Be fast, furious and ticket-free

You're minding your own business as you drive down the interstate. The speed limit, as you know, is 65, but you're going with the flow of traffic and have decided to increase your speed to 75. Suddenly, you hear a siren and see the blue and red lights in your rear view. You get that sinking feeling and pull over for your ticket.

How could you have avoided this? Well, there are actually many ways that you could have that are actually legal. The following is your guidebook to avoiding and getting out of speeding tickets.

You may even want to rip it out and put it in your glove compartment. Believe me, you'll want to know these.

One of the biggest ways in recent years that people have tried to avoid tickets is with a radar scrambler. There is currently a huge market for radar detectors and they have even been outlawed in several states because of their popularity and the fact that they work.

There have also a good number of books that one can purchase that contain ways to avoid and get out of speeding tickets.

There are many techniques for avoiding speeding tickets. Don't drive in the fast lane if you can help it. Most cops watch the far left lane for speeders. Also, don't cut in and out of traffic, as it draws attention to your vehicle. Ideally, you should travel in the middle of a pack of cars that are going the same speed as you are. There is safety in numbers, and if anyone gets pulled over, it's going to be the guys in the front or back of the pack.

Another good piece of advice I've read is that you should stay around 18-wheelers or other trucks. This is because they not only usually have radar equipment, and use their radios to communicate with other trucks as to where speed traps are and where cops have placed their cars to nab speeding truckers.

You can even help avoid speeding tickets when you're not in your car. You'll find a database of frequent speed trap areas all across the country at http://www.speedtrap.com. If you see a common area where officers tend to form speed traps, you can also add it to the collection.

Another good idea is to go out and take that shiny vanity license plate off the front of your car. It actually makes it easier for police radar to nail your car because of its surface. Also, for those of you with sporty or bright-colored cars, you've made it easier for yourself to be spotted because you stand out and look like someone who would speed.

So what if you've been pulled over? You can still help yourself and even drive away without a ticket. Turn your turn signal on to indicate that you see the officer and you're pulling over. Some of the most basic advice is to stay calm and be polite when the police officer approaches your car. Since approaching a car is pretty nerve racking for most officers, put the officer at ease by putting your hands on the steering wheel and holding your license and registration in your left hand.

I have heard from various people that using a basic argument process works in getting out of a speeding ticket. First, acknowledge that you are in the wrong and were speeding. Don't try to lie because the officer knows you were and if you deny it, you're just digging your hole deeper. Step two is making some sort of excuse or plea to the officer. Finally, step three is repeating your question again. Here's an example:

"Officer, I'm aware that I was speeding, but I'm really in a hurry to get to a meeting and I can't be late. Now, do you think you could let me off just this once?"

It sounds pretty basic I know, but I've heard it works and have talked to people who have gotten off many times with this simple process. However, I've also read in various places that admission of guilt is a very bad idea and most officers don't want to hear excuses that they've heard so many times before.

So what if you're a hopeless speeder, have tried all the techniques listed above, and still gotten a ticket? Not to worry, my friend. You can still save face. As for contesting a ticket, it's usually not a good idea. To even contest, it can be more than $150 plus lawyer fees and the time you spend filing the complaint, preparing your testimony, and going to court.

Your best bet is as follows: There have been many people that swear by the following technique to make sure points do not get added to your license. Say, for example, that your ticket for speeding or running a red light was for $75. Instead, send a check for $80. The system will send you a check back for $5. The trick is that instead of cashing the check, you throw it away.

Because of this, your file in the system is incomplete and the points will never get added to your license. Yet, since they have gotten their money, they will not bother you anymore.

That's right. There are many ways that you can cheat the system without actually cheating. Now you can speed all you want and if you do it right, or even if you get a ticket, you can walk away without even a slap on the wrist.