Top governed speed

[Thomas Rogers]

JohnnyO said:

I haven't heard back on a court date yet, but I'm going to fight a ticket based on a PA traffic law I found saying that speed limit signs must be no more than 1/2 mile apart or "the posted speed limit is not effective". Signs are about 3.5 miles apart where I got nailed.

Did you know what the speed limit was, JohnnyO? If so, are you trying to "get off" on a technicality?



TJR

 

[Matthew W]

If she was going that fast to begin with, then why argue about 2-3 mph ?





Tom;

The speed limiters are set to function as part of the speedometer unit ... if the speedometer says you are going 98 and is the limiter is set at 98, it will stop there. If the speedometer is wrong and the vehicle is actually going 102, the speed limiter won't know that there is a discrepancy. In other words, your car is wrong, not the officer.



Radars and lasers are checked at the begining and the end of the shift, and usually at times during the shift ... checked, not calibrated. Calibration can only be done by a certified technician at the manufacturers factory. If there is an error during the checks, then the unit is not used. And as the saying goes within the Law Enforcement community ... 'if any doubt, don't write'. These units have taken also taken Judicial notice ...

 

[Tom Schindler]

If the speedometer is wrong and the vehicle is actually going 102, the speed limiter won't know that there is a discrepancy. In other words, your car is wrong, not the officer.

I don't think you read what I said. Simply put, if that person was actually speeding, then take the ticket and go on with your life. If you were "only" going 80 MPH (mind you, some states 75 MPH is the legal limit) so you were going "5 over", but the officer says they clocked you going 103 MPH, you have the right and the responsibility to fight it.



I am not trying to argue 3 MPH, or even 5 MPH. I am simply saying that it is possible something was not right. If there is that possibility, then it needs to be looked at.





Tom

 

[Matthew W]

Right, by a mechanic of your choice ...



Also, try to tell a judge that you were only going 98, not 103 ... see what he has to say ...

 

[Tom Schindler]

You must not have read this part...

I am not trying to argue 3 MPH, or even 5 MPH. I am simply saying that it is possible something was not right. If there is that possibility, then it needs to be looked at.

Tom

 

[Rick Kent]

I guess the question would be, how fast is the bosses girlfriend claiming she was going?



If she claims she was within the speed limit then fight the ticket.



If she claims she was doing 98 not 102, well good luck.....

 

[Chad Merry]

Mine does 130mph

 

[A K]

Does it matter if she was doing 102 or 98? Both are well in excess of any speed limit in this country.



Here is what a crash at 100 mph will do to you.



***Caution, very graphic image***



http://www.snopes.com/photos/gruesome/alton.asp

I think I'm going to be sick. Despite her stupidity, God bless her.

 

[Susan Pierce]

I'd pay that ticket and frame it with my others for the next car show. Besides there's so many times I haven't been caught...One truck here has a bumper sticker that reads " paying society back-one fine at a time"

Susan

 

[Richard L]

Most 2001 Job1 Sport Trac's did not have the speed limiter set. I had mine over 100 MPH. Later Ford sent out a service advisory to the dealers to reprogram the ECU to limit the top speed to 97 MPH. This was often done without the owners knowledge when he took the truck to the dealer for any kind of service, even a simple oil change.



I took mine back for the hood striker recall, and when I got it back, it cuts out at just shy of 100 MPH.



Also remember that there is some speedometer error so if you are able to hit 100 on the speedometer, it's may only be a high reading speedometer.



I'm sure there are a few 2001 Sport Trac's that are still on the roads that have nver had the 97 MPH speed limiter programmed into their ECU's, either because it was overlooked by the dealer or they just never took it to a Ford Dealer for service.



...Rich

 

[Johnny O]

Did you know what the speed limit was, JohnnyO?

Basically yes, but he was set up in front of a toll booth where I would have had to stop and in a few more seconds I would have been going exactly 0 mph. In this case it was just an out-and-out revenue generating speed trap.

If so, are you trying to "get off" on a technicality?

