OR speed tax appeal letter template

We recently received this letter which worked well enough to get the rider's OR (exessively high) speed tax reduced by half. Would seem to be worth the stamp, no?

Klamath County Circuit Court

318 Main Street

Klamath Falls, Oregon

97601

Re: Citation

Dear Sir/Madam,

On October 9, 2009, I was presented with a citation for exceeding the speed limit on Highway 97 south of

Klamath Falls, Oregon. This is an area of long distances between towns and cities, an area of tumbleweed

and high plateau stretching for miles in all directions. Some might describe it as 'a whole lot of nothing',

although if you live there, it's probably much more than that.

The two-lane highway is characterized by sweeping curves between long stretches of arrow straight

asphalt. It was a beautiful day, and I was cruising along on my motorcycle, hungry and headed for lunch

in Klamath Falls. I was in the middle of a 3-day trip from the San Francisco Bay Area back to my home in

Vancouver, B.C. Traffic was light, and I was still trying to get used to the 55 mile-per-hour Oregon speed

limit after riding for several days through California with its 65-70 mph limit. And your mind wanders

sometimes after riding for hours, and you don't pay constant attention to the speedometer.

When a patrol car appears heading toward you going in the other direction, you tend to refocus quickly. I

noticed my speed had picked up a bit, checked the mirrors to see the patrol car flipping a u-turn, and

figured he might be paying me a visit. It was a pleasant exchange.

Was I going over the speed limit? Yes. Was I driving in an unsafe manner? I don't believe so. I always

gave cars lots of room, never tailgated, used my signals, and didn't pass over double yellows, generally

following the rules of the road. Should I be fined for my violation? Probably, since the rules call for such

things. Is the fine of $287 fair? I think it's a bit excessive, especially for someone who hasn't received a

ticket of any kind in Oregon for as long as I can remember. I could understand if it was my second, third,

or fourth, maybe an escalating fee structure, but it does seem slightly harsh for a first time offence.

So, I am writing not to dispute the fact of my transgression, but rather to appeal for a reduction in my fine.

I will leave that up to whoever makes these decisions, and thank you for your time and consideration.