A Ticket For Driving 63MPH in a 65 Zone?

[Sea Ray]

A Maryland woman ticketed for driving 63 mph in a 65-mph zone isn’t taking the infraction sitting down.

After a police officer pulled her over on Interstate 95 for driving 2 mph under the speed limit in the left lane, the woman refused to remain silent about it. Speaking to a local NBC affiliate, the unnamed woman said she couldn’t believe that an officer would pull her over for obeying the speed limit.




“[I was] really shocked,” she told the station. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, you’ve got to be kidding me.’ ”

The woman said she was driving 63 mph in the 65-mph zone because weather conditions were difficult for driving — there were heavy winds at the time and the woman said the lower speed was necessary as a precaution.

“Sometimes when it’s dangerous, you have to do what you can to stay safe,” she said.

Police claimed a different story. They said the woman didn’t belong in the left lane, which is for speedier drivers passing those in other lanes.

Many on the internet agreed with police. When a news article about the ticket for driving 63 mph in a 65-mph zone was posted to Reddit, most commenters took the side of the police officers. Many of them argued that it is unsafe to obstruct the flow of traffic by driving slowly in the passing lane, while a few sided with the woman and pointed out that those in the passing lane shouldn’t legally be driving over 65 mph anyway.

That’s an argument that her local branch of AAA seems to agree with.

“The reason [the ticket] is silly is because it’s sending the wrong message,” said John Townsend of AAA Mid-Atlantic. “And that is, ‘We will tolerate you driving at more than the speed limit, but it you drive below the speed limit, then you’re penalized for that.’”

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/569756/mary...7eTVFX2hlCI.99

I'm as frustrated as anyone with folks clogging up the left hand lane but this is nuts.

If she's ticketed for going 63 and she's breaking the law if she goes 66, then what gives? If I'm in the left lane and I see a cop lasering folks driving by, I'm going to slow down to below the speed limit. I don't see how this gal can win under those rules.

If anything I think a driver should be pulled over if they insist on being in the left lane when the right lane is clear but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

What do you folks think?

[RedFanAlways1966]

Hmmm. I too HATE left lane hangers, as I call them. But there are laws in place that state the left lane is for passing. So you are in violation if you are "hanging" and not "passing". So she should get the hell over! It has nothing to do with speed, per her claim. And it does not surprise me that a left lane hanger (idiot! lol) would make this out to be something that it is not about (speed vs non-passing in left lane). We have heard nothing about "was she passing" or "was she hanging there". My guess is she was "hanging". Therefore, she was in violation of the law. Know the law and drive CORRECTLY and you have no fear of a citation.

[cumberlandreds]

The article did state that she was pulled over for driving 63 in a 65 zone. Not for being in the left lane. Of course the article could be wrong or she interpreted the ticket wrongly. If it was for speed alone then that was totally wrong for the officer to give her a ticket for that reason. But if it turns out it was for driving in the left lane for no reason then its justifiable because those left lane drivers can be a hazard. But even then the officer should have just given her a warning.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

The article did state that she was pulled over for driving 63 in a 65 zone. Not for being in the left lane. Of course the article could be wrong or she interpreted the ticket wrongly.

I know what I'd bet my first born on, cumberland! And I do not want to get started on "responsible journalism" lol. Obviously a cop would be answering to his/her superiors for writing a ticket for speeding that is lower than the posted speed limit (unless weather conditions create havoc... which is also in the law books).

Another guess... she is a "twit" (I am being nice). She does not care about tying up traffic and will drive where she damn well pleases. And when she gets a ticket for it, then she will call any media outlet that will give her the time of day. Will probably go to the local city council meeting and raise cain. There are words for people like this, but I do not want to get a warning/suspension from a mod for typing them. I'd venture to guess that she also gets in the "15 items or less" line at her supermarket with a cart full of crap. And then puts those groceries in her car that is parked in the handicap spot depsite not having a placard to park there. Imagine that.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

I know what I'd bet my first born on, cumberland! And I do not want to get started on "responsible journalism" lol. Obviously a cop would be answering to his/her superiors for writing a ticket for speeding that is lower than the posted speed limit (unless weather conditions create havoc... which is also in the law books).

Another guess... she is a "twit" (I am being nice). She does not care about tying up traffic and will drive where she damn well pleases. And when she gets a ticket for it, then she will call any media outlet that will give her the time of day. Will probably go to the local city council meeting and raise cain. There are words for people like this, but I do not want to get a warning/suspension from a mod for typing them. I'd venture to guess that she also gets in the "15 items or less" line at her supermarket with a cart full of crap. And then puts those groceries in her car that is parked in the handicap spot depsite not having a placard to park there. Imagine that.

You are probably right about the lady. My fist thoughts about this was just about the same as you stated.

[dougdirt]

Never in my life have I heard of anyone being pulled over for driving in the left lane who wasn't "passing". I don't view it as a passing lane, it is simply another lane for the other 2.5 million people around here to drive in so we don't all back up traffic even more in just two lanes.

