Bad news for Kerm
#1
Thread Starter
Bad news for Kerm
Friday night I was on my way to my parents house, it was approx 8:30 or so, I was on hwy 72. I was in the right lane and two cars ahead of me was a guy about to exit. The car behind me (Land Cruiser) had already switched to the left lane so I waited for him to pass, then I geared down to pass also since I was doing under 50 mph by that time. So I am in the left lane passing when out of no where I see someone flashing there lights for me to get over, they are coming up fast. It turns out to be a crotch rocket, so I'm afraid this guy is going to run all over me so I get out of the way quick.
I get over in the right lane, he buzzes past me while we top a hill. State trooper in the median pointed the opposite way. I look down and I'm doing like 78 so I ease off the throttle and get back to the speed limit (65). Well I see his back up lights so I figure he is going to get the bike. Negative.
He catches up to me and pulls me over. Accuses me of racing the bike. He said he heard us reving the whole way even though he couldn't see us. He asked numerous times if I knew the guy, where he lived, etc, which I didn't. He asked if I had a death wish, etc, etc. I explained what I was doing but he kept insisting I was racing. After about 30 minutes of him questioning me everything from where I worked, what I did, if I had been arrested, if I knew people died on the road, he thanked me for not running from him since he knew he could not catch the bike and wouldn't even try and slapped me with a racing on the hiwaay ticket.
Well turns out racing on the hiwaay is about as bad if not worse than a DUI. Prison, loss of license, insurance might not insure me anymore. I talked to some guys back home and I'll have to go to court and it will be his word against mine. His case is not great since he only got me and not the bike. Dad is calling Judge Grider today to talk to him. From what I have heard I will have to go to court and plead not guilty and if I'm lucky it will be thrown out there. If I am unlucky then I will have to go back to court for a hearing with Judge Grider again. Then if he rules against me then I will appeal and have to get a lawyer at the time.
Bad thing is I wasn't racing the bike. Just because I drove an S2000 and a bike passed me hauling ass I got a racing ticket.
I get over in the right lane, he buzzes past me while we top a hill. State trooper in the median pointed the opposite way. I look down and I'm doing like 78 so I ease off the throttle and get back to the speed limit (65). Well I see his back up lights so I figure he is going to get the bike. Negative.
He catches up to me and pulls me over. Accuses me of racing the bike. He said he heard us reving the whole way even though he couldn't see us. He asked numerous times if I knew the guy, where he lived, etc, which I didn't. He asked if I had a death wish, etc, etc. I explained what I was doing but he kept insisting I was racing. After about 30 minutes of him questioning me everything from where I worked, what I did, if I had been arrested, if I knew people died on the road, he thanked me for not running from him since he knew he could not catch the bike and wouldn't even try and slapped me with a racing on the hiwaay ticket.
Well turns out racing on the hiwaay is about as bad if not worse than a DUI. Prison, loss of license, insurance might not insure me anymore. I talked to some guys back home and I'll have to go to court and it will be his word against mine. His case is not great since he only got me and not the bike. Dad is calling Judge Grider today to talk to him. From what I have heard I will have to go to court and plead not guilty and if I'm lucky it will be thrown out there. If I am unlucky then I will have to go back to court for a hearing with Judge Grider again. Then if he rules against me then I will appeal and have to get a lawyer at the time.
Bad thing is I wasn't racing the bike. Just because I drove an S2000 and a bike passed me hauling ass I got a racing ticket.
#2
That sucks. I hope it will turn out okay for you. I had a cop pulled me over for going 9 mph over the speed limit, but the bad part was I was going with the flow of the traffic. I guess our car just stands out. My car is up for sale now. I figure I don't need two cars.
#3
Ask to get a record of the Radar log.
If the radar log (AFTER THE BIKE HAS PASSED ITS FIELD OF VIEW)
Shows you either at a constant speed or decelerating then your were not racing.
You were just driving at a constant speed and was not watching your speed close enough.
Likewise if the log shows you at a constant speed of 78 or decreasing speed you can state a couple of MPH less then what the dash said due to errors of the radar gun and speedo.
Something more like 75.
If you go to court state you were in fear of "loss of life and/or property".
You were scared that what ever was coming up behind you would not be able to stop and was going to hit you and run you off the road.
Call SXM and Talk to Pappy he was a State Trooper; he can tell you what exactly to say to get out of the ticket.
If the radar log (AFTER THE BIKE HAS PASSED ITS FIELD OF VIEW)
Shows you either at a constant speed or decelerating then your were not racing.
You were just driving at a constant speed and was not watching your speed close enough.
Likewise if the log shows you at a constant speed of 78 or decreasing speed you can state a couple of MPH less then what the dash said due to errors of the radar gun and speedo.
Something more like 75.
If you go to court state you were in fear of "loss of life and/or property".
You were scared that what ever was coming up behind you would not be able to stop and was going to hit you and run you off the road.
Call SXM and Talk to Pappy he was a State Trooper; he can tell you what exactly to say to get out of the ticket.
#4
damn Kerm that sucks, good luck, i hope it works out ok in the end
#6
Thread Starter
Mark,
There is no radar log since the officer was pointed in the opposite direction. He never hit me with radar since my V1 never went off. Also he backed out into the highway and then pulled me over. There is no video or radar log. Basically my word against his.
There is no radar log since the officer was pointed in the opposite direction. He never hit me with radar since my V1 never went off. Also he backed out into the highway and then pulled me over. There is no video or radar log. Basically my word against his.