Oregon State Trooper radar-ed me at 65, clocked me at 70.
Heavy fog, four lane divided highway, posted 55mph maximum.
He closed on me very rapidly and I had stayed right to let him overtake me.
It was not until he matched my speed off my driver side rear quarter, that I recognized his Charger lights
I told him I have really good headlights and was not breaking the basic speed law.
He ran my license and let me go.
He did not tell me to not do it again or slow down.
He told me to drive safe and have a nice evening.
I thanked him and told him I would.

------------------
"Now you too can see in the dark."
http://projectorretrofit.com/

If only we were all that lucky.

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86 2.8 gt

I got pulled over once in the evening at the eastern edge of town in Philomath. Cop followed me from the gas stations at the start of town, all the way across town, and pulled me over right when it meets back up together in both directions. Apparently, when it funnels into one lane in each direction, the LEFT lane ends... Silly me for expecting it to be like nearly every other road in the state where the right lane ends, and merges over. After running my license, checking the registration and insurance, he explained how there is apparently a sign back there somewhere that says LEFT LANE ENDS, and because I didn't signal when it merged, I was in the wrong. Then he wanted to know what year the car was, and how long I'd had it. I think Philomath PD just wanted to check out the car. :-)

65 in heavy fog? See you on the news.

I want to know what the basic speed law is.

You could have gotten a ticket for driving too fast for the conditions.

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz: I want to know what the basic speed law is.

x2

well - lucky day, eh?!

good driving record? got a "FOP" (or the likes) sticker on your back window? middle aged or older?

because some young punk in a red (assume) 2 seater is a ticket magnet

but - maybe he had a fresh box of donuts

I learned that with any representative of the law, if you treat them with respect they more than likely will give you a warning. If the issue is obvious they still may give you the lowest sanction of the violation. I just treat them the way I want to be treated; with great respect.

I never exceed the posted limit anymore. Ever. I did get pulled for this, but I told the cop that if they weren't gonna buy my gas, they weren't gonna make me break the posted law. He told me I was at risk of getting rear ended, so I turned my lights on. He wished me good luck, and that was that. Not even a written warning.

^ So you're one of those drivers eh?

lol sorry if I flip you off at one point

here is MI basic speed law...
http://www.legislature.mi.g...jectname=mcl-257-627

here is the first line:
(1) A person operating a vehicle on a highway shall operate that vehicle at a careful and prudent speed not greater than nor less than is reasonable and proper, having due regard to the traffic, surface, and width of the highway and of any other condition then existing. A person shall not operate a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than that which will permit a stop within the assured, clear distance ahead.

In heavy fog, you would not be able to stop within the assured distance.
I think it is great that you didn't get a ticket, but look at it as a warning.... next time you might not see the stopped cars ahead and rear end someone, or hit someone who was broken down on the side of the road.

A calif license plate doesn't help either. I saw him coming up behind me and pulled over for him. He cited me for not signaling a turn. I don't see the logic. If there's no one there, what's the point of signaling. If there is someone there, you don't have the right to turn into them just because you signaled. To me signaling is just a courtesy. I do signal when I think it might help other drivers. We've all seen people going down the road with their signal going for miles. To me it only means that the person signaling MIGHT be going to turn.

quote Originally posted by dratts: A calif license plate doesn't help either. I saw him coming up behind me and pulled over for him. He cited me for not signaling a turn. I don't see the logic. If there's no one there, what's the point of signaling. If there is someone there, you don't have the right to turn into them just because you signaled. To me signaling is just a courtesy. I do signal when I think it might help other drivers. We've all seen people going down the road with their signal going for miles. To me it only means that the person signaling MIGHT be going to turn.

Signaling is the law... hard to argue, even though you think it is a courtesy, it is still the law. I wish people would signal "properly" all the time.

quote Originally posted by nitroheadz28: ^ So you're one of those drivers eh? lol sorry if I flip you off at one point

Man... up here you CAN get pulled over for 1mph over the limit. I've been ticketed for 2mph over (judge threw it out) and the same day i was in court i heard 4 others get around the same. Different cops.

You are one lucky man. 1.) for not getting a ticket and 2.) for not ending up in or causing a 20+ car pileup.

quote Originally posted by hairballrm: Oregon State Trooper radar-ed me at 65, clocked me at 70.

