got a question for ya?

[speedytriple]

so when we were on our trip to Ga last week, a member and i passed on a double yellow. cop was a few cars back didnt see him . but he saw us and pulled us over. clocked us going 35 in a 45. thats right 10 under the limit. after telling him my side of the story, he procedes to spew profanities at me. then leaves me in a blind corner where we both almost got hit then moves me down to a busy intersection, and leaves us sitting in traffic again. he proceeds to another call. leaves us with a young rookie cop who was much calmer. he issued ticket only for passing in a no passing zone. and told me my court date was july 18th. when i asked him why i had to go to court he said all motorcycle tickets in lumpkin co have to appear. and the judge almost never lets you mail in m.c. fines. what kinda crap is this? i talked to a local lawyer and he said they cant have double standards for the same fine. the guy from where we stayed got the same ticket 2 days prior in a truck and dropped the fine off on the way home? what happens if i just skip the court date? and is it legal for them to have two sets of standards for the same violation? almost makes ya hate the law even more then i used to. i have no problem with sending a fine in i broke the rules i know that i would be glad to mail a fine and waive court. even if it cost a bit more. but to hike 700 miles back down to show up say i did it and then pay the fine and drive home? this is my first ticket on my bike in 12 years of riding so i dont know what the real deal is. anyone ever have this happen or have info on what the laws say?

thanks in advance.
mike

[Tarheel_Rider]

Hire a local lawyer to make it go away, it'll be worth the $300 or so to keep it off your record, points and insurance.  If necessary, he could make the court appearance for you.  Don't know beans about lawyers, the law or Georgia, but that's what I did in NC.

[Red01]

Ditto on the lawyer. I'm not sure how the laws work in GA, but here in WA, that would be an easy ticket to beat if the young rookie is the one who signed the ticket if he didn't see you do it. (WA does have a loophole to allow officers on the ground to sign tickets for officers in planes if they put the air officer's name and badge number on the ticket.)

The double standard is unfair, legal or not, but unfortunately, you'll have to go to court to fight that, too. It may even take a separate court battle for that - and they're probably banking on no one fighting them on that. They may also be hoping that word gets out in the m/c community that they're playing hardball and that'll either scare off the traffic scofflaws or encourage them to play by the law.

[ratbike05]

The double standard certainly isn't right but legal....who knows for sure except a local lawyer.  You may even be able to find a number for a local legal aide society down there.  They are lawyers who do pro bono(hope I spelled that right) work for low income folks or anybody that just has a simple question.  The GA bar may even be able to help with the number or the answers to your questions.  As far as just skipping,  they can do stuff like suspend your license, put a warrant out for your arrest and I'm sure a few other things to rub salt in the wound.

[solman]

If the cop says that there is double standards, then I would fight it and use that in court.  Also the he is not the one who saw you do it, but signed the ticket.  So how can he testify that you actually did it if he didn't see you do it?

[banditone1250s]

I am not sure but I think that the two cops were together, just one left the scene to handle another call while the other stayed behind. That's the way I got the whole thing any way. But, the double standard stuff is a bunch of crap!!!! I don't know if I would stand for that or not. I think that I would contact a "local" (local to where you received the citation) attorney and just ask him what he thinks of the situation. Then, if you had to appear in court, which you probably will, at least you would have an attorney's advice on the whole thing.

   P.S. Passing on a double yellow is a definite NO NO!!!!!...Banditone1250s...  

[orionburn]

Try checking into some lawyers that deal specifically with motorcycle related issues. I'm sure you can get some free info from them. I know Abate and AMA recommend a few compaines that deal with these sorts of things. They could at least point you in the right direction. I agree it's a bunch of b.s. to have to drive all the way back down there to settle a traffic violation. I could understand if you'd gotten nailed for reckless driving or something more serious.

I remember one of my teachers telling me one time he was driving on vacation (can't remember the state) and you had to pay for your ticket right then and there with a credit card. Can't remember for sure, but he asked the cop what happens if you don't have a credit card and I "think" the cop said they'd impound your car unless you came up with a way to pay. That's f'd up right there.

[GETFURIOUS]

BEFORE YOU START SPENDING MONEY ON LAWYERS.....TRY THIS.....

CALL THE COURTHOUSE IN GEORGIA.....MAKE SURE THAT YOU WRITE DOWN THE NAME AND I.D. NUMBER OF THE PERSON/PERSONS THAT YOU SPEAK TO.....

ASK THEM IF YOU CAN JUST MAIL IN THE FINE OR DO YOU ACTUALLY "HAVE TO" COME TO COURT?....COPS OFTEN TELL YOU THINGS THAT ARE NOT "ALWAYS" TRUE.....THEY JUST ASSUME THAT THEY ARE TRUE.....

NEXT, IF YOU CAN MAIL IN THE FINE AND THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.....THEN SEND THE PAYMENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL / RETURN RECEIPT REQUIRED.....

