vr4Legacy Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 as for the "hope he doesn't show it's dropped automatically" argument that's not true in most states. My neighbor is an Officer and I actually asked him about that, basically he said it's usually easiest for the judge to drop a small offense, but they can reschedule your court date if they like. Just the same as you can file for a change of court date. But for a trivial ticket like this, I'd say if he doesn't show your probably in the clear. Heck if he does show.... this is truly an abuse of power. I too have the utmost respect for the police. I am glad they are there to protect and serve, however just like every other part of our society they too need to abide by their own protocols and not abuse their authority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Were you in the lane that had to merge into the traffic lane? If so, you were probably pulled for not merging into the other traffic lane...here in FL accelerating past traffic to overtake at a merge is considered aggressive driving...4 point offense. No... I was actually in the correct lane even if you were to look at it that way. It's a one lane that splits into two, with the right for straight and right, and then merges back into one on the left after the light. I was in the left lane and the road merges back into that lane when it turns back into one. Good point though, and that I could almost reason with. I'd grin and bear it if that was the case. I'm obviously just gonna have to fight it, but it just sucks. Oh well, such is life I guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLegacy99 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I didn't know you could be fined for accelerating aggressively. Im sure there are worse offenders out there than the LGT. I actually saw a car get pulled over the other day for failing to signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizxman Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Here in SoCal, they call that "Exhibition of Speed", $300 ticket or there abouts, it's been a few years since I collected one of those little trophies. I think you could diagram this in court if need be and describe it as "Accelerating safely from the light to merge safely into traffic as the lane markers indicated." Shave close, dress like you're interviewing for a million dollar job, and be excruciatingly polite and correct. Above all - get to the point and don't waste anyone's time. Judges like that. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSFW Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Some people don't deserve to wear their uniforms. Is there any place on the ticket where he's supposed to specify which law you broken? Hard to believe he could just make something up... Fight it. And good luck! P.S. If you win, consider filing a complaint against the officer for wasting your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 For Chap/Sec/Sub, he wrote what looks like: FGO 169-170 I guess this is my violation!?! That must have been what took him so long, trying to look up the damn violation to give me! Where can I go to look this up? Google isn't giving me anything! Maybe he DID just make it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starhm Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Were you in the lane that had to merge into the traffic lane? If so, you were probably pulled for not merging into the other traffic lane...here in FL accelerating past traffic to overtake at a merge is considered aggressive driving...4 point offense. i think they teach this maneuver in ma driving school though!!!:lol: got stopped once coming out of a traffic circle for 'appearing to go through the circle too fast...' no ticket, but what the heck is that? law enforcers should know laws...not opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 i think they teach this maneuver in ma driving school though!!!:lol: I think you may be right! They don't call us MassHoles for nothing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 I'd really like to know what the legal wording is on this "stature" that I got ticketed for. Anyone know a website where I can look this up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 You can probably google it, and see if there are any online resources that list that state or municipal ordinance. If you type in your state or town, and that statute identifier, it may get you some results... Otherwise a local library might have it. I kinda feel your pain. I got a window tint ticket for $70 at thanksgiving, by a city cop, on a rural road, in the county where my own uncle is the top ranked deputy below the elected sheriff, but 180 miles from where I actually live. 15$ fine, 64$ in administrative and court costs, for a total of 79$ Then for some reason, I got a check for 9$ mailed back to me, probably using an hour of county employee's labor. They would have saved more money by not ticketing me, not incurring the "court costs" and county clerk's time, than it cost to ticket me, and then process a refund only 9$. For frickin' window tint that was legal in the state I bought the car in. It is fundamentally bad for the police to become tax collectors by force, but the bullcrap process also incurs more bureaucratic waste of expense than the insulting tax they are collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starhm Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 FGO does not even fit how ma laws are organized. traffic laws ive read so far are under the mass general laws-mgl. chapter 89 and 90. i dont know what 'fgo' represents. but you ma drivers need to read this one fosure!!! get over!!! PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT TITLE XIV. PUBLIC WAYS AND WORKS CHAPTER 89. LAW OF THE ROAD Chapter 89: Section 4B. Driving in lane nearest right side of way Section 4B. Upon all ways the driver of a vehicle shall drive in the lane nearest the right side of the way when such lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left turn. When the right lane has been constructed or designated for purposes other than ordinary travel, a driver shall drive his vehicle in the lane adjacent to the right lane