Sorry, but this is crazy. The cop should be ashamed. Roads have a speed limit, not a speed minimum and the ones that do, have that posted. When I have seen them, they are almost always 40 MPH minimum. So unless that road had a speed minimum of 64 and a speed limit of 65, then this is complete and utter nonsense.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Never in my life have I heard of anyone being pulled over for driving in the left lane who wasn't "passing". I don't view it as a passing lane, it is simply another lane for the other 2.5 million people around here to drive in so we don't all back up traffic even more in just two lanes.

Sorry, but this is crazy. The cop should be ashamed. Roads have a speed limit, not a speed minimum and the ones that do, have that posted. When I have seen them, they are almost always 40 MPH minimum. So unless that road had a speed minimum of 64 and a speed limit of 65, then this is complete and utter nonsense.

We might not know all of the facts. Maybe she had one of those marijuana leaf sticker on her bumper like you see on cars all over Ohio. If so, she was asking for it.

[Wonderful Monds]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Never in my life have I heard of anyone being pulled over for driving in the left lane who wasn't "passing". I don't view it as a passing lane, it is simply another lane for the other 2.5 million people around here to drive in so we don't all back up traffic even more in just two lanes.

Sorry, but this is crazy. The cop should be ashamed. Roads have a speed limit, not a speed minimum and the ones that do, have that posted. When I have seen them, they are almost always 40 MPH minimum. So unless that road had a speed minimum of 64 and a speed limit of 65, then this is complete and utter nonsense.

Yep.

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Never in my life have I heard of anyone being pulled over for driving in the left lane who wasn't "passing". I don't view it as a passing lane, it is simply another lane for the other 2.5 million people around here to drive in so we don't all back up traffic even more in just two lanes.

Sorry, but this is crazy. The cop should be ashamed. Roads have a speed limit, not a speed minimum and the ones that do, have that posted. When I have seen them, they are almost always 40 MPH minimum. So unless that road had a speed minimum of 64 and a speed limit of 65, then this is complete and utter nonsense.

If the Cop gave the lady the ticket for driving in the left lane then I say kudo's to him and there should be more tickets like this issued. It is common knowledge that the left lane is for passing only, most states acutually have laws stating as much.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

If the Cop gave the lady the ticket for driving in the left lane then I say kudo's to him and there should be more tickets like this issued. It is common knowledge that the left lane is for passing only, most states acutually have laws stating as much.

Would it be ok if she was in the left lane and going the speed limit and therefore no one could legally pass her without breaking the law?

It is an archaic law that was written before there were 150 million cars on the road every day. There simply aren't enough lanes available for everyone to "keep right". If everyone kept right, traffic wouldn't move.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Would it be ok if she was in the left lane and going the speed limit and therefore no one could legally pass her without breaking the law?

It is an archaic law that was written before there were 150 million cars on the road every day. There simply aren't enough lanes available for everyone to "keep right". If everyone kept right, traffic wouldn't move.

The cop made a completely arbitrary decision. This would be one ticket I'd contest in court especially if the driving conditions could be interpretted as hazardous as the driver claimed.

I doubt a judge would uphold this ticket. he might even chastize the issuing police department.

Truthfully though, IMHO, these are the kinds of things that alot of police departments along interstates use as excuses to pull you over so that they can escalate the invent into an invasion of your car.

In the southeast, it's almost like the police have money sniffing dogs. I bet this cop just stinks at profiling the cash cows.

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Would it be ok if she was in the left lane and going the speed limit and therefore no one could legally pass her without breaking the law?

It is an archaic law that was written before there were 150 million cars on the road every day. There simply aren't enough lanes available for everyone to "keep right". If everyone kept right, traffic wouldn't move.

In theory if everyone is going the speed limit and everyone is letting people merge then everyone could keep right and traffic would move normally right?

[WMR]

Personally, I favor execution for slow driving left lane squatters.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Never in my life have I heard of anyone being pulled over for driving in the left lane who wasn't "passing". I don't view it as a passing lane, it is simply another lane for the other 2.5 million people around here to drive in so we don't all back up traffic even more in just two lanes.

Sorry, but this is crazy. The cop should be ashamed. Roads have a speed limit, not a speed minimum and the ones that do, have that posted. When I have seen them, they are almost always 40 MPH minimum. So unless that road had a speed minimum of 64 and a speed limit of 65, then this is complete and utter nonsense.

Well, many states have laws that you can't drive in the left lane if you aren't passing, numerous ones issue tickets for doing just that. Lots of mountain roads insist that slower vehicles use turnouts to let traffic behind them pass, that too can garner a slow driver without a care for those behind a ticket.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

The article did state that she was pulled over for driving 63 in a 65 zone. Not for being in the left lane. Of course the article could be wrong or she interpreted the ticket wrongly. If it was for speed alone then that was totally wrong for the officer to give her a ticket for that reason. But if it turns out it was for driving in the left lane for no reason then its justifiable because those left lane drivers can be a hazard. But even then the officer should have just given her a warning.

If 63 mph had anything to do with it then it was bogus. If she was just cruising along in the left lane while the right lane was open then she's guilty of using it for something other than passing another vehicle but her speed would be inconsequential