PLEASE EVERYONE VOTE ON THIS TOPIC. I have a traffic court date set for December 2nd.

So here's the background information.

I was driving back home to El Dorado Hills (Sacramento area) from the Bay Area. I was traveling on a two-lane road (Grant Line Rd. for those who know the area), and it was a little after midnight. The road is kind of out in the middle of nowhere, especially where I got pulled over. The road is also not very well traveled at that time of night. In fact, I was the only car on the road for quite some time. There was no one behind me that I could see, no one in front of me that I could see, and no one coming in the opposite direction.

I came to a four-way stop sign. There were now two other cars coming down one of the other roads towards the stop sign. I took off and and got up to speed. Both of the other cars turned onto the same road that I was on, but they were a ways behind me because I took off before they even reached the stop sign. I kept an eye on them in my rearview mirror. One of the cars turned off the road, and the other car kept going. By this time, I probably had a 1/2 mile lead on the other car. Well, that car started chasing me down and was gaining on me pretty fast.

I was now approaching a stoplight where Grant Line meets Highway 16. As I approached, the other car caught up to me and was on my butt. We both stopped for the stoplight. I could not tell what kind of car was behind me because the headlights were bright. When the light turned green, I took off (not very fast in case it was a police officer) and got up to the speed limit (55MPH). The other car sat on my butt very close (about one car length). The car would not pass and still sat on my butt. The car could have passed because the road was straight and passing was allowed. I was driving with the top down, and by this time I was a little concerned as to what this guy wanted. Was he a drunk person that may run me off the road accidentally, or was he someone who wanted to steal my car? I was a bit fearful.

So, I decided to gradually accelerate to see if I could at least get a couple car lengths between us. He didn't back off and stuck on my butt. I didn't floor it or downshift--I gradually accelerated. I wasn't trying to toy or race with the guy. Anyway, by the time I was over the speed limit by 10-15MPH, the lights came on. It was a police officer.

Now, what would you have done? Would you too have sped up? I actually told the officer that I was a bit fearful wondering if he was some wierdo. I had the top down, and someone could have easily run me off the road, shot me or whatever, and yanked me out of the car very easily. There was no place for me to really pull over (the shoulder is about two feet wide), and I didn't want to pull over because if I did, it would be that much easier for someone to get me. If I would have slowed down, it might have pissed the person off even more.

Please help and vote on this topic. I would like to provide the results to the judge.

 

Don't take any internet bs into the courtroom with you. Explain your situation and tell the judge you only reacted to the officers unsafe driving in that he was tailgating you. Tell the judge you slowed down and he wouldn't pass you. Only after you sped up to put a safe distance between the two cars did the officer activate his emergency lights. If that is the truth and the judge isn't an ass you may get lucky. But.......take your checkbook.

Over the years I have found that being honest does pay, and I have had more experience with these situations than I care to have.

 

Wow, that is an interesting story, I would have done the same, any time anyone is riding me, I put a little distance on them or I give a few taps on the break to aware them they are too close. You have a good story and it is believable, but do you have any evidence besides your word. Hope the officer doesn't show up, that has been the saving grace for me more then once

 

Thanks for your comments guys.

And my story is the truth, but I'm not sure what kind of evidence I can bring.

What is very interesting is that one week later, on the same road, I was driving home again (about midnight) and there was an abandoned car on the side of the road. It appeared to have been run off the road (or they ran off the road) because it was at an angle and partially in a drainage swail. The car's passenger door was open and the trunk was open. There was a police officer in his car with his spotlight on checking the area out.

 

No, I wouldve already been going 100 mph!!

 

I would have taped the brakes first to let them know I felt they were too close, if they did not back off I would have sped up a bit to put some distance between us.

How close was the other car? One car length? Less? I don't know the laws in your state, here in Washington, I was pulled over by an officer and given a ticket for tailgating him. You may have a similar law.

Being a road in the middle of nowhere and late at night, what if an animal jumped out in front of you or there was some other road hazard that would have caused you to slam on the brakes? Would he have hit you? I don't think that police officers have the right to create an unsafe environment for other drivers on the road if they are not breaking the law.

There's no evidence you can bring to court about what happened other than your honesty. Your prior driving record may be an issue as well. If it's clean, you will probably get out of it. If not, hope that you get a nice judge.

 

Wait, that was a cop behind you the whole time? I've heard of cops doing that to people egging them on to make them speed. What a bastard. I'd go in with the exact story you told that you were afraid for your safety and were being tailgated by the cop. I hope you win this.

 

go to the bookstore - borders, whatever. they have books on how to beat a speeding ticket. i read and bought one and beat a $360 speeding ticket on a technicality because of how they used radar to catch me - an illegal speed trap.

it sounds like they did not use radar on you. you can check your ticket to see for sure.

also in those books you will learn how to write a "request for discovery" to the district attorney's office. police officers routinely write notes on the back of their tickets identifying their take of the situation.

you need to get a copy of the back of that ticket to see what the officer will say in court should you decide to challenge the ticket, to see if you have any potential "outs."

the problem with moving violations is you are presumed guilty until proven innocent, opposite of all other criminal cases. so read up, get a copy of the back of the ticket, and see what options are available to you.

good luck!

 

Have you tried one of the ticket lawyers?

 

"Traffic Attorney"-
it's a good thing.