Reading C5 posts about tickets and my luck, what would happen?

[steeleshark2]

Originally Posted by Comrando

When there are vehicles stopped on the shoulder your options are to slow down or move over.
It is a safety issue. You have no idea why they are there.
Your best response is to slow and merge and keep your eyes peeled.

He said "Now there is a hill traffic is coming down (flowing with the downward slope of the on-ramp), I look over my shoulder while merging left and see an oil tanker right in my lane. I speed up. 65, 70, he is at least going 72 off that downhill and I'm boxed in.

There are two headlights behind him."
He would probably have had to almost stop to find a safe space to merge. As stated before, merging in at slow speed is not safe.

[nightshift]

Originally Posted by mattbatt

I'm not thrilled at all with CA - smog, gun laws, traffic laws and no dialog or understanding with CHP officers. Glad he didn't ask to see my CAI!

Been in municipal law enforcement for a large agency is SOCAL for 13 years &.......I couldn't agree more. BTW, if your CAI is CARB approved, it's legal. If it passes the visual on smog, it's most likely legal.

[SILVERHAWK]

Originally Posted by mattbatt

Within a few hours no less! My attitude probably should not of been 'holier than thou' as I thought to myself, "these people get what they deserve!"
I'm in my 20's, driven over 200k miles, never had a speeding ticket (that stuck) and have had my 2011 ss for a few months. I've been pulled over for various fix it tickets before (never in my SS) and am always respectful.

One speeding ticket last year occurred at night, similar place, I was clocked in my acura for 85 in a 65, but someone passed me and the CHP was in opposite lane of freeway 1,000 feet up on a hill, crossed divider pulled me over. My speedometer said 72. I fought it, petitioned for radar calibrations, CHP officer never showed up . People make mistakes, I was mad at that one, but everything worked out.

In both cases, I've never had an officer reduce the speed or even tell me why he pulled me over. They just say "sign here." That is fine, I don't ask for any leniency.

I will fight this one in court however.

On to the event:
10PM I was going down an on ramp, pretty steep like a roller coaster, that hits the freeway with a left hand merge. At the point of merge, you hit a hill.

While going down, I hit my brights just to see everything in front, knowing there are speed traps in them thar hills! haha.

Sure enough, I see a reflecting glimmer ahead of me at the end of the on ramp.

Two CHP's are down there, facing opposite ends of each other -they must be talking to one another - but they are almost in the road. My entire shoulder is taken up.

At this point, I'm at 60 mph and looking at them, half way down the on-ramp.

Now there is a hill traffic is coming down (flowing with the downward slope of the on-ramp), I look over my shoulder while merging left and see an oil tanker right in my lane. I speed up. 65, 70, he is at least going 72 off that downhill and I'm boxed in.

There are two headlights behind him.

I have two options: slam on brakes now, wait for both to pass or accelerate to get in front but also create enough distance so as the big rig does not brake or swerve, potentially causing harm to the vehicle behind him.

Remember, I have no shoulder because two CHP's are there.

This is directly from the DMV driver's handbook:

• Do not stop before merging into freeway traffic unless absolutely necessary.
• Don’t try to squeeze into a gap that’s too small. Leave yourself some room for safety.

I decide to accelerate, not jam the gas or downshift, but get safely in front.

I do, and when I look at HUD I see 75 MHP. We start climbing the hill and I'm already at 62MPH, getting ready to pull over.

Sure enough I do, I figure 10 over is not too bad, they both saw my predicament, they probably just want to check everything out, make a typical stop.

Well, he tells me: 1. 87mph (after I ask). That is hard to believe because I saw them while at 60mph, saw my HUD once I was on the freeway. Why would I speed in front of CHP's? Not happy. 2. No front license plate.

So again, I'll contest. I'm going to take pics of the scene, serve the CHP for radar calibrations and go to court.

For the fix it ticket, anyone have some advice for a front plate that won't make my car too ugly? Shameful CA laws.

Finally, what would you of done? I'm not thrilled at all with CA - smog, gun laws, traffic laws and no dialog or understanding with CHP officers. Glad he didn't ask to see my CAI!

