KMK454

MA is the longest I've lived anywhere so it's "home," but the Army took me south to GA and then to TX. In the state of Texas, I legally registered and passed inspection on my cammed and modded C6. Not only that, but my loud lopey exhaust was celebrated. I even had a cop tell me it sounded good, and nobody ever complained or said a word about my ride.

Now I'm driving up in MA, and I've been tailed by more cops than ever before. I've had people give me weird looks. A Prius driver gave me the middle finger (I don't think there are Priuses in TX). The roads are replicas of WWII era German roads. Where is all the gas tax and toll money going?

It all culminated yesterday when I received a speeding ticket, though.

The cruise was set to 87 MPH on I-495S, a 65 MPH highway. Traffic slowed and pulled right to pass 2 cops monitoring construction on the median. After everyone passed, they picked up speed, myself included. I went back to the left lane to pass some people and went back to 87 MPH on the cruise. A few miles down the road, I see in my mirror a fast approaching police car, so I slow down and get over. He was hauling! As he gets to me he brakes, throws his lights on, and dives behind me. Great...

My mirror is low and gives me a great view of his exposed fly and gut hanging over his belt. He comes up and asks for license, and says, "You're being cited for speeding." Ten minutes later, he comes back up, puts a ticket in the window and drops my license on my lap and says, "100 MPH in a 65," turns around and leaves. He then drives off. That's all he said to me.

The ticket says "100+ in a 65." Above 100+ it has "100-110" circled. He checked the boxes "clocked" and "estimated." Clearly his estimation was quite generous. I was speeding, but not 35+ over the limit. 87 was where the cruise was, and while getting up to 87 I may have brushed 90, but no more, and not over an interval he could "clock" or "estimate" me at.

I've received many tickets over the years (all out of state, MA doesn't take out of state tickets), but this is the first that will affect my MA license and points. I've also never fought one, because all of those past tickets were at least an accurate portrayal of what I was doing. I'm going to try and fight this one, though...

I'm a little concerned, now, because I'm leaving the car with my dad while I deploy to Afghanistan this June. He'll be watching it, but I hope he doesn't get harassed by the law. Is there a way I could write the cop a letter from Afghanistan, too, just to thank him for doing his job?

If given a choice, I seriously see myself not living in my favorite state of the union simply because it's not conducive to my love of the automobile... what a shame. Love the place, love the people, love the sports... but they hate cars here. Birthplace of the revolution? More like birthplace of regulation.

BoostedLT5

iTrader: (1)

Yup, Mass sucks when it comes to cars. Sustaining 80 on 495 is pushing it, anyhting above that and they are def. going to screw you. 75 is usually safe, once above that forget about it. You are lucky he didnt site you for wreckless driving as well, which would have taken your license!

Funny thing is when the staties are heading home once they are off duty it is perfectly ok for them to travel at 100+mph in their crappy crown vics in the left lane. I really want to video tape them blowing by me travelig at about 75 in the morning on my way to work and send it in to all the news stations!

Fred99Z28

If you decide to fight the ticket go in uniform when you get your court day. If you tell the Judge you was doing 87 mph, I'm sure he would be willing to reduce the ticket. If your going to Afghanistan in June are you sure you can even get a court date before you leave?

Nice looking car.

DannoWS6

iTrader: (5)

That describes MA pretty good. LOL

Yeah 75 mph is as fast as I go on 495. Definately fight the ticket.

NHRATA01

iTrader: (10)

Well, IMHO 87 is asking for in a 65 zone. But regardless, it's true the Northeast (and Cali) is a pain in the butt when it comes to being a carguy. I often think I wouldn't mind living in Texas just because **** is so much more relaxed down there, and taxes/housing prices a fraction of what they are here. Good luck with the ticket, I think if you went in uniform the judge would knock it down quite a bit. You military folk deserve the breaks you can get.

2002_z28_m6

iTrader: (10)

I hear you about their driving. I get passed on I495 on the way home at night by troopers with their lights off traveling at 100+ and thats no exageration. This happens almost 2-3 times a week. This state is full of tree huggers who dont appreciate the american muscle cars. Its pretty sad really. I lived in Ohio for 7 years and run dumped flowmasters with a 3500 stall in my 79 camaro. I had h/c/i and was loud as hell. I was never once pulled over in it. I want to go back. I even had an Ohio state trooper tell me I had a beautiful car.

tasilver

iTrader: (2)

Move south.

That sucks, good luck with ticket. I have fought a ticket before and won. It cost me $150 dollars for the guy to say my 99 blazers speedo was off. I still got one for speeding but not for wreckless.

