CSNbbs

I just got a unfair speeding ticket earlier tonight.

I turned off 196 to hwy 64 and maybe drove a few hundred yards heading towards memphis. I was fixing to turn on my cruise control to whatever the speed limit was. Another car was coming up my right side and was fixing to pass me. A cop coming the opposite way turned on his lights and did a u-turn and pulled me over. I passed a 65 mph speed limit sign before being pulled over and could still see the traffic light at the top of the hill where i had just turned on the hwy 64. I was very surprised if it was for speeding, though when i looked down as soon as i saw his lights, i was just under 60 mph. I didn't even hit my brakes or anything. I'm guessing i was actually doing 59, so yes i was going a few miles over by accident. I was thinking maybe i had a head light out or something. Most of the time, if you are within a few mph of the speed limit, it is no big deal.

The young officer named Hubbard said i was doing 67. If i was doing 67, i would have not said a word, but i know for a fact i was not even going over 60 and i told him that. He asked for my driver's license and insurance which i gave him. He said he would knock some miles off then and went back to his car.

He came back with a ticket of 67 in a 55. I argued with him about it, but he was being a jerk (to be nice) saying that i admitted to him i was doing 59-60 which was speeding. He said all of this was being recorded on video and audio. I had to sign the ticket, and i wasn't happy. He told me to stop arguing with him. What could i do? It's a police officer's word vs mine at night on the side of the highway. He said the ticket cost for 59-60 mph is the same as going 67 mph, but i don't believe that either.

I'm calling oakland municipal court in the morning, so i will find out if he is wrong about the ticket cost. I will be going to court to talk to a judge, because i know the reading was wrong. I really don't care if the fine is the same or not. My point is i wasn't doing 67, and if he wants to pull me over for 59-60 in a 55, that's fine. But don't tell me i was doing 67. If there is a way i can file a complaint on that officer, i will do it.

I have multiple family members and friends that are or were cops in several counties in the mid south area. I would never argue with a cop like that, unless i was being treated unfairly. On top of that, i haven't had a speeding ticket since like 2001 or so, and i swore that i would drive the speed limit after that one. And i do that ! I get kidded all the time by friends about how i drive slow.

Long story short, that officer "Hubbard" was either adding extra mph to my speed or got a wrong reading.

I was just wondering if my experience is just an one time event, or have other people had issues with oakland police. I haven't been that way in a while, so maybe they are known as a radar trap. When i drove through oakland earlier today, i saw two cops with people pulled over. One thing is for sure, he radared me within a couple hundred yards of that 65 mph sign. That is bs and screams "radar trap" to me.

Hubbard better bring his butt to court nov 17 with his videos, because i will be there. This is a matter of principle. I don't care what the fine is. I can't believe i just got "slammed" like that by a cop, and i am pissed off. I'm fighting mad.

:muttering:

Never dealt with Oakland but moving radar is a joke. Got pulled over once for going 55 in a 45. Wasn't even close. In fact, I was going a little under because I was just crossing a very narrow 1 lane bridge. Didn't even bother arguing. Went to 201 and got it tossed out, but good luck with that in Oakland.

my dad and i both got tickets in oakland, in the same week, by the same guy. both of our fines were the same. in the $100 area

Been there and done that. Makes you so made you nearly have a stroke, I know. I don't know how much ticket are there but Tickets here in Olive Branch and Southaven are very high . My wife was caught going a few over and our ticket was $225. I think tickets fees should go on your income. OB and Southaven are so Crooked. But don't let me get started on that.

If you try to fight the ticket try to remember everything. Maybe even go back and get video of where you were and where he was. It probably won't be enough because in the end it is your word against his. And they need you to pay Oakland's bills,lol.

That town is a major speed trap. When I lived in Memphis I would drive through there frequently on the way to Pickwick. I would make certain my cruise control was set right at the exact speed limit. Not one single time did I ever stop in Oakland to buy anything - gas, food, nothing.

My mom moved out there and according to her they're more forgiving of Fayette County plates, but if a Shelby County tag drives through it's a target.
I agree, go back out there, get pictures of the spot where he "caught" you, the speed limit sign, etc.

