Don’t Let This Be Your Story
Although the story about the trip to the Mammoth Ski Area is fictional, the facts behind the speeding over 100 mph are true and accurate.
The snowboarding trip up Mammoth was fun and exciting — until it wasn’t. My partner told me that a one-day snowboarding trip would be tiring and expensive. Well, it sure was expensive, not for the snowboarding, that was reasonable enough.
The snowboarding package for the day, including the snowboard, boots, and bindings was one expense. We brought a picnic lunch and ate on the slopes.
Although the snow wasn’t as good as last year after a recent storm that laid down about two feet of powder, it was pretty good.
Normally, we would have stayed the night, but the pandemic put the kibosh on the idea. The lodge closed for overnight stays, and most of the good hotels in the area either had no vacancies or were closed. So, we decided to drive up early from Orange County, spend the day, and drive back.
In hindsight, that wasn’t such a great idea because she enjoyed a bottle of wine from out of the picnic basket, so I wasn’t going to let her drive, but after boarding all afternoon, I was bushed. So, I admittedly was driving a little too fast to get back to work on Monday morning.
The Trip Back to Orange County & the Speeding over 100 MPH Ticket
The traffic was pretty light on the 395, so I opened it up a little bit until I saw the lights and siren. I panicked a bit when I looked down and saw the speedometer needle on the eastside of 100. I immediately thought back to my dad's horror stories about his trip up to Mount Whitney last summer and his speeding ticket.
I calmed down some when I remembered that he hired Bigger & Harman and got his ticket dismissed. But I doubted they could do the same for speeding over 100 mph.
I pulled over and put both my hands on the steering wheel where the law enforcement officer (LEO) could see them. He asked to see my license, registration, and proof of insurance just like on TV. Then, he asked if I knew how fast I was going. Sure, I knew but I wasn’t going to tell him, so I just didn’t say anything.
He said, “You were going 102 mph. Stay right there, I am going to run your license to make sure you don’t have any warrants.”
We sat there for what seemed like hours, though it was probably less than 10 minutes. He said, “OK, I’m going to need you to sign this citation for speeding over 100 mph, which is a violation of CA Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22348, Speed Laws. If you want to contest the violation, you will need to return to Bishop, here in Inyo County, for trial.
If you do not receive a courtesy reminder, call Inyo County Bishop traffic court in two or three weeks, and they’ll tell you if your ticket is in the system.
If convicted, the fine will be above $900 but could be as much as $2,500. You will be assessed two negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) points, which could double or triple your auto insurance, and the judge can suspend your license immediately for 30-days. So, if you drive up, bring a licensed driver with you to drive back. Do you have any questions?”
I said, “No, sir.”
As we drove back to Orange County, I thought about the great day we had in the snow, but dreaded coming back here for traffic court. I called my dad, and he said, "Don’t sweat it too much; we’ll call Bigger & Harman tomorrow. Those guys have a reputation for getting over 100 MPH speeding tickets dismissed or reduced."
I talked to Mr. Bigger the next day, and he couldn’t have been any nicer or more professional. Although he said he couldn’t make any promises, they had an excellent record of success in Inyo and Mono County. Thank you, Mr. Bigger!
Speeding over 100 MPH in Inyo County
When your snowboarding or skiing trip to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in Inyo County goes sideways, call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
We are traffic attorneys who routinely travel to traffic courts across Central Valley and East California to resolve traffic tickets.
Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The 2020 CA Driver Handbook.pdf
CVC Section 22348, Speed Laws