I've owned my Max since the fall, and this has been my first spring with the car. Now that the weather is a bit nicer, I've been driving a bit more, and it turns out that cops have noticed. In the last 2 months, I've collected 3 traffic infractions:

1. Failing to come to a complete stop before making a right turn at a red light
2. Failing to yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk (I was stuck in the cross-walk while it was activated because of bumper-bumper traffic)
3. After being followed for 5 minutes by an undercover on the highway, speeding 130km/h in a 100km/h

Prior to owning my Max the last ticket I got was back in 2004! Unfortunately, I think the fact that my car sticks out so much where I live, combined with the tinted windows, is making me a much more noticeable target on the road. Either that, or I've just been in all the wrong places at the wrong time.

Anyways, just some food for thought (and frustration on my part).

TB.

 

I can relate. Sorry to hear about your tickets. I highly advise finding a local traffic attorney and hiring them to defend you. Well worth the retainer (at least here in FL).

 

I would not exactly call that "Racism". What you experienced is "Hetaerism" followed by a case of two much car for everyday. In your post you never disagreed with getting the tickets and actually admitted you were at fault. I teach a safe driving course and one thing I always like to discuss is your exact situation. That said the discussion usually asks what the same in all these cases is, and after a few good stories I always ask what is the common denominator? It usually adds up to the person involved. We can blame everything and everyone for our faults but in the end we are the ones responsible. I would recommend you take a course in safe offensive driving to show you are responsible and plead not quilt to the speeding, and get a lawyer.

 

Thanks for your words. First off, I used the term "Racism" simply as a metaphor to my situation...I know it isn't racism by definition. While I appreciate you pointing out the obvious fact that I am ultimately at some fault for these tickets (I wouldn't be stopped in the first place if I wasn't), the issue I'm pointing out is being charged with the numerous offenses in the short period of time of driving my Max.

I have been an "offense free" driver for a little more than 5 years driving my 1990 Volvo and my driving habits have not changed despite the change in HP and power with the Max. I've remained offense free during this time by being aware of the rules of the road and obeying...but it just seems that the instant a lapse of judgment is made, a cop is there waiting for me .

My brain now works overtime when I'm driving, ensuring that not even the slightest road rule is being broken - something that I don't necessarily think equates to being safer if you're a "smart" and confident driver.

 

2 months in my Maxima - no tickets... but then again, Maxima's in Florida really aren't that targeted (If I happened to in a Honda Civic with a coffee can exhaust and blacked out tint - it would be another story altogether.)

 

Are cars targeted for traffic offenses? Absolutely!

Compare a Mustang 5 liter to a Porsche 911 Turbo. Both are very fast automobiles. But a cop would pay attention to the Mustang and probably ignore the Porsche. Why? The Mustang is cheaper and draws a younger (and less prosperous) crowd. Cops pull over young drivers as part of the educational process. Sometimes a ticket, other times, only a warning.

On the other hand, the perception is that the Porsche driver is more responsible given he has the wherewithall to own a Porsche. Certainly a person who has the ability to earn the coins to buy a Porsche need not be reminded on how to drive safely. The behavior of a wannabe (Mustang?) is different from an automotive patrician.

Back to your issue: I don't see our Maxima as a target car. Perhaps it is your window tint.

 

I know how ya feel, I've walked in to my local bank many many times with no problem.... I buy one harmless ski mask I saw in a deparmant store window that I fell in love with and now when I walk into that same local bank with that beautiful ski mask on, I get nothing but trouble. No one wants to help or wait on me and I have even been wrestled to the ground... What the H**L is going on now a days I ask???

 

Very astute and all too true. We've all been behind a (for sake of argument and no offense meant to Sr. Citizens (Lightonthehill) or very young drivers) "overly cautious" (read paranoid) drivers who over-react to situations where a simple lift of the foot would suffice from a jab to the brake pedal (causing an accordian affect behind.) Caution and altertness are to be commended, driving on andrenaline from paranoia, not so much.

I know it will take time to get over your "yeps" but don't dwell on it. Like most of us, you are probably still ahead on the ones you "didn't get caught for!!!"

 

HILARIOUS!!!

 

Five years between moving violation tickets is at the very best only a "fair" rating. Perhaps just good enough to let you get a little too confident.

At three moving violations since 1970 and only one since 1975, I wouldn't rate my own performance by this measure much better than "good". Yeah, that makes me a bit older than some here, so I'll just say that unless you think that you must run significantly above posted speeds, you wouldn't mind finding me in front of you most times.


The level of tint relative to what's average in your local region probably does have something to do with it. It's likely that a tint level considered appropriate to the Florida beach areas would be considered somewhere between "excessive" and "mildly suspicious" where you actually do live.


There isn't a whole lot of question as far as #1 and #3 are concerned. For #3, at the very least you weren't paying close enough attention to EVERYTHING around you. Particularly for being nearly 20 mph over. Some things should make you suspicious long before even half a minute has gone by, let alone five.

#1 is a pet peeve of mine, particularly when the person failing to obey his stop sign does so to cut me off when I actually have the right-of-way (happened again last week on the way to work). Or when they get impatient because I do come to complete stops. The meaning of "STOP" is absolutely clear, and it isn't a judgement call. I could rant on and on about this, and would love to see that everybody found guilty of this offense be sentenced to six months of driving only a small and woefully underpowered manual transmission car with a non-synchromesh first gear and a too-tall second. You'd likely either learn respect for stopping or die refusing to.

