User Panel
Posted: 2/28/2006 12:49:57 PM EDT
I usually drive with my cruise control set and pay attention to what I do, but that doesn’t help in a speed trap situation if it is clever and well planned.
I got nabbed this weekend in an OBVIOUS speed trap, going 70 in a 60. As I usually treat officer’s w/respect (sincere respect) I have only rarely received anything other than a warning. However, this is outrageous, and the ticket is $200, and I thought I had my cruise control set at 72 in a 65 (posted speed after dusk) on HWY79 in Franklin Texas. I'm considering getting POST certified in Texas, and I don’t want to step on any toes here by taking it to trial, but that is what I am preparing to do at this point unless someone of you brothers of the shield have some advice? My step-brother was LE, my step-dad was LE, my brother in law is current, and my uncle is as well… I guess it’s in my blood and I want to serve as a reservist. |
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So you thought you were only exceeding the speed limit by 7mph, how is that a speed trap?
How is the officer wrong? You were nice to them so they should cut you a break? |
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What is your definition of a speed trap? Explain what made this an 'OBVIOUS' speed trap...........
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Please explain the 'obvious' speed trap and how you weren't breaking the law by travelling 72 mph in a 65 mph zone?
Tagged Brian |
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sorry bud I think you posted in the wrong forum
I feel your pain, 200 is more than a bit excessive for 7 over. <--- not an LEO |
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Remember the movie, "Liar, Liar" with Jim Carrey?
When one of his "regular customers" calls and asks how he can stay out of jail after yet another crime he committed, our hero says,
You were speeding and you got nailed for it. What's the problem here? And who's it with? Clue: The cop was NOT in the wrong. Meaning....WHO.....was? You get one guess. CJ |
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$200 is expensive for a ticket. Guess you shouldn't set your cruise for "72 in a 65" (your words). That $200 ticket should teach you but probably won't.
I guess you must not be very smart since you were speeding through an "OBVIOUS" speed trap. Don't bother getting certified. We don't need officers like you. Don't expect any sympathy here! |
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If you think I should pay $200, well... that's your opinion, and you are certainly entitled to that.
However, this SPEED TRAP had a drop from 70 to 35 in less than 1 mile, and a not so obvious sign on the side of the highway obscured by over-growth. I use the cruise control on 72 because it doesn’t cause many over-passing problems from the other motorists en route, police officers, I believe call it the flow of traffic. Anyone who asks me to define a 'SPEED TRAP' probably needs to go fight some real crime. www.speedtrap.org/speedtraps/FranklinTX IMHO; a real officer of the peace shouldn’t hide behind a bush, but should be on patrol. Hiding, which is what he was doing, is good for two things. 1. Protection. 2. Surprise attacks/Ambush. I think we know what this is about... it's about money. Shame on you fascist bootlicking antagonists for thinking it is about laws or safety. You guys are un-believable. *** Subscription cancelled *** |
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In some states, the law specifically requires police running radar to have at least their running lights on when doing so.
If this is the case in Florida, it's a law that the police often ignore. Fully blacked-out police cars running radar seem to be the norm. CJ |
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Hooooooo-kay.
I will give you credit for the witty insult, but I'm still not picturing how you breaking the law is somehow the fault of anyone but you. And yes, traffic law is still the law. |
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Again, in your own words, you were stopped and cited for 70 mph in a 60mph zone, not a 35mph zone. You knew the speed limit and exceeded it. You got caught. Talking about overgrowth and speed limit changes doesn't change the fact that you knew the speed limit, in this case 60 mph, and you were travelling 72 mph, with cruise control. Get over it. Why don't you just blame your car for your problems. Calling all of use names isn't going to solve your problems either. It is really just a flashing red light and flag telling all of us that you don't possess the ability to accept responsiblity for your actions. As far as you becoming a LEO, go find something else to do with your life and quit acting like a politician.
You may have cancelled your subscription, because you didn't get the answers you wanted, but you'll still come back to read this. |
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you said you got a ticket for doing 60/70, then you said it was a speedtrap because it went from 70 to 35 in less than a mile, which is it.
