Estimates OK for speeding tickets, court rules

[dejr_8]

Are you kidding me! It is bad enough having speed traps using Radar and lasers. Now the cop can just say that I was going too fast. WOW.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news...-for-speeding-tickets-court-rules-741192.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio's highest court has ruled that a person may be convicted of speeding purely if it looked to a police officer that the motorist was going too fast.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that an officer's visual estimation of speed is enough to support a conviction if the officer is trained, certified by a training academy, and experienced in watching for speeders. The court's 5-1 decision says independent verification of a driver's speed is not necessary.
The court upheld a lower court's ruling against a driver who challenged a speeding conviction that had been based on testimony from police officer in Copley, 25 miles south of Cleveland. The officer said it appeared to him that the man was driving too fast.

 

[DVC-Don]

Wayyyy back when I was "on the job" part of our radar training was being with a training officer who had the radar readout aimed at him so we could not see it and we had to estimate the oncoming vehicles within 5 mph of the radar. I got quite good at it.

 

[dejr_8]

Wayyyy back when I was "on the job" part of our radar training was being with a training officer who had the radar readout aimed at him so we could not see it and we had to estimate the oncoming vehicles within 5 mph of the radar. I got quite good at it.

Since speeding tickets have a major impact on insurance rates for several years (Six in Mass) I want more than an officer's estimate on how fast I was going.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Isn't this how it was done before radar was invented?

 

[FireDancer]

I think that there may be cases where an estimate can be used but it should have to be an unusual case. For example, if someone is doing 90 down a 25mph side street any reasonable police officer (or anyone) can know they are speeding and the person should be cited because someone could be killed. Perhaps not for a specific speed but for unsafe driving.

If you are given an estimate ticket for 10 mph over though, that should not stand.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

If you really read most state traffic laws, they are written to say an officer observing a high rate of speed, and so forth. radar usually is listed in CONFIRMING his observation.

as a general rule..

also, many states have a "too fast for conditions" wording.

so if you are going 45 in a 50, but its raining or icy, you are speeding!

YMMV (now THATS kind of approPIRATE!!!)

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

I thought it was cool that someone in NC posted a link to my local paper

That is so crazy. Our tickets also have an impact on our insurance rates, which is mandatory to have. I hope that they do not see me. I am always in fear they are going to get me even when I am not speeding! I am sure the people that voted yes get out of their tickets (public officials)