Out of state loud exhaust ticket

[ScubaSteve]

Yesterday I left Temple around 7pm to go see my girlfriend in harrisonburg va for valentines day/ the weekend. I was 30miles from her college when I got pulled over on I-81. I wasn't speeding so I was a bit confused. The cop came up to me and I was very polite/respectful and after I handed him my liscense/registration he said I was pulled over because my exhaust was too loud. Now I was driving about 65-70mph in 5th gear around 3400rpms. My exhaust is a full 3inch and is louder than normal but at that speed in 5th gear its not all that loud. There were much louder vehicles on the road that night.

I couldn't understand why he would pull me over at 11pm on a thursday for a loud exhaust on the interstate! I believe that he saw me as an easy target being from Pa and 4 hours away from home. He told me I can come back to fight it or just pay the $91 ticket. The court date is on Tuesday March 18th and I am a full time student with a part time job so I could never make an 8 hour round trip on a Tuesday.

Now my question is if it is even legitimate to get a ticket from a state I'm not a resident in for having a loud exhaust on the intestate. He made no mention of a decibel reading or anything. I was pulled over in a suburban area two weeks ago for speeding (long story but I only got a warning) and the officer made no mention of a loud exhaust when it would have been a lot louder/troublesome at that time/place.

So do you think that this is something I would be able to fight? I would have to find a way to change the court date to something more practical but I feel that this is an unjust charge and I was simply being taken advantage of. I did nothing wrong and have never had a problem before but this officer saw a young out of state kid to harass. He even aked my age while staring at my liscense which I found to be pretty odd (I'm 19 by the way). My girlfriends mom has a lot oof connections with high class lawyers that I'm going to also get advice from but I would like to know what you think.

Sorry this is so long it just bothers me so much that I got a $91 ticket for doing nothing wrong when I was just trying to see my girlfriend for the last 1/2 hour of valentines day. Thanks for your time and help.

[Sarge]

If you can speak to a "High Class Lawyer" (funny I've never met one...oh well) Anyway if you can get advise from a lawyar on this it would be better then what I can tell you. Since I have no idea what the law for loud exhaust is in VA.

I would bet it would be less of a pain in the butt to pay it and be done with it unless you have a stock exhaust and its all BS then I would tell you to fight it in court.

[ScubaSteve]

My problem with paying it is that they don't deserve the money. Its the principle of it. This guy thinks he can hand out bogus tickets and get my money for it. It disgusts me that people think they can treat others this way and it has no place in the legal system. Who did he protect? What good did he do for the state of virgina other then raise revenue? I feel that I have to fight it so this guy wont think he can get away with treating me like a dollar sign.

Anway, I'm just ranting now. I appreciate your time and help and I'm gonna take your advice.