stingray

You need to request a copy of your police report. There is a great deal more to the ticket that he wrote you than the portion that he gave to you. In the police report, the officier will give many of the details surrounding the ticket. It will contain information as to how he came to notice your "infraction". If he based your speed on "pacing" he needs to detail when and where he began the pacing, how long he paced you and other interesting information. The information on the police report will form the basis of the State's case against you. You would be wise to know what they know before you begin to argue with them.

Virtigo

One time driving through Washington on a road trip I saw a trooper up ahead. I laid back and watched. A guy in the left lane creeped up on him. The office was cruising about 8 MPH over the limit. So the guy follows the office. Same exact speed for about 5 or 6 miles "seemed longer" Anyway out of nowhere a second officer speeds past us and gets on the dirvers 6 and pulls him over! Talk about a bait and switch or your basic speed trap!!!

saveur2

Well, it seems that the general consensus is that flashing is an acceptable practice.

I am doing some research on the local laws around here, and will indeed be filing for discovery shortly. thnx for the input everyone!

JRRSA

saveur2,

I have an electronic copy of the Chicago Tribune article that I referenced earlier in the thread on "Left Lane Slow Pokes." It's in the form of a jpeg file and I'm having problems posting it here. If you are interested in having a copy PM me your email address and I will send it to you.

Fred R. C4S

FWIW

At the end of the day, pay the fine and chalk it up to experience. in the future, check the license on the car you're about to pass and look for hidden flashing lights on the rear parcel shelf, on the dash, around the inside rearview mirror, or hidden in the front grill. And if you MUST pass on the right, ease by slowly and don't blast by at 85 mph. Oh, another thing, flashing lights to pass is even verboten on the autobahn. It's considered rude and bad driving behavior.

Life is short, take the time to enjoy the ride.


Cheers,

Kiko

Here's in Europe you flash in 2 different situations:
1.To warn people on the right lane you're going really fast (on the left lane) prevent the less cautious to move in front of you

2.To ask the driver in front to move over to the right in case he hasn't seen you but if you really want to be polite you use your left indicator first meaning you want to overtake by the left but he has to move to the right lane for you to do that...

JP Schnitzer

Alexander, Well stated as always. A good lawer, with a long working history with the DA is always helpful. Community service can be used as a bargaining tool to reduce the points if you are in jeapordy. These types of tickets are such total crap...has nothing to do with safety, protecting the public etc. AS makes the point the most speed limits are set at ridiculously low standards...It seems to me that most Porsches are safer at double the speed limits, than an SUV driving cell phone soccor mom traveling at the speed limit.

Fred R. C4S

about this very point when he pulled me over after I passed him in the right lane at a 1 mph differential. I pointed out to him that he had been all alone in the LH lane for 20 miles. I asked him about the recent "Keep right except to pass" campaign. He said, "We're exempt from that statute". I guessed I missed that detail in all the media hype over the renewed focus on LF lane bandits.

Cheers,

Woodster

A good traffic attorney in my neck of the woods costs
$1000 minimum, if you can fight it for $300 what have you got to lose?

MK

Virtigo

I do remember when I took my drivers test way back when that there was a law in California about when you should turn OFF your high beams. Oncoming car within XX feet and car in front of you within XXX feet. LOL

Actually don't know if it was a law but it sticks in my head from the driving school and I think it was on the DMV test. Maybe it was more of a suggestion. Flashing is a little different. But not in a technical basis.

Dock

Here's my "pacing" story.

I was driving with a pack of 15-20 cars on a 6 lane interstate...we were all hanging back from a Highway Patrolman that was in front of us driving along with no other cars around him. The officer slowly increased his speed until he was doing about 70 mph with a posted 55 mph speed limit (he didn't have any of his lights on). The "pack" maintained their distance, but had sped up, matching the officer's speed. All of a sudden the officer pulled over in the emergency lane, slowed down, and when the pack had passed him he pulled back on the road behind us (we had all slowed down to the speed limit). He worked his way up to behind me and turned on his lights. When he asked for my licence I asked him if he was responding to a call when he was doing 15 mph over the posted limit, and he said "No". He said he "paced" me *from in front*, and that I was doing 70 in a 55. I asked him if it was legal for him to speed when not responding to a call, just to see if the cars behind him would also speed, and he said "I can do anything I want".