454mag

iTrader: (17)

You got that right about mass. Troopers always inflate the mph by at least 10-15mph. Last one I got I pulled around some stupid biotch who was doing 65 in the left lane talking on the phone. Only brought it up to 80 to get by her and and slowed to 75. get pulled over and written up for 95 in a 55, driving to endanger, illegal lane change, defective equip loud exhaust. all this for going 75 on 128 at 5:30 am. Go to court and fight andget it knocked down to a hefty speeding ticket. Worst thing was some 17 yo chick gotthe same fine as me for going 115mph in the breakdown lane at 3 pm !!!!! WTF!!! I have thought about bringing a video camera many times. There is one trooper who must work a 7am detail on the pike. He comes up 128 every morning just before 7 weaving in and out and riding right on everybodies *** with no lights on. If I got caught driving like him once I would be thrown in jail. Mass sucks. dont even get started on Sales Tax, excise tax , registry fees etc.

Krazy98Z28

iTrader: (12)

so did you only get a speeding ticket? because at that speed it is considered driving to endanger. I caught up to a statie that was doing 85mph, i was going 130+ and he wrote me up for 90mph, i fought the ticket and he never showed up so i won, but the judge said he can throw me in jail for driving to endanger for 30 days

ShevrolayZ28

iTrader: (4)

Get a lawyer to fight it. It'll only cost a few hundred but will save you a lot down the road. It will definitely be reduced since it was just and estimate. And make sure your lawyer knows you are in the service, it will help.

Faster than 80 will almost always get you a citation in MA.

nseldy

It's the same in PA, if not worse. I've been pulled over many times for dumb stuff...... It's crazy in TX seems like they get away with a lot more and just performance cars in general are more celebrated.

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

OMG ,You set the cruise control at 87mph and get pissed when actually get pulled over

KMK454

The court date would take place after I deploy, so I'd have to have a lawyer there on my behalf. I think that could work to my favor. In other news, I think the roads here have knocked my car out of alignment...

He checked "Civil Infraction" on the ticket and wrote the price, $350. I'm guessing there aren't any other tags that go along with that, otherwise they would be noted or he would have checked "criminal" on the ticket.

True, but it's asking for a ticket for 87 in a 65, not "100+" or "100-110" in a 65. That's the real point of contention. If the citation was correct I wouldn't be as angry about it; I've paid for many speeding tickets, no contest. What troubles me is the lawyer I just talked to said there's pretty much nothing I can do about the actual speed written on the ticket. He said there are ways to get it dropped but regarding speed, what the officer puts on the ticket is the speed I was going at unless I can somehow prove error in his methodology. So in theory he could write 180 MPH on that sucker and leave me to my wits in the court room...

Hey champ, did you read the post? I'm pissed that he wrote "100-110" on the ticket. I understand that going 87 was wrong and if the ticket said 87 in a 65, I'd probably be mailing the check today. I know you pay to play, but lying on a ticket like this is BS IMO.

ShevrolayZ28

iTrader: (4)

Yeah. I'd think that nearly 90 mph is good for a ticket in just about any state.

massls1guy

iTrader: (9)

I drive my Z28 on 495 between framingham and chelmsford every day. Not too long ago I decided to stay in the right lane and do 65 on the highway. There are some good things about it:

- I average between 24-26MPG to a tank now
- I don't get pissed off by the A-holes that go slow in the left lane and don't let you pass
- No more worrying about speeding tickets

I like hard acceleration from a stop - that's the good stuff. Just going fast on the highway doesn't make me smile like acceleration does.

Formula413

iTrader: (1)

+1

Although triple digit speeds are fun once in a while. But yeah, no tickets and good gas mileage are nice benefits of not speeding.

To the OP, definitely fight the ticket, you have nothing to lose. Even if you have to hire a lawyer I think it's worth it. And as was said, the lawyer showing up and saying you couldn't be there because you are serving in Afghanistan will score you some points, as it well should.

squirrel masta

hahahaha my work truck is governed at 70 mph. i got yanked for doing 95 in a 65. i showed him my gps with a max speed of 61. he said i reset it and showed him.
then i said well wouldnt it show 0 max speed then.
then he tell me slow down calls the dots they keep me there for an hour inspecting my truck, then let me go. what a state

CamaroRacing12

iTrader: (5)

to ORG poster where on 495 S? and yea the cops do suck but i never go above 80mph on 495, usually the traffic just sucks too much neways...

im thinking about setting the cruise at 65mph like someone else stated... saves on gas

slayer_taunu

iTrader: (3)

wow, i'm suprised it ONLY took you this long to figure out that MA is a police state. (aka the nanny state)

i moved from the boston area to Dallas, TX a little over 2 years ago, and as far as i'm concerned, Dallas area has NO police presence at all!!! i've never even HEARD of someone getting a loud exhaust ticket down here. back in MA, my exhaust was considered borderline attention getting by the cops... down here, people ask me if my car is even on

when i go back home to visit, i'll see more cops in boston area in the first HOUR that i'm home, than i'll see in dallas for weeks... and thats no exxageration.

Formula413

iTrader: (1)

From the sound of it, in TX the cops are probably driving around in loud modded F bodies themselves.