# When do you write a lower speed?



## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

Last month I was caught speeding by a trooper in Vermont, when I was fatigue and daydreaming. Usually I don't go 10+ mph over the limit!
He said I was going near 90 but just wrote 75 for me, as a "good deal".
Of course it is a nice thing, especially because I'm not the type who always go to the court to fight for some made-up excuses. So I wonder what makes cops do that, and I can learning one thing or two.
He just asked normal things: if I know why i was pulled over, if I am in the military, where I came from and head for. And I gave him honest answers. Nothing special. My driving record is clean in recent two years, but not quite good in 2016-2017.

I don't think I got any "lowered speed" in Massachusetts, but a trooper did write a lower fine on the ticket once.
(BTW why route 3 between Lowell and Burlington has a limit 55? It is ridiculous.)


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

It makes you feel like you're getting a break, and gives you incentive to keep your mouth shut because if you appeal there's a notation of your higher speed. Speeding tickets wouldn't be so bad, if insurance companies didn't surcharge you thousands of dollars. 

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## felony (Oct 24, 2014)

I used to do this. However, you give them a break and they still appeal it. They bitch to the clerk about how it wasn't fair and then dismissed. Now I just full boat. Plus, if you're going fast enough for me to pull you over (my threshold is pretty high), then you deserve it.


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

felony said:


> I used to do this. However, you give them a break and they still appeal it. They bitch to the clerk about how it wasn't fair and then dismissed. Now I just full boat. Plus, if you're going fast enough for me to pull you over (my threshold is pretty high), then you deserve it.


Well they were not against you personally, but just tried to save money and records. The system encourages people to go to the court. My first ticket in Massachusetts was running a red light in Lexington. I didn't appeal although I believe the light was yellow, but paid the fine online in full. Everyone thinks I'm an idiot and the ticket should have been dismissed, or at least reduced.

After that I tend to go to the court more. I did get several tickets dismissed and ALL reduced by doing that. I was actually surprised that sometimes the judge dismisses a ticket so easily and just said "don't do it again". The legal system is confusing.

That said I do remember every officer who was relatively nice and appreciated it. They gave me a break because they considered me not hostile, at least?


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

Hush said:


> It makes you feel like you're getting a break, and gives you incentive to keep your mouth shut because if you appeal there's a notation of your higher speed. Speeding tickets wouldn't be so bad, if insurance companies didn't surcharge you thousands of dollars.
> 
> Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk


Yeah currently I don't own a car so the insurance doesn't hurt me, but I'll get one again soon.

In my worst time, I had to pay $1600 for 6 months. Totally insane.


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## MPD703 (Sep 25, 2004)

Seems like maybe you should just slow down and pay attention and not be concerned about why you got the break you did. You seem to have a decent amount of experience appealing tickets. I have found that this practice has been curtailed in MA over the past few years due to the number of people who got a break and then appealed the lower amount.


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## felony (Oct 24, 2014)

I am well aware of how the system works. I do not get offended I just choose to not give breaks as it's counterproductive. Pro tip, if you appeal a citation in Massachusetts, as long as you're not a prick it will get reduced or dismissed. If I cite, it's mostly criminal anyway.


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## Bloodhound (May 20, 2010)

I used to reduce the fine on paper cites all the time. I found that when they appealed it the clerk would always point out that they already got a break, and it would stick. But now with E-tickets, you can't reduce the fine, so it is what it is.


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

Bloodhound said:


> I used to reduce the fine on paper cites all the time. I found that when they appealed it the clerk would always point out that they already got a break, and it would stick. But now with E-tickets, you can't reduce the fine, so it is what it is.


It's E-tickets already? I have had no tickets since 2017 so I didn't know.
The Vermont one has two sheets of paper. They also print the officer's last name on it, which I didn't see in MA.


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

MPD703 said:


> Seems like maybe you should just slow down and pay attention and not be concerned about why you got the break you did. You seem to have a decent amount of experience appealing tickets. I have found that this practice has been curtailed in MA over the past few years due to the number of people who got a break and then appealed the lower amount.


Yeah I don't drive too fast intentionally nowadays, but sometimes I do drive with fatigue and go too fast without knowing it, which is dangerous.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

JerryD said:


> Yeah I don't drive too fast intentionally nowadays, but sometimes I do drive with fatigue and go too fast without knowing it, which is dangerous.


And if you ever get into an accident, you have just set yourself up for future legal liability with that post.


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

Hush said:


> And if you ever get into an accident, you have just set yourself up for future legal liability with that post.


That's the good thing about anonymous forums 
Well I take it back. I did meet several officers here in person and they have my number.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

Hush said:


> And if you ever get into an accident, you have just set yourself up for future legal liability with that post.


Wait this isn't anonymous?


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

HistoryHound said:


> Wait this isn't anonymous?


License and registration please.


