Guy Get Ticket for Driving Too Slowly

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http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/I-Cant-Drive-65.html?yhp=1

http://www.nbcwashington.com/topics?topic=Erik+Bonstrom
Erik Bonstrom considers himself a safe driver. So imagine his surprise when he was stopped along Route 50 Tuesday evening in Prince George's
"Coming back on Route 50, the speed limit is 55 and I was pulled over by a Maryland State trooper," Bonstrom said. "When I asked him why, he said I was going too slow and issued me an $80 ticket for going 58 in a 65."
Bonstrom said he tried to reason with the trooper as passing cars whizzed by.
"To me, you are punishing a safe driver and there are many cars that were passing me, and I guess it was just easier to pull me over than the cars that were speeding," Bonstrom said.
Bonstrom said the traffic stop is more puzzling because it came just yards before a 65 mph sign. He said he believes he was pulled over for going 58 mph on a part of the road that is actually a 55 mph zone, not 65 mph like the trooper claims.
A Maryland State Police representative said they are looking into the matter and plan to have a response within 24 hours.

Bonstrom said he plans to fight the ticket in court.
"If I was wrong, if I was speeding, then you got me and I'm wrong," Bonstrom said. "But the fact that I don't believe I'm wrong and that I wasn't breaking any laws -- that's why I'm fighting it."
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58 in 65 is not slow. Should just ticket whoever when they're stuck in traffic, they're 63 miles under the speed limit! If this guy was going 58 when everyone else was doing 80, even then the drivers speeding should be ticketed, at least this guy was going the limit.
 
Lol, over where I live, 55mph is the max.... Nobody but the oldest of the old people go 55.

But yeah, that ticket is pure crap.
 
I think this is good. I've seen way too many slow drivers who cause lines of traffic to form behind them. Going too slow can cause an accident just as much as going too fast.
 
[quote name='khaos2639']I think this is good. I've seen way too many slow drivers who cause lines of traffic to form behind them. Going too slow can cause an accident just as much as going too fast.[/QUOTE]

In an ideal world, yeah that train of thought is great. But the bottom line here is: If you exceed the speed limit, you can be ticketed. Anything below within reason should be fair game for no ticket. 7mph below the limit is incredibly annoying if you are the guy stuck behind him, but he is following the law regardless if how big of an asshole he comes off as.
 
Usually if someone is going below the speed limit, they're doing something other than driving.

So yeah, I think it's good. I hope this starts happening in more places.
 
[quote name='Rocko']You think it's good that a guy was ticketed for going 7 MPH below the speed limit? I can see 27, but 7?[/QUOTE]

this. 7 mph is nothing, even more so if there was more than one lane.
 
That's horrible. If he was going 40 then i understand. But i think the cops are gunnin for tickets because i think it boost their salary.
 
[quote name='whoknows']Usually if someone is going below the speed limit, they're doing something other than driving.

So yeah, I think it's good. I hope this starts happening in more places.[/QUOTE]
That's absolutely ridiculous.
 
Sounds like he got screwed. However, if he was driving significantly slower than the majority of traffic then I'd have a hard time finding sympathy for him. People who drive much slower than the flow of traffic are causing a hazard no matter how safe they think they are being.
 
[quote name='neocisco']Sounds like he got screwed. However, if he was driving significantly slower than the majority of traffic then I'd have a hard time finding sympathy for him. People who drive much slower than the flow of traffic are causing a hazard no matter how safe they think they are being.[/QUOTE]

He was going 7 miles under. If everyone was going faster to the point that he was causing a hazard, IMO, everyone else would have to be going quite faster than 65, which would mean that everyone in theory was speeding.

I agree, people who do go significantly slower, such as 20 under should deserve a ticket for causing a hazard. But he was going 7. And assuming most people were driving the speed limit, there shouldnt have been a problem.

In fact, anyone ever take that route? How fast do people drive on that route?
 
Actually...you did break the law. 58 in a 55 is legally speeding. The guy broke the law, but the trooper clearly didn't explain it properly. Either that or the trooper/guy doesn't know when the speed limit actually changes from 55 to 65.
 
[quote name='crushtopher']Actually...you did break the law. 58 in a 55 is legally speeding. The guy broke the law, but the trooper clearly didn't explain it properly. Either that or the trooper/guy doesn't know when the speed limit actually changes from 55 to 65.[/QUOTE]

The ticket was for going 58 in the 65 zone. The trooper also told him he was going too slowly
 
When cities start hurting for money, police start writing more tickets. Wish i could find an article i read, a study was actually done on the link between the economy going south and the number of tickets written in an area going up.
 
Driving too slowly is just as dangerous to other drivers as whizzing by at 90. They're a hazard to the drivers on the road. 7MPH doesn't sound like much, but if it was significantly slower than the rest of traffic, it's dangerous. Not sure when people will learn that slower =/= safer.
 
