Regarding a paced speeding ticket: in Glendale, California?

Question

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: California

I was stopped a red light, on a major thoroughfare, at around 11PM on a Monday night in Glendale. There were three lanes, I was in the middle one, with one buick car to my right.
No cop cars were in sight. I shifted into first gear, and rapidly accelerated to exactly 45mph (speed limit being 35). Within half a mile (to be exact .3 miles, right before the next major intersection), I was being pulled over onto a sidestreet.

The officer explained to me that he had paced my car and I had gotten up to 60mph, but he wrote me down at 55.

What defense might I use to fight this ticket?
How could he have paced me under rapid acceleration (full throttle)?
Could his distance judgement have been off at night?

Also, there was another officer in the cop car, but only the driver got out to talk to me, and the other officer just stood around the cop car.

I was ticketed under 22350 VC - Basic Speed Law (Misdemeanor)

Please note: This is my first speeding ticket I've ever received, does that give me any footing?
I can understand getting a ticket for rapidly accelerating, but I can not understand receiving a speeding ticket when I didn't exceed the posted speed limit. My speedometer is properly calibrated, and so is my GPS, which both read 45MPH and no higher through the whole event.

EDIT: should I get a lawyer/attorney or professional advice? If I fight the ticket, can I still go to traffic school?

Answer 1

The police officer needs to be using a certified and calibrated speedometer. He will have proof at your trial.



To issue the ticket, he needs to temporarily match speeds with your car. He might have sped up to 60mph and maintained that speed, and then believed that you were going 60mph or faster. Just in case he was a bit off, he dropped it down to 55mph ??? It won't affect his judgement at night. He was probably focused on your tail lights. You can try this for yourself. Next time you are at an intersection, pretend you are the police officer. Then accelerate and pace another car. It's not that hard, but remember the officer has done this thousands of times before, so he's probably pretty good at it.



You need to bring in your speedometer calibration certificate as well (dated before the ticket of course).



You also need to check the only tire size allowed for your car speedometer. The size is printed on a tire label on the passenger door frame. Any other tire size than what's on the sticker renders your speedometer useless.



If you fight the ticket, you will most likely lose. The officer has issued thousands of tickets and has been to court many times. He knows exactly what the judge wants to hear. I assume this will be your first time, it is difficult to contest the ticket without sounding like you are whining - which tends to piss of the judge. You are better off to take driver improvement school.



Please update your question if you win or lose this one.

Answer 2

You might try the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity or Mental Defect. You admit to improper acceleration and speed, and the 'I was speeding, but not as fast as the officer said' defense does not fly.' When was the last time your speedometer and GPS were calibrated? The GPS is useless for speed because civilian GPS is only accurate within 30 metres, which leaves the speedometer. The majority of civilian speedometers are inaccurate. You intend to call in a lawyer and spend $600 per hour to fight a ticket for less than a hundred bucks? Pay the ticket.

Answer 3

Yes you can still ask the judge or traffic school, if you lose. Chances of you winning without a lawyer isnt high.



Or you can also just pay it and take traffic school, so your insurance will not go up.



Did online traffic school with gototrafficschool.com and use a discount code: X2K-7CF-4F5 and saved.



For the final exam search for traffic school answers 2012, you'll find a reviewer and pass!



Best of luck

Answer 4

properly, to respond to your extremely non-scientifically phrased question, you're exceptionally screwed once you're convicted of this. you're basically 24, so which you already understand this is going to harm your insurance. i don't think of you are going to qualify for site visitors college by using cost you have been going - looks like various judges have theories that say once you're going 40 miles an hour over the decrease, you do not choose college; you elect punishment. uncertain what else to tell you. till you have chose that being 24 and having a Hemi isn't a reason to velocity, you're probable going to maintain getting those very costly tickets.