I was riding from the south end South City by way of the freeway cruising at about 70 mph. It's amusing how people give you plenty of room as I can see all of the traffic behind which won't pass a motor cop on the freeway, especially since the typical traffic travels at around 75 mph or faster (hey remember this is California).
I know some drivers behind me are chomping at the bit and wondering when the hell am I going to take an exit off of the freeway so they can drive their usual 75+ mph. I figure there is always one in every group. I bump my speed up to 75 mph to see if there are any "takers" who want to keep up.
Initially the traffic became smaller in my rearview mirrors and then I feel a nibble..... Fish On! I see an SUV leaving the group of cars behind me. When I drive upon the white painted diamond (carpool lane) in the #1 lane or far left lane I begin to count (thinking about that All State Insurance commercial for the 3 second rule).
I get to the count of three when I see the SUV in my rearview mirror drive across the diamond. I repeat this for a couple of more diamonds and see that the SUV is keeping pace with me as I twist the throttle a little more and bump it up to 80 mph.
Sure enough, the SUV is keeping 3 seconds behind me. So I let off the throttle and move over to the lane to my right so the SUV can pass. I slowed down to 65 mph as the SUV matched my speed. After I slowed to 55 mph the SUV finally passes me. I pull behind it and turn on the pretty red and blue flashing lights.
After stopping the car I asked the driver if she knew why I stopped her. She was honest and replied "for speeding". She was honest enough to even admit that she was going 80 mph. I asked her if she knew she was following a police motorcycle. She said she thought so but wasn't sure.
Unlucky for her that I had taken off my jacket which has the word POLICE emblazoned on the back just before jumping on the freeway.
Because of her honesty I cited her for 75 mph in a posted 65 mph zone instead of the 80 mph she had been keeping pace with me.
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Uh-huh, did you also write yourself a ticket for knowingly and willfully breaking the statutory state maximum speed limit, since you obviously were NOT responding to an emergency that required lights and siren?
ReplyDeleteTo accelerate above the speed limit and then cite somebody else for breaking the same law as you just did is a perfect example of hypocrisy that gives police officers a bad name they don't deserve.
And unless you are completely clueless, you should know that the fine is exactly the same for 75mph and 80mph in a 65 zone, so your "break" was just an insulting joke.
If you have any decency as a human being, you should nolle prosse the ticket, and if that's not possible, at least file a correction with the court to change it to something like a cell-phone violation since it's lower fine and no points.
And did you write yourself a ticket too? Since you were the first one who was speeding? No???
ReplyDeleteI didn't think so.
Actually 15 mph and over and the fines go up substantially, and to falsify a legal document and cite someone for something they didn't do would be something that I think even you could guess the outcome. I've had several of these taken to court by the defendants and I've stated in my testimony what I did as well as other officers from other police agencies who have done the same thing.
ReplyDeleteSo I think some sort of legal precedence has been set when they are found guilty.
By the way did you know it's okay for the police to use a ruse or even to outright use some form of trickery or deception.
And no, I didn't write myself a ticket.
Dude you "Rock".
ReplyDeleteAnd while I understand the right ot use a ruse or trickery - that does NOT include breaking the law themselves!!! As you admitted to here. So, go back to feeling smug and self righteous, knowing that you gavge someone else a ticket - for the exact same violation you committed.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, Honking Antelope is right (except about changing to a cel violation).
ReplyDeleteIf I were the defendant I would go to court and say that I assumed I was doing the speed limit (regardless of what my speedometer read) because I was following a policeman who was presumably following the law.
Are you guys serious? Wow.
ReplyDelete===
2WT, one of my favorite things to do when there is a police-induced backup as you describe is to use my truck to shield the squad car or motor from view of other traffic. Inevitably, someone weaves up through traffic, frustrated at the delay and ready to punch it into the open when they get up there. Once in a while, I am able to hide the officer long enough and then move up/change lanes at just the right time, that zippy races on out in front from the far right lane before figuring things out. Priceless.
Not sure if my last reply attempt went though or not, but here it goes again!
ReplyDeleteTake a few minutes to consult the California Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule @ http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/documents/2010_jcbail.pdf
Once you do that, you will see that the total bail amount for minor speeding violations, including VC22349a for which you cited the driver above, is graduated in the following speed brackets (assuming no priors, which add a straight $10/prior):
1-15mph excess speed, INCLUSIVELY: $211
16-25mph: $331
26mph or more: $445
In other words, the fine for 81 in 65 is $130 more than the fine for 80 or 75 in a 65 zone. Also, note that the above amounts do not reflect the additional court fee and other expenses if the defendant elects to attend traffic school (typically adds up to $75 or so).
Any questions? Maybe the court that most of your cases go to imposes different fines and reduces fines for violations 10mph or under, but the above bail schedule is what the vast majority (all) of courts in CA go by when sending the courtesy notice to the defendant with the requested donation amount.
Greetings,
ReplyDeleteI am emailing you because I enjoyed your blog and would like to feature your site by adding a permanent link to your blog on my three blogs, “Kindergarten Cop, Officer Friendly and Watch Dawg Tally” and request that you do the same.
About Me:
My name is Dustin Brock. I am currently a 7-year veteran sworn law enforcement officer working as a Deputy Sheriff for the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in North Florida. I also have a 4-year B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice from the Univ. of West Florida.
I have just started out doing my own blogs and am kind of enjoying it. I want to increase my networking in law enforcement through these blogs. If you could, visit my blogs and give me some critiques. I would really appreciate it. Here is a list of my blogs:
http://kiddiecop.blogspot.com/
http://watchdawgtally.blogspot.com/
http://cordialcop.blogspot.com/
People just don't get it; sometimes law enforcement has to break the law to make the world a safer place. I doubt many would complain about the police buying drugs in order to take down a drug cartel...
ReplyDeleteYou oughta be grateful you haven't been visited by Cleanville Tziabatz, who's been annoying both Krupke and MC on their blogs. Punk-ass crater-face uses his student ID photo for his profile and thinks he has more legal knowledge than Perry Mason and Matlock combined.
ReplyDelete