Speeding behind speeders

[QandA 0]

I've gotten quite a few speeding tickets so i've finally made myself drive the speed limit but often times i get too impatient. When i see someone blast past me i've taken to speeding up and following (not dangerously close) them. The idea behind this is that if there is a speed trap, the radar will pick him up but i wont get caught. Is there any truth to this or is it just wishful thinking..?

Depends on the officer, but mostly wishful thinking. My father was a mountie for 38 years. When it came to traffic stories, he often spoke of pulling over the second car because the driver thought he wouldn't get nabbed. Another trick was one police car pulling over the second speeder, and radioing a car ahead to pick up the first speeder, after he thought he was in the clear. I guess there wasn't a whole lot happening on New Brunswick highways in the 70's...

There still isn't. They did put a fence up for moose though, only in the accident prone sections though, so it's still not safe haha. Whereabouts in NB was he at.

My brother just graduated from depot, basically a lot depends on the mood an officers in too. I was pulled over once last year, had the truck instead of my slow car so I went faster than I thought I was going. Lady says "ticket french or english," I said english. She takes my license, comes back and said "my son's team kicked the shit out of yours last week eh?" I got off with a warning.

[dangle 0]

The burden of proof is, in theory, the state's.

If it's the cop's word against your word, the cop's word holds more water. If your going to use the excuse that there were many people around you when you were pulled over and the speed he ticketed you for was a different motorists' speed, you will have to prove that there was a lot of traffic. You only telling the judge that wont hold any weight most likely. You'd need more proof.

The cop's word is the proof of the state, no?

[LkptTiger 1]

Thus the qualification, "in theory."

[dangle 0]

Okay, i gotcha. I agree :)

[thefelixculpa 0]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

[dangle 0]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

wow. 15 is high. That wouldn't fly around here

[thefelixculpa 0]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

wow. 15 is high. That wouldn't fly around here

On some occasions if I go 15 over, people will ride my bumper. It's pretty much engraved in my mind that 35 mph signs mean drive 50, 65 mph means drive 80.

[foppa21 0]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

wow. 15 is high. That wouldn't fly around here

How about 40 in a 25? What's your defense gonna be when you kill a pedestrian or a kid on a bike?

[thefelixculpa 0]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

wow. 15 is high. That wouldn't fly around here

How about 40 in a 25? What's your defense gonna be when you kill a pedestrian or a kid on a bike?

I'm obviously not going to drive 15 over in a pedestrian area.....I'm talking about open roads here. And like I said, it's the norm around here.

[mrusse01 0]

Cops suck.

The whole concept of how speed limits work is retarded to me. Everyone already goes X amount over the limit anyways, so why not just make that number the actual limit and then pull you over if you break that rather than having some arbitrary cop decide if what you are doing is ok or not? If speed limits are so important why doesn't every jurisdication have photo radar? Why don't automated tolls ticket you if you travel a certain distance in a certain time and it's determined your avg. speed was over the limit? Why? Because speeding tickets are less about public safety, less about deterring speeding, and almost entirely about being a cash grab for the government.

Because a speed has to be set or else the speed will just keep going up. ex. on a 35 mph road, people go 40 mph usually. If they made it 40 mph because everyone goes that fast, in 5 years, people will be taking advantage of the limit and go 45 mph. then 45 mph will be the acceptable speed and it'll keep going up.

Yes, but that's retarded. Make the speed limits actual limits, and then you don't have to guess how much over you are allowed to go.

[LkptTiger 1]

You make it sound like we're entitled to speed so long as we keep your spedometer at or below some trivial number the general population has slapped on top of the legal speed limit. You're not necessarily "allowed" to go even one MPH over the limit; most cops just don't bust your balls over some small excess in speed. If a cop wanted to pull you over for doing 56 in a 55, he could do it...but it's usually not worth the time or effort. 30 means 30, 45 means 45, 55 means 55, etc. The law is the law - but most officers are nice enough to give us a little leeway. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

[forbs02 20]

You make it sound like we're entitled to speed so long as we keep your spedometer at or below some trivial number the general population has slapped on top of the legal speed limit. You're not necessarily "allowed" to go even one MPH over the limit; most cops just don't bust your balls over some small excess in speed. If a cop wanted to pull you over for doing 56 in a 55, he could do it...but it's usually not worth the time or effort. 30 means 30, 45 means 45, 55 means 55, etc. The law is the law - but most officers are nice enough to give us a little leeway. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I was pulled over once for doing 56 in a 55. It was 8:00am on a Saturday morning (new year's eve) and I was heading to work. The guy was a real ass but he let me off with a warning. I was pissed. One mile over the speed limit on the freeway. It just goes to show that you can be pulled over for any speed over.

[dangle 0]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

wow. 15 is high. That wouldn't fly around here

How about 40 in a 25? What's your defense gonna be when you kill a pedestrian or a kid on a bike?

if that was directed towards me... I dont speed like that. Especially not in a pedestrian area. I usually do 7-9 over on the highway.

my question is... what is the difference if you hit and kill child going 35 or going 25? I've rode with people that do the speed limit but are 10 times more likely to hit a pedestrian than someone who is a good driver but does 10 mph over the speed limit. true story.

