nlpamg

I've been meaning to post this for a while already, but I've been either busy or too lazy...

I posted a couple weeks ago of my engine/ecu trouble with my car. I brought in for service at DTLA Motors and they gave me a MARS RED 05 C230WZ loaner.

I was an idiot and didn't put my v1 on the loaner. I was driving by my house on a two lane road that is 30mph at around 8pm. I was following a Ford Focus and he was literally going 15mph. I started to tailgate him and was really getting frustrated. We got to a 4 way stop, and I let him get a head start. I took off and then used the other side of the road to overtake him.

All of a sudden, I see flashing lights and a spotlight at me. The cop got my license and was a ****. He was like, "is this your car?" and I explained to him that it was technically a rental. Then he takes my info and walks back to his cruiser.

His partner, a female officer, comes up to the other side of the car and says, "is this your car? it's GORGEOUS! this car looks sooo great!" and I chatted with her for a while and she went back to talk to the other officer who was writing me up. She came back and said that it'll only be a few minutes.

Her ****headed partner comes back and is like "you know what you did right?" I'm not going to admit to **** but I didn't want to **** him off totally by denying anything, so I said "I guess, but I dunno, what did I do?" He said he wrote me up for "Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road" and that he could have gotten me for speeding as well. He said that he "heard me take off from a while back." (I didn't know the M271 was so loud.) We haggled a little bit about the speed limit and then he let me on my way.

Well, I am going to be contesting this for sure, but I figured that you guys would enjoy the reaction to the Mars Red C230k.

Man, I love the color, but I don't think I could get it. It draws waay too much attention, beautiful though.

Cappa26

hahaha, aww i wish i could get a compliment from a POZ

dchou

Why contest it? It's completely your fault.

I saw, definately get the Mars Red C230k. It's HOT!

nlpamg

Because I can. The vehicle code is ambiguous and open to interpretation for this violation. I may have been driving on the wrong side of the road, but overtaking a slow vehicle (when it is safe to do so) is an exception to that particular section in the vehicle code. So, I was in my right. There was no one on the road and it was completely safe. I will contest it because I can, I have a good argument, and I have a good chance at winning. I've contested many other violations on points of law and infractions that are even more clear cut and difficult, with no loopholes than this one and have been successful.

As to the fault, that'll have to be proven in court. It's not completely my fault and I am going to plead a necessity defense as well--I thought the Focus was stalling or having issues as a result, my overtaking it was justifiable. If you saw an obstacle that was on the side of the road such as a shopping cart or something, wouldn't you go on the wrong side of the road to avoid it if it was safe to do so?

Cappa26

I agree.

Outland

They are going to smack you down. Better go dig up Jonny Cochran.

drexappeal

OK, Mr. "esquire"...LOL...On the reals, good luck with that. If you decide to be lazy and not contest it, I've got discount for online traffic school! Just hit me up on my cell and let me know.

BTW, you need to send me your resume also.

NO_WUR_E

Hey good luck in fighting this one! I'm not so sure with this defense though if your luck will continue of getting out of violations.

Yes, Marz red is definitely HOT! Too much attention though (cops that is).

advans

I was gonna get my coupe in Mars red, it does match the tails =]

nlpamg

LOL. Thanks for the most part guys. :p

The necessity defense is going to be plead as an "alternative" defense since it is an "affirmative" defense (not to be confused with affirmative action).

The first thing about the vehicle code (I have at least 8 sections to reference) is my primary defense. And I'm going to include the other one as "well, even if I violated the vehicle code, it was necessary for me to do so b/c of the circumstances of the situation..."

And, Drex, thanks for the online traffic school offer. I would take you up on that, but I was already lazy in January (BEFORE I got my v1). I'll send it to you, work e-mail?

Thanks!

NO_WUR_E

You must have gotten out of a lot of trouble when you were a kid. You probably had a good excuse for everything. Go get em!

dchou

Ohhh, I see. I didn't think you got a ticket. I thought u got out of it.

AdamVax

mars red is the may to go...I love mine!



yea it does match the tail lights

benzmodz

You must be joking. This was a classic "good" cop "bad" cop scenario. The woman was friendly and chatting away (and no doubt half decent looking) and the guy was rude and abrupt. So back in the cruiser they compared notes and had a quick chat about what was really going on here.

The dynamics of the situation are very fluid. Nothing to do with the car or the driver. It is a classical text-book case of psychology.

Not withstanding, I have met female cops that have been more social than professional and that in itself proves they are human. At the time I wasnt being questioned over a traffic violation and that was the big difference.

nuclearhappines

yup, mars red here

the m271 is louder than you think... the c-cabin is quiter than you think...the combination of the 2 can get you in trouble.

i love the color at night... in the daytime it's too bright... i'm starting to hate the attention, especially when i'm just goign about my daily business and i get some dumbasses trying to run into me... and yell at me and all sorts of other childish crap : (

but ... it's still a great car...and i'm one of 2 people man enough to buy that color (in this whole country, saudi arabia)...

and yesterday i went out, in my mars red car, rocking a pink button down t-shirt with the sleaves rolled up (i hear the pink T's have some mbwolrd history to them : p )

-nuke

mleskovar

I'm curious about your defense and if it will work. Not so sure that "the car ahead of me was going too slow" is a valid reason to go around it...even if it was in trouble. Let us know.

drexappeal

nuke, mars red is by far one of the nicest reds on any car that I've seen (with exception to red ferraris)!

other dumb drivers get annoying, but I'd definitely say if I were to rock a red car, it'd be that!

nlpamg

I completely agree!

rockgt302

Your defense will probably not hold. Did the car have its hazard lights on? Was the car signaling for you to pass? Was the car signaling his approach to the side of the road? Ohh the Police Officer is a Di(khead for doing his job.

MB-BOB

It's not clear where you passed the truck. But if you were within X feet of a controlled intersection and crossed the solid center line to pass the truck in the oncoming traffic lane, you have nothing to contest.

You'll notice most controlled intersections have solid lines separating lanes of traffic, meaning you are not permitted to change lanes within the intersection or cross the solid lines on either side until you are well clear of the intersection...

nlpamg

that's where my exhibits come into play... I shall be taking pictures of the road at daytime and at night to show how wide/empty it is AND the fact that they are DASHED/broken lines. They are not solid. Hence, it is ok to pass.

RockGT302,
I didn't say anything about the officer being a di(khead for doing his job, only that his demeanor was not very polite. Also, judging from your other replies in other posts, I really don't want to hear you talk from your soapbox. I'm not going to start an argument on the board, nor do I want to be lectured about this either... Thanks for your opinion.

MB-BOB

Dashed lines vs solid may not be the issue. Did you start to pass the truck within the intersection?

nlpamg

no. it was well into the main road yards ahead of the intersection. I passed over the dashed lines and completed my manuever where the dashed lines were at.

MB-BOB

Then good luck with your case. It's been my experience that the judge always sides with the police, however. Just raise an objection if the presecutor asks for a stiffer penalty than what you would have paid if you mailed in your fine. You're not to be punished (worse) for requesting your day in court.

mleskovar

I agree. You were passing, not "driving on the wrong side of the road". That's what broken lines are for. Good luck, let us know how it comes out.