Got busted today.....It seems like the moment your not paying attention to the speed limit, you get caught!

I was on Walney Rd, which is a high traffic, tree lined back-road. Lots of curves and hills. I came around a corner and went over a hill, and at the bottom in the middle of the road is smokey. He motions me to pull over into a parking lot.

In the parking lot (which belongs to Cabell's Mill, a VA State Park) was 3 other cars that just got busted. I just knew that I wasn't going to get any kinda break at all. I really didn't know the speed limit, but should have. Got 55 in a 35.....Ouch!

People continued to get pulled over while I there, and since I had my windows down, I know the women behind me also got caught doing 55.

To be honest, I'm trying to think of ways out of this ticket. I got a ticket six months ago in Prince William County, and went to the Judge and got driving school instead....exactly what I wanted since I did have a perfect record. Now with this, I'm wondering if I can do the same thing since it's a different county and technically I still have a clean record. Maybe it's worth a shot.

So, should I just pay it and be sad or try to get more school? Any thoughts?

 

Man I'm sorry to hear about that John. It seems like the traps are the worst kind of tickets to get out of. It wouldn't hurt to go to court to ask for driving school so I would definately go for it. Hope you can catch a break with this one.

 

I know there are stationary laser traps on Clara Barton Bridge on 495, both inner/outer loop.

Since this cop pulled you and many other ppl over on the same day, he is definitely gonna show on court date. I'd push the court date out at least once or maybe twice, this cop probably won't show up by then. If he does, go back to plan A. Good luck dude.

 

I've "heard" that the postponement method can work. However, in Maryland they usually schedule your new date at a time when the officer will be in court for several other tickets as well. There's still a chance the officer won't show, but in my experience they usually do. If you have time, what you can do is go to court and see if they show up. If they do, just leave and write a letter asking for another court date. If not, then you're home free! This is all rumors and 2nd hand stories of course

Besides, the longer you postpone your hearing, the less time the points will show up for insurance (If I'm wrong, please correct me)

 

Bummer man! You didn't say how much the ticket was for...

*knock on wood* I have a perfect record so far, but I do high speed runs 100+ on the beltway every morning on a select section of road, so maybe my record will be tainted and I'll be thrown in the slammer...damn it this is why I need to get to the track

 

Don't know about traffic school, apparently Maryland doesn't believe in it. Your biggest problem may be the ticket you got six months ago (unless VA law is different than MD).

In MD, you can get PBJ (not peanut butter & jelly , probation before judgement), where you pay the fine and if you stay clean for a year, your record is purged and it's like you never had the ticket. If you're bad and get another ticket before the year is up, the points from the 1st ticket go on your record. I assume you could ask for PBJ for the second ticket, but the judge has your record in front of him when you get called; if he looks at your record and sees you had a ticket 6 months ago, he may not be inclined to give you PBJ.

You need to find out if taking traffic school wiped the ticket off your record as soon as you finished the school, or if there is some "stay clean" period before this happens. If it was wiped from your record upon completion of school, go to school again!

As for postponement: try it. I have it from a very reliable source that if you can get a court date postponed twice, the officer almost never shows up. They will probably give you one postponement, but getting the second one is pretty hard - if you can think of a good "overriding national security" reason, you might get it

Good Luck!

 

Hey all, thanks so far for the comments. I'm going to the DMV soon to get my record and see if the first ticket got completely pulled from my record. As far as I know, it never even made it to my record since I completed the class.

I'm still kicking myself for this. I'm just hoping that I can persuade the Fairfax County Judge to send me to school. I did it once before.

 

Speed traps are the worst! Nobody knows me but I Just joined this site not to long ago, anyways I live over here in centreville and I have seen the Walnrey Rd speed trap, watch out for other ones under the bridge on 29 next to Sports Athority and Home Depot, heads up on Union Mill Rd they sit at the last entrance to Little Rocky Run Homes, it bad when you come around the turn on Compton Rd in between Union Mill and Rt 28, top of the hill at New Braddock.... I feel for who ever got hit by the speed trap. Good Luck! I havent been caught yet in my S2k....knock on wood. To whoever was caught, im in the area Silver w/ hardtop! Ill keep a look out.

 

Known repetitive speed traps would be another good reference post in our regional area.

 

what ever it takes...sounds like a good idea I know a few other spots, just ask.(Mostly in the Fairfax area)