Not Guilty!

exskibum · 12-18-2006, 9:18 PM

Three envelopes out of the mail: two bills and something from the court. Oh Great!!!

Nothing like getting two bills and a conviction for the sum total of the day's mail! Here comes the news from the performance award I got on August 26 (a claimed 69 in a 55 on a deserted, straight road out in range land) -- bend over and grab 'em.

But, . . . much to my surprise, I noted that the "NOT GUILTY" box was checked (without explanation), thus avoiding points, a traffic school session and worst of all: 18 months before I would be eligible for traffic school again if I got another performance award.

Oh, and I get a refund of my check for the bail and of the check for traffic school, for about $160 in after Christmas cash.

Thing is that the fine for a performance award isn't the major problem; it's the government bending you over so your insurance companies (car and motorcycle) can give it to you in the ass hard for three years. Nice to have the rectal prophylactic of traffic school eligibility remaining in its sheath.

So -- against the odds, I still have a clean driving record and my good driver discounts.

testrider · 12-18-2006, 9:46 PM

Congrats! If you don't mind, how did you get your award and what did you do in the court to win a not-guilty?

exskibum · 12-18-2006, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by testrider

Congrats! If you don't mind, how did you get your award and what did you do in the court to win a not-guilty?

Well, I went out to go to the hardware store 6 days after moving back to California, and it turned into a 135 mile ride. Took a route I knew about in the mountains, but had never ridden -- back down to a road I'd ridden a few times, but it had been a while. Way out in the boonies -- pine trees and range land, not much else and no houses or traffic. I get to a tee intersection and conclude it's the road I know -- I think -- and make a right, accelerating from 0 through the gears, but not even lclose to jumping on it. I was paying attention to the possibility of range cattle and forest rats and noticing the new road surface as I continued to verify that I was on the road I thought I was on. One half mile past my standing start, there sits a CHP officer on a bike on my left in the shadows. In the damn boondocks!!!

I wave to him, and his lights go on immediately. He told me he got me at 69 in an unmarked 55 (and wrote me for the full 69). I had no idea -- didn't seem like I was speeding, but the bike does get there quick, and I had yet to check my speedo.

One of the options was a trial by declaration, where you submit your story in a sworn declaration, and if you do that, then the officer submits his version (though I don't think he gets to see your declaration first). Main reason I did it was becasue I still had a Nevada drivers license, and I was buying some time to get my Calif license back, since that was one of the prerequisites to getting to do traffic school (and keeping my auto and motorcycle insurers off my exposed bunghole for the next three years of premiums).

I would bet that the officer never submitted a declaration by the deadline, and that nothing I said in my declaration was exculpatory enough to get me off -- I just got off by default because the officer didn't feel like doing more paperwork. Still happy as a clam, though, because I still have a clean driving record and still have the rectal prophylactic of traffic school available against greedy insurance companies if I get another performance award in the next 18 months.

Hobicus · 12-18-2006, 11:10 PM

Lucky mofo... Went to court for my latest (40 in a 15) and got it reduced to 19 over.. 4 points and $186.. but at least it's not the 6 point $220 ticket.

BDAZXX · 12-19-2006, 11:00 AM

They found me guilty on my TBD! Bastids!!!!!!!!!!!

exskibum · 12-19-2006, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDAZXX

They found me guilty on my TBD! Bastids!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn, Randy. Sorry to hear that.

You must've got a cop who enjoys doing paperwork. Shoulda guessed you would though -- I mean, a shitstorm isn't really a shitstorm unless the feces fly from every direction. Hopefully, you'll have a karmic reversal and bang the hottie, win a Duc 1098 in a raffle, and get a raise, . . . all coincident with the recurrence of warm weather.

rideonXX · 12-19-2006, 1:58 PM

Now that's what I call wishing a guy happy trails----kel

WILLSXX · 12-19-2006, 5:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exskibum

Damn, Randy. Sorry to hear that.

You must've got a cop who enjoys doing paperwork.

Either that or the cop just plain didn't like you....

I showed up in court and got mine dismissed for "lack of prosecution"..

hey_allen · 12-19-2006, 6:45 PM

On my latest (the first in 7 years, definitely not try hard enough!

) since I couldn't attend in person, I sent a traffic attorney, who was told to tell me to slow down, don't get clocked again in the next 6mo. and pay the court $100.

For the 104 in a 70, and $276 fine, I'm more than happy to fly under the radar for 6months.

BDAZXX · 12-20-2006, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exskibum

Damn, Randy. Sorry to hear that.

You must've got a cop who enjoys doing paperwork. Shoulda guessed you would though -- I mean, a shitstorm isn't really a shitstorm unless the feces fly from every direction. Hopefully, you'll have a karmic reversal and bang the hottie, win a Duc 1098 in a raffle, and get a raise, . . . all coincident with the recurrence of warm weather.

Ya, those cops were out for there year end bonus! I hope to hell 07 is a 180 degree different from 06. It will get better, that I'm sure of. I could definately use a Hottie, a 1098 and a raise!

I believe theres light at the end of the tunnel.................or it might be the train coming!...LOL

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all get whats on your wish list. I'm heading for Tucson in a couple days, to visit family. It will be nice getting out of this cold ass weather for a few days.

DosXX · 12-20-2006, 2:25 PM

Congrats Dude! Every now and then good Karma pays off!

I was on a ride to Jemez NM to have lunch and a ride with some other Peeps. I knew where I was and that the LEO patrolled it .I was riding pretty mellow, admiring the new paint, accessories and how smooth the XX was running.

I top a hill as does the LEO and his light go on, pull over and go through the usual moves.

He gets to looking over the bike as the registration has it as a silver and I have fire engine red, everything confirms and we talk more about the bike and what a great day it is for a ride. He say's keep it down and let me go.....Now that made for a great ride.

BLKBRD · 12-21-2006, 12:28 PM

The bike cops around here are pretty nice for the most part. I've gotten a "finger wag" a few times from them but no attempt to stop me. I always wave to them and since BB's are pretty rare nowadays they may remember that?

CALCXX · 12-21-2006, 10:10 PM

Rich, I'm glad you got off. I've ridden with ya and can't believe you were going that slow.

silvertippr2001 · 12-22-2006, 2:23 AM

HEY !!! CONGRATS ON THAT ONE , CONSIDER IT AS THE FAT GUY IN RED CAME IN A BB JAJAJAJAJ