Speeding in Ohio

[gfrank]

Got a ticket this morning for doing 62 in a 40 zone. However, I am certain that I was clocked at that speed while I was still in the 55 zone. I saw the sign for 40mph and slowed down accordingly. The cop was sitting right inside the 40 zone and had to have clocked me at that speed while I was in the 55 zone. Is there any chance I can get this reduced or possibly dismissed in court? I pleaded my case to the officer and he told me if I don't agree I can go to court. He also told me that I was going at least 50 when I passed his vehicle. I asked if he had that locked in on his radar and he said he did not, so it seems to me that he got me at 62 in a 55 and just made up the rest. If he had said I was going 62 in the 55, I could live with it. But he is just lying or flat out wrong when he says he clocked me in the 40 zone. What are my chances?

[lwpat]

What are my chances?

In a small town traffic court, about the same as a worm at a bird convention. However, it is worth the trip to court to try and negotiate for a lower fine/points.

[gfrank]

If I can at least somehow convince them that I was clocked while I was still in the 55 zone, would the fine be reduced or would have have to be dismissed all together? The ticket is for speeding in the 40 zone, not the 55 zone.

[chuckycheese]

The primary factor is that you're accused of going 62MPH. If you can convince the judge that your speed was measured while in a 55MPH zone, you might get it reduced but probably not dismissed because you were still speeding. Getting it reduced would probably be worth pursuing considering that you'd go from 22 over down to 7 over....and that's probably worth some bucks!

[gfrank]

So if I can convince them that I was clocked while in a 55 zone, they can just change the charge right there on the spot from 62 in a 40 to 62 in a 55?

If it's not on the ticket, I'm not charged with it, right? If I'm not charged with it, they can't find me guilty of it. Or does it not work like that...I have no idea, obviously.

[gfrank]

I have come to the painful decision that it's probably not worth it to miss a day (or even half day) of work to possibly wind up paying the original fine plus court costs. I don't know if I can really prove I was in the 55 zone, so it might not be worth fighting.
I really feel like the officer was in the wrong here, but after talking to people who have fought these kinds of things, I think it could end up being a big hassle for nothing.
The system is kind of messed up and I'll try to come up with some way to let the county know how I feel about that.