(*&*^&^^&* I got a Ticket

[hell603]

This is very frustrating. For the first time in 20 years I got a ticket and on top of it it was for careless driving. Had this big truck in front of me, can't stand it when I cant see where I am heading, and the only was to pass was to pass on his right. Ok, I know this is illegal, but couldn't he given me just a warning - I did have a clean record for the last 20 yrs. When I asked wheather I go to court just pay the fine and ask for the points (2) to be removed he basically said don't bother I have you on tape. So, there go $78, and I hope I don't get an insurance surcharge. I hate state troopers!!!!!!!!!! Sorry just had to vent......

 

[donna]

Hell603,

State Troopers are out there to do a job. One of those jobs is to keep the roads safe. And while you are to be commended for a 20 year record of safe driving, you did a no-no by passing on the right. The trooper was only doing his job. So, consider it a $78 lesson.

Donna

 

[hell603]

I know Donna - I admit to the mistake - it nevertheless urks me - I am also just mad at myself. But I still think that the state should
take a good driving record into consideration don't you.

 

[lotsocats]

When you passed on the right, were you were still in a lane (rather than on the shoulder)? If so, I don't see anything wwrong with this. When I lived in Washington DC the semi's "owned" the second lane of the beltway, so if you had to be in the right lane because of an upcoming exit there would be no way to avoid passing if the truck was too slow! Heck....the way I figure it is that if someone is too self-centered to scoot over when they are blocking traffic, you should pass on the right. BUT, if the truck was trying to get to the right lane but the speedy drivers wouldn't let him/her because they were too impatient...then, shame on them!

 

[dtolle]

I spent 7 years living in Germany and trust me when I say, Passing on the right is a NO NO!!!!!!!! And trust me, the fine is a lot more than $78!!!!!!! Consider yourself lucky.
Just for the record, I think people who pass on the right are being inconsiderate. ( I understand about the truck and all, but sometimes you just have to be patient ). Not flaming you here, but its down right dangerous. You are only supposed to pass on the left, thats why its called the passing lane. Its dangerous, and I think state troopers are correct to ticket people who do it. When you pass on the right, its very easy for someone not to see you ( blind spot ) and for you to be involved in an accident. Thats why the law says you can only pass on the left. Its for your safety as well as other drivers. Just my 2 cents.

 

[donna]

Dtolle,

Amen to that!! Hell603 says she HATES state troopers. They are not only out there to cut down on speeding, but also to come to the aid of people who are stranded, and assist at accident scenes. I know, I was an auxiliary state trooper for 4 years. Just my opinion. No flaming intended.

Donna

 

[melissa]

While I was driving on a busy stretch of Highway one day, I had a car try to pass me on the right. I didn't see him until he was side by side with my car and he nearly caused a big accident. I called the police on my cell phone and came across the guy further up the road pulled over and being ticketed. I think he deserved it, personally. I had my kids in the car and it infuriated me. there really isn't a valid reason to be angry at the state trooper when he was just doing his job to keep other drivers safe. I bet you'll think twice before you do it again, and I think thats the point behind the ticket. A warning just doesn't illicit the same response.

 

[sfell]

Wow, here in Texas you can pass on the right but on certain stretches of some interstates you can only drive in the left lane in you are trying to pass someone. You are only supposed to follow this law when there are signs posted. On interstate 45 from Houston to Dallas there are one or two sections that are like this but the rest of the interstate you can drive and pass in either lane(s). Maybe that's wy Texas has the highest motor vehicle accident deaths! This is good information to know for when I am driving in other states. Thanks!

 

[dtolle]

Donna, my dad has been a cop for 34 years ( he's retiring in Jan ), and he is in charge of the traffic division. I don't understand people who "hate" cops. They are there to protect and serve you, and if you get a ticket or worse, its because you deserve it 99% of the time!!!!!!!!!! If Hell603 hates statey's, I don't understand it. I take much offense to that statement!

 

[kittyfoot]

If I might react slightly to the "owning of the second lane"...the usual rule is right lane,enter and exit..2nd lane travel.3rd on up passing or express lanes. Semis are usually restricted to the 2 right hand lanes. Please note the usual habits of those drivers entering or exiting. Now imagine yourself in a vehicle that weighs 40 tons plus when a carfull of moms,dads and/or kids pulls in front of you with inches to spare. So we run the second lane and hope you won't drive into the side of us. It does happen. My "favorite" is the loon who passes a semi,then pulls in sharply while braking for an exit. To "save" 2 seconds he/she risks being crushed should anything go wrong. Have you ever seen a car that wound up under a semi? I have..several times. It's every trucker's nightmare. 80,000 pounds takes a LOT longer to stop than your 3,000 pound car. Basic physics people. Another winner is the "I didn't see him" or the "He came from out of nowhere" excuse. 13 1/2 ft high,8 1/2 ft wide and 70 ft long and we're invisible..they didn't need to spend billions on STEALTH technology. Just make em look like semis. How do these people find their house?

Sorry you got a ticket and yeah,troopers are doing a job...but how would you like to be pulled over and fined for having ONE clearance light ot on the top of your trailer(out of 16) or fined $150 or more for weighing 80,100 pounds instead of 80,000?

