What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? SC
I was driving on the interstate when a highway patrol cruiser became visible in front of me. When the cruiser was ~1/2 mile ahead of me I noticed he started slowing down drastically and moved into the right lane. At this time another car (an older Mazda 626) was passing me in the left lane (I was in the middle lane). At this point in time when we passed the officer, he got over two lanes into the left lane and turned on his lights behind the 626. When I saw the lights come on I proceeded to slow down further so they could switch lanes, however, when I became parallel with the office he motioned to me by pointing at himself (I took this to mean to follow him). He then slowed down further and got behind me with his lights still on. I then switched to the right lane and then to the shoulder right before an exit. The officer did not pull behind me, instead he came to a dead stop on the right lane on the interstate and did the same motion to me angrily and sped off. After about 30-45 seconds I was finally able to merge back on the highway (it was pretty busy about now). When I did finally get back on the interstate I was behind some kind of box truck, like a u-haul, so I could not see anything beyond him and since he pulled me right before the interstate curves to the right I could not see where the officer was or where he had pulled over the other car.
I then switched to the middle lane in an effort to pass this truck since I didn't want to blow by where the officer was. In the middle lane I could see the officer with the other car pulled over 1/2-3/4 mile ahead on the shoulder. As I approached their location I slowed to attempt to merge back into the right lane and then again into the shoulder. When I was about 1/4 mile away still trying to merge, the officer saw me and pointed at me. He then held out his hand to the entire right hand lane to make them stop then he stepped into the middle of the right lane still pointing at me and then pointing to the shoulder. I had to come to a complete stop in the middle lane so that I could pass by the officer and get to the shoulder. So at this moment two full lanes of interstate traffic has come to a complete stop.
Once we were both on the shoulder I waited for the officer to approach my car. He came up to the right side of the car and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I told him I wasn't sure but I didn't think I was going that fast. He then told me he clocked "us" at 86mph in a 60 and that the 626 driver and I were side-by-side so he knew we were going the same speed. I gave him all my information and after he got the other car's info he went back to his car to process it. He came back and gave me the ticket and all my cards. He then asked if I had any questions. At this point I'd been thinking about how he clocked "us" so I asked him if he actually clocked me. He said he did clock me and that he had it on the radar and that I could come take a look. I'd had enough so I declined.
While I've only been pulled over once before ever I see a lot wrong with what happened. It seems almost reckless endangerment for the officer to make me follow him while he attempts to pull another vehicle over for one.
Second, he stops 2 full lanes of traffic during a busy time that could have easily caused an accident for someone else much less me. The guy behind me almost rear ended me because they couldn't see the officer in the middle of the right lane.
Thirdly, I don't see how it's possible the officer could clock both me and the other guy when we're a half mile behind him and from the officer's own statement he clocked one of us and since it seemed to him that we were side-by-side we're both at fault (this is also a part of I-77 that has a lot of curves so I don't understand how he could accurately clock either of us at will when he was so far ahead). He is also wrong about this 'guilt by association' we were not side-by-side he was passing me and there is no way I was going 86mph so I'm convinced that he clocked the 626 and not my car but then associated me with it. However, I can understand why he thought what he did. Your view is relative to your position. If I'm 3/4 mile ahead of a group of 2 cars, one going 90mph and one going 70mph and I glance up at their position while they are near side-by-side of course I could assume that they are going the same speed.
Sorry for the long winded explanation but I wanted to make sure all the facts were straight. Is this something I should get a lawyer for? I don't know how many points it is for but the amount written on the ticket is $450.
I'm just trying to see if it would worth paying a lawyer a couple hundred bucks to possibly get me off or should I go into court and make my argument and hopefully get the ticket reduced.
THANKS!
I was driving on the interstate when a highway patrol cruiser became visible in front of me. When the cruiser was ~1/2 mile ahead of me I noticed he started slowing down drastically and moved into the right lane. At this time another car (an older Mazda 626) was passing me in the left lane (I was in the middle lane). At this point in time when we passed the officer, he got over two lanes into the left lane and turned on his lights behind the 626. When I saw the lights come on I proceeded to slow down further so they could switch lanes, however, when I became parallel with the office he motioned to me by pointing at himself (I took this to mean to follow him). He then slowed down further and got behind me with his lights still on. I then switched to the right lane and then to the shoulder right before an exit. The officer did not pull behind me, instead he came to a dead stop on the right lane on the interstate and did the same motion to me angrily and sped off. After about 30-45 seconds I was finally able to merge back on the highway (it was pretty busy about now). When I did finally get back on the interstate I was behind some kind of box truck, like a u-haul, so I could not see anything beyond him and since he pulled me right before the interstate curves to the right I could not see where the officer was or where he had pulled over the other car.
I then switched to the middle lane in an effort to pass this truck since I didn't want to blow by where the officer was. In the middle lane I could see the officer with the other car pulled over 1/2-3/4 mile ahead on the shoulder. As I approached their location I slowed to attempt to merge back into the right lane and then again into the shoulder. When I was about 1/4 mile away still trying to merge, the officer saw me and pointed at me. He then held out his hand to the entire right hand lane to make them stop then he stepped into the middle of the right lane still pointing at me and then pointing to the shoulder. I had to come to a complete stop in the middle lane so that I could pass by the officer and get to the shoulder. So at this moment two full lanes of interstate traffic has come to a complete stop.
Once we were both on the shoulder I waited for the officer to approach my car. He came up to the right side of the car and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I told him I wasn't sure but I didn't think I was going that fast. He then told me he clocked "us" at 86mph in a 60 and that the 626 driver and I were side-by-side so he knew we were going the same speed. I gave him all my information and after he got the other car's info he went back to his car to process it. He came back and gave me the ticket and all my cards. He then asked if I had any questions. At this point I'd been thinking about how he clocked "us" so I asked him if he actually clocked me. He said he did clock me and that he had it on the radar and that I could come take a look. I'd had enough so I declined.
While I've only been pulled over once before ever I see a lot wrong with what happened. It seems almost reckless endangerment for the officer to make me follow him while he attempts to pull another vehicle over for one.
Second, he stops 2 full lanes of traffic during a busy time that could have easily caused an accident for someone else much less me. The guy behind me almost rear ended me because they couldn't see the officer in the middle of the right lane.
Thirdly, I don't see how it's possible the officer could clock both me and the other guy when we're a half mile behind him and from the officer's own statement he clocked one of us and since it seemed to him that we were side-by-side we're both at fault (this is also a part of I-77 that has a lot of curves so I don't understand how he could accurately clock either of us at will when he was so far ahead). He is also wrong about this 'guilt by association' we were not side-by-side he was passing me and there is no way I was going 86mph so I'm convinced that he clocked the 626 and not my car but then associated me with it. However, I can understand why he thought what he did. Your view is relative to your position. If I'm 3/4 mile ahead of a group of 2 cars, one going 90mph and one going 70mph and I glance up at their position while they are near side-by-side of course I could assume that they are going the same speed.
Sorry for the long winded explanation but I wanted to make sure all the facts were straight. Is this something I should get a lawyer for? I don't know how many points it is for but the amount written on the ticket is $450.
I'm just trying to see if it would worth paying a lawyer a couple hundred bucks to possibly get me off or should I go into court and make my argument and hopefully get the ticket reduced.
THANKS!