Speeding ticket in Washington state

[dkaiser]

What is the name of your state? Washington state

Last night (New Years Eve) I got pulled over on the I-90 bridge Eastbound for speeding. The officer said she got me going at 82, but lowered it to going 75 in a 60. Why do they do that? Every time I get a speeding ticket they do that and I don't get the reasoning behind it, I know it's not just to be nice. Anyways, I wasn't paying attention to my speed, there were other cars on the bridge and we were all going the same speed. When she talked to me, she asked if I had been drinking because my car smelled like alcohol. Me and my passengers had not been drinking yet, and there was no alcohol in the car. She was lying - there's no way my car smelled like alcohol. She also asked why the front passenger seat was empty - we had just dropped that person off. Why would that matter to the officer?

She was apparently on a DWI watch. Is it okay that she can just say she smells alcohol when she clearly does not? And if she did smell alcohol in my car or thought I was drinking, wouldn't she be obligated to give me a breathalyzer, especially because I'm under 21? She rushed through the whole thing, I think she might've been upset I wasn't drunk because trust me, guarantee there were real drunk drivers zooming by as she raced to give me my ticket.

I was speeding, but I don't want this on my record. I do not car ehow much it costs, I just don't want my insurance to go up. I'm 20 today, was 19 when I got the ticket. I've gotten three tickets (2 speeding, one for god knows what when I got in an accident) and been in two accidents, one that was "my fault" and one that totalled my car and sent me to the hospital and wasnt "my fault". But I'm a great student, no criminal record. What are my options? Can I defer? If I contest the hearing what will I have to do? I'm willing to do anything to get away with this. Since she lowered my ticket to 75 in a 60, than would she be allowed to use the 82 radar in court? Wouldn't that mean she didn't give me the right ticket for the offense? Did she just assume that as a rich whiteboy heading back to the suburbs that I would just get my dad to pay for it and forget it? Maybe I can make her look incompetent? Of course I will lie if I can get away with it, trust me I can get a judge to love me. Really though I'll do anything to get this off my record. My dad who pays my insurance said to do what I can.

 

[The Occultist]

What is the name of your state? Washington state

Last night (New Years Eve) I got pulled over on the I-90 bridge Eastbound for speeding. The officer said she got me going at 82, but lowered it to going 75 in a 60. Why do they do that? Every time I get a speeding ticket they do that and I don't get the reasoning behind it, I know it's not just to be nice.

How do you know?

Anyways, I wasn't paying attention to my speed, there were other cars on the bridge and we were all going the same speed.

"Everybody else is doing it" is not a valid legal defense.

When she talked to me, she asked if I had been drinking because my car smelled like alcohol. Me and my passengers had not been drinking yet, and there was no alcohol in the car. She was lying - there's no way my car smelled like alcohol. She also asked why the front passenger seat was empty - we had just dropped that person off. Why would that matter to the officer?

I used to have a neighbor that was an officer, and usually handled interrogations at his precinct. He once told me that the key to getting the truth is to ask about seemingly irrelevant, minute details (such as the fact that you had passengers in the back seat and nobody in the front seat), in hopes of you stumbling over any potential lies.

She was apparently on a DWI watch. Is it okay that she can just say she smells alcohol when she clearly does not?

You don't know what she did or didn't smell.

And if she did smell alcohol in my car or thought I was drinking, wouldn't she be obligated to give me a breathalyzer, especially because I'm under 21? She rushed through the whole thing, I think she might've been upset I wasn't drunk because trust me, guarantee there were real drunk drivers zooming by as she raced to give me my ticket.

She apparently reassessed the situation and, using her expert training, decided you were indeed not intoxicated. Why are you arguing with this?

I was speeding, but I don't want this on my record.

Then you should not have been speeding.

I do not car ehow much it costs, I just don't want my insurance to go up.

You'll want to try negotiating a plea deal to get this cut down to a non-moving violation. Since you don't care how much it costs, definitely get a traffic attorney to represent you. A local attorney knows what the courts want to hear, and are your best bet of placating the DA.

I'm 20 today, was 19 when I got the ticket. I've gotten three tickets (2 speeding, one for god knows what when I got in an accident) and been in two accidents, one that was "my fault" and one that totalled my car and sent me to the hospital and wasnt "my fault".

Wow. Just... wow.

But I'm a great student, no criminal record. What are my options? Can I defer? If I contest the hearing what will I have to do? I'm willing to do anything to get away with this. Since she lowered my ticket to 75 in a 60, than would she be allowed to use the 82 radar in court? Wouldn't that mean she didn't give me the right ticket for the offense? Did she just assume that as a rich whiteboy heading back to the suburbs that I would just get my dad to pay for it and forget it? Maybe I can make her look incompetent? Of course I will lie if I can get away with it, trust me I can get a judge to love me. Really though I'll do anything to get this off my record. My dad who pays my insurance said to do what I can.

If you lie in court and get caught, you WILL go to jail. There is no "might" about it.

Officers often will cite you for a lower speed, yes, to be nice. That lower speed probably made a difference in the number of points a guilty conviction might give you. If you try to raise the issue in court, you will be given a new citation with the correct speed, and you will likely see little to no leniency from the court thereafter.

 

[cepe10]

It can mean they did not get a good reading or any reading at all.

You can get probation before judgment in WA - go to court.

 

[racer72]

You can get probation before judgment in WA - go to court.

It's called a deferral and the OP won't qualify.

I've gotten three tickets (2 speeding, one for god knows what when I got in an accident) and been in two accidents, one that was "my fault" and one that totalled my car and sent me to the hospital and wasnt "my fault".