Hey guys i need some help with a speeding ticket that i got. The cop said he clocked me at 68mph in a 40, but wouldn't show me the radar to prove that i was going that fast. The fact is i know i wasn't going that fast because i was in second gear. Second gear on my 2000 Z24 only goes up to like 55mph. So i know i could not have been going as fast as the cop says i was, but i need a way to prove it, so can anybody help me out with that?
fight it in court? Im not sure otherwise what to do.
Yeah, i am fighting it in court. Thats why i need the help, i need to find a someplace that is creditable to prove the gear ratio of the car to prove i couldn't have been going that speed in the gear i was in.
for that you have to prove you were in second gear... and prove that the cop was using radar and not some other form of detection....
just fight it... youll be fine
ive been to court twice for speeding... ive started to become more sensible... haha
71 in a 45 for me was my last one...
and 63 in a 40 was the first one...
my advice.
go to court, wait your turn...
have proof from a dealer that your car can only reach X speed in X gear...
tell the judge you were in X gear.
(this may or may not matter)
but if it is your FIRST offense, just go, and apologize. you will end up paying for most of the fine but 99% of the time they will not give you any points for the first offense.
be very polite. if it is your first offense... dont argue about the gear thing... argue to the fact that you are sorry, and that you have learned your lesson. say you would like to pay the whole fine, but would appreciate leniency on the points. thank the judge and leave... they will give your punishment...
IF the cop doesnt show up for the case... most states will call a mistrial and you get off free... dont know how this is in your state
HTH
Per GM, the 2000 Cavalier has the following gear ratio (PDF available on request):
Quote:
First gear ratio is 3.58
Second gear ratio is 2.02
Third gear ratio is 1.35
Fourth gear ratio is 0.98
Fifth gear ratio is 0.69
Reverse gear ratio is 3.31
Final drive ratio is 3.94
Using this site:
http://www.kabamus.com/garage/gears.html
The following would be your speeds at a given RPM and stock sized 16" tires (using 6250 as redline)
6500 -- 60.45
6000 -- 55.80
You would need to have been redlined to even hit 60mph...
Hey rob, whats the aspect ratio u used to get those numbers
The judge will ask you why he should believe you when you say you were in 2nd gear. You'll need a way to prove that fact if that's your defense.
I used to race cars, now I race myself.
5K PB: 24:50
10K PB: 54:26
Team Vision Racing (aka hypsy) wrote:The judge will ask you why he should believe you when you say you were in 2nd gear. You'll need a way to prove that fact if that's your defense.
exactly. trying to prove that you were only in second gear will be near impossible.
you'll probably go to the court date, plead "not guilty" and they will set an appointment for you with the district attorney. go talk to the DA, and have them get ahold of a copy of the radar slip from that day. every time a radar speed is locked, it records that data automatically, and it can not be changed. if there is no radar record of you doing the speed the cop said, the DA will likely drop the ticket.
60mph in 2nd? Is there something I'm missing here because my 2001 5-speed (OHV) rocks about 53mph when the rev limiter kicks.
my 3 speed hits 70 in 2nd before it shifts up
if the cop pulled a number out of his ass, and cant prove the speed he clocked you at, then he wont show up to court anyways, and you'll be fine. Just go. If you're truly innocent and he's guilty of profiling, then he wont show.
also, if you want to get yourself more time, file for an extension, and request the calibration records for the radar gun, which you are entitled to do, and they are required to supply . it will most likely take them some time to get them. also, you run the chance that the gun was out of its calibration date, in which case they are likely to drop the case.
another tactic ive heard is to file for as many extensions of the court date that you can, as is increases the likelyhood the officer will lose interest and/or forget about the court date all together.
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Hopefully they won't harass you about why you were that high in the rpm's.
Best quarter mile to date - 15.750 @ 85.82
"We ride together, we die together. Bad Boys for life"
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Wicked1 wrote:Hopefully they won't harass you about why you were that high in the rpm's.
its not illegal to be in high rpms. why would they?
Sean McCoy wrote:60mph in 2nd? Is there something I'm missing here because my 2001 5-speed (OHV) rocks about 53mph when the rev limiter kicks.
Since that site goes from 6000 to 6500, it can be determined that @ 6250 (redline) you would be going 58.13 mph using the stock gear ratios. Allowing for the 1-2 mph variance found in factory clusters, yours is about right.
Adam (StealthCavalier) wrote:Wicked1 wrote:Hopefully they won't harass you about why you were that high in the rpm's.
its not illegal to be in high rpms. why would they?
I've had friends get nailed for it as a noise violation.
Best quarter mile to date - 15.750 @ 85.82
"We ride together, we die together. Bad Boys for life"
Nimbus 9, some friends of my that rock! Click and experience them for yourself
Wicked1 wrote:Adam (StealthCavalier) wrote:Wicked1 wrote:Hopefully they won't harass you about why you were that high in the rpm's.
its not illegal to be in high rpms. why would they?
I've had friends get nailed for it as a noise violation.
at this point its after the fact, i dont think they would rebuttal the 2nd gear argument with "well then you must have been loud!"... you'd have to get pulled over for noise pollution first.
also, you can get tickets for excessive acceleration (55 in 2nd gear),,, not to say i've never done it. Just get a lawyer and have them take care of it, its not too cheap but they know what they're doing, they'll take care of you. I've had a lawyer for all of my tickets,, and i dont have a single point on my license.
One thing I've learned...Fight EVERY ticket, no matter how trivial!!! For one, NO ONE wants points on their license! We can't afford it, driving, although a privelage, and become a dependancy. Getting to work, school, Girlfriend/boyfriend's house, or just getting to the store when you live 26 miles from actual civilization. (I've been there twice.)
For proof that this works, I commuted through Massachussetts for 2.5 years. I got 8 speeding tickets in the first year and fought every single one and never had to pay a fine, nor did I have points on my license. Even had a state trooper and magistrate argue over the legal speed to pass someone at is, and was let off due to the arguement.
The cop MUST prove the Laser/ Radar reading on his machine or it is a form of entrapment. False or made up readings are illegal.
In court, this will not hold up even if the cop DOES show up.
The judge nor the cop will care that you SAY you were in 2nd gear, your "speed" says otherwise. They need to prove that the radar/laser gun was callobrated correctly at the specific time you were pulled over. Also, try to remember the traffic at the time...was it heavy? He could have blasted another car and pinned you for their speed.
One more thing... What does your car look like? How old are you? Cops are known for "profiling". If you drive a hot car, and you're young, you may have gotten profiled and found to be an "easy ticket".
This happened to my brother with his Hemi Orange Dodge Ram GTX. (Think of it as a bright orange "Rumble Bee", pick up, with 20" chrome rims, and cowled hood). My brother was 24 at the time, and he looks young. The car in front of him was going faster, but my brother was the one who got pulled over. The best part? The cruiser was hidden in the woods, and the cop ran out to the road on foot.
There are so many loop holes out of tickets, and ways of getting tickets and keeping your insurance premiums low. Do some homework. Find out what rights you have as a driver on the road and what rights the cop has. Most traffic stops have flaws, look hard enough and you'll find the one your cop made.
Good Luck!
You Must Be Fast, 'Cuz I Was Haulin' Ass When I passed You!!!
1999 Cavalier Z24 w/ Toyota Cavalier tail lights.
1988 Buick LeSabre T-Type
1983 Buick Regal T-Type
