...me and my buddy were heading to a friends house last night at about 9:20 so there was barely any sunlight left. It was on a country road and I didn't see any cars in sight or any obstructions in the road so I felt the need for speed. Turns out I passed the cop going about 85 in an apparently 55 mph speed zone, even though it's not posted anywhere, and I left his radar range going 102. It wasn't till I was done with my speeding rant that I looked into the mirror and saw purple lights... I was like "SERIOUSLY??!!! Where the hell was this cop? The one time I want to go fast there is a cop." I could have easily out ran him being that when I saw him the red and blue turned out to be purple in my mirror. But being the man I was I wasn't going to out run him and I swallowed my pride and stopped on the side of the road and waited for him. My buddy just kept going once I stopped.... When I officer caught up to me and got out he thanked me for stopping and reduced my alleged speed to 99 so I wasn't fined for reckless driving. The presumptive fine is $435 and my court date is in a month. I'm asking advise, I've never had a ticket before or any trouble with the law. Should I just go to my court date and see if they can lower the fine myself? Or should I get an attorney?
I live in Oregon.

 

You'll get about every ans you can imagine.

My recommendation is to go to court & ask for driving school. Once successfully completed & fines paid, it shouldn't adversely affect your record.

 

I recently got a reckless driving ticket in my car. I took a 6 hr 'Defensive Driving' class and that helps a lot whenever it comes to your court date. You should look into that.

For the most part it will reduce the points that go against your license and could possibly reduce the fine.

 

Idk how it works where you are but in sc if you just go pay the ticket early they usually cut in half or so.

 

I got a ticket here in Abq for numerous reasons, one being that I had both hands off the handebars. When I went to court they gave me a list of options, one being the defensive driving course, which eliminated any violations going to my insurance, and I opted to do a few hours of community service, which took care of my "speeding" ticket (I was going around 47 in a 40, but the lady cop hated military personnel for some reason).

I had to go to court to hear my options, so I don't know how it will be for you. Best thing to do is be respectful, don't argue (judges are just looking for a reason to bone you), and everything tends to work itself out. Since it's your first violation, you'll probably have to do some annoying stuff, but it's worth doing if it's going to help you in the long run.

 

I'm in the Marine Reserves and the cop saw my military id and didn't seem to give a rats *** about it too. But I've heard about the classes in stuff from my friends who have gotten tickets before. I just hope they don't change it to a reckless driving charge cause it's 1 mph under 100. I am a very respectful guy with dignity and integrity (obviously, cause I actually stopped and waited for the cop). I just pray the judge will see that in me and reduce the ticket as much as he/she can.

 

Have to say you are a better man then i. At that distance and the amount of light left, He wouldnt have gotten your tag, and you could have done the speed limit to out run him at that point. I would have been sitting at my buddys house with a beer cracked open by the time he realized where i went.

On the other note, your buddys a dick. If im ever out riding with people and some one gets pulled over, we all stop. Cant leave a man behind.

 

Seems like you win some, you lose some when it comes to using your CAC card. Learned my lesson. I didn't even know New Mexico had a law for using both hands on the handlebars (I was adjusting my pants, standing up). I've done that a few times and never thought a thing about it, but I can see how it was foolish. Best of luck to another brother in arms though!


My buddies were out riding when one got pulled over, and my buddy on the blue r6 saw the sheriff literally like 2 secs before the sheriff looked over and braked enough to slow down, whiplashing a bit. My buddy on the red r6 didn't realize my buddy slowed down and keep the throttle open, the sheriff got him, and the blue r6 ended up passing them. The sheriff said he would've gave them both tickets if the blue r6 stopped, so he was lucky.

 

I commend you for pulling over. I, most doubt, would have done the very same thing. Why gamble with outrunning and then getting in boat loads of trouble. Just my

 

Oh I have had SO many tickets out there in OR. I lived in the Salem/Marion County area and the cops had nothing to do but harass. The judges were hard too!! It's hard to give advice on what to do because there are so many variables. My last stint turned the judges face red, but luckily I didn't land in jail which I think he was really attempting to do. That stunt I was talking about was for doing 43 over the limit, so don't expect the judge to be impressed by your ability to blow the speed limit out of the water.
If ya have the time, look into how many judges are running the bench (there was only one in Salem). You can go in any day before the date on your citation, so look for the judge who is nice(r). Maybe take some time and just sit in on a session or two and see what he/she does to people with speeding tickets. Does he/she give some slack for first time offenses. Do they throw the book at motorcycles? Will they just drop the fine some and lets ya move on? I was never offered a traffic course in lieu of the citation and I don't think that how things really work in OR. I always got my tickets reduced for showing up. You do have the option of hiring a lawyer, but you have to determine if it's worth the cost for potentially the same result. At that point, you have to appear on the scheduled date.