Are you aware of this New Traffic Law - Ticket cost $754.00? (VANITY)

Vanity | 07/27/2011

[SeekAndFind]

Dear FReeper friends... I just got this e-mail and wanted to make sure if you are aware of the existence of this new nationwide traffic law ...

Most importantly --- IS IT TRUE?

Thanks

______________________________________________________________________________________

New Traffic Law 2010 - Ticket cost $754.00

GOOD THING TO KNOW: New Law: If a patrol car is pulled over to the side of the road, you have to change to the next lane (away from the stopped vehicle) or slow down by 20 mph. Every state except Hawaii , Maryland and D.C. has this law. In California , the "Move-over" law became operative on January 1, 2010.

A friend's son got a ticket for this recently. A police car (turned out)it was 2 police cars) was on the side of the road giving a ticket to someone else. He slowed down to pass but did not move into the other lane. The second police car immediately pulled him over and gave him a ticket. He had never heard of the law. It is a fairly new law that states if any emergency vehicle is on the side of the road, if you are able, you are to move into the far lane.

The cost of the ticket was $754, with 3 points on your license and a mandatory court appearance. Please let everyone you know that drives about this new law. It is true, see details at the following web address:

http://www.moveoveramerica.com/

[=8 mrrabbit 8=]

I just got this e-mail and wanted to make sure if you are aware of the existence of this “new nationwide traffic law”

...

As others have “more nicely” pointed out - you misrepresented what the website presented.

...and in doing so - you spammed.

SPAM also occurs when people can’t be bothered to read something or listen/hear something in depth...and instead just run along an post it and get hysterical about and expect others to do the same.

In California - we have the CHP - not the FHP.

=8-)

[Kirkwood]

Maximum moving violation in Louisiana is around $185 which includes court costs and the fine itself. Add some more for a bench warrant if you can’t pay it. The only way you could get up to $745 here is if you had multiple violations such as passing on the right + speeding + failure to yield to emergency vehicle + brake light out.

[McGruff]

I’ve heard of this but it’s a stupid idea. If you pull over to the left lane you’re apt to get rear ended by the guy who is speeding up to pass you before you get to the police car. Another well meaning but stupid idea.

[Above My Pay Grade]

>>>Update: Police are using this new law to trap motorists. Specifically, they park a police car on the side of the road with lights on (and sometimes without) and wait for motorists to fail to move over. Despite there being no emergency, motorists are then pulled over and issued a “move over” ticket, a 3-point violation.

This law was specifically enacted to protect law enforcement officers who have been killed or injured while responding to roadside emergencies. It is therefore disconcerting that police officers would create fake emergencies to ensnare motorists.<<<

This is disgraceful. They are intentionally causing danger to motorists to wrtie bogus tickets. Any police officer who does this and any superior who approved this (whether police or elected official) should be charged with reckless endangerment.

It is interestting that in at least 2 of the 3 officer injuries/deaths mentioned in the article, the new law would have likely made no difference. In one case the driver was drunk and in another a tire blew out. The other death was blamed on an icy patch of road (which had also caused the motorist the officer was assisting to slide off the road).

[wolfman23601]

Wow, that law is a year old in VA, but the penalties aren’t that harsh.

[Navy Patriot]

This is true (fine varies), and I simply plan ahead by never using the right lane (and sometimes the left lane), until I exit the freeway. That way I can't get boxed into an arbitrary ticket.

[DariusBane]

I know. The right brought us the WOD, RICO, squelching the 4th Amendment, as you say the flag burning thing.

Now I don’t have a problem with banning abortion as the State clearly is mandated to defend innocent life. That is clearly not an issue that violates a personal liberty.

The flag burning issue was just blatant retail politics. Personally, I want to see who wants to burn an American flag. Then I know who I am dealing with.

Gay marriage: Again, retail politics. The government does not have to ban it. It just is under NO obligation to recognize it.

[reaganaut]

Yeah, it has been a few years since I lived in California (2 years) but $745 seems high even for CA unless there were multiples.

[wrench]

Don’t know about La., but in Ga., they are tacking on all sorts of state and “court” costs when you get a ticket. If they pop you for being a super speeder, it does add $500 to what the other charges come to.

$750 or so for this sort of violation sounds about right for my area.

