[lito]

I was just cruising on GW Prkwy on my way home last night around 1130 when I noticed a US Park Police was behind me. He followed me for a good 3-4 miles, cruising between 50-55mph on the 50mph zone when he finally turned on his lights. So I pulled over to the side and as soon as he got to my car he started yelling asking me why I was driving to slow impeding traffic when there was really none. He told me he gave me a citation and expect it in the mail next week.
Anybody have an idea how much this will cost me. I know there is a Slow Speed Law, but I didn't think i was driving slow enough to warrant this citation.

[cssnms]

wait,,, he didn't give you a ticket right there on the spot??? Did you sign anything? If not I don't suspect you will see anything in the mail. I also suspect he was looking for drunk drivers on a Friday night and used the, "driving to slow" as probable cause to pull you over.

[MacR6]

This is the only one I found

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...0+cod+46.2-877

No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

Whenever the Commissioner of Highways or local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of a traffic engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any part of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the Commissioner or such local authority may determine and declare a minimum speed limit to be set forth on signs posted on such highway below which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

He probably didn't know the code if he didn't write you up right then. That's my best guess. The fact that he said he was going to write you one later sounds like he isn't going to do anything at all. Keep your fingers crossed.

By-the-by were you in the left hand lane doing 50 in a 50? I know that doesn't matter but sometimes it pisses ppl off who want to speed, like the cop.

Good luck

[lucas.kent]

Originally Posted by cssnms

wait,,, he didn't give you a ticket right there on the spot??? Did you sign anything? If not I don't suspect you will see anything in the mail. I also suspect he was looking for drunk drivers on a Friday night and used the, "driving to slow" as probable cause to pull you over.

That sounds about right.

[Sam335ix]

That is really strange that he pulled you over for no reason at all... Since when 50 mph is too slow for gw parkway? You won't get any tickets in the mail.

[lito]

Originally Posted by cssnms

wait,,, he didn't give you a ticket right there on the spot??? Did you sign anything? If not I don't suspect you will see anything in the mail. I also suspect he was looking for drunk drivers on a Friday night and used the, "driving to slow" as probable cause to pull you over.

I know this is the first I heard off mailing you the ticket instead getting it on the spot. That's why I though he was gonna give me a warning when he handed me my Driver License back without a ticket on his hand, but then he told me to expect it in the mail in a week.

Originally Posted by MacR6

This is the only one I found

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...0+cod+46.2-877

No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

Whenever the Commissioner of Highways or local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of a traffic engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any part of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the Commissioner or such local authority may determine and declare a minimum speed limit to be set forth on signs posted on such highway below which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

He probably didn't know the code if he didn't write you up right then. That's my best guess. The fact that he said he was going to write you one later sounds like he isn't going to do anything at all. Keep your fingers crossed.

By-the-by were you in the left hand lane doing 50 in a 50? I know that doesn't matter but sometimes it pisses ppl off who want to speed, like the cop.

Good luck

Yes he did asked me why I was on the left lane driving slow, but I wasn't driving slow enough to were I was impeding traffic.

[cssnms]

I am willing to bet you won't see anything in the mail, call it a hunch. Sounds like he was being a bit of a prick and was disappointed he didn't pull over young drunk driver in a nice BMW, so he thought he would get under your skin a bit. Don't sweat it and if something does show up in the mail and I am 99% it won't, the sitation should be easily beatable in court w/o a lawyer.

[Stucks]

I highly doubt you will receive anything in the mail, but if by some weird random new law that enables them to electronically ticket you (i know they do this with warnings now), just take it to court and say "it was at night time and i was watching out for deer crossing the road." Thats all one of my friends had to say in court to get his "driving too slow" ticket dropped without question.

[flip4335]

Originally Posted by lito

I know this is the first I heard off mailing you the ticket instead getting it on the spot. That's why I though he was gonna give me a warning when he handed me my Driver License back without a ticket on his hand, but then he told me to expect it in the mail in a week.

Yes he did asked me why I was on the left lane driving slow, but I wasn't driving slow enough to were I was impeding traffic.

