Speeding ticket; Ouch

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Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
I got a speeding ticket for 20 mph over and was able to go to "traffic school" to keep it off my record. But it still cost me the full fine ($207). Figured I'd rather pay the $207 to keep my record clean vs getting the fine cut down in court and have the ticket on my record.


Ah, that reminds me of the first ticket I ever got, the day I got my first new car at 17-and-a-half years-old (new to me, I mean - it was ten years-old!) I was driving home from my first day with the car and got caught by a cop in a known spot. I guess I was too excited to notice I was going 15 over at the time.

Anyway, my parents made me get a lawyer as punishment, using up all of the remaining money I had saved over the previous three summer working in construction - ouch! As it turns out, the lawyer wasn't needed! There was a program in place called, "Probation Before Judgement" or something like that. If you were under 18, your first offense (if not too severe), would be expunged from your record after a year of no tickets. No class required.

The only thing the lawyer did was get us to the head of the line (I felt like a total tool, with everyone watching me as I went right to the head of the line with my lawyer, who knew the prosecutor (or whomever we saw). We were in and out within 10 minutes. My parents were relieved, but I felt duped, having spent so much for the fines, fees AND lawyer! Lesson learned - get a radar detector and pay more attention to my surroundings (e.g., don't fly through a known freaking speed trap area, dumb dumb!)
 
I got pulled over once about 2 years after getting my license. Doing 77 in a 50 zone (KM/h). I was thinking of something else and didn't notice I was going that fast.

It was entirely my fault. Back then, it was $100 and 2 points so I decided to pay up and learn, that would be the end of it. That didn't go as planned. I paid it before getting back home (I still lived with my parents back then).

When I got back home, I put my ticket on the kitchen table and proceeded to do other stuff. I forgot I left my ticket there. I didn't think it was important, it was already paid anyway.

Late afternoon, my father comes back from work, finds the ticket and storms into my room, panicked.

- Calm down dad, it's only a ticket, I already paid it.
- Yeah, but it's MY name on YOUR ticket
- (???)

I checked it out and indeed it was his name. I gave the officer my driver's license (my name) and the registration (the car was owned by my father). Seems like the cop used the registration to fill the ticket. I didn't notice that, being my first (and so far only) ticket.

The problem here is that my father was a school bus driver. He CAN'T have points on his license, else he could lose his job.

I couldn't fight the ticket since it was already paid (had I known better, it would have been easy to fight, my father wasn't even in the car, he was driving his bus), but we still had to go to court in order to put the 2 points on my license rather than his.

That was my only ticket so far. That was 21 or 22 years ago (already ?!?!)
 
As I stated in another topic, when I was a judge in traffic court I was the toughest on the defendants who were speeding in active school zones or construction zones, as well as congested residential streets. That said, I didn't think a guy going 100 mph on a deserted interstate at 3:00 AM was any big deal.
My chief traffic prosecutor-who shared my philosophy-had a Mustang GT and an extremely heavy right foot; she also wound up being elected judge. She replaced a guy who thought that you risked certain death if you drove 1 mph over 55(he drove a ratty Malibu wagon and a grungy Cavalier, so he may have had good reason for that belief).
And she and I both believed that anyone caught camping out in the left lane should be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
At a minimum.
 
I always set my cruise control 5 mph over the limit and cops never even bother me...I don't get why people think they have to drive so fast...
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
I always set my cruise control 5 mph over the limit and cops never even bother me...I don't get why people think they have to drive so fast...

I do the same thing but here on Cali highways you would think you were in a NASCAR race, 70 is the max speed but even doing 75 in the fast lane cars always pull up fast on your rear, always pull over to let them pass and it's usually a pack of 4-5 cars freight training down the freeway
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Quote:
up fast on your rear, always pull over to let them pass

What in the world compels you to drive in the fast lane? What kind of mentality people have that they need to camp in "faster" lane if they are NOT going at "faster" speed? If you are passing somebody, for God's sake, accelerate quickly, and complete the pass and move over. If you are NOT willing to drive as fast as other people are driving in that lane, move over.

WHY IS THAT SO DIFFICULT FOR 99% OF US DRIVERS?
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:
up fast on your rear, always pull over to let them pass

What in the world compels you to drive in the fast lane?
In Illinois the right lane is usually so rough from trucks.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:
up fast on your rear, always pull over to let them pass

What in the world compels you to drive in the fast lane?
In Illinois the right lane is usually so rough from trucks.


And yet, Illinois law says this:


(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.


(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.

So, your rationale is?
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:
up fast on your rear, always pull over to let them pass

What in the world compels you to drive in the fast lane?
In Illinois the right lane is usually so rough from trucks.


And yet, Illinois law says this:


(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.


(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.

So, your rationale is?
My rational is the right side is too rough. My legal backing is, continued from same statute you quote......

