Deciding what to do about speeding ticket in Oregon on I-5

Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65). It ****es me off especially
when so many drivers were still passing me and apparently were getting
away with it. The cop was extremely polite and told me I was on audio
and video surveilance. I don't recall wether I admited any wrongdoing
on tape. The ticket is $240, which is shocking considering that a
20mph over limit in my home town (an expensive area of CA) is cheaper
even in a residential area. I don't have the time to drive all the way
back to Oregon and fight this.
I would like to know what my options are.
Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
others with similar experiences.
Thanks

wrote:

> Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
> was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
> laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65).

<snip>

> I would like to know what my options are.

> Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
> or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
> others with similar experiences.

The only way to do this remotely is something called trial by
declaration. I don't know if Oregon has that option. Another option is
to request a continuance and hope the officer doesn't show up for the
rescheduled court date (though this will require you to show up).

Otherwise, try filing for discovery or a subpoena duces tecum for
documents pertaining to your case (lidar unit model, calibration
records, officer training records, etc.), request a continuance when all
the items aren't provided, and then try for dismissal if they're not
provided by the second date. Of course, I don't know if one has those
options for fighting a traffic citation in Oregon.

You should also find out whether a speeding conviction in Oregon would
affect the status of your driving record in California. If it doesn't,
or California has no agreement with Oregon with regard to traffic
violations, then you could ignore the citation (not pay it). Of course,
going back to Oregon would be a bad idea since there will be a warrant
for your arrest.

wrote:

> Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
> was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
> laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65). It ****es me off especially
> when so many drivers were still passing me and apparently were getting
> away with it. The cop was extremely polite and told me I was on audio
> and video surveilance. I don't recall wether I admited any wrongdoing
> on tape. The ticket is $240, which is shocking considering that a
> 20mph over limit in my home town (an expensive area of CA) is cheaper
> even in a residential area. I don't have the time to drive all the way
> back to Oregon and fight this.
> I would like to know what my options are.
> Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
> or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
> others with similar experiences.
> Thanks
>
>

See if you can appeal by mail. They Might reduce the fine. If you don't
plan on coming back here, you could blow it off but check with CA that
there is not some reciprocal agreement. If you do plan on coming back,
pay it.

On Sep 5, 10:08 pm, wrote:
> Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
> was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
> laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65). It ****es me off especially
> when so many drivers were still passing me and apparently were getting
> away with it. The cop was extremely polite and told me I was on audio
> and video surveilance. I don't recall wether I admited any wrongdoing
> on tape. The ticket is $240, which is shocking considering that a
> 20mph over limit in my home town (an expensive area of CA) is cheaper
> even in a residential area. I don't have the time to drive all the way
> back to Oregon and fight this.
> I would like to know what my options are.
> Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
> or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
> others with similar experiences.
> Thanks

So there are a lot of burglaries in my city. I guess sthat means that
the cops shouldn't arrest anyone they see doing a burglary. Pay the
ticket

Harry K

wrote:
> Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
> was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
> laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65). It ****es me off especially
> when so many drivers were still passing me and apparently were getting
> away with it. The cop was extremely polite and told me I was on audio
> and video surveilance. I don't recall wether I admited any wrongdoing
> on tape. The ticket is $240, which is shocking considering that a
> 20mph over limit in my home town (an expensive area of CA) is cheaper
> even in a residential area. I don't have the time to drive all the way
> back to Oregon and fight this.
> I would like to know what my options are.
> Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
> or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
> others with similar experiences.
> Thanks
>

You got pulled over not because you were the fastest driver on the road
but because you had out of state plates and likely the other cars around
you didn't. The reason is simple, you don't want to drive back from CA
for a court appearance. There's a lesson in here somewhere.

You think that fine is shocking, move to VA. On second thought, don't,
there's too damn many people here already.

nate

--
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Harry K wrote:

> So there are a lot of burglaries in my city. I guess sthat means that
> the cops shouldn't arrest anyone they see doing a burglary.

Only if burglary is a victimless crime. It's quite telling that a
defendant in a burglary case has far more rights in a court of law, as
compared to one in a speeding case.

In article >, Nate Nagel wrote:
> wrote:
>> Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
>> was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
>> laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65). It ****es me off especially
>> when so many drivers were still passing me and apparently were getting
>> away with it. The cop was extremely polite and told me I was on audio
>> and video surveilance. I don't recall wether I admited any wrongdoing
>> on tape. The ticket is $240, which is shocking considering that a
>> 20mph over limit in my home town (an expensive area of CA) is cheaper
>> even in a residential area. I don't have the time to drive all the way
>> back to Oregon and fight this.
>> I would like to know what my options are.
>> Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
>> or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
>> others with similar experiences.
>> Thanks
>>
>
> You got pulled over not because you were the fastest driver on the road
> but because you had out of state plates and likely the other cars around
> you didn't. The reason is simple, you don't want to drive back from CA
> for a court appearance. There's a lesson in here somewhere.

