Speeding ticket - 106 in a 50.

So I�m driving home the other night about 11 pm, the top is down, the temp is a perfect 62 degrees and I�m approach my favorite road to stretch my legs a little. It�s a long, wide, straight away just before a bridge, road is fenced off on both sides to keep the deer & other critters out, no side streets, no other cars, in the middle of no where. I just installed the plenum (purchased during the group buy here) and I wanted to feel the extra pull and hear the Gemballa exhaust & K/N CAI combo. I punched it at ~ 40 mph and the car was absolutely wailing when I heard the V1 laser alert go off. I instantly let off the gas and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a car tucked in behind a tree, and then the blue lights came on. Oh sh*t. I pull over, turn off the car, take the keys out of the ignition, turn on the interior light, put my hands on the dash and muster the most pitiful look I can � which wasn�t hard . I fully expected to be verbally berated (and half expect to be physically assaulted ) considering the speed � 106 in a 50, but the Frederick County Police Officer didn�t chastise me. I told the Officer I knew I was speeding but didn�t realize I was doing 106. I threw in the facts I�m an idiot for even momentarily going that fast on a public street but I drive over 30,000 miles a year and haven�t had a moving violation since 1987. I�ve been pulled over numerous times, but being extra polite, honest, following proper protocol and having a clean record had always gotten me off with warnings. Not this time, full boat 106 in a 50, 5 or 6 points and $530. I�d gladly pay the fine, but the points are a killer. I'm lucky this didn't happen in some other states or I might have spent the night in the clink. In MD, I have three choices � 1. Pay the fine, accept the points and be done 2. Request a trial with Officer present. 3. Guilty with an explanation � just me and the judge I chose option 3 because aside from the possibility of temporary insanity, I don�t think there�s a brilliant legal defense an atty can devise for speeding. I�m going to take a driver improvement course prior to appearing, mention my spotless record, ask the judge for mercy and hope he got laid the night before. I haven�t driven the 996 in over a week and still don�t feel like it.

that's going to hurt...............

Good luck. Got to get back on the horse though - beautiful car.

Your V1 saved you some, and I say some, money. I cannot imagine if you didn't have the V1 and kept accelerating and what would have happened. GL in court

seriously doubt the V1 made any difference. Maybe a a couple MPH is all. Say this since he was caught by laser. Not possible to put brakes on faster than the speed of light (laser) can ascertain the speed. Might consider getting an atty...

Agree with nosub, can't hurt to talk to an attorney. Worst case with one, you spend a few extra bucks but might be worth it if you save a couple of points.

My atty said most judges look down on folks who bring atty's for speeding violations, but he doesn't specialize in traffic tickets. Still looking to speak with a "local" atty who knows the judges in frederick county. Kristap - you shoot skeet?

I think after living in Germany I will sell my car before returning to the states, I am sorry but the fine is your smallest problem. I would wonder what this will do to your insurance, clean record or not. Best of luck!

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I doubt the V1 did anything either, unless someone actually thinks that the officer would have waited to click off another reading on the gun after seeing 106 mph the first time. In this situation, the V1 merely gave you a 2-second warning that you'll be receiving a ticket shortly. No offense to the V1, of course, but it's just a ticket indicator in this situation. I'm a V1 owner with the laser detection disabled.

A lawyer has relationships with cops and judges so I would consult one. Send the car to me--I'll drive the **** out of it for you!

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citations though most of course focus on the bigger ones like DUI. Ideally you want to also find this attorney used to be a PA or DA or at least worked on the prosecution side for a while. He/she will know the system better. The Yellow Pages is your friend here. I've done this when I thought the citation was bogus or in some way deserving to be contested and in all cases the ticket has either been dismissed, reduced to a non-moving violation or in one case dealt with using IIRC the term correctly, probation before judgement, which saw the ticket reduced to non-moving violation after 6 months of a clean driving record and payment of small fine, court costs. This in panhandle of Texas. (Another citation in Cisco Tx avoided when I was pulled over by city kitty staking out interstate and in the dark failed to see the red car in the fast lane pull out and go around my Boxster that I had running 5mph *under* the limit (had early warning of radar trap not only from V1 but CB-radio and reports from big rig truck drivers). In this case the mistake was so egregious I argued (which one should never do) on shoulder and officer relented and let me off with a "warning".) You need to find an attorney that knows the traffic court system including officers and judges/commissioners, etc., is very close to the courthouse and is sympathetic to your situation. My last ticket was handled by an ex-Porsche owner who happened to be an ex-district attorney... Citing officer didn't even show up. Ticket dismissed for lack of prosecution. Sincerely, Macster.

Big bummer, but like you said- at least you didn't go to jail for being in triple digits. I also think an attorney would be a good idea to consult with- the fines are small compared to insurance rates, etc. and you have a spotless record for 20 years? You're doing the right thing by doing the driver safety class. You might end up w/ a 2 point violation for failing to use a turn signal, and volunteer community service or a donation to a local charity. Good luck, and glad to hear there were no incidents at speed.

I had a 1 point speeding ticket last year, didn't take traffic school (lazy, didn't think 1 point would effect anything). In communist California my insurance rate just went up $400 for the year!!! Ticket was $350 for a 75mph at 35mph, 7:00am monday morning in an industrial area. Cops didn't have radar, just said that he had to drive 75mph to catch up with me. I didn't argue, he was pissed from the start. Tried to fight the ticket with that Trial by declaration thing from http://www.ticketassassin.com/ at first, judge didn't even write the reason why it was turned down, just sent back the result and said that I was guilty. I should have tried the traffic school route if I would have known... Ended up paying the ticket, and live with a jacked up insurance now. I think they just wanted to make the fine money.....

damn...where in Frederick were you at? I'm in Hagerstown.

