My '02 sebring is finally fully broken in... 2400 miles and I got my first speeding ticket tonight. 87 in a 65 mph zone.

For the SF Bay Area folks, I was on the way home from work about 7:30 tonight going north on I-280 in the vicinity of Cupertino, "the world's most beautiful freeway" at least according to Caltrans . For locals, I was driving north under the overpass about half mile south of the 85 interchange.

Clear night, top down. 'Cut into the fast lane to get around a slowpoke and saw a single headlight flash by on the left shoulder off the fast lane... very weird.

I'm always driving thru my rear view mirror and slowed down after I saw the single light because I couldn't figure out what it was. Too late tho', single white light got bigger, and the red and blue lights started flashing... it was a CHP motorcycle hiding under the overpass (in the fast lane for crying out loud!). Foul!!!!!

Radar gun got me at 87. Mr. CHP Officer (sir) didn't cut me any slack. Can't remember when my last ticket was, might have been within the last twelve months. Oh well, so much for unwinding in the s2k after a long day in the salt mine...

Might be time to install a radar detector... would've saved me this time.

- Marc

 

marc,

sorry to hear about your ticket. go out and buy yourself a Valentine One unit and it will save you next time you get radar zapped I hate those scandalis BIKE COPS!!... make sure during dusk time, to slow down underneath those overpasses on the freeway. They tend to hide under the overpass under the shadows so its hard to detect them

 

ooopps! Sorry to hear this Marc.

The cops like sitting under those overpasses, especially at Wolfe Road and DeAnzaBlvd, and farther South under the Saratoga Ave overpass where the road bends. They usually do not do instant-on though, so a radar detector will greatly improve your ticket avoidance chances.

For now, you can try ticketassasin.com to see if that will help. Seems to have helped many in the Bay Area.

 

DANG that truely sucks to have been pulled over for a speeding ticket especially when they were hiding under the overpass. Well they probably noticed your car since it is an s2000.

 

F-in pigs...

I don't mind regular police, but traffic police are another story. With all the real crime going on in our country the resources applied to traffic enforment/revenue enhancement should be directed somewhere else.

The police themselves are the ABSOLUTE WORST OFFENDERS. One was following me the other night. Speed limit was 30, when he figured out I could smell him behind me he guns it and flys down the road at 50-60 MPH. Keep in mind this is a RESIDENTIAL STREET. He was no responding to a call as he just slid in behind another motorist to pace them.

Bullshit...

 

Sorry to hear about your ticket. One month after I bought mine I also got a ticket. To make a long story short, the cop picked the S2k out of a train of 3 cars (a Suburban and a Camry). We were all speeding. He should of picked out the Suburban, the first car but he didn't. The S2k is a cop magnet. Now I drive near the speed limit going under bridges and underpasses, going downhill, and driving on Interstates -- you know what I mean. A lot of those hiding spots are impossible to find. So now, the siren song of vtec is only sung on twisty country back roads where there is no place for them to hide.

 

If he was in the far left lane, his radar could have picked up an error from the other side of the road. Find out what kind of gun it is, get the manual, find out about how to tune it. Find out about it's inaccuracy. Find out if it's an X-Band (the worst, with a wide shooting area and very inaccurate). See if there are any sites around about how to get out of the ticket ---- avoid going to court for as long as you can, get continuances.

If you pay the fine, pay too much, if they return a check to you, never cash it, the case will never be closed and no points will be charged.

 

Urban legend.

 

I actually tried this one. Urban Legend is CORRECT. I find what works best is to admit that you were speeding, but to dispute the speed. (luckily) The judge has always been willing to reduce the fine to a money penalty without the hassle of the points.

 

This was my out come as well. I noticed that out of a room of about 100 people, about 95% of the decisions went this way.