Confused, isn't clocked and radared the same thing? Aslo don't get how you get away without a ticket if the speed limit with good visibility was 55 and you were doing 65, or 70.
If it is posted 55mph that is the basic speed law.. no?
Is "basic speed law" some secret "no ticket" code?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dratts:

He cited me for not signaling a turn. I don't see the logic. If there's no one there, what's the point of signaling. . . . To me signaling is just a courtesy. QUOTE]


If he saw you, he was there and you didn't see him!

If you only signal when you know other cars are there, than you are not going to signal for the car you didn't see. And, the cars you don't see are the ones that will hit you. I know from experience, I'm now handicapped because another driver did not see me.

Signaling is more than a courtesy, it is a safety factor. It nice to know what the other drivers are going to do.

I have gotten in the habit of signaling no matter if I'm in heavy traffic or driving when no one else is on the road. I always signal, but that is just me (I've also never caused an accident, just have been the victim).

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Jim Martin
White '86 GT
California

quote Originally posted by Jim_Martin29: [QUOTE]Originally posted by dratts: He cited me for not signaling a turn. I don't see the logic. If there's no one there, what's the point of signaling. . . . To me signaling is just a courtesy. QUOTE] If he saw you, he was there and you didn't see him! If you only signal when you know other cars are there, than you are not going to signal for the car you didn't see. And, the cars you don't see are the ones that will hit you. I know from experience, I'm now handicapped because another driver did not see me. Signaling is more than a courtesy, it is a safety factor. It nice to know what the other drivers are going to do. I have gotten in the habit of signaling no matter if I'm in heavy traffic or driving when no one else is on the road. I always signal, but that is just me (I've also never caused an accident, just have been the victim).

I agree, although sometimes I slip. I'm not perfect about it but I try to signal all the time. The only place I really feel it's pointless is when I'm on a road that leads to a light and the only option you have is to turn. It's kind of obvious what your going to do...

Just north of Eugene, OR, I passed an Oregon State Patrol car this past Monday morning while I was doing nearly 75mph on I-5. The fog was very light and the time was about 5:45am and I was in a kimchi burner KIA with Washington license plates. I was driving faster than nearly all the cars on the freeway but he/she didn't stop me. I guess I was lucky. FWIW:I never speed in fog, rain or snow.

We're moving to Oregon and I was on a reconnaissance trip looking for houses. My leadfooted wife is there now burning up the freeways between Yoncalla and Eugene in a rice burning Nissan. I hope she doesn't get caught

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz: I want to know what the basic speed law is.

E=MC**2

If he saw you, he was there and you didn't see him!

Read again, I SAW HIM. IT WAS HIM I PULLED OVER FOR. I know, no excuse.

My last ticked was 87 in a 55 work zone at night. >_>

I don't exceed the speed limit anymore unless it's a strip.

quote hairballrm:Oregon State Trooper radar-ed me at 65, clocked me at 70. Heavy fog, four lane divided highway, posted 55mph maximum....

Is your avatar a death wish?

First off, I don't take personally the sentiment
"you are a selfish, rude, foolish ass with a deathwish who puts other people at risk",
that many of you just expressed.
Very understandable.

This is a road I know well.
No driveways, no farmhouses, no livestock, not a wildlife area.
There was some light traffic I was able to use for blocking.
If I had stock Fiero dual sealed beam headlights, I could have run 45 to 50 MPH safely.
I do not have stock lights.

The trooper pulled up to the side and behind me before he pulled me over.
He was seeing what I was seeing.
He asked me how fast I was going.
I chose not to incriminate myself and explained that I have really good headlights and was not breaking the basic speed law.
(not going too fast for conditions)
He is a professional and not in a position to agree with me,
nor would it be appropriate for him to condone exceeding posted maximum speed limits.
I am confident that, if he felt I was being reckless, he would have ticketed me for unsafe speed.

I asked him a few questions and he sent me on my way.


FYI:
Skilled cops are able to "clock" you many different ways and legally estimate your speed.
They can do it from behind, in front, the side, and even from above.
Yes, I got a ticket from an airplane once.

------------------
"Now you too can see in the dark."
http://projectorretrofit.com/

wow, somebody went ape on you for no reason. I used to go 130 on a 55 when I was street racing (which I no longer advocate.) Now THAT is reckless.

quote Originally posted by 2.5: Confused, isn't clocked and radared the same thing? Aslo don't get how you get away without a ticket if the speed limit with good visibility was 55 and you were doing 65, or 70. If it is posted 55mph that is the basic speed law.. no? Is "basic speed law" some secret "no ticket" code?

