Massachusetts Page

I just got back from the first installment of my "51-in-thickly-settled-area" violation.

There was a fresh new Magistrate and fatherly officer Tom of the local police force. The fellow violators stayed behind in the hallway. (When charged with violating a law, aren't you supposed to be heard in a public forum?) Anyway, Magistrate Jr. swore us in and fatherly Tom read from the ticket. Then it was my turn:

"Good morning. I'd like to point out the officer is charging me with violating Chapter 90, Section 17, which says officer must track me for 1/8 of a mile and from his vantage point he couldn't do that."

At this moment Magistrate Jr. went for the law book and stopped listening. Still, I pressed on: "I believe the officer got 51 on his radar, but that speed must've belonged to one of the two cars that just passed me going the other way. The reason I know that is that he didn't estimate my speed at all."

So fatherly Tom pipes in, while Magistrate Jr. is still reading: "Your Magistrate, I'd like to add Officer H... is a 21 year veteran of the police force, well versed in the use of radar." And I say, "And I'd like to add I have a clean record with no violations whatsoever."

Magistrate Jr. stops reading. "I don't speed, I knew where I was going, I know that road," I continue, since he's not saying anything. "It's a known speed trap, because the speed limit there is unposted and the character of the road changes between rural and settled a couple of times within a few miles."

"If I may respond to that," says fatherly Tom, "Charles River Street is a narrow winding road, but it does change between rural and settled."

Finally Magistrate Jr speaks: "I find you responsible, but I'm reducing the fine to $50, which is the minimum."

"If I may, could I ask why you ruled that way?" I say.

"Because I feel you were speeding," says Magistrate Jr.

"I wish to appeal," I respond.

"How is February 2?" he asks.

"Good as any," I reply and that was that.

I must say the hearing was friendlier and more civilized than other traffic courts I've been hearing about. Still, it's just as arbitrary and only about money as all the others.