Police officer's estimate good enough for speeding ticket

I was in a medium sized town in TX when I was about nineteen and got one of these type tickets. I was going around a traffic circle(or a round about if you prefer) and a policeman gave me a ticket for going 45 in a 35. Of course I just paid the ticket as I didn't have the money to fight it at the time. I really didn't know how fast I went around it either.

I noticed in the article that the Ohio Supreme Court noted the fact that police officers give tickets for following too close based on visual evidence alone.

Another similar violation is driving too fast for conditions. This law applies to any situation; a construction zone, heavy traffic, low traffic, a school zone, an accident site or inclement weather conditions. In these situations, police officers have the discretion to determine if you were driving at an unsafe speed for the conditions presented to you. These tickets can be issued whether or not the driver was technically speeding. Speeding is driving faster than the posted speed limit. A driver does not have to going faster than the posted speed limit to receive a ticket for unsafe speed for the conditions.

Most of those who object to cameras point to studies that say that rear-end collisions often increase when cameras are first installed (but then go back to pre camera levels) as a reason not to have cameras at all. Rear-end collisions are a good example of both Following Too close and Too Fast For Conditions.

In FT.Worth texas got a ticket for running a yellow light , yes yellow!! took it to court the court held up the ticket for running a yellow light,

Is there a law against running a yellow light there? Or, did the judge cite some other infraction?

Having some 26 years experience: In some states the law reads, you can only go thru a traffic light when it is green. therefore yellow or red is illegal...

The question on many driver license exams about yellow lights is best answered: Stop, if safe to do so.

The legal definition of the yellow light in most states is: The Red light is about to come on.

Or if it is flashing: Use caution when entering the intersection.

What is the use of traveling when a yellow light in one state mean something different in another!

Do you know that in some states a motorcycle can precede on a red light after stopping...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-10-red-light-law...

... give motorcyclists license to proceed with caution after stopping when the device that causes the light to change from red to green doesn't activate, according to Imre Szauter, government affairs manager for the American Motorcyclist Association.

About 20 years ago my wife at the time was issued a ticket for speeding. When we went to court the Justice of the Peace (small town) threw out the radar infraction after my wife asked "What was the noise I heard before you got out of the car"? The answer the officer gave was he was verifying the radar and tuning it up. The "I also got you visually" stayed. The visual was further questioned, but my wife failed to ask the correct question. You see, The officer indicated where he was sitting AND where he saw my wife. There was no way he could visually see her because of the curve in the road that was lined by trees. After court, I asked the Justice about this. He knew where it was and would have thrown the ticket out if my wife asked the question. I could not because I was not a lawyer. Funny how things work. (She was most likely speeding because she does have a heavy foot).

If the LEO shows up for court, slam dunk conviction. I asked the judge to throw out the radar evidence. He did. Then he asked the cop if he could see me coming. Cop says yes. Judge says, Pay the bailiff Mr Bob. That was 30 years ago.... A few years later I was sitting in front seat of deputy's car one night while waiting for a game warden. He was really showing off for me. He would guess the speed of an oncoming car, then activate the radar. Most of the time he was exactly right. Out of about 20 cars or so he was only off by 2 miles an hour one time. He said most new cops catch on very quickly and he had been a cop for years.

One way to deal with a government system which is doing unfair things is to find other ways to reduce the take of the local government with your neighbors & tell the local authorities what your intent is (not how you're going to do it). When enough people revolt & find ways to void the original decision to raise money in this manner, enforcement will change.

Fred

The article indicates that the court's opinion stated a ticket could be given based on: "unaided visual estimation of a vehicle's speed, when supported by evidence that the officer is trained, certified". Based on the discussion here, it sounds like many officers can make accurate estimates even without training."

Perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky that most police still rely on radar or laser equipment before dispensing tickets.

In the State of Vermont part of the Radar or Laser certification is the requirement that all officers are trained in 'speed estimation.' We must demonstrate the repeated ability to estimate speed within +/- 2 mph. The State statutes say that we must estimate that a vehicle is operating above the posted speed limit and then activate the radar/laser to obtain the evidence that we were correct. This evidence is presented in court if required. I would not normally proceed without evidence unless the speed was extemely excessive.

Why have a Yellow in those stats? Red and Green only will do. Is Alaska one of them, you know who was running the show there LOL .

some cities have local ordiances that going through a yellow is the same as a red.

California has chosen a technological solution. A law adopted last year requires that when new traffic-activated signals are installed, they be capable of detecting motorcycles and bicycles.

I've noticed the new sensors work for me on my bicycle... but would be happier if Cali adopted the roll-thru law too. No one pops a red light if the cross traffic is heavy, just when it clears and you are still sitting and waiting and it's just irritating if you never get your left turn opportunity and there's no oncoming traffic...

Many years ago I came to a stop sign in Archer City, TX. There was a police car facing me parked on the opposite side of the highway. I stopped, then proceeded around the corner to continue my trip. All of a sudden there was a siren and flashing lights. I stopped and was approached by the "local." He told me I "went through that stop sign back there." My reply was that I saw him parked and watching me, and I absolutely didn't run the stop sign.

His next words floored me..."well, then your mufflers are too loud. Follow me back to the jail." I was finger printed, pockets emptied and put in jail. I asked about a phone call, and they let me call my boss (military.) I asked when I could get out and got "not 'til the judge gets back from a barbeque in Henrietta."

Ultimately, they let me out to go to the corner gas station (unaccompanied) to get a cash advance on my Mastercard. I ended up losing some cash the these extortionists, and checking later, it never ended up on my driving record.

I never went back to that town. How many others simply don't trust the "small town cop"?

Wow, I was afraid of driving in Ohio before reading about this ruling. Why does so much of the wife's family live in that state? I especially hate having out of state plates when I drive in Ohio. At least I usually remember my Ohio driving costume (OSU stuff) to possibly help with cops in the event of being pulled over for driving a car with out of state plates.