So I'm getting of the Mass Pike this morning, stop to pay my toll, and pull away from the toll booth. There are no cars around me, so I roll into it, and it barks second gear at about 30mph. However, I have my spare tire on the back because of that nail incident a few days ago, which makes wayyyyy more noise than F1's do. I accelerate some more on the straightaway, then slow down to take the actual ramp. I'm about 100 feet from the 3 lane, ~50mph road I'm about to merge onto, and a cop flies up behind me. There is no breakdown lane, so instead of pulling over right there at the top of the ramp, I put my blinker on, slow down a bit, and point to the hotel parking lot about 300 feet up the road. He follows behind me with his lights on, then about 30 feet from the entrance to the hotel, he turns his sirens on to (?).

He finally comes up to window and this guy was fuming. "LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS!", so I stick my hands out the window, with my license. "REGISTRATION!", so I get it out of the glove box. Then he asks how fast I was going, I said I wasn't sure, but probably 45 or so. He says, "BULZHIT! TRY 60!". He asks, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE SPEED LIMIT IS BACK THERE?!", and I said, "honestly sir, I don't". "IT's 25mph!!". Then he says, "AND WAS THAT YOU SQUEELING YOUR TIRES PULLING AWAY FROM THE TOLL BOOTH BACK THERE?!", and I said, "no sir, not when I was pulling away sir, it was when the truck shifted into 2nd". Then he says, "IS THIS A MANUAL?", and I said, "no sir, its an automatic", and he goes, "WELL HOW THE HELL WOULD IT HAVE SQUEELED THE TIRES WHEN IT SHIFTED INTO 2nd THEN?!", and instead of arguing with him or trying to explaing that I have probably close to 400rwhp, I just said, "sir, you're going to have to trust me". Then he asks where I was going, and I said I was on my way to work. He asked if I was late and that's why I was in such a hurry, and I said, "no sir, I'm not, this is the time I normally show up for work". He says, "OH YEAH? WHAT TIME IS IT THEN?!", and I said, "its about 9:45am". He goes, "You expect me to believe you show up for work at this time everyday (which I do), so I said "yes sir, I do". This is probably the best part: He goes, "WHERE DO YOU WORK?!", and I point to the fifth floor of the building 200 feet to our left...in the same parking lot!

He goes back to his cruiser for 10-15 minutes, and comes back with a ticket for $325!!!!! The first part is "failure to yield to an emergency vehicle" @ a whopping $100, which I think is total BS because I wasn't trying to evade him or anything, I was trying to NOT cause traffic or confusion on the main road we were on (with NO breakdown lane). I'm going to challenge the ticket, and I'm pretty sure I can get off this part at least.

The part I had the question about though is the $225 "speeding" part. He wrote on the citation that he "clocked/estimated" me doing "50+ in a 25mph". Here's the question: I'm pretty sure that the ramp itself has a yellow sign that says "25mph", but nowhere does it say "SPEED LIMIT". I've been told/discussed with a few people (even before this happened, and one of them is NOW a cop) that those yellow signs are a suggested speed, not a speed limit. There have also been talks about the SpeedPass speed signs, but since I'm one of those damn people that still pay by coin, I actually came to a complete stop, so that doesn't apply. What I've been told (and am hoping is true), is that the actual speed LIMIT on ramps (as opposed to the suggested speed on the yellow sign), defaults to the speed limit of the road you're pulling off of, until you see a new speed limit sign for the road you're pulling on to.

If anyone here is a police officer (preferably in Mass, but I'm not picky), or has had any similar experiences and can give me any info/advice one way or the other, I'd really appreciate it.

Also, are there any ways to look up the actual driving laws/statutes so I know that actual verbage of whats going on?

Thanks guys. Later...

GK

 

MXRacer,

I'm going to be no help for the most part but - I remember about a year ago the yellow speed limit sign at the tolls was challenged and was beaten because it was just a suggested speed!

