Anybody ever get a speeding ticket after being paced by a cop?

[nitsuj3580]

So I was on Interstate 95 this past weekend in what I would call fairly heavy traffic in the center lane of the 3 lane highway. I am always well aware of my speed and was going about 75 to keep in the flow of traffic (I don't like speeding but in NoVa, going 65 on I-95 is pretty hazardous based on experience).

Well as I was driving I noticed a flashing blue light in the windshield of the car beyond me and sure enough it was one of the undercover Chevy Impala cops we have around here trying to get me to pull over so I did.

The officer asked me how fast I was going and I told her I was going about 75 because that's what the flow of traffic was doing. She said, "No you weren't, I've been pacing behind you for a little bit and have you going at least 80 in a 65 so I'm going to write you a ticket. So basically, I didn't even get shot with a radar gun, the cop was just driving behind me and determined I must've been going 80 mph when I know I was going 75.

Has anyone been given a ticket after being paced by a cop? What happened when you went to court? I know I was speeding but I'm pretty ticked off that I got accused of speeding faster than I really was plus I was in the flow of traffic with cars zinging by me on both sides of me (I actually think she singled me out cuz of my GPS unit on my dashboard, probably mistaked it for a radar detector which is illegal in Virginia so she pulled me over and gave me a speeding ticket when she found out she was wrong. My reason for thinking this is she practically stuck her entire head into my car and looked directly at the GPS unit)

Will the courts actually listen to me (this is my first ticket ever in 9 years of driving)?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: nitsuj3580
So I was on Interstate 95 this past weekend in what I would call fairly heavy traffic in the center lane of the 3 lane highway. I am always well aware of my speed and was going about 75 to keep in the flow of traffic (I don't like speeding but in NoVa, going 65 on I-95 is pretty hazardous based on experience).

Well as I was driving I noticed a flashing blue light in the windshield of the car beyond me and sure enough it was one of the undercover Chevy Impala cops we have around here trying to get me to pull over so I did.

The officer asked me how fast I was going and I told her I was going about 75 because that's what the flow of traffic was doing. She said, "No you weren't, I've been pacing behind you for a little bit and have you going at least 80 in a 65 so I'm going to write you a ticket. So basically, I didn't even get shot with a radar gun, the cop was just driving behind me and determined I must've been going 80 mph when I know I was going 75.

Has anyone been given a ticket after being paced by a cop? What happened when you went to court? I know I was speeding but I'm pretty ticked off that I got accused of speeding faster than I really was. Will the courts actually listen to me (this is my first ticket ever in 9 years of driving)?

Same thing happened to my wife and I. In the middle of traffic. Guy comes up behind me, pulls me over and writes me up for 74 in a 55. My wife saw that I wasn't even doing 60, maybe 59 in the traffic.

1 mile an hour shy of being a major fine as far as points and all. It was maximum amount for the fine x each mile per hour over the limit.

It was a speed trap plain and simple.

 

[Rookie]

I used the "is the cops speedometer a calibrated tool" defense successfully about 3 years ago...

 

Cop cars have calibrated speedos, this will be used in court against you if you decide to fight it.

 

[Match]

How can you get the speedometer on your car calibrated? Mine reads 70 mph when I'm doing 65.

 

Look in your Yellow pages under "speedometer'

 

[Fingolfin269]

Just call it 'racial profiling'.

 

[Match]

Originally posted by: Roger
Look in your Yellow pages under "speedometer'

Nothing there. Could any mechanic do it?

 

Negative and I am not a mechanic, I am a Automotive Technician.

It requires special tools and training unless it is a newer vehicle with speed sensors and digital or electrically driven speedometer, then you can do it with a power programmer.

 

[toy4x4]

Got one. He said he paced me doing 75. I was doing about 55 at the time and I saw him turn around to come get me. It was and still is complete and udder BS...

 

[TubStain]

They are running low on $$ I guess. Need some funding. I got pulled over for 75 in a 70mph zone in Michigan a month ago... ticket : $100

 

[IHYLN]

was doing 75 in a 65 on the turnpike here in jersey when I got pulled over about 6 years back. He said he paced me. Utter bs i tell ya.

 

[SuperFreaky]

don't the indash cameras on cop cars have speed readings?

 

[Zysoclaplem]

If she was pacing behind you, and you were doing 80, she was too. You should let her know that two wrongs doesn't make a right, and that the ends doesn't justify the means, and also ask her if all her friends were jumping off a bridge, would she do it to? And while she is thinking about this, confused, hit her with a brick and drive off.

 

[knivox]

I was drving the speed limit on night on a rural two-lane road when a car comes right up behind me. The road had some curves so there was a double-yellow line in the center, so trying to be nice I sped up. Then BAM the his lights come on and I get a speeding ticket.

