Card got pulled today - Following Too Close apparently

Whether or not I did so I suppose depends on your opinion. Apparently the SHPO thought so. The only thing I can say in my defense is that if I did do it, it was unwitting.

The story:

Was driving to a state park about an hour north of me to meet a friend and do some rock climbing. Had cruise set at the speed limit, driving in the left hand lane. I begin to creep up on two vehicles ahead of me, one was the SHP vehicle (in the left hand lane, in front of me) the other a 4runner. I'm creeping on both of them (gaining maybe a hundred feet a minute or so) for about 3 or 4 minutes, and right as it gets to the point I would normally move to the right hand lane and pass (about 2 car lengths between us), we come upon a semi in the right hand lane. It's moving slower than all of us. I brake-check to disable cruise control, back off from the SHP a bit and then resume cruise about 4 car lengths back and we pass the semi as I re-creep on the SHP. As I come up behind him this time (2 car lengths or so again) he signals a lane change and moves to the right hand lane. I thought he was yielding right of way, so I continue to creep on past him. As soon as I'm past, I get the blue lights and we have a talk.

Apparently, that constituted following too closely.

I'm not saying the cop is in the wrong, but I didn't exactly ride his bumper for 5 miles either. Except when attempting to pass, I was always 4 car lengths or more back. Maybe I need to pull the trigger on passes further back?

Frustrating.

 

Sucks. I bet the fact that you came up on him 2x due to the truck in the other lane contributed. That's still twitchy, though... can't say I agree with his interpretation.

 

Well, it is what it is. Gonna figure out what to do with it sometime in the next couple days. All I'll say is that if this is following closely, an awful lot of people do an awful lot worse an awful lot of the time. I think the public is unaware.

 

I thought everyone knew to give the troopers some space!

I've been to North Carolina on vacation and got to meet one of their troopers. (checkpoint) California highway patrol has nothing on those guys. Dude was totally like "boy, you in a heap of trouble!"

 

A, don't tail a trooper and B, 2 cars behind on the highway is too close. general rule of thumb is one car per 10mph.

 

I'm aware of that. That's why I was attempting to pass/change lanes, but never got the opportunity before I was pulled. You'll note I backed off when the opportunity was denied to me the first time by traffic.

I need to be clear, I was behind him for about 1-2 minutes while all this went down. Pulling out to pass prior to this situation was not an option because of slower moving traffic in the right hand lane and the semi truck, and I backed off until a passing opportunity was available. I wasn't two car lengths back the whole time - I attempted to get out of his space once I arrived at that point.

I just drive normally and (I thought) legally around them.

As for their strictness, I wouldn't know. I haven't been pulled anywhere else. NC's traffic laws do seem to be stricter than other states in terms of points penalties though.

 

it happens dude.....especially if they havent had any action and are bored.

 

Yeah. I'm not mad about it or anything...as the title says, card got pulled. It does seem a bit lopsided in terms of fairness though.

 

I would try and fight it in court, especially if you have a clean driving record, i know in RI you can have a ticket dismissed under your good driving record. Sounds like he was just being a dick, since you weren't tailgating him for miles.

 

Don't know if it's an actual law or not, but I know I've heard the whole thing about every 10MPH over 55 MPH (which I think it supposed to be 3-4 car lengths space) is another car length. So technically, they can get you for tailgating. Hell, I had a NJ state trooper pop me for tailgating because some idiot decided to come over into my lane doing 40 in a 65 and I didn't brake hard, instead of just dropped out of OD into third, then second (auto FTW) and coasted to a slower speed.. yes I got close to the guy, it was also 5:30 AM and he was an idiot.

Think I peeved the officer off when I told him that he had been tailgating me though.. he asked me why I didn't pull over right away and I told him that he was so close to me I couldn't see his lights at first. (Un-marked with only this little light bar in the lower portion of the windshield..) he was so close I could barely see his windshield at all, and this was before I put the lift on my truck.

 

I'm considering it, although the odds would certainly be against me as it's word v. word.

NC does have something called Prayer for Judgement Continued (PJC) wherein, if the judge approves, the infraction is shelved for 3 years. If you keep your nose clean, it's dropped. If you infract again and are found guilty, you get hit with both. It's premitted (or not) on a county by county basis, so I'll probably look to see if that's an option.

I may also hire a lawyer. We'll see.

My main concern is license points and insurance premiums. The actual fine/court costs aren't really a factor.

Yeah. The last time I got pulled (4 years ago) was something like this. I had someone make an illegal left in front of me (I had right of way) and I slammed the break through the floorboard, locked it up, and left rubber all over the intersection with a horrible screech. The cop saw that, but not the left apparently. Thankfully a couple witnesses pulled over and validated the story, and the cop sent me on my way. He was talking a reckless driving charge

 

I would of said my throttle was sticky and Im due to go in for the recall!!!!

 

definitely....which is the case alot of times with small traffic fine deals.

 

You should take it to court and plead insanity!

 

nvm, go to traffic school is u still can

 

This was in my Matrix, not my Tacoma. It's not under recall. Funny though.

 

I personally try to use the 2 second rule when I am following someone. If following a cop, try making it 4 seconds....

 

Fight it and say the PO was driving in the passing lane, but not passing anyone

 

well since were on the topic of sharing stories, i just got pulled over for the first time tonight (im 17). i came up to a four way intersection with a cop on my right. i was there well before him so i went ahead. he sat at the intersection for a few seconds then followed me. as i turn another corner, i see him following me and im thinking "shit did i forget to signal that turn or not stop completely at the stop?".
so i keep driving at the speed limit and on come the lights, right in front of my second family's house (known them since birth). i shut off the truck, put the keys on the roof and get out my license and registration. i bid the officer good evening (it was about 11:30PM) and he asks if im steve. i say no, thats my dad. turns out my dad's license expired last month on his birthday and he wasnt aware he didnt get a letter anymore. no ticket for me. after getting a call from that family who saw my truck, i head home

my question to prove to my dad is, do they usually randomly pull plates just to check for infractions (i was the only one on the road at the time) or do you have to do something wrong for the officer to do that? i claim i did nothing and it was a random check but my dad is suspicious of me.