Pare, he was yanking your chain. Like others said, he was trolling for drunk drivers, or....he was a secret BMW admirer and wanted a closeup look at your hawt ride! LOL! But there might be another possible reason for pulling you over:

In VA, all traffic, including speeders, must travel in the right lane on a divided two-lane road. Left lane(s) is for passing only, unless it is a multiple lane highway, but concept still applies with slow traffic to the right. IMO, when he got behind you, he was expecting you to pull to the right to allow him to pass on the left, and because you didn't, he pulled you over so as not to pass you on the right. When someone pulls behind you in the left lane, you must always yield to the right if you are going slower. Jus' sayin'

I used to live in MD and my pet peeve was drivers loitering in the left lane...a lot of MD drivers do that...without knowing that they are impeding traffic, because MD has the same passing on left law.

[utfenix335i]

Isn't the speed limit on GW Parkway 50 mph? and most people go like 70 down that road?

[335iSSA]

He was just having a bad day. Like other said I don't think you will be getting anything in the mail.

The GW parkway is federal jurisdiction and if you take any violation to court you will be in Federal Court at the EDVA. This is why the Park Police patrol it.

[cotmfk]

Wow, one of the weirdest stops I've heard of!! Hopefully nothing comes in the mail.

[Laid Black 335i]

Yea kinda weird how he didn't give you a ticket on the spot.

[bimmertt]

I don't think park police can issue regular traffic tickets. They can only refer your case to the police dept in that jurisdiction who will then issue you the correct ticket. It's possible that you will receive something in the mail, but it sounds like this will be easy to fight.

[elias]

Wow, I've never been stopped for going too slow that is total BS especially on the parkway. I highly doubt you will see any ticket like others have said but if you do, if I was you, I would fight that bad boy, thats one you will have a good chance of beating for sure!!

[ceb]

Originally Posted by lito

I know this is the first I heard off mailing you the ticket instead getting it on the spot. That's why I though he was gonna give me a warning when he handed me my Driver License back without a ticket on his hand, but then he told me to expect it in the mail in a week.


Yes he did asked me why I was on the left lane driving slow, but I wasn't driving slow enough to were I was impeding traffic.

Originally Posted by flip4335

Pare, he was yanking your chain. Like others said, he was trolling for drunk drivers, or....he was a secret BMW admirer and wanted a closeup look at your hawt ride! LOL! But there might be another possible reason for pulling you over:

In VA, all traffic, including speeders, must travel in the right lane on a divided two-lane road. Left lane(s) is for passing only, unless it is a multiple lane highway, but concept still applies with slow traffic to the right. IMO, when he got behind you, he was expecting you to pull to the right to allow him to pass on the left, and because you didn't, he pulled you over so as not to pass you on the right. When someone pulls behind you in the left lane, you must always yield to the right if you are going slower. Jus' sayin'

I used to live in MD and my pet peeve was drivers loitering in the left lane...a lot of MD drivers do that...without knowing that they are impeding traffic, because MD has the same passing on left law.

This!

The OP was traveling in the passing lane doing the speed limit and was not passing another car. A cop pulled behind him and the OP wasn't bright enough to move over.

The cop was correct in pulling him over as the OP was violating the law by sitting in the left lane late at night. If I were that cop then I'd be expecting a drunk too.

I'd take the OP's description of the stop (and what the cop said) with a large grain of salt. The guy isn't even smart enough to know the law or get out of the way of a cop.

I don't understand you guys who automatically take any poster's word for what happened and immediately start blaming the cop.

Look at it this way - deserted GW parkway late at night. Posted speed is 50 and everybody normally goes 60 (with no traffic) or 70 (with traffic.) Here is this guy in a sports car sitting in the left lane going the speed limit. A cop pulls in behind him and stays on his tail for 3 or 4 miles and that idiot keeps puttering along at 50 and doesn't get out of the way of the cop. 4 miles is about from 123 to 495.

Who is at fault, the OP or the cop?

[lito]

Originally Posted by cssnms

I am willing to bet you won't see anything in the mail, call it a hunch. Sounds like he was being a bit of a prick and was disappointed he didn't pull over young drunk driver in a nice BMW, so he thought he would get under your skin a bit. Don't sweat it and if something does show up in the mail and I am 99% it won't, the sitation should be easily beatable in court w/o a lawyer.