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So you're story is changing now eh? What really happened?? If it's a "not so obvious sign on the side of the highway obscured by over-growth" you obviously know it's there and you still sped through the area. Boy you are stupid!!!! Do you have any idea how many bad guys I've stopped and arrested by "hiding in the bush" and "ambushing" them with speeding violations? I'm not even going to bother to tell you because you won't care anyway. When I'm on patrol and can't find any bad guys I sit somewhere and wait for them to come to me. It works. But you wouldn't understand that. You think it's all about money? I'll tell that to the family of the next speeding drunk who plasters himself/herself all over the roadway. Sorry I wasn't there to stop your family member....we only stop people for money. Excuse me while I take off for awhile. I have some facist boots to lick Then I'm going to find some poor innocent speeder to antagonize. Oh one more thing.....what subscription are you canceling? |
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if you are guilty then pay the fine. If you aren't guilty fight it. If you want to bitch about the amount of the fine take it to the policticians that set the amount. No one has ever asked me what I thought the fine for speeding should be....
That's funny from somebody that stated he wants to join our ranks.... Brian |
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er.
a.) glocknroll is an idiot on several counts. b.) franklin's been a speed trap, (it's on US79 northeast of Hearne, so he must be an aggie or visiting someone who is...) since, oh, about 1935 or so... i live 250 miles away, and had relatives that lived in buffalo, down the road, and every time we came up, we were warned about franklin... c.) doesn't matter what the fine is, if you have a clean slate, and you're doing under 25mph over the limit, can't you take a defensive driving course in texas and get the ticket dismissed? at least that's the way it was 15 years ago, when i got my last ticket. d.) if you had your cruise control going, and you've been making good time for say, and hour or more (in either direction, i've been there...) wouldn't it be a good idea to come off cruising speed in town, where there's a stoplight, gas stations, convenience stores, a cafe' or two... wouldn't want to wad old man smith's pickup as he's trying to get into the feed store parking lot and fumbling for his cigar at the same time now, would you... e.) what subscription? are you daft man? this is a free resource unless you subscribe to the 'inner circle', which a great many of us see no need to do. mr. avila and family/friends/company make decent $ from the advertising on this website, and in such situation, offer this free service to us, the consumers. f.) if you want to go elsewhere and pay higher prices for the same stuff, and feel this makes your point, then go for it. otherwise, hang here. g.) it's not our fault you got a ticket, and it's not our fault you can't figure out how to get out of a very, very, very slight bind. h.) bye... |
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Ever hear of a TRAFFIC OFFICER. It is their job to respond to collisions and enforce traffic laws. I agree with previous poster, consider a different career, you do not belong in law enforcement!!
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You are not an officer here or anywhere else. (Thank God for that) You ARE however, Felony Ignorant. It's a damn shame we don't have public floggings for people like you.
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While I do strongly disagree with the idea of genuine speed traps, that is, places where the speed limit
is dropped dramatically and with little warning due to poorly placed signage, and staked out by police for the sole purpose of generating revenue, the fact remains that if you know you're speeding and continue to do it, you have no right to do anything but take your lumps when you get caught. To complain about it is to be a whiny little bitch who doesn't want to own up to the consequences of his own actions. CJ |
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you admited going over the speed limit and got caught, and now you are mad becuase of the way you got caught? I think you need to man up and pay the ticket and stop setting your cruise control 7 miles over the posted limit, it is no one elses fualt but yourself. no matter how you say you were caught speed trap or not you got caught and need to be responsible for you actions.
