dkota1968

iTrader: (1)

So sat. me and a buddy went down to the beach to take some pics of our cars. my gf's brother used to be a professional photographer so he was taking them. Anyway we decided to do some burnouts. I went down to a spot at a dead end road so no one was around (Im really emphasizing this, I mean no one, middle of no where). So we did them together side by side and then I did a solo run, they came out good and got a vid(Ill post later). Yesterday I got a phone call from the police dept saying come pick up my ticket. Apparently there was a hidden camera thats motion activated to watch the area. We got screwed. Anyway the officer I dealt with was very cool about it but someone else had a stick up there *** and wanted us to pay hard. So I got written up for drag racing. MA law states
"Section 17B. No person shall operate a motor vehicle, nor shall any owner of such vehicle permit it to be operated, in a manner where the owner or operator accelerates at a high rate of speed in competition with another operator, whether or not there is an agreement to race, causing increased noise from skidding tires and amplified noise from racing engines."

If I wasnt in competition of speed which the video shows, then what gives? Ill take a speeding ticket or what ever but we were racing. Of course im fighting it to get it lowered or what ever. Any opinions? I know what I did is illegal, and I should have to pay but I dont think I should pay for what I want doing.

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

Get a lawyer. Getting written up for drag racing can be serious.

TNTramair

iTrader: (15)

hire a lawyer if you're trying to get off or get it reduced. it'll be cheaper than getting found guilty and having your insurance go up. drag racing ticket usually means it'll be sometype of wreckless driving violation which can carry alot of points and/or suspension of your license. that stays with you for awile and will affect your current and any future insurance inquires.

Mystery Bird

iTrader: (7)

One more reason I can't stand Massachusetts. Guess they want us all to drive Govt. controlled electric cars.

slayer_taunu

iTrader: (3)

one time i lost traction on an ice patch and a cop wrote me up for 'harsh objectionable noise (spinning tires)'. so you could try to get it changed to that, since thats all you were doing.

04qsgtoMA

iTrader: (5)

Where was this so i know where not to go. That sucks man but like others said, get a lawyer

01 ss vert

iTrader: (1)

Between this ticket, and the member who got fined $1000 in Cali while on a bicycle, there are some crazy stories on here lately.

TNTramair

iTrader: (15)

I once got a ticket in the mail for "excessive idling". i was sitting in a parking lot with a bunch of other cars parked...standing outside the car (car wasnt even running) shooting the ****....and yeah..excessive idling?!?! i could even accept a loitering ticket or something along those lines..but no, excessive idling...the most retarded thing ive ever read.

DannoWS6

iTrader: (5)

It's interesting the fact they have it on video. That video tape is the witness, if the tape shows no, lets call it "Acceleration" and you have a clean record you might get it reduced. You really should consider a lawyer, this is what your up against.

http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/Ge...r90/Section17B

Probably a $500 fine.
30 day lose of license.
a few points on insurance over the next 6 years ($Thousands....)

If you want to avoid that get a lawyer, if you got a friend in the force give him a shout. The magistrate is always gonna side with the officer. And you will need a lawyer if you want the video as evidence for you.

Sorry bout the bad news, it sounds like you guys really weren't racing so I hope it works out in your favor. The term dragracing in the law is pretty stretchy. If the 2 of you are rolling through the burnout, by the books they got you on a technicality I suppose. Lawyer it up.

DannoWS6

iTrader: (5)

Seriously! That's a new one for me.

thechef

iTrader: (13)

"then I did a solo run"
I bet that is your drag racing part....burnouts would be something like a "unsafe start" at least thats the tickets I used to get..lol

dkota1968

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the responses guys! Luckily the cop that wrote the ticket recognized my buddy that was watching and is a car guy. He said the way he wrote it being he checked civil not criminal I dont have to worry about license loss or anything like that. I was happpy to hear that. I have my own video so I can use that in court, but some of you are right on a good idea getting a lawyer. I see the insurance company getting headted on that. My record is pretty good, last violation was like 5 yrs ago for speeding and im now a step 2 on my license, so it looks like im not a **** head(not that i am). The fine is a 1k so it hurts. I tried finding other laws for burn outs on MA legislature but no go. I have a few cop buddys looking to find out what the other charges could be or I could ask for. Obviously I just cant deny it. Thanks again guys.

