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Wyoming Speeding Ticket

tickets

Well Rod, it does appear that we have different thoughts on this issue. Nothing wrong with that is there? I guess that's why they make more than one flavor of ice cream and more than one brand or style of motorcycle.

I don't have a bad driving record as someone suggested. I am a conservative old guy like many of us but it is hard not to let the big dog eat sometimes. My last speeding ticket was in 2004 but I feel that they can come in bunches and while it is easy to make the first one go away, the second or third in a short period will be much more difficult and costly if you haven't taken care of the first one.

If the points don't follow you to your home state or drivers record as was pointed out by the poster who started this thread, then I wouldn't bother with it. Because it is the points and increased insurance rates that are at the heart of my position, plain and simple.

On a related topic, I was heading out of Moorcroft about 8:00AM going to Devil's Tower and running mid to high 70's (actual GPS speed) in a 65 zone with light traffic. The road was mainly long sweepers and hills so I was easing off a bit when cresting a hill or taking a corner. A black Camero had passed me and I was staying about 1/4 mile back and using him as a "rabbitt." He crested a hill and my Valentine 1 went full tilt boogie so I slowed down to under 65. When I topped the hill there was a county boy with lights blazing waiting for the next guy. When he measured me at the limit or under, he made a U turn in front of me, which could have been another, more serious issue and nailed the Camero. He could have written thousands of dollars of tickets every day during the rally. Nice revenue stream for that little jerk water county.
 
"watch Out For Dad"

Well I cant tell anyone anything about tickets and the law but I can say one thing if you are riding a motorcycle, hell even driving a semi truck, "WATCH OUT FOR DAD" There are lots of them out there this is just one case "mine" but we see lots of them everywhere. "and MOMS are worse"
Since the rally in Colorado our home state just after we got back from Gillette I figure this is a worthwhile and very very true story ; One that could be facing any of us anywhere any time.
When your crusin down a nice highway and you see "DAD" parked on the side to enter the road and he makes eye contact with you and you sigh and start to crank it on again. "DONT" !! He just might take that big pick up truck and his big boat behind him right out in front of you and make his left turn. Closing of all your escape routes and maybe ending everything.
You see we were harping at "DAD" for years to ware his glasses and he says til this day HE DONT NEED THEM ! Ok were stopping by "DADS" one day and in his recliner waring his glasses is a real welcome site. Wife ask DAD see your finally waring you glasses? Thats Great! Had to he said : I was watching the TV there (very large screen) and I could not tell if it was Bull Riding or Wrestling I was watching :bolt . SOOO you see we have never seen "DAD" ware his glasses again and he drives a big pick up truck and pulls a big boat twice a week to the lake. In Colorado.
Our only point is "NEVER NEVER " assume he sees you! Be very careful til he is in your rear view going the other way :deal
I had a lady at an intersection I had the ROW and she was stopped at her stop sign ; Waved at me "how nice" then pulled out in front of me . :doh :doh
We ride fast too sometimes but only when were 1000% sure were alone and DAD is not around ANYWHERE !
POINT; Ride how you want , live how you like, but be careful as you can and prepared to pay the price for your actions.
PS Be extra careful in COLORADO ; Were movin to Texas.:bolt :laugh
Thanks for a great forum
Jim and Esther

Plays with guns for a livin
:nra
 
When leaving an event in Jackson Hole a few years ago, our group was pulled over and ticketed by a Wyoming State Trooper. We all made various inquiries, and unlike many states, there doesn't seem to be an easy "get out of a ticket" avenues available to the unlucky driver. Make sure you pay it within the period, because Wyoming does report unpaid or late pay tickets. The Wyoming ticket that I got was paid before the due date, and never showed up on my Texas driving record.
 
I will fight every speeding ticket I get. I will file appeals on any cases I lose. If I am speeding it is because I can and it is safe to do so. There is a straight highway, no traffic, no cross streets or intersections and just me and my RT. Speeding in and of itself is not dangerous. The interstate highway system (in Oregon anyway) was designed in the fifties and sixties to permit safe travel at speeds of over one hundred miles per hour. That was the plan then, before the city and county counsels learned about ticket revenue. I ride to work daily and it is a rare day I don't break through the triple digit zone on my speedometer. I have had only one ticket in sixteen years and I went to court on five different occasions to beat it finally. The Officer who wrote the ticket collared me after the last court case and asked what the heck was wrong with me? He wanted to know why on earth I'd spend that kind of time and money to beat his lousy ticket. I asked him if he'd be inclined to write me another or give me a warning next time we crossed paths and he admitted it wasn't worth his time to write me. I then asked "any more questions?"
 
:type Here's a point of view to chew on.

As a veteran LEO, I and many fellow officers / troopers / deputies that I knew compared notes once and the two most prominent excuses offered for speeding were:


"But officer - what about those other drivers? They were speeding too!"

and

"But officer - I was only keeping up with traffic!"


From time to time, we are challenged by motorists we detain as to why we even have the 'discretion' to warn some, while others are cited.

