Excellent insights all. I, too, have learned that cops always travel in pairs. If you're in the middle of the desert and you see a cop, do not take your speed back up until you see the second one. The light trick is pretty common too, and is used just to get the guys that think they're safe. I've also seen them in the crossover between two sides on the interstate apparently ready to tag traffic going the other way. Woops, that particular crossover is wide enough for an instant u-turn. I know a cop that always targets the guy in the 'rocking chair' because, in his words, "if someone is that chicken***t, he is the one who should get the ticket." It's a jungle out there and we're the prey.

As to fighting the ticket. You're a college student. Make the time. At your age you will pay for that ticket five times in insurance premiums, and if there's a one-in-three chance the cop won't show, you're way ahead of the game. All the other advice is good and works. Another approach is to appear ready to fight and nicely and make an offer to the City Attorney/DA to pay the fine without fighting the ticket so long as its reduced to a parking, that might work too. That always works in Vegas if there's no accident. Over my life I've received at least a dozen moving violations, and just by showing up I have had no points on my license since 1977. And you likely don't need a lawyer for any of this.

As to the fellow in Ontario, I used to commute between a residence near Detroit and a summer home an Lambton. The OPP are drop dead brutal.