You do have some sympathy on #2, however. It certainly falls under "extenuating circumstances" if it becomes physically impossible to completely obey a regulation, at least as long as you could not be reasonably expected to see the situation developing ahead of time.


Norm

 

trix, IMO giving tickets are a way for police to beg for money to the public without sacrificing their pride. Unfortunately, the public does not have the option of turning down these kinds of beggars. As expected, with the recent economic downturn, such beggars have become more active.

I know it hurts to be mugged like that but don't feel bad since you know how to drive very well and have the financial ability to drive an above average (in terms of price) car like the Maxima. Now that you are at the receiving end, many "great" people will pop up and take the opportunity to throw sermons at you. Just be yourself and try to abide by the law, and everything will be fine.

 

Norm, hope you don't mind, I clipped part of your quote. You have me beat by 10 years driving, but I've got your record beat still. Knock on wood, 0 moving violations EVER, but I was in a car FULL of folks coming back from a concert where we got a very stern lecture by 4 state troopers in NJ about our behavior. Ok, the car would barely seat 4 adults and we had 11 in it and most of us were, um, not nearly as sober as we should have been. Ah to be young and dumb again..... Now I cringe as my daughter is of driving age.......

As far as cars being targeted, yes, absolutely. However, I'd suspect that they target MORE on age groups... I have no doubt about it and I've seen it first hand with my wife. She had blue undercarriage lights on her truck and I guess that's not exactly legal if seen from the front. They pulled her over and was preparing to write a ticket then saw her age and the officers tore up the ticket and suggested that she remove the lights or use them for SHOW purposes only. They WERE expecting a teen or low 20's person driving. You could tell by the look on their face.

Trix, I don't know your age, but AFAIK, #2 could be excusable if there was no fault/no option. #1 and #3, sorry pal, no excuse there. I understand the car is fun to drive and you don't WANT to stop (#1) and it's really easy to go over the legal limit (#3) but I don't think you can blame the car.....

 

You should try stand up comedy...that's freakin' funny!

 

Lots of things at work here.

A 7th gen Maxima around where I live is fairly common, and not really noticable. In Toronto? Might as well be driving a Maybach. Few of either on the road, so very noticable.

Window tints in Florida are sort of expected. In Toronto (or any other Arctic region)? Absolutely a sign of something to hide. At least in the cop's mind.

As some here mentioned, age can enter the equation with some policemen. They want to be sure teens do not get away with 'cutting corners', because they want to nip hooliganism in the bud, and want 'law and order' in their jurisdiction.

Before I try a rolling stop, I have to know I am seeing everything within half a mile, and that there is nowhere a policeman could be hiding.

My problem is that I am always on the lookout for law enforcement officers, and when I suspect I am seeing one, I tend to overreact and travel clearly BELOW the speed limit, and stop and PAUSE a few seconds at stop signs. I always signal turns and lane changes, so have no worry there.

But 'travelling within the law' can sometimes require full concentration on driving. I'd rather be concentrating on my wonderful Music Box.

 

Don't mind at all. I can't claim to have an "excellent" record when there are a few spots on it. Anything less than perfect does mean that there will be people whose driving records are better than mine, including my wife's (zero moving violations since she got her license in 1970).

I don't think I've ever bought into "over-reacting", partly because I think that that response by itself tends to make you look guilty (nose dive under braking makes it pretty obvious from the outside what you were up to). Momentarily lifting off the throttle seems to be all it takes, at least it does from only a few mph over.


Norm

 

The price you pay to be cool, remember tickets are nothing more then filling quota, I got a speeding ticket and equipment violation ticket, total cost 200 bucks, in Virginia, no one was on the road and it was a speed trap, the cop knew I was out of state so it was an easy ticket.

I got another tint ticket in my brothers car, 90 bucks, state trooper who pulled me over, in the town, was a little weird when 5 county cops passed me.

It's all BS, pay the fines and move on, moving violations with points, go to court and fight.

 

I'm careful not to let my 'overreacting' be obvious. I know better than to jam on the brakes. Depending on the situation, I have actually used my handbrake to scrub off a few MPH without causing the nose to dip or the tail lights to come on. Of course the 7th gen Maxima, with foot parking brake, will not permit this type of action.

My 'overreaction' is more emotional and mental than in physical actions. I become extremely alert, make sure to stay in the exact center of my lane, stay just below the speed limit and try to act as calm and nonchalant as possible. Of course, if he has an 'adrenelin sensor', I am toast.

When stopped at night (usually at a road block license/sobriety check), I turn on the inside courtesy/dome lights so officers can see inside the car, and have both left side windows rolled down long before reaching the officer doing the checking. That way, the officer has an immediate and unobstructed view of the entire inside of my car. I also keep both hands on the steering wheel where he can easily see them, and have any passengers keep their hands in plain view.

My last ticket was on I-85 southbound, approaching Greenville SC back in 1994. I was getting around a very slow oversize load lowboy carrying construction equipment just before the interstate narrowed to one lane for around ten miles due to road construction. BIG mistake. I never tried that again.

Since I am usually traveling within (or very near) posted speed limits, I actually like seeing law enforcement around, because they are all that stands between the law-abiding public and those evil lawless types who prey on us all.