[Responsibility2nd]

The reason this law exists is because a number of police officers in the past have been struck by passing vehicles while they were standing next to a driver’s door giving a ticket.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So explain, if you please, how your scenario constitures an emergency.

If anything, the cop is creating an emergency (where none existed) endangering himself, the poor slob getting a ticket, and hundreds of other motorists who must take quick and evasive action.

This is a bad law.

[Navy Patriot]

Despite there being no emergency, motorists are then pulled over and issued a “move over” ticket, a 3-point violation.

There is no law the police will not abuse, except, of course, no law.

[CSM]

I live in MI and we have this law here. I still don’t see how it makes the officers any safer....it seems to disrupt the flow of traffic and that causes more danger.

[Jonty30]

I think it’s a reasonable law for police officers, construction crews, or ambulance drivers.

These people usually aren’t on the side of the road because they want to be.

But a $754 seems excessive.

[Mr.Unique]

The sign does give you the option to either move over OR slow down.

Which is the case in most states. The bogus part of many of these chain emails is the speed at which you may pass the emergency vehicle while staying in the right lane. Most laws say "safe and prudent", or something to that effect.

However, I've seen some emails saying that you need to slow to 30 mph. That's BS and it will cause an accident.

[DariusBane]

It may be reasonable. Why are gubment cheese swilling union thugs the only ones protected by the law? Also, we have plenty of laws. We don’t need any more.

[bgill]

Just what kind of "emergency" is there really for some cop to be collecting revenue on the side of the road; to the point it place a real danger for him, the poor motorist, and hundreds more who must take quick and evasive action?

Agreed. Besides, an "emergency vehicle" should only include a fire truck or an ambulance on it's way to the emergency situation. A cop car pulled off to the side should not be considered to be an emergency vehicle. Sure, I slow down and pull over as far as my safety warrants. However, many times, as others have pointed out, it can be impossible to pull over. I have never heard of the 20 mph and can you imagine the pile up of wrecked vehicles if I suddenly slammed on the breaks to slow from 70 to 20.

[library user]

Just what kind of "emergency" is there really for some cop to be collecting revenue on the side of the road; to the point it place a real danger for him, the poor motorist, and hundreds more who must take quick and evasive action?

The cop has to stop and park wherever the suspect vehicle chooses to pull over.

That's why when I get pulled over for speeding, I slow down, put emergency flashers on, and then pull over when we're on a straight road.

[lacrew]

‘....it’s merely a law that is so obviously appropriate that virtually all states have adopted a version of it. Why does that upset you?’

I don't think its ‘obviously appropriate’ at all. As others have mentioned on this thread, people are making unsafe lanes switches. As an engineer who occasionally gets involved with traffic engineering, the law has its pros and cons. My personal opinion - the law creates a more dangerous situation. It can be argued both ways, but its hardly ‘obvious’.

And yes, I have seen the ‘traps’, with two marked cars pulled over (no civilians pulled over). You can't get over safely, car no. 2 speeds after you. This only hardens my position that these laws should be repealed.

[Jonty30]

I don’t think a normal person needs to be protected because they are taking a whiz on the side of the road or they’re taking photographs or something. They can very well watch traffic themselves.

However, people who are doing their jobs, it’s not as though they can choose to not stop at the side of the road. An ambulance driver cannot choose to not pick up an injured person, under adverse conditions and a cop cannot choose to stop somebody or not engage with a thug in this area. And they don’t need to be trying to concentrate on their jobs and keeping their eye on the road at the same time.

I agree, it’s unfortunate that such laws are necessary, but these laws are a reflection on society’s unwillingness to give some measure of consideration to those around them. In fact, if it was within the culture to drive with an eye on consideration and safety, the traffic laws would probably be three pages long and no longer.

[Hatteras]

I pull over to the left lane for emergency vehicles and non-emergency vehicles alike. I don't need a little kid stepping out on the highway while his dad is changing a tire.

"Presumes the second guy was running a radar, using the original stop as bait (sneaky $hits)."

I'll even see them sitting alone on the shoulder at night with their blue lights flashing (hiding right out in the open). The idea is that people approaching from behind assume he is busy writing a ticket and they'll maintain their excessive speed. Unfortunately, apparently, a lot of drivers do.