Question about a ticket.

95Trooper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Location
WNC
I got a ticket last month for 60 in a 45 and a failure to maintain speedometer or something like that. My car came with 30/9.50/15 tires on it but I put 33/12.50/15 TSL super swampers on it which measure out to 34" tall so my speedometer was pretty far off. I went to talk to an attorney today about getting it taken care of but they said they can't do anything until I "fix my speedometer" because they have to have proof of it in court. There are no shops in the Hickory or surrounding areas I know of that "fix/calibrate" a speedometer. I told them I could put the stock tires back on my car because that's what threw it off in the first place but they said they didn't know if that would work. I'm pretty lost as to what to do about it. Any suggestions?? I'd greatly appreciate it!
 
I would go to the DA assistants that are present before court starts and talk to them.Tell them that it was the larger tires that threw off the speedo and explain that you have since put stock size tires back on it.Tell them you would like to have the ticket dropped down to a Improper Equipment and pay the fine.I imagine they would be just fine with that and it's won't effect your insurance.If they aren't willing to do that,I know they will be more than willing to give you a continuation on your court date.I would honestly be surprised if the first thing I suggested didn't work and it's something you can do yourself with out representation which is costly.If it doesn't work then get the continuance and that will give you time to work out Plan "B"
 
This has happened to me a couple times, all in different rigs. I ended needing to throw the rigs on a dyno to test what the speedo said vs. the actual. I've used a shop in China Grove twice and one in Asheville twice. I think the most expensive rate was $90. So I used the print offs/records, showed them to those that needed to be shown, I got reduced to improper equipment and was told to keep the variance in mind from now on. I do know that not all DA's will buy this, I almost got burnt in Buncombe county 5 years ago because they DA literally said the law is the law and improper equipment is the rich man's way out. Luckily, on my court date, there was a visiting DA.
 
Blaze said:
Just pay a lawyer $200 and be done with it. Your speedo will only be 5 mph off with that tire change.

You are still speeding, pay a lawyer.
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This. I pay my lawyers in Mecklenburg or Gaston county $150 to take care of stuff like this. Last ticket I got in Gaston my lawyer did tell me I need to "cool it" in that county for a while.

In Mecklenburg Co they (lawyers) can get tickets dismissed for you. Unless there is a new DA in Gaston Co your only hope is to have it reduced to a non-moving violation. The DA in Gaston believes if the cops are out writing tickets then you're going to pay a ticket for something, whether it's what the cop wrote it for or not.
 
Blaze said:
Just pay a lawyer $200 and be done with it. Your speedo will only be 5 mph off with that tire change.

You are still speeding, pay a lawyer.
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true about the speeding, but when I put 35;s on my TJ and my brother put 35;s on his dodge, both of our vehicles got off by about 10 MPH. Good luck.
 
Any time you change tire size or regear, your speedometer changes by a percentage, not a fixed amount. So it might be off by 10mph at 70, but only 5mph at 35.
 
retroedaddy said:
I would go to the DA assistants that are present before court starts and talk to them.Tell them that it was the larger tires that threw off the speedo and explain that you have since put stock size tires back on it.Tell them you would like to have the ticket dropped down to a Improper Equipment and pay the fine.I imagine they would be just fine with that and it's won't effect your insurance.If they aren't willing to do that,I know they will be more than willing to give you a continuation on your court date.I would honestly be surprised if the first thing I suggested didn't work and it's something you can do yourself with out representation which is costly.If it doesn't work then get the continuance and that will give you time to work out Plan "B"
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He is exactly right on what to do. Go to the da's office before the court date and talk to a assistant da. They will be happy to reduce it, so it won't clutter up the court system. I deal with this stuff everyday and this should work for you.
 
Blaze said:
Just pay a lawyer $200 and be done with it. Your speedo will only be 5 mph off with that tire change.

You are still speeding, pay a lawyer.
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That's the thing....I went to a lawyer and they told me they can't do anything until I fix my speedometer because they have to use that in court but there isn't a single shop in Hickory NC that calibrates speedometers.. I guess I'm up shit creek. I'm going to go talk to the DA in the morning to HOPEFULLY get something worked out.
 
