How to Beat a Speeding Ticket

If you are like 115,000 drivers per day, you have felt that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you realize that siren or those lights are for you and that you are being pulled over.

What should you do? What do you say to the officer? Does it really matter? Should you have an excuse?

First, Try the Wave
Most people, when they realize that a cop may have taken notice of their speeding, will look straight ahead and ignore the cop. This is the wrong strategy. The better idea is to catch the cop's eye and give him a slight wave, as if to say, "I just noticed and I'll slow down now". This is exactly what an off-duty cop would do. You should immediately slow down to the speed limit. And saying a couple of prayers during the brief period as the cop is deciding whether to pull you over or not couldn't hurt.

What should you do?
If you are getting pulled over, your objective is to get a warning and not a ticket. The officer has a lot of leeway on which one he gives you. So you want to take any action you can to encourage him to give you a warning and not a ticket.

First, if you are caught, immediately put on your blinker and look for a safe place to pull over. Each year officers are killed on roadsides during traffic stops, and this is something they are continually trained and drilled on. You can help put the officer at ease by pulling far over in a spot where there is room for him to get out of harm's way.

Once you have pulled over, put your car in park, stop the engine, turn off the radio, take off your sunglasses (It's his prerogative to try to intimidate you) and put both hands on the steering wheel.

Do not look for your license or registration. For all the officer knows, you are reaching for a gun. And they hate that. You don't want him edgy. You want him to know that you are no threat to harm him or attempt a getaway.

If it is night, put on your interior lights so he can see you have nothing to hide. Don't let anyone else in your car say anything.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

What should you say?
Well let's start off with what not to say. There are those who claim you should apologize profusely to the officer for speeding in the hopes he will let you go. In fact, what you have just done is convict yourself and eliminated the chance of an effective court challenge. Don't say you are sorry. Don't ever admit to speeding.

In many cases, the first thing a cop will say to you is, "Do you know why I pulled you over?" The best answer to this is, "No officer, I thought I was driving safely."

This does two things. It sounds good in court should it come up. And it shows the officer you were concerned with safety and thinking about it. (of course, I'm presuming you weren't doing 115 mph, in which case there's not much help for you - you are getting the ticket.)

If the officer is in a lecture delivery mood today, be his attentive audience. Don't argue. Don't debate. Don't threaten or ask for his badge number. Don't give him some lame excuse. You want to be as innocuous and un-memorable as possible. That will help you in court when you challenge. Take your ticket, thank the officer politely, and pull out safely.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

What excuses work?
Not many. The Bathroom Emergency can work sometimes, especially with a child. But only if it's true and/or your kid is a gifted actor. It's not much to rely on. The problem with excuses is, they are very tough to use without also admitting that you were going fast. And that will hurt you in court.

The better strategy, at least if you have Case Dismissed, is to be quiet and unmemorable, then challenge in court. Your odds of beating a ticket in court are actually far better than talking your way out of a ticket at roadside. And in doing the talking, you are more likely to hurt your case and give the cop more to remember when he has to testify.

Summary
There are two strategies we recommend when you are pulled over. The first is to act in a non-threatening manner in the hopes that, if you are a marginal case, you will get a warning and not a ticket.

The second is to do nothing that will help the cop remember you. The less you say, the better. Quietly take your ticket and plan your defense.

Your best chance of beating your speeding ticket lies in the courtroom-proven tactics found in Case Dismissed. The case against you will be based on evidence.

Even if you have made some mistakes and perhaps admitted that you were speeding, Case Dismissed can still help you prevail.

If you are already holding a ticket, get Case Dismissed and read through it. I guarantee it will open your eyes with the logic of its approach, the research behind it, and the deadly effectiveness of its strategies.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

Traffic tickets form a multi-billion dollar industry that funds court cases, insurance companies, police agencies and numerous local governments.

They have little to do with road safety and everything to do with revenue raising.

Every year governments, municipalities and insurance companies collect somewhere between 3.75 and 7.5 billion dollars from people just like you who don't drive drunk or recklessly and consider themselves to be safe drivers.

Statistics courtesy of National Motorists Association

There are two schools of thought. One says you're nuts if you don't use one. The other says that if you get caught with one, you will definitely get a ticket.

