First BRZ to get pulled over in NJ!!
 

The title says it all.

:mad0259:

Sorry to hear man! Did you manage to talk your way out?

Unfortunately not. I gotta go fight it in court. I was heading north on a road and the cop was heading south. He claims that I was doing 55 in a 40 when I know that I wasn't. *sigh.

where at?!

How can he just "claim" you were doing 55? Does he have radar to prove?

Was this in NJ? I always hear horror stories about being pulled over in NJ.

Ive never had a problem in jersey.

Was it visual or radar?

First off I am not from NJ so this might not be true there, but...

There is a rule called 'officer's opinion,' basically this states that if the officer thinks you did something wrong he can give you a ticket. If he THINKS you are speeding he can assume the speed and write a ticket. I spent a long time fighting a ticket in Texas based on this fact. I pulled out of my driveway and turned at a stop sign, max speed possible maybe 15 mph. Well the officer pulled me over at the stop sign and gave me a ticket for 75 in a 30. I took him to court and showed my path being around 20ft and the most possible was 15mph; even if I just slammed the gas pedal, which I didn't. I still lost because if the officer believed I was going that fast then he is a trained witness, and his word means more than mine. Long story short I slept with his daughter at a party...

I like where that story went.

I had a similar situation though where a cop had no radar and didn't clock me or anything but claimed I was going something like 55 in a 30. I fought it (required two days off work and trips to the court house). Ultimately even the judge didn't believe the cop but "figured I was still speeding" and reduced the ticket to the minimum. I was still pissed because I wanted to avoid the points and didn't care as much about the fine.

Basically the testimony of a police officer is enough to give you a ticket with zero other supporting evidence even if the judge doesn't end up believing the officer's story. Well at least in MA it is. I imagine this shit varies pretty wildly from state to state or country to country.

Go to court in NJ and talk to the prosecutor. Be nice and ask for a unsafe driving ticket downgrade. You can have up to 2 in 5 years. The ticket carries no point but will carry a nice fine ($250.00 surcharge over base fine) for the State.

Do not get a 3rd unsafe in 5 years though. You get 4 points on the third ticket.

Word of advice, do not give an attitude to the cop when pulled over. They tend to forget the masses they give tickets to but if you were "that pissy guy" then you will be remembered when you go to court and the cop would recommend the prosecutor against a downgrade.

that's called a police state and last time i checked ya'll yanks were against that? where are your gun laws now?

Yeah, police opinion counts for a lot in court...good or bad. I will say this, age helps. I've been pulled over several times under questionable circumstances and have gotten away with just a verbal warning. I think when they find out your some middle-aged dude, they aren't quite as harsh with you.