"Dddudley" > wrote in message
ster.com...
> On 11/13/2010 1:41 PM, kevin logan wrote:
>> A car stopped in front of me on I96 i swerved to avoid it, lost
>> control and wrecked my car on the shoulder. Michigan St. Police
>> show
>> up and write me a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.
>> Conditions were clear and dry daytime and I was doing about 65 in a
>> 70. Can I get out of the ticket since the cop didn't see what
>> happened. No witnesses but me.
>
> Maybe...
>
> 1st off, the fact that you had an accident is prima facie evidence
> that you were, indeed, driving too fast for conditions.
> "Conditions" include other traffic and stupid drivers, etc.<g>
>
> Here in Illinois, whether or not a ticket will fly when the officer
> did not witness the violation and only has the motorist's word upon
> which to hang him out to dry varies by the judge.
>
> Guessing that you could likely beat it with an attorney but that's
> $$$. The other thing that seems to have taken hold - not only in
> Illinois but elsewhere - is that if you go to court and lose, in
> addition to the fine you will also incur a boatload of court costs.
> Here (NW of Chicago) a $75 pay by mail ticket which is contested and
> lost can easily crowd or exceed $200 by the time you walk away from
> the clerk's cash register.
>
No way out. The condition is that your are to be in control of your
vehicle, you were not. Even if your story is not true and there was no
other car you were not in control, you wrecked. If it is true you
still were no in control of your car.

Now the good part, if there were deer that ran out in front of the
other car and they did a panic stop to avoid them you may get a pass
(deer hunting season). The bad part of that is that it should have
been stated in the first report. You need a good liar to say he was
the car that jammed on his brakes and he is glad you were able to miss
him. Look for an unemployed Democrat to lie for you.

Myself I'd have a hard time believing anyone that told me they were
driving 65 on I96 and have you tested for drugs.

Not to worry your no fault insurance will take good care of you. Yeah,
right.