Friday, August 10, 2007

Avoiding Speeding Tickets With Radar Detectors

Radar detectors have become very popular over the last four decades. For many people, radar detectors are the only thing that is between them and multiple speeding tickets. Before you drive like Mario Andretti you might want to find out how radar detectors work.

Police officers have been using radar guns for more than 30 years. A radar gun has a radio transmitter and receiver combined. The transmitter transmits the electromagnetic wave through the air. The receiver picks up the electromagnetic waves with an antenna. Radio waves move at a constant speed. Since these waves move at a constant speed the echo that bounces back off of your car is used to measure the distance between the radar gun and your vehicle. As your vehicle moves the distance changes. The radar gun is able to tell how fast your vehicle is moving by the changes in the distance over time. Radar guns can even be used in moving police cars. The speed of the police car is determined by the gun included in the formula to determine the speed of the offending vehicle.

Recently a new type of speed detector using light instead of radio waves has been adopted by many police departments. These are called Lidar Guns (Light Detection and Ranging). Police use these guns often in small, handheld, versions along with cameras. In fact, many cities are installing fully automated Lidar guns at busy corners and on traffic lights. These Lidar guns have cameras that photograph the license plate and the driver. Speeding tickets are then sent through the mail.

Having a basic radar detector in your vehicle is one way of preventing speeding tickets. Radar detectors are setup to pick up specific frequencies and alert you to the possibility of radar guns. People who use radar detectors to keep from getting speeding tickets are warned when radar guns are detected in the area that they are traveling in. Usually, police officers have their radar guns on for long periods of time before the target a vehicle. However, it is possible to have police officer drive up behind you and turn on his radar gun at the last minute, just before he pulls you over. When this happens conventional radar detectors aren't much help.

Modern radar detectors are more proactive than the conventional radar detectors. Modern radar detectors include jamming signals. Jamming signals make it difficult for radar guns to read the signals that are bouncing back to them by adding radio interference. This keeps police officers from being able to tell how fast vehicles are moving. Another feature modern detectors include is a light sensitive panel. Light sensitive panels detect beams from Lidar guns. Unfortunately, by the time light sensitive panels are able to detect the beams and it's often too late.

Laser jammers are also available which works basically like the radar jammers in that they jam the laser signal making it difficult for police officers to tell the actual speed of the vehicle. As technology improves police officers are finding more and more ways to catch speeders. The best way to prevent getting any speeding tickets is to slow down.

Monday, August 6, 2007

How to Beat a Speeding Ticket

If you have driven for any period of time and haven't received a speeding ticket, you are very lucky. Most people tend to go over the speed limit from time to time. Some people go faster than the limit most of the time. If you are one of the latter, you should know or learn how to beat a speeding ticket. Most states have a point system that adds up as you get the tickets and after so many points you could lose your license. Not only can you lose your license, but your insurance can go up.

One of the best investments you can make to avoid speeding tickets is a radar detector. Police can be anywhere at anytime running radar. If you come around a curve too fast, they may be there. If you come over a dip in the road, at about the time your stomach is in your throat, there they are. A radar detector will let you know before it's too late that they are in the vicinity with a radar gun. These detectors are illegal for commercial vehicle drivers anywhere and for anyone in the state of Virginia or the District of Columbia. Having one of these detectors mounted high in your car as near to the rearview mirror as possible can alert you to the presence of officers checking for speeders. This is only one example of how to beat a speeding ticket.

Another way to avoid the fine and possible points against your license is to purchase a radar jammer. There are two types, active and passive, the active jammer is illegal and the passive jammer is legal. The downfall to this is that the passive jammer does not transmit radio frequencies so it is really not of any use for the purpose you want it for. The active jammer does the job but it can get you into more trouble than a speeding ticket if you get caught with it. If you are weighing the options on how to beat a speeding ticket using this device, you need to be aware of one fact. If you are speeding, the officer sees you and his radar gun is showing you're not speeding, he is not going to be amused. You may be begging for just the speeding ticket before he is done.

You may be able to talk your way out of a ticket if you follow a few simple courtesies when you are stopped. Make sure, when you are stopped, you put your hands where the police officer can see them. Don't ever get out of your car unless asked by the officer. Give him your license and insurance when asked and be polite. "Yes, sir" is a sign of respect and this lets him know you respect his position. Don't whine. Explain in a calm and rational manner that you would really appreciate a warning instead of a ticket. If anything, how to beat a speeding ticket by being polite and respectful, instead of defensive and argumentative, may save you a hefty fine.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

How To Read A Speeding Ticket

A speeding ticket is one thing that almost anyone would like to avoid, but there are always consequences whenever a law is broken. Even though some feel they need to speed in order to get to work on time or to pick a child up from school, speed limits are set for the safety of all drivers and they must be abided by. Driving only one mile over the posted speed limit is against the law, but most cops will usually be lenient and only issue a ticket if the driver is at least five miles over. The consequence for speeding is a ticket, which normally involves a negative mark on your driving record and a pretty expensive fine.

