spfitzgerald
Junior Member
My father was recently mailed a ticket from the town of Reading, MA, however I was the driver of the vehicle at the time. I also want to contest the ticket, but am looking for advice on how to approach the situation.
I was leaving work and turned right on a green light onto a main 2-lane road (rt28 for those familiar). I pulled into the right lane of the road, and then stopped at a red light. A town officer was stopped in the left lane. When the light turned green, he accelerated ahead of me. There were cars in the right hand lane ahead of me, and another town officer parked on the side of the road. The car in front of me was slowing down and signaling to turn right. The first officer was ahead of the car turning right, and there was a safe space for me to switch into the left lane. I then signaled and moved into the left lane. At this point, the first officer switched to the right lane, but continued to accelerate up ahead of me. The next traffic light was red, so he stopped in the right lane and I eventually pulled next to him in the left lane. When the light turned green, he again went ahead of me, but then signaled to turn right at the next intersection. He did turn right and I ended up passing by him in the left lane while he was turning. I continued driving as the same safe speed in the same lane and the town line then ended.
So needless to say, I was very shocked when the ticket in the mail stated that an officer (I don't know which, or if there was a third unmarked car) followed me from rt28 square to the town line and sited me $100 for "Marked Lanes", $100 for "Improper Passing", $20 "Following too close", and $250 for 65+ in a 40 zone (checked clocked and estimated).
The time of day was 5:22pm, and in that area at that time, it is impossible to drive on that stretch of road going 65mph with all the cars and congestion. Furthermore, if I was driving as "irrational" as the ticket indicates, why would the officer not pull me over and stop me rather then letting me continue driving? The car is a dark blue Audi A4, which is similar to other other cars, perhaps he mistook my car for another? I am not sure and have no clue what the basis for all those offenses are. Does it make a difference that my father was issued the ticket when I was driving? Does he have to go to the hearing as well? Can it be changed to be in my name?
If anyone can offer any advice on how to handle the situation, it would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Sean
I was leaving work and turned right on a green light onto a main 2-lane road (rt28 for those familiar). I pulled into the right lane of the road, and then stopped at a red light. A town officer was stopped in the left lane. When the light turned green, he accelerated ahead of me. There were cars in the right hand lane ahead of me, and another town officer parked on the side of the road. The car in front of me was slowing down and signaling to turn right. The first officer was ahead of the car turning right, and there was a safe space for me to switch into the left lane. I then signaled and moved into the left lane. At this point, the first officer switched to the right lane, but continued to accelerate up ahead of me. The next traffic light was red, so he stopped in the right lane and I eventually pulled next to him in the left lane. When the light turned green, he again went ahead of me, but then signaled to turn right at the next intersection. He did turn right and I ended up passing by him in the left lane while he was turning. I continued driving as the same safe speed in the same lane and the town line then ended.
So needless to say, I was very shocked when the ticket in the mail stated that an officer (I don't know which, or if there was a third unmarked car) followed me from rt28 square to the town line and sited me $100 for "Marked Lanes", $100 for "Improper Passing", $20 "Following too close", and $250 for 65+ in a 40 zone (checked clocked and estimated).
The time of day was 5:22pm, and in that area at that time, it is impossible to drive on that stretch of road going 65mph with all the cars and congestion. Furthermore, if I was driving as "irrational" as the ticket indicates, why would the officer not pull me over and stop me rather then letting me continue driving? The car is a dark blue Audi A4, which is similar to other other cars, perhaps he mistook my car for another? I am not sure and have no clue what the basis for all those offenses are. Does it make a difference that my father was issued the ticket when I was driving? Does he have to go to the hearing as well? Can it be changed to be in my name?
If anyone can offer any advice on how to handle the situation, it would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Sean