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I received a Scott's Law (Move Over Law) ticket yesterday on I-64 near Mt Vernon. The trooper's vehicle was stopped, well off on the side of the road, with lights flashing, no other cars around or any people around -- it did not look like an emergency situation. I normally slow down and move to an alternate lane if the situation looks hazardous but this one did not. I just thought this was some sort of "friendly" warning to keep to the speed limit, which I did. Also, I try to minimize lane changing for safety reasons.
I have never heard of this law and I am from Maryland where we do NOT have this law. No excuse, I know, but it still seems terribly unfair to expect outsiders to be familiar with this new law.
Illinois also seems to use this law abusively and actually sets traps to catch unaware motorists like me. This trooper was clearly not doing anything emergency related. He was just sitting there with lights flashing for no reason except as an entrapment setup.
The penalties are also outrageous. Mandatory requirement of a court appearance is unfair especially for out-of-towners like me. Also the fines are excessive --$150 to well over $300. Also, a person's license can be revoked and it can affect insurance rates? It is really unbelievable how overzealous the IL police and courts are pushing this.
I agree in principle with the spirit of the law but the aggressive style of enforcement is abusive, unfair and wrong. Anyway I have this ticket and a court date in January. I cannot afford to take time off from work and fly back to Illinois for court appearance. Some have suggested hiring a lawyer. I am totally distressed about this. Anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks.
Bob
Last edited by zbob99; 12-01-2008 at 08:01 AM..
Reason: spelling
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
11,078 posts, read 15,074,986 times
Reputation: 3937
Quote:
Originally Posted by zbob99
I received a Scott's Law (Move Over Law) ticket yesterday on I-64 near Mt Vernon. The trooper's vehicle was stopped, well off on the side of the road, with lights flashing, no other cars around or any people around -- it did not look like an emergency situation. I normally slow down and move to an alternate lane if the situation looks hazardous but this one did not. I just thought this was some sort of "friendly" warning to keep to the speed limit, which I did. Also, I try to minimize lane changing for safety reasons.
I have never heard of this law and I am from Maryland where we do NOT have this law. No excuse, I know, but it still seems terribly unfair to expect outsiders to be familiar with this new law.
Illinois also seems to use this law abusively and actually sets traps to catch unaware motorists like me. This trooper was clearly not doing anything emergency related. He was just sitting there with lights flashing for no reason except as an entrapment setup.
The penalties are also outrageous. Mandatory requirement of a court appearance is unfair especially for out-of-towners like me. Also the fines are excessive --$150 to well over $300. Also, a person's license can be revoked and it can affect insurance rates? It is really unbelievable how overzealous the IL police and courts are pushing this.
I agree in principle with the spirit of the law but the aggressive style of enforcement is abusive, unfair and wrong. Anyway I have this ticket and a court date in January. I cannot afford to take time off from work and fly back to Illinois for court appearance. Some have suggested hiring a lawyer. I am totally distressed about this. Anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks.
Bob
I'm sorry Bob that you had that experience in our state....Unfortunately for you,you had several things going against you all at one time....
1) A VFF working a crash scene was killed south of Mt.Vernon on I-57 last year when a bus ran over him by not pulling over.
2) This state is nazi like on traffic enforcement (not issues that matter tho' such as meth eradication) and you just happened through an entrapment area that is second only to far south I-57 (mm 30 or so down to Cairo is by far the worst that I'm aware of) and it gets worse all the time.
3) You had out of state tags which spell easy money to this broke state.
I wish it wasn't like that but it is,and again,I'm sorry it happened.
You may want to call the county courthouse and check on other arrangements (Jefferson county more likely than not if it was right near Mt.Vernon)
Yes, I am going to call the Jefferson county States Attorney office as instructed by the trooper. Maybe there are alternatives -- I dearly hope so. Thanks for your concern and advice. I will post a follow-up on the results.
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
11,078 posts, read 15,074,986 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zbob99
Yes, I am going to call the Jefferson county States Attorney office as instructed by the trooper. Maybe there are alternatives -- I dearly hope so. Thanks for your concern and advice. I will post a follow-up on the results.
Good luck and I hope it works out for you.I hope you beat it because I have seen them pulling this same stunt on rural highways and imo it is VERY dangerous.Maybe if enough tickets get thrown out they'll move on to something else equally as assinine.They have REALLY cracked down on pickup trucks that have a trailer ball on their bumper saying that it obstructs the view of the plate numbers.ANY excuse to get your money without them having to work for it is becoming their motto.
The real problem isn't the cops or tickets, it is drivers who ignore flashing lights. Slow down and move into a different lane. Or stop and wait for a signal to pull off the road or to keep moving. You would be surprised at how many drivers ignore the ambulances with lights and sirens. Its why a normal 3 minute run takes ten minutes. .
New Mexico state police put stop signs in the middle of the Interstate. The chase cars and the dogs are in plain sight. They are looking for drugs and drunks and potential trouble, too.
It may be that if you plight your case to the SA and explain you do not have a similar law in MD they will issue a verbal warning and a free pass.
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
11,078 posts, read 15,074,986 times
Reputation: 3937
Quote:
Originally Posted by linicx
The real problem isn't the cops or tickets, it is drivers who ignore flashing lights. Slow down and move into a different lane. Or stop and wait for a signal to pull off the road or to keep moving. You would be surprised at how many drivers ignore the ambulances with lights and sirens. Its why a normal 3 minute run takes ten minutes. .