Let me offer these comments:

Excuse # 1 has no merit. In fact, we document it on the back of the ticket as an admission of guilt. It is simply rationalization to get out of personal responsibility - got caught, but don't want to suffer the consequences. An LEO can only stop one motorist at a time, so "Today is your day - tomorrow, maybe the Camaro." Whom I stopped had more to do with my ability to pursue, get noticed and safely get to the side of the road, than the usual accusations of profiling or discrimination or favoritism, or revenue, etc.

You do realize that none of those other speeders are going to rendezvous with you later at the Park & Ride and pool their money to pay for your ticket, so why would you 'throw in with them,' and choose to speed?! Hellooooo.

Excuse # 2 is better suited to understand the nature of discretion. Anyone trying to negotiate the Illinois TriState around Chicago on a motorcycle had BETTER be keeping up with traffic flow or you're going to get clobbered. In all my years, I've yet to see anyone other than a reckless biker get pulled over.

However, 'change the rules and you change the game.' At any given moment between Gillette, WY and say, Rochester, MN, as I rode home from the Rally, there were no more than 5 - 9 cars in sight. That's not exactly a 'flow of traffic,' and any speeding along that stretch would have been my personal responsibility, and consequences shamefully accepted.

As for the "I'll speed every chance I get," "I don't believe in seatbelts," "I never wear a helmet," "A couple of drinks won't matter" crowd?

I learned not to get too worried about them - Darwin will thin the gene pool over time.
 
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:type Here's a point of view chew on.

As for the "I'll speed every chance I get," "I don't believe in seatbelts," "I never wear a helmet," "A couple of drinks won't matter" crowd?

I learned not to get too worried about them - Darwin will thin the gene pool over time.

Thanks for your LEO insight. I am not sure about thinning out the gene pool, you are assuming that they have not procreated on mass yet.
 
:type

As for the "I'll speed every chance I get," "I don't believe in seatbelts," "I never wear a helmet," "A couple of drinks won't matter" crowd?

I learned not to get too worried about them - Darwin will thin the gene pool over time.

I hope they get taken out via the darwinian method before they take out my son or my wife!
 
I got luck twice as far as tickets went at the rally, the first was burning though the twisties in the Black Hills and the on coming cop flicked on his lights as a warning. the second was trying to make it back to the closing ceremonies from the Black Hills along Hwy 16 was doing 85 like everybody else has, seen him crest the hill and tapped the brake in an effort to slow enough to get close to the speed limit . as soon as he passed me he did one of those u-turns only the cops can do ( I thought I was screwed) so I pulled over before he had a chance to turn on his lights ........he said IÔÇÖll just give you a warning since you have all your gear on and told me that in an hour or so the dear would start moving closer to the road .....real nice guy.
 
Higdon had a great article on this ticket fighting thing in the last issue of OTL. Basically, the system is rigged against you, which has been my experience, and he tells you to just "pay the $2" unless your violation has serious consequences, such as jail time. At that point, you need an attourney.
 
I got luck twice as far as tickets went at the rally, the first was burning though the twisties in the Black Hills and the on coming cop flicked on his lights as a warning. the second was trying to make it back to the closing ceremonies from the Black Hills along Hwy 16 was doing 85 like everybody else has, seen him crest the hill and tapped the brake in an effort to slow enough to get close to the speed limit . as soon as he passed me he did one of those u-turns only the cops can do ( I thought I was screwed) so I pulled over before he had a chance to turn on his lights ........he said I’ll just give you a warning since you have all your gear on and told me that in an hour or so the dear would start moving closer to the road .....real nice guy.

As more and more speeding cameras are installed, we are going to get fewer warnings and more chances to help enhance governmental revenue. :drink

TrafficCameras.jpg
 
Fight every one of them!

Just pay it...Are you daft? This is an arbitrary act conducted by LEO's. It is their job description...giving you a ticket in the middle of no where for 10 over.

The least you can do is call the county/city and see what the options are. In most cases, they have a standard "plea bargain" that reduces the points significantly, and may or may not reduce the fine. That may be a big enough help to rule out seeking local counsel. This is not about a criminal act...it is random enforcement of blanket policies that set a speed limit for an entire stretch of highway regardless of conditions. Help yourself out by at least making the call and taking the automatic reduction. (Often the gatekeeper receptionist, clerk, etc. is all you need to talk to.)

Or not...then go stew in your self-rightiousness in the right lane at the speed limit forever.
 
I have a CDL and I would fight any ticket I might get. Two speeding tickets in a 24 month period is a two year suspension of your CDL, even if the violation is in your personal vehicle. If my CDL gets suspened I lose my job.
I usally cruise 7-8 miles above the limit, and I get left alone by LEO's. Last spring I got my first ticket in two decades while driving my car. It was rush hour traffic, I was in the right lane on the I-State going 70 in a 65, being passed by people in the left lane going 80 plus. I came upon slower traffic and sped up to merge with the faster traffic in the left lane, passed the slower vehicles and merged back in the right lane and slowed back down. The Trooper in the unmarked car behind me, who had been ignoring the speeders in the left lane the whole time he was behind me, pulls me over and cites me for 18 over, 4 points and $240 fine. When I asked him why me and he said I passed him about 5 miles earlier ( in a city where he had no jurisdiction) Is this what Greewald means by the discretion of the LEO? :confused:
I took the ticket to court and the asst DA drops it to 2 points and obstructing traffic, and the fine was lowered 50 bucks.
 
