Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation??
 

Ok I was getting off a ramp to merge onto the intestate while it was raining a little harder than a light drizzle. Speed limit on the ramp is 45, I was going 40, I hit a puddle of water near the end of the ramp and start spinning across the interstate. A truck hit me, an 18-wheeler hit the truck, and we all slid into a grassy ditch area in the median and hit another car that had been stuck there that had done the same thing I did 15 minutes prior.

Cars were wrecked pretty bad but nobody got hurt. It feels wrong to complain about something when things turned out so well in a situation like this, but I got a "general safe driving" violation which the cop explained to me was because I was driving too fast for the conditions.
I think that is [censored].

Aren't there situations where you can reasonably judge the conditions to be safe for the speed you are driving and through no fault of your own be wrong? Can't I expect a road to have enough drainage that I won't have to dodge deep puddles of water during a light rain?

Shouldn't the car that was already in the ditch get the same ticket as me even though they made it across the interstate without getting hit?

Like I said I feel bad complaining when things could have gone so bad, but I'm not trying to weasel my way out of a fine, I honestly think I did nothing wrong.

Do I have any chance of having this ticket cleared?

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

how much was it for?

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

Get a lawyer if the ticket is serious enough otherwise fight it or pay it, pretty simple...

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

Some states have a statute where a ticket must be issued any time there is a wreck to show that one party was at fault.

However, "too fast for conditions" is probably one of the easier tickets for a lawyer to argue down (if it's worth it) because of the subjective nature of it. I know the police here usually only tack that on as a secondary ticket to speeding if it's raining/snowing and you're a dick to them.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation??
 

Take it to court. You'll almost certainly win. If you can afford it, hire a lawyer. The most important things is that you were driving well under the speed limit, and that the puddle you hit was much deeper than anyone could have reasonably expected to encounter on a highway.

I have had friends who have fought these kinds of charges *without* a lawyer and won.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

I realize that trying to get off the ticket is a separate issue, and I see your point about the other car. But:

1) there's a sense in which you really were driving too fast for the conditions, right? Or it wouldn't have happened. You don't get to expect perfect drainage, you have to look out for exactly the amount of sub-standard drainage situations that actually exist.

2) the other guy deserves a ticket just as much as you do, sure. But the law is like that a lot, isn't it? If you and I go outside and both fire bullets into the air, and mine lands harmlessly while yours kills someone, we will not be charged with the same crime. Kind of crazy when you think about it, but the law is not just about intentions, it's generally about intentions plus consequences.

Anyway, not trying to be an ass to you. Good luck getting off the ticket and nice one that nobody got hurt.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

Another way I think you can look at it is:

When it is raining, there is a chance that a puddle will collect and you will hydroplane and get in a wreck, so you should drive slow enough to avoid something like that, right?

Well if you are driving near woods, there is a chance that a deer will jump in front of your car and cause you to get in a wreck, so you should drive slow enough to avoid something like that, right?


But one of those you get a ticket for and another you don't?

You can make up any number of situations like that, where do you draw the line?

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

pics:



http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6540163


how do image tags work?

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

You don't know how to link.


http://img2.putfile.com/main/9/25012334365.jpg

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Another way I think you can look at it is:

When it is raining, there is a chance that a puddle will collect and you will hydroplane and get in a wreck, so you should drive slow enough to avoid something like that, right?

Well if you are driving near woods, there is a chance that a deer will jump in front of your car and cause you to get in a wreck, so you should drive slow enough to avoid something like that, right?


But one of those you get a ticket for and another you don't?

You can make up any number of situations like that, where do you draw the line?

[/ QUOTE ]

uh no that is retarded. You went fast enough to hydroplane, something you have COMPLETE control over, you dont have control over deer. I dont know whether you deserved this ticket, but you were the one that was going to fast as to hydroplane, if you merged slower it wouldnt have happened, so its your fault imo, and the ticket is deserved.


that being said, just pay a lawyer to get it taken care of

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

I'm confused, you lost control and caused the wreck, right? If I have that right then why are you surprised that you're getting a ticket??????

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

The road slants down-left and water drains down a cricket. Water pooled on the left of the road and caught my left tire. If they are going to give tickets for not driving on the shoulder of the road to avoid water during a light rain, then city needs to fix the drainage on that road.

However, I'm not going to drive 20 mph every time there is a light rain. I was going well under safe speeds for the amount of water on the roads.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

Clearly you weren't going under the safe speed for the amount of water in that patch of road though...