except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left or right turn; provided, however, that a driver may drive his vehicle in such right lane if signs have been erected by the department of highways permitting the use of such lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starhm Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Found the drag racing...that fine is $100-$500 though. still looking... PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT TITLE XIV. PUBLIC WAYS AND WORKS CHAPTER 90. MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT MOTOR VEHICLES Chapter 90: Section 17B. Drag racing; penalties Section 17B. No person shall operate a motor vehicle, nor shall any owner of such vehicle permit it to be operated, in a manner where the owner or operator accelerates at a high rate of speed in competition with another operator, whether or not there is an agreement to race, causing increased noise from skidding tires and amplified noise from racing engines. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars and the registrar shall suspend such operator’s license for a period of not less than thirty days. A subsequent violation shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred nor more than one thousand dollars and a suspension of such license for a period of not less than sixty days. more... http://public.findlaw.com/traffic-ticket-violation-law/state-traffic-law/massachusetts-traffic-law.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 I didn't see the FGO either... that's why I think he made it up! Really... I couldn't find anything on it when I spent 5 minutes googling this AM. I tried the Description, the Chapter, everything I could think of. I'll try again later, or maybe I'll just ask the courts when I call them at lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STG Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I thought your original post was so funny that I called the guys at (978) 345-9648 and told them about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 I'm guessing that's the Fitchburg Police station's phone number... Good, because I'm surely going to tell them how I feel about this whole thing! I could give you the officer's name too if I could read his 12 year old hand writing! I'm actually going to lunch now and I'm going to call them and the court house. We'll see if I can get to the bottom of this: FGO 169-70 thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 I found this site before going to lunch, and I can't see ANYTHING about this so called violation on here! I can't find anything that resembles his FGO (realized could be F60 - 12 y/o writing ) code... nor can I find anything in the alphabetical list that resembles what he put as a description. Hopefully the PD knows a little more about it. http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/districtcourt/cmviassess.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 So.. I called the police department and read my offense, and the officer said "Hmmm... I'm not sure about that one. Let me transfer you to Traffic Division. " So I had to wait for Traffic to return my call, but here's what I found for this "offense": FGO=Fitchburg General Ordinance § 169-70. Care in starting, stopping, turning or backing. [Amended 3-2-1971 by Ord. No. 84-71] The driver of any vehicle, before starting, stopping, turning from a direct line or backing shall first see that such movement can be made in safety. If the operation of another vehicle should be affected by a stopping or turning movement, the driver of such vehicle shall be given a plainly visible signal, as required by statute. If the operation of another vehicle should be affected by a stopping or turning movement, the driver of such vehicle shall be given a plainly visible signal, as required by statute. This section means nothing to me, because I wasn't stopping or turning. So... based on this definition, I am at fault if and only if when I went from the red light I could not proceed straight safely. Well... I did proceed straight, when I saw one of us needed to be in front of the other, I proceeded safely to get in front of him, and seeing there was no accident I would say everything went down safely... so WTF was this guy talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlrtime Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 If you know a bunch of officers why didn't you show him your PBA card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starhm Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 damn the local ordinances... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigInALegacy Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 If you know a bunch of officers why didn't you show him your PBA card? PBA Card? Edit: Google is the king. Never heard of it before this truthfully... although you can bet I will be asking my friends about it the next time I see them. Edit2: Do they do this in Mass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05LGTLtd Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 If you know other officers, ask them what they think the DA would do if you show up with a incorrectly filled out ticket... If you have no other record, bet the DA will throw it out immediatly. All I need now is a hill holder and a center passing light... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copytech Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I once got a $95 speeding ticket while I was pumping gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobE Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 http://newenglandsubarus.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirsimon Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 WTF. This thread makes me angry. Inside. Just imagine how much harsher the fine would have been if you'd been in an 06 Spec.B. You probably wouldn't have been able to control all that cherry picked power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thGTI2LGT Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I know what i would have done. I would have said you need to stop this insanity right....MEOW!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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