 

[catarina77777]

My brother's a detective for the Sheriff's Dept. Prior to that he worked in a patrol car...it's rough out there and giving tickets out isn't an easy task. I think that job's so dangerous.
I've had my share of words with state troopers, it gets you no where fast. :LOL:

I can't drive anymore due to epilepsy...boy, it sure makes things a whole lot nicer...my driving record is great! :LOL:

Oh, Wayne, that really does bite if you wouldn't even have a clue if a light went out. There's a lot of cops that pick on people just because they're having a bad day or whatever. I really feel sorry for people that get that kind of treatment. But then again, there are some really great troopers that risk their lives for all of us...so, it's all relative

Love & Peace,
Catarina

 

[tigger]

Getting tickets suck! Last year I got a ticket in the mail for going thur a left turn arrow right after it turned red. The intersection had a radar detector, and I guess the back of the tires weren't over the other side of the line

I was so

when I got that ticket. My husband just :LOL: at me!

I decided to take the 2 day class (4 hrs each night), instead of risking my insurance finding out!

 

[hell603]

I called NJ motor Vehicles about that class you mentioned myself and was told that they no longer offer it. Ughhhhhhhhh The only class available is one that drops 3 points off you driving record when you have 12 or more points and are about to have you license suspended. Oh well.

Anyone who took my statement of "I Hate State Troopers" to heart DON'T. I really don't hate them and I do know they are doing there job.

 

[sunlion]

I didn't know it was legal to pass on the right unless otherwise posted in Texas. Must be the only state. Don't tell my husband!

I'm sorry, I know the motto for many police departments is "Protect and Serve", but I have the opinion the police are there to enforce the law. Or perhaps, they do not protect and serve US so much as they protect and serve the LAW. I'm not complaining because someone has to do it after all, just that their job isn't about being kind and helpful (though often they do that too), it's about making sure we follow the rules. I reach this opinion through contact with non-white non-middle class folks who are often on the receiving end of police attention for doing more or less the same kind of things I often do. The black, hispanic or urban experience of police officers is very different and much less pleasant than mine.

 

[lotsocats]

Thank goodness for the Highway Patrol. I was driving at night, by myself, on a small country road...in the middle of nowhere. All the sudden all of my power went off...the alternator quit. I managed to drift to the parking lot of a country church (luckily no one plowed into me...I had no lights so they couldn't have seen me!). I got out of the car and popped the hood. No more than 2 minutes later a state trooper pulled up. I told him that my husband had just left work a few minutes before, so the trooper put out an APB for my husband's car! My poor hubby got pulled over twice, but the troopers got him to come pick me up and take me home. Meanwhile, "my" trooper stayed with me until my husband arrived just to make sure I was safe. So....bravo to Kentucky State Troopers!

 

[lotsocats]

I hope you didn't take my comment about truckers "owning" the second lane the wrong way. Once I read an article about the perils of trucking I realized what an excellent thing it was that the truckers kept to this lane. Now whenever I drive a mulitlane highway I NEVER stay in the second lane because I don't want my little car getting in the way of the truckers! I really do consider the second lane the truckers' possession and I get irritated when I see trucks stuck behind slow cars in the second lane!

I too am amazed to see how many people treat semi's the same way they treat a volkswagen. I have driven moving trucks a few times that are just a fraction of the size of a semi and learned how hard it is to get one of these smaller trucks to stop, so I never, ever, ever pull in front of a semi.

I wish there were more information articles about trucking because my understanding of trucking and the way I drive around trucks completely changed after I read that article about trucking about 15 years ago.

 

[dtolle]

Glad to hear you don't really "hate" state troopers. Makes me feel better now.

 

[kittyfoot]

LotsoCats

No worries,no offence taken. I was just putting out a point of info. We do get tired of being painted as the bad guys every time there's an accident involving a semi...often the semi is the one that's been hit. Awhile back a trucker was in a fatality,the local "news" stated Trucker fell asleep...Three local residents killed. Yep,he did..in the bunk,parked in a rest area,50 yds from the highway. The local residents were drunk and speeding,lost it and went across the grass straight into his truck. Tore the front axle from under the truck. But re-read that headline.

If you want a glimpse of the trucking life try the online versions of Overdrive (USA) or Highwaystar (Canada)

The troopers have a hard job for sure. But they sometimes need to remember they're human too. I once towed a NY state trooper who had dropped a wheel off the edge of the pavement. Poor guy was very embarrassed.

 

[debby]

I have mixed feelings on the whole issue, I guess. Hell603, I understand your feelings, and it does suck to get ticketed sometimes, when we feel we have done nothing really wrong. I know you didn't really mean you hate state troopers.

My nephew is a State Trooper here in Iowa, and I really respect them.

I do have a question, though....

I have never driven on the interstate before, or in a big city (Des Moines) when I go shopping there, I have one of my friends drive. But one of my New Years Resolutions is going to be to drive on the interstate, and in Des Moines. I am 36 for Pete's sakes, and my 16 year old step-daughter is already driving in des Moines. It is time for me to face my fears and just DO it!
I know once I do it I will say, what was the big deal? Why didn't I do this years ago?
I have no problems driving on the highway, or in the nearby town of 10,000....but just the thought of interstates and cities scares the crap out of me. My mother never drove in Des Moines either, and when dad taught me to drive, he wouldn't let me drive in Des Moines, so I just never did.

Back to my question.... this whole 'illegal to pass on right side' thing has me confused, and I think I better know it before I try this.

If I am driving on the interstate, there are usually just 2 lanes, right? Not counting the lane for getting on and off of exits.
So if I am driving in the far left lane, (which I thought was the passing lane) and if someone is driving really slow in front of me, can I not go into the right lane and pass them? ( I'm not talking about the exit lane)
I am just curious. But maybe the laws are different in each state. Does someone from Iowa know?