What I'd be curious to know is if there is actually a law about driving too slow or is it just up to the police officer on a case by case basis? I mean it is called a speed "limit" meaning you can go under it, right? If everyone is going 10 - 15 over the limit aren't you being just as 'unsafe' if you are doing exactly the speed limit?
 
I always go 55 (the speed limit around here). I always give myself enough time to get to work, so Im in no rush. Plus, you waste a lot of gas going from 55 to 65.

Now on the turnpike it's 65. I haven't driven on it since last summer, but when gas prices peaked, everyone was going 55 in the right lane.
 
on our roads, most 65'ers do 70, the real drivers do 75....

so from packs of 75, meeting a 58, that's a 17 mph difference. A hazard, depending what the traffic is how heavy and moving.

Buy yes most of those going 75 should be pulled over, but if you can't even make it to the speed limit.... then yes, ticket.

You should be going AT least or you would be a hazard, cars passing you, forcing to deviate, make more mistakes.

If it was raining or something else I'd understand, but there isn't in any way a good reason to go slow on a normal highway.

7 is nitpicking but considering everyone elses speed, it could be slow and slow on a fast highway is a hazard.
 
I have seen speed minimum signs before, but not around here. Personally i don't think most people even understand what the word "limit" means.

If police want to argue that slow speed is a hazard, then speed ranges should be set up instead of limits. Instead of a limit of 65, a range of 60-65. Than way people know not to do more or less than that.
 
[quote name='whoknows']Good.

It's incredibly annoying when people drive below the speed limit and I'm stuck behind them.[/QUOTE]

:rofl:

You sound like me :D.


[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']What I'd be curious to know is if there is actually a law about driving too slow or is it just up to the police officer on a case by case basis? I mean it is called a speed "limit" meaning you can go under it, right? If everyone is going 10 - 15 over the limit aren't you being just as 'unsafe' if you are doing exactly the speed limit?[/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to drive too slowly, but i don't think there's a law that necessarily explains it. I just remember one of my grandma's friends getting pulled over for doing 30-40 in the middle of a 65 mph limit highway....in the left lane ;).
 
[quote name='JolietJake']When cities start hurting for money, police start writing more tickets. Wish i could find an article i read, a study was actually done on the link between the economy going south and the number of tickets written in an area going up.[/QUOTE]


It's called paying their rent. Basically comes down to writing tickets to pretty much cover their salary.
 
[quote name='xycury']on our roads, most 65'ers do 70, the real drivers do 75....

so from packs of 75, meeting a 58, that's a 17 mph difference. A hazard, depending what the traffic is how heavy and moving.[/QUOTE]

Exactly.
 
I don't like how everyone on here think the law abiders should compensate for the fast drivers. Maybe they shouldn't be going 10 over the limit, then maybe the guys going a few under the limit won't be a "hazard" to them. Hell, what about the random guy going 95? Shouldn't the 75ers speed up to accommodate him? I don't understand how the law breakers should be the ones that set the bar.
 
[quote name='The Truth 34']I don't like how everyone on here think the law abiders should compensate for the fast drivers. Maybe they shouldn't be going 10 over the limit, then maybe the guys going a few under the limit won't be a "hazard" to them. Hell, what about the random guy going 95? Shouldn't the 75ers speed up to accommodate him? I don't understand how the law breakers should be the ones that set the bar.[/QUOTE]

Because it's not the NORM.

All Highway traffic is fast, going faster.

Like I stated before, you become a road hazard when you're going barely above 55 in a 65 zone.

Try going 5mph in a 25 zone and see how many stares/tickets you wind up with.


Now going against the acutally people here... if they haven't had a record before, they could have just got a warning, ticket seemed harsh for just 7ish miles.

But regular slow drivers shouldn't drive on a highway. you're going to slow everyone else down, and cause more of a hazard than safety.

The limits on Highway should be treated as minimums like JolietJake stated. It isn't conveyed that way, but anyone driving under that easily becomes a hazard to go around. Traffic shouldn't have to go around, just GO. That's where accidents occur, when something deviates from the norm.
 
People who think this is a good thing are missing the point.

Go ahead and let these "police officers" continue to control your life, arresting and ticketing your ass for bullshit reasons.

No seriously, go ahead. Hey, they need to meet a quota so why don't you help them?

I respect real police officers, not these low life scum bag pieces of trash.
 
It is a little ironic that for driving below the limit he was ticketed. The word limit implies you cannot exceed the speed, but doesn't say anything about going below it. I couldn't agree more with slower =/= safer, it's much safer to go with the flow of traffic, but the whole concept is a little absurd.

They should really make it like in the mid-west where you have speed minimums and maximums, then there's no question about it.
 
Driving under the speed limit can be just as dangerous, you're a hazard to those who are going the speed limit. You need to go with the flow of traffic.

That being said, a warning would of been sufficient... a ticket is a little much.
 
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