Pulled over for the first time in the 2002

[Mike_R]

Bummer, driving to no real destination and got pulled over by a motorcycle cop. Standard stuff , "I clocked you at 47 in a 35 and then 53 in a 40" as the speed limit increased. But after he took my info and came back to give me the bad news/good news, he actually gave me a ticket for "ignoring a traffic control device" essentially ignoring the speed limit sign(s) but not a speeding ticket! A $166 fine, but $100 bucks less in the Florida speeding fine and like I said NOT a speeding ticket. I figure I got off cheep and I was of course speeding , no question. I was wearing my new seat belts of course.

Merry Christmas

[fxtbass]

Me too by a momo cop for not wearing my seat belt! I only live one mile from work so never think of it for such a short drive. Also gave me crap for my collector plates. O well I've done way worse in that car so no biggie!

[eastsidebimmer]

My first and only ticket came at the wheel of my 68 2002 as I was driving over to IMS for the 2007 US Grand Prix. A motorcycle cop was hiding in the shadow of an overpass and just stepping out into the light and pointing at people to pull over....(IMHO, the crappiest way to get pulled over) They say I was going 73 in a 55 - I said-- "that's too bad, my speedo must be really off because I thought I was doing more like 80"

-=B

[wickstad]

Me too by a momo cop for not wearing my seat belt! I only live one mile from work so never think of it for such a short drive. Also gave me crap for my collector plates. O well I've done way worse in that car so no biggie!

What did he say about your collector plate? And what was your reply?

[Guest Anonymous]

Brings back memories of the most nitpickingnest ticket ever! Returning home from vacation with wife and 3 kids in my 74 02 just 2 miles from home in the left lane of I495. State cop motioned for me to pull over in the left hand emergency lane instead of the right hand shoulder lane. He walked around the car and then asked me what the reason was for him to pull me over. I told him I had no clue. It was for an expired state inspection sticker! Of course it did me no good when I told him how ridiculous and unsafe it was to not only stop me on the beltway but in the left hand emergency lane as well!

[dubois]

I have never gotten a ticket on my 02, knock on wood, been close. many times. I usually spot them when it is too late, I inmediately arch my back and assume a driving position of an old man, driving an old car, two hands on the wheel, a bored look in my face. I can see them, looking back and forth at me and their radar gun, with a puzzled look, they can't make heads or tails. I know what they must thinking, that car cannot go that fast, something wrong with the gun!

[thaddeussmith]

i've had one speeding ticket ..73 in a 40 and it was in my '76 2002.

[MikeWooldridge]

I was headed to Skips to meet with him and head on to Jasper when I encountered a cop in a small town. I was doing 45 in a 25 limit. He admired the car, checked my tags etc, and then asked my destination. When I told him we were going to burn up the twisties in and around Jasper, he told me he wasn't going to give me a ticket.

Since I wasn't going to get a ticket, I though it would be a good time to have my speedometer checked by the cop.

He said gladly, and we moved up the road to a 55 mph limit. I went cruising by him at 55, and he gave me the thumbs up.

Now, that was nice.

[Gordon]

Slow down everyone or buy a radar detector. The states, counties and cities are broke and writing tickets is an easy way to raise revenue. Look at the cost of a parking ticket these days. I had no tickets in 14 years and suddenly I get four in a 15 month period and all by the CHP and two were in my tii. All four were on two lane roads, first one was on a major state highway, last three were on rural county roads.

The first one I deserved, driving my tii 70 in a 55 zone on SH 154 in Santa Barabara county, CHP clocked me while coming toward me, officer did a U-turn to catch me. That cost me $2OO plus traffic school costs.

Second one, CHP clocked my 91 E30 65 in a 55 zone on a back country rural road in the middle of nowhere in San Luis Obispo county. CHP came over the hill and by the time I saw him, it was too late. Went to traffic court, got the fine reduced from $229 to $140 but one point on the record.

Third one, CHP was in an unmarked car several cars behind me in a row of cars, I passed a slow moving car on a rural SLO county road. CHP caught up with me several miles later to tell me he clocked me 65 while passing the slower car, so I was written for 65 in a 55 zone. I went to traffic court, got the fine reduced from $229 to $100 but another point on my record.

Fourth ticket, a CHP motorcycle cop is sitting on the side of a rural back country road in SLO county, clocks me in my tii 58 in a 45 zone but wrote the ticket up as a three over ticket, 58 in a 55 zone. I went to traffic court and told the judge that I needed to go to traffic school because I didn't want another point on my record. Since I went to traffic school a year earlier, the judge sent me to level II traffic school, i.e., "bad boy" driving school. That cost me another $229 plus the cost of traffic school.

So two of my tickets were for only 10 over and the other was three over, 10 over is common on the freeway in CA. I'm single handedly doing my part to reduce CA state budget deficit.

At traffic school, they even admit, it'a all about revenue now. I've learned to slow down on back country roads. I do admit I have too many bad habits which I attribute to living and driving in Germany, I like to go fast. Maybe Santa will realize I've been a good boy and I'll find a radar detector under the tree on XMAS day.

G-Man

[ArdenK]

I was wearing my new seat belts of course.

Did you mention that to the cop?

[fxtbass]

Me too by a momo cop for not wearing my seat belt! I only live one mile from work so never think of it for such a short drive. Also gave me crap for my collector plates. O well I've done way worse in that car so no biggie!

What did he say about your collector plate? And what was your reply?

He said I can't commute in the car with that plate. I started to tell him I was headed to my shop and he cut me off.

[Napes]

Re: Not using seatbelts when driving to my office 'cause it's only a mile away.

I do not put my car into gear without my belts on. Been in that habit since my first Porsche in 1959. Even find myself absent-mindedly doing it when backing my car out of the carport into the driveway to wash it.

Seems to me, what with teenage girls texting, etc. a whole lot of accidents could happen in a mile. Just because they haven't so far is just one of your Higher Power's gifts to you.

Bob Napier

[M3M3]

yep...does not matter if you are 10 ft or 10 miles from home. the same accident could happen. like you, my car does not go in gear without seat belt on.

actually, the safest place i have been in a car was on the race track. 6pt harness, roll cage, helmet, fire suit, HANS, fire system, all cars mostly going in same direction, all drivers competition licensed (bunch of which were my students), and you personally know the other drivers. all that and you get to go as fast as you want!

public roads are dang scary! gotta at least wear a seatbelt....

[BMWonly]

That reminds me of my first time ever being pulled over:

When I was living in Germany, about 20 or so years ago, I took my Opel GT to Italy to do some road biking. Had to remove the passenger seat to fit the bike inside the car. An Italian border patrol pulled me over, asked a few questions and let me go on. Seems like he was just checking out the cool car....

Dieter

[Brandon]

If you get a speeding ticket you should always fight it in court. Federal law states that posted speed limits should be set 5 mph above the average speed of all drivers on a particular road, over a given time period. This is supposed to be detirmed based on an engineering study done on the road. Most, if not all, posted limits are arbitrarily set because the engineering studies are either too expensive, or the community is looking to make money on issuing tickets by setting the speed limit too low. Always fight the ticket, if you loose appeal it!