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## j809 (Jul 5, 2002)

He didn’t write you for 90 because in VT it would have been criminal 


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

I've written for lower plenty of times, however usually the scenario is something like this:
I'll be positioned just past where the speed limit changes to a HIGHER speed, say 20 yards past the sign.
Watching vehicles, estimating speed, utilizing radar to confirm etc etc. 
Let's say I see a car, do my estimation and they end up being 68 in the 45, maintain their speed as they pass me. And let's say the zone changed from a 45 to a 55 (where I am now positioned). Which means I technically have them doing 23mph over and 13mph over.

So long as they pull over, and give me no reason to hit them with the full monty, I sometimes will go with the lower speed. In my citation narrative I'll put something like "Observed veh traveling @ high rate of speed, est to be 68mph confirmed as 68mph in posted 45. At point of passing, veh was 68mph in posted 55 zone. Minimal driver history, cited for 68 in 55"

^^ That's to say I write a fine. Often it's just a big ol' fishing game, catch and release. Here's your warning to tape up on the fridge^^

End of the day, it's all discretion. We've got plenty of it, and know what happens to most of the stuff that goes to court/appeals. As stated above, citations really would not be bad if insurance companies didn't surcharge up the ass


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## EUPD377 (Jan 30, 2020)

I used to drop the speed down if the person was cooperative and friendly. Now I write everyone for the full speed since one douche came into court and argued that I lied on the ticket because I wrote him for a different (lower) speed than my RADAR detected, and then the douche judge agreed and threw out the ticket. Those two ruined it for everyone else, because now they get hit with their actual full speed no matter what.


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

EUPD377 said:


> I used to drop the speed down if the person was cooperative and friendly. Now I write everyone for the full speed since one douche came into court and argued that I lied on the ticket because I wrote him for a different (lower) speed than my RADAR detected, and then the douche judge agreed and threw out the ticket. Those two ruined it for everyone else, because now they get hit with their actual full speed no matter what.


Some people really will do anything to avoid a ticket.
I used to be pulled over on my way to see a person. When I called him to explain I will be late, he suggested me say "my mom is in hospital now". It seems he did that before and succeeded.


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## Tuna (Jun 1, 2006)

JerryD said:


> Some people really will do anything to avoid a ticket.
> I used to be pulled over on my way to see a person. When I called him to explain I will be late, he suggested me say "my mom is in hospital now". It seems he did that before and succeeded.


Had a clown stopped on 128 in Beverly tell me that his wife was in the hospital. I asked which hospital and her name. He said Lahey Burlington. I let him go. Later that day I call Lahey. They had no record of that person being anywhere in the hospital on that day. They can tell you if the person is admitted or visited the ER, just nothing about the reason. I mailed him the cite and never heard anything more. Be carful, that excuse doesn't always work.


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

I recall when I was 17, I was speeding down 18 in Bridgewater for some reason (I never did recall why I was there, but being that drunk, who knows what I was thinking?) but anyway, a Bridgewater State cop pulled me over. Naturally I got out of the car and took a swing at him, it's not like he was a real cop or anything. He was all set to lock me up when I yelled, "Hey Fuckface, my DAD'S a cop, you have to let me go...AND WHERE'S YOUR HAT?"

He apparently felt bad for me (and my pointing out his lack of a hat probably shamed him) and HE only wrote me a speeding ticket. The fine wasn't TOO bad but I did have to walk home and of course my dental bills were outrageous, but I learned my lesson that day.
I'm just really glad that the old lady I thought I had hit had died of natural causes. I thought I hit her, but it seems she just had a massive heart attack when I NEARLY hit her. Her death and my 95 mph on 18 were never linked and anyone who was working that day, is now retired, so, STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS, BITCHES!


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## Froz (May 19, 2019)

Never, because if they appeal at my district court, it will either get tossed or reduced to the minimum anyway


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## PG1911 (Jul 12, 2011)

I either gave a warning or cited for "failure to obey a traffic control device". That was a fixed fine with no points.


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

Personally, I usually write written warnings over a money fine unless they talk themselves into it...that will probably change once this coronavirus situation is over...people are taking advantage of the light traffic and driving like complete assholes. I know the majority of news coverage is coronavirus related, so I’m curious to know if there is any increase on fatal/serious accidents. 


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## Sgt Jack (Aug 17, 2003)

USAF286 said:


> I know the majority of news coverage is coronavirus related, so I'm curious to know if there is any increase on fatal/serious accidents.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Funny you should ask

Rate Of Deadly Crashes In Mass. Doubled In April, With 50% Less Traffic

Just as an aside, I never wrote a reduced speed. You either got a warning in many cases, hit for another violation ie seatbelt or if you drove fast enough then you got hit for the whole shabang.


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## JerryD (Apr 16, 2016)

USAF286 said:


> Personally, I usually write written warnings over a money fine unless they talk themselves into it...that will probably change once this coronavirus situation is over...people are taking advantage of the light traffic and driving like complete assholes. I know the majority of news coverage is coronavirus related, so I'm curious to know if there is any increase on fatal/serious accidents.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This Tuesday a bicyclist was killed in Arlington, and the scene was one minute walk from my home.
There are much fewer cars but a lot more bicycles these days.


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