Speed trap on 93

[vinman]

today i was going to boulder from the ranch and once i reached golden where 470 turns into 93 there was a speed trap. they were pulling over people by the minute. I was clocked at 66 in a 45.

Honestly i was with traffic and had just accelerated to get out of the blind spot of a truck. i told the officer that but it wasnt even him that clocked me so he didnt want to hear about it.

whats really weird is i didnt get a ticket. i got a court summons. The officer said becasue i was going 20+ that i would have to appear in court and this citation is a 4 point deduction. there is no amount or anything. is this unusual? any advice would be great.

Vince

[Keshtak]

There are a couple places between Golden and Boulder....I make a lot of trips of Coal Creek Canyon, and regularly coming back down I see people pulled over just south of the junction there....cops like to wait at the turn in to the garbage dump and clock people coming up that hill where there's the passing lane. The other spot I know of is right when you are heading into Golden, and right when you get into everything, cops like to hang out on the street that goes to Slee Offroad and nail people.

The ticket is actually more of a pain in the ass than a normal speeding ticket, but also cooler. You have to go to court and deal with all that crap, but when you go in, you will also have a chance to plea it down, and try to talk to the DA into an agreement that will be a little more conducive to insurance, DMV points and all of that fun stuff. Good luck with it all..Ive been there believe me.

[BickS2R]

The other spot I have seen them parked frequently is the road just to the north of 64th.

128 is patrolled very heavily, as well. Forum rules prevent me from commenting on my experiences there.

[Zltful]

Sheesh...I am glad I live in Iowa. If you ask to see the radar they either have to provide it or appear in court to give a statement saying that they paced you going x ammount of mph. And they have to notate on the ticket the method that you were clocked with. Also, if they are a radar unit, they are required to explain why the radar unit wasn't the method if they say they paced you going that fast...

On top of all that, if you really want to fight it, you can request a calibration certificate that was performed within 6 months of the ticket issue date, as well as the officer being certified to operate a radar. They have to wear a little placard under their badge saying they completed their annual "Radar" course. If not, then they cannot write tickets for radared speed.

I have beat 3 speeding tickets and one failure to yield for an emergency vehicle ticket by going to court and arguing that I wasn't. The burden of proof is then dumped in the law enforcement agency's lap and you sit back and wait.

Of course, I have also gotten tickets where I knew they had me dead to rights.

Just have to know when to fight it and when not to.

Also, unless he was using a laser, the person running the radar didn't tag you if you were passing a truck. He registered the truck's speed because the radar picks up the largest return and calculates it's speed.
Beat one of my tickets because the officer said he radared me passing a semi. I asked a friend who was a radar tech with the national weather service to come in and explain the theories of radar returns and how it would have been impossible for the officer to radar me instead of the truck. And then I argued that it was illegal to ticket me for the speeding infraction of someone else. The judge I guess just got sick of me questioning everything on the ticket because he dismissed it without even charging me court costs...

Originally Posted by vinman

I was clocked at 66 in a 45. 

whats really weird is i didnt get a ticket. i got a court summons. The officer said becasue i was going 20+ that i would have to appear in court and this citation is a 4 point deduction. there is no amount or anything. is this unusual? any advice would be great.

Here is the low down,

In Colorado any speeding violation 20 mph or over is an automatic summons.  It should be a 6 point violation, but that really doesn't much matter at this point.  You do have to go, and the day you appear the officer will not be there, you will be "advised" of the charges and allowed to do a couple things.  First, you can plead strait up guilty-do not do unless option two won't fly.  Second, see if they will give you a deal, best optoin and depending on your driving history you may get a deffective vehicle plea.  Last, a trial to the court.  Unless they really hosed something up, which is unlikely, they will win and there is no deals. 

[BickS2R]

Originally Posted by JonnyO

Last, a trial to the court. Unless they really hosed something up, which is unlikely, they will win and there is no deals.

Unless like my last 2 guest spots, the officer doesn't show - then charges are dismissed, but that is a big gamble.

Originally Posted by BickS2R

Unless like my last 2 guest spots, the officer doesn't show - then charges are dismissed, but that is a big gamble.

Very True! IT is a Gamble, but it does happen.

[MotoMojo]

OLLLLLAAAAAAA !!!!!! ;D

[vinman]

whats a defective vehicle plea?

There is a CRS (Colorado Revised Statue) in title 42 (Traffic) that is: Operated a Defective Motor Vehicel. Now, there is really nothing rong with you rbike/car/vehicle, but it is a lesser charge that your speeding charge can be reduced to. This is a very common deal if your driving history is clean. Usually in a case like this it will have a heafty fine, but only two points. Let me know if you have any other questions