[gundog]

I'm a cop- and ride. If you go to court with the ticket, good luck. While Washington Law differs from Texas I'm sure, maybe a few things that could help you out...

Radar- If he used a laser radar, it can differentiate and be specific to each vehicle thus acurately measuring speed at an instant moment in time. However, a laser radar reads instant speed and needs to remain stationary to do so, so if he was accelerating to catch you while getting you on radar, it wasn't laser. If it was a doplar system, which is to one that sets off regular detectors, it can judge speed on the move. It has to be set for "going" to read speed on a vehicle going away from you. The big thing about that type of radar is it cannot be vehicle specific in heavy traffic. ESPECIALLY since you are on a small vehicle and around much larger vehicles, that radar can be invalidated by reading other vehicles around you .

Based on what I know about radar, I highly doubt it was used properly, if at all. That you have a right to know before a hearing, and will invalidate a ticket.

Pacing: If he paced you in his vehicle, he needs to maintain an equal distance behind you while measuring his speed on a CALIBRATED speedometer. That Speedometer has to be calibrated through radar verification every two years. You have a right to know AT the hearing when the speedo was calibrated, and what tool he used to ESTIMATE your speed, which is all a pace is.

Entering traffic: There is a short merge section for which a vehicle can use to get up to speed and enter traffic. Admitting you go over speed is not a good idea, but admitting that your focus was not on the speedo and actually on the hole in traffic whilke matching that traffic speed is OK. You are loking out for the safety of yourself and the traffic on the freeway. Entering 75mph traffic at 45 and then acellerating creates an accordian affect on traffic and results in rear end collisions even miles down the road. You would be guilty of IMPROPER LANE USAGE if you did this. If you have to focus on traffic speed, flow, and space while merging, THEN look at your speedo and adjust, you are beeing as safe as you can be.

SPEED TOO FAST FOR CONDITION? WTF???? That is usually a rainy, snowy, icy day charge in a rear end collision or slide-through of a stop sign/signal. Simply stated, if the vehicle speed creates a violation of taffic law that endangers people or property, and is NOT INTENTIONAL, it is too fast for conditions. You accelerated to keep people safe. You did not break tire traction, induce a front end weave, or overshoot the lane you were entering. You drove well within you and your vehicle's limits and entered traffic. Some things to consider when defeating this charge are the road condition- not just 94 degrees. Note that there were no slippery tar snakes on the road, no gravel, dry surface, surface type (concrete or blacktop) and no parallel ruts in the road surface. Note also the condition of your tires, as far as tread type and depth (not running racing slicks or knobbies, adn that they are withing manufacture specs.)

I hope this helps, and good luck. I hate squids on bikes- not because I am a police officer, but because they make the rest of us riders look like dicks. You sound like you made a choice to keep you and others safe, so good luck with the ticket.