http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs...outofstate.pdf

Political Economy at Any Speed: What Determines Traffic Citations?
Michael Makowsky
Department of Economics
George Mason University
Thomas Stratmann
Department of Economics
George Mason University
January 2007

In this paper we study the political economy determinants of traffic
fines. Speeding tickets are not only determined by the speed of the
offender, but by incentives faced by police officers and their vote
maximizing principals. Our model predicts that police officers issue
higher fines when drivers have a higher opportunity cost of contesting a
ticket, and when drivers do not reside in the community where they are
stopped. The model also predicts that local officers are more likely to
issue a ticket when legal limits prevent the local government from
increasing revenues though other instruments such as property taxes. We
find support for the hypotheses. The farther the residence of a driver
from the municipality where the ticket could be contested, the higher is
the likelihood of a speeding fine, and the larger the amount of the fine.
The probability of a fine issued by a local officer is higher in towns
when constraints on increasing property taxes are binding, the property
tax base is lower, and the town is more dependent on revenues from
tourism. For state troopers, who are not employed by the local, but the
state government, we do not find evidence that the likelihood traffic
fines varies with town characteristics. Finally, personal
characteristics, such as gender and race are among the determinants of
traffic fines.

<...>

In article >, Arif Khokar wrote:
> Harry K wrote:
>
>> So there are a lot of burglaries in my city. I guess sthat means that
>> the cops shouldn't arrest anyone they see doing a burglary.
>
> Only if burglary is a victimless crime. It's quite telling that a
> defendant in a burglary case has far more rights in a court of law, as
> compared to one in a speeding case.

That's because the thief isn't the government.

(Brent P) wrote:

> In article >, Nate Nagel wrote:
>> wrote:
>>> Recently, I was driving home from Portland, OR back to California. I
>>> was driving at night and a copy hidden on the side nabbed me with a
>>> laser gun going 85 (speed limit was 65). It ****es me off especially
>>> when so many drivers were still passing me and apparently were
>>> getting away with it. The cop was extremely polite and told me I was
>>> on audio and video surveilance. I don't recall wether I admited any
>>> wrongdoing on tape. The ticket is $240, which is shocking
>>> considering that a 20mph over limit in my home town (an expensive
>>> area of CA) is cheaper even in a residential area. I don't have the
>>> time to drive all the way back to Oregon and fight this.
>>> I would like to know what my options are.
>>> Is there any way to fight this remotely to get a reduction in fines,
>>> or to get an extention on paying the fine? Looking for hear from
>>> others with similar experiences.
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>
>> You got pulled over not because you were the fastest driver on the
>> road but because you had out of state plates and likely the other
>> cars around you didn't. The reason is simple, you don't want to
>> drive back from CA for a court appearance. There's a lesson in here
>> somewhere.
>
> http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs...outofstate.pdf
>
> Political Economy at Any Speed: What Determines Traffic Citations?
> Michael Makowsky
> Department of Economics
> George Mason University
> Thomas Stratmann
> Department of Economics
> George Mason University
> January 2007
>
> In this paper we study the political economy determinants of traffic
> fines. Speeding tickets are not only determined by the speed of the
> offender, but by incentives faced by police officers and their vote
> maximizing principals.

What is a "vote maximizing principal"

> Our model predicts that police officers issue
> higher fines when drivers have a higher opportunity cost of contesting
> a ticket, and when drivers do not reside in the community where they
> are stopped. The model also predicts that local officers are more
> likely to issue a ticket when legal limits prevent the local
> government from increasing revenues though other instruments such as
> property taxes. We find support for the hypotheses. The farther the
> residence of a driver from the municipality where the ticket could be
> contested, the higher is the likelihood of a speeding fine, and the
> larger the amount of the fine. The probability of a fine issued by a
> local officer is higher in towns when constraints on increasing
> property taxes are binding, the property tax base is lower, and the
> town is more dependent on revenues from tourism. For state troopers,
> who are not employed by the local, but the state government, we do not
> find evidence that the likelihood traffic fines varies with town
> characteristics.

Were states with financial troubles studied?

> Finally, personal characteristics, such as gender and
> race are among the determinants of traffic fines.
>
> <...>
>
>
>

>>http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs...outofstate.pdf
>>
>>Political Economy at Any Speed: What Determines Traffic Citations?
>>Michael Makowsky
>>Department of Economics
>>George Mason University
>>Thomas Stratmann
>>Department of Economics
>>George Mason University
>>January 2007
>>
>>In this paper we study the political economy determinants of traffic
>>fines. Speeding tickets are not only determined by the speed of the
>>offender, but by incentives faced by police officers and their vote
>>maximizing principals.
>
>
> What is a "vote maximizing principal"

Note the "pal" at the end of "principal". In this case, it is the
management chain of the police officer, which quickly gets to the
director, chief, mayor, or governor, all of which are politically-
driven positions.

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