Hi,

I got a ticket for acceleration.
My question is the court date on the ticket is 8-7-08?
That is a year away.

Thanks,
Glenn S.

Mark VIII 94 Dark Portofino Blue/Portofino Blue
14.3110@95.3

Might want to call the court on that one. Either that or they're giving out a LOT of tickets!

The police are allowed to make mistakes here and there.

Slowly bringing my 93 Mark back to it's original glory. visit my website at: http://www.paintproinc.net/ or my home improvement blog at: http://www.billthepainter.blogspot.com/

What Bill said.

Look. The cop obviously made a mistake. If you fail to respond by 8-7-07, bad things could definately happen. I think you would eventually prevail in any subsequent legal proceedings regarding the court date, but why risk the hassle and possible expense? I can assure you that once something gets screwed up in a legal matter, it can be one great-big PITA to get it straightened out. Why risk it?

Call the court clerk's office at the number listed on your citation, and clarify the court date. I realize that this will not be as much fun as waiting for them to send you an amended summons, but just do it...I think you'll be glad you did, my friend.

Gale
Ex-Mark VIII Owner (for now)
06 Monte Carlo SS, 12K miles

I have a related question(or questions)on this "acceleration" stuff.

Is there a certain limit on how you pull away from a light or stop sign? Assume a speed limit of 35mph on a city street. The light turns green and instead of doing a "grandma" pull away, you step on it until you reach 35. You didn't burn the tires, you are not exceeding. You just got there quicker.

What are the standards for determining what is an acceptable rate of acceleration? If there are no standards, then whose subjective measure applies?

Along the same line, are there standards on how fast one punches it up the freeway entrance ramp?

Thanks.

MOD aka "another Craig"
Mark of Distinction
1993 Light Mocha

I have a feeling that the answer is somewhere along the lines of:

Laws vary by jurisdiction, but where there are laws applicable to acceleration it is usually "officer's discretion".

Really, I don't think there's a device that tracks and displays acceleration, and even if there was I do think that parking a cop at a corner would negate its usefulness anyway. So, I doubt any legislation could be written to give an exact measure in meters-per-second-squared or such.

If you ask me, any law (such as would be in this case) that puts "officer's discretion" as the sole measuring stick for an infraction, is just asking for trouble.

Actually, the most common elements relating to acceleration are probably "reasonable" and "prudent", but that's just a guess. I recall doing some research for a similar post long ago, during which I stumbled upon a city ordinance in a Kalifornia city (imagine that) that listed "showing off" as an element of its excessive acceleration ordinance.

Showing off? As an element of a traffic violation? Unbelievable.

Gale
Ex-Mark VIII Owner (for now)
06 Monte Carlo SS, 12K miles

>Actually, the most common elements relating to acceleration
>are probably "reasonable" and "prudent", but that's just a
>guess. I recall doing some research for a similar post long
>ago, during which I stumbled upon a city ordinance in a
>Kalifornia city (imagine that) that listed "showing off" as an
>element of its excessive acceleration ordinance.
>
>Showing off? As an element of a traffic violation?
>Unbelievable.

All terminology which is left wide open for interpretation by both officer and judge, which pretty much still brings the issue down to "officer's discretion".

"All terminology which is left wide open for interpretation by both officer and judge, which pretty much still brings the issue down to "officer's discretion"."

Agreed. On the street, what matters is officer's discretion. In the courtroom, however, what matters is the judge's discretion - the only "discretion" that can affect your bank account and driving record.

I know it's hard to do, but keep in mind that legislators elected by we the sheeple are the ones who make laws - local, state and federal. Cops are simply stuck with enforcing these laws, no matter how subjective and/or counter-intuitive they happen to be.

Legislative insanity is one of the reasons I decided to retire a few years early, my friend - I could no longer stand to be associated with the nitwittery.

Gale
Ex-Mark VIII Owner (for now)
06 Monte Carlo SS, 12K miles

if you have open pipes, (as do i) anything you do could be counted as nuisance. accelerate as if you're minding your own and you sjould be alright.

(doesn't help you if you don't see the cop until after the chirp and 2 loud gear pulls)

"Being different has a coolness factor all its own."

Glenn, could you tell us more about the circumstances of this ticket? I'm really curious on what basis you got an "acceleration ticket". Did loose traction while taking off? Were you racing someone?

** 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII **

I was at a red light in the left turn lane.The light went green I took off and when I hit second gear the left tire chirped.

Mark VIII 94 Dark Portofino Blue/Portofino Blue
14.3110@95.3

The ticket got droped.
Iam so happy

Mark VIII 94 Dark Portofino Blue/Portofino Blue
14.3110@95.3

Good deal, Stoney. Now go forth, and sin no more.

Gale
Ex-Mark VIII Owner (for now)
06 Monte Carlo SS, 12K miles