Definitely time for an attorney. I was cited for wreckless driving when the officer didn't know how fast I was going. He just listed >80 mph. I paid the attorney, took an online driving class and no points.

Little consolation, but that could (and does) happen to any one of us. Sucks how you can go fast in hyway traffic, but when you are all alone and safe you are more likely to get bagged. Look at it as a "go fast tax." And please don't stop driving your car, you are bumming us out. By the way, never turn off your V1 laser detection. I can alert you to traffic ahead being shot. Also, jamming laser is legal. Light is not yet under FCC control. And if you live in Nebraska, Minnesota, Utah, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois and Washington DC, say you are experimenting with laser range finding, if challanged.

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It's a pretty rare occasion when any laser detector warns from traffic ahead, and one of the other vehicles I use my V1 in uses laser for the cruise control, among other things, and it constantly reflects back to the V1. Coupled with the third brake light that alerts the V1's laser detection on every GM midsize SUV I pull up behind, I just make do without.

that sucks- something we all can empathise with (the fear of). should consider a laser defuser. any little advantage we can get. anyway, i'd strongly suggest retaining an atty cuz the biggest issue will be your insurance premiums. a p-car with a speeding ticket will invariably lead to skyrocketed premiums. something like getting it reduced to a reckless driving could mitigate that a bit. anyway, an atty would be well worth it finding out. good luck.

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!!!!!!!!!!!! can't reckless driving be a felony?

In my eyes....you have 3 choices too: 1. consult an atty 2. consult an atty 3. consult an atty I do this for a living. If you don't want to consult an atty....go to court on the trial date....the officer will likely reduce the ticket for you without you even asking for it. Follow the court's instructions when you arrive, and I'm fairly certain you will benefit by appearing. Forget the explanations....they are garbage and won't effect the points...a waste of time. J

Ok, I admit I never got caught doubling the limit. However, on average, I've had more than one speeding ticket for every two years of my life (I'm 28 and I've covered some asphalt), and it's been almost a year since I've had one (time for me to get a V1!). I've learned these three things: 1) Be nice and respectfully request to be let off with a warning...goes a long way when you don't waste their time BSing them; 2) If you're ticketed in Dade-County, FL, you hire an attorney immediately because they've some some perverse system where you pretty much automatically win the case and face court fees instead of the ticket fine (11/15 of my tickets were in FL and I somehow have an impeccable driving record there); 3) If you're in CA, forget fighting the ticket, you'll just waste money on an attorney...but sometimes they forget to put the infraction on your record as they did in my case. I don't know how MD's system works, but I would hire an attorney just to find out. Worse case, you lose an additional $150 bucks for retaining a good traffic attorney. Good luck fighting the good fight! I'm all for responsible speeding, but I think DUI offenders should be on-site-executed by the arresting officer; saves tax dollars in the long run for useful things like counter-IED research.

spam

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On Rt 80 just before the Monocacy River bridge. Not really Frederick, but Frederick county. I appreciate all the empathy & advice. I already mailed the "request waiver hearing: Guilty with an explanation statement" but will consult a local atty tomorrow. Frederick County has a real good old boy network, so finding someone plugged in may help. I'd hire the simpson dream team if I thought they could help (fortunately it looks like O.J. will be needing them again).

20 over here in VA and you pay over 1k, plus I believe you could loose your license for at least 6 months!

FYI, in Cali, you can go to court over and over and get traffic school...its supposed to be once every 18 months, but i just went my 2nd time in a year and one guy in my class was there for his 4th time in a year.....

I had a buddy go to JAIL in NOVA for that. 100+ on 29 out by Dulles. You really need to talk to an attorney. You only have ONE shot to get this fixed. Do it in person ignorant to the system and probably have ZERO chance to escape better than a PROFESSIONAL can.

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sorry, "careless driving" or whatever general, catchall a particular jurisdiction uses when they reduce some charge.

In FL I used The Ticket Clinic . There must be someone similar in your state. Got me off the points but still had to pay the fine & court costs (Safe Driver, first and only offense). Trust me, the points will cost you more than the fine and they remain in force longer. I would definately get a law firm on your side and get the Blinder M20 Jammer fitted for any future 'accidental' overages. Don't forget, judges were once attornies too, they would rather you employed one that not.

Definitely hire a lawyer, like somebody mentioned earlier they have a relationship with judges. Because judges were once lawyers too in most cases! In criminal court your are the criminal and lawyers are the peers! Get some inside edge!

Change your insurance before you get convicted and/or push the policy to an annual renewal. This way you at least save the higher insurance cost for one year. I got two 6 point tickets in NOVA earlier this year (2 x > 20mph over limit), made a driver improvement course (-5 points) and had my insurance pay for a small demage on my BMW. My lawyer said that my record is my biggest enemy when we went to court for the 2nd ticket. However, I just paid $400 for the first ticket and $150 for the second. One was reckless driving, second ticket got reduced to regular speeding. I just renewed my insurance policy for another 12 months and actually paid $40 less than last year. It takes some time that the points show up on your record and the insurance gets the info. Now I only speed on the track.

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But the points don't drop on the subsequent traffic school degrees Takes 18 months for the big reset button on that part.

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I'm meeting with an atty tomoroow afternoon in an attempt to infultrate the 'good ole boy network' .

ouch