I got a ticket today, for 86 in a 55. I was only doing 70. I plan to fight it, if only on principle. Here's the story that I typed up as soon as I got to work today....
I was travelling north on I-75 at 70 miles per hour. I was in the lane 2nd from the fast lane. Just north of the Mt Paran Rd exit, after cresting the hill, a gold Lexus SUV moved quickly past me in the lane to my right. The Lexus then changed lanes to exit onto Cumberland Blvd. I saw the officer with the laser, but as I was doing "only" 70, and cars had been passing me, I didn't feel that there was a problem.
I was incredulous when the officer stopped me. I gave him my license, and he asked if I still lived on Fox Forrest Drive. I told him no and gave him my new address. He asked when I moved, and I told him that it was at the beginning of August. The officer informed me that I was required to change my address within 60 days. I responded that I hadn't done it because it was so close to expiring. I intended to change it when I renewed my license in January.
The officer then informed me that he had stopped me because he had clocked me doing 86 miles per hour. I responded that, no, I was doing 70, and that he had probably clocked the SUV. He took my license to his vehicle to write the citations. Feeling that I was being unjustly accused, I spent some portion of that time screaming out my window that I had only been doing 70.
After writing the citations, the officer asked me to step out of my vehicle, guided me away from traffic, and told me to look at him, that he was "only going to say this once." He told me that he felt I had a very bad attitude, and I responded that "yes, I do." He proceeded to tell me that without regard to my behavior, he was going to treat me "fairly" and offered to reduce the speed on the citation so that the fine and impact on my insurance rates would be minimized. I responded that I was only doing 70. He yelled that the speed limit was 55 and told me that if I argued one more time that he would simply give me the citations for 86 and for failing to change my address. I did not respond. He told me "you shouldn't have to think about this." I responded that I was doing 70, and the officer gave me the citations to sign.
I wrote upon the signature line of the speeding citation, "I was doing 70. Clocked gold Lexus SUV." I signed the other citation. The officer informed me that I must now sign the speeding citation or that he would take me to jail. So I then signed the speeding citation. As the officer detached the yellow copies to give to me, I informed him that, had I been doing 86, I would have readily agreed to accept the reduced speed.
At some point during the conversation, I again told him that he had clocked that SUV, and he said that no, he had "sighted" my vehicle. After giving me my copies of the citations (and apologizing for having torn the corner of one), the officer told me to drive safe and keep my speed down. I again informed him that I was doing 70, and that he needed to return to the academy to learn to use his laser.
I was travelling north on I-75 at 70 miles per hour. I was in the lane 2nd from the fast lane. Just north of the Mt Paran Rd exit, after cresting the hill, a gold Lexus SUV moved quickly past me in the lane to my right. The Lexus then changed lanes to exit onto Cumberland Blvd. I saw the officer with the laser, but as I was doing "only" 70, and cars had been passing me, I didn't feel that there was a problem.
I was incredulous when the officer stopped me. I gave him my license, and he asked if I still lived on Fox Forrest Drive. I told him no and gave him my new address. He asked when I moved, and I told him that it was at the beginning of August. The officer informed me that I was required to change my address within 60 days. I responded that I hadn't done it because it was so close to expiring. I intended to change it when I renewed my license in January.
The officer then informed me that he had stopped me because he had clocked me doing 86 miles per hour. I responded that, no, I was doing 70, and that he had probably clocked the SUV. He took my license to his vehicle to write the citations. Feeling that I was being unjustly accused, I spent some portion of that time screaming out my window that I had only been doing 70.
After writing the citations, the officer asked me to step out of my vehicle, guided me away from traffic, and told me to look at him, that he was "only going to say this once." He told me that he felt I had a very bad attitude, and I responded that "yes, I do." He proceeded to tell me that without regard to my behavior, he was going to treat me "fairly" and offered to reduce the speed on the citation so that the fine and impact on my insurance rates would be minimized. I responded that I was only doing 70. He yelled that the speed limit was 55 and told me that if I argued one more time that he would simply give me the citations for 86 and for failing to change my address. I did not respond. He told me "you shouldn't have to think about this." I responded that I was doing 70, and the officer gave me the citations to sign.
I wrote upon the signature line of the speeding citation, "I was doing 70. Clocked gold Lexus SUV." I signed the other citation. The officer informed me that I must now sign the speeding citation or that he would take me to jail. So I then signed the speeding citation. As the officer detached the yellow copies to give to me, I informed him that, had I been doing 86, I would have readily agreed to accept the reduced speed.
At some point during the conversation, I again told him that he had clocked that SUV, and he said that no, he had "sighted" my vehicle. After giving me my copies of the citations (and apologizing for having torn the corner of one), the officer told me to drive safe and keep my speed down. I again informed him that I was doing 70, and that he needed to return to the academy to learn to use his laser.
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hope you're well!
Oh, and people are mean. Not everyone, but on the whole, people are nicer in the South. Agree?