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That's funny from somebody that stated he wants to join our ranks.... Brian I couldn't agree more with you. I wouldn't consider it hiding, I consider it being smarter than the knuckleheads that think they can outsmart the police and speed. Glockandroll, if you want to join the ranks of the brother hood, this is not the place to come whine because you got a ticket you very well deserved. Just because you are "nice" and "courteous" to the officer does not require him to issue you a warning rather than a hard copy citation. If part of doing the job as an LEO is to go out and work a "speed trap". Than that is what the officer needs to do. If it generates money for the city government so they can pay the officer and or get better equipment for the department, than I suggest they run more "speed traps". If you were to ever join the brother hoood, you have a lot of maturing that you need to do. You screwed up. You got caught. Now be a bigger man and accept the consequences. If you can't, I would suggest that you seek a different career path. |
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C'mon, you know that Ignorance is only a misdemeanor. You have to be REALLY stupid to elevate it to felony. |
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+1 Witty insult. Nicely done. 9 out of 10 Only a Liberal could blame others for their "misfortune" that they, themself created. Okay maybe look at it as a quality of life thing. 1 light town with mjr hwy running through the middle. Maybe they don't want to play frogger with the grocery's while trying to cross the street. |
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.......what an idiot....... |
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Why does every post that starts with "I plan on becoming, My uncle is, my family is..." seem to end like this.
I love it. |
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Aren't we the cocky little bastard....Listen up: are you so dimwitted as to believe that we don't know what the definition of a speedtrap is? ! We all know exactly what a speed trap is. We weren't asking for the literal definition of the word, we wanted to know the circumstances of your specific stop so as to ascertain whether or not it was one. That said, its a moot point as you have conveniently changed your story.......In closing: SHUT UP and PAY UP.....And if you don't like the laws as they are written, may I humbly suggest taking the bus from now on....... |
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Glock&Roll said he was thinking about being an officer. Then he went on to rant about what real cops should do. To finish it up, we are now fascists, I suppose for enforcing the laws. Glock, how do you know what real cops should do? How would you issue any citation or make any arrest since doing so would obviously make you one of the fascists? I am usually fairly lenient on my opinion of most civilians that post questions and statements on bulletin boards since they normally are speaking out of ignorance of laws and procedures. I have no such sympathy for you. You seem to be a crybaby that cannot handle the decision making that officers are confronted with on a daily basis. You may or may not have been screwed over by one officer but that does not justify your sniveling attitude toward all officers. I hope you have gotten mad enough at this point to end your thoughts of being an officer because frankly, we don't need or want you. |
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IMO any speeding ticket for under 10 over is usually bullshit just because. Luck for you though you are in Texas. You have the right to a trial by jury. If I were you I would plead not guilty and request a trial by jury. Also under Texas law speed limits are not the law. That is to say that merely driving over the speed limit is not illegal. What is illegal is driving faster than a speed that is reasonable and prudent. www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/TN/content/htm/tn.007.00.000545.00.htm#545.351.00
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Once again, |
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Uhh dont want a ticket? Do the speed limit...... duh.
If I'm speeding and I get a ticket it's my fault. If I'm doing the speed limit AND existing conditions indicate it's perfectly safe to do so and I get a ticket then I'll fight it and bitch. Suck it up, admit you were in the wrong and pay your fukkin ticket. You'll never make it in LE thinking you're something special. |
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He's absolutely right. Damn you guys are mean. All you jackbooted thugs thinking that it's your business to try to enforce speed limits. Preposterous!
Next thing you know, you'll start arresting guys just for slapping their wives or kids around. What is this country coming to? |
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lmao!! Too many fockers in this country don't know what it means to take responsibility for the actions....its very sad. |
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It's fairly easy to deal with a city ticket in Texas, I've done it several times and not one offense is on my driving record. All it takes is a little bit of legal knowledge.
Of course rather than acting like you wanted to listen or be informed, you've just been bitching and throwing a fit because YOU broke the law - so have fun working it out. BTW, if you have family in LE, why are you coming here? |
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I love it when people read the part of the law that they want to pertain to them.
OFFascist you need to read a little further into the code. The very next one talks about Prima Facie Speed Limits. Those are the max allowable under any circumstance. The ones you refer to deal with circumstances that cause the max allowable speed to be less than the posted speed. If it is snowing then maybe 35 in the 70 zone would be the max allowable. If you are doing 60, 10 under, the officer can give you a ticket because 35 is what would be "reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing." I think I better get a fresh ticket book from the Sgt. I feel like making more outrageous money for the mayor and city council. Forget the fact that in 99% of the traffic accidents I write someone is speeding. I'm in it for the money, not safety. |
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You are mistaken. That section reads.
