Why i hate my e34 (at least as daily driver)

[Jon K]

Honestly, part of me wishes that i had the balls to slam on those autobahn bred binders when he was inches away w/o his lights on. Hey the vagon has full coverage. I could have just said that something ahead spooked me, unaware that someone was behind at such an unsafe distance. Technically the accident would have been his fault (at least if he had been a civilian).

You and me both, I remember when I got ticketed, TWO cops pulled me over, and then when all was said and done they proceeded to PASS ME on the right on a one way 2 lane road while I had my signal on and was moving back out into the road. Maybe I am naive but i was under the impression that the officer stays to assure safe continuing on the road. My bad, I guess I should anticipate a cop flying from behind me and around me, right after ticketing me... must have been a sale at the Dunkin Donuts

[Jon K]

Jon, don't lie. I saw you trying to race that Geo, only to get SPANKED!


seriously though, that was MESSED UP! I still wish i coulda gotten you and conners attention...i saw that cop turn to follow and just though "oh @*^# they're done!"

The funniest part is that Conners tires were corded and of course they squeaked. Its not hard to decifer 15 - 20 mph around a 30 degree bend vs. "speeding" around a bend. Stupid cops.

[TheGeak]

Teenagers in BMWs are ALWAYS up to no good remember?!

[Jeff N.]

Get an attorney the SPECIALIZES in traffic tickets.

In the seattle area, there are a couple of attorney's that are basically traffic ticket gods. All they do are tickets and they are highly regarded by local CCA members for their ability to get the ticket excused. I'd try to find one of them vs. a general attorney.

Good luck.

Jeff

[Russell]

So i was taking an unfamiliar route on the way to werk this morning.
To those that don’t know, the Eisenhower is a freeway that runs through some of our less upscale hoods here in chi-town. My normal route takes me on a tollway which is heavily populated by luxury vehicles (where i happen to know all the usual state trooper waiting spots).
Needless to say, between being the ‘richest’ target and the midrange punch of the small M60, i attracted some unwanted attention.
Usually pretty aware of my surroundings, but did not notice ociffer friendly behind me until he was right on my ass. Like a couple of inches. Valentine1 remained silent thu the whole thing.

“75 in a 55” (welll duh, if traffic was lighter it may have been more) but how the hell did he clock me?!? Could have easily over-estimated my speed if he was trying to catch up. Ticket says nothing about the measuring method.
“No insurance”, well proof......i have 3 cars dammit, sometimes can’t keep up w/ the expiring cards in the wallet. My agent loves me though and i am always reminded if in jeopardy of a lapsing. So i know i am covered as of today.
Oh here’s the kicker.....”Following too closely (while switching lanes)”. ********. I know how i drive, i do not like being tailgated and i do not do it to others. I am positive that at no time was i any closer than half a car length behind anybody. Unlike the friendly revenue enhancing agent of the state who was literally inches off my bumper. He didn’t hit the lights immediately either. Just in case he wanted to get by i moved a lane over but he stuck to me like glue with a very aggressive move of his own.

He starts up saying he could easily take me in for reckless.....if lane changing behavior is taken into account.
As if i ever do it w/o signaling and checking, unlike 80% of the other brain dead drivers out there on our urban roads w/ cell phones surgically attached to their ears.
Pisser...........i bet if i had taken the Sentra he would not have even noticed me.

SO can someone post a link to that ‘how to beat a speeding ticket website’?
ScottH, Josh any idea other ideas.

Since it is an automatic appearance ticket(s), no school. But i have had supervision dropped on me in the past by judges, once even a simple 'be more carefull' and let go. But i am really in the mood to fight this one, or at least be prepared to do so.



93 SE-R---94 530iT&A---92 325i........”Hang up & Drive!”
”It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error;
It is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error."-- Robert H. Jackson

[paul p (chi-town)]

My 1st choice would be to go myself and get out of it. You know, ‘common man VS. the traffic court machine’. If it was just the speeding ticket, no brainer. There seems to be enough info out on the web. I would go very prepared and even if i were to lose it would have been worth the experience. Just to NOT be another lemming and stand up to say ‘ENOUGH’. But throw in that following too closely and it’s time to swallow pride and make sure i protect my driving history.
Getting in touch w/ the local CCA guys sounds like an excellent idea.