Yes, absolutely. And I feel no shame about it since I've been told more than once that "The law is the law" and "Ignorance of the law is no excuse". Every other time I've just sacked up and sent in my money but this time I'm going to try turn the tables. Hey, the law is the law. The law says speed limit signs have to be 1/2 mile apart. Okay.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

JohnnyO, thanks for replying.



Regarding that law on speed limit signs, is that on every road, just local roads, or what? I used to erect highway signs in a past career and I am pretty sure such "regulations" regarding placement and minimum distance between speed enforcement signage varies for different road types.



TJR

 

[Johnny O]

What I've found does not specify the type of highway. PA Vehicle Code, Chapter 33, Subchapter F, Section 3362. I've noticed that in towns, on smaller roads, and Interstates the signs are pretty much within the law, on 4 lane state roads they're not even close. On this road the signs are anywhere from 2.5 to 4 miles apart. If I win, that amounts to a Speed For Free card. I don't think they'll let that happen because they'd either have to spend millions on more signs across PA or tell the local state troopers to leave the guy in the silver Sport Trac or blue Neon alone. We'll see.

 

[Gerald Pierce]

What BigBear said, but, you have nothing to lose by going to court. Well, maybe. I went to court one time to try and fight the ticket, and the judge threw a guy in jail for wreckless driving. But, it was in VA and I believe wreckless HAS to go to court (at least the town where my son got his wreckless ticket at required it).



From experience, mine cuts out at 97. I found out on I-10 when trying to hang with a BMW and a Mustang GT on the way to Alabama. They left me.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

JohnnyO, you might have a valid loop hole.



It all depends on the judge you get in your day in court. I doubt you would lie if he asks you: "Did you know what the posted speed limit was?",



Likewise I doubt you would appeal if he doesn't act on or consider your mention of Sub F, 3362, b.1 as reason for dismissal.



Good luck.

TJR

 

[Chad Merry]

JohnnyO



Most cities/towns/counties have a rule that if there is not a posted speed limit sign then you must obey the default limit of say 30mph.



I have a feeling you are going to get lauged at by the judge, and he is going to triple your fines for wasting his time.

 

[Matthew W]

Tom;

I did read that part, and was commenting on what needed to be checked, which would be the speedometer (lasers and radars are calibrated and constantly checked, speedometers aren't even calibrated ... yes, even new cars aren't calibrated) ... you obviously haven't a clue in most things ... including what you say. And, yes, I was mocking you (since you obviously don't get hints).

 

[Josh Langel]

You speed, you pay. I have had to before.



I guess it would just be a technicality and the state's fault if you were to kill someone doing that speed.



Whatever.





"The bag never said that it could cause suffocation if I placed it over my head."



"Oh, okay, then it's our fault."

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Chad, judges can't triple a fine because they think you are wasting their time.



They work for us and everyone is owed their "day in court" if they wish it, and their reasons for wishing it can't be used against them.



I have fought 3 speeding tickets, each time I was sure I was speeding, but each time I had a reason to fight it:



- one, I was singled out in NJ on the Garden State Pkway because I had out of state plates (you know the drill, jerkwater town and jerkwater cop, all lucky enough that the parkway goes through their town, and they pull over anyone out of the speeding crowd that they don't think will fight a ticket)



- two, the cop said he followed me and observed my speed 86mph in a 65mph zone (he did this by following me, matching my speed, and he never followed me for more 1/4 mile, and I had wife and kids in the car and even my wife said...NO WAY was he going that fast).



- three, ...oh wait, the third one I just paid.



I guess it was only two!



TJR

 

[Johnny O]

In Pennsylvania step one in the legal system is a person called the District Magistrate, who is a notch below a judge. Thing is, part of how they get paid is from fine money so they have a vested interest in finding you guilty. On the other hand, they don't like being overturned on appeal either because if it happens too much it makes them look bad. I've never fought a traffic ticket before but the other times I've been in front of the magistrates (suing my customers for bad checks or non-payment) they've been pretty straight-up guys. Then if you don't like the result you can appeal to real court. My hearing is on Feb. 16, I'll let you all know what happens.