Pending Charges on NovU, YIKES!

Couple months ago I was ticketed a speeding citation by California Highway Patrol at a small town. Yesterday, I got a letter saying that $222.24 is due for a total bait.

I thought I was getting a warning as a patrol told me that he was giving me a break(which clearly turned out to be NOT so much) but the letter says I violated section 22349(b).

Yes, I was speeding but by like little more than 5 miles. On the ticket issued by a patrol, it says 60+ on 55 Max Spd zone. What's funny is that 60 miles zone was just 70 metres away from where I was caught which the cop also told me after giving me a ticket.

I just don't feel right about just paying the fine. I did violate the limit but not by far, and perhaps not so much if common sense was applied. So what happens if I don't pay this ticket? I know I am risking jail time and bigger fine if I get caught next time. But I also heard about record staying only for 5 years. Is this true? Also do I have a good case and what should I say if I take this to a court? (I am not really planning on a 13 hours trip just to dispute this ticket but this somewhat upsets me so I wouldn't rule out a trip completely...)

The Justice system works! God bless America!

With the thread title, I was expecting NovU smacked a guy, not this. I am rather disappointed.

As for the fine, I don't think you really have to pay for it since you are in Canada, but you probably won't be allowed into the US until you do so.

And that ladies and gentlemen, is what you call an old-fashioned speed trap.
What city was it in?

5 mph over ain't shit. they have increasing severity for 5 over, 10 over, etc. you can usually plea guilty and agree to take traffic school online and that shit stays off your record.
When I was 19, I got a speeding ticket for 100+ which is another (more severe) category on its own. basically the judge threw the book at me to make sure i never did it again. $1800 and a day of Cal Trans (trash pickup on the freeway) later, I have no desire to go that fast again

NovU was driving bad ass, damn. Well, I think it's really up to you. If I were you, I would just pay the fine. No kind of complexity left. But if you have the energy and think you won't get exhausted, you might as well give the case a go. You are most likely to win it given your conditions. Then again, it will be very tiring. And I think, overall, it would cost more than your current fine.

With the thread title, I was expecting NovU smacked a guy, not this. I am rather disappointed.

This dude is hilarious

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-dr ... cle536203/

*sigh... I guess my only option is to pay. That Pdub's article pretty much confirms what I thought.

Easily the worst experience out of all my encounters with cops mostly because I thought I didn't deserve it and the cop was quite intimidating. And I can't even contest it, lol. BTW is it normal for the cops to approach the vehicle with hand on the gun? It's not like my car had tinted window or chrome wheels. I mean it's a silver import sedan with 4dr, aka honking aggression victim #1.

What city was it in?

Susanville, located near northern edge of California state, I was on the way to Vegas. I only stopped by for food and gas.

5 mph over ain't shit. they have increasing severity for 5 over, 10 over, etc. you can usually plea guilty and agree to take traffic school online and that shit stays off your record.

Good grief. $230 for 5 miles over? And optionally traffic school and bigger fine? I feel disz bit too excessive.

When I was 19, I got a speeding ticket for 100+ which is another (more severe) category on its own. basically the judge threw the book at me to make sure i never did it again. $1800 and a day of Cal Trans (trash pickup on the freeway) later, I have no desire to go that fast again

Are you telling me you were over 100 miles the speed limit? Isn't that treated like murder attempt?

Highway patrol are different than city based police officers. They will pull you over at 5 over. I got pulled over at more than that while people were passing me in other lanes but by mentioning it, he let me off but I got a fix it ticket for no plates.

They approach with their hand on their weapon because many cops have gotten killed the moment they approached the door. Sometimes they don't even come directly in front of the window, too .

If you are in the states often, pay it. If not, they can't do anything to you in Canada. If you have a valid US license, they will eventually revoke it, but you can still enter the country.

Yeah, and it's California, I have no choice now but to Pay. LoL

Highway patrol are different than city based police officers. They will pull you over at 5 over. I got pulled over at more than that while people were passing me in other lanes but by mentioning it, he let me off but I got a fix it ticket for no plates.

That's actually quite unfair but it is what it is I guess.

Here in Canada, cops would usually ticket the cars that go over 20km otherwise no bother.

When I was 19, I got a speeding ticket for 100+ which is another (more severe) category on its own. basically the judge threw the book at me to make sure i never did it again. $1800 and a day of Cal Trans (trash pickup on the freeway) later, I have no desire to go that fast again

Are you telling me you were over 100 miles the speed limit? Isn't that treated like murder attempt?

no, over 100mph. not 100mph over

Good grief. $230 for 5 miles over? And optionally traffic school and bigger fine? I feel disz bit too excessive.

sounds about right.

Here in Canada, cops would usually ticket the cars that go over 20km otherwise no bother.

that's usually the case here unless you get a dick cop

I thought I didn't deserve it

Most prisoners believe that.

LoL... u basturd

no, over 100mph. not 100mph over

How much were you over the limit? $1800 is just... I am guessing they also had your car impounded so I'm thinking it's actually cost near $2k?

no it wasn't impounded. it was on the freeway so the limit was 65. but the law is different when you are <100 and >100

i was actually going about 96 or 97, but the cop was a dick. he didn't have me on radar he was just guesstimating.

plus you were pulled over in a small town where there isn't much else to do but set up speed traps and wait for someone to get caught

Yes, I was speeding but by like little more than 5 miles.

On the ticket issued by a patrol, it says 60+ on 55 Max Spd zone.

I thought I didn't deserve it

do I have a good case?

...seriously? "But I was only over by around 5mph" is a poor defence to a charge of "doing around 5mph over the limit".

There's actually more to the story but I thought it'd be draggy and boring.

1) Cop didn't clock my speed. There was no way he did under the circumstance. He took a U-turn to chase me. I am thinking this was due to me stepping on the yellow line accidently(due to slightly curvy lane) and I was little more than 5 miles over at the time, but that's still gotta be his estimation as he possibly couldn't tell how fast I was travelling. There was absolutely no way he could have clocked my speed while he was also speeding from on-coming traffic lane. We only saw each other at last second. I don't know how it works in America, but as far as I know, the cops here need to prove with radar gun thingie in court. Last time I went to the court for my friend's case, I saw the cop presenting some sort of proof of speeding to the judge on some people's case.

2) I was well under speed limit when he was chasing me because I recognized him taking U-turn through my side mirror. Besides, the reason I didn't see the cop head to head was because I was going at the speed of traffic flow and there was a truck in front me. If he was going to give me a ticket, it should have been for a lane violation which he didn't bother to metion but blatantly accused me of speeding crazy. I didn't confront but was rather apologetic because was intimidated. He said he was giving me a break and it turned out to be $230 fine. I don't take that as a 'break' because he clearly had nothing on me with speeding.

3) Cop probably decided to chase me because I startled him a little bit at the slight curve. And me being Canadian, he probably knew I wasn't going to contest it and has no other option but to pay. I heard more tickets they issue out, more money they make in the states. And more tickets police issues, recognized as a better police officer. If this is true, that's some wacky system that needs some fixing.

Just like Qballer, he was going at 96-97 but was penalized for more because the cop simply abused his power. If you think this is wrong, you should feel there's wrong in my case as well.

Cops abusing their authority? Nonsense. That's as ridiculous as famous people abusing their influence. It's a small thing. It's not such a big deal to be suddenly an activist about it. Pay up and let it go NovU. The cop having no radar gun had nothing to do with his decision to give you a speeding ticket. I'm sure the NLSC is the only place discussing about such troubles with speeding like your case. This thread is going nowhere with the complaints and becoming negative. Let it go and show them the money already.

That right there is why I still love this place.