I was driving home tonight and came up to a left hand turn. There were two turning lanes and I was on the inner one (closest to the median). Light turned green and the automatic, 4cyl Camry next to me mashes the gas and takes off. I do a normal start and stay right with him through the turn. His tires are squealing like a stuck pig.

I exit the turn near the top of 1st gear (35 or so). I shift into 2nd and accelerate to about 45 mph (speed limit 40). Suddenly the Camry slows way down. I come to a stop at the next light. The light turns green, I begin moving off and a car comes flying up behind me - yep, the police.

They pull me over and ask me if I know why they did so. I said "no, although I suspect it had something to do with the Camry next to me at the light." The officer then said "you really don't know?" and I repeated "no".

They then take my license and registration and keep me sitting there for 1/2 hour without telling me why I've been stopped. The partner comes back up and asks me about the car, how long I've had it, etc. Asks me why it's registered in CA while my driver's license is from elsewhere. I tell him I don't work and spend _equal_ time in both states.

First cop comes back, after consulting with a 2nd cruiser that pulls up (for one white boy in a nice car with no record). He tells me he's giving me a ticket for an unsafe start (VC 22106) since I was squealing my tires and going through the gears around the corner. My jaw dropped. I told him it was the Camry. He said "my partner and I were looking right at you". I said "did you see the Camry next to me?" He said "I don't recall". I started to ask him how an economy sedan on hard tires would not be squealing if my car was, but he stopped me before I got two words out and told me he wasn't going to argue with me.

To top it off, I also received a ticket for no California driver's license (VC 12951 a), even though I don't work out here. I've received tickets before where this wasn't an issue, but this cop had a problem.

Anyways, I don't feel like going through the fight myself. I'd rather pay a traffic lawyer a couple hundred and get it taken care of.

Sheesh, I don't get a ticket for no front plate, or near bald rear tires (which are legitimate offenses, even if the laws are stupid), but instead I get a ticket for something another car does. Egad!

Anyways, suggestions for attorneys are appreciated. I'd love to tear this Torrance cop a new one, but it isn't worth my time. "We were looking right at you" - hmm, but were you hearing right at me?

UL

 

ack =/ that sucks!
www.freeadvice.com - might find some legal references there if you can't find one here.

 

UL, sorry to hear this happened to you man. Of course they are going to target your sports car, and not the economy sedan
I know fighting a ticket is a pain in the ass, but if it can keep you from getting points on your record (or at least reduce t hem) I would highly recommend it. Good luck.


 

Oh, I plan to fight it, at least the traffic violation. I'm not certain yet what my rights are on the license.

I got a kick out of the CVC on unsafe starting though. Here's the subsection:

22106. No person shall start a vehicle stopped, standing, or parked on a highway, nor shall any person back a vehicle on a highway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.

I'm wondering how in the hell the cop can cite me for this. I'm guessing a decent attorney will make very short work of this whole deal. Although I'll probably have to pay a small ransom (settlement fee, whatever) to get it done. A little "doing business in Torrance" type of thing. Call it a toll.

UL

 

growing up, Ponch and John never were big a$$holes when writing tickets. =/

 

Hey UL,

Everyone knows Torrance cops are assholes. I see those guys pulling people over all the time, especially if you're a minority.

I'll ask a buddy of mine that's a lawyer to see if he knows any good ones in the are. I'll get back to you