2 weekends ago, I got my first speeding ticket in the G heading home from So. Cal to No. Cal on the 5. I received a courtesy notice yesterday, and it states "To clear this citation you must make a mandatory appearance in court on or before XXXX date". Why is it that I must appear in court instead of simply paying the fine? I'm not really looking to fight it, but I don't think a 6 hour drive to the courthouse is reasonable. I've tried using the phone number listed on the notice, but it is an automated machine that won't pass me to a human, nor is there a phone number on their website.

BTW, I was clocked at 96 in a 65 on a sunday morning with hardly any traffic, nor was I weaving in and out. The highway patrol officer who stopped me must have been at least 100 yards off the freeway when he clocked me, so I wonder how accurate those radar guns are at range? He was also in a camaro facing the wrong side of the road, so to me it looked like a broken down vehicle from that distance.

2004 G35C 6MT DG/G | Premium | Alum Pedals |Huper Optik 30/40/50 | Z-Tube | K&N Drop-In | Grounding Kit

 

30 over is probably a mandatory appearance citation.

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Most states require court appearance if you're 20+ over the limit. Considering there was "hardly any traffic," it'll be harder to claim he clocked another vehicle...almost impossible if he used Ladar. As to error with range, see http://copradar.com/preview/content.html Depending on your record, I'd get a lawyer and plea bargain/fight.