IF YOU ARE TOLD THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO APPEAR IN COURT.....WRITE A LETTER TO THE JUDGE.....SEND IT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL / RETURN RECEIPT REQUIRED.....EXPLAINING THAT YOU LIVE 700 MILES AWAY AND YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY THE FINE.....ALSO EXPLAIN IN YOUR LETTER, THAT IT WOULD PUT AN EXCESSIVE BURDEN ON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO TRAVEL BACK TO GEORGIA TO APPEAR AND PLEAD GUILTY AND PAY THE FINE.....

THE JUDGE, (UNLIKE THE COP) HAS THE POWER TO WAIVE YOUR APPEARENCE.....ASSESS A FINE AND GIVE YOU A FINAL RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER.....

REMEMBER, THAT DOING IT THIS WAY ONLY COSTS YOU A STAMP, A PHONE CALL AND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND POSTAGE.....MUCH CHEAPER THAN A LAWYER OR A PLANE RIDE.....

YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A LAWYER LATER IN THE PROCESS.....IF NEEDED.....

[FlyingTurtle1]

Gotta agree with Furious here Speedy, call the court house.Last ticket I got on a bike was in Tenn.(20 yr. ago)and in Tenn. they KEEP your license until you send them thier money! Cop said IF you get stopped again just show them this here ticket! LOL That's AFTER he put his 357 away for me carrying an "Illeagle" knife.

[speedytriple]

contacted the court house said i could mail it in. they even said that lots of folks have been calling to gripe about having to show up. guess the cops are stretching the truth a bit to scare people. trying to build a we dont take any crap image i guess? so fine mailed in certified check requesting receipt. 215 bucks for fine and to waive it!!  

[B6mick]

Speaking on traffic tickets, hmm 2 of the bloody things, ( 1 me 2 the minister of war and monies) $215.00 and 3 demerit points each. But we are off to court, no not because we wern't speeding, ( just lucky he didn't catch us 60 odd k's back ) But we been told to fight it, he caught us with a car (roof ) mounted radar, so he can not aim it, now my understanding of the law is he can book one of us. Me being the lead bike, that I can live with but he can not get a reading on the 2nd. But he is claiming we where riding two a breast.  BS we never ever ride 2 a breast. Now if he sticks to his story, he needs to prove which bike he got the radar reflection from, cause he can not get a radar reflection off 2 bikes on one reading. and if he was to pursue his case, we should have his case thrown out of the court house. one very pissed off TOG (Traffic operations group) coming up. Think we should catch the train to Stawell on court day, 3 hr ride, 5 hr train ride.

[GETFURIOUS]

contacted the court house said i could mail it in. they even said that lots of folks have been calling to gripe about having to show up. guess the cops are stretching the truth a bit to scare people. trying to build a we dont take any crap image i guess? so fine mailed in certified check requesting receipt. 215 bucks for fine and to waive it!!  

I AM GLAD IT WORKED OUT FOR YOU.....

Speaking on traffic tickets, hmm 2 of the bloody things, ( 1 me 2 the minister of war and monies) $215.00 and 3 demerit points each. But we are off to court, no not because we wern't speeding, ( just lucky he didn't catch us 60 odd k's back ) But we been told to fight it, he caught us with a car (roof ) mounted radar, so he can not aim it, now my understanding of the law is he can book one of us. Me being the lead bike, that I can live with but he can not get a reading on the 2nd. But he is claiming we where riding two a breast.  BS we never ever ride 2 a breast. Now if he sticks to his story, he needs to prove which bike he got the radar reflection from, cause he can not get a radar reflection off 2 bikes on one reading. and if he was to pursue his case, we should have his case thrown out of the court house. one very pissed off TOG (Traffic operations group) coming up. Think we should catch the train to Stawell on court day, 3 hr ride, 5 hr train ride.

GOOD LUCK IN COURT.....LET US KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT.....

[Daytona]

so when we were on our trip to Ga last week, a member and i passed on a double yellow. cop was a few cars back didnt see him . but he saw us and pulled us over. clocked us going 35 in a 45. thats right 10 under the limit. after telling him my side of the story, he procedes to spew profanities at me. then leaves me in a blind corner where we both almost got hit then moves me down to a busy intersection, and leaves us sitting in traffic again. he proceeds to another call. leaves us with a young rookie cop who was much calmer. he issued ticket only for passing in a no passing zone. and told me my court date was july 18th. when i asked him why i had to go to court he said all motorcycle tickets in lumpkin co have to appear. and the judge almost never lets you mail in m.c. fines. what kinda crap is this? i talked to a local lawyer and he said they cant have double standards for the same fine. the guy from where we stayed got the same ticket 2 days prior in a truck and dropped the fine off on the way home? what happens if i just skip the court date? and is it legal for them to have two sets of standards for the same violation? almost makes ya hate the law even more then i used to. i have no problem with sending a fine in i broke the rules i know that i would be glad to mail a fine and waive court. even if it cost a bit more. but to hike 700 miles back down to show up say i did it and then pay the fine and drive home? this is my first ticket on my bike in 12 years of riding so i dont know what the real deal is. anyone ever have this happen or have info on what the laws say?

thanks in advance.
mike

They won't get a chance to make a tough cop believer out of me! Those folk up there Don't want anyone buzzin on their roads. Two's is off limits to me...