Saved from a traffic ticket

[WEE]

This explains why people merge so poorly in WA state. In any sane state the person already in the lane has the right of way and you fit your azz in safely. Learn to merge. Stop at the end of a ramp and you should get a reckless driving charge.

Yep. I see a lot of that in my area. When I am on I-5 or 518 or 405, the merging traffic coming out of Sea-Tac Airport is always the worst. I think a lot of it is rental car drivers and I never trust any of them. No turn signals on to at least indicate they are aware they are merging, and many not even looking.

 

[Camelfilter]

A long time ago when I was living in CA my attorney friend told me that if I ever get stopped I should request a breath, urine and blood sample taken. They must do it and the resulting BAC will be different for all three proving to the court that the tests are not accurate.

Hmmm.

The tests are all different & differing methodologies, done at different times. A reasonably decent DA would quash a defense attempt at throwing out the results as "inaccurate".

In simple terms, the tests would be accurate for the analyte at the time.

It would be better for an attorney to recommend folks not drive under the influence. Of anything.

 

[Provincial]

A long time ago, a married couple, college students, were going north past Lodi, California on the freeway at 1AM, doing over 100 MPH on his BMW motorcycle. A Mustang came off the on-ramp much faster, and hit them from behind. Very hard. The estimated closure rate was more than 20 MPH.

No matter how fast you are going, it seems that someone else will be going much faster.

 

[Pete F]

I was coming home late at night (early in the morning) on my 1978 Superglide. I was taking the backroads to avoid Law Enforcement and driving fast. I came to a hill and as I crested I saw a sheriff at the bottom of the hill.

There were only two things that I could have done. The first was slow down and hope he didn't have his radar on, or two, open up the throttle and hope he wouldn't think going after me would be worth it. I am sure that he at least heard me coming.

I never saw him again, so number two was the correct move.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Correction I did the math and got a window tint citation in 1989, so 35 not 40 years. In the early 80s at one point I had 41 tickets, and a contest going with my college roommates.

Two helping hints of things that have saved me over the years.

Open highway with a speeder in the left lane? You take the right lane and fall back just a couple car lengths. Doesn't matter if the other car is going 75 or 125, they get caught 99.9% of the time and not you. You are constantly looking out back for ANY car approaching at a higher speed than you, the other driver is not all arrogant in his left lane dominance.

I have wriggled away at least 50 times in the last thirty+ years with just this move.

Also, never drive with a headlight, turn signal, anything wrong; big tires no mudflaps, expired tags, etc, etc. That one should be a no brainer.

Bonus: Drive something commercial. A van with a ladder on top. Mr Police Officer is working and so are you.
The guy in the Porsche is out having a good time. Write him up. I have rarely ever been pulled over or even looked at twice when driving a company van or truck. OR I have been caught red handed the cop say I was over 50 and working ...... so just a license check and goodbye sir have a nice day.

Old man privilege is real. Oh geez sorry for the gab/brag fest but last year I was blasting up from Barbur to Raleigh Hills doing about 70 in a 35 a couple years ago. Flash! Flash! From a parked van speed trap.
I dragged arse into the jobsite and told my two guys well it finally happened I got nailed really bad. So much for never getting caught. Then one of them said - 'it is a new van, you already got the plates on it?' I felt reborn again.

 

[Alexx1401]

I kept going, and made my turn into the Home Depot parking lot. But the deputy didn't follow me; evidently he pulled over the white SUV instead. I think it was just a matter of chance that the white vehicle got it instead of me.

Yet, I kept wondering, if U turns are allowed if not specifically prohibited, what had I done wrong? The only thing I can think of is that I didn't use my left turn signal when I executed the U turn. And maybe the white vehicle failed to do so as well. I've seen LEO's pull over more than one vehicle at a time, but in this case the U turn situation didn't lend itself to that.

Most LEO's cars now have plate readers in them. If U turn was OK there that may have had nothing to do with the lights coming on. His tag reader may have triggered on the car or he had some other reason to be looking for that vehicle or one like it.

 

[Flopsweat]

I always like it when I'm going 5-10 mph over the limit and someone passes me going 15-20 over. My flawed logic says that guy will get the ticket, not me.

