Should I fight my ticket?

[charlieburkeee4]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania

*I am a minor*

I was recently pulled over for doing "53 in a 25" and have a few questions. (1) Is this enough for a license suspension? (2) If the officer was moving and used vascar would it stand up? (3) If the officer said he gunned me in one location and then pulled me over in another (a mile or so down the road) would that count? Thank You for reading and responding.

 

[FlyingRon]

If you have a Junior License, you will get suspended 90 days. Though this ticket is a five pointer and it takes six, there's a special provision in the law that mandates the JL suspension for a "high speed speeding conviction" which this qualifies for.

VASCAR doesn't give a hoot whether the officer is moving or standing still or doing somersaults. It's a glorified stopwatch. All the officer needs is a measured set of landmarks and to be able to see when your car passes them.

There's no limit on the distance between where the infraction is observed and where he subsequently pulls you over.

 

[charlieburkeee4]

If you have a Junior License, you will get suspended 90 days. Though this ticket is a five pointer and it takes six, there's a special provision in the law that mandates the JL suspension for a "high speed speeding conviction" which this qualifies for.

I believe I was in a 35 zone, however I have no evidence of it. Would there be anyway to prove I was?

 

[HighwayMan]

I believe I was in a 35 zone, however I have no evidence of it. Would there be anyway to prove I was?

Gee, maybe a speed limit sign?

 

[HighwayMan]

If the officer said he gunned me...

What does that mean exactly? Gunned you with what?

 

[CdwJava]

I suspect he means that the officer used a radar gun.

And, yes, Charlie, the officer can hit you with radar in one place and pull you over in another. An instantaneous stop is not required.

On a side note, THIS is one of the reasons why insurance rates are so high for kids! Imagine paying insurance on four of them ... I did ... for a while ... sorta like paying a mortgage.

 

[HighwayMan]

I suspect he means that the officer used a radar gun.

I concur but then he also references vascar, which confuses the issue.

As far as I know it's still the case in Pennsylvania that only the State Police are permitted to use radar.

 

[CdwJava]

I concur but then he also references vascar, which confuses the issue.

As far as I know it's still the case in Pennsylvania that only the State Police are permitted to use radar.

Huh ... I wonder why that is???

 

[quincy]

Huh ... I wonder why that is???

It is due to a belief in the State that local police would misuse and abuse radar.

The Pennsylvania Senate did pass a bill in October (Senate Bill 535) that would allow for radar use by local police but it is my understanding that the bill needs to be reintroduced next year. There apparently has been no action on it since the end of October when it was referred to the Transportation Committee.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=535

 

[CdwJava]

Perhaps that is what happens when you create a situation where small towns can obtain huge funding infusions through traffic enforcement and fines. Perhaps they could fix that by changing their funding mechanisms.

It seems a scary thing that they might trust their local police to carry guns, arrest people, and mete out justice regarding most laws, but NOT trust them to ethically enforce TRAFFIC laws.

 

[HighwayMan]

It seems a scary thing that they might trust their local police to carry guns, arrest people, and mete out justice regarding most laws, but NOT trust them to ethically enforce TRAFFIC laws.

Indeed. When I first read that some years ago I thought that it must be a mistake or "fake news" but it is real. I have never heard anything like that in any other state. Seems ludicrous.