Received speeding ticket in your city yesterday (San Antonio, Anton: law, dangerous)

[todd00]

I find it depends on the state regarding seeing the radar. Which is total BS, but they hold the cards.

"Some states allow you to ask to see the radar if you think you were targeted unfairly, but not the State of Texas. The state “does not require Officers to show the radar to a person stopped for speeding” says Gutierrez, and she does not recommend asking to see it." This according to Sandy Gutierrez, the Senior Public Information Officer for the San Antonio Police Department.

Etiquette Expert Diane Gottsman's Tips to Dealing with Traffic Tickets | Diane Gottsman, Etiquette Expert, Business Etiquette Speaker, Founder Protocol School of Texas

Oh, come on, so who doesn't drive up to 5 over many if not most times. They usually don't ticket for 5 under, I think was his point. Be sure and write yourself a ticket every time you go over the limit.

You might look through this old thread, a couple people were asking advice about fighting a ticket.
speeding ticket advice

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by Komeht

Car will be inspected by end of weekend and I'll have proof of that. He didn't offer a warning though - just a flat ticket for 200 bucks- thank-you-very-much-for-paying-my-overly-inflated-pension

Here's the city info about the inspection sticker: City of San Antonio | Official Web Site - Municipal Court Says it will cost you $20 to take care of that part of the ticket.

If he had given you a warning, you wouldn't have to go to court and show proof that you got the sticker. But you can get the ticket dismissed by getting the inspection, so at least that one is only going to be $20 and not $200.

[SabresFanInSA]

Cop was ahead of me driving very slowly - definitely below speed limit, turned on lights, swung around and pulled me over.

To me this means he was pacing you so there isnt even any radar to show. SAPD friend of mine once said it had something to do with the spacing of the light poles on the highway. They use that to gauge speed. He told me that 20 years ago so I may be remembering it wrong.

Either way it doesnt even sound like there is radar to show you.

[TexasRedneck]

A trained LEO doesn't have to use radar to assess your speed - they can be certified to do so by visual observation. You said he was going VERY slowly....ever occur to you that he was going the speed limit?

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by SabresFanInSA

To me this means he was pacing you so there isnt even any radar to show. SAPD friend of mine once said it had something to do with the spacing of the light poles on the highway. They use that to gauge speed. He told me that 20 years ago so I may be remembering it wrong.

Either way it doesnt even sound like there is radar to show you.

OK - I think what happened is he was going 10 MPH below posted speed limit and paced me incorrectly.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

A trained LEO doesn't have to use radar to assess your speed - they can be certified to do so by visual observation. You said he was going VERY slowly....ever occur to you that he was going the speed limit?

I don't think he was actually - traffic was going much faster than me and very much faster than he was. I suspect he was going 50 MPH in a 60.

[todd00]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

ever occur to you that he was going the speed limit?

The cop going the speed limit and the OP was behind him going 13 over?

[CoachBForThree]

A few days ago my wife's mom, who works for the city and deals with traffic citations, told me that the LEO-must-show-their-radar thing is a myth. Don't take that as gospel or anything, but she generally knows her stuff.

Komeht: I think you already see your chances of getting a straight dismissal are slim to none, and I assume you're here for two reasons 1. To vent (which is understandable), and 2. to find out how to get out of this as cheaply and quickly as possible.

For point 2, I recommend two choices. If you have the money and don't want to waste your own time, have a lawyer take care of this; they'll probably charge you the cost of the ticket, you'll get some period of deferred adjudication (one year is common), and you'll never have to think of this again. DM if you need a lawyer rec, I've used one of the common ones in SA for this before and they did a fine job. Option two is to go to the courthouse at the date on the ticket. When you're there, your name will be called, and you'll speak to someone who will give you an offer. It will be something like "Pay $120 in court costs, get two months deferred adjudication, and you're done." You'll typically pay less and have a smaller DA period if you go this route, but the drawback is you have to waste a few hours of your day.

Best of luck.

[majormadmax]

If you believe it is unfair, then contest it in court. Otherwise, there's nothing to be gained by complaining about it on an Internet forum.

If the judge agrees with you, then the charges will be dropped. If not, then accept it and move on with your life.

But only you and the police officer know the truth, and the latter is not her to share his/her side of the story. As far as I am concerned, this is the same as complaining about a local business which is not allowed per the TOS because the other side cannot defend themselves.

And to be honest, based on my experience I always give the benefit of the doubt to the police officer.

[Huckleberry3911948]

u need to know the posted speed limit. i love GPS garmin bek i get that info. i like your stategy, go behind the cop car and i use it, i would be surprised if they came back and ticketed me for doing so just as u were.