New Mexico state police put stop signs in the middle of the Interstate. The chase cars and the dogs are in plain sight. They are looking for drugs and drunks and potential trouble, too.
It may be that if you plight your case to the SA and explain you do not have a similar law in MD they will issue a verbal warning and a free pass.
You are way off base AND topic...the OP received a citation for violation of Scott's Law which in theory is a good law if properly used,but unfortunately like many traffic laws it is being abused by lazy cops sitting on the side of the road with their lights flashing in a form of entrapment which makes the driver chose between two dangerous situations or a ticket...1.) merge with high speed traffic or 2.) STOP in high speed traffic until you can merge OR take what's behind door number three and surprise,A TICKET!!! ....Did you read the OP at all??? Or just take it to heart that this was a cop bashing post and just jump in not knowing what you were talking about?
I know exactly what I am talking about.. I am neither for nor against cops. The OP said "there were no other cars or people around" and it did not look to him like it was an emergency situation. It goes back to the point of a police vehicle with the emergency lights flashing. Whether the cop is lazy or not is moot, and so is the driver's assesment of the situation. Prudent drivers slow down and give every squad car they see a very wide berth.
Illinois roads are flooded with police during holidays; they are everywhere like fleeing field mice. T-Day is one of the worst in the nation for fatalities, drunk drivers, sleepy drivers, speeding drivers, impaired drivers, handicap drivers, inatentive drivers and gene pool rejects.
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
11,078 posts, read 15,074,986 times
Reputation: 3937
Quote:
Originally Posted by linicx
I know exactly what I am talking about.. I am neither for nor against cops. The OP said "there were no other cars or people around" and it did not look to him like it was an emergency situation. It goes back to the point of a police vehicle with the emergency lights flashing. Whether the cop is lazy or not is moot, and so is the driver's assesment of the situation. Prudent drivers slow down and give every squad car they see a very wide berth.
Illinois roads are flooded with police during holidays; they are everywhere like fleeing field mice. T-Day is one of the worst in the nation for fatalities, drunk drivers, sleepy drivers, speeding drivers, impaired drivers, handicap drivers, inatentive drivers and gene pool rejects.
It's too bad the driver guessed wrong.
You did not appear to know what you were talking about to me or I would NOT have responded to you like I did.....As for drivers not paying attention,I'm a former LEO who lost a close friend while working an accident scene...He was putting down flairs,looked up and took a grille in the face from a vehicle moving at 55 mph before anyone could get to him he was DOS (thank GOD I was not there when it happened)... There is NOTHING you can tell me about inattentive drivers that I have not seen,investigated,smelled,heard,testified about or wrote tickets on....That being said,I think the trooper jerked this member around and I've seen them with my own eyes play that game around here on rural highways....It's stupid and dangerous and if I'm ever put in that position I'll take my chances in court rather than having a driver who is not paying attention ram me from behind because some lazy trooper is playing cute games.Scott's Law is a good law imo if used as a safety tool for emergency personel and LEOs,BUT to use it as this trooper used it is just plain abusive and wrong and if his Capt. was any kind of a true leader he would suspend him for using those kind of tactics and for just plain being unproffesional.
As for the cops being thick around the holidays in IL,I agree 100% with you.I don't know how it is in your area,but our area is flooded with them 24/7(troopers,not county so much) and if they would work on meth eradication details we would love them,but that's nowhere near the case.This is the bullcrap WE put up with and while the Methheads spin out of control,these idiots are on the highway pulling stunts like the one the OP got caught up in.Worthless.
WILLIAMSON county IL Workers in the Williamson County circuit clerk's office are finding themselves swamped, as traffic tickets pour in by the thousands.
The year is not over yet, but already, a record number of traffic citations have been issued in the county.
"They are just unbelievable. They are coming in in groves" says Sue Davis, Circuit Clerk Supervisor.
Nearly 21,000 traffic tickets have been written in the last 11 months. That rounds out to be just more than 60 tickets a day.
"We're just completely out of space" says Davis.
That's not the only problem. Workers here are processing about 200 tickets a day, but they're still finding themselves backed up.
"We have had to hire an extra person and we're still behind."
It's a stark contrast with neighboring counties.
Employees in the Jackson County circuit clerk's office say just more than 9,000 citations have been written this year. Around 8,000 have been issued in Franklin County.
State Police say there's a reason so many people are being pulled over and ticketed in Williamson County.
"The Illinois Department of Transportation will do seat-belt surveys. They'll also check the crash reports and identify areas of non-compliance" says Trooper David Sneed, District 13.
Sneed says recent reports have indicated Williamson County is a high risk area for traffic violations.
"It may give the appearance of being excessive sometimes, but extreme situations take extreme measures."
Sneed says traffic stops will continue until more drivers comply with speed and seat belt laws. Clerical workers are hoping that time will come soon.
"We've never had this many files" says Davis, pointing at a cabinet that is packed with tickets. "We don't know what we're going to do."
Because of their heavy workload, employees in the Williamson county circuit clerk's office say it's taking them about two weeks to process each traffic ticket. They're hoping folks will be patient-- despite the inconvenience.
this was from nov. '07 and it's still rolling full steam
Last edited by Swampmonster; 12-01-2008 at 07:34 PM..
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