I'll not complain for some time about the price of traffic tickets in Tennessee. In August, I was working in a small town in Northern California. Traffic Camera caught me on a Sunday night with no traffic anywhere, coming to a red light and turning right without coming to a complete stop. Last week, I got the ticket in the mail...... $435

Same offense in Germantown - $50

I once got pulled over in Earle, AR for going 50 in a 25. The sign said 50MPH 25MPH when children were present. It was on a weekday about 10 in the morning. There were no kids around, no buses dropping off kids and not even any kids out at recess. The officer explained that it meant when school was in session. I explained that to him and unbelievably he didn't give me a ticket.

Always pull over quick, have you license out, roll down the window and never argue. That will get you out of more tickets than anything.

(10-11-2010 07:50 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]I'll not complain for some time about the price of traffic tickets in Tennessee. In August, I was working in a small town in Northern California. Traffic Camera caught me on a Sunday night with no traffic anywhere, coming to a red light and turning right without coming to a complete stop. Last week, I got the ticket in the mail...... $435

Same offense in Germantown - $50

yet California is still broke.

I avoid Oakland if at all possible, and I NEVER stop there to spend any money. Never. Those cops are hurting the local businessmen, but I'm sure that's been happening for a long time and the businessmen are okay with it.

Oakland is a speedtrap hick a$$ town that is corrupt as hell. I stay away if I can but my in-laws live out that way and occasionally we have to go out to fulfill family obligations. F Oakland

Union City Tn.has 2 white SUV's that they move around on the By -Pass.They are equipped with radar,Cameras & a flash,& are parked on the side of the road with no one in them. I think I got my picture taken a couple of wks ago. Just waiting to see if I get a ticket.If you are not familer with the speed limits around there ,seems like it would be easy to get a ticket.Seems like a big money maker for out of town folks.

Get visual confirmation of speed at incident.
Find out brand of speed detector.
Ask at trial if it's been calibrated and request proof (many jurisd won't allow pre-trial discovery on civil traffic matters; if yours does, seek it ahead of time).

(10-10-2010 08:43 PM)tmoneyinmphs Wrote: [ -> ]I just got a unfair speeding ticket earlier tonight.

I turned off 196 to hwy 64 and maybe drove a few hundred yards heading towards memphis. I was fixing to turn on my cruise control to whatever the speed limit was. Another car was coming up my right side and was fixing to pass me. A cop coming the opposite way turned on his lights and did a u-turn and pulled me over. I passed a 65 mph speed limit sign before being pulled over and could still see the traffic light at the top of the hill where i had just turned on the hwy 64. I was very surprised if it was for speeding, though when i looked down as soon as i saw his lights, i was just under 60 mph. I didn't even hit my brakes or anything. I'm guessing i was actually doing 59, so yes i was going a few miles over by accident. I was thinking maybe i had a head light out or something. Most of the time, if you are within a few mph of the speed limit, it is no big deal.

The young officer named Hubbard said i was doing 67. If i was doing 67, i would have not said a word, but i know for a fact i was not even going over 60 and i told him that. He asked for my driver's license and insurance which i gave him. He said he would knock some miles off then and went back to his car.

He came back with a ticket of 67 in a 55. I argued with him about it, but he was being a jerk (to be nice) saying that i admitted to him i was doing 59-60 which was speeding. He said all of this was being recorded on video and audio. I had to sign the ticket, and i wasn't happy. He told me to stop arguing with him. What could i do? It's a police officer's word vs mine at night on the side of the highway. He said the ticket cost for 59-60 mph is the same as going 67 mph, but i don't believe that either.

I'm calling oakland municipal court in the morning, so i will find out if he is wrong about the ticket cost. I will be going to court to talk to a judge, because i know the reading was wrong. I really don't care if the fine is the same or not. My point is i wasn't doing 67, and if he wants to pull me over for 59-60 in a 55, that's fine. But don't tell me i was doing 67. If there is a way i can file a complaint on that officer, i will do it.

I have multiple family members and friends that are or were cops in several counties in the mid south area. I would never argue with a cop like that, unless i was being treated unfairly. On top of that, i haven't had a speeding ticket since like 2001 or so, and i swore that i would drive the speed limit after that one. And i do that ! I get kidded all the time by friends about how i drive slow.

Long story short, that officer "Hubbard" was either adding extra mph to my speed or got a wrong reading.

I was just wondering if my experience is just an one time event, or have other people had issues with oakland police. I haven't been that way in a while, so maybe they are known as a radar trap. When i drove through oakland earlier today, i saw two cops with people pulled over. One thing is for sure, he radared me within a couple hundred yards of that 65 mph sign. That is bs and screams "radar trap" to me.