Back East many years ago I was late for a wedding (not mine) due to minor car trouble. I had over 100 miles to go so there was room to make up time. I got on the first major highway on the route and just cruised along at about 80, waiting for my rabbit. Sure enough, a sports car (Camaro, Firebird?) comes sailing past me doing at least 100. I tailed him for a good 30 miles until, around a blind turn, a state trooper pulls out after him with lights on, and I almost run over him. I move to the right lane and almost immediately a station wagon comes roaring around me and I've got a new rabbit. I followed him to probably 5 or 10 miles from my destination. Made it with time to put my suit on without rushing. We took my GF's car while mine sat in the driveway going tick, tick, tick.

 

[L84Cabo]

The merging onto the freeway situation can drive me nuts. In Wash., right of way is not specified in the law. Meaning, Wash. has the "merge efficiently" concept. A few people merge too cautiously, but way more want to race onto the freeway -- it's important that they be ahead of the vehicle that they should be "efficiently merging" behind.

Preach!

Warshington needs to push the concept of, "not merging onto the freeway with your head up your bubblegum!"

It is completely lost on many drivers that the whole purpose of the damn on ramp is to get up to freeway speed by the merge point, and not try to merge onto the freeway at 40 mph. Mother of God are you trying to kill us all!?

 

[Caveman Jim]

This advice is from a Retired Cop of 30 years who wrote a record-breaking amount of tickets.

Rules of Police interaction
-
* Never call 911 or allow LE near you if possible
* Invoke 5th and 6th Amendment Rights immediately
* Always record an interaction
* Never answer questions
* Use a dash cam
* Keep lic, reg, & ins above visor
* Never perform field sobriety tests
* Never consent to a search
* Never pay a fine without a court date
* Always consult an attorney

Good advice.

 

[Jay Walk]

Kind of true, I haul my dirt bike around in a high-top van, kind of Amazonish.
Cops leave me alone, 9 years in September, 110,000 miles and I should have been pulled over more than once, that is for sure.

Many 3,500 mile road trips, cruising 80-90. Went up the grapevine southbound at 100 one time, just keeping up with traffic. 90 mph on I-5, 210 and the 10 through LA at 10am on a weekday. Just drove to central Utah and back 2,200 miles. Maybe I am just lucky, but I think the work van look kind of helps.

Doubt I could have pulled all that off in a Challenger.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I was posting in the "Left Lane" thread a minute ago and thought of this. But I didn't want to get in trouble for off topic. So here goes.

A couple of weeks ago, I had what I think was a close call. U turns in Warshington state are permitted under most conditions if doing so is not otherwise prohibited. In other words, if there isn't a sign that says, "No U Turn." it's allowed.

I figure, if there isn't such a sign, and it's safe, I'm okay. There is a Home Depot store on the way to one of my daughter's places. Approaching from the south on a major highway, I can cross an intersection and enter the west entrance to the parking lot. If the highway is jammed up, I can make a right turn, go down the cross street about 300 yards, and make a U turn, go back up the cross street the other direction and turn into the parking lot on the south side.

On this day, there were very many vehicles in the right lane approaching the cross street, so I opted for the right turn, then U turn maneuver. I rounded the corner, came close to where I was to make the U turn, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a deputy pull out of a parking lot on the opposite side of the street coming along behind me. But in the meantime, a white SUV coming east on the cross street decided to do the same U turn maneuver in the same place I had done. Then I saw the red and blue lights of the deputy's vehicle come on. I kept going, and made my turn into the Home Depot parking lot. But the deputy didn't follow me; evidently he pulled over the white SUV instead. I think it was just a matter of chance that the white vehicle got it instead of me.

Yet, I kept wondering, if U turns are allowed if not specifically prohibited, what had I done wrong? The only thing I can think of is that I didn't use my left turn signal when I executed the U turn. And maybe the white vehicle failed to do so as well. I've seen LEO's pull over more than one vehicle at a time, but in this case the U turn situation didn't lend itself to that.

I did not stop and go into Home Depot. I kept on going through the parking lot and on over to my daughter's place. Was that eluding?? I had in mind the deputy might just cruise the lot after writing up the white SUV.

They are called different things in different jurisdictions: Ticket, Citation, Infraction. I haven't had one in at least 20 years and I'd like to keep it that way.

