Here's the story...
Yesterday while driving to work I passed someone in a designated passing zone (dashed line). I was in a 55mph zone, and the car in front of me was going 40mph. I passed him without exceeding the speed limit. The oncoming traffic was far enough away that I was able to wait long enough to give the car I passed plenty of room before returning to my lane. Now, once I got back in my lane I was able to see that the first oncoming vehicle was a motorcycle, then a car, then a police cruiser. At that moment I checked my speed just to be sure, and was only going 55, so I thought nothing of it.
Now, several miles down the road a state trooper begins to come up behind me. He isn't running his lights or siren, but is riding my bumper so close that it was unsafe. Assuming he simply wanted by I put on my turn signal and pulled to the side of the road. To my surprise he pulled over with me. Even more to my surprise, instead of walking up to my window and asking for my license he stood behind my car and yelled "get out of your vehicle." I did, and slowly approached him (he was in street clothes), when he demanded my license. I gave it to him, and he ordered me to go get back in my car. I go back to my car to wait.
Some time later a second officer arrived, knocked on my window, and asked me to step out of my car. Again I get out and go to the rear of my car. He asks if I was in a hurry to get somewhere. I said I was headed to work, and was running a little late but should be able to get there in time. He asked where I work, then questioned me as to what kind of business it was. He begins to pressure me, telling me he "knows" I must have been going "real fast" because it took the other officer so long to catch up to me. I told him that wasn't possible, as I wasn't speeding. He insisted I must have been, and I again told him I wasn't, and asked if he had me on radar speeding? He said no and grew frustrated.
At this point the second officer asks, "Do you have anything in your car that you shouldn't have?" Of course I say no. Then he asks, "Do you mind if I have a look around your car?" I had nothing to worry about, so I tell him he can look. At this point he required that I turn my back to my car and look the other way while he searches my vehicle. This, to me, was more than a little suspicious, but I went along with it anyway. After a few minutes he gets out of my car and walks back to the car of officer #1. In the meantime a THIRD officer has arrived (all three in street clothes). He asks #2 if I "had anything" to which he replies "no." I remain standing at the rear of my car.
A few moments later the original officer approaches me, gets all the way in my face, and begins yelling at me. The rant went something like, "What the fuck do you think you're doing out there? You almost hit that car! You nearly killed someone's grandmother and grandfather! You're lucky I don't haul you in to jail right now! I saw the look on your face when you jerked your car back over! If I didn't have to be at training I'd be taking you to jail!" Throughout this I remained calm and respectful. I tried to apologize (for whatever he felt I did) to which he shouted, "Don't fucking tell me you're sorry! Tell the people whose grandparents you almost killed!" Then he hands me the citation and says "Now you're going to have to go to court and lose some points on your license." After this he goes back to his car and they leave.
This, word for word, is what he wrote on the ticket:
"1. Reckless Driving.
Vehicle passing vehicles in curve almost causing a major wreck. Subject almost lost control of his vehicle when trying to get back over in to his lane."
Now, forgive me but shouldn't something like this include some amount of fact? I almost lost control of my vehicle? How? Did I swerve? Did I go off the road? What are the facts that lead him to believe I "almost lost control of my vehicle. How does one ALMOST cause a MAJOR wreck? Sounds like hyperbole to me. There are several steps between not causing a wreck of any kind (what happened) and causing not only an accident, or a wreck, but a MAJOR wreck. Nevermind the fact that he states I as passing vehicles, plural, which is simply false. I passed one vehicle. Given his view (three cars back) he saw none of that, but just made an assumption and placed it on the citation. But let's not forget, he could see the "look on my face" from that distance. I won't even get in to whether or not he should be acting aggressive and violent when dealing with me.
So, what should I do here?
Yesterday while driving to work I passed someone in a designated passing zone (dashed line). I was in a 55mph zone, and the car in front of me was going 40mph. I passed him without exceeding the speed limit. The oncoming traffic was far enough away that I was able to wait long enough to give the car I passed plenty of room before returning to my lane. Now, once I got back in my lane I was able to see that the first oncoming vehicle was a motorcycle, then a car, then a police cruiser. At that moment I checked my speed just to be sure, and was only going 55, so I thought nothing of it.
Now, several miles down the road a state trooper begins to come up behind me. He isn't running his lights or siren, but is riding my bumper so close that it was unsafe. Assuming he simply wanted by I put on my turn signal and pulled to the side of the road. To my surprise he pulled over with me. Even more to my surprise, instead of walking up to my window and asking for my license he stood behind my car and yelled "get out of your vehicle." I did, and slowly approached him (he was in street clothes), when he demanded my license. I gave it to him, and he ordered me to go get back in my car. I go back to my car to wait.
Some time later a second officer arrived, knocked on my window, and asked me to step out of my car. Again I get out and go to the rear of my car. He asks if I was in a hurry to get somewhere. I said I was headed to work, and was running a little late but should be able to get there in time. He asked where I work, then questioned me as to what kind of business it was. He begins to pressure me, telling me he "knows" I must have been going "real fast" because it took the other officer so long to catch up to me. I told him that wasn't possible, as I wasn't speeding. He insisted I must have been, and I again told him I wasn't, and asked if he had me on radar speeding? He said no and grew frustrated.
At this point the second officer asks, "Do you have anything in your car that you shouldn't have?" Of course I say no. Then he asks, "Do you mind if I have a look around your car?" I had nothing to worry about, so I tell him he can look. At this point he required that I turn my back to my car and look the other way while he searches my vehicle. This, to me, was more than a little suspicious, but I went along with it anyway. After a few minutes he gets out of my car and walks back to the car of officer #1. In the meantime a THIRD officer has arrived (all three in street clothes). He asks #2 if I "had anything" to which he replies "no." I remain standing at the rear of my car.
A few moments later the original officer approaches me, gets all the way in my face, and begins yelling at me. The rant went something like, "What the fuck do you think you're doing out there? You almost hit that car! You nearly killed someone's grandmother and grandfather! You're lucky I don't haul you in to jail right now! I saw the look on your face when you jerked your car back over! If I didn't have to be at training I'd be taking you to jail!" Throughout this I remained calm and respectful. I tried to apologize (for whatever he felt I did) to which he shouted, "Don't fucking tell me you're sorry! Tell the people whose grandparents you almost killed!" Then he hands me the citation and says "Now you're going to have to go to court and lose some points on your license." After this he goes back to his car and they leave.
This, word for word, is what he wrote on the ticket:
"1. Reckless Driving.
Vehicle passing vehicles in curve almost causing a major wreck. Subject almost lost control of his vehicle when trying to get back over in to his lane."
Now, forgive me but shouldn't something like this include some amount of fact? I almost lost control of my vehicle? How? Did I swerve? Did I go off the road? What are the facts that lead him to believe I "almost lost control of my vehicle. How does one ALMOST cause a MAJOR wreck? Sounds like hyperbole to me. There are several steps between not causing a wreck of any kind (what happened) and causing not only an accident, or a wreck, but a MAJOR wreck. Nevermind the fact that he states I as passing vehicles, plural, which is simply false. I passed one vehicle. Given his view (three cars back) he saw none of that, but just made an assumption and placed it on the citation. But let's not forget, he could see the "look on my face" from that distance. I won't even get in to whether or not he should be acting aggressive and violent when dealing with me.
So, what should I do here?