Hubbard better bring his butt to court nov 17 with his videos, because i will be there. This is a matter of principle. I don't care what the fine is. I can't believe i just got "slammed" like that by a cop, and i am pissed off. I'm fighting mad.

:muttering:

I know exactly where you're talking about. You were right about here:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=35.22...2&t=h&z=18

I live very close to there. I've also been to Oakland traffic court.

If that's the route you choose to go the judge tells everybody up front not to lie to him because he's already pulled everyone's driving records for the past couple of years. When it's your turn he'll ask if you've had any tickets in the past 2 years (or whatever number it was... can't remember).

It's pretty funny to watch people flat out lie to him. After they tell him they don't have any tickets he asks, "What about so-and-so?"

He's not lenient at all with people that lie to him.

What if you just misremembered?

(10-11-2010 04:42 PM)umbluegray Wrote: [ -> ]

(10-10-2010 08:43 PM)tmoneyinmphs Wrote: [ -> ]I was just wondering if my experience is just an one time event, or have other people had issues with oakland police. I haven't been that way in a while, so maybe they are known as a radar trap. When i drove through oakland earlier today, i saw two cops with people pulled over. One thing is for sure, he radared me within a couple hundred yards of that 65 mph sign. That is bs and screams "radar trap" to me.

Hubbard better bring his butt to court nov 17 with his videos, because i will be there. This is a matter of principle. I don't care what the fine is. I can't believe i just got "slammed" like that by a cop, and i am pissed off. I'm fighting mad.

:muttering:

I know exactly where you're talking about. You were right about here:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=35.22...2&t=h&z=18

I live very close to there. I've also been to Oakland traffic court.

If that's the route you choose to go the judge tells everybody up front not to lie to him because he's already pulled everyone's driving records for the past couple of years. When it's your turn he'll ask if you've had any tickets in the past 2 years (or whatever number it was... can't remember).

It's pretty funny to watch people flat out lie to him. After they tell him they don't have any tickets he asks, "What about so-and-so?"

He's not lenient at all with people that lie to him.

Yep, I live out that way. Oakland is indeed a speed trap. I have been to Oakland court twice. Once with my daughter as a juvenile and once for a ticket I got for a 'rolling' stop.

Tell the judge the truth, and if you really have no violations for as long as you say, it will probably get dismissed for court cost, which is $90.

It's also true about all the fines being the same. I sat through court waiting to be called and every case was the same...the fine was always $50 plus court costs...$90. So a speeding ticket in Oakland is going to cost you $140.

Also, unlike 201 Poplar, you have to go before the judge even if you plead guilty. If you're going to plead not gulity, you have to wait until the end and sit through every other case.

Oakland and Piperton are both speed traps. It would be interesting to see what percentage of their budgets come from traffic fines.

Best traffic stop ever, if there is such a thing. My son and i were going duck hunting on a Sunday morning. It's 4:00 a.m. and we are running a little late. I told him to take it easy through Harrisburg, AR, but he didn't take it easy enough. The one and only Harrisburg cop pulled us over for going 35 in a 30. I was very proud of my son. He was very respectful even when the cop reminded him that this was a school zone. I almost snorted an entire cup of coffee out my nose. A school zone at 4:00 on a Sunday morning. He let us off with a warning.

Oakland police are know for their creative speeding tickets. My sister has lived there for years and it is a know speed trap. They extended the city limit to be able to expand the speed zone.

I had one of their finest pull me over two miles out of town who said he was hidden in a neighborhood and caught me speeding as I left town, which I wasn't. I told that to the judge and he said ok just pay the court cost. That was $78.

Be sure to check out the large picture of Barney Fife they have on the wall behind the pay window. Unless they moved it.

All of Fayette County is a Speed Trap. Galloway, Piperton, Oakland, etc.

I've heard that the traffic officers are part-time. They reportedly freelance between those municipalities and are paid a "commission" on the tickets that they write.

A few years ago I was headed to Nashville and there was a wreck on I-40 so I cut through Arlington to Highway 70. I was stopped on the far side of Galloway by a filipino Cop who didn't speak very good english.

Went back to court and told to pay court costs and it wouldn't go on my record. Cost me $125.00.

Has anyone used one of the speedtrap apps for cellphones?

Never speed in Oakland. End of story.

People might hate it but can you imagine if Memphis pulled over people going over the speed limit. The courthouse and jail would be full. It's a way for any and all small towns to make money and keep unwanted people out of their city.