I got a ticket in Tampa Fl. The LEO said I was doing 80 in a 65. I had set my cruise at 70. She said she paced me to get my speed. I tried to explain that I was certain of my speed. she said tell it to the judge.

I am the first to be critical of others excuses and therefore expect no sympathy, but am looking for advice from others that have dealt with the courts in Tampa.

I drive this road every day to and from work. I drive in excess of 40 miles each way. I haven't had a speeding ticket in nearly 20 years (not saying I haven't deserved one).

My Question then is: should I bite the bullet and just take the driving course even though I know I wasn't in the wrong, or should I trust the courts?
How do the courts in Pennelis county work?
Should I get lawyer?
Well, any help will be nice, or at least someone to give me a "aww, don't worry, it will a be alright"(key UB40 music and a pat on the back)

OK, so I guess I am looking for some sympathy...

Dang!!
Rob

 

aww, don't worry, it will a be alright



sorry.... that's the best I can do.

 

I second that

 

If taking the class makes it so you don't get the points on your record I would just take the class. It's not that much fun, but it's not the worst that could happen. I know when I got my ticket the class was 1/2 the price of the ticket, didn't get any points on my record, and it only was 3 hours. If you have a clean record just keep it clean and say this is for one of the other times you should have been caught, but didn't. But then again it's JMHO.

 

Your word against hers,you will lose!

 

My experience has been the judge will give you a break, provided your driving record is clean. He did for me at least. No tickets in the last 7 years was sufficient. Got popped doing 40 in a 25. Repent, take class do whatever. Insurance is just looking for a way to increase rates I bet. Good luck.

 

Your profile indicates your from Savanah Georgia yet you indicate you drive the road every day. If you have out of state plates, I would suggest you pay and take the course. If you are local (40 miles out), I suggest you pay and take the course.

My point is that if you dispute the ticket, the judge will politely listen to your side of the story and still give you the ticket. You will have waisted your time, gas and energy.

I moved from Chicago to the Tampa area four years ago. I hadn't gotten a ticket in over 10 years and I got pulled over twice in my first six months down here. The first time, the cop was cool knowing I had just moved and had honestly thought I was driving in a 70 MPH zone whereas it had dropped to 65. I got off with a warning.

The second time, I got a ticket by an air cop who radioed down to the street LEO who pulled me over. Same situation as yours as I thought I was only about 5 miles over.

Due to all the speeding in the sunshine state, the LEOs usually don't bother with you if you are only 5-10 MPH over. When you reach 15 MPH over the posted limit, the fine increases and you become their "target market".

My advise is to pay and take the online course. You will lose about 4 hours off your life but you can sit back and and surf other sites after you finish each section as there is a timer preventing you from advancing to the next section.

I know a few great Corvette websites if you need them.....

 

I think I copied this from a member here at one time, knew it might come in useful.

"In Florida, we have "ticket clinics"; Basically lawyers that do nothing but traffic tickets.
In my case, it cost 90 bucks (67 in a 45), guaranteed no fines, no points, no school.
Took them about 7 months, rescheduling the case several times.

http://www.theticketclinic.com/

For 90 bucks, I kept my "safe driver", and low insurance rates."

Might be worth checking into.

 

you say Tampa but then you say Pinellas county...which is it??

 

1st off its Bob Marley not UB40!

If you haven't gotten a ticket in 20 years alot of states will knock it down to a no pointer if you have had no moving violations in the last 3 years. If not, just pay it. As much as it may suck on principal, I don't think one ticket is going to set you back much.

 

Your word against her's - don't think I would want to take that chance. Last time I got a ticket I opted for taking the class - no points, no record of the ticket, no insurance notification. And cost was less than the ticket would have been.

 

Exactly!

 

Even if you're right, that you were doing only 70, you still were speeding by 5 mph over the limit, and the judge can still get you for that if he/she wants to. The only guaranteed way to keep the ticket off your record is to take the course. It's not as bad as you think, and you might in fact learn a thing or two by doing so. Good luck.

 

Now that doesn't sound like the words of a rebel hearted person

 

I would take the course.

Chuck

 

Hi CSI guy... you got me!!!
I was technically still in hillsborough county when I was stopped before the boarder of pineallis co.. Since she was a statey, I guess she decided to have me appear there. I could be wrong, but the sign that welcomes you to ST Pete on the Howard Franklin Bridge would also indicate the next county. I was stopped mid bridge, well before the sign.


BUTT, I Said Tampa because more people relate with that city.

for example, by show of hands, who here could point to St petersburgh on the map without thinking twice.

ok, now Tampa

Thank you, you can put your hands down now...

See my point?

Wait, maybe you are those kind of people that needs to run their post count up with fragmented single sentence replies like its a race to the end of the post counter clock.

 

I you really don't believe that you were driving that fast, I'd go to court. The fact that you drive on the road every day to and from work clearly indicates that you're aware of the speed limit. Keep in mind that if you go to court and testify that you had the cruise control set for 70 mph, you are admitting that you were speeding. I'm not sure how a judge might look at that. Is there a possibility your cruise control is off?

I never liked to write pace clock tickets unless I could follow a car for quite some distance to get an accurate speed. In my opinion, there are just too many variables. Good luck!

 

Thanks Jet-Jock this will be my first avenue.
Rob

 

Put on a suit and tie and look your best in court. If your area is like mine the judge will find it refreshing to have somebody that respects the court. Tell your side concisely and thoroughly without emotion. Admit to doing 70MPH and ask the judge to defer judgement - on that speed - pending your completing a drivers course.

I've gone to court when I was right and got no more than advice from the judge on how I can be avoid situations in the future.

Tell it to the judge.

 

I am not sure how a pace clock works... We were actually traveling quite a distance together, so I was well aware she was there.

I set my cruise for 71 (Yes, I know...now)I usually set it at 73 +/- 1 MPH. I realize I am breaking the law but figure since I am not going + 10 I won't get a ticket (my dad, an old LEO, jokingly said its your God given right to go ten over ) It has worked for 18+years.

She dropped back quite a distance and I thought I was in the clear. I passed another LEO on the side of the road. Shortly after, I saw her come up fast in the rear View and thought it was the officer I had just passed. She popped the lights on and, after we pulled over, asked why I was going 80. At first I thought I was being pulled over for 5MPH over, that would probably be just a warning. My jaw dropped when she said the big 8-0 and she just smiled at me. I felt she didn't want me to talk, of course I was also speechless, so nothing more was said.

I only said that I meant no disrespect, but was certain of my speed. She wrote me the ticket then strongly suggested that I go to court.That seemed odd. The whole stop seemed strange to me. She said she didn't see any other Officers on the bridge when I had asked her which one she was(the one traveling with me or the officer on the side of the road)

This is an 8 lane earthen bridge with a very wide grassy shoulder. Clear early morning with light, for "Tampa", traffic.
My Speedo is off +2MPH If it says 70 the GPS says 68-69, so its pretty close.
In Tampa areas traffic, I usually just stay with the flow of traffic, this was one of those odd days of going to work where I felt like I had the bridge to myself.

So she did follow me for a distance, can a pace clock be misread? I am human so it is possible that I set my cruise @ other then 70 or so. But, I checked my speed several times since I was aware the area was hot. I feel certain I was traveling at around 70, not 80.