Good Morning Whitewater.

I thought my examples of 'discretion' from my July 30th post were fairly spot on, and still do, so no space wasted defending them.

But I find some 'holes in your boat,' when it comes to your incident.

By your own admissions, you were already traveling 5 mph over the posted limit under the nose of a WI State Trooper.

You came upon slower traffic and changed lanes to the left to pass. Understandable, but no need to 'merge with higher speed traffic' to accomplish going around a pokey driver. Cars behind you can just slow down a bit and wait for you to complete your passing maneuver.

No need to assume their speed.....they're not planning on assuming the debt of your ticket.

And then, you describe this traffic as going "80 plus."

So, throwing in with them, you are now cited at 18 mph over the posted limit!

Finally, you passed the Trooper five miles back in "a city where he had no jurisdiction."

My son (an Ozaukee Co. Sheriff's Deputy) routinely relies on WI Troopers for back-up on high-risk calls when no other manpower is in the area. Guess what? While they confine their traffic efforts to state roads as a matter of routine, by statute, Wi State Troopers have enforcement jurisdiction ANYWHERE in the State of Wisconsin.

If two speeding tickets in 24 months would cost me a CDL, and possibly my livelihood, I guess I wouldn't consider doing "80 plus" in a 65 zone under the nose of law enforcement to pass anyone. A little slower would have still done the trick.

That's what I would call "driver discretion."
 
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Thanks for your reply

Yes, I assume resposibility for speeding. I even told the Trooper that he was only doing his job. However, I question his motives. If he was concerned about me passing him in Milwaukee, where I was going about 60 in a 55 at the time, he should have pulled me over right away. The fine in a 55 zone for speeding is much less than in a 65 zone. According to a lawyer friend of mine, the chances of getting a speeding ticket dissmissed with a good driving record is much greater in Milwaukee County. Waukesha County, where I got my ticket, rarely, if ever dissmisses tickets. The Trooper had opportunities to pull over dozens of other speeders for miles before he pulled me over. I believe I ticked him off by passing him (he was in an unmarked car and with the volume of traffic I never saw him.) He wanted me, and he waited until I did something (and it was my fault for give him the opportunity) to really punish me.
On a side note, I see you are from Sheboygan. My cousin Fred Zittle, is a retired cop from there. Maybe you know him.
 
Yes, I assume resposibility for speeding. I even told the Trooper that he was only doing his job. However, I question his motives. If he was concerned about me passing him in Milwaukee, where I was going about 60 in a 55 at the time, he should have pulled me over right away. The fine in a 55 zone for speeding is much less than in a 65 zone. According to a lawyer friend of mine, the chances of getting a speeding ticket dissmissed with a good driving record is much greater in Milwaukee County. Waukesha County, where I got my ticket, rarely, if ever dissmisses tickets. The Trooper had opportunities to pull over dozens of other speeders for miles before he pulled me over. I believe I ticked him off by passing him (he was in an unmarked car and with the volume of traffic I never saw him.) He wanted me, and he waited until I did something (and it was my fault for give him the opportunity) to really punish me.
On a side note, I see you are from Sheboygan. My cousin Fred Zittle, is a retired cop from there. Maybe you know him.

You express your frustration well, and I can understand why you wished the outcome had been different.

But you also took responsibility for your decision to speed, and I find that both admirable and rare among this demographic. I salute you.

As for your cousin, I know Fred and his wife Monica quite well, and worked with him for nearly my entire career. A dedicated cop and quite a good pistol shot as well (earned a number of trophies!).

Small World.
 
An interesting thread on speeding. I have a concern why it costs an"arm & a leg" for a ticket? I think I know the answer, but have observed serious misdemeanors and lessor felonies that were cheaper on the offender. It just seems all out of kilter to me when looking at the cost compared to the actual speed vs. the hwy situation where many tickets are given. I also want to comment FWIW that , while I try to honor work zones for logical safety reasons, I find that here in KY they are marked in a ridiculous manner and not nearly so sensibly as in most other states. They use the "light flashing" many places and have the start and end clearly marked in relation to the actual work. I have a heavy foot/wrist and have earned some of my tickets while others have been equally costly and illogical , IMO,based on the wide open spaces where they occurred . There has been much written, statistics are there that in certain kinds of vehicles you are far more likely to get a speeding ticket.Having driven sports cars and ridden bikes for many years, I find that is the case for me. Don't say it is just because those kinds of sporty rides are taken to higher speeds, because there is more to the story than just that.
If as much attention was given to driver training as there is to writing speeding tickets it would be a safer place out there!
 
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