A speeding ticket may just seem like a headache to some, but it contains a great amount of important information that should not be looked over. It is a citation presented by a police officer, which by law has authority over lawbreakers. The police officer will include information about the defendant, all of which is included on a valid drivers license. Additional citations will be issued to drivers without a valid drivers license. It is important to make sure the officer has copied down all correct information on the ticket, in case any court documents need to be mailed to you. Information about the car will also be noted, which is necessary in case the car needs to be identified for any reason. The color, make, model, year, and license plate number will be recorded, along with the registration information that is required in most states.

The police officers also must record information about the violation that occurred, including information about the location and offense. The cop will note why the citation is being issued, and how many miles over the speed limit the defendant was driving. The location that the defendant was caught speeding will also be noted, since locations near schools or areas with construction sometimes come with higher consequences. The time of the incident will be noted, along with the speed limit of the area. All of this information is crucial to bring to court, because even when a citation is issued some drivers try to fight it.

The most important information included on the speeding ticket is the information about what to do next. Most states will require that a fee be paid for each speeding ticket, and the amount should be enclosed in documents sent through the mail. Defendants may also choose to appear in court and pay the fine prior to receiving the court documents, but it must be done before a certain time set out by the court. The ticket will contain the timelines set out for the procedures the defendant must follow, and also information about who to contact about any questions or concerns.

The bottom of the ticket is a very important part to not look over, because it requires a signature that creates a legal document. You are required to sign each speeding ticket that you are issued, even if you feel that you did not break any laws. Signing the ticket does not mean that you are admitting guilt to the violation that you are being charged for, but that you are promising to abide by the procedures set out on the ticket. Failing to appear in court or pay fines will result in further punishment. The police officer is also require to sign the ticket, in order to certify that he or she properly explained the reason of the citation and also provided a copy of the ticket to the defendant.

A speeding ticket contains a great amount of information, and should not be passed off as just another piece of paper. It contains crucial information about your rights as an American, as well as obligations that you have to your country. If you are issued a speeding ticket, make sure you read the entire ticket over to prevent any further consequences.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Beating a Speeding Ticket

Getting a speeding ticket is a great way to ruin an otherwise good day. This is true for anyone. There are, however, many factors that may be at play. You may not know it but beating a speeding ticket is not so difficult. You just have to know the law.

Things to do to beat a speeding ticket on the day of your court appearance:

1. Dress sharply and speak clearly. The judge will look at your outward appearance first. Yes, he/she will judge you instantly on that basis alone. Go in there with your hat on sideways or your jeans hanging down under your butt and you just sealed your fate. Not that you need to wear a suit, although that is a great idea here, but just dress nice and look presentable. Appearances are everything.

2. BE ON TIME!! This is so important I cannot stress it enough. Punctuality goes a long way with a lot of people. You are trying to impress and being punctual accomplishes that completely. Walk into the courtroom 10 minutes after session begins and see what reaction you get from court staff!

3. If you decide to fight the ticket, present your case in a professional, organized manner. Bring pictures of the area, of the limit signs, of where the officer was and where you were. Draw a diagram if necessary. Be sure your case is heard. You have a right to a fair trial ad to be heard.

4. Look around the courtroom. Is the cop there? If he isn't, the judge will probably throw the ticket out!

All of this is considering you already HAVE a speeding ticket.

So how do you prevent a ticket?

1. Be aware of posted limits and don't go over them. That's a no-brainer.

2. Get a really good radar detector and learn how to use it. Police radar is accepted in traffic court. This makes beating a speeding ticket very hard.

3. Use cruise control whenever possible. This works well on long trips but not so good in the city.

4. Avoid listening to the radio LOUDly. This is known to make a driver involuntarily go faster.

Some cities have those "cop cams" now at intersections. These cameras operate during busy times of the day and actually take a photo of your license plate as you go by. Some even snap a picture of your face as well.

How can you beat a speeding ticket like that? Very simple.

There are now products that obscure your license plate from those cameras. There is an aerosol spray that you apply to the outside of the license plate. It is totally invisible to you, but when the camera flashes, the light is reflected back at the camera making your plate unreadable.

Then there is a plastic cover that does the same thing as the spray.

