Got a ticket- Know a lawyer?

[tarded400]

Got a ticket this morning for wreckless driving. I was on a back road with no one else on the road and I lofted the front wheel about a foot. He went off on me about how I was a danger to the other cars on the road and that he rode a bike "just like this" and "don't insult my intelligence." Then he kept me detained for 45 minutes in 30 degree weather. Comes back and tells me my plates don't register to the bike, even though the registration is correct and that I need to go to the county clerk and get that taken care of. Why should I have to take care of their screw up?

Anyhow... I'm ticked. If he wanted to give me a speeding ticket, he could have- but he didn't. I was NOT purposefully endangering others (wreckless driving) and I don't want to get creamed with the ticket. Anyone know any good motorcyce lawyers in North Denver/Brighton area?

[MetaLord 9]

If you got popped for doing a wheelie (which you just admitted to on a public forum) then you're probably going to get wreckless, regardless of a lawyer. You might get it knocked down if you're lucky.

As far as the registration being f'd up, my experience is that as chock fucking full of FAIL as the Colorado DMV is, whenever they screw up, you pay the price. I don't know if the mentality is that you should have caught the mistake or what, but I do know that you're responsible for it.

Good luck man.

[tarded400]

My issue with it is that a wreckless driving is for someone who is intentionally trying to injure someone else.... if there wasn't any one else anywhere around me, how can I be trying to cause damage to them?

[MetaLord 9]

1) A person who drives a motor vehicle, bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or low-power scooter in such a manner as to indicate either a wanton or a willful disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.

Doesn't have to be anybody around. They get ya on the property portion of it since you were showing disregard to the safety of you and other people's property (i.e. the roads, grass, ditches, etc.)

It's one of those tickets with a lot of grey area that is usually filled in at the police officer's discretion. If he says you were reckless, you'll have a hard time proving otherwise I'd think.

[tarded400]

Thats SUCH crap. Yet the moron swerving all over the road talking into his cell phone doesn't get a second glance. I thought about running, since he was a mile back when the lights came on. I'm an honest person and I will pay for what I have done, but I don't feel like I've even come close to wreckless driving.

As a side note, he forgot to have me sign the ticket (summons).

[dirkterrell]

As far as the registration being f'd up, my experience is that as chock fucking full of FAIL as the Colorado DMV is, whenever they screw up, you pay the price. I don't know if the mentality is that you should have caught the mistake or what, but I do know that you're responsible for it.

You know, I've heard a lot of stories like this in recent months. They fuck up and you pay. Way too many times to be accidental. It sounds like either incompetence or something intentional to get people to pay up rather than raise a stink about it. Marc had a thread going a few months back about his adventure with the system. This sounds like something some investigative reporters and elected representatives need to hear about.

Dirk

[MetaLord 9]

You know, I've heard a lot of stories like this in recent months. They fuck up and you pay. Way too many times to be accidental. It sounds like either incompetence or something intentional to get people to pay up rather than raise a stink about it. Marc had a thread going a few months back about his adventure with the system. This sounds like something some investigative reporters and elected representatives need to hear about.

Dirk

100000% Agree.

I've told the story of Lindsey going in for her new license and coming out with a printed learner's permit b/c the DMV f'd up.

I've heard stories of the DMV failing to transfer over a motorcycle endorsement from one license to another. I actually had a police officer warn me to make sure I switched over my endorsement when I got a new CO license just after I'd moved here. He warned me of this because he said it happened to him when he moved here, and he's a police officer!

I also know someone who had a ticket, forgot to pay it on time, subsequently missed their court date, then remembered the ticket, paid it, plus court costs and was fine. Someone forgot to process their paperwork properly, they got pulled over for a taillight being out and they were taken to jail on a warrant that should have been canceled MONTHS prior. This person didn't get their bail refunded, didn't get any kind of apology, and STILL had to go to court to show that they had already paid their ticket and that NONE of that crap should've happened.

[tarded400]

And who wants these people to be in control of our retirement (social INsecurity) and health care?

My wife was a cop- finally quit because she hated the system so much. Dirt bags get away scot free and decent people get hosed.

[dirkterrell]

And who wants these people to be in control of our retirement (social INsecurity) and health care?

Scary, isn't it?

Dirk

[CaneZach]

100000% Agree.

I've told the story of Lindsey going in for her new license and coming out with a printed learner's permit b/c the DMV f'd up.

I've heard stories of the DMV failing to transfer over a motorcycle endorsement from one license to another. I actually had a police officer warn me to make sure I switched over my endorsement when I got a new CO license just after I'd moved here. He warned me of this because he said it happened to him when he moved here, and he's a police officer!

I also know someone who had a ticket, forgot to pay it on time, subsequently missed their court date, then remembered the ticket, paid it, plus court costs and was fine. Someone forgot to process their paperwork properly, they got pulled over for a taillight being out and they were taken to jail on a warrant that should have been canceled MONTHS prior. This person didn't get their bail refunded, didn't get any kind of apology, and STILL had to go to court to show that they had already paid their ticket and that NONE of that crap should've happened.