Was it a turnpike trooper that stopped you? These guys can do just about anything they want to! While they are Mass State Police they are, in fact, a private police force, they are paid and equiped by the turnpike authority. And, they don't always win in court!

I was with the USDOT some years ago, we worked with the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Team, back when the Registry Police were merged into the state police. I don't know if any of the guys I worked with are still around but I'll give it a try and see if I can up with anything on the laws and regs.

It sure sounds bogus to me, but so much depends on how the judge feels on any one day!

 

swampview: Thanks for reaffirming what I thought about the Speedpass sign speed "limit" deal, and thanks for anything else you can do/dig up for me. It was a Mass State Police trooper that pulled me over, but I'm not sure who he was working for (the State, or the Turnpike). It says "Massachusetts Uniform Citation" on it, if that means anything, and under the Chap/Sec/Sub portion of the offenses column, he wrote "C.89/S.7B" (or .78, I can't read it that well). I'm going to look at the signs today on my way home...hopefully they're yellow and don't say the word "limit" anywhere (*fingers crossed*). Again, thanks for all your help.

Garrett

 

Yellow signs are "suggested" not actual speed "limits" in AL so long as they do not have "Speed Limit" on them, so your assumptions may be correct. I'm not sure how it works in MA, but you seem to know your stuff, which is good. There is such thing as "reasonable and prudent speed" in AL, where so the officer can cite you for driving at what he deems irresponsible (which is BS too).

He's a pig of a cop, plain and simple. Good luck in court, you may not get anywhere if the judge is a jerk. That's something I've never understood about judges, that sometimes they don't care what the actual definition of the law is but instead they will go with what they "morally" feel is correct. Unacceptable. If that is the case, then appeal it if you lose.

BfB

 

explain to the judge about the pulling over part and say goodbye to the $100, and if the cop shows up and the hearing, ask him if the speed he caught you at was either radar or estimated, your ticket should have a radar and radar/estimated on it, you will find the cop talking with marbles in his mouth hopefully. I got pulled over for doing 50 in a 30 with my bronco a few years ago, cop was driving by me about 100 ft after i left a stop sign, and comes flying up behind me saying i was clocked at 47. Bull****....fought it and one. I drive down this street everyday leaving work and i know the pigs patrol it so there's no wasy i was going that fast.

 

Cops are hypocrites.......They cut in front of cars in traffic, make illegal turns, double park to get lunch, disrespectful, and speed past everyone to shoot radar. Where is the justice in that?


IMO they should be penalized for every stupid traffic infraction, spend their off duty work days in court fighting it without pay, and feel like the rest of "regular" people where your intelligence and self-esteem is insulted.



Parkway Donuts

 

Just wanted to say thanks again for all the help guys.

Later...

GK

 

Your idea of all police officers being brainless in a manner of speaking, is exactly why you are the type of person I love to stop. I can't speak for every police officer on the road, but we are not all as you may think. I would like to think that here in NJ most cops would listen first & write last. I have been on this thread for a couple months now and find most subjects very interesting and helpful. What bothers me is that every once in awhile I find just a few L. owners out there who have a problem with police in one way or the other. I bet these are people who seem to find themselves pulled over for one thing or the other on a regular basis. I have been a police offier for the last 17 years and am also a Lightning owner for the last 7 years. I have written hundreds of tickets for just about verything you can think of. I have never written one to someone who did not deserve it. I have been a motor head and fast car nut since I was 17 and understand what it is like to own these cars. Please do me a favor and please keep your "Cops are brainless, donut eating goofs" to your self! On the other hand, You could come down to NJ on the Parkway around marker 76 and maybe, just maybe, you could find me behind the radar and I won't be eating a donut..

 

There, once again, you talk about one cop or a group of 'em and you get one that's gonna take offense as if you're singling them out. Amazing!

NOSTROMO hit the nail on the head! Just today an officer nearly killed me because he was weaving in/out of traffic, flying up on everyone's rear, cutting you off, and talking on his cellphone all at the same time! The *****!!! you know how often I'm tested to write down his car # and call him in?