If at any point in the U-Turn you crossed a DOUBLE YELLOW LINE, that's what would get you stopped, Most road cops have a hard on for double yellow left turns, as it's illegal! These days, most road cops are more concerned with other more serious traffic infractions, but on a slow day, or with heavy traffic, especially in a known high traffic area, they usually make the stop and write the ticket! If there is a Center lane, then you could contest the stop, but good luck, some states do not allow it if there is no specific left turn lane, would check the Warshington Road Regs/Drivers Manual to be sure!

 

[gmerkt]

If at any point in the U-Turn you crossed a DOUBLE YELLOW LINE, that's what would get you stopped, Most road cops have a hard on for double yellow left turns, as it's illegal! These days, most road cops are more concerned with other more serious traffic infractions, but on a slow day, or with heavy traffic, especially in a known high traffic area, they usually make the stop and write the ticket! If there is a Center lane, then you could contest the stop, but good luck, some states do not allow it if there is no specific left turn lane, would check the Warshington Road Regs/Drivers Manual to be sure!

Here is what I looked up:

RCW 46.61.295

"U" turns.

(1) The driver of any vehicle shall not turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction unless such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic.
(2) No vehicle shall be turned so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve, or upon the approach to or near the crest of a grade, where such vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred feet.

Where I made the U turn was across a two way left turn lane, that began just east of a raised median. I was not in the dedicated left turn lane when I executed the U turn, I started the turn in eastbound #1 lane, crossed the middle left turn lane, and finished in the westbound #2 lane.

RCW 46.61.290

(3) Two-way left turn lanes.
(a) The department of transportation and local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may designate a two-way left turn lane on a roadway. A two-way left turn lane is near the center of the roadway set aside for use by vehicles making left turns in either direction from or into the roadway.
(b) Two-way left turn lanes shall be designated by distinctive uniform roadway markings. The department of transportation shall determine and prescribe standards and specifications governing type, length, width, and positioning of the distinctive permanent markings. The standards and specifications developed shall be filed with the code reviser in accordance with the procedures set forth in the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW. On and after July 1, 1971, permanent markings designating a two-way left turn lane shall conform to such standards and specifications.
(c) Upon a roadway where a center lane has been provided by distinctive pavement markings for the use of vehicles turning left from either direction, no vehicles may turn left from any other lane. A vehicle shall not be driven in this center lane for the purpose of overtaking or passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction. No vehicle may travel further than three hundred feet within the lane. A signal, either electric or manual, for indicating a left turn movement, shall be made at least one hundred feet before the actual left turn movement is made.

Two way turn lanes are marked by one solid and one dashed line. Unraised medians are marked with two solid lines. So I didn't cross any solid double yellow lines. What I should've done to stay legal was to enter the center dedicated two way left turn lane, signal, and begin the U turn from that lane. Not from the eastbound #1 lane, across the center left turn lane. Which is what it says, in part, in the RCW citation I've provided above, to recap:

(c) Upon a roadway where a center lane has been provided by distinctive pavement markings for the use of vehicles turning left from either direction, no vehicles may turn left from any other lane. In making the U turn, it started as a left, so likely counts for this provision of the RCW. I don't want to go to court to argue about it, but the printed law doesn't actually prohibit a U turn from "any other lane," it refers to left turns. A judge would decide.

 

[gmerkt]

Years ago, I made a U turn late at night down in Federal Way. It was from a left turn pocket at a controlled intersection. There was no sign prohibiting a U turn. It was one of those intersections where I'd have to pull way out into the intersection to be able to complete the U. I didn't do that; I turned as far as I could but didn't have clearance, there was no one behind me, so I gently backed up a little to get room to complete the U turn, then finished and headed the other direction. Right away, a motorcycle officer pulled me over. He came up and asked my about the U turn. I simply told him there was no sign prohibiting the U turn, I didn't quite have room to make it, it was safe to back up to complete the U, so I did. He said "Okay" and let me go. What I think was, it was late at night, he wanted to see if I'd been drinking, and if so, he'd have a DUI to write up. The jiggering around to make the U turn invited his interest (and provided probable cause), thinking it maybe involved an intoxicated driver.