[chippa13 1844]

I've always been one to drive 15 over the limit regardless of where I am...I got pulled over last year doing 55 in a 35 and the cop even told me, "We usually give a 15 mph cushion" I know most areas are not like that probably, but it hasn't bit me in the ass yet.

wow. 15 is high. That wouldn't fly around here

How about 40 in a 25? What's your defense gonna be when you kill a pedestrian or a kid on a bike?

Yes, because that always happens. It isn't like people are driving with their eyes closed.

[camhockey16 5]

i think one of the biggest reasons why a cop doesn't pull you over until you are doing at least 10 over is because you can challenge it in court.

if i got a ticket for doing 1 mph over the speed limit and took it to court the judge would most likely be pissed at the officer for writing such a stupid ticket and wasting everyones time and throw the case out.

[dangle 0]

i think one of the biggest reasons why a cop doesn't pull you over until you are doing at least 10 over is because you can challenge it in court.

I heard one time that the hand held radar guns have an accuracy of (plus or minus)9 mph. I thought that seemed a bit high to me.... but maybe thats where the 9 mph rule came into play?

[Chadd 916]

It isn't like people are driving with their eyes closed.

I tried that once, wrecked my car. I'm really paranoid about driving when I'm tired now.

i think one of the biggest reasons why a cop doesn't pull you over until you are doing at least 10 over is because you can challenge it in court.

I heard one time that the hand held radar guns have an accuracy of (plus or minus)9 mph. I thought that seemed a bit high to me.... but maybe thats where the 9 mph rule came into play?

Any time they pull out to chase down a speeder, there is a chance of something bad happening to them. Unless someone is doing something flagrantly wrong, would you potentially risk your life to stop them?

[chippa13 1844]

I tried that once, wrecked my car. I'm really paranoid about driving when I'm tired now.

Anytime I think I'm even close to that I'll make sure to have some coffee or Mountain Dew for the ride.

[dangle 0]

Any time they pull out to chase down a speeder, there is a chance of something bad happening to them. Unless someone is doing something flagrantly wrong, would you potentially risk your life to stop them?

But if someone's doing only 5 mph over the speed limit, there isn't much chance of the cop putting their life in danger. Not any more chance than driving to the store. Now if someone is doing 50 mph over the speed limit, there's a bigger chance of them putting their life (and the lives of others) in danger. The way I'm looking at it is kinda opposite of what you said.

Cops know they're putting their lives at risk. It's part of the job and they understand that

[Chadd 916]

Any time they pull out to chase down a speeder, there is a chance of something bad happening to them. Unless someone is doing something flagrantly wrong, would you potentially risk your life to stop them?

But if someone's doing only 5 mph over the speed limit, there isn't much chance of the cop putting their life in danger. Not any more chance than driving to the store. Now if someone is doing 50 mph over the speed limit, there's a bigger chance of them putting their life (and the lives of others) in danger. The way I'm looking at it is kinda opposite of what you said.

It has nothing to do with the speed, anyone they pull over could be armed or psychotic and there isn't much they can do about it.

[dangle 0]

It has nothing to do with the speed, anyone they pull over could be armed or psychotic and there isn't much they can do about it.

oh! i gotcha. Thats true, but its part of their job to enforce the law, even when they have to put their life in danger, right? Whether it's 5 mph over the speed limit or 30 mph over.

I do agree with you, I wouldn't be very inclined to pull over someone that's doing 5 mph over the speed limit on the highway for that exact reason

[BigDipper 0]

True story..no cop likes doing paperwork. Proven fact. However, court date means OT for them so you never know. A lot of young rookie cops I've always found are real pricks, as they feel they have something to prove. Older guys know when they have to nail someone. Pick and choose so to speak. Funny story for you fellas...03 in NY state I got clocked 85 in a 65. Trooper tagged me for over a mile. $240 ticket. I never paid it. Being Canadian it means squat to us. Fast forward to 06. In my truck to my first ever Met game at Shea. Two buddies are in the truck having a few road rockets. Unmarked cruiser runs my tag...and lo and behold. I miss the game and spend the night in the klink for "driving while suspended". Best part of the story? Cop gives my buddy my keys, tells him to drive, and hes half in the bag. And the other idiot friend of mine decides to throw in a dip thinking the cop will only think hes dipping instead of drinking the beer. He's never chewed before and he yakked all over the inside of the ***king precinct. Moral of the story. Pay tickets.

[chippa13 1844]

It has nothing to do with the speed, anyone they pull over could be armed or psychotic and there isn't much they can do about it.

oh! i gotcha. Thats true, but its part of their job to enforce the law, even when they have to put their life in danger, right? Whether it's 5 mph over the speed limit or 30 mph over.

I do agree with you, I wouldn't be very inclined to pull over someone that's doing 5 mph over the speed limit on the highway for that exact reason

Is it worth it to a cop to put himself in an unpredictable situation for a mere $50 citation?

[wildebeest 0]

He used the excuse "I was just flowing with traffic... blah blah" The cop said "Have you ever been bird hunting before? It's the same as radaring"

He didn't get off that ticket

The variation of that I heard when a friend of mine got pulled over was:

"you ever go fishing?"

"yeah"

"did you catch the whole pond?"

If you're going to go over the speed limit, regardless of how far over or what place you are in a pack, be prepared to be held responsible for it.

[dangle 0]

I do agree with you, I wouldn't be very inclined to pull over someone that's doing 5 mph over the speed limit on the highway for that exact reason

Is it worth it to a cop to put himself in an unpredictable situation for a mere $50 citation?

you have a VERY selective reading ability. clearly