pimpmaro

This was pretty rough. Last night I got caught racing a GT stang on one of the prominant street drag spots. I very rarely get into races on the street but this one just clicked with me. I was at a stoplight and there was NO ONE in front of me at all until the next light. As it turned green, the stang came past me kinda slow, so I caught up to him. We looked at eachother and punched it. I pulled a 1-2 and cut it off after pulling him by a car. I immediately started slowing down for the next light. The passenger in my car is convinced that she never saw it get over 50 mph. Well, the mustang pulls up and we chat for a couple of seconds and all of a sudden we see the blue lights of GA state patrol pull through the cars behind us at the light. He pulls both of us over. I got two tickets. One was for racing in the street. The other was for excessive speed for conditions. On both tickets he marked that we were in heavy traffic. Also the speed limit on the road is 45, and as I said, my passenger said I was never over 50. The worst part is that since I'm 20, I'm at a strong risk of losing my license. As far as how bad it was, a close second to that is the fact that after he gave me the tickets, the cop started tellin me about his '03 GT stang at home. Talk about salt in the wound. I'm in Atlanta for college, so all my licensing and registration and stuff is for Alabama. Can this help me any? For example, can GA suspend my alabama license for a GA state law? I know AL's law for street racing is similar. Also would AL suspend my license for an offense committed and tried in GA? Anyone have any advice that's been through this? Sorry for the long post, just kinda stressed.

x phantom x

iTrader: (14)

I'm not sure about the law part of your question ... but how was him telling you that he had an 03 GT at home rubbing salt in the wounds ... I would've laughed at him and told him to sell it and get another car, especially after the tickets.

Your probably going to have to take the racing one to court. You were not racing. You accell'd fast, yes, but you were not racing.

And good luck

pimpmaro

Lol, I should have laughed, but I was kind of afraid of pissing him off. After all, he was still holding his ticket book.

On the ticket he wrote "lined up with ford mustang and accellerated in a competition." What I'm thinkinga bout doing is taking a defensive driving school before I go to court and pleading for community service. It is very doubtful that the judge will take my word over his.

x phantom x

iTrader: (14)

If you wanted, you could explain to the judge (while the cop is there) that there is no reason that you would ever bother racing one of those slow *** mustang GT's. It would be a waste of both your time and gas. Etc etc etc. Even if it doesnt get you off ... it'll make the cop pissed (and he cant do **** about it).

Btw, take defensive driving AFTER you get the ticket, not before. If you do it after it will take some points away, if you do it before, you cannot do it again for 18 months (I had this happen to me when I first started driving).

pimpmaro

See, the fine isn't what I'm worried about. I can figure out how to get the money for that. What I'm worried about is the suspended license and the points on it. I'm playing with the thought of pleading no lo.

Mike K.

You'll probably be ok cause I'm pretty sure you fall under the rules of the city/state you were in and if your license had that many points on it the cop should have done something about it when he had you pulled over. If you did go to court you would have to plea that you were not racing but only accelerating fast, although I'm not sure how you would put that professionally. On a side note I just got a speeding ticket for doing 88 in a 70 when I was only going 73 so I feel your pain. Normally I just admit my fault when I get pulled over but this time when he asked me if I knew why he pulled me over I said no and I could tell he was getting pissed. He asked me what the speed limit was in the area and I said 70 then he asked me how fast I was going and I said 73. He got real mad and said I was going 88!!!! I couldn't believe it, I questioned him on where he could have possibly clocked me cause there was hill in the area etc and he said he got me from a 1.4 mile away or some ****. Whats even funnier is that this was on a highway and he was in the traffic lane going the other way. He actually pulled out of traffic crossed a swampy Florida medium and pulled this crap on me. I do believe the the cops generally do good for society but some cops have to much attitude and really don't know what they are doing. To make a long story short I feel your pain but you probably will not get you license suspended IMO.

distortion_69

iTrader: (20)

Unfortunately, your license is definately gone since your 20 if you get found guilty of the racing. I got my ticket when I was 19, and after taking the defensive driving before court, and going in. They didn't care, they let me off without community service (I was lucky), and suspended my license and gave me a $250 fine or so.

After I got over the suicide streaks, I decided to put the insurance on my car in my dads name. He put it as an occasional driver since it only gets about 6k a year. I now saved $150+ a month on insurance (only freakin $60/month). I also didn't spend any money on gas, dropped out of school for 2 semesters. I had to get a ride to work everyday. It surely sucked, but during this time.. as you can see by my sig money for mods was saved I now have my license back and the Z28 is about ready to be back on the road when the tranny comes in either tomorrow or the day after.

