Speed ticket in Fremont

[AMPd]

I would make it a point to write a letter to the Chief of Police where the officer works and CC the City Council, about the gratuitous anti Tesla comment.

He seems to have a certain degree of animosity towards Tesla drivers and let's see how he likes it when he has to explain that to his supervisors. Seems he singled you out. That kind of comment aimed at a whole segment of drivers is completely unprofessional and uncalled for.

Where did you see the anti-Tesla comment?
A lot of teslas around Fremont, and if most of them don't have a front plate then he wasn't saying anything against tesla, he was merely pointing out that teslas seem to be driving without a front plate
Nothing wrong with that

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

We're you actually doing only 9 over? and somehow managed to get a ticket?

Or were you going faster where the cop reduced it on the ticket to only being 9 over?

I've been driving for 25 years or so where I drive pretty consistently at about 10 over. Which in a lot of cars and including the Tesla is a bit under 10, and not once have I ever gotten pulled over for it. Sure I've gotten pulled over for other stuff, but not that.

In Western Washington 10mph over is pretty normal, but in Cali I imagine 10mph over is the minimum.

As a come back to the license plate comment I would have said "and You Cop people need to stop shooting people who don't have the front License plate on". If it wasn't for that shooting I would have front license plates on my Tesla (With the no screw mount), but now days the very thought of putting it on makes me ill. I don't mind a missing front license plate being some additional thing where the cop pulls someone over for something significant (like texting, or racing, etc). But, pulling someone over just for that?? What a waste. Our roads are a mess with disastrous drivers doing way worse.

 

[smartypnz]

Actually, it was my wife driving. Rush hour traffic on I-880.
Yes, red car.
Yes, she was speeding (law in Calif used to be 'flow of traffic'). In other words, you might get a ticket for going 'too slow' even if you were above the speed limit. - Some older Calif residents still think it exists.
Yes, no front plate, and no complete set of HOV stickers.
Yes, light tinting on front side windows. These will be corrected.

We knew it was a crap shoot and she may get caught on the other stuff.

BUT, no reason for the derogatory remarks - "You Tesla people" - as if we are in a conspiracy. My wife said she was cordial.

So... corrections to the initial Post - Calif Highway Patrol - motorcycle officer Hunter.

(BTW, if you don't believe in keeping up with traffic, try the left lane on a German Autobahn and see how popular you become.)

 

[apacheguy]

Which has absolutely nothing to do with the freeways in the Fremont area. Depending on time of day, it can be completely stopped and 40mph seems like an unreachable dream.

OP stated flow of traffic was 74. I've been passed by several CHP doing well over 70. They don't have a problem with it in most cases unless you're being reckless. Obviously this officer had an axe to grind against Tesla drivers and is why the OP was singled out.

Not to thread crap, but you got what you deserved. 0-5mph over and they cannot give you a ticket due to possible errors in the readings/sensors. Anything over that and they are in the complete right to stop you whether you are driving a tesla or not.

Hmm. You drive in San Diego and never go over 70? Interesting.

 

[bonnie]

OP stated flow of traffic was 74. I've been passed by several CHP doing well over 70. They don't have a problem with it in most cases unless you're being reckless. Obviously this officer had an axe to grind against Tesla drivers and is why the OP was singled out.

For all we know, his last 5 traffic stops of Teslas resulted in owners telling him how stupid front license plates and HOV stickers were. And all his other traffic stops were polite exchanges.

Fair? No. Understandable? Yep.

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm. You drive in San Diego and never go over 70? Interesting.

He didn't say he never was over the speed limit. He only said that if you're over the limit, they have a right to stop you.

 

[Lloyd]

Probably not unusual, but the comment from the officer was "The problem with you Tesla people is you need to put on the front license plates, quit tinting the windows, and show all your HOV stickers." Interesting attitude from a local cop where the Tesla tax is probably substantial due to the factory. "You Tesla People"

74 in a 65 zone with all the other traffic doing the same.

Guilty on all counts! I don't have a front plate, tinted windows, one of three HOV stickers, and I speed on occasion! :scared: I guess I'm a rebel in my old age!

 

[apacheguy]

IMO, the smarter solution is for the state to issue different plates for EVs. Do away with the decals entirely. Some states do this already.

Guilty on all counts! I don't have a front plate, tinted windows, one of three HOV stickers, and I speed on occasion! I guess I'm a rebel in my old age!

Right there with you minus the tinted windows. But vastly different experience than the OP. Once had a CHP shout at me "I like your car!"

 

[FlasherZ]

My son is a Special Olympics Illinois Global Messenger (official athlete representative of the organization), and in Illinois, law enforcement is one of the greatest supporters of Special Olympics... very frequently he is asked to speak at the various events involving law enforcement: Polar Plunge, "tip-a-cop", "Cop on Top of a Donut Shop". As you can imagine, we talk to a lot of officers about the Tesla when we pull up in it. Many have seen Model S but have never seen the rear-facing seats, so they do the double- and triple-take when my kids climb in/out.

