I got nabbed!!! ARGHHH!!!

[viperct2001]

Ok, so I'm driving back from a car show in NJ this past Sunday on the Merritt Parkway in the left lane of a 2-lane highway doing about 65mph in a 55mph going with the flow of traffic. It was a gorgeous sunny day so I had the top down (extra inconspicious mode)

I'm going up a steep incline when all of a sudden the cars in front of me start braking pretty hard. Rather than brake as well, I decide to move over to the right lane which was completely clear.

I then see a police cruiser on the right-hand shoulder in plain view - and hit my brakes and slow down to 60mph. My Valentine1 doesn't go off, so I know I haven't been clocked on radar and there is no need to slow down to 55mph. However, every car in the fast lane "overbrakes" and slows down to 50mph since they are scared to death of the cruiser.

Thus, the end result is that I pass about 4-5 cars on the right because everyone else slows down to UNDER the speed limit. (this fact is important for later)

Now I know the officer sees a bright shiny red Viper passing by doing 60mph, so I think to myself "Well, glad I wasn't speeding, but just in case he decides to follow me, I should take it easy."

So I stay around 65-70mph in the fast lane (going with flow of traffic) for several miles and am just 2 exits away from my exit.

I look in my rear view mirror and low and behold there's a police cruiser behind me with it's lights on.

I look down at speedometer and see I'm doing about 68mph. I think to myself "Don't even tell me I'm getting singled out. Maybe the officer is on an emergency call? I speed up a bit so I could get in the next available gap in the right lane to allow the officer to pass. I pull into the right lane and check my side mirror to see if the officer passes.

Instead of passing, the officer slows down and waits for a gap between me and the car behind me so he can cut in and get behind me.

D-amn, he is after me I said to my passenger.

Finally, the cop gets behind me, and I try to find a spot to pull over. Anyone that drives on the Merritt knows that there is no emergency break-down lane, so it took me about 1/2 a mile to find a safe spot to pull over. Impatient cop hit his "blare horn" or whatever it's called that makes a quick obnoxious sound. In order words, "Pull the f- over now!"

So I pull over onto some grass and wait for the officer. I look to my passenger side where the officer was now standing and realized it was a female officer.

"Great, a female officer, now I know I'm screwed," I though to myself. No sexism intended. It's just that I think male cops appreciate the Viper and don't give out speeding tickets for going 68 in a 55mph. Male cops may pull you over, but just give you a warning and ask inquisitive questions about the car.

But I knew a warning was not in the cards today...

She says "I clocked you doing 75 or 80mph".

"Which is it? 75 or 80mph? I though to myself. But I decided to be polite and say "Actually I was only doing 65-70mph."

She says "Well, I saw you passing people on the right and you didn't use your turn signal."

What the F? Yes she did see me pass 4-5 cars when I first came upon her cruiser. But gimme a break. I did this when everyone in the fast lane slowed down to 50mph, resulting in me passing them on the right.

She comes back later and says "Well I'm giving you a ticket for doing 75mph and for passing cars on the right. I also could have given you a ticket for not using your turn signal."

Geez, don't do me any favors! $298 dollars - that's highway robbery, no pun intended!

What ****** me off is she pulled me over over 5 miles down the road from where she was stationed. She waited for me to make another infraction (speeding) before she pulled me over. She no doubt had seen me pass her, she quickly got on the highway, tailed me from a distance, and then waiting for me to make an infraction before moving in for the kill to cite me for 2 infractions

I have a lot of respect for police officers. In fact I've even received a speeding ticket warning from an officer when I had just broken 1,000 "break-in" miles on my Viper and was going pretty fast to "test it out". But he was very cool about it. When I said to him "you could have bragged to your buddies that you snagged a Viper" and he even replied, "Yeah, well it is a Viper. Have a nice day."

Why can't all cops be this cool?

I'm fighting this sucker. Any suggestions?
a) she didn't have me on radar
b) she singled me out and followed me for 5 miles. (proving that might be tough though)
c) I passed cars on my left that were slowing down. What was I supposed to do? Hit my brakes to equal the speed of everyone in the fast lane? Ridiculous!

I can't believe she wrote me up for passing on the right. I think she knows if I fight it that the prosecutor is less likely to drop 2 charges. She knows the prosecutor will drop 1 charge and leave me with paying a fine on the other.

