... I was just pulled over for a speeding ticket. I do NOT intend to fight the fact that I was speeding. I was, that is inexcusable, and I must own up to it. However, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt the speed was WRONG. I was clocked at 83MPH in a 55MPH zone. The distance the officer claimed to have made the shot from was 753ft. At the time I was clocked, I was being PASSED by three other vehicles, a light green Prius, a new shiney (Metalic) blue Honda Civic, and a third car I could not clearly see, though it was a black sedan. I was in the far left lane of a three lane highway, and the Prius and Civic were in the middle lane, the black sedan on the far right. The officer was parked on the far right side of the highway, and I could only see him for a second before he was obscured by the three cars passing me. (Though they were passing me, they were slamming on their brakes, as the civic almost hit the prius). My point of contention was that I do not believe the officer was gunning me. There were three other cars between us moving faster than I was.
My evidence is, well, weak. The best I have to go by is my word, and the word of a passenger, that those cars were there. I do not have any moving violations or previous arrests, nor does my passenger. In addition, I have my vehicle. It's a 1999 Suzuki Station Wagon. It is NOT a speed demon, and the road was uphill. I know for a fact my vehicle cannot reach 80MPH going uphill, even with the accelerator fully depressed, and overdrive off (The condition in which the vehicle obtains it's maximum speed and acceleration). My passenger and I both looked at my speedometer as soon as we saw the officer's car, because I do have a tendency to speed, though again, that's usually no more than 60MPH in a 55MPH zone. We both saw my speed to be 65MPH on the dot. Also, at speeds of over 60MPH, my steering column begins to shake violently, as does the rest of the car, so I would KNOW if I was going 83MPH. I would be praying for my own survival, as the car is barely in one piece as it is.
So basically, the officer wants to hit me with an excessive speeding charge. I disagree. I will own up to speed, pay the fine, do community service, whatever is requested. I broke the law, I am responsible for the results. However, the Excessive Speeding charge is, well, excessive. I was NOT doing 83MPH and I COULD NOT have been doing 83MPH in those conditions. I do not also feel the officer could have accurately hit MY vehicle, three lanes away from him with three other vehicles in between and in startlingly close proximity to myself from 753ft, ESPECIALLY if I really HAD been moving 83MPH.
In the end, I guess I am asking for advice on contesting the speed itself.
