Ticketed for driving slow in the left lane

[daugen]

You got that right. I think a major contributor to the pass problem is the law that says you cant exceed the speed limit while passing.

About three years ago, while coming home from the Catskills on Route 28 headed to Kingston, I was stopped by a state cop for "excessive speeding."
Huh? I passed a lookey-lou who then seemed to speed up, so I really floored it to be safe, I was ok, mile long straightaway and nothing coming. Then a
truck became visible coming at me so time to move over. Which I did, turn signals at all appropriate moments, and I slowed back down to two over.

Lovely little flashing lights. You were going too fast during that pass. How fast am I allowed to go? "Not that fast". that was sure precise and helpful.
Judge, jury and executioner, almost three hundred dollars later. I haven't put a scratch on a car in 47 years of driving, and I almost had to laugh at the poor state cop, his teeth chattering in the sub zero wind chill. Serves you right, if you are going to revenue me, enjoy the discomfort. I've had a few speeding tickets over the years, all on radar on interstates, and this was the most ridiculous one of them all. Not sure what the law is but you deserve a ticket anyway for me having to get out in the cold. It's a four hour drive back so as usual no way was
I going to contest this in their kangaroo court on Rt. 28. I grind my teeth a little because I have been supporting their local economy up there for over forty years. Thank you for acknowledging that State of NY.

 

[dave1949]

daugen, That was similar to my "Welcome to Maine" speeding ticket. I had just come back from living in Germany, the family was following as soon as school was out.

I was running late for an appointment to look at a house to rent, didn't have a clue that the speed limit in Maine is 45 mph unless otherwise posted. So ... I was behind a few cars going the speed limit on a two-lane state route wondering why they were all going like molasses. Saw my chance and passed, just after getting back into the right lane, a deputy appears coming the other way from around a gentle curve.

I'm sure I was doing 70 mph when he clocked me. But, since 25 over is criminal speeding here, he knocked it down to 67 mph. That was the only nice thing he did. My explanation that I had just completed passing, which I know he couldn't have seen, was taken as a sure sign I was a cretin. He had issues with my USAEUR issued license, didn't want to hear that I didn't know if I would end up living in Maine or New Hampshire, and didn't have a home yet to get a license in either state. My Ohio license had expired so many years ago I stopped carrying it around.

I forget what it cost, around $225 IIRC, twas aggravating.

 

[daugen]

well, I have to fess up. I really did floor it, wanted to see what the new Frontier could do, and it clearly did quite nicely. Much too nicely...:confused3:
unlike your deputy, mine delighted in explaining to me that I was criminally speeding, at 81 in a 55. My friend and I, remember, we are about 60 at the time looked at
each other and said no way. Quietly, we try to be "good citizens" and also smart enough not to mouth off to a very cold state cop. So my 72 in a 55, which would have been right for a pass on a long straight. A very long straight. The person I passed was doing two under, or less. I wanted to do two over. It's a beautifully paved road and a gorgeous ride through the mountains. So I passed, and I guess that 4 litre V6 really did show its suds as I'd like to believe the radar machine. Would like to, how could it be that far off?
Granted, I was paying zero attention to the speedometer, and everything to making a safe pass. Which I did just fine. But then I became a revenue opportunity, and come to think of it, it totaled almost six hundred before I was done, as both the State of NY and Shandaken or whatever little town I was in also got me for their portion. Like driving through one of those construction zone all fines are doubled zones. When they got me, all the revenue lights and bells went off. Never again. I don't have a radar detector, haven't for a very long time, and now I drive slow enough it's a moot point. Two to five to ten over, where appropriate. Dial it in on cruise and stay away from everyone else.

 

[SPYDERLK]

When you drive a car of average power it is quite apparent when people speed up as you pass. Most people do and Im convinced that many do it judgmentally or for "fun". When I drove my motorcycle I never noticed because it would accelerate so fast it was over before they could respond. Creep by somebody like the law allows and you get the people who want to enforce that their speed is fast enuf and youre giving them every opportunity to do it. With marginal power it gets dangerous very quickly. It takes special and extreme idiocy to make laws that increase time and distance spent in the oncoming lane. Yet this brand of negligent thinking is being practiced and has somehow been allowed in spite of the universal negative ramifications.
larry