Posted on 04/12/2013 8:23:56 AM PDT by Gorilla44
Ohio has a stupid law on the books that they are using to generate income. This morning, my 18 year old son was on his way to school when he was in an accident. He was behind a stopped garbage truck and the driver waved at him to pass and as my son began passing the driver of the car behind my son also tried to pass and sideswiped my sons car. They ticketed my son for not using his turn signal and for NOT BEEPING HIS HORN as he passed. The other driver was also sited. I spoke with the cop afterward and told him I watched 60 or 70 cars pass them and not one person used their turn signal or beeped their horns and he didn't like that so much. So, I just want to remind all you Ohioans that when you see a cop that has pulled someone over be sure to beep your horn like a maniac as you pass because it's the law (OR 4511.27). The ticket is going to cost $140 and he got two points. I'm sure the insurance company is going to crush us. Agggggg! My anger at all that is wrong with this country is seething over.
If you do that you might get labeled as a “honky”. ;-)
I don’t understand the “failure to beep.” When was he supposed to sound his horn, as he went around the truck? If so, how would that have prevented the accident? Yes, he should have used his turn signal (one of my pet peeves: people who don’t signal) but it sounds like the other driver was the typical a-hole who just can’t wait to get ahead of traffic.
don’t accept the points, get a lawyer, or his ins will go up
PS: In Florida you can go to court and plead no contest and pay a fine, but you don’t get any points. You may be able to do that in Ohio as well.
(3) The operator of a vehicle or trackless trolley overtaking and passing another vehicle or trackless trolley proceeding in the same direction on a divided highway as defined in section 4511.35 of the Revised Code, a limited access highway as defined in section 5511.02 of the Revised Code, or a highway with four or more traffic lanes, is not required to signal audibly to the vehicle or trackless trolley being overtaken and passed.
Me thinks you might have been skunked. Freepers? Comments!
I always stayed off the interstate and favored non toll and a little slower (but not by much .. /8^) .. ) secondary roads.
Maybe if your son had put his signal light on, the car behind him would not have pulled out so quickly?
Just a thought.......
Idiot from behind was stupid.
Yep. I spoke to him about the turn signal but the horn thing not so much.
We have a friend who’s a cop and he wanted the ordinance number because he’s never heard of such a law.
I would fight the ticket, what do you have to lose. Unless of course OH is like MA where they charge you $75.00 to see a Judge and you don’t get that money back no matter if you win or not. But it sure beats paying the ticket and the insurance points.
Good Luck
The Police are becoming full-time fund-raisers
Traffic law enforcement is a joke. Police single out one car out of how many dozens for a violation? While you are standing there getting your ticket dozens pass you doing the same thing. When the police are not present almost every one speeds or changes lanes with signaling. It is a stupid institution but one that you cannot beat. Follow the money. $185 fine for going 5 miles of a posted speed of 55? If you want to take Defensive Driving to try and defer a charge (if you are eligible) you still have to pay the court $150 for processing. Really? BS.
Let’s try that with homicide. While the police are investigating a murder they get to ignore all other murders.
This from a guy who in another life worked as an LEO. One reason I quit after 15 years was I could not take to idiocy and futility that went with the job.
You can plead nolo contendere in Ohio and get no points. I did it. You get the fine though.
Actually, I would only honk my horn in an extreme emergency—that’s sorta considered impolite in my neck of the woods.......
Next they’ll write you up for blowing your horn. Beeping horns are a nuisance., doncha know. /s
Paying the fine stinks but I’m way more concerned about the points. Did you have a lawyer?
Last week in Ohio earned a “fishing w/o liscence” fine. Cop (game warden) said “The good news is that fine is only $12” When I got home to mail in the fine, the fine print on ticket added $124 for “costs” for a $136 total! What????!!!
Any recourse?
The liscence on me was purchased July 2012, but when I complained to the cop that it’s unfair that the thing expires March 31 no matter what month of the year it was bought (for $19- no prorate price is available). Even if bought in January of 2012 it would expire March 31. Cop said has to do with fiscal year.
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