This section merely states that if you are driving over the speed limit, then that fact can be used against you in a court of law as "evidence" that your speed was unlawful. However just because there is evidence of something that does not necessarily make it the case and in a jury trial it is up to the jury to judge all the evidence. In my experience they usually just drop the ticket if you request a jury trial on a speeding ticket for something like 10-20 over. That long section I snipped is just a listing of "lawful speeds," nowhere in there does it say that speeds greater than those listed speeds in and of themselves are unlawful.
Speeding in and of itself doesnt cause accidents, it can however contribute to them. |
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You are acting like an idiot. Please get out of our forum. --edited to quote the right poster. (Sorry Off) |
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alright man, NP. |
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Texas should just take all of their speed limit signs down. Obviously they are too complicated for some Texans to understand.
I invite OFFascist to come to WA and use his rational in traffic court. No jury trial. If you contest the ticket it is not dismissed. You have your day in court before the judge, not a jury. The officer can even be served with a subpoena, should the driver wish (I love the OT). Those who try and explain the traffic laws to the local judge don't fair so well. He has heard all the BS arguements before. To him a "Limit" is a "Limit." It is a simple concept. Take responsibility for your actions. There is no such thing as a speed trap. The department of transportation sets up the speed zones, we enforce them. Speed drops are required by law to have the proper signage. +1 to npd233 |
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Speed limit signs have thier place, but they do not stand for the defacto maximum legal speed on Texas roadways.
Why? Did I somehow offend you because I posted Texas law and it happens to be different than your state law? That makes about as much sense as someone from California posted about how they would like you to bring a no-ban AR-15 into thier state and use your rational for why you own it in your own state in the California Legal system. Why are you getting so bothered?
Okay well I'm sorry that your state does not grant you a right to trial by jury in all cases. Somehow I'm betting you dont have a problem with that though.
I do. I have yet to commit a crime on the road in Texas and I hope to keep it that way.
I disagree, although I wouldnt consider the original posters case to be a speed trap, although I definately think the fine is excessive considering the speeds if he were guilty. |
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People cry about personal responsibility for everything except traffic violations.
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Why should someone be responsible and pay for something even when they have not broken the law? In Houston the the DA is telling Houston PD to still arrest people who are travelling with a handgun in thier card, and saying he will prosecute for unlawful carry, despite the fact that the state law allows for concealed carrying in your vehicle. Should someone who is arrested for that, just "man up" and "be responsible" when they are following the letter of the law? Its the same thing here albeit the stakes are alot lower. |
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After reading your posts so far, I might suggest that you take the time to read ALL of TTC 545.3-- because it is pretty clear about speed limits, including areas that aren't specifically posted and the authority of the different .gov entities to modify those limits. Picking and choosing the parts that suit you won't help. |
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Apples and oranges. If the DA in Harris Co. chooses to interpret the UCW law in that manner, that is his right as an ELECTED official. Get someone elected that is more agreeable to your ideas. |
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According tot he original message, he was on HWY 79. If that is the case then the speed limit would have been set by the state, not the city, and any speed reduction on that roadway, would have to be approved by the state as well.
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Well now I just did. I didnt see anything that changes what I posted. It all comes down to "prima facie," if you are going over the speed limit then it is "prima facie" evidence that your speed was not reasonable and prudent. That doesnt mean much though because you can still argue in court that your speed was reasonable and prudent, and if my speed was reasonable and prudent I would do just that. I've never had the chance to do it yet though since I've had two of my speeding tickets dropped before trial. |
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So it doesnt matter what the law says, only what elected individuals decide to interpret it as. Its that kind of attitude that has lead our nation to be in the current big government, budget deficiet, nanny state that we are. |
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Contrary to popular belief, you can get a speeding ticket for going only 1 mile per hour over the post speed limit. Most departments set policies giving a grace speed (my department says to allow 5 over). I personally start writing at 15 over. When I stop you, you know you were speeding.
The limit is the limit is the limit! If you walk into court with that, they are going to eat you for lunch. Your best bet is to pay the ticket and see if they will keep it off your insurance. When you tell the judge that you were speeding, but just not that fast, he's going to find you guilty of whatever speed above the limit you claim you were doing. The problem is the fine will be the exact same. |
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