Y
yornoc
Guest
I currently live in Lusby and work in Laurel, which means I have a 150 miles commute each workday. I work the night shift and I travel Rt. 4 South each night that I work. I usually exit the Capitol Beltway between 10:40 and 11:15 PM. I can point out every speed trap between 495 and H.G. Truman road (by-the-way, there are none in PG County at night). Since I have been driving this route for about 2 years, I just set my cruise control on 60 mph and cruise. Normally I just go through the traps at 60 mph and nothing happens. There are two 45 mph zones where I disengage the cruise control… within Dunkirk and Prince Frederick. Every night (except when there is fog), I see vehicles getting pulled over by both state and county police. I once thought all the “violators” deserved what they are getting. I have a different opinion.
In the past 2 years, I have been ticketed twice in the same EXACT location (about 1 mile north of BGE Power Plant) at around the same time (one ticket’s time was 11:40 PM and the other was 11:47 PM). The first time I was accused of doing 74 mph in a 55 mph zone. I explained to the officer that I was doing 60 mph (as I have done every night) and he reduced it to 64 mph. The second time I was doing 60 mph and was accused of doing 84 mph. Once again I explained to the office that I was doing 60 and even pointed out that my “cruise” light was still lit up (I was promptly told to cut the engine). The officer came back and said he is going to give me a break and wrote me a ticket for doing 64 mph in a 55 mph zone. On both occasions I was asked if I had been drinking and if I have any illegal drugs. I explained that I’m heading home from work and even produce my ID badge that was still clipped to my belt.
Since I was innocent in of both charges, I pled not guilty and went to court. In both cases, I had NO evidence (except my word) to prove that I was not doing what I was accused of. As you might have guessed, the judge believed the officers and I was found guilty both times. His justification was, “I no reason to believe you because in 1998 you got 2 speeding tickets”.
To make things worst, my wife got pulled over on Rt. 4 for doing 74 mph in a 55mph zone. She said she had the cruise set on 55 and could not understand how the officer got 74. Even though he claimed she was speeding on RT. 4, he followed her to Little Cove Point Rd and pulled her over by the fire station (about 4 miles from where he said she was speeding). She went to court but it got thrown out because the officer did not show up. She still ended up missing a day’s work because court was set for 9AM but they waited until 11 AM to call her because they were waiting to see if the officer would show up.
Now I set my cruise on 58 mph.
I’m not sure if there were isolated incidents so I would like to know what you think.
In the past 2 years, I have been ticketed twice in the same EXACT location (about 1 mile north of BGE Power Plant) at around the same time (one ticket’s time was 11:40 PM and the other was 11:47 PM). The first time I was accused of doing 74 mph in a 55 mph zone. I explained to the officer that I was doing 60 mph (as I have done every night) and he reduced it to 64 mph. The second time I was doing 60 mph and was accused of doing 84 mph. Once again I explained to the office that I was doing 60 and even pointed out that my “cruise” light was still lit up (I was promptly told to cut the engine). The officer came back and said he is going to give me a break and wrote me a ticket for doing 64 mph in a 55 mph zone. On both occasions I was asked if I had been drinking and if I have any illegal drugs. I explained that I’m heading home from work and even produce my ID badge that was still clipped to my belt.
Since I was innocent in of both charges, I pled not guilty and went to court. In both cases, I had NO evidence (except my word) to prove that I was not doing what I was accused of. As you might have guessed, the judge believed the officers and I was found guilty both times. His justification was, “I no reason to believe you because in 1998 you got 2 speeding tickets”.
To make things worst, my wife got pulled over on Rt. 4 for doing 74 mph in a 55mph zone. She said she had the cruise set on 55 and could not understand how the officer got 74. Even though he claimed she was speeding on RT. 4, he followed her to Little Cove Point Rd and pulled her over by the fire station (about 4 miles from where he said she was speeding). She went to court but it got thrown out because the officer did not show up. She still ended up missing a day’s work because court was set for 9AM but they waited until 11 AM to call her because they were waiting to see if the officer would show up.
Now I set my cruise on 58 mph.
I’m not sure if there were isolated incidents so I would like to know what you think.