Unless they changed the speedometer set up from the 88 trucks to the 90/91 trucks it should be a gear driven speedometer. Its not an electronic speedometer that can just be calibrated. And speedometer gears are transmission specific, so your going to have to find ones for your truck. I was looking on 4X4Wire and here are the relevant part numbers.

MD705462 - Gear, Speedometer Drive (N=22): For 4.625 gearing and 33" tires
MD705461 - Gear, Speedometer Drive (N=21): For 4.625 gearing and 35" tires

They don't make one for 34" tires, so either way your speedometer will still be off. I don't know if they even still carry them, but you will have to order the speedometer gears from the Mitsubishi dealership. I have used Larry Jay Mitsubishi before for my Raider/Montero, there may be one closer to you though. If there aren't any shops in your area that will do it, here is the write up:

http://www.4x4wire.com/mitsubishi-tech/speedometer-gear-adjustment-for-big-tires-on-a-montero

You may luck out that they don't make them anymore. Get proof from the dealership they don't make the speedometer gears anymore and give it to your lawyer/bring it to court. Or you could argue they don't make one for the size tires you have.

And I don't know how the officer found out that your speedometer was off, but if you get pulled over again I wouldn't mention it/use it as an excuse.

The only other way to "fix" your problem is to put the 30x9.5s (still bigger than stock 225/70s) back on the truck before you go to court or talk to the assistant DA. Which technically will bring the truck back close to the correct speedometer reading. After court is over, put the Swampers back on and hope you don't get pulled over.

Best of luck. :beer:
 
there is a shop that can do it......i just had it done not long ago for my Fit. If you remember where chrome dome USED to be, down 70 across from the schnitzel haus......that big shop (old hickory auto mall i THINK)...they can do it.

and the speedometer gears are online...i'm about to get one as soon as i regear and get a SYE. They're like $26 i saw...
 
95Trooper said:
That's the thing....I went to a lawyer and they told me they can't do anything until I fix my speedometer because they have to use that in court but there isn't a single shop in Hickory NC that calibrates speedometers.. I guess I'm up shit creek. I'm going to go talk to the DA in the morning to HOPEFULLY get something worked out.
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You are talking to the wrong lawyer. I got a ticket once for a 59 in a 35 (which was bullshit, but that's another story) and I just sent a lawyer $200 and it went away. Never even had to tell him a word about the situation.
 
i never even got a lawyer for mine.......it was in wilkes. i just went, got my speedo checked.....took that stuff showing it was off to the da...da said cool, i went and paid my courtcost and it was done and over with. I was never told to fix my speedo or anything....
 
hell, i just bought a new speedo gear and showed them receipt. i didnt even install it.
 
Does any one else see a problem with the fact that we can just pay a lawyer to make laws that we blatantly break just go away?

We all know we speed and shouldn't because of the consequences, and if we do we should suffer them, thats why we have a justice system.

Sorry this just gets under my skin because I have people ask me all the time if I can print them something saying that their spedo is off so they can get it dropped in court. Then they give me this sob story about how they can't get any more tickets, their insurance will drop them or they'll loose their license.
 
saf-t scissors said:
Any time you change tire size or regear, your speedometer changes by a percentage, not a fixed amount. So it might be off by 10mph at 70, but only 5mph at 35.
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pffft what do you think you are doing interjecting logic into the fireside BS session
 
retroedaddy said:
I would go to the DA assistants that are present before court starts and talk to them.Tell them that it was the larger tires that threw off the speedo and explain that you have since put stock size tires back on it.
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x3
however this works everytime...... skip court go to the DA the next day. Tell the secretary you missed court and you fixed the problem (provide proof or a statement from a garage saying the speedo is off) and the sec. will drop the ticket w/o even talking to the DA. They do not issue bench warrents for missing court in traffic court for a couple of weeks. I have seen this done several times with 100% success rate (inspections in Iredell County and 1 speedo error). Be nice and dress nice and the sec. will sign off on the ticket and slide onto the DAs desk. It is also a way to get around paying court costs and sitting in court.
 
MarsFab said:
Does any one else see a problem with the fact that we can just pay a lawyer to make laws that we blatantly break just go away?
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No, because they just want our money anyway. We're still giving it to them, just covering our ass at the same time.

