I got busted a while back for a speed contest (my 2nd one ). I went to court and the judge said if I plead guilty he would give me 55 hours community service, instead of the $1,033 fine. Also I get 2 points on my record. I didn't really like the sound of this so I asked to speak with the District Attorney. So today I talked with them and she said if I plead guilty I would get 15 Cal Trans (this is bad!) and my car would be impounded for 30 days. So this is even worse than what the judge had first said, but I can't go back and take the first offer. So I told them I wouldn't take theiur offer. So now I have an appointment to speak to a public defender. As far as getting my car impounded, they can't impound the car if it's not in my possession/ownership.

Basically what I am asking is, Has anyone ever fought a speed contest ticket in court? I am debating whether or not to have a trial. In all honestly I wasn't really racing. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

d00d, STOP STREET RACING

thats all that will help you. Get responsible, take what you deserve.

 

I understand that street racing is bad, and the reason why I am not letting them hand the law to me is because I wasn't racing this time.

 

Then what were you doing?

 

find youself a GOOD lawyer in the area who knows the prosecutor and judge and deals with this court regularly... he/she is the only one that can help you out and it will be money well spent. they can get a fer better bargain than you ever will get on your own or with an overworked underpaid public defender. it won't be cheap, but neither are the other possible outcomes. If you really were not racing then this is all the more important...you shouldn't have to take a plea if you are innocent and can prove it.

good luck
dave w, Esqire...

 

avoiding having the car next to me merge right into me.

 

Hmm.. still kinda fishy.. is that all? How fast were you going etc etc? No room? Freeway? Street? Where?

 

I love having a truck sometimes. I dare them to hit me

 

kick out the cash for a good lawyer as davew said. a lawyer that knows people is your friend...as long as you can afford them.

 

ok here goes. I pull up to a stop sign at the base of a bridge. Shortly behind me is honda civic (in the lane next to me, and there are two lanes). I start to go up the bridge, and the civic does too. I have the right away, his lane has to merge (there is about 75 feet before the lanes merge into one). So he decides to try and get in front of me, and i didn't want to let me so I floored it. Seeing that he was determined to get ahead, i backed off and let him have it. So now I am behind him and the cop pulls me over and gives me a speed contest. I didn't peel out, i was going the speed limit. Cop didn't even try to pull over the guy in the civic. My car is fixed up, the civic is stock, of course he is going to pull me over.



[Modified by NWP4LIFE, 8:26 PM 1/9/2002]

 

Obviously its not quite fixed up enough...you lost the race LOL!!!

If you tell that story to the judge they will find you guilty. that much I can assure you.

dave w

 

This is a misdemeanor and if you get a pissed off Judge who got cut off by a riced out Honda Civic, he can throw the book at you and give you 6 months in jail.
Get a lawyer and arrange a plea agreement. Judges will give a harsh penalty if things had to go to trial for a misdemeanor.

 

That statement right there is what will sink you in court. He was accellerating and you were trying to out accellerate him. It doesn't matter if you backed off... you were racing! That is how the court is going to see it anyway. BTW, even if you have right of way, you still have to yield to someone else to avoid a collision so your argument about right of way doesn't hold water either. Sorry. I still think that the cop was being an *** but he was within the law on the one...

 

yeah that's what I'm afraid of. I don't think I have a chance of winning. I just wasnt to try and get the punishment that was originally offered to me.

 

then it's time to go get a lawyer... sorry man...

 

dude....face it like it man...you didn't learn your lesson the first time so now they are coming down on you...eaat thw penalty and live with it!

 

He might have to face it like a 'woman' if he gets thrown in jail. I hope you are not a pretty boy and share a cell with an inmate named Bruno...jk jk

 

LOL.

 

do a search under "lawyer" or "attorney" in the socal section at http://www.s2ki.com
I remember seeing a thread about some of them recommending a particular lawyer.

good luck!

 

sorry man, I'm just trying to spare myself a sever punishment. I'd rather go down fighting then sit there with my mouth closed and get screwed. Maybe I'm weird.

 

sorry for sounding harsh...but maybe you should deal with the harsh reality...its good life experience points. Loook at the road you were on dude...a two lane merging into a one with opposing traffic and a bike lane...you could easily kill people at high speeds.

As I teenager I used to street race all the time and always got caught...up to the point where I almost got my license suspended. But I didn't care ...as soon as someone challenged me, I forgot the last ticket that got and what the judge had told me.

But I learned my lesson the hard way...I wasn't street racing when it happened, but I got in to a HUGE accident where my whole car was pinned underneath a truck, withtthe whole front end bashed in (with me in it). The car didn't have any air bags.

Well.. I learned how dangerous a car can be...If I hadn't been wearing my seat belt or driving even 5 miles an hour faster than I was...I would be dead.

Get serious about your driving habits man...if you gotta tear around, go to the track or an open deserted road...don't street race!


[Modified by MiraiZ, 10:24 PM 1/10/2002]