contesting ticket in N. Carolina

Hi everyone - a search of past posts gave me a bit of info on contesting speed tickets (including forms) in other states, but i'm interesting in info for NC. I just returned from holiday in Duck, North Carolina (yes that's in the outerbanks, host of the weather channel recently) with a souvenir ticket for going 52 in a 35. First ticket in six of seven years! I'd like information on how to plead not-guilty by mail. Details for those interested: I'm traveling north along 12 - the single north/south road in this part of the outerbanks just North of Duck. The speed limit cycles every hundred yards or so from a low of 25 mph up to 45 mph. I see the officer and glanced at the speedo - I'm going 45 and lifted of the accelerator not sure what the limit is at this point in the road. At about the same time as I passed him, he lights up his rack so I guessed that the speed limit here must not be 45! He's claiming that I was going 52 in 35. In hindsight, I have the feeling he was planning on giving me a warning but I was not happy about the difference between my actual speed and his 52 MPH estimate and probably wasn't as apologetic as I needed to be * Question : He was not facing me. I doubt he was kneeling on his seat aiming a radar gun at me through the back window. I think he was trying to tag people coming over a ridge in the opposite direction and then saw me coming and guessed my speed, I was speeding after all. He claims he got me with radar. Does this make sense? The day after the ticket I was annoyed, but accepted the fact that any judge is going to take the officers word over mine, etc... And with Isabel coming, I had more to think about... BUT I also then observed that the speed limit sign just north of the speedtrap was obscured by bushes so I want to fight this. FYI - The ticket is just $50, the court costs are $100? Also, does anyone know if NC points get reported to New York

Does the ticket say MR anywhere on it? Did he say he got you on radar? You don't need to come to NC for the ticket/court, but you may need a good local attorney to plead your case. Usually on things like this they can get it reduced to something like 9mph over, which is a non moving violation and does not affect insurance or driving record.

He claimed he got me on radar - I asked him point blank. What does MR stand for - I don't have the ticket with me. Thanks for the info on the appearance - I'm back in NY now and they try to make it look like you only have options to send a check or drive back to North Carolina.

I recently got a ticket for going 67 in a 55 in NC and hired a lawyer to contest it for me. They have what they call an "equipment violation", where the county gets the same $$ they would with the speeding ticket but you don't get any points, that your lawyer can plead down to on your behalf. As long as you haven't had a ticket in NC in the past couple of years, it shouldn't be a problem. I think the lawyer cost me $100 and the fine was another $125, but no points and no extra trip to NC for traffic court. Lawyers advertise on the internet for this service. Look into it.

Do the crime Pay the fine Nextime have Valentine

45 in a 35 I accept (even with the bushes blocking the sign and the ridiculous "court cost") - but that's not what the citation reads Mr. Jones.

Do the crime Pay the fine Nextime have Valentine... Very poetic MJ!!!

Ok - I now see the rhyme - and promise to lighten up!!! (one think keeping me from Valentine - the boxey little thing looks like it was designed in the era of the 8-track. But I guess it's how it beeps that matters. ) My detector, which is usually great, never even went off - that's another thing that leads me to believe that the cop never even tagged me but only estimated (mis-estimated) my speed...