Uh guys, on the other hand could we stop with the ‘pig’ comments, please. I have friends that are officers, (granted city cops who end up in much riskier situations), but remember these guys are just doing their jobs. Many of them find it ridiculous as well, but that’s what it’s all about, quotas are real. Sure many have let the position go to their heads and being above traffic laws themselves is a way of life. But it is still a dangerous profession. Even my guy, once a little more comfortable, was very polite and even encouraging about the potential for a supervision solution.
Now the donut jokes, well those i would say are fair game (hey they do eat for free 99% of the time)


93 SE-R---94 530iT&A---92 325i........”Hang up & Drive!”

[joshuagore]

Sad sad day when 75 is ticketable on the Eisenhower. Now that I am legit and commuting it frequently I can attest to the left lane being cruised by officers at 85mph on a regular basis.

Here is a idea, a good one to help.

First thing is first, the insurance, since you have it its dismissed.

Were you ever going below 75 mph while he could see you?
If so, or even if you think you were then here is what you argue. When you go to the judge plea not guilty, they will tell you to wait until the end where you and the officer will be called up. So you both go up there and you ask the judge if you may address the officer, she will say yes, and you ask 'at what point was I breaking the law' he will say when you started speeding. So why didn't you pull me over when I was going 56 was it not dangerous when I was going 1mph over? Why did you wait, is 74mph not dangerous?

So more than likely you can either get your ticket down to a lower mph or get your following to closely thrown out, because if you were breaking the law in any way before you followed to closely then you can argue that you should have been pulled over the instant you were breaking the law. Because wouldn't it be reckless for a officer to keep following a motorist while they keep breaking the law and putting others lives in danger? Its his duty to stop you before you do more. Heck I would go as far as to say since he didn't pull you over immediately then he was probably trying to egg you on.

If this doesn't work, just say that you would like to take it to trial.
When you utter those words someone comes up with a deal real real real fast. You may have to take a hit but you wont have to take both.

It works trust me.... of all people trust me lol.

Good luck.

Josh

[TheGeak]

cops aren't pigs....

pig, to me, is a slang term for a &#%$ guy with a badge on a power trip. Sometime i'll retell the story of how i got searched for 2 hours in philly because i was driving home from my job at 3am (worked at a resturant) in the M5.

No offense to the 99% of police officers who are out there protecting people and doing their jobs. its a shame that 1% gives them such a bad rep.

[paul p (chi-town)]

1/2 a car length is tailgaiting IMHO

Oh, i agree.
But............
1) Rush period on a major metro highway? Just try and maintain anything resembling a proper following distance and the empty space will fill up faster than a hungry cop can find that donut. Not to mention, what i was trying to do was to get out of the traffic clot i was in and find a more spacious zone of traffic to run in.
2) And seriously, i do not t-gate. I have seen many times, someone trying to ‘push’ the car ahead of them and i find the behavior abhorrent. If stuck behind someone i will simply back off and wait for some other opportunity. Even if some yahoo behind me is ‘pushing’. Like i said “..at no time”, that was the closest i may have gotten and it would have been for only a moment untill reaching an open spot in another lane. I simply don’t feel comfortable being boxed in or having a lack of escape routes.


93 SE-R---94 530iT&A---92 325i........”Hang up & Drive!”

[Mike 'n AZ]

Hey,
That's how it is for us BMW drivers. I was recently pulled over in my '94 540i for "not using my turning signal long enough" in a city where NO ONE uses their signals. I had to pay a 135 dollar fine and had three points put on my record. The cop testified in court that he actually followed me originally because I was speeding, then he accused me of cutting someone off, then when he could not get me for drinking, he went for the weakest moving violation EVER...and I could not get out of it. The judge sided with him because he was actually a Sheriff and not just a regular cop. Needless to say, I was livid. -- Mike