 

[maziwanka]

i was pulled over on i-95 heading towards the philly airport a couple weeks back. she said she was pacing me and that i was going 80 in a 55 (which i did do, so i didnt really argue). however, she told me that since i was being nice about it all, she gave me a ticket for "unsafe speed" (134 dollars and no points), which i can definately live with.

however, i figured that since she didnt have a radar gun, she couldnt give me a speeding ticket since there was no real "proof" that i was going 25+ mph over the speed limit

 

[gistech1978]

ive been paced driving before.
middle of nowhere in the panhandle of OK.
i didnt even realize he was behind me for the longest time. I wasnt speeding, but it still caught me off guard to see a HiPo riding my ass. He rode my ass for about 5 miles at least, just waiting to pull me over.
when he got tired of riding my ass he passed me at about 85 and went on to the next car.
that should be illegal.

 

[Goth]

Around here a few cops have been known to pull a different type of stunt. We have a thoroughfare that runs through the middle of town, two lanes on each side. If you're in the right hand lane and driving the speed limit, some cops have been known to speed up and tailgate you. If you slow down, they will slow down, but still tailgate you. If you speed up and go over the speed limit, flashing light ensue and you get a ticket. I don't think there's a minimum speed limit (there's not one posted), but if there is and you slow down too much, I imagine they could/would ticket you for that. It's a no-win situation if you stay on the main road, unless you continue driving the speed limit and let them tailgate you. Eventually they give up and move on. Your best bet is to get off the road and drive on the side road until the cop passes, then get back on the main road. I've had them tailgate me before in the right hand lane, but I continue to drive the speed limit. If they hit me, it's their fault for following too closely.

 

[boomdart]

Yeah, he paced me at 145. Another time i was paced at 120. 120 on I-85 at ~9:00 at night, and 145 on cleveland highway at ~1:00 in the morning.

 

[nitsuj3580]

Originally posted by: boomdart
Yeah, he paced me at 145. Another time i was paced at 120. 120 on I-85 at ~9:00 at night, and 145 on cleveland highway at ~1:00 in the morning.

wow, your sig fits you perfectly :Q

 

[LTC8K6]

How do you think tickets were given out before radar guns?

I wouldn't be surprised if pacing tickets were more common than radar tickets.

It's hard to use the radar in heavy traffic.

 

[NutBucket]

I was driving once and all the sudden I notice a cop next to me. I was probably doing about 80 in a 65. I just let off the gas and the cop backed off. He then pulled over the guy behind me. Still makes zero sense to me.....

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: boomdart
Yeah, he paced me at 145. Another time i was paced at 120. 120 on I-85 at ~9:00 at night, and 145 on cleveland highway at ~1:00 in the morning.

Hmm Getting pulled over doing 145? You would have to work at Mcdonald's 60 years to pay for that fine. I also doubt that you would be able to obtain a license after you got out of jail.


I sense major Bull$hit here :roll:

Sysadmin

 

[boomdart]

Originally posted by: Sysadmin

Originally posted by: boomdart
Yeah, he paced me at 145. Another time i was paced at 120. 120 on I-85 at ~9:00 at night, and 145 on cleveland highway at ~1:00 in the morning.

Hmm Getting pulled over doing 145? You would have to work at Mcdonald's 60 years to pay for that fine. I also doubt that you would be able to obtain a license after you got out of jail.


I sense major Bull$hit here :roll:

Sysadmin

$16,000 bail fine, and my mom convinced the judge to put me on probation for 6 months because she needed me to have a license. It was quite the effort, but I escaped with my license. At least they didn't find out I was racing a dodge avenger. Same with the 120 ticket, although that time I was seriously trying to get away from what I thought to be a maniac following me in a red dodge ram, I passed him on a double yellow and thought he got mad at me...He pulled out in front of me and I didn't feel like hitting his ass-end :/ It was only a $300 fine that time, he didn't write me for the passing in double yellow.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Goth
Around here a few cops have been known to pull a different type of stunt. We have a thoroughfare that runs through the middle of town, two lanes on each side. If you're in the right hand lane and driving the speed limit, some cops have been known to speed up and tailgate you. If you slow down, they will slow down, but still tailgate you. If you speed up and go over the speed limit, flashing light ensue and you get a ticket. I don't think there's a minimum speed limit (there's not one posted), but if there is and you slow down too much, I imagine they could/would ticket you for that. It's a no-win situation if you stay on the main road, unless you continue driving the speed limit and let them tailgate you. Eventually they give up and move on. Your best bet is to get off the road and drive on the side road until the cop passes, then get back on the main road. I've had them tailgate me before in the right hand lane, but I continue to drive the speed limit. If they hit me, it's their fault for following too closely.

Slam on brakes, get rearended, suit municipality, retire...