Sorry this is quite long, I've tried to put in all the information, its a simple, short lived incident but I put in all the important details to try get the best advice from the board as possible. Many thanks in advance for your help.
Had taken car to large abandoned piece or tarmac/asphalt, opposite side of tracks, out of town. Appears to be either private or city property, some piles of dirt and a few large digging type truck machines at edges. Probably about ¼ mile by 1/8 mile in size.
Had been showing finance cars stability, few sharp turns and slaloms, on return run (had been there maybe 1-2 min) saw a white truck driving parallel to area. Assumed it was a security truck. Made decision that I was just going to drive off and avoid any security guard/rent-a-cop confrontation. Only 1 entrance/exit – he was driving from that direction, No distinguishing marketing, he turned on a flashing light, it was white. We both continued towards each other slowly, at last min I drove around him and drove out of car park. My finance had said several times she thought I should stop. It wasn't until I drove past him I could make out the logo on his side – Park/Country ranger/parks logo (clearly official). There were no markings on his front, the light he flashed was white. When I returned to the roadway, I went over the tracks and down onto the 'main' road (actually on the city grid) I stopped at earliest convenience – all of this about 200-300 ft from the entrance to the tarmac/asphalt area.
Truck came down over the tracks, pulled up behind me, turn out it was a park patrol/park trooper. I apologized, said I thought he was a security guard. He took my papers, license etc.
Then a cop car turned up, then another, then a paddy wagon – the last 2 drove away pretty quick, the cop seemed to consult with the park patrol guy.
Seems they have the same power?
He cited me with "Exhibition of Speed", he said he might have just given me a warning but I pissed him off when I drove around him and off the asphalt area. Officer noted that area was 'parking lot' – It isn't, to my knowledge. I plan to check a sign near the area which I believe states its use. Its not perfectly flat, there are no white lines, there is marginal gravel/dirt scattered around its surface.
He hardly saw me at all, if at all doing any maneuvers. He said he saw me "almost, but not quite, almost fish tailing"
The area was off the road, away from any people and I wasn't even pushing the car that hard, especially when he saw me.
I have a court date. They (him and the cop) said that it would most likely be a fine and traffic school. After looking into the "Exhibition of speed" 23109(c) I am concerned that "max 90 days jail time" exists. He said he wasn't going to give me reckless driving. That if he had done so that would have meant points. He said the Exhibition of speed would not get me points.
I have a clean license.
I want to know if I should fight it, I heard the fine can be $1500+. What's the worst that can happen if I fight it? Will loosing after fighting it get me the same as pleading no-contest and (if possible) avoiding going into court? Do I have to go to court? I think I do as it's a 'misdemeanor". Will pleading no-contest and not going to court (if possible) bring me a lesser fine/punishment?
Should I get a lawyer? Is it worth it?
Is the place I did that considered a highway? Does it matter if it's a parking lot or not (officially), does it matter if its private property? Is the fact I drove away (easily considered 'sped away') all he needs to get me on this? I kick myself as if it was clearly an official I'd have stopped then and there… Can they apply the fact I drove onto a road, and pulled over within a few hundred feet as the fact some of the 'incident' occurred on the highway? Is a surface street a highway?
Any advice much appreciated.
I feel really frustrated because isn't the law meant to protect? I would never do what I did on a road/highway – near other people/property.
Had taken car to large abandoned piece or tarmac/asphalt, opposite side of tracks, out of town. Appears to be either private or city property, some piles of dirt and a few large digging type truck machines at edges. Probably about ¼ mile by 1/8 mile in size.
Had been showing finance cars stability, few sharp turns and slaloms, on return run (had been there maybe 1-2 min) saw a white truck driving parallel to area. Assumed it was a security truck. Made decision that I was just going to drive off and avoid any security guard/rent-a-cop confrontation. Only 1 entrance/exit – he was driving from that direction, No distinguishing marketing, he turned on a flashing light, it was white. We both continued towards each other slowly, at last min I drove around him and drove out of car park. My finance had said several times she thought I should stop. It wasn't until I drove past him I could make out the logo on his side – Park/Country ranger/parks logo (clearly official). There were no markings on his front, the light he flashed was white. When I returned to the roadway, I went over the tracks and down onto the 'main' road (actually on the city grid) I stopped at earliest convenience – all of this about 200-300 ft from the entrance to the tarmac/asphalt area.
Truck came down over the tracks, pulled up behind me, turn out it was a park patrol/park trooper. I apologized, said I thought he was a security guard. He took my papers, license etc.
Then a cop car turned up, then another, then a paddy wagon – the last 2 drove away pretty quick, the cop seemed to consult with the park patrol guy.
Seems they have the same power?
He cited me with "Exhibition of Speed", he said he might have just given me a warning but I pissed him off when I drove around him and off the asphalt area. Officer noted that area was 'parking lot' – It isn't, to my knowledge. I plan to check a sign near the area which I believe states its use. Its not perfectly flat, there are no white lines, there is marginal gravel/dirt scattered around its surface.
He hardly saw me at all, if at all doing any maneuvers. He said he saw me "almost, but not quite, almost fish tailing"
The area was off the road, away from any people and I wasn't even pushing the car that hard, especially when he saw me.
I have a court date. They (him and the cop) said that it would most likely be a fine and traffic school. After looking into the "Exhibition of speed" 23109(c) I am concerned that "max 90 days jail time" exists. He said he wasn't going to give me reckless driving. That if he had done so that would have meant points. He said the Exhibition of speed would not get me points.
I have a clean license.
I want to know if I should fight it, I heard the fine can be $1500+. What's the worst that can happen if I fight it? Will loosing after fighting it get me the same as pleading no-contest and (if possible) avoiding going into court? Do I have to go to court? I think I do as it's a 'misdemeanor". Will pleading no-contest and not going to court (if possible) bring me a lesser fine/punishment?
Should I get a lawyer? Is it worth it?
Is the place I did that considered a highway? Does it matter if it's a parking lot or not (officially), does it matter if its private property? Is the fact I drove away (easily considered 'sped away') all he needs to get me on this? I kick myself as if it was clearly an official I'd have stopped then and there… Can they apply the fact I drove onto a road, and pulled over within a few hundred feet as the fact some of the 'incident' occurred on the highway? Is a surface street a highway?
Any advice much appreciated.
I feel really frustrated because isn't the law meant to protect? I would never do what I did on a road/highway – near other people/property.