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

No, but just like any reasonable person won't be driving 15 mph every time they are near some woods for fear of hitting a deer, no reasonable person would be driving 15 mph along that stretch of road to avoid hitting that puddle of water. No reasonable person could have expected that much water in that place of the road with that little bit of rain.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

You have your analogy wrong I think. Reasonable people know that when they are near areas that have deer they need to pay attention and watch for them. Just like reasonable people know that when you're driving, and its raining, you should not only drive more cautiously you should also watch for puddles that can drag your car, or spin it out.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

[ QUOTE ]
No, but just like any reasonable person won't be driving 15 mph every time they are near some woods for fear of hitting a deer, no reasonable person would be driving 15 mph along that stretch of road to avoid hitting that puddle of water. No reasonable person could have expected that much water in that place of the road with that little bit of rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

why dont you quit arguing, go to the DMV, and see what the "acceptable safe speeds to avoid hydroplaning" are in the DMV manual, becuase you obv dont know. when you figure it out, dont go over those speeds, if you get in an accident going the speeds specified, then you will have an excuse to act like a douche until than grow up a little

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

entertaining gallery

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3526753
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5852862
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3252265
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3194852
NSFW
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3208264

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No, but just like any reasonable person won't be driving 15 mph every time they are near some woods for fear of hitting a deer, no reasonable person would be driving 15 mph along that stretch of road to avoid hitting that puddle of water. No reasonable person could have expected that much water in that place of the road with that little bit of rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

why dont you quit arguing, go to the DMV, and see what the "acceptable safe speeds to avoid hydroplaning" are in the DMV manual, becuase you obv dont know. when you figure it out, dont go over those speeds, if you get in an accident going the speeds specified, then you will have an excuse to act like a douche until than grow up a little

[/ QUOTE ]

I expected replies like that. I feel like a douche. I feel like I should just be happy that nobody got hurt and all I have to do is pay the fine + repairs. I feel like I'm getting off too easy if that's all I have to pay when I consider how bad things could have been.

But still, whenever I make a mistake I beat myself up over it. I don't like to do stupid things. A while back I threw an unloaded shotgun in the back of the car without putting the safety on and I felt like [censored] all day when I found out. I don't feel bad about this wreck though. I don't feel like there was anything reasonable I could have done to avoid it. That's all.

I'm not really "complaining" or whining. I just figured I'd post this and see what everyone thinks. Finding out that in some states cops are required to issue a ticket during a wreck was worth knowing.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No, but just like any reasonable person won't be driving 15 mph every time they are near some woods for fear of hitting a deer, no reasonable person would be driving 15 mph along that stretch of road to avoid hitting that puddle of water. No reasonable person could have expected that much water in that place of the road with that little bit of rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

why dont you quit arguing, go to the DMV, and see what the "acceptable safe speeds to avoid hydroplaning" are in the DMV manual, becuase you obv dont know. when you figure it out, dont go over those speeds, if you get in an accident going the speeds specified, then you will have an excuse to act like a douche until than grow up a little

[/ QUOTE ]

I expected replies like that. I feel like a douche. I feel like I should just be happy that nobody got hurt and all I have to do is pay the fine + repairs. I feel like I'm getting off too easy if that's all I have to pay when I consider how bad things could have been.

But still, whenever I make a mistake I beat myself up over it. I don't like to do stupid things. A while back I threw an unloaded shotgun in the back of the car without putting the safety on and I felt like [censored] all day when I found out. I don't feel bad about this wreck though. I don't feel like there was anything reasonable I could have done to avoid it. That's all.

I'm not really "complaining" or whining. I just figured I'd post this and see what everyone thinks. Finding out that in some states cops are required to issue a ticket during a wreck was worth knowing.

[/ QUOTE ]

The way I think:

the fact no one got hurt is great, but irrelavent. If you were going the accepted speed limit that was taught in the manual (below 30 I think) and it happened and they gave you a ticket then you have EVERY reason in the world to be pissed, becuase you were following the law, and the cop is giving you a ticket for breaking the law. Do I think you purposely put anyone at risk? no. do I think you were going too fast? dunno really, but you were breaking the law so you got a ticket for it.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

Fair enough.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

You deserve the ticket for failing to control your hydroplane, not for going too fast.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

Did the cop show up on the scene later, or did he witness the accident?

If he showed up on the scene later, he doesn't know how fast you were going. So there is no way that he can say you were driving too fast for conditions. Go to court, and when he is on the stand you ask him how fast you were going. He will say "I don't know." The ticket for driving too fast will be dismissed.

Re: Got in a wreck, got ticketed for \"general safe driving\" violation?
 

I was in a fender bender and got a ticket for "failure to maintain a safe stopping distance". I think it's standard for the cop to write a ticket to whoever is "at fault" to pay for his time of showing up. Not saying its fair or anything, but i figured it was standard. Cop told me if i showed up it would be dropped to no points fine only.