I certainly hope so. I will just have to wait and see.

Originally Posted by Stucks

I highly doubt you will receive anything in the mail, but if by some weird random new law that enables them to electronically ticket you (i know they do this with warnings now), just take it to court and say "it was at night time and i was watching out for deer crossing the road." Thats all one of my friends had to say in court to get his "driving too slow" ticket dropped without question.

Cool! I might just have to use that deer excuse if I have too

Originally Posted by flip4335

Pare, he was yanking your chain. Like others said, he was trolling for drunk drivers, or....he was a secret BMW admirer and wanted a closeup look at your hawt ride! LOL! But there might be another possible reason for pulling you over:

In VA, all traffic, including speeders, must travel in the right lane on a divided two-lane road. Left lane(s) is for passing only, unless it is a multiple lane highway, but concept still applies with slow traffic to the right. IMO, when he got behind you, he was expecting you to pull to the right to allow him to pass on the left, and because you didn't, he pulled you over so as not to pass you on the right. When someone pulls behind you in the left lane, you must always yield to the right if you are going slower. Jus' sayin'

I used to live in MD and my pet peeve was drivers loitering in the left lane...a lot of MD drivers do that...without knowing that they are impeding traffic, because MD has the same passing on left law.

Originally Posted by utfenix335i

Isn't the speed limit on GW Parkway 50 mph? and most people go like 70 down that road?

I hope so. I just didn't appreciate the tone of his voice when he was talking to me. I wish I had recorded that on my IPhone.

[kmarei]

Originally Posted by flip4335

In VA, all traffic, including speeders, must travel in the right lane on a divided two-lane road. Left lane(s) is for passing only, unless it is a multiple lane highway, but concept still applies with slow traffic to the right.

if only more people knew this rule
And for some reason police rarely in force this
But if you try to pass some idiot going slow in the left lane, using the right lane, you're in deep shit???
Wtf

[gbouton]

The D.C. Park Police is a Federal agency, so if you do actually receive a citation in the mail the good news is that it probably won't be reported to your state DMV, so no points/increase on your insurance. But if you weren't given any paperwork, I doubt you'll be seeing a citation. Just keep in mind that if you were really driving for 3-4 miles in the left lane with him behind you, failure to yield/impeding traffic is definitely a valid and enforceable infraction. IF you were already in the right lane, then it sounds like an unwarranted DUI fishing expedition.

[lito]

Originally Posted by gbouton

The D.C. Park Police is a Federal agency, so if you do actually receive a citation in the mail the good news is that it probably won't be reported to your state DMV, so no points/increase on your insurance. But if you weren't given any paperwork, I doubt you'll be seeing a citation. Just keep in mind that if you were really driving for 3-4 miles in the left lane with him behind you, failure to yield/impeding traffic is definitely a valid and enforceable infraction. IF you were already in the right lane, then it sounds like an unwarranted DUI fishing expedition.

But I don't think I was impeding the flow of traffic though. My speed was between 50-55mph on a 50mph zone. If my speed was between 40-45 then I deserve to be pulled over.

[gbouton]

Originally Posted by lito

But I don't think I was impeding the flow of traffic though. My speed was between 50-55mph on a 50mph zone. If my speed was between 40-45 then I deserve to be pulled over.

Well. you were apparently impeding the flow of the (police) car behind you; D.C. traffic laws (as do most states) dictate slower traffic must keep right. I'd just consider the "non-ticket" a gift and let it go...

[kmarei]

Originally Posted by lito

But I don't think I was impeding the flow of traffic though. My speed was between 50-55mph on a 50mph zone. If my speed was between 40-45 then I deserve to be pulled over.

that's an assumption
you were going at the speed limit (50mph)
if he wanted to go 60mph, you were then impeding his progress.
so you can't assume that since you are going at the speed limit, that everyother car behind you can't overtake you.

if i come up behind you while you are in the left lane doing 50
and i am going 85mph, i still have right of way