Well, if the officers were using LIDAR then you are screwed. Never been much on old time Radar. I'm going to have to say that you goosed the throttle a little more than you realized in order to outrun the tanker in the lane you wanted to get in. If he is at 72 and you had to get out in front of him only going 75 isn't going to get it done on a short ramp. You said you were looking at him over your shoulder while increasing your speed down hill and you looked at your HUD again while going up hill. Sounds like your attention was on the truck and not your speed for a little bit. Just sayin'.. It doesn't take much effort to get these cars going fast in a hurry and once you knew you were in front you probably let off the gas out of habit before you looked at your speed.
Good luck with fighting it... if the officer shows up maybe try to tell him your side of it.
If you don't room to merge into the lane then you need to slow down or stop until you can.... unfortunately it happens sometimes. Plus, knowing there were 2 officers in the area probably wasn't the best time to push the issue either...

[mattbatt]

Originally Posted by SILVERHAWK

Well, if the officers were using LIDAR then you are screwed. Never been much on old time Radar. I'm going to have to say that you goosed the throttle a little more than you realized in order to outrun the tanker in the lane you wanted to get in. If he is at 72 and you had to get out in front of him only going 75 isn't going to get it done on a short ramp. You said you were looking at him over your shoulder while increasing your speed down hill and you looked at your HUD again while going up hill. Sounds like your attention was on the truck and not your speed for a little bit. Just sayin'.. It doesn't take much effort to get these cars going fast in a hurry and once you knew you were in front you probably let off the gas out of habit before you looked at your speed.
Good luck with fighting it... if the officer shows up maybe try to tell him your side of it.
If you don't room to merge into the lane then you need to slow down or stop until you can.... unfortunately it happens sometimes. Plus, knowing there were 2 officers in the area probably wasn't the best time to push the issue either...

I agree, I probably did goose the throttle, the car sure doesn't feel like you are going fast. We will see what happens, I think using an opportunity to take pics, request calibration docs and tell my side of the story is worth something.

By the way, on the ticket he put a line through radar and car #, then wrote down a number in the box. LIDAR was not circled or touched. Does that mean he used radar or was he crossing out what he DID NOT USE? lol. Trying to make sense of it, I'm guessing since the line was through RADAR that means he used it.

[steeleshark2]

Either that or visual estimation.

[nightshift]

Originally Posted by steeleshark2

Either that or visual estimation.

Most likely not. Wouldn't stand a chance in court. It's either RADAR (or something similar) or being paced by the police vehicle which has a calibrated speedometer and the calibration results as to when and what speed tit was calibrated must be brought up in court.

[Jeffm]

smart thing would have been to yield (slow down for those who dont know what that means) to traffic coming up from behind. Its like nowadays noone knows what the hell it means.

[SILVERHAWK]

Originally Posted by mattbatt

I agree, I probably did goose the throttle, the car sure doesn't feel like you are going fast. We will see what happens, I think using an opportunity to take pics, request calibration docs and tell my side of the story is worth something.

By the way, on the ticket he put a line through radar and car #, then wrote down a number in the box. LIDAR was not circled or touched. Does that mean he used radar or was he crossing out what he DID NOT USE? lol. Trying to make sense of it, I'm guessing since the line was through RADAR that means he used it.

Yeah, these cars definitely have NO PROBLEM getting over the speed limit in a hurry.
Courtesy by the people on the highway you were merging onto would have helped alot too. People tend to be more courteous if you back off and try to squeeze in rather than race ahead and try to jam your way in...aggression gets met with more aggression if you know what I mean.
I can certainly understand not wanting to be behind a tractor trailer too. but sometimes they make great drafting partners to save gas. lol

Sounds like he checked Radar and then the number is most likely the radar unit number for calibration record keeping.
Our ticket systems are all electronic/computerized now. Computer populated registration and license information and electronic calibration logs eliminates alot of mistakes.
I always have to show up at court or I get suspended for 4-8 hrs for each missed appearance.
good luck...

[steeleshark2]

Originally Posted by nightshift

Most likely not. Wouldn't stand a chance in court. It's either RADAR (or something similar) or being paced by the police vehicle which has a calibrated speedometer and the calibration results as to when and what speed tit was calibrated must be brought up in court.

I have seen visual uphold in court!!