just a heads up on some new traffic fines!

Some of those violations get less expensive the more often you break them. Is that supposed to be an incentive?

 

Violation of the 'move over' law is punishable in CA by a fine not to exceed $50

California Department of TransportationHeadquarters - Sacramento
Matt Rocco
(916) 654-4020

October 19, 2009

NEW "MOVE OVER" LAW WILL INCREASE SAFETY FOR CALTRANS HIGHWAY WORKERSSacramento –Caltrans wants the public to know about a new law signed by the governor that requires motorists to move over or slow down when they see a Caltrans vehicle flashing warning lights.

The new law, Senate Bill 240 (State Senator Roderick Wright), adds Caltrans vehicles displaying flashing amber warning lights to the list of vehicles for which motorists must slow down and, if safe, move over to a lane not immediately adjacent to the stationary vehicle.

“This protects the safety of our workers,” said Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki. “Highway workers face the same dangers from fast moving traffic as emergency personnel and tow-truck operators. We appreciate the leadership and recognition of the legislature and governor for the need to provide a safer working environment for our employees.”

Since 1924, 174 Caltrans workers have lost their lives in the line of duty. On July 23, 2009, Caltrans worker Don Lichliter was struck and fatally injured by a passing truck on Highway 99 in Lodi. He was with another worker applying a fertilizer treatment to keep eucalyptus trees healthy. Their truck was parked on the shoulder.

To date, 45 other states have enacted similar laws requiring motorists to move over or slow down. Violation of the new provision is punishable by a fine of not more than $50. The new law also makes the safety protections permanent by removing the sunset date (January 1, 2010) from existing law.

 

How convenient that the other cop was there looking for someone to pop with the $754 ticket? BTW, the cops never seem to know how much the fine is going to be for this stuff. They'll let you find that out later

Thanks for pointing these new violation fines out. You've really got to be on your toes these days not only for other crazies but also do something that'll get you whacked/taxed by "the man."

 

The "move over" law is not new this year. It has been in force in California as a temporary law for three years now, but it was made permanent this year, and added Caltrans vehicles to the list of vehicles for which one must move over.

The e-mail you received is quoted almost word-for-word in Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/moveover.asp
Still, it is probably better for all concerned if people do treat these situations as a $700+ fine.

 

Different topic, but my wife got a ticket by a CHP the other day for talking on her cell phone; first offense. He told her it is only a $25 ticket. Oh Yea? it was $100. That is for the privilege of living in the OC.

 

The CHP officer was incorrect. The fine for that is $20. See California VC Section 23123 (b). The rest of the amount charged is fees and whatnot by local government agencies. Ah, for the good old days when a twenty dollar ticket cost... twenty dollars, all in.

 

All these increases are revenue generation by the state and local agencies, raise taxes, raise fines, when people have less...

 

Sorry it was your wife that got ticketed, but half of San Diego County seems to be on the phone when they drive.

I tend to agree with the law, and the fine is too low, IMHO. It probably costs us more than $20 to have the officer write the ticket...

 

They want you a slave, maggot.

 

3 points?? you lose your license at 4 points, so if you already have 1 point on your record for speeding, and then don't know about and/or move over you lose your license? that's a bit extreme don't you think.

 

You ain't kidding. The CA fines are out of control. My better half got ticket in Cleveland for doing 72 in a 60...$95. That's more like it.

It's not just traffic violations either. Quick story about "The Man". When I used to live on the bluff in Leucadia, for years we would walk the dogs on the beach at 5:30 AM every day - the same group of 4 or 5 of people. We'd stand in front of one of our houses BS ing and let the dogs play with each other. Then one day out of nowhere someone spots two SD Sheriff's away in the distance walking towards us and motioning. Everyone scatters up the steps to their homes except one guy who stays & gets ticketed $327 for each of his dogs. End of story...not quite.

That same morning driving down Leucadia Blvd I see my friend Pete walking barefoot in the same t-shirt and board shorts he was wearing on the beach five hours ago. I thought it was strange but, whatever. Later in the day he comes over and tells me that Sherrif watched what house he went to, went back to their car, rang his doorbell, slapped handcuffs on him and booked him for resisting arrest. No joke. When I saw him earlier he was walking home barefoot from the Encinitas Sheriff station. Bastards.

It took over a year of legal BS to make that mess go away.

 

The one thing we have going for us here is there are so many people that if you're informed you can pretty much stay out of the cops way. It's usually the "other guy" that is unlucky and gets nailed....most of the time. Obviously the more time you spend on the road that'll increase your chances of getting "taxed" too. One of my goals for this year is to not have to pay into the system for something dumb. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

Does anyone know if you can get pulled over specifically for window tint - or is it not a moving violation - thus requiring you to be pulled over for another reason first?

 

They can pull you over for tint, objects obstructing the front or rear windshield, cracks in front windshield, etc and why it is highly advised for any traffic stop to roll your windows down to avoid this scrutiny. Provided you properly ventilated that last bong hit, of course.

 

If there is anything you can avoid doing it's this. Should have been more in my opinion. The low cost is probably why no one actually obeys this law and only 1 in 50 is actually ticketed(stats only my observation while driving). How hard is it to have an earbud/bluetooth or pull over? Speeding(without reckless lane changes), rolling through a stop sign, etc. is nothing compared to this IMHO. The law/fines brought up by the OP mean a whole lot more than this and they are even a bit ridiculous at times. I'd like to see someone pulled over for slowing down the fast lane and causing unsafe passing in the right hand lanes for a change, that's one of the most unsafe moves we see on the freeways. Sorry for the rant

Jeff

 

Well I will add to the misery,

$409 dollars + driving school for 64 mph in a 50 mph on christmas eve.

Why not just tax us more on our paycheck...that is all it is, a fricking tax.

MB

 

dumb californians have to be told to do this. one of those things i loved about tx, la, ga, al, az, nm on my roadtrip this week is that they got it. also getting out of the passing lane if they ain't passing.