Need advice

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

States may not have "quotas" but they are expected to write tickets. Tickets add revenue and are a necessary part of the cities budget. So yes, they focus on problem areas to get the revenue. Over all, tickets are a necessary evil. Analogy: people buy from "non commissioned" sales people. Of course the retail outlet expects sales or they are fired. Same thing with police; you better be writing tickets. Writing more tickets is looked as though you are doing your job better with or without quotas.

In many rural areas, sheriffs focus on drinking and driving. While this of course is a noble cause and definitely needed to curb the problem, one motivation for giving DWI's is overtime. IF you get a DWI, typically people are going to fight it which means more income because of the overtime pay. It is why people get pulled over for "swerving" mysteriously at midnight even though they were driving straight. This is common place in Aitkin County. I have gotten pulled over three times at my lake place and under the limit in all cases. I am not condoning drinking and driving but there are other motivating factors that go into writing tickets. The sheriff cars swarm the bars and roads every weekend night and pull over 5 MPH pontoon boats over the 4th of July.

As for fighting it. I nearly always fight it and typically I get off even when I am positively guilty. I put on 45K miles a year so statistically I am going to get over 3 times more tickets than an average mileage driver. I usually get one ticket every three years which I fight and win. Winning is exponentially easier with no tickets on your record. What is typical in Hennepin county is to paying a $50 fine and staying "clean" for 6 or 12 months. If you don't, it will re-appear. So not to put any financial burden on someone, our liberal state allows you to do community service at $10 per hour.

Your issue is your past record. They WILL ask what your past record is (and typically they won't be looking at your record because the initial hearing is not a jury). So if I was in your shoes WHEN they ask if you had any I'd say I got one "years ago". They will then specifically how long and tell them "I don't know; maybe 5 years; maybe longer. I do remember it was speeding for 5 MPH over while I was looking for a street address." Give the event a personality (sales 101) be vague in case they had your record in front of them. Don't use the word "speed trap" because it sounds like you are trying to be a victim (which by the way you are trying to by using the words "fixed income", "older lady" etc).

Tell them you went in "auto pilot" because in the state you came from, didn't have these signs. Tell them while you know you are guilty, you were hoping this one time to get leniency and you have now been vigilant to look for these signs! This last point shows that you have learned your lesson. Initially be vague so the ask you the questions. If you start to ramble about how you learned your lesson it isn't as powerful of a "sell". The "sell" is interaction. People develop a liking for someone if they get to know them just a little. The key message is admit your guilt and help them recognize that you learned your lesson. I highlight that I drive 3 times more than others and do my very best to obey the laws. It was a mistake; it was not intentional. There is a shade of difference (trying to shave off some time versus not knowing the MN law.

Re: Interaction.... When I see a police car pull me over I will toss my wallet under the seat. When they ask me for my license I start to fumble for it (looking in pockets etc). Why??? Typically police want to take the emotion out of the decision; go to the car, look up the record and write the ticket. If you can talk with the officer asking them questions like "why was I pulled over" etc it helps. If they ask you NEVER answer "speeding??". Always play dumb. Any answer is admissible in court and many cars have wireless recorders on the officer. Next, I will insert my "I really am not in a hurry at all; in fact, I have been accused of going under the speed limit by my wife." (which is true by the way) . "It must have been my REO Speedwagon CD that I had up too loud". I am talking with him while I am looking for my wallet under my car seat (literally out of the car). This gives me the valuable 1 minute of interaction that no one else gets. I kind you not, I have gotten off of 5 tickets using this approach with the officer. Some officiers will still be cut and dry but the over welming majority of all people will be willing to cut someone some slack that they get to know even for a sall amount of time.

Give it a shot and report back.