Monday, July 6, 2009

Setback - Got a speeding ticket

My wife and I were driving the freeway. I was going with the flow of traffic at about 76 mph in the fast lane (lane #1) when we came around a curve. There was a CHP. Everyone in front of me starting hitting their brakes. I pulled my foot off the gas pedal but people braking in front of me were slowing down faster than I was so I decided to change lanes. I put on my blinker checked that the middle lane (lane #2) was open and then I changed lanes.

As all of us passed the officer I saw him in my rear view mirror turn on his lights and speed onto the freeway. He came after me. Once he got behind me I pulled over off the freeway. He said he clocked me at 82 mph using Lidar (laser radar). He is mistaken. I told him I really disagreed with him giving me a speeding ticket since I was driving with the flow of traffic. I was only going 74 mph in a 70 mph zone. My wife agrees with me that I wasn't doing anything wrong and that I was not speeding - speed scares her for one thing and she'll always tell me to slow down when others are passing us by on the road.

Well, I told the officer I would fight the ticket. He said that he can't pull everyone over at the same time and that he has to pull over someone. I said I thought he pulled me over only because I was driving a sports car. He just repeated again that he has to pull someone over.

I told him that I think that sports car is a target and that our being the victim of a hit and run driver was proof along with the many times I have to swerve away from someone - usually a truck - that swerves into me. Just two days before receiving that ticket I had a minivan swerve into me on the freeway. The time I go that hit and run repair it cost me $1000 - $500 for insurance deductible and $500 for renting a car while my car was in the repair shop. I think people automatically assume that someone who drives a sports car is automatically an asshole and also has money to burn so they can and should pay for repairs, rentals and speeding tickets.

I consider speeding to be when someone passes me at 10+ mph over what I'm driving. When I'm not passing anyone else on the road and we're all driving the same speed - within 5 to 10 mph of the posted speed limit - then I dont think I'm speeding nor should I get cited when everyone else is driving the same speed.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all the great info, its been really helpful to me and my family. And goodluck with everything, I'll pray for you.