I called the state headquarters to see if what the officer did was legal, and they told me "He can do anything he wants".

1AS

My 16 year old son has a story that captures both elements.
He was driving his (technically mine) Audi TT on a dark 4 lane, coming home from high school speech practice. He noticed a police car with lights out sitting in the median. In about a mile, a car with its brights on fell in behind him. To escape the glare, he sped up in the left lane to pass a car in the right. He then pulled in front of the slower car, when the car with brights on turned on the blue flashers.
The cop had actually baited him into speeding by keeping his brights on. My guess is he caught him on radar first, then caught up with his brights on to bump up the violation.
We got offered a $230 settlement thru the mail, no points, but contingent upon no violations for 12 months. Since he's had his license for 6, I don't know if he can do it. AS

Gary (Fl)

Actually in Clearwater Fl... They sit by the lights in cars or on bikes... They have installed white egg shaped lights under the traffic lights or on the walk signals.... These change at the same time the light goes red... The officers then position themselves in a not so obvious place where your focus would not be. By watching the white light change they know you just tried to get through the red as it changed.... They don't have to be in a position where they can see the actual light any longer.... You would not believe the tickets they give out in the morning rush hour... Talk about a money maker...

robertp

They really can do anything they want, until they are caught on video. Then, they come up with some reasoning as to why they behaved in that unlawful manner. And again, they can do anything they want.

saveur2

After doing some research I've found out that Washington recently allowed passing on the right lane of the freeway. Had I known this, I would've just moved over to the right without hesitation. I still think the drivers in both the US and Canada really need to relearn lane discipline/courtesy. And, they should ban cellphone use (unless it's handsfree) while the vehicle is in motion.

Actually, this brings up another point. Earlier the same day (I was on a road trip), I almost had another run-in with what might have been undercover/unmarked law enforcement. Similiar situation with me being in the left lane/passing, and slow car in the left. Basically, I was inching up behind this blue Ford Taurus, at around 75 ish (the zone was 70), and the driver was on his cellphone talking. I couldn't pass on the right because there was a truck boxing me in. So, I patiently wait for this guy to get off his phone, and for him to move over. Well, he doesn't move over. So I flash him ONCE. Then the guy SLAMS on his brakes, to the point where I saw his wheels lock up a bit and his car nosedives, then he moves over.

I just about **** my pants and I slam on my brakes (thank you, PCCB). My wife freaks out, I'm pissed, and I pull up next to him, and, naturally, gave him the finger. Now here is where it gets interesting. That ******* must have been some kind of law enforcement or something, because I can see him pulling out a small motorola handset (wireless type), and talking into it (not those dinky talk-abouts, but a stealthy black-looking unit). He was wearing a suit. My thoughts were 1) he was indeed LE, but off duty 2) he was FBI, but his car was not equipped with police lights 3) he is a wannabe cop/vigilante who've seen too many episodes of AMERICA'S MOSTED WANTED. Either way, I didn't get pulled over. Regardless, after I passed him, I decided to set the cruise control to 65, and coast (driving a yellow car makes being stealthy difficult). I figured if he was LE, he would've radioed the State Patrol or something. But nothing came out of it.

I have no problem with law enforcement whatsoever, but what I do have an issue with is the bait and switch tactics that they use, entrapment, and general abuse of authority. And this, was a case of abuse of authority. The guy was obviously holding up traffic in the left lane, talking on the cellphone at the same time, and tried to brake check me (thank you again, Porsche)?? And this is supposedly a LE officer? <lol rant off sorry>

I've come to realize that I have no trust in law enforcement these days, as it all boils down to economics. I will be hiring an attorney.