dkota1968

iTrader: (1)

Section 16A. No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is stopped for a foreseeable period of time in excess of five minutes. This section shall not apply to (a) vehicles being serviced, provided that operation of the engine is essential to the proper repair thereof, or (b) vehicles engaged in the delivery or acceptance of goods, wares, or merchandise for which engine assisted power is necessary and substitute alternate means cannot be made available, or (c) vehicles engaged in an operation for which the engine power is necessary for an associate power need other than movement and substitute alternate power means cannot be made available provided that such operation does not cause or contribute to a condition of air pollution. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars for the first offense, nor more than five hundred dollars for each succeeding offense.

I saw this last night, wife must of denied him night before or something, thats a hell of a law.

04qsgtoMA

iTrader: (5)

Damn, Guess i cant warm my car up in the morning. Unreal

703 CAMAROSS

Wow if you can only get a 500 dollar fine, loss of license for 30 days and a few points, I'd say your making out pretty good lol. If you were in VA, you could get 2500 fine, could go to jail for 12 months, lose your license for 2 years or at least 6 months, and you WILL get your car taken by the state and won't get it back. Good luck hope you get out of the ticket.

Double-aught_Z/28

iTrader: (11)

This is true. Had you been in Maryland, you wouldn't have had a ticket the next day; you'd have a sheriff's deputy with a tow truck taking your car.

As far as burnouts go, I believe they call that an "exhibition of speed" violation around here.

dkota1968

iTrader: (1)

Yea im lucky its ginda the good ol boy system on cape which really helped me out. It could have been up to 2.5yrs jail time and loss of license. Thankfully ive been really good for the past 5 yrs. Its nice the officer was nice about it. His words to my buddy last night were "From the video with a side by side burnout it meets the criteria of drag racing but you werent in the competition of speed". In other words im doing you a favor by giving you what you got because it should help you in the long run. He had people up his *** so therefore we had to get something. He said deffinetly bring in the video we have, its proof we werent racing, just taking pics of burnouts. Still sounds bad but its not racing. Anyway I sent the ticket in so now im just waiting for court date, usually takes a while. Ive been talking to buddys in the law system and getting opinions so its looking good on my end. Ive deffinetly learned my lesson I must say. Ill update you guys when it all goes down, thanks again for all the help and suggestions.

1998silverbird

iTrader: (29)

I believe reckless driving is 6 points on your license. Spinning the tires in reckless driving!Racing is reckless driving as well. When I got writen up for reckless drag racing in virginia beach I was lucky to get it reduced to improper driving. It was less of a fine and 3 points. Problem is they have a video of you doing burnouts on a public road! They will probably drop the drag racing part but you are still guilty of reckless driving and if your lucky you could get that reduced to improper driving! IDK if the judge wants to be a total dick then he might even fine you for leaving those marks on the pavement as well.

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

wo... seriously where was this? I saw u had said dennis/harwich area in another thread. and GL on gettin this **** reduced man! your lucky you'll be in orleans district if it was dennis/harwich! talk about lax, I'm surprised how allot of these fellow massholes are sayin you'd get a lic suspension for that! hahah not in orleans, I got busted for criminal op to endanger(145+ in a 50), marked lanes & failure to stop for a P.O. in '08 or '09 and walked away w/ $1600 in fines w/ a horrible record(speed, speed, speed etc) from my pre 18 days, I've had 3 suspensions but not 1 was from that night! and hell if I had to pay $1600 for that you mite get off for 500ish? ....altho I was in front of a judge and not the magistrate, and if its the same guy as from last time I saw him(10yrs ago lol) then he is a doucher:-/

dkota1968

iTrader: (1)

Well I went to court today, after a week of contacting friends "paper work got messed up" and out with a hundred dollar fine. I realize I'm a luck sob, trust me. Anyways I'm celebrating this weekend, and thanks for all the help.