Home › Forums › Open Discussion › SPD speed van on 35th send you a bogus ticket yet?
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June 10, 2011 at 10:54 pm #599282
LOSTParticipantLet me start by saying I do not speed on 35th. I have a large GPS screen that clearly displays my speed and the speed limit in full vibrant color and I have never once broken 35 mph on 35th.
Just got my second $154 speeding ticket in the mail from the SPD robot van. First said 46 in a 35 with a motorcycle blurring past my vehicle. Second is 48 in a 35 with 4 cars all around me. How is this possible? It’s wrong. The robot van is a liar and I can’t afford $300 a month in tickets or time off to sit in court. Where can I sign a petition against this thing?
June 11, 2011 at 2:15 am #726365
singularnameParticipant*wildly chompin’ on my gum*
June 11, 2011 at 3:24 am #726366
DPMemberHi, LOST.
First off, let me throw a statistic at you. (Got your statistic catcher’s mitt on? Good.)
According to the National Traffic Ticket Resisters League, 98% of people who don’t have time to sit around in court lose their cases. The remaining 2% either win on technicalities or are declared unfit to stand trial.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBwaxejP76g&NR=1
If you do decide to fight the ticket, here’s what you do:
1) Ask for a hearing.
2) Subpoena the City’s calibration and maintenance records and procedural manuals for the “robot van.”
3) Subpoena the operator of the van or other relevant expert in the van’s operation to appear at your hearing.
If the City fails to comply with any of the above requests (assuming the City has a reasonable amount of time to comply) you will almost certainly win your case. (Ask for a dismissal.)
If the City does comply with your subpoenas (unlikely), go to the hearing and question the robot van expert as to precisely how the van can distinguish between two or vehicles passing through its detection field at the same time. Question the detector’s reaction time and ask for a demonstration of the equipment using a multiple vehicle test.
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Granted, this is a bit involved, but your chances of winning are excellent, especially if you’re telling the truth and you never speed. But really, whether you can beat it depends on how strongly you feel about it and how committed you are.
Another option would be to write a letter to the court explaining the circumstances. (There’s a checkbox for that, is there not?) If this a common problem with the device and the examiner believes your story, you could get off anyway. That seems like kind of a long-shot, though, since the court probably hears that one a lot already.
Oh. One more thing. If you do decide to fight this thing, change your WSB name from “LOST” to “WON.” It’s bad luck to go into battle with a name like LOST.
Anyway, good karma to you my friend, and may the road always rise up to meet you.
     Just not all-of-a-sudden like.
Â
June 11, 2011 at 3:37 am #726367
metrognomeParticipantyou can also request an ‘adjudication by mail’ where you don’t have to appear in court:
http://www.seattle.gov/courts/comjust/admail.htm
you might also want to have your GPS calibrated, just in case.
The radar project on 35th is part of a pilot project; a report was issued to the State Legislature in January by the WA Traffic Safety Commission:
http://www.wtsc.wa.gov/statistics-reports/research-studies/ (see 2nd report under ‘speeding’)
Good luck
June 11, 2011 at 6:09 am #726368
oddrealityParticipantWhere is there a robot van on 35th? I’ve never seen one.
June 11, 2011 at 3:56 pm #726369
anonymeParticipantoddreality, that’s what I was thinking. I’d love to have one out here south of Roxbury…or better yet, permanent speed cameras.
June 11, 2011 at 4:13 pm #726370
hammerheadParticipantI have prepaid legal and they do most the work for me. I highly recommend it. Cheaper than a speeding ticket.
You have to send in the paperwork and stuff but if they can will fight the ticket and go to court so you don’t have too. I have never had to go to one of my court dates.
June 11, 2011 at 4:53 pm #726371
BonnieParticipantI drive down 35th daily and have never gotten a ticket. I try not to speed but have noticed myself hitting 39 or 40 when I get to that sign that shows our speed. Then I slow down when I realize it.
June 11, 2011 at 5:57 pm #726372
flowerpetalMemberThere’s a posted warning sign on the north bound side of 35th and when the robo camera and van are there, it is usually across or near the Mount.
Good luck, and let us know the outcome.
June 11, 2011 at 6:26 pm #726373
DPMemberhammerhead, now I’m intrigued . . . What would a lil’ ole cat lady like you need to get all lawyered up for anyhow?
Is there another side to you perhaps?
Are you maybe one of those girls Mamma warned us about?
June 12, 2011 at 1:35 pm #726374
velo_nutParticipantOr… Just slow down. Because I bet You WERE speeding.
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