Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

Bossnass · 11-23-2003, 03:43 PM

I'm not sure of the regulations in your area, but in Alberta, Canada, where I live, you could fight the ticket.

In a conversation I had personally with a RCMP officer, I learned two significant facts:

-they aren't allowed to speed without having lights flashing

-if they intend to stop you, as soon as you are clocked as exceeding the speed limit by 12 km/h (calibration wise, the minimum ticketable offense) they have to turn on flashing lights

Essentially what this means is that if you are speeding and a cop comes up from behind you without their lights on (and then turns them on) they were speeding faster and breaking regulations to catch you. A bit of grey area entrapment.

If they are sitting on an approach or in the ditch and you blow by, they have to turn on flashing lights as soon as they start pursuit. You're screwed at that point, but if they pull up and drive recklessly without the flashing lights, they are creating a hazard themselves.

It all makes sense, they shouldn't endanger other people on the road to catch a speeder and they have certain regulations to abide by.

I did fight my last ticket, acting like I didn't really know the rules. I was cruising down a divided highway at 3 in the morning, a car slowly caught up with me, followed for a while then turned on high lights and gave me a ticket. I just asked the judge (it was a pretty casual traffic court) how the officer was allowed to speed, watch to see if I'd go any faster, and then give me a ticket. "If I was speeding, then he must have been going faster then that to catch up. If I saw flashing blue and white lights in my rear view mirror, I'd slow down immediatly, even if I was under the speed limit. I don't understand how the officer is allowed to go that fast" and which point the judge said 'actually that's a good question. " the officer said 'either way he was speeding" and the judge said 'that'a a good point as well.... I'm sure if the good constable here agrees that I should negate this ticket, then you'd be agreeable to ignore the indiscretion on how it was aquired".

If I was cheekier I might have pursued it, but as it was I was quite happy with the outcome and didn't see the need to make life difficult for the officer.

11-23-2003, 03:43 PM	#11 (permalink)
Bossnass Détente Location: AWOL in Edmonton	I'm not sure of the regulations in your area, but in Alberta, Canada, where I live, you could fight the ticket. In a conversation I had personally with a RCMP officer, I learned two significant facts: -they aren't allowed to speed without having lights flashing -if they intend to stop you, as soon as you are clocked as exceeding the speed limit by 12 km/h (calibration wise, the minimum ticketable offense) they have to turn on flashing lights Essentially what this means is that if you are speeding and a cop comes up from behind you without their lights on (and then turns them on) they were speeding faster and breaking regulations to catch you. A bit of grey area entrapment. If they are sitting on an approach or in the ditch and you blow by, they have to turn on flashing lights as soon as they start pursuit. You're screwed at that point, but if they pull up and drive recklessly without the flashing lights, they are creating a hazard themselves. It all makes sense, they shouldn't endanger other people on the road to catch a speeder and they have certain regulations to abide by. I did fight my last ticket, acting like I didn't really know the rules. I was cruising down a divided highway at 3 in the morning, a car slowly caught up with me, followed for a while then turned on high lights and gave me a ticket. I just asked the judge (it was a pretty casual traffic court) how the officer was allowed to speed, watch to see if I'd go any faster, and then give me a ticket. "If I was speeding, then he must have been going faster then that to catch up. If I saw flashing blue and white lights in my rear view mirror, I'd slow down immediatly, even if I was under the speed limit. I don't understand how the officer is allowed to go that fast" and which point the judge said 'actually that's a good question. " the officer said 'either way he was speeding" and the judge said 'that'a a good point as well.... I'm sure if the good constable here agrees that I should negate this ticket, then you'd be agreeable to ignore the indiscretion on how it was aquired". If I was cheekier I might have pursued it, but as it was I was quite happy with the outcome and didn't see the need to make life difficult for the officer. Last edited by Bossnass; 11-23-2003 at 03:46 PM..