Some states have outlawed these products (or tried anyway) to stop you from beating a speeding ticket. They are still legal and sold widely across the Internet.

As you can see, beating a speeding ticket isn't hard. It's knowing when to speak up and when to slow down.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Fight A Speeding Ticket

We've all been there. That moment when you're running behind and you know that you're pushing it just a little bit and then you get that nasty feeling in the pit of your gut as you realize the police car you just passed is starting to move. You keep glancing in the rearview mirror and sure enough, the lights come on and he starts catching up to you. You hope that he's going to pull ahead of you at any moment but you know he's about to pace behind you and once again you're going to have to decide whether to pay or to fight a speeding ticket.

Many people have successfully fought speeding tickets based on "personal emergency", however, the guidelines for this sort of battle are very stringent. Most police officers won't give you the ticket if you are in the middle of an emergency, like on your way to the hospital. In fact, if you can communicate that fact to them, you may find yourself with a police escort to the hospital.

Outside of a significant emergency such as rushing off to the hospital or to the side of a loved one's death bed, "personal emergency" doesn't excuse the behavior and it is very difficult to fight a speeding ticket in this manner.

More effectively, the two most common claims against a speeding ticket include ill posted signs and inconclusive speedometers. Usually, a police officer will give most cars a five mile per hour speed leeway, as speedometers are not considered to be calibrated at pinpoint accuracy. It is not uncommon for speedometers to be off by about 5 miles per hour. This won't get you out of a speeding ticket if you were pulled over for doing 75 in a 35 zone, but if you're talking a few miles per hour, you have a reasonable claim to fight a speeding ticket.

Ill posted signs are actually all over the place. In most states, the residential speed limit for any residential area is 35 miles per hour. Once the road returns to more open highway, it is assumed unless otherwise posted that the speed limit returns to either 55 miles per hour or 65 miles per hour, depending on the road and state law. If the road is devoid of the sign signifying the end of the 35 mile per hour zone, then it is unreasonable to assume that drivers can telepathically understand where the reduced speed zone ends. Under these circumstances a driver can usually successfully fight a speeding ticket.

Of course, avoiding the speeding ticket is the most sensible way to fight a speeding ticket. Yet each of us will find ourselves running late for an important meeting or appointment and we will gun the accelerator just enough to push the envelope in hopes of shaving just a few minutes off our travel time.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Beat A Speeding Ticket

Did you know that the biggest motivation for speeding tickets is the fact that they generate a good deal of income for the cities they are written as well as being beneficial to the revenue of auto insurance companies who pay for the radar guns that check the speed of moving vehicles? You should not get upset with the officer writing the ticket as he is only doing his job, which plays a part in creating revenue for both the city and the auto insurance companies. More than likely, the officer does not consider you a danger to any community when you are traveling 10 miles over a speed limit; however, he is paid to play his part in this matter, even though it is your tax money that pays his salary. You should also keep in mind that the judge who rules over your case is also just doing his job as well by aiding the city in acquiring your money. So, how do you beat a speeding ticket?

First, you should realize that the best way to beat a speeding ticket it to stay within the speed limit, thereby not having to be stopped for speeding. Also you should know that it is in your best interest to not make a practice of going over the speed limit, as reoccurrences not only show on your driving record, but it makes it even harder to be able to beat a speeding ticket if you are a habitual offender. If you do have traffic tickets of any type, which are being held against your driving record, you should make sure that they are both fought and won in court or you should pay your fines in full. Doing this will keep you out of a good deal of trouble as it can be seen that you are trying to make a difference, rather than just letting issues build up against you.

As an example, let us say that you have just been pulled over by an officer. The first thing you do is to be polite and courteous to the officer, as there is no need to get the officer upset with you, you want the officer to like you. You should also switch your car off and place your hands at 10 and 2, where your hands are visible. However, do not make the mistake of getting out of your car unless so instructed by the officer. Once the officer has received your information, then try to talk with the officer in a kindly manner. If you are unable to talk the officer out of giving you the ticket to begin with, with perhaps just a warning from them, you should challenge the speeding ticket in court.

Paying the ticket right away is only an admission to guilt. If possible have the court date set back as many times as you can, creating a long time between the episode and your day in court, as this will more than likely have either the officer forget you or not even show up in court. Both of these strategies can work for you as forgetfulness is always good in such cases, and an officer not showing up in court can have the case dismissed. You can also agree to attend traffic school while trying to beat a speeding ticket, as most judges will also dismiss the case if you do. If however you do not feel that you can beat a speeding ticket on your own, then you may want to consider the aid of a traffic ticket attorney.