What makes some of them so damn special to feel that they can haul *** anywhere they want to, then claim they were on a call? Pardon me, but they need to put on their lights when they are running to the scene of an accident/crime to warn the motorists that they better get out of the way, just as an ambulance does.

Anyhoo, ofcgary, we're not singling you out here and you realize this deep down. You seem to be a cool officer of the law, and I respect that! Don't be a pig towards us who state specifics about others.

BfB

 

MX man this has been a expensive week for you. First the tire deal and now this. What exit off the pike and from waht direction were you going? I live right off the pike so I can check it out for you and take some pics.

ofcgary
I have respect for most police officers, but as in any segment of the community there are allways a few bad apples.

I once got run off the road by a cop, so i followed him to see what was going on. Guess where he ended up? Dunkin Donuts. So I pulled into the DD to give him a piece of my mind, he told me to get back in my car or he would arrest me. So I got back in my truck and called the station. Five minutes later the supervisor showed up, I showed him the dirt on my rim from where he forced me off the road onto the soft sholder, and then made the officer appologize to me.

You have to love cell phones.

 

Sorry L. owners, must have been the sugar cookies I was eating. Anyway, I just wanted to try and make a point about the fact that most of us are ok. It's the few who make it hard on us. Every department has a few. We have a couple ourselves. Of course we all know who the butt holes are, but they usually retire a butthole.
Once again, sorry about getting on a horse. In fact, next time you go to Duncan Donuts, just tell them it's on me>>>

 

ofCgary....Your comments are in poor taste and I feel inclined to speak my peace. With you being a "gearhead" or "carnut" how many times have you floored your vehicles on public highways? If your answer is yes, you to are guilty of reckless endangerment and/or speeding. Will you hold yourself accountable? or if a fellow officer pulls you over, chances are fairy slim you will recieve a ticket inwhich you will cannot defeat with ease based solely on your status of a police officer.

FYI, your accusations of "people like me" being pulled over many times is wrong. In many cases, where i was a passenger in the car, drivers have gotten tickets for the pettiest "offenses" regardless of the respect shown for the officer. More than likely, the same offenses in which you are above.

I have seen cops give double parking tickets when they themselves are double parked to give you a ticket. How about the free parking passes used by officers off duty to park wherever they feel compelled to without fear of persecution.
Is it fair to give tickets based upon how you feel that day?
Where is the justice in this.

I find it extremely difficult to understand your reasoning when you yourself have not experienced what regular people have to go through when fighting tickets. If you hold others accountable for offenses, the same should apply to yourself and dealt with as the average Joe.

 

NOSTROMO you said it right. here in la cops are jugheads, and they are always trying to start some $H!T with someone when they always drive like a bat outta hell to pull you over in a 25mph zone b/c you were going 31 on radar. i was rearended by a cop last year and i slid into the car in front of me. i received a ticket for following too closely and 31 in a 25. the wreck happened at a stop sign on the other side of the curve where he hit me with "estimated radar". the worst thing is he didnt get a ticket, why not . it is illegal for me to be pushed into another car, but for a police ASSifer its perfectly ok. the dummy almost lost control when he came around the turn and realized he was out of room to stop before hitting me. cops can say what they want to but they break the freakin law just like everyone else so i think they should get punished just like the rest of us. whew, glad i got that out.

 

Since were on the subject, anybody know about being clocked by the eye-in-the-sky ? I was on my way to the NASCAR race in Kansas City when I got stopped by a Oklahoma Hi-Po. He was behind a overpass and as soon as I saw him his lights come on and I just pulled over. I was probably doing 80 at that time in a 70mph zone. He was cool enough guy and told me nice looking truck then said that I had been clocked by a plane a few miles back at 83. I said you didnt clock me and he said no, he hadnt, but he did issue me a speeding ticket. I never saw any plane, he didnt clock me either. I have not had a ticket in over 10 years. Fight it or not ?????
- Rick -

 

Um, no. What that cop did was probably rright.