Can a State Trooper pull you over for a speeding ticket if your behind them?

Question

One day it had rained and I had came from my cousin house the back way and I was coming down this little hill and there was a car was in front of me. It was night time and it had pressed on brakes and pulled to the side. So I slowed down cause I thought he was going to turn but he pulled over. As soon as i past him to go around this curve. I found out it was a State Trooper and he pulled me over. He told me that he clocked me coming down the hill going 70 or 71mph but i was going 60mph but what got me was that he said that i slowed down because i know it was him in front of me. But that was impossible because it was a country road with very little light and i didn't get close to him until he pressed brakes i think he pulled me because it was Christmas Day.

Answer 1

Police have mobile radar in their cars that allows them to clock vehicles coming up behind them as well as those coming toward them. There is a radar antenna pointing out the back of the police cruiser.

Answer 2

Aside from the facts: Depends upon your jurisdiction.
Beleive it or not, In some states, radar(other than calibration issues) are not challengable if it is operated correctly.
There are several types of radar in common use and they are distincly different technologies.
You really need a lawyer, that is competent, in this arena if you wish to fight it.
He sounds like a prick and has planted the seed to imply that he was just predjudiced ( conjecture as to why You slowed)
You should get technical witnesses to validate the scientific possibility of merging of multiple signals to total the frquency of the readar used i.e. 2000 megahurtz ....(this is possible)
Subpoena the maintainance records of the unit used to validate that it has been maintained properly.
If calibrated with a tuning fork, have the Officer testify as to the proper care of this precision instrament..........Does he just through it in the glove compartment ?
Investigate the ignition of the particular squad..Not all cars are manufactured with ignition systems that don't interfere with the radar. Was rain an influence ? Did he use radar or a laser /( laser beams can be refracted in inclement weather)
Do you have a plastic car ? ( This is why some states insist on a front , metalic lic. plate )
Even the playing surface...If You have a detector , and are zapped. Stop the Officer and ask him to document that you WERE NOT speeding too.Did he have reasonable suspicion to zap you ? He is intruding into Your private space and subjecting you to injuriouse radio-magnetic energy. ( the older ,behind the seat units are implicated in causing brain tumors with long term exposure ).
Even if you don't win, ultimately, this is the only way to challenge the cariciouse application of the Law.
Good Luck

Answer 3

A state trooper can pull you over regardless of your location to them. If they feel they have a legitimate reason they will pull a vehicle over. What hurt you and was against you was the weather and the time of day, moreover, the state trooper could have mistaken your vehicle for another. The best thing to do is to pay the ticket and take the class to have the ticket removed from your record.

Answer 4

Short answer - yes.

I use front/rear facing radar and it'll verify speeds both coming and going. In using radar, we have to be trained to visually estimate speeds within 5 mph. If radar is not used, then pacing the vehicle is perfectly acceptable.

If it's dark & raining on a country road coming down a hill, and you're going more than 60 - I would have cited you too. You're not driving safely.

California Deputy

Answer 5

I think state troopers can do whatever they want. I once was ticketed in Texas for going 86 mph on a 70 mph highway while I was really going 54 mph and very slowly passing a truck that was having equal difficulty with the 50 mph+ headwinds. He was evidently ticked off at me for delaying his trip back at the end of his shift. It's been some five years now and some idiot lawyer is still wasting time and money sending me collection notices that I throw away unopened. One should never cave to extortion.

Answer 6

Hhmmm, let's see. You were speeding down a hill, you said it was night time, and since it had been raining, the roads were wet.

So how do all these issues not tell you that you were driving a bit reckless? you could have spun out on your turn, hit him, gotten hurt in an isolated country road which would make it difficult to get emergency vehicles, so on so forth.

So what are you asking really? Did you deserve it??? He was doing his job, Merry Christmas.

Answer 7

Police departments are starting to use radar that can be used forward and rear of the squad. Just because you were behind the cop doesn't mean he cannot pull you over. If you were breaking the law then he had every right to stop you.

Answer 8

You must ask the court judge how the officer in question - could clock you doing 70 - 71 mph if the officer himself was traveling in front of you? Most officers I know who are doing the clocking are stopped with radar guns handy. And if he was using his dashboard speed as his indicator of your speed, his could be off or yours was off. Also if the officer was in front of you speeding at those rates, it is against the law for them to do so as well. Just because they are in uniform doesn't mean they can break the law either. I have never had an officer stop me for speeding behind him, or as I passed them safely while on a highway. There's something out of whack with the situation.

Answer 9

On your court date - or prior , in some counties-you can request the calibration documentation of the radar gun. If you are sure you were going 60, stick to your guns. Call the court house and ask at what point you can request this info. Make sure you show up to court.He might have never actually used the radar gun, which means he has no proof. you win.

Good Luck !

Answer 10

Rear Facing Radar or 360 degree lazer speed sensors