How much do traffic attorneys cost anyway?

 

[joe117]

I think you are stuck.
I don't know if she can just testify what speed she thinks you were going based on how fast she was going, but she might be able to do that.

Singling you out isn't going to be any defense. She was trying to catch you for the passing/signal violation when she "clocked" you.

It's not right, it's unfair, she's a ****, welcome to Viperworld.

 

[BlueGTS]

You have no power. They can lie and you have to live with it. It is a very hard pill to swallow. I have done it in the past and it hurts.

 

[SUN RA KAT]

Each month she will bleed for your sins.

 

[Gerald]

I dont understand..... You were out of the deputy's sight... How can they prove it was you?
Also if she is giving you a ticket on following you at clocking you, look into the law, I think they have to follow you for a certain amount of distance?

Gerald

 

[MULE]

This might help. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. I have a few friends on the force, and that's where iI get this tip. Find out what shift this officer works. Make sure you get a court date during her shift. Make excuses like work or something until you get a court time during her shift. If the officer doesn't show, the case is thrown out (at least that's how it works in Ohio). Most officers have to make a lot of arrangements to make the court date. My friends hate showing up in court. If she does show at least you have caused her some frustration as well.

There has to be some officer/owners here. I've never had to try this (carry a nice shiney badge in my wallet) does it work?

 

[viperct2001]

>>I dont understand..... You were out of the deputy's sight... How can they prove it was you?

Well, she didn't have me on radar if that's what you are asking. She was using the speedometer "estimation" method. Though I will say it's kinda hard to miss a bright red RT-10 on a sunny day even if she was clocking me visually from 1/4 mile back.

>>Also if she is giving you a ticket on following you at clocking you, look into the law, I think they have to follow you for a certain amount of distance?

Not sure I can win the "distance argument". I think she must have followed me for 5 miles, cuz it was a LONG time from when I saw her parked until when she pulled me over.

Actually I take that back. It probably took her 5 miles just to catch up to me! Assuming she didn't do 120mph to chase me down, she probably was doing 80mph. Considering I was doing close to 80mph, it would take quite a bit of time to catch up to me.

Also, it was pretty heavy traffic at the time. I remember thinking to myself when I saw her parked: "If I was speeding and she clocked me on radar speeding it's going to take her 10 minutes just to find an open gap to get off the grass, merge onto the highway and chase me. By then, I'll be long gone!"

Also, I wasn't checking my rear-view mirror too regularly, so didn't see her until she was right behind me.

I did speed up to about 70-75mph so I could get over and let her pass. G-d I hope that's not why she wrote me up for 75mph. That's even more ridiculous than the "passing on the right" BS.

By the way, is it really "illegal" to pass on the right-hand lane of a two-lane highway? I assume the officer knows her statutes, but considering I see people pass people on the right ALL THE TIME, it just seems ludicrous that she gave me a ticket for that. It's probably one of those laws that just isn't enforced unless the officer wants to be a hard-as-s.

Any lawyers here?

 

[motomike]

Were you in Connecticut at the time cause CT still has a law on the books that saids "It's illegal to pass on the right". And they can apply that law wish they want. Speeding up when you're ahead of the cop even to get over didn't help matters. Sorry to say, you've been nabbed.

 

[gtsviper]

I know you're not gonna like this but IMO you are going down! From reading your post, you admitted you were going 10 over the posted limit of 55. Then when you see the cop, you move right to pass without signaling WITH THE COP WATCHING YOU. Then with the cop behind you, you continue at an admitted 13 MPH over the limit! All the other knuckleheads slowed down and showed their respect. You dissed her! Adding insult to injury, when the cop stops you, you ADMIT to the cop that you were doing 10 to 15 over the limit of 55. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? That's what's known as an admission against interest. The flow of traffic defense will not get you out of this one. Finally, If I am not mistaken, radar detectors are illegal in CT. That would have cost you another $399 when she confiscated the Valentine! Consider yourself lucky she didn't find it. I suggest you try to negotiate to reduce the ticket and fine and promise to never do it again! BTW, was the cop cute?

 

[viperct2001]

>>All the other knuckleheads slowed down and showed their respect.