Due to Georgia State Law any (4 or 5, I can't remember) offense results in automatic suspension of license for 6 months if your under 21. However, since you weren't cited going over the speed limit with a radar by more than 24+ mph. You are in a better position than I was. Your best bet would be to try to disprove you were racing, or at least try to plea and get the charge dropped to reckless driving.. which I do believe is a 3 point offense. You might can also plead nolo contendre. With an offense like 24+ where you get automatically suspended.. they will accept it and you'll still loose it but don't get any points. With your charge being as how you weren't clocked over speeding.. they might drop the charge altogether with nolo.. not sure how that works.

I would definately get a lawyer, and if you can't afford one.. use the public defendant.

Things to think about:

Did the officer actually see you racing? Did you admit to it? Did you tell him anything that would incriminate you in the court room? Your best bet would be to lie and say you were trying to get over and the mustang was moving a little fast. Tell them you never reached over the speed limit, which is why he never gave you a speeding ticket. Try to plead with the judge, and tell him that you weren't racing.. That you just were in a hurry to get over and made an improper start. Try to get the charge dropped.

I don't know what other advice to give you.. but Good Luck!!!

DEEZ98Z

iTrader: (5)

First off that sucks!!! I believe that the cop that cited you will have to show up for anything to happen. I know a couple of my freinds were racing there bikes and got pulled over for well over 100, the cop did not show for the court date and the got off scott free Good luck, fight this

SouthFL.02.SS

I suggest speaking with an attorney who specializes in traffic offenses, since the license is at stake. Sorry about your run-in with the law.

Mean Machine

no doubt, be smart and talk to a lawyer before you do anything. talk to friends and family, you'll probably find one who'll consult with you for no fee. btw, it could be worse. these are traffic offenses, not felonies. be glad.

4thGENRETARD

Plead not guilty and get a lawyer. Being in Atlanta (HUGE CITY), there is a chance that copman will not show up in court. If he does get your lawyer to postpone. Repeat this as long as you can. I do this in Houston. It has worked for me a couple of times. Oh and ask for jury trial, that takes more time and as busy as prosecutors are with other cases, they might give up or plea bargain for a lesser offence. Take it but stipulate no suspension.
Good lawyer helps a lot.
It's a system, play hard.
Good luck

Blk00WS6

Tough break but we all take this risk when we decide if we want to race. You do the crime.. You do the time bro.

TaTommyWS6

If the money doesn't bother, definitely get a lawyer that specializes in traffic summonses. You would be AMAZED at the **** they can pull! I was on the verge of losing my licenses a few years ago (3 speeding tickets of any kind in an 18month period in NY will do that). I payed a lawyer. Problems went away instantly. I currently have NO points on my license, and pay nearly nothing for full coverage on my car. It all a big money game. They want your money. But ironically enough, if you have enough to give to someone else (a lawyer), then they can't have it! God bless America!

Tommy

BTW, you may just get off without any danger of losing your license because of the different state issue. In NY you can only lose your license in a neighboring state is picked up for a DWI.

Deckhand

iTrader: (1)

also its your word, and your witness'(passenger) word against the cop.... that might help.

mike c.

iTrader: (1)

take you and your witness and go fight it. will you win? it dont look good,your the punk kid and he's the good allmighty officer. but you'll never know if you don't try.ow yeah, and don't do the i would'nt race a stang wast of my time/gas crap. YOU WILL BE HUNG. GOODLUCK TO YA (YOU'RE GUNNA NEED IT)

ss rally red

iTrader: (8)

Since you have an Alabama licence and if you are convicted you probably won't lose them because of the different point systems used by each state, when I got a speeding ticket in Ala. I only recieved one point on my Ga. licence instead of the three points I would have gotten with a ALa. licence. But if you can afford to definetly try to fight the racing ticket.

pimpmaro

Well you guys are definitely making me feel better about it. I first plan on talking to some cops that I know in another area of town, and then to a lawyer I know that does not deal with traffic courts. From there I think I'm going to move forward wtih what they would recommend. Thanks for the help guys!

TaTommyWS6

They will ALWAYS favor the cop, but still fight it!

Tommy

SmaknaSS

iTrader: (1)

From what I hear, correct me if I'm wrong but out here in cali we have a new law that if you get caught racing on the street, the cops can inpound your car and sell it and your still stuck with the payments! One more thing that sucks more and more about california.

4thGENRETARD

Anyways it's a money game. Remember OJ Simpson? Get the best lawyer your money can buy. God bless America