your EXACT make & model of nav system, he can't make a decision on your contradictions.

Nice!

So, in other words don't comment on the NAV even if there is a logical reason for me needing to look down.

 

[I_Got_Banned]

I don’t know anything about you, your personality… I do not know how you go about assisting someone. I see what you are doing now but on your first response, how could I? It looked like you were offering a smart a** response to a poorly worded statement instead of constructive criticism.

Oh, I see.... So while you were criticizing me for offering an "opinion that was not based upon facts and was not only useless but detracts from this forum", you were in fact doing the SAME EXACT THING with the only difference that I was able to justify my opinion with my now previous post.... Your turn now!

Actually... Disregard that... No biggie...

 

[Greg R.]

I can appreciate what you said, "I GOT BANNED" and you bring up a good point with how I responded to your first post. I guess there are always two ways to respond. That said, if someone walks up to me and slaps me I'm not going to ask him if he was attempting to shoo away a bee before I respond.

Your statements are noted, understood and I'm going to try and learn from them. That's what I'm going to take away from this experience. If you don't mind constructive criticism, it might be more helpful if you provide color as to how you are "helping" someone so it isn't misconstrued as simply being a smart a** reply. I have read many posts on this site and I now see that you are trying to really offer up assistance to me, however, there are enough people/posts on this site where the author of a post is just being rude. I should have asked you before responding, my bad, I accept responsibility,

I don't mind admitting I'm wrong which I was when I first responded to your post so there is no reason to continue dragging my statement through the mud on this discourse. I tried to accept my error in my second email to you but you are not letting it go. I am sorry if you took offense and I do regret responding as I did especially in light of the fact that you are/were trying to help.

Again, I thank you

 

[I_Got_Banned]

I guess there are always two ways to respond.

Actually, there are more than two ways... On this forum for example, there are as many ways as there are members... your point is still valid though

That said, if someone walks up to me and slaps me I'm not going to ask him if he was attempting to shoo away a bee before I respond.

Big rotten egg on your face if he was shooing a bee though.... You know what I mean?

Your statements are noted, understood and I'm going to try and learn from them. That's what I'm going to take away from this experience.

Oh heck no... I hope to God, and only for your sake, that you take more from this experience than the small tidbit you learned from our interaction.

If you don't mind constructive criticism, it might be more helpful if you provide color as to how you are "helping" someone so it isn't misconstrued as simply being a smart a** reply.

I appreciate that, Greg, I really do, and I will consider your comments as of this moment... I will at least try.

Just keep in mind that we all have our own style when it comes to doing things... So to tell you that my posts will be as colorful as you would like them to be, I would be lying to you...

I have read many posts on this site and I now see that you are trying to really offer up assistance to me,

See? It was much easier for you to adjust to my style of posting than it was for me to change it...

Problem solved!!!

however, there are enough people/posts on this site where the author of a post is just being rude.

And how is that my fault or even my problem

I don't mind admitting I'm wrong which I was when I first responded to your post so there is no reason to continue dragging my statement through the mud on this discourse. I tried to accept my error in my second email to you but you are not letting it go.

Actually... I did let it go.... Here is how I ended my last post:

Actually... Disregard that... No biggie...

You're the one who started dragging again...

I am sorry if you took offense and I do regret responding as I did especially in light of the fact that you are/were trying to help.

Again, I thank you

Greg, I never asked you for an apology nor did I expect you to thank me. Those are the two farthest things that I expect when I log onto this forum. I come here, -believe it or not-, to help people out through the experiences that I have had myself... But wait... There is so much more to it than that... I come here mainly because I learn an amazing amount of information as I browse through here as well.

So if anyone should be thanked, it is you and others like you who come here to share your experiences, unfortunate as those experiences maybe.

Now, instead of sitting their playing “I said, you said”... Start thinking about how you're going to defend yourself in court...

 

[Greg R.]

Greg, I never asked you for an apology nor did I expect you to thank me.

While you didn't ask for one doesn't mean that you didn't deserve one from me. I mistook your actions and I feel like I owed it to you.