Expert: Philip Sweeting - 9/4/2004

Question
Hello,
I receive a ticket onbase in California when the MPs happen to have a speed trap at a stop sign.The MP that wrote my ticket did not see me,but was instructed by his partner who believes I did not make a complete stop to ticket me.Another expert on allexperts.com said it dosen't matter which MP saw me.
I either must pay $100.00 or not pay and go to the Federal court.
My questions are:
1.)Can I pay the ticket and then go to traffic school to wipe this citation off my DMV record ,so it will not raise my car insurance?

2.)Should I just go to court since the MP that wrote me up was not the MP that is accusing me of not make a stop at a stop sign?

3.)Are speed traps legal?
The MPs were on foot next to the stop sign.There were more then just the two MPs.I saw at least 4 other MPs stopping people in the same area for the same thing.There were at least 3 other car on the side of the road receiving a ticket at the same time I was. I asked the MP why are you guys(MPs)doing this(the speed trap).He replied by saying they are going to be checking the cars that pass the area by radar and will be putting up more stop signs.I also asked him if there were a lot of accidents in the past and he said yes.

4.)Since the MPs know that area onbase has a history of accidents,why don't they just put the new stop signs and radar up?It seems like to me they are just ticketing people to generate reveune for the new stop signs and radar.

Thank you for your time,
Vanessa  

Answer
Question:  

1. In Florida you can go to traffic school and your insurance cannot use it to raise your rates.

2. In Florida if a police officer observes you commit a traffic violation, he can tell another officer in the same jurisdiction and the other officer can write the ticket.

3. "Speed traps" are legal but some states have regulations. For instance in GA the police running radar must be able to be seen within 500 feet. In other words they cannot hide behind signs, etc.

Keep in mind you are under federal jurisdiction and the laws may be slightly different. You should be able to check with the traffic school and they could tell you the answer to question #1. Good luck.