That's what happened to me. I had a Florida DL with MC endorsement. When I surrendered my FL DL and got a Colorado DL, they didn't add my MC endorsement. I asked them why my MC didn't transfer over and the lady told me, "We don't honor MC endorsements from another State." I was amazed! Her supervisor did absolutely nothing to help either, so I had to schedule the damn motorcycle test. DMV is arguably THE WORST gov't division in the State.

[MetaLord 9]

That's what happened to me. I had a Florida DL with MC endorsement. When I surrendered my FL DL and got a Colorado DL, they didn't add my MC endorsement. I asked them why my MC didn't transfer over and the lady told me, "We don't honor MC endorsements from another State." I was amazed! Her supervisor did absolutely nothing to help either, so I had to schedule the damn motorcycle test. DMV is arguably THE WORST gov't division in the State.

See, they honored my endorsement from Ohio, no problem, but if they print the license, they've gotta report to their supervisor if they reprint another one. So if they print you a new license, you've gotta go take the riding test to get your endorsement back, just because they screwed up. Forget worst division in the state, Colorado's DMV is EASILY the WORST DMV of any I've encountered in the country, and I got my first damn driver's license in Louisiana of all places!

[King Nothing]

Chris is EASILY the worst person I've ever met.

[Ricky]

If you've got a good record, they'll probably drop it to careless or something else. My neighbor and I both got reckless tickets once. I had one ticket, he had zero. He got away with 3 point defective vehicle or something, and I got 4 points careless driving from the DA. I admitted my wrongdoing from the beginning to the cop. That's how I got away with ONLY the reckless charge.

Don't fight what you admit you've done.

[Wrider]

Just so ya guys know... Reckless is way different than wreckless...
Reckless = dangerous
Wreckless = without wrecks

[CaneZach]

Just so ya guys know... Reckless is way different than wreckless...
Reckless = dangerous
Wreckless = without wrecks

True, but it's become so common to say "wreckless" that I just SMH and leave it alone

[MetaLord 9]

Chris is EASILY the worst person I've ever met.

So you're still peeved that Canuck & I almost got us kicked out of the bowling alley I see...

[King Nothing]

So you're still peeved that Canuck & I almost got us kicked out of the bowling alley I see...

Mmmm.... LEGO cake. Eat it. You'll shit bricks.

[tarded400]

Just so ya guys know... Reckless is way different than wreckless...
Reckless = dangerous
Wreckless = without wrecks

Yes- yes I know. I was just angry typing so it came out that way. My record has been spotless for 5 years- before that it was kinda a train wreck (college). No DUIs or anything, just a couple careless and another reckless, all about a year apart, ending 5 years ago.

[Ricky]

Yes- yes I know. I was just angry typing so it came out that way. My record has been spotless for 5 years- before that it was kinda a train wreck (college). No DUIs or anything, just a couple careless and another reckless, all about a year apart, ending 5 years ago.

Then just don't worry about it, pay the fine, and see what the DA reduces it to. Then just hunker down for 2 years until it's off your record. I just had my last ticket fall off for me. I had a bad summer 2 years ago... 8 point reckless, followed by 19 over a month later, followed by 14 over a month later.

[bulldog]

Everyone should be made aware that almost every cops will give you this type of ticket for doing a wheelie. I've seen it time and time again. Keep it on two wheels on public roads.

[tarded400]

That is true, cops hate wheelies. I just think its total BS because they don't enforce the laws evenly. Some cops should refuse to issue tickets to bikes and nail every RTD bus that cuts off 3 lanes of people to get to the HOV lane, then does the same thing 2 miles later to exit- every soccer mom that tail gates. Every blow joe in their big bad cummings deezel that covers everyone in smoke. Everbody that runs red lights on purpose.

[bulldog]

Yup, I got a careless driving a while back on the bike because the cop assumed I was speeding because of the noise of my exhaust, but couldn't prove it because he didn't clock me, so instead he just used another type of ticket

[MetaLord 9]

If you're not committing a ticketable offense and you get ticketed, then you've got a serious gripe (like Nate). Otherwise, I've never seen saying "Well you let that guy go!" work as a defense. Remember that it grinds your gears that some folks get let off for some things, next time you get a warning for actually doing something ya shoulda gotten a ticket for!

[Ghost]

Yup, I got a careless driving a while back on the bike because the cop assumed I was speeding because of the noise of my exhaust, but couldn't prove it because he didn't clock me, so instead he just used another type of ticket

When I was a service advisor, I got the same thing in a customer's car that I was test-driving.

It had a loud aftermarket exhaust, he didn't get me speeding, but he cited me for careless since he "heard me accelerating at an unsafe rate".

This is despite the fact that I did NOT break the speedlimit and even had the datalogger to prove it.

Still, I accelerated "too hard" based upon the police officer's keen hearing (since he couldn't even see me on the other side of the big rig).

SO...yeah...good luck with your ticket.

Tickets = Revenue

Therefore, you will be charged so they can make their money.

Enjoy.