I have never had one of them make an offhand negative comment about it, most say "oh, I love that car." I ask them to trade me, too bad rules prevent them from letting me take a spin in the "wee-woo" (as my youngest son calls them).

I think the OP has found the exception, hence my recommendation to report him (but also swallow your medicine for the infraction).

 

[Skotty]

Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with what the officer said. Comes off as a little redneck, but that's normal around my parts.

 

[ecarfan]

Wow, that's so dumb. There is no reason for a front plate and definitely no reason to show more than 1 carpool sticker.

In California it is legally required to have a front plate and show all three HOV stickers. So your "reasoning" is flawed.

 

[CHG-ON]

Very surprisingly to me, I have also slowed down considerably. I used to be a speed demon. But driving my girl is so enjoyable that I don't mind going slower at all. If you had asked me that before buying the car, I would have said that I would drive even faster. And the funny thing is that I don't mind in the least. Though I will still hammer it once in a while just for sh-ts and giggles. And giggle I do!

 

[tomas]

Wow, four pages on a speeding ticket! Wonder if that cop knew you only had 463 HP? <joke, please don't bring the rants to this thread!>

 

[SW2Fiddler]

What's the Tesla tax?

The comment was absolutely out of line. Assuming that your front plate was mounted and unobstructed.

If front plate was missing, then what happened was y'all reinforced his ongoing observations about Tesla People.

 

[apacheguy]

In California it is legally required to have a front plate and show all three HOV stickers. So your "reasoning" is flawed.

Oh people are so literal on this forum. Of course it's illegal to not have a front license plate. Think I don't know that? Jeez.

I have never had one of them make an offhand negative comment about it, most say "oh, I love that car." I ask them to trade me, too bad rules prevent them from letting me take a spin in the "wee-woo" (as my youngest son calls them).


I think the OP has found the exception, hence my recommendation to report him (but also swallow your medicine for the infraction).

^This. Most cops have no problem with Tesla. Most have no problem driving with the flow of traffic. And, yes, most have no problem with driving without a front plate. The case of the OP is clearly the exception, not the rule.

 

[JenniferQ]

Were you a smartypnz to the officer? Sorry, but I had to ask.:biggrin: I'm driving around sans front plate also, so far so good. I stick with the traffic too, surprised you got pulled over. Wonder if he had a thing for Tesla.s

I drove in Austin with no front plates for 6 years, and regularly, about once a year, got pulled over with only a warning "Texas is a 2 plate state." Nothing else. Really pissed me off to see everyone else texting and driving, cause Rick OOPS! Perry said it was our right to text and drive and yet I was supposed to put a front plate on my really nice car that had no room for a front plate. Silly laws sometimes.

Have lived in SoCal now for 1+ year and never been pulled over for same cars having no front plates. <knocks on wood now> And I have a hard time keeping up with the flow of traffic at 85mph! Can't go faster or autopilot won't work. Loving Socal.

 

[ohmman]

Yes, she was speeding (law in Calif used to be 'flow of traffic'). In other words, you might get a ticket for going 'too slow' even if you were above the speed limit. - Some older Calif residents still think it exists.

I came here to say I believe this is a myth. Every state I've lived in has this same story, and I can't ever find anything to corroborate it. Happy to be proven wrong, just because I'd like to know.

Also, "if you don't like the weather in __________, just wait 10 minutes."

 

[dirkhh]

(BTW, if you don't believe in keeping up with traffic, try the left lane on a German Autobahn and see how popular you become.)

Except that the law in Germany says that you HAVE to move to the right to let faster traffic pass. No passing on the right. So yes, you'll get pulled over, but not for going slow, but for violating the law. Just like your wife got pulled over for violating the law this time.
BTW: more and more states in the US are also forcing your to move to the right when going slow.
You people give Tesla drivers a bad name.

 

[Lloyd]

In California it is legally required to have a front plate and show all three HOV stickers. So your "reasoning" is flawed.

Front Plates are required mostly for toll collection. Compliance in California is only about 80%. 16 states do not require a front plate.

Must read for those interested in the front plate controversy http://frontplate.org/blog/wp-content/themes/FRNTPL8/inc/FrontLicensePlateMarketResearch-Comparison_of_FrontVersusDualLicensePlates.pdf

 

[KirkDavis]

I'm not a lawyer (nor do I play one on the Internet but the officers comments about Teslas sound biased to me. I suspect one of them ticket-fighting lawyers may be able to do something with that. In any case, I live in the Bay Area and a ticket for 9 over seems a bit unusual.

 

[apacheguy]

Front Plates are required mostly for toll collection. Compliance in California is only about 80%. 16 states do not require a front plate.

Interesting. My car operates just fine on the toll roads here. I've been billed by the plate before so it doesn't seem to be a limitation of their cameras.

I'm not a lawyer (nor do I play one on the Internet but the officers comments about Teslas sound biased to me. I suspect one of them ticket-fighting lawyers may be able to do something with that. In any case, I live in the Bay Area and a ticket for 9 over seems a bit unusual.

I doubt the ticket can be successfully contested, but I'm with you WRT your other points.