Question for Officer: Ticket for Following too closely?

[BrerMom]

Sounds similar to the "driving too fast for conditions" ticket here. A co-worker arrived several hours late to work in tears. The entire interstate was going 15 miles an hour - her quote, and for the conditions that day, quite probable - when she started sliding. Because she landed in the ditch, she received a ticket even though she managed to avoid other cars. She was a paycheck-to-paycheck single mom and seeing her so upset has made me remember her every time I drive in nasty conditions.

Even she was allowed to mail in her payment, though...

 

[shortbun]

failure to allow assured clear distance is what they call it in
Ohio and yep, you'd get a ticket here too!
In Ohio, most of the time, you can mail in your fine in a non
injury situation. Do the crime, pay the fine!
I know I seem cold hearted-people that follow too closely,
including my DH, are my pet peeve!

 

[raidermatt]

Fred, in the op's case a car was rear-ended at a yield sign.

Pretty basic.

In disykat's case, a strong point can be made that when the car in the lane next to you at an intersection is stopped, you should be able to stop as well...

Agreed that there are probably VERY rare cases where a rear-end accident is the fault of somebody pulling into traffic unsafely, but those are very rare.

Certainly in the OP's case, its pretty cut and dried.

 

[katerkat]

In Mississippi, it's an automatic - if you rear end someone, you get a ticket for following too closely. It's also the driver behind's fault, no matter what. (IE, if someone cuts you off so closely that you, well, hit them, it's YOUR fault, not theirs. )

I'd rather have some discretion - I was hit at a traffic light, with enough force to send me flying into the car in front of me. Technically, with the Mississippi law, I would be at fault for hitting the car in front of me, even though it never would have happened if I wasn't hit from behind. Luckily, it was Virginia, so I didn't get a ticket. (Driver behind me got a ton though. )

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by raidermatt
Fred, in the op's case a car was rear-ended at a yield sign.

Pretty basic.

[I wasn't talking about the original poster. I was addressing the bizarre concept that every time one car impacts another's rear end that it fits the legal definition and merits a ticket for the specific offense of following too closely.]

In disykat's case, a strong point can be made that when the car in the lane next to you at an intersection is stopped, you should be able to stop as well...

[There is NOTHING in disykat's post to say that the car next to her at an intersection. I specifically excluded that situation. I read her post that the person in the next lane stopped and tried to wave someone, from a secondary road, through all lanes on the primary road.]

Agreed that there are probably VERY rare cases where a rear-end accident is the fault of somebody pulling into traffic unsafely, but those are very rare.

[Very rare or not, the statements that any law enforcement officer ALWAYS issues tickets in any rear impact situation was what I pointed out as being WRONG. Very rare means it still happens and a good cop should be able to understand and adapt to the specifics of the situation.]

 

[BrerMom]

Originally posted by olena
BERLIN (Reuters) - A pair of flying underpants caused a crash on a German highway when they landed on a driver's face and blocked his view, police said Tuesday.

A police spokesman in the central town of Gotha said one of a group of naked men in a van threw the underwear into a Volkswagen Passat as they passed it on a busy stretch of one of Germany's notoriously speedy autobahns.

"The underpants landed on the driver's face, causing him to ram the truck ahead from behind," said the spokesman, adding that he did not know why the men were driving along naked.

No one was hurt in the crash, but police are hunting the owner of the underpants for failing to stop at the scene.

 

[HeatherPage]

You could possible contact an attorney in Atlanta to handle it for you. I know where some attorneys have their client sign a waiver to appear in court and the attorney shows up for them and possibly could get your ticket reduced. It might cost like $300 or so but it might be more convenient than you having to go back (also, most attorneys will take a couple of payments instead of the fee all at once). Maybe you could look up an attorney who specializes in traffic law.

 

[FredS]

Brermom -- that is hysterically funny! Thanks!

 

[Steve H.]

Originally posted by HeatherPage
You could possible contact an attorney in Atlanta to handle it for you. I know where some attorneys have their client sign a waiver to appear in court and the attorney shows up for them and possibly could get your ticket reduced. It might cost like $300 or so but it might be more convenient than you having to go back (also, most attorneys will take a couple of payments instead of the fee all at once). Maybe you could look up an attorney who specializes in traffic law.

An attorney?? For a basic moving violation??

Face it -- you hit another driver's car, caused damage and got a ticket. That's that -- go spend the hour at traffic court, plead "no contest" and pay the $100-$150 fine. It's really not that big a deal!

 

[mtemm]

my husband did hire our attorney for a speeding ticket he had, and he did get it reduced plus no points on his licence.

