Beat a speeding ticket :
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Let's face it, we all exceed the speed limit at one time or another and some of us practice it as a religion. A recent study found that between 88 percent and 96 percent of motorists exceed the 55 mph posted speed limit on interstate highways in the states that still have it. Since you are reading this article on speeding tickets you either already have one in hand or you are just trying to avoid one in the future.
Beat a speeding ticket : How to spot unmarked cars
You will beat a speeding ticket by spotting unmarked cars. This very easy to the trained eye. They are usually late model, domestic four door cars stripped down as much as possible. They will have the cheapest hubcaps if any at all, have a one tone paint job with no fancy trim and be littered with antennas. Another sign is the spotlight sticking out of the driver's side front post. Basically what you end up with in an unmarked car is a full size luxury sedan that is stripped down to the bones that no civilian would be caught bringing home from a new car dealer. I really wonder if some civilians order their cars this way?
Beat a speeding ticket : Know the speed Traps
Speed traps are a common way to increase revenue in the most efficient manner possible. They way they work is one cop will nestle into the median somewhere, usually in the trees, record your speed on radar, then radio down to the ticket writers usually over a hill or around a curve what your speed is and a description of the vehicle. Once you come around the curve and see a cop it is too late since they already know your speed. A uniformed officer will bravely be outside directing you to pull over with the other victims of the trap. There is a limit to how many speeders they can handle so once they become backlogged with five or six victims they will radio the radar car and tell it to take a break. Once they process all the victims they start over. These traps are usually only setup on interstate highways during the daytime. They prefer to do them in an area where the trees in the median will obstruct the view of the oncoming traffic to eliminate the headlights in the on coming lane. CB radios always have this information and it is a better defense that radar detectors. In order to a beat speeding ticket you should check the laws in your state with an attorney about these traps since in most states both the officer doing the radar and the officer issuing the ticket may have to appear in court if you plead not guilty.
Beat a speeding ticket : the secret instant On/Off button !
There are whole books in print on radar and this article is intended only to cover the basic stuff you need to know to beat a speed ticket. The radar gun is an extremely accurate piece of equipment and keep in mind it is only reliable to trained, competent operator. Most cops these days are equipped with an instant ON/OFF button that keeps the unit warmed up but your detector won't detect it until the cop hits the instant ON button and then it is too late, you've been clocked. To counter this simply use a shield such as a big metal truck between you and the cop. If you are using the shield in the left lane you will be able to pick up the radar from the vehicles in front of you that are being clocked. There is very little these days that will set off a false warning of a radar detector on rural interstate highways so when you hear that warning, treat it with respect.
Beat a speeding ticket : limits enforced from aircraft
Don't be fooled by the signs on the road indicating that aircraft are used to enforce speed limits. What a joke ! This was attempted at one time, probably introduced by a cop who was a pilot, and the only time it is used now is for publicity purposes. It was designed to work like the speed trap except speeders were spotted from the air rather that a cop hiding in the bushes, sounds pretty simple. To use this method they need at least a $70,000 airplane, insurance, a pilot, an observer, full fuel at approximately $2.50/gallon, daylight, and clear weather with little or no wind. They still need the full backup of the ground crew just as is needed in the conventional speed trap. You do not have to be a genius to figure out which is a more cost effective way of writing tickets.
If you were ever wondering what the white markers that are painted on the shoulders of a highway and placed about every .2 miles were for this is it. The observer in the aircraft already knows the distance to be traveled so he simply calculates the amount of time it takes your vehicle to travel the fixed distance and the result is your speed in miles per hour. These markers can only be placed in specific areas and can't be used at night or if the ground is covered with snow. I am very interested in hearing from anyone who has ever gotten a ticket from this method. Again, to beat a speeding ticket, check the laws in your state about pleading not guilty to these and how many people are required to show up. The ticket writer, the observer, the pilot, the mechanic?