Actually I did slow down. I just didn't slow down to UNDER the speed limit. I was doing 60mph at time I passed her. That's not enough reason for her to covertly get on the highway and wait for me to speed. (which 95% of Viper owners admit will do at one point or another on a 75 degree sunny day) It was a bound to happen! Anyway, passing her at 60mph wasn't when she nabbed me for anyway.

>>Then with the cop behind you, you continue at an admitted 13 MPH over the limit

Not arguing that I was speeding - I was. I admit that. I disagree with her 80mph initial assertion and then writing me up for 75mph only because I argued with her for a bit. I was actually going about 68mph. That's at least an extra $75 I will be paying for the 7mph she added to the ticket.

Thus, the reasons I have a problem with the officer:
1) Leaving her speed-trap just to chase a sports car that WAS doing the speed limit at the time. (she obviously has a problem with $75K sports cars)
2) tailing me on my bumper so D-MN close which of course made me nervous and want to get out of her way as soon as possible. So yeah, I didn't use a turn signal.(fortunately she was "nice" enough not to give me a ticket for the turn signal)
3) writing me up for 7mph more than what I expected
4) I passed cars on the right with a difference of maybe 2-5mph. It wasn't like I was blowing by the cars on the left with a cop in full view. I just let off the gas and coasted - why waste gas braking? Or why waste the precious Viper brake pads on a cop sitting on the side of the road with no radar on?

>>If I am not mistaken, radar detectors are illegal in CT.

Nope, that was at least 10 years ago when they were illegal. They are legal now.

She didn't see the V1. It was hidden.

>>BTW, was the cop cute?

Actually no. I mistook her for a man at first. Short cropped hair.

>>I know you're not gonna like this but IMO you are going down!

Wanna lay a wager?
I will beat this thing!

ok, maybe not... Honestly, I wasn't trying to pretend I wasn't guilty. Rather I was just looking for some Viper "brotherly love" to commiserate with and to quote Clinton hoping some Viper brothers would write, "I feel your pain..."

I was in the wrong, but just not as wrong as she wrote me up for.

She should have just given me a 70mph ticket and I wouldn't have fought it. But her "over the top" BS will make me fight this in court. Win or lose, it's the principle of the thing.

 

[Tusc]

Just sign the denial line on the back and send it in. 60/40 it gets nollied and no court date. If you DO go to court, it shouldn't be tough to argue out of it or at least not get points on the license. I would go in and admit that I passed the people on the right to avoid hitting them, but say that you were NOT speeding and recall the woman's inability to accurately get your speed.

Next time pay more attention to the mirrors so they don't sneak up on you and stick their baton between your balls the way she did with you.

I feel your pain about there being nowhere to pull over on the Merritt. My vette broke down one night north of 62 when the MAF crapped out and had the column lock kick in on me in the same area at the gas station. The gas station wasn't so bad, but when the MAF went I was in a spot where the woods came tight to the road in front of me and there was a steep grade on my right. Not the safest place, but better than being in the north end of Hartford.

As to Missy Law, "I don't trust anything that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die."

 

[snowmann]

I am not sexist, but female cops are the WORST. One time I was going 63 in a 55 and I saw the cop and didn't slow down since I really wasn't going that fast. Well she pulls me over and says "Did you know you were going 63 in a 55", I said "yea, that sounds right". Well without saying anything the [******] writes me a ticket for going 8 over!!! ***!!! I think every ticket I have gotten is from a female, I don't understand why that is, but if I get pulled over by a female I will get a ticket 5 minutes later.

 

[gtsviper]

I do feel your pain. Years ago, I was stopped by a Westchester County Parkway cop. I had just moved from TX and couldn't register the Vette I had because I didn't have a letter from the Bank saying it was ok. While waiting for the letter, the registration expired. The cop writes me for the expired registration and proceeds to call a tow truck to tow the car away. He put me and my German Shepherd in the back seat of the police car and dropped me off at the next exit at a payphone. Now that's getting screwed.

 

[Toby]

I had a part time female cop work for me a few years ago. She worked weekends and a few hours in the evening after her full time job with me.

She said she would give tickets out depending on her mood. If she was pissed then she would empty her ticket book...if she was happy...she wouldn't even care if you passed her doing 80.

She also said she would never give a ticket out to another cop, firefighter etc.

I enjoyed firing her as at that moment..I owned her donkey's butt.

