From: dos@major.panix.com (Dave O'Shea)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Advice on going to court for speeding
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 09:31:18 EDT
Organization: Hurts rent-a-dungeon, Inc.

jak@cs.brown.edu (Jak Kirman) writes:

> 
> The policeman said he had stopped me as I was doing 80mph.  I didn't
> have the presence of mind to dispute this, since I was not really sure
> how fast I had been going when he clocked me -- I still don't know
> exactly how far before where he stopped me he had clocked me.  He asked
> if I had been drinking, to which I replied no (I don't drink), and he
> asked me whether I was in a rush.  I said that I was just going home
> after visiting a friend, but again didn't bring out all the excuses that
> I should have.  I was hoping that if I just acted very contrite he would
> at least ticket me for less than 80.  He went back to his car for a long
> time, at least 5 minutes, and then came back and gave me a ticket for
> 80mph, for $200.
> 3) If I go to court and plead attenuating circumstances, is it possible
> they will reduce the fine?

They will likely laugh at you. Extenuating is the word you want. And no, 
they probably won't accept it, unless you had some kind of life-or-death 
emergency.

> 
> 4) If they do reduce the fine, will it affect my insurance less?

Not unless they actually reduce the charge, not the fine. F'rinstance, 
"speed unsafe for conditions" might not get you whomped as hard by your 
carrier.

> 6) Here are some of the facts that I might offer as attenuating
> circumstances; which of them are likely to help or hurt?
> a) I was driving a car that is much quieter and smoother than the one
> that I am used to, so my speed tends to creep up unless I watch the

Put yourself in the judges' shoes. Would *you* beleive this one?

> speedometer constantly.
> b) I got back from a 3-week trip to France a week or so before, and
> there was used to driving much faster than here (85mph speed limits) ,
> so I was still in the process of getting re-accustomed to American speed

Not likely to help, and might get you pegged as a rich boy.

> limits.
> c) I was going down-hill when he clocked me (he said), so my speed might
> have crept up because the car is an automatic and has less engine
> braking than the manual I am used to.

If the ticket was for 60 in a 55, this might wash. But a 25mph 
difference? Not too likely.

> d) The road conditions were excellent.
> e) I have had 3 tickets in the past, all in almost identical conditions
> -- just got to the States or back from holiday in Europe, not used to
> the low speed limits, no-one around to judge my speed by, middle of the
> night, perfect conditions.  The last ticket was 3 years ago.

Might I suggest a radar detector, and more prodigous use of the rear-view 
mirror?

> 7) Is it not usual for the police to take into account the road
> conditions and so forth and reduce the speed they ticket you for to take
> this into account?  It seems odd, to say the least, that the penalty for
> driving 80mph on a deserted road in the middle of the night should be
> the same as driving 80mph in rush hour.

I'd concur. Driving at 80 on a crowded highway that's moving considerably 
slower should get you shot. It's not speed that kills, it's differences 
in speed that seem to cause most accidents.

> court?  Should I temper the truth with a little common sense and say I
> was trying to drive at 65 instead of the true 70?

Unless you intend to actually fight the ticket, best to put on your best 
suit, a conservative tie, and plead guilty.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving