Speeding Through the Desert
Did you know that nearly one-third of California is desert? Many CA drivers drive through the desert daily. Although survivalist will tell you to take one gallon per person per day when driving through the desert, most lawyers (in this case financial survivalists) would say watch your speedometer. Although many portions of I-15 and Highway 58 around the Mojave Desert are 70-mph speed zones, it is very easy to get a speeding ticket.
Why would it be easier to get a speeding ticket in a faster speed limit area? When you get used to driving 70, you soon start driving 75 mph due to the myth that law enforcement won’t stop for doing a few miles per hour over the limit. Then, you speed up to pass a car doing 70 or 75, and before you realize it you get a speeding ticket for 85 or 90 mph, and in some cases, over 100 mph.
Top Ten Tips for Desert Driving, Besides Not Speeding
Here are a few other pointers for desert driving that many don’t consider before the trip:
1. Make sure your mobile phone is charged or keep a 12-volt charger with you. Or, better yet, rent a satellite phone for your trip.
2. Make sure your tires (including the spare) are good and check the air pressure.
3. Keep a can of instant tire repair; it might be enough to get you to a truck stop or garage.
4. Know where the jack is and how to use it.
5. Check the air conditioner.
6. Take additional coolant for the radiator.
7. If you’re using a rental, check for a spare tire and essential tools.
8. In case of a break-down, stay with your car unless you are going to a clearly marked emergency call box. CHP usually patrol every highway and even some back roads, once or twice a day.
9. Take blankets and warm clothes, the desert gets very cold at night.
10. Take a hand-held GPS, so you can tell rescuers your location if the power dies in your car.
Many of these may not be necessary if you’re just traveling on major highways, but why chance it? You might want to explore an old miner’s ghost town or adventure off the freeway for some picture taking.
Speeding and Traffic Court in Barstow or Mojave
Could this be your story?
Well, it happened. Despite your attempts to watch your speed, you got a speeding ticket on Highway 58, sometimes called the Barstow-Mojave Highway. It was a bright sunny day, and you were admiring the scenery. California deserts aren’t like the deserts you see on TV with nothing but sand and dunes. There are lots of things to see, high mountains, old mining camps, and Joshua trees.
You weren’t paying much attention to the speedometer, just listening to the radio, headed to Edwards AFB to see your brother, who just came back from Korea. It was a perfect day, that is until you saw the flashing lights and heard the siren. You quickly glanced down at the speedometer, as most drivers are apt to do when they see the lights, it read about 95 mph, so you pulled over.
The law enforcement officer (LEO) said you were doing 102 mph and wrote a ticket for the same. Although you knew you were doing 95, saying so would be admitting guilt, so you held your tongue. LEO said you would need to appear in Kern County Court at Mojave because there was a mandatory court appearance and no traffic school.
Wow, that sure brought you out of your reverie quick enough. You remember saying that was your first speeding ticket, to which he replied, “You’re lucky then, it will only cost you about $900 and a day off from work, not counting your increased insurance.”
Although you showed up at the court at 9 am on the day of your arraignment, you spent most of the day there. You had made up my mind to just plead guilty and pay my fine, but as you sat there listening to the other cases, it came to you that most of those with attorneys got their charges dismissed and you figured you could find a lawyer for less than $900. So, when it came to your turn, you changed your plea to not guilty and asked the bailiff the name of the attorney who was representing many of those who got their speeding ticket cases dropped. He gave you a number for Bigger & Harman in Bakersfield.
Later that afternoon you called and spoke with Mr. Harman. He was very upfront. He said he couldn’t promise he could get the case dismissed like the guy who gave you their number. But, he did say they would do everything possible for you, and you wouldn’t have to go back to court. You could just let them handle it.
Getting the call from Mr. Harman regarding your case’s dismissal made your day. Considering you were facing a substantial fine, two Negligent Operator Treatment System points that would stay on your record for seven years, and doubled or even tripled insurance premiums, not to mention a possible 30-day driver’s license suspension, you’re sure you did very well by calling Bigger & Harman.
While this story is fiction, the locations and legal solutions are all too real. Contact us for advice on your real-life traffic ticket story.
Confer with a Kern County Ticket Defense Lawyer
Getting your first traffic ticket doesn’t have to mean large fines, a license suspension, and increased insurance rates. However, that is what could happen if you just plead guilty to speeding over 100 mph and pay the fine. When you get a traffic ticket, you should confer with a traffic ticket defense team such as Bigger & Harman. Call (661) 349-9300, or send an email: attorney@markbigger.com.
You can also contact them with a private message on their Facebook page. Or, read the feedback left by their clients on Avvo, Nolo, or Yelp. Avvo and Nolo are renowned legal websites that rate attorneys based on their clients’ comments and the comments of other legal professionals in their community.
Se habla Español 661.349.9755.