caught racing, help

[DavidYan]

i just got caught racing from a stoplight and got caught for "exhibition of speed" (which is like revving/spinning tires) im wondering if anyone knows the penalties for this, its actually considered a misdameanor. This is in the state of CA. i dont want to be flamed by saying this and i know its not very honest but i came up with this to say in court: "I was at the stoplight on the lane going straight, i wasnt paying attention so when the left turn lane light turned green i gave car some gas and released clutch only to realize that my light was still red, then i put my clutch back in very fast with my foot still on the gas making the car rev., simaltaneously then my light turned green and i dropped the clutch which made the tires spin" tell me if this is believable or if its ridiculous, i think its believable but the fact that the car i was racing went at it too makes it almost too obvious that i was racing" so im confused as to what i should do. If any of you have been in this situation please tell me what happened and how you handled it ANy advice is greatly appreciated. Before anyone says "if you do the crime and take the risk deal with the consequences" i know that im just trying to see what i can do in my advantage to lessen the punishment.

[Kry]

good luck i don't live in ca i dunno
god bless u

[ohmygts]

best of luck friend...hope things go well.

[Blue Lucifer]

hahah. I got in trouble too for that. I said to the cop that I just learned how to drive manual (gave him the technicalities that I didn't know how much gas to put in and that I let the clutch go and didn't want to stall the engine) ;), and he let me off with a gigantic lecture. He was nice though, because I could have been in serious trouble! Though I wasn't speeding, just made a lot of noise.

[Blue Lucifer]

"hahah" --------- Sorry, this wasn't laughter at your situation just to clarify. This reminded me of my stupid situation. I wish the best of luck to you. Perhaps you could try saying that you just started to drive manual? errr... if you drive on of course. Good luck.

[autxr]

Get a lawyer.

Scott

[yakkosmurf]

You really do need a lawyer. I lived with a lawyer for 26 years. Your explanation sounds like total BS. The prosecuting attorney and judge are probably going to come down on you pretty hard because of the street racing problem a lot of areas have now. Good luck. Maybe a few people on this board will learn from your situation. I doubt it though. Most people here believe it can't happen to them.

[2002GT_Celica]

Originally posted by autxr
Get a lawyer.

Scott

:werd:

[GTS LAID]

dunno how bad it is in terms of penalties but if its a hefty one then you're really better off with a lawyer... the prosecutor will really go out of his way for a lawyer but certainly not for you.

[Da Kine Guy]

How high did you rev it up?

[GTSOne]

OK, got caught for this in CA about 6 years ago. Funny thing is, I'm a peace officer now. :D Anyways.

Yes it's a misdemeanor. You can not do traffic school for it, because it's a misdemeanor. Being a misdemenaor also means that it's a 2 point offense on your license. If you get 4 points in a 12-month period, you lose your license. It will also get reported to your insurance company, but only AFTER you go to court.

I ended up pleading no contest, was fined $831.00, and the misdemeanor and 2 points went on my record (the points stay on for 3 years, the misdemeanor stays on for 7).

It sucks. My insurance company was going to charge me, with the same full coverage, $450.00/month for insurance. They were going to drop me originally, but I couldn't get anyone else to insure me either (cause I already had another point from 6 months earlier). I ended up dropping comprehensive coverage and paying $281.00/month for 3 years for insurance, which you have to have since it's illegal to drive without insurance.

Overall, the ticket price, including the $831.00, plus the $180.00/month increase in my insurance rates for 3 years cost me a total of: $7311.00. Ouch.

Good luck. The story sounds like BS though. If the cop shows up in court, and it comes out that you were in a speed contest (which it sounds like you were VERY lucky you didn't get cited for that, cause you would have lost your car too), you will be screwed. I guess, talk to a lawyer, and hope for the best.

Good Luck!

[juicedcelica]

Hope you have a good pair of shoes because I know in arizona you lose your licensce for six months and cali is alot worse on law's then arizona is ..... good luck and maybe next time you won't be so quick to street race

[JaySong]

David,


Don't get all worked up over nothing. You might have a good chance. There are some tatics you can use so that the cop won't remember much when u have the trial. you should consider youself lucky that you didn't go fast enough for them to jail you and impound your car.
Give me the info written on the ticket like your speed, max limit, penal codes....etc

[DavidYan]

hey GTSone are you an officer in CA, what do you think will be the most probable thing that will end up happening? im pretty sure the laws have changed from the time you got caught to now. any advice is welcome.
thanks

[DavidYan]

oh also i forgot to mention that on the back of the ticket it says that i must appear in court but it also says i can just pay the fine and recieve the dmv records that and any other insurance price rises. i think since im going to probably loose anyway this may be my best bet. what do you guys think? also if i pay the fine and choose not to go to court they cannot later on tell me that i have to do community service, suspended license, ..... is that correct?
thanks
david

[Greek]

Law in the US sucks! That's all i have to say!

[TRD StreetRacing]

Originally posted by Blue Lucifer
hahah. I got in trouble too for that. I said to the cop that I just learned how to drive manual (gave him the technicalities that I didn't know how much gas to put in and that I let the clutch go and didn't want to stall the engine) ;), and he let me off with a gigantic lecture. He was nice though, because I could have been in serious trouble! Though I wasn't speeding, just made a lot of noise.

that's the exact same thing i did..........sometimes late at night(after 2-3ish)and i don't feel like staying at a red light that takes forever to change and there is no traffic.....i run the red light (after i come to a stop and look arond) and if by anychance if i see a cop after i run the light...i quickly pull into a parking lot and pop the hood as if there is something wrong w/ the car:evil:

[DopeGTS]

What happened to the sponser nc.org had?? They could of helped...

[GTS LAID]

prepaid legal service... that was their name i think

[DopeGTS]

Originally posted by GTS LAID
prepaid legal service... that was their name i think

That would be them, they aren't in the sponsers section anymore.. Did nc.org drop them as a sponser??

[GTS LAID]

i think they dropped themselves off... i doubt too many people were using them.. but you know what... i still remember the name so that banner definately did somthing.

[MilinGTS]

US laws suck.
my solution...move to new zealand.
austrailia is pretty nice too.

get a lawyer and try to fight, our legal system is so inefficient corrupt and retarded.
go and watch a houston court in session for a day and you will go home angry and frustrated....and you dont even have to have a case there...just watching makes you angry at how injust it is.

[GTSOne]

If you pay the fine anyways, you will still have insurance rates jacked up. However, I don't think that you will be allowed to just pay the fine. You will get something in about two weeks in the mail with a court date on it. Since it's a misdemeanor, you are going to have to go to court. No option.

[krazyone]

IMHO, because there was another car there next to u, ur pretty much screwed, good luck tho

[2kgtx]

Get a lawyer

[RedNOSceli]

Let me tell you how I got out of that one.....

I had the same ticket and bs'd with the cop how somthin was wrong with my tranny...Of course he didnt care and gave me the ticket...

Well the next day the tranny started grinding in second, I took it to the dealer, got the tranny rebuilt under warrenty, and then took those papers from the dealer, showed them to the court which proved I was having tranny trouble, and presto, dropped charges...f*ckin gay laws.....

Oh, and in AZ, i think its 300 or so dollars...

When did this 6 month with no lisence thing start?

I know in AZ, that your licence is gone for 90days after 8points...oh do I know