Nope clocked is usually something like VASCAR ENROD or speedometer pacing. I'm not sure how enrod works but VASCAR is where an officer clocks you between 2 reference points weather it be reflector's on the road or those random 2 white lines you see spaced apart from each other. They put the time into a calculator and calculate it by the speed limit and it gives them approximately what speed your going. Its not 100% accurate but its close enough to be an official speed tracking tool. And pacing is an easy one. Some cruiser's have a digital speedometer that gives you the exact reading of what your going (example of what you see on a ticket 55.8MPH) They pace you and match your speed than pull you over.

Also there is the classic roadside trap they used for speed traps. They never get me though because i always see them

Radar is an electronically timed device that measures speed by a laser beam. Some states is is against the law for officers to use radar to make a state income. PA being one of them. But PA state troopers are allowed to use radar They are trying to amend this law for county officers as well.

[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 01-28-2011).]

after getting a ticket and going to driving school i only do 5mph over the posted speed limit on highways.local roads toomany kids in my street i will do 5mph slower. i must say it was your luckey day not to get a ticket.

quote Originally posted by starlightcoupe: I was driving faster than nearly all the cars on the freeway

Oregon drivers are the slowest moving drivers in the country... Whenever I"m there I feel like a low flying aircraft compared to everyone else.

I do my best to up the average quite a bit.

Speed limits-only the suggested minimums!! I drive assertively-not aggressively-ask my wife!?!

quote Originally posted by Rainman: Oregon drivers are the slowest moving drivers in the country... Whenever I"m there I feel like a low flying aircraft compared to everyone else.

I don't know. The Monterey, California area has some of the slowest drivers I've seen in a long time.

For example, I often see, and have to avoid, people on the freeway going 45 mph in a 65 zone when most of the traffic is going 75. I also see people on surface streets going 15 mph in a 35 or 45 zone.

It's frustrating. I try not to speed. I follow the speed limits on surface streets and the flow of traffic on the freeway (unless no one else is around, then I follow the speed limit, +5 sometimes). However, I do drive the speed limit, not half of it like some do, causing cars to have to swerve around them.

By the way, I was told by a CHP officer that 20 mph under the speed limit on the freeway is a hazard and you will get a ticket for it if you are impeding traffic. You MUST stay in the right (slow) lane if you are traveling that slow. I see people doing that speed in the fast lane with a pile of cars behind them.

I was also told, by the same officer, that if traffic is flowing smoothly at 75 mph in a 65 mph zone and a car gets in the fast lane doing 55, he will get a ticket or a warning.

He said the most important thing is that traffic flows smoothly and safely.

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Jim Martin
White '86 GT
California

quote Originally posted by pontiackid86: Radar is an electronically timed device that measures speed by a laser beam. Some states is is against the law for officers to use radar to make a state income.

Wierd. They'd rather go by eyeballing than by an accurate instrument in some states? Here we actually have radar or laser used by the cops.

I still think its odd the cop thought driving in fog faster than the posted limit was ok because he had good headlights. Don't get me wrong I woudl love for freebees like that to happen to me.

It was not just the headlights that were the deciding factor.
I was completely sincere about my belief that my rate of speed was not unsafe.
I am respectful of American policemen because I value their important role in our society.
I looked the man in the eye and spoke to him with respect.

Of course,
I am mid-aged, properly registered, licensed, insured, and I have had a CDL for 15 years.
I have a pony tail and I drive fast.
go figure

and I have bitchin' headlights

------------------
"Now you too can see in the dark."
http://projectorretrofit.com/

quote Originally posted by pontiackid86: Radar is an electronically timed device that measures speed by a laser beam.

Another amazing ... and totally wrong ... factoid.

1) RADAR (for RAdio Detection And Ranging) is a radio-frequency system, not optical. It does not use lasers. In fact, RADAR had been in use for more than 20 years before the first laser was invented.

2) RADAR measures speed not by "electronically timing" anything, but by measuring the Doppler Shift of the portion of the transmitted radio-frequency signal reflected by a moving vehicle. More specifically, it compares the frequency of the originally transmitted signal with that of the return signal.

I know it's hard, but can you please try to refrain from posting when you don't have a clue what you're talking about?

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 01-29-2011).]

quote Originally posted by hairballrm: Oregon State Trooper radar-ed me at 65, clocked me at 70. Heavy fog, four lane divided highway, posted 55mph maximum. I told him I ... was not breaking the basic speed law.

