How to beat a Speeding Ticket with Land Surveying

[mpallamary]

Did you know that there are a lot of similarities between land surveying and the rules and tools employed in the issuance of speeding tickets? Both involve measurement, radar, angles, calibration, expert qualifications, and rules of law. How fast is fast and what is reasonable? How is one impeached and what is a de novo trial?

You would be surprised to learn how the rules of land surveying dictate the laws on moving violations. Speed and direction are, after all, scientific activities. Indeed, math and measurements always prevail as long as you know when and how to apply them. The rules of measurement are a solid science.

This is a fun and educational presentation and the rules have been applied by others, to great success.

I hope to see you there.

[LS_8750]

I was 17 when I beat a citation following an accident in which I pulled a left turn in front of somebody. I measured skid marks, etc., and used CALTRANS momentum equations to demonstrate that the driver that hit me was going 55 mph in a 25 mph zone. High school physics. Did not know there was such a thing as land surveying at the time.

[land butcher]

As one champion race car driver stated "with anti-lock brakes they don't know how fast you were going."

That guy, I believe in Oregon, that got into trouble for using the term engineer, that all started over a red light ticket and time/legal speed/distance and he beat the ticket.

[PLS7393]

I actually saw Michael's original presentation on this at the Fresno Conference a few years ago and it was entertaining, and informative.
Just ask Buford T Justice, he'll tell you, heheheee!

[falcon]

I beat a ticket years ago (after I had just finished my AS degree) by just discussing calibration and distance measurements with the judge and officer. I mentioned that the officer's technique of using "Internal Calibration" is not a true calibration, as an incorrectly marked 12.5 inch ruler will always report itself to be the correct 12 inches. You need something external to properly calibrate. It helped that I was ticketed going 56 in a 55.

[mpallamary]

Wow! Good one!