X. NO MERCYThere are just some
things people do that won't get them off the hook so easily. The courts
will not have mercy on them. Here is the cold hard truth, if you can
stomach it. In my opinion, my advice won't be as useful:
- If you're charged for driving 100+
- If you're charged for driving 25 over the speed limit
- If you were excessively speeding in town
- If you were caught speeding near a construction zone or a school
- If you were caught street racing (Misdemeanor - seek an attorney)
- If you were caught blowing through stop signs (unless you really did stop) or red lights
- Exhibition of Speed (Misdemeanor - seek an attorney)
- If you've had prior convictions and facing a possible suspension (all the worse if the offenses were serious)
- If you knowingly install any illegal modification
- If you're facing other serious infractions or misdemeanors
Consider yourself screwed. It will be much more difficult to argue your case. Here's another point to consider:
officers will be much more likely to show up to your trial the more serious the incident.
If you got a ticket by the CHP? The 30% divine intervention factor
aside, it's their job to hand out tickets. It's in their name:
Highway
Patrol. So, they will always show up to your trial. Unless the officer
blatantly lied (9 times out of 10, it's the driver blatantly lying
about how the officer screwed him over), don't even bother applying any
of my advice. Use your traffic school proxy - if they allow you - and
stay clean. Your best bet is to go back and reread section II so you
don't have to deal with any of the above next time. If getting a radar
detector, continue reading on to the next section.
Remember, if you had a DUI? All of my advice goes out the window.
You'll have a very hard time in traffic court. Besides, no one in their
right mind has any respect for sh*t-for-brains drivers who place a low
marginal value on driving.
If you received a parking ticket? Sorry, can't help you there.
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