On the morning of Aug. 29th I was heading to work down 1st Ave. in Alabaster, near Fox Valley got pulled over by a police officer.
There were 2 cars in front of me and I had just got finished thinking to myself that, "this truck in front of me is smoking really bad. I can't believe I am going to have to follow this all the way to the interstate in Alabaster". I had already started slowing down before I saw the cop.
Once we all saw him he started to move and did a U-turn and got behind me. I thought, "I am sure he is about to pull over this guy in front of me because his truck is smoking or he is heading back to the police station". After the police followed me for about 30 seconds he turned on his lights and pulled me over.
Once he got to my window he asked for my license and insurance, asked me if my address was correct on my license and then started to walk off. I had to stop him and ask him why I was being pulled over. He said because I was speeding.
I told him, "sir, I am not sure what the speed limit is because I haven't lived at the address on my license for even a month yet and I haven't traveled this road enough to know." The speed limit on 1st ave. is 30mph. (let me just say here that I know ignorance of the law is not an excuse...I was just stating the truth.)
Either way, he walked back to his car and came back with ticket in hand. I asked him how fast I was going. I thought he said, "29 in a 30." I said, "29 in a 30!" And he said, "no, 39 in a 30." Then he said, "didn't you see me get behind you?" I said, "yes I did that I why I didn't think I was speeding." (come on now...would I knowingly be speeding with a cop behind me!!!...of course I thought about this after I was driving to work). I asked then asked him, "how fast the truck in front of me was going and he said 38."
Well, once I got to work I looked at the ticket and he had written down that I was doing 49 in a 30, instead of the 39 that he told me I was doing.
The Price of my ticket is $160.00.
My question to you for advise is...Should I go to contest the ticket on my court date or just stand before the Judge and ask him/her to let me go to driving school so it will stay off of my record?
I feel that I have reason to contest it because of the sequence of events that morning and from the information that the office told me about the speed of the truck in front of me. And even more so since he wrote down that I was doing 49 in a 30 and the car in front of me was doing 38. If that were true then I would have smashed into the back of the truck that I was following and then we would have had an accident report on our hands, not a speeding ticket.
I truly feel that he clocked my speed while he was traveling behind me and once I started up the hill towards Thompson Road he pulled me over. It is possible that he clocked me at 49 but again...I did not know what the speed was and I sure didn't think it was 30 being the type of road it is and I would not knowingly be speeding with a cop behind me.
So...what is your advise?...contest, ask for driving school?!?
4 comments:
My advice is to contest it. I have done that in the past and a friend of mine just did it recently, and it was well worth the time for both of us. I had my fine dropped and my friend was able to get less points taken away.
I would contest it. First of all, the whole 38 vs. 39 is nuts, you would have hit him. And he told you one thing and wrote down another. Not to mention he couldn't accurately clock you if he was moving. It probably costs about the same, but at least you don't have to worry about insurance.
contest...you are a very convincing person and very likable...PLUS, you have good evidence...contest!
Pray first and then however you feel strongest, go with that leading. It is never wrong to stand up for what you think is right, you just need to do it in a righteous manner! God will lead you and either way you will come out on top! Let us know what happens.
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