Need Some Advice (ticket) - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

jbjones85 · 06-26-2009, 04:26 PM

So today on my way home I got a ticket for "following to closely". I was a good 2-3 car lengths (3 second rule) behind the trooper and he got in the turn lane like he was going to turn and when I went by him he got back behind me and pulled me. No offence to any officers on here but thats just BS, looking to meet quota or make some money for the state or something. The dude was a real d!ck head.

I have a fairly clean record (only 2 speeding tickets, both of which have been dropped and were 3+ years ago.) My question is should I try and get it dropped or just pay it. Its not really about the money its only $150; but I don't want it to show up on my record or make my insurance go up and the dude was an a$$. Any help is appreciated. BTW it was in Wake county, NC.

mountain lion · 06-26-2009, 04:43 PM

Get a traffic lawyer...prob cost you $150 as well, he'll get it dropped or lowered. You definitely don't want it on your record or insurance cause it will go up and a stupid ticket like this end up costing you a ton more in the long run from just paying them.

jbjones85 · 06-26-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountain lion

Get a traffic lawyer...prob cost you $150 as well, he'll get it dropped or lowered. You definitely don't want it on your record or insurance cause it will go up and a stupid ticket like this end up costing you a ton more in the long run from just paying them.

I figured as much (with the insurance and what not)

Axxis8203 · 06-26-2009, 05:03 PM

if your state offers a first time offender class you can usually go to that and the ticket will not appear on your record.

if not then there's always a lawyer or the ticket clinic.

good luck

rapolonio · 06-26-2009, 08:01 PM

Can you go to traffic school for it? I know in Cali, if you got a second ticket within 18 months of your first ticket, you can apply for Second Offender Traffic School. You need to show up on your court date and ask the judge for it. Second Offender Traffic School allows you to keep your record clean. It's a good option if your willing to pay the money but don't want it on your record.

Tacolution · 06-26-2009, 09:54 PM

Check out ticketassassin.com. I don't know about other states but here in the great state of CA we have what's called trial by written declaration. It's too much to explain here but that website gives you actual arguments you can use and all the proper forms to send in. I am in no way affiliated but my buddy used it twice and got out of both speeding tickets.

***eyedoc*** · 06-30-2009, 04:32 PM

u must be new to North Carolina?!?!

u sure that is "exactly" what happened? if so, you are right....that cop was a dick.

jbjones85 · 06-30-2009, 05:34 PM

eyedoc, I have lived in NC my entire life, and that is exactly what happened, its just hard to fight a "he said she said" type of argument.

***TrailDust*** · 06-30-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbjones85

eyedoc, I have lived in NC my entire life, and that is exactly what happened, its just hard to fight a "he said she said" type of argument.

What kind of a road were you on and what speed were you driving?

***eyedoc*** · 07-01-2009, 08:47 AM

the rule is one second behind a car for every 10mph you are travelling. 30mph = 3 seconds

2-3 car lengths behind is about a half of a second..... thus, following too closely. if you were going 15mph, then you were the correct distance behind the officer.

***05Moose*** · 07-02-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyedoc

the rule is one second behind a car for every 10mph you are travelling. 30mph = 3 seconds

2-3 car lengths behind is about a half of a second..... thus, following too closely. if you were going 15mph, then you were the correct distance behind the officer.

Not quite. It's a 2 second rule, but 3 is safer. The faster you go, the more distance 3 seconds puts you back. You're thinking of the old 1 car length per 10 mph rule.

The reason the 2 second rule exists is because of reaction times. Per a retired CHP MAIT (Major Accident Investigation Team) officer that I once worked with, the 2 second rule comes about because of the body's reaction times: Time it takes for your brain to process something has changed and what changed: .75 seconds. This is a physical fact of our bodies and cannot be decreased. Time it takes for you to react to what your brain just interpreted (on average here): another .75 seconds. This would be the length of time from when your brain sent the signal to your foot to "hit the brakes" and the time it took for your foot to get there and depress it.

So that totals a 1.5 second reaction at best (someone paying really close attention and expecting something can likely react a little faster but not by much. Then there's another .5 seconds since you're probably not paying super close attention and the fact that your vehicle may not be able to stop as fast as the one in front of you. Thus, giving yourself 2 seconds is minimum and 3 seconds is safe. Less than 2 seconds, and you're following too closely. There are a lot of people that follow closer than 2 seconds and I'm always thinking it would be so easy for me to make them rear end me...just hit the brakes quick and hard and they don't have a single chance.

So while the OP may have figured he was back by 2 seconds (and remember it's from his rear bumper to your front bumper), the officer may just disagree or maybe actually timed you...or was just being an ass.

My wife was the subject of a wrongful ticket way back in college and she just paid it because the cost of taking time off work and such wasn't worth it.