Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches California So, I finally had a pleasure of talking to a CHP officer...

85 in a 65 is not a bad tix. I got pulled over in Scotts Valley by CHP for (ticket said) 80+ in a 65 on the straightaway of 17.

The ticket was $80 (boy did I get lucky). My first time pulled over (and I drive a little crazy, not to mention fast). I paid for traffic school ($25 to the county of SantaCruz + $25 to go to traffic school online). Easy for me. Stayed off my record. All in all, it was abou $112 for everything. Took me 25 minutes to take the traffic school online (might not be avaliable for Santa Clara county).

280 is a very fast freeway. You might be able to claim "speed of traffic" if you weren't in the fast lane or in heavy traffic. I wouldn't suggest it though. Your first time should be a small fee and you will likely get the opportunity to take traffic school.

Personally, I would just take the ticket and traffic school. The next one might be worth spending more money to fight it (as long as you are spending less than the rake in your insurance rates).

My $0.02

Since its your first ticket, you can go to traffic school. Your ticket will probably be less than $200. Traffic school should cost less than $30.

If you choose to do traffic school, do an online course. It saves time, money, effort (ie you don't have to go and waste your whole Saturday). Plus its really easy...the test at the end is a friggin' joke! I could have passed without taking the online course before hand.

Also, keep in mind that taking traffic school means that it hides the points off your driving record, so you insurance company doesn't see it (and charge you more). However, you must be on your "best driving behavior" for 18 months; if you don't get a ticket, the ticket will be taken off your record. If you do get a ticket both penalties will be shown to your insurance company. So you must not get a ticket for 18 months (you can't go to traffic school more than once in 18 months).

I think all this info is correct...but correct me if I am wrong.

I went throught this whole process in January.

Good luck!

Thanks for all of the advice. I'll let you know how it will turn out.

Is it me or do most cops don't use radars in California? I am still reruning the situation in my mind on how they got me. I admit that when I speed, I usually very aware of my surroundings. And this time, I was the only car on the road, going downhill, right near a couple of exists where cops do like to hide (I've seen a lot of people get pulled over in that area). But I blame myself this time => 16 hours work day, too much coffee, bad day at work...etc.

I also been told that if cops use their car speedometer to measure your speed, then they gotta track you for at least 2 miles. Does anybody know if this is just a bunch of BS?

12 am going northbound on 280... no one on the road. If they are near you then they are gonna see you. Cops (especially CHP) are quite good at telling the difference between 65 and 85+. He probably would have bugged you if you were going 70 (cause that's how a lot of cops are).

If the ticket had the radar box checked, then he used radar. Otherwise, he was guessing (thats why he didn't give your exact speed. (85+ is not exact). I doubt you can refute it much since you said there was no one else on the road. You don't pose a threat to other drivers, but you can't claim speed-of-traffic either.

If you were in the SanJose/SantaClara/Cupertino area, then he probably just merged onto the freeway and came up behind you. If you were further up 280 (like near the 92 280/92 junction) then he probably was sitting on the shoulder or on an onramp that he has a good view from.

In the L.A. area, cops go 90 on the freeway just to be able to pull up behind someone (who probably won't notice them).

I got a ticket on wednesday for the front window tint and for having my stereo up too loud. No moving violations. Not from CHP though. I got mine on Castro in Mountain View in front of Limelight. I think I have a chance to fight the sound violation - I couldn't hear my own stereo from 50 feet. I'll just wait to see what the fine is first.

Cops are trained to read speed visually, they don't need a radar gun.

I almost got a ticket yesterday, HW 85, I was going like 90, radar detector went nuts, sure enough 150 yrds ahead a CHP just sittin on the side of the road. Needless to say within a few seconds I was going below the speed limit, and when I passed by the cop was reading something, not even paying attention! Doh!! :rolleyes:

James

they may be trained to spot a speeding car, but i'll be damned if they can tell i was doin 82 from over a 1/4 mile away.

bastages

-jason