 

[Moundir]

I feel for ya man, that is total bs My v1 saved me last week from a state trooper. I had a feeling he was pissed he didnt get me since he figured I was speeding and had a radar dedector, so I'm driving the speed limit for another 2 miles when the sob flies by me with his radar on If they dont get you inatially they will follow from distance hoping to nab you. That is why when you speed you should always go around 90mph cause most cops will not pace higher than 85mph

 

[Snakester]

Cops DO target high profile cars. It's easier to justify that a Viper was speeding than a Hyundai Excel.

About two years ago I had a Corvette and I was doing literally around 68MPH on a five lane freeway in the second lane over.
I had a SUV in front and in back going the same speed, and other cars passing us in the fast lane. And the cop singled me out to pull me over.

What upset me was that he said that I was going 85MPH!, and gave me a "break" with a 75MPH ticket. He seemed like a ****, so I wasn't going to argue with him.

I ended up going to traffic school.

Just last week I merged into the freeway and there was some old guy in the slow lane going like 45MPH with no traffic in front of him. So I pulled into the second lane and eased past him (probably hit 85 or so) and went back into the slow lane and slowed down. Then in my rear view mirror there was a motorcycle cop with his lights on. So I signalled that I was taking the exit and felt like crap.

But then I noticed that he was not taking my exit and as he passed he made this gesture with his hand like he was holding a pea between his fingers, which I guess meant that I missed getting a ticket by a VERY small margin.

Boy was I relieved!

You are in a tough spot because of all of the circumstances, but I have had more than half of the tickets that I've fought thrown out because the ticketing cop was too busy to show up for the court date.

It depends on what you want. It might be easiest to take traffic school, if that's an option.

-Dean.

 

[GTSTF]

now that i post this, i'll hex myself. i don't think all cops target high profile cars. i was crusing on the highway a couple weekends ago - doing a bout 95 with a Honda - no racing, just cruising around, when we fly by a trooper pulled off to the side. i never hit my brakes in these cases because then the cop will see your brake lights go on and that's an admission that you were speeding. i just lay off the throttle and slow down to about 80 and i see that the cop is now after us. long story short - the honda gets pulled over. i think it's because i was driving my Viper that i got off. just my .02

 

[dancojax]

My advice -- hire a lawyer!
I used to be one - (not a member of the bar here now since I moved).Just don't practice anymore.
Your insurance company won't understand - just a computer anyway. Your increase in insurance costs will go a long way toward the cost of the lawyer.
It doesn't matter what the truth is, assuming the cop has been on the stand before and has been made the fool during cross-examination. They learn from the first time, and never get caught that way again -- just like young lawyers that think (wrongly) the perjury gets punished.
Best example of the lying was a comment made by a ViperDays participant Defendant(Last month at Mid-Ohio) -- "after the cop got done testifying, I thought that story was very interesting, I just wish I had been there to see all that stuff"
Your attorney can USUALLY negotiate a much lighter charge - I always tried for 'no ops' (No valid driver's license in the driver's possession -- same as left my wallet on the dresser this morning) and a heafty fine. The prosecutor is happy because you didn't get my with anything; the cop is happy because you paid a fine; and you are happy because your license doesn't get any points.
If you just pay, you get points and when you REALLY need help because your license is going to get pulled due to points, it's difficult to negotiate due to the oppressive 'record' of past violations.

 

[RonC]

Here is my humble opinion....

You can try to fight it yourself in court. You will lose. In my experience (and I have had plenty), the cop can and will and I mean WILL lie in court if they need to get the kill. I have seen it several times (last time was Sept 2002). The only way you may counteract a cop lying is with a witness and even that is questionable. The way traffic courts are run in AZ, the cop can and will counteract anything you say with anything they can make up to make you look like a fool. The court almost always believes them. Remember they do this all the time, you show up once every few years. The deck is stacked against you. Get a lawyer.

Ron

 

[GTSTF]

this is turning into a forum discussed at length last year. in illinois at least, a cop can say you were doing ANY speed and not have to back it up with any radar reading or anything. it happened to a friend of mine and when i asked some cop friends of mine, they told me that it's the cop's word that's important. odds are you go to court, pay a fine and get supervision and no points against you.

 

[CitySnake]

I drive the Merrit all the time. Wonderful road! Never got stopped though. The worst part is the beginning 10 miles where they've been doing construction for what seems like years and they keep the speed limit at 40mph even when there is no work going on!