I've had two tickets. One was for 59 in a 35 a long time ago. I was coming down a road in a 45 zone doing 50, coming up to a drop to 35. Cop clocked me in the 45 zone, as soon as I saw the cop I looked down and noted that I was doing 50 on my speedo, but he lit me up and pulled me over anyway. Said I was going 59 in the 35. I wasn't doing 59 nor was I in the 35.

Second time I was cruising down the road going 60 in a 55 zone and got passed by a van about the same time we passed a trooper on the side. He lit me up and pulled me over for 72 in a 55. I was in a truck that was worn out and couldn't go above 65 unless I had a steep downhill and a strong tailwind.

Now, why should I be punished for this?

Now, DUIs are another story, but I have no problem at all with the handling of speeding tickets this way.
 
Like I said in my first post. People who blatantly speed should suffer the consequences.

Sounds to me like you may have a different issue which is what we DO have a judicial system for. That's exactly my point. The OP said he got a ticket for speeding and that was it. He wants a lawyer to make it go away. That's what I have a problem with.
 
I'm surprised the OP can't find a shop to calibrate the speedo... I'm pretty sure you don't even have to have proof that it is fixed to get it dropped to failure to maintain equipment. I'm not so sure of your chances on this one... you changed the tire size and you knew it was off and should've known your speed, but best of luck. My one speeding ticket, I was driving a 20-year-old Oldsmobile and I had no reason to know it was off.

Show up to court dressed nice, have the proof that you've done something about the tires or speedo, they hopefully drop it to faulty equipment and you pay court costs.


Hyperlite said:
...skip court go to the DA the next day... I have seen this done several times with 100% success rate (inspections in Iredell County and 1 speedo error). Be nice and dress nice and the sec. will sign off on the ticket and slide onto the DAs desk. It is also a way to get around paying court costs and sitting in court.
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That sounds like a bad idea... who's to say the paperwork doesn't get messed up and then there is a warrant out for your arrest? Next time you get stopped, you end up spending a night in the county jail. :shaking:
 
MarsFab said:
Does any one else see a problem with the fact that we can just pay a lawyer to make laws that we blatantly break just go away?
We all know we speed and shouldn't because of the consequences, and if we do we should suffer them, thats why we have a justice system.
Sorry this just gets under my skin because I have people ask me all the time if I can print them something saying that their spedo is off so they can get it dropped in court. Then they give me this sob story about how they can't get any more tickets, their insurance will drop them or they'll loose their license.
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The 2005 DA in Buncombe county feels the same way as you too:

UTfball68 said:
I do know that not all DA's will buy this, I almost got burnt in Buncombe county 5 years ago because they DA literally said the law is the law and improper equipment is the rich man's way out.
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1st was 24 over, 2nd was 17 over and 3rd was 15 over. Are the first 2 on your record?

MarsFab said:
Like I said in my first post. People who blatantly speed should suffer the consequences.
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I agree with this
 
MarsFab said:
That's exactly my point. The OP said he got a ticket for speeding and that was it. He wants a lawyer to make it go away. That's what I have a problem with.
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im with ya man. i tried the same arguement before. It went about the same as yours.

its not that hard to keep the needle pointing at the same number as whats on the signs!


if you cant keep the needle pointed at the right number, there are laws to establish a consequence to help you try harder at pointing to the correct number.


Ive been pulled over for speeding only a few times. One, i was my rig with big tires, and the ODO was off more than i thought it was. I "fixed" that one with a new speedo gear and knowledge of how far off it really was.

A second time i was "clocked" in my DD at a rate of speed my lawyer proved impossible given the conditions of the highway and the visibility of the LEO. that and my cruise control was set so that the needle pointed at the number posted on the signs.

lol, another time i got pulled for doing 45 in a 35, but the dash cam showed that i had been pulled over in front of a speed limit sign..which read ..guess what....45.

Do Leos make mistakes, yup. Thats what the lawyers are SUPPOSED to be for. not for "fixing" tickets.
 
I think this is kind of quickly becoming a political debate.I think often times a lot of what tickets are issued for is more about the money and less about public safety.In that arena tickets are routinely dropped as long as the fine is paid,court costs are covered and usually a lawyer's pocket gets laced with a little cash.It says a lot about the way things are done from the bottom to the top,ending of course in Washington DC where Lobbyists,Special Interest Groups,Labor Unions and people working quietly in the background gain favor with politicians by sending a little money their way.Maybe that's a topic for another thread though...............
 
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