 

[HeatherPage]

Steve H.,

For some people it is more conveniant to have an attorney handle it for them then to have to take off work, etc. to take care of the ticket. You say an attorney! for a basic moving violation! Well the OP could be thinking I have to miss work for a whole day! and have to drive back through that mess! for a basic moving violation! It goes both ways. Just because you think they should suck it up and go back and pay, doesn't mean it's the right choice for them. Besides, you'd be amazed at what attorneys can work out with judges (I've seen it because I work for attorneys).
Besides, the OP's location says Alabama, doesn't sound like a short jaunt back if you ask me.

P.S. Sorry for the lousy sentence structure above.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I worked part-time for an attorney who did this type of work. It was a joke but he got the stuff reduced like EVERY time. People usually hired him though when they were worried about the points not so much the amount of the ticket.

Should I mention he worked as a Sheriff's Deputy before opening his own practice and was still in the reserve program??!!??!!

 

[Pete's Mom]

in Pugdog007's defense I will say that driving in Atlanta is an extremely stress filled trip through traffic hell. With no exaggeration, I can tell you that you literally are taking your life in your own hands when you drive I-85, I-75, or GA 400. If you try to drive the speed limit, you literally get "pushed". I have seen many cars whip in and out lanes and in between cars at high rates of speed (including police cars NOT in pursuit). People talking on cell phones, reading, shaving, or putting on make up all while driving at excessive speeds. Everytime I drive through Atlanta, I am stiff as a board with both hands clenched on the wheel. I cannot tell you how it feels to be in a little Honda Accord in the middle lane of a 5 lane wide highway packed full of cars all traveling in the same direction at about 80 miles a hour with less than one car length between them. If you try to leave enough room in front of you for safety, then the bozo behind you will try "push" you. If that doesn't work, then they will whip around you and then whip in front of you. You can't win for losing.

 

[Rajah]

Sounds like Houston.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Originally posted by Pete's Mom
I have seen many cars whip in and out lanes and in between cars at high rates of speed (including police cars NOT in pursuit).

This is a little off topic, but sometimes police officers do not run lights and sirens, but they are in fact responding to an emergency call.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I understand exactly how this can happen. I rearended someone almost 10 years ago because they stopped at the top of an on-ramp. This particular ramp has no acceleration lane once you actually reach the interstate (the ramp itself is really quite long, but ends right as you need to merge into traffic). You have to literally turn around and look behind you before you get to the top of the ramp or else you run the risk of getting creamed by oncoming traffic. Yes, I got a ticket for careless and imprudent driving. Yes, you have to go court to pay the ticket. Yes, you can hire an attorney and here in MO, this particular ticket will put points on your license. Too many points, you lose your license. It sucked to get the ticket, but in the end, it was my fault and I went to pay the fine. If I lived in another state, I would probably just pay an attorney to take care of it for me.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Here in MO, officers are required to use lights and/or sirens if they are on an emergency call and must drive above the posted speed limit.

Also, if you cut someone off and are rearended, the accident is your fault. I have known people who have done this and have been ticketed for it. It's called improper lane change.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Here in MO, officers are required to use lights and/or sirens if they are on an emergency call and must drive above the posted speed limit.

Well I feel bad for the police officers then because that is a threat to their safety. If they are going onscene to say a burglary in progress, they don't want to show up lights and sirens blaring.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Well I feel bad for the police officers then because that is a threat to their safety. If they are going onscene to say a burglary in progress, they don't want to show up lights and sirens blaring.

What about my safety that they are supposed to protect? I had a police officer pass me one time doing approx. 60+ mph in a 25 mph residential neighborhood. No lights, no sirens. Public safety is always more important than whereever they are going too. Even if (s)he is runing lights and sirens, they must exercise good judgement and caution. The way it normally works around here is - you run lights and sirens until you are within a short distance of the scene - THEN you turn off the lights and sirens if the situation warrants it.

There have been cases of ambulance drivers, police officers and firefighters being conviceted of manslaughter because they were running to a scene and failed to take public safety into account. I would hate to think that someone might die or be injured because a police officer was weaving in and out of traffic and speeding without his lights and sirens on.

 

[KathyTX]

Steve,

If the OP lives in Alabama and the ticket's in Atlanta, that could mean as much as a 5 hour drive each way. The drive, plus spending an undefined amount of time waiting around in traffic court, plus missing a day's work, plus the liklihood of needing an Atlanta hotel room the night before, plus the stress of having to brave the horrific Atlanta driving conditions again...

...paying an Atlanta attorney to avoid the hassle might be a bargain!

(If the OP were an Atlanta local, I agree that this would be much simpler.)