Anyway, I know/have used an excellent traffic attorney in NYC. I'm not sure if he handles cases in CT but I'm sure that he could refer you to someone. You might also try the Car and Driver web site which has a VERY informative "speeding" forum. There's a lot of highway cops that seem to post there. Here it is:
http://forums.caranddriver.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum&f=3
Good luck. Hopefully, it will wind up just as a $ fine with no points.

 

[silverviper]

You admit to speeding at least 10-15 mph over, perhaps more while passing. You admit to passing cars on the right, while still speeding, past a cop car on the shoulder. You admit to changing lanes without a signal.

Why not take responsibility for your actions?

 

[viperct2001]

>>You admit to speeding at least 10-15 mph over
Yup. sure do. But I don't admit to doing 80mph or 75mph. I was doing 68mph.

>>Perhaps more (speeding) while passing
No I thought I clarified - I was NOT going fast while passing. I was doing 60mph and passed cars on my left that were doing 50mph when the series of 3-4 cars slammed on their brakes. I guess I could have "boot licked" the cop and showed her some respect by braking as well. Well F that! This is America, not a Gestapo state! I'll brake when I'm doing 80mph or above, not when I'm doing 60mph.

>>You admit to passing cars on the right
Yup. The other cars braked causing me to pass on right. Look, don't even tell me you haven't been on a highway where the right lane moves faster than the left lane, such as when there is heavy traffic. So you mean to tell me the people in the right lane should slow down to match the speed (or lower) of the people in the left lane? C'mon, get real! There are instances when the right lane will move faster - accidents, dumb people going slow in the fast lane, etc.

>>while still speeding, past a cop car on the shoulder.
No, I did NOT speed past the officer. I coasted past her doing 60mph. If 60mph in a 55mph is speeding, we may as well all sell our Vipers, cuz we'd never get to drive them on the highway without being harassed. Nobody does 55mph. Technically 60mph is speeding, but I've yet to know someone that was pulled over by an officer for 5mph over the speed limit.

So you are mistaken - I didn't speed PAST her. I did however increase my speed up to 68mph 5 miles down the road where she later supposedly clocked me. Perhaps you sped read my original post? (no pun intended)

>>You admit to changing lanes without a signal.
Yup. Was startled by the officer being just 3 inches from my bumper with lights a blazing. I tried to get over as quickly as possible. Understandable under the circumstances, don't you think?

Boy, some people just love to incite, get people's goat or start a flame war. I'll never understand these personality types.

 

[Bonkers]

First off on dual highways there is no enforceable law in the US saying passing on the right is illegal. I did a research project and may still have the NHSTA paperwork on it if you have doubts. Its only illegal in MOST states to pass on the shoulder and that's still a fuzzy law. So you can wipe that one off.

Singling out is not an abuse of power by cops. All she has to say is that you were the first car she noticed. Case closed.

Unfortuantly you were speeding and even admited it so I wouldn't hold your breath on that one either.

If it were me - I'd fight it to the sup court solely on principal. Tickets are a basis of revenue and if every viper owner in the country fought every single ticket to the max (read: make tickets unprofitable)I think you'd see a very sudden drop in Viper tickets...

 

[GR8_ASP]

Not slowing to within the speed limit while passing a cop on the side of the road is just asking for it. Especially if the surrounding traffic had slowed. You stood out, not only because you were going faster than the surrounding traffic, but also because you were in a Viper.

When the cop approached you, you "sped" up to merge to the right. I am confused. You were 13 mph above the speed limit and in order to merge you increased to 75 mph (20 mph above the limit). Right in front of a cop? I hate to say it but you deserved to get a ticket. You showed absolutely no respect.

Going 20 mph more than the speed limit directly in front of a cop is not being singled out, it is just plain stupid. Sorry, but that's what I think.

 

[V10 MOJO]

fight it. first mistake you made was being passive, im not saying tell the cop to stick it but first thing is to politely ask to see the device and the alleged speed indicated. if she/he refuses to show or cannot show then you will likely get off, period. i personally would still plead not guilty and say your piece in court but thats just me. this is merely from my personal experiences with tickets so perhaps its different where youre at. ive beaten over a dozen tickets in court, (two by airplane) by either demanding to see the device indicating my speed and or pleading not guilty and the cop not showing up on trial date. IMO, its worth it to fight it.