I'm very confused by those statements. If its posted at 55, aren't you, by definition, breaking the "speed law"? Particularly when its foggy.

I got pulled over a couple of days ago and he gave me a warning.
I was traveling on a 2 lane and he had someone pulled over and was just heading back to his car when I passed.
The speed limit is 60 and I did slow down to about 50 but when he pulled me over he said that the law is if you can`t pull into the other lane you must slow to 20 under the posted limit.
I`m not quite sure how he could tell I was going 50 instead of 40 but I now know what the law, at least in Texas, is.
I knew on a 4 lane to pull into the inside lane, but I didn`t know about the max speed when in the same lane.
Mike

Props to another Oregonian, I grew in Aurora, (25 miles south or Portland just off of I-5) I got busted down 99E heading for Aurora doing around 115mph in a 55 with a 280Z on my tail unfortunately didn't realize it until it was too late that he had a Crown Vic on his tail, LOL. Cost me 1200 bucks for that one.

I no longer get warnings for speeding EVER, I live in Canada now, still on the west coast, but I got into the "Street Racing" crowd up here and got busted several times. Then as an un documented punishment to the street racers, the cops would go to the hang outs and walk the parking lots copying down everyones plate numbers. Then a note was added to the drivers file in the computer system that they were suspected in Street Racing. Now when I get pulled over, its an instant ticket, no more warnings. Been given a Window Tint ticket, couple of seat belt tickets, been followed for miles. About the only thing I have not gotten recently is a speeding ticket. My radar detector is hard wired to my cars wiring, so when the car is on the detector is always on. Plus I have learned where and when I can get away with speeding. I usually try to keep it less than 20mph over the limit on the highway and 15mph over the limit on side streets. However there are times on the highway when I just get that feeling and drop my foot to the floor and run the car out as fast as she will go. Mostly done either at night or on stretches of highway that are in the middle of no where and I don't have to worry about other cars and for the for the most part, cops don't patrol areas that are not high traffic around here.

There is a difference between driving fast and driving reckless, for some people, the speed limit alone is reckless, for others, I'd trust them at twice the limit. Drive what feels safe to you and if you have to make a monthly budget that includes speeding tickets.

Side note, about Oregon drivers, the speed limit on I-5 between Salem Oregon and Aurora Oregon is for the most part 65mph, however the usual cruising speed for traffic is about 80mph and even with the cruise set at 85mph I have been passed by cars. So I'd say that Oregon is not really the slowest. With the exception of downtown Hubbard, Woodburn, Aurora, and Canby Oregon down 99E. When I am down there visiting I just want to get out and punch some of these people, driving BELOW the speed limit with no other cars in front of them.


P.S. I have not had an at fault accident involving another car in my life, and not had a speeding ticket in about 5 years.

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85GT Soon to be 87GT,93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.

Just because a roadway is posted with a speed limit does not mean the number on sign is the "safe" speed.
A policeman explained to me that posted limits are very different than what speed a roadway is engineered for.
I have received "exceeding posted maximum" as well as "unsafe speed" tickets and legally they are different.
Inclement weather is a huge factor in the basic speed law.
In reality, weather you are being safe is subjective.
Opinions will vary, yours, the police, the district attorney, and a judge.
Al these parties will have different motivating factors.
Public safety, ego, politics, and revenue generation.
Oh and let's not forget the public employee "path of least resistance", the "paperwork is a hassle" syndrome.

I would like to think the trooper the other night decided I was driving safely.
He may not have had a good initial radar on me and did not want to confront me in court.
He may have gotten a call and had to go.

Here is a little 2 part poll.
1) Those of you who had the initial reaction that, I was acting with a "reckless disregard for public safety",
I suspect you have dual beam (stock or otherwise) headlights.

2) Do those of you with projector low beams (Hella or others) agree that you can run at much higher higher speed in the fog?

Last week I was commuting some mornings in the dark and fog on I-5 in Oregon.
Several times I had remoras who were pushing me.
I pulled right and yielded.
They would attempt to overtake me and when they came alongside, they would realized they could not see well enough to continue.
It must have happened five times and every time they backed way off and let me go.

I also came upon some drivers who had installed HID bulbs in reflective housings.
They make messy, worthless light.
Cool color and bright though.
I pulled alongside so they could see my generated beam pattern and logos.
Then I left them in my wake


------------------
"Now you too can see in the dark."
http://projectorretrofit.com/

[This message has been edited by hairballrm (edited 01-30-2011).]