That happened to me. (It was one of the factors that made me take on this project.) I was pulled over and the first thing the cop said was, "I see you have a radar detector. Do you speed frequently?" I can tell you, there isn't much of a good answer to that.

So will I still use a radar detector? You bet. Because it's saved me too many times to stop using one. But here are a few strategies to consider.

First, get a good detector. There are a number of sites on the net that rate and review them. Valentine One and Passport 8500 are frequently reviewed with high marks. One of the keys to a good detector is the capability to filter out false alarms.

Second, consider a remote radar detector. These units separate the antenna from the controls and speaker so that you can hide them. The antenna is hidden behind the grill and the control unit is typically under the dash or someplace else out of the way so that a cop can't see it when you drive by or when he pulls you over.

I bought a good remote radar detector for my sports car and I'm glad I have it every day. It is a Passport SR-1 and it detects all types of radar as well as laser, although I've never heard the laser go off.

The other strategy is to mount the detector for fast removal, and put it in front of you so you can get to it without being obvious. If you get pulled over despite your detector, quickly remove it, plug the cigarette lighter back in, and wipe off the suction cup marks.

If you are driving in a lot of traffic, you might want to simply remove your radar detector anyway as it won't help. In that situation, it's more likely you will get bagged by an unmarked car who is pacing you.

Case Dismissed has a particularly devastating defense against the unmarked car.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

This technique is one of the best, and quite simple. Just wait until a faster car goes by, then follow him from a distance. Enjoy the fact that he is up ahead there, flushing out the police and warning you with his brake lights.

This works especially well with sports cars and trucks as blockers. Sports cars are cop magnets (I should know) and trucks can do a lot of blocking. Plus, trucks have other advantages we'll talk about later.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

What you are looking for here is the sudden application of brake lights for no apparent reason.

To be effective, you've got to look considerably farther ahead than you are used to doing. Take frequent glances ahead, especially on highways when the cars ahead of you are rounding a corner, passing a bridge or hiding place in the median or cresting a hill. That's where the traps are, and almost everyone instinctively hits their brakes when they see a cop, even if they aren't speeding.

This is a simple matter of increasing your awareness and can be hugely effective.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

Sometimes you get lucky and a kind-hearted motorist coming the other way will warn you about speed traps ahead. There are a couple of standard warnings: the headlight blinking and "the wave".

Only a small percentage of people will warn others, so this isn't a reliable method. But you should always be looking for it.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

The area between the two lanes of a highway is where you will often see police waiting for speeders. One great tactic here is to think like a cop. Where would you hide? The U-turn roads that are typically marked for "authorized vehicles only" are frequent lairs for cops in waiting. So always beware of those areas. If you are coming up to one and you don't have a blocker or traffic that could warn you with their brake lights, it is best to slow down. Cops also love to take cover in the median as you crest a hill or round a corner.

Bridge abutments can provide good cover as well.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

A significant percentage of people are caught by police cars sneaking up on them from behind. As the use of unmarked cars grows, this method becomes more popular. What can you do? Use your mirrors more. Frequent quick glances can alert you to a suspicious vehicle that may be approaching you from the rear.

Unmarked cars can be tough to spot, especially since police in many states are using non-traditional vehicles. I have personally seen Camaros, Mustangs and SUVs used as unmarked police cars. Be aware of what is behind you, and beside you.

Look at on ramps as you pass them. You may be able to spot a police car about to enter the highway you are on.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

These can be particularly tough to spot, as the motorcycle is so much smaller. Your best defense here is awareness, blocking and watching the traffic ahead.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com

Following trucks, especially using them as blockers, is a great strategy; particularly on the open road. Why? Trucks almost always have CB radios and they pay a lot of attention to avoiding tickets since it is their livelihood. Plus, they have a better view up there! Just don't follow them too closely, they hate that and it isn't safe. If you have a CB, you can use that as well. There are cheap radios available from electronics stores that are no bigger than a walkie talkie and can provide you with warnings if you monitor Channel 19.

By Jeff Mulligan. For detailed information on fighting your speeding ticket in court, visit
http://www.BeatMySpeedingTicket.com