(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.

eway.
(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.
(e) Subsection (d) of this Section does not apply:
(1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the
vehicle in the left lane;


(2) when traffic conditions and congestion make it

impractical to drive in the right lane;
(3) when snow and other inclement weather conditions

make it necessary to drive in the left lane;

(4) when obstructions or hazards exist in the right

lane;


(5) when a vehicle changes lanes to comply with

Sections 11-907, 11-907.5, and 11-908 of this Code;
(6) when, because of highway design, a vehicle must

be driven in the left lane when preparing to exit;
(7) on toll highways when necessary to use I-Pass,

and on toll and other highways when driving in the left lane is required to comply with an official traffic control device; or
(8) to law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, and

other emergency vehicles engaged in official duties and vehicles engaged in highway maintenance and construction operations.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: Astro14

And yet, Illinois law says this:


(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.


(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.

So, your rationale is?
My rational is the right side is too rough. My legal backing is, continued from same statute you quote......

(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.

eway.
(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.
(e) Subsection (d) of this Section does not apply:
(1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the
vehicle in the left lane;


(2) when traffic conditions and congestion make it

impractical to drive in the right lane;
(3) when snow and other inclement weather conditions

make it necessary to drive in the left lane;

(4) when obstructions or hazards exist in the right

lane;


(5) when a vehicle changes lanes to comply with

Sections 11-907, 11-907.5, and 11-908 of this Code;
(6) when, because of highway design, a vehicle must

be driven in the left lane when preparing to exit;
(7) on toll highways when necessary to use I-Pass,

and on toll and other highways when driving in the left lane is required to comply with an official traffic control device; or
(8) to law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, and

other emergency vehicles engaged in official duties and vehicles engaged in highway maintenance and construction operations.


In hundreds of my own trips through and around Illinois - this: (1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the
vehicle in the left lane;


has never happened...
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: Astro14

And yet, Illinois law says this:


(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.


(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.

So, your rationale is?
My rational is the right side is too rough. My legal backing is, continued from same statute you quote......

(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. VII heading)
ARTICLE VII. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF
ROADWAY; OVERTAKING AND PASSING, ETC.

eway.
(d) Upon an Interstate highway or fully access controlled freeway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle.
(e) Subsection (d) of this Section does not apply:
(1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the
vehicle in the left lane;


(2) when traffic conditions and congestion make it

impractical to drive in the right lane;
(3) when snow and other inclement weather conditions

make it necessary to drive in the left lane;

(4) when obstructions or hazards exist in the right

lane;


(5) when a vehicle changes lanes to comply with

Sections 11-907, 11-907.5, and 11-908 of this Code;
(6) when, because of highway design, a vehicle must

be driven in the left lane when preparing to exit;
(7) on toll highways when necessary to use I-Pass,

and on toll and other highways when driving in the left lane is required to comply with an official traffic control device; or
(8) to law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, and

other emergency vehicles engaged in official duties and vehicles engaged in highway maintenance and construction operations.


In hundreds of my own trips through and around Illinois - this: (1) when no other vehicle is directly behind the
vehicle in the left lane;


has never happened...
If I drive on Interstates in Illinois it is usually in a rural area. So I can see this in the urban areas but they have more than two lanes usually. But out in the sticks all the time, maybe you just need to drive faster. Or redefine your meaning of 'directly behind'.
 
SHOZ - I keep right except to pass, and I don't drive slow. But my time in Illinois was spent crossing the state (many times) on I-80 or I-70, or driving between O'Hare and Great Lakes RTC. Traffic was never light. There was always a car directly behind me, and every other car on the road. Passing on the right was common (despite the illegality of that) as was epic tailgating, even if I was in the right lane, and above the limit.
 
Why would you NOT want higher speed car in *front* rather than behind you? I *always* want faster car in front of me.

Oh well, ask me how many times I see two cars going at same speed for a while behind each other in the middle lane but as soon as the guy sees me coming behind fast in the fast lane, he will suddenly decide, that now is the time *he* wants to pass the car in front of him. It is almost as if he woke up from the hypnosis of following the car in front of him when we saw me in the fast lane in his rear-view mirror.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:
up fast on your rear, always pull over to let them pass

What in the world compels you to drive in the fast lane? What kind of mentality people have that they need to camp in "faster" lane if they are NOT going at "faster" speed? If you are passing somebody, for God's sake, accelerate quickly, and complete the pass and move over. If you are NOT willing to drive as fast as other people are driving in that lane, move over.

WHY IS THAT SO DIFFICULT FOR 99% OF US DRIVERS?

Don't plant as you say, doing 75 is faster than most drivers do and you pass most of the traffic, it's the IDIOTS going 80+, I always pull over and let them pass.
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I have a CDL. I am supposed to know better as a professional driver. My job depends on it. Driving is only part of my job but if I lose the CDL I lose my job.

I have never had a speeding ticket. Its really simple, its called self control.

If you cant do the time or pay the fine, don't do the crime. Its that simple.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: MCompact
I always try to be the second fastest car on the road...

It's ok, you can follow me!


That'll work!
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Not trying to read all 6 pages up to now, but if someone hasn't suggested the free app called Waze, you all suck. It is fantastic.
 
Another reason to mess with a cell phone and not focus on driving.
 
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