Anyone ever get a Following Too Close ticket?

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by troutman

- 5/10 of half the speedometer)

Or more simply put, 1/4 of the speed your doing in meters?

[stang]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I don't know a single person who got a dash cam for what you just described. It's so you don't get charged/blamed/whatever for something that you rightfully shouldn't be. Its a self defense measure.

I feel that post was in jest.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Or more simply put, 1/4 of the speed your doing in meters?

Don't try to understand German directions!

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by dubc80

Anyone ever gotten a ticket for Following Too Closely after an accident?

I was unfortunately in an accident a few weeks ago. There was a 3-car collision in front of me. The guy immediately in front of me stopped suddenly (avoiding the prior crash) and swerved partially into the open lane to our left.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to stop in time, or swerve far enough out of the way, so I rear ended him on the back left corner. He did not crash into the 3 cars in front and thankfully no one was hurt at all.

Because of the number of vehicles involved, cops showed up on scene to do all the paperwork and I got a ticket for following too closely. $233!

The cop was pretty sheepish when she gave it to me and actually recommended me to go fight it in court. It almost seemed like it was routine procedure or something.

I thought it was rather unfair considering the driving conditions at the time.

Anyone ever had this happen, and have success challenging it?

I received a "following too closely" ticket after I rear-ended someone about 3 years ago.

The incident was on a residential street, turning right onto a busier two-lane road. I was the second car stopped at the stop sign. The first car went, as there was no one coming. I crept up to the stop sign, still no one coming, had just started to push the gas when *bump* I hit the guy in front of me. He stopped for no reason, there were no other cars in the area. So I don't know why he stopped.

Anyway, I didn't have my new valid pink card, as my insurance had just renewed the week earlier, so when they saw that it was an expired card they called 911 right away. I called my wife who sent me a photo of the new pink card and the responding officers accepted it without any issue, but they did write me a ticket for following too closely.

After discussing it with the officers, I got the impression they were trying to tell me (without telling me) to fight it. Much like your situation, I suppose.... So I showed up to court on the date on the ticket and it turns out the officer either believed me about what happened, took some sympathy on me, or had forgot about the ticket because it was not entered into the system. Clerk gave me the warning that the officer has 90 days (or 6 months, I forget) to re-issue the ticket to me in person.

TL;DR: yes, show up to court and see if it was even entered into the system. It will take as long of time as however long the line-up is.

[TheFlamesVan]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Dash cams piss me off. I can't believe how many people are willing to basically go around tattling on their fellow Calgarians for driving infractions. Like who doesn't speed once in a while or run the odd yellow light? Or maybe shoot the gap, or have to ride somebody's ass in the left lane while flashing your brights to get them to move the fata over? Why would I want to be recording all of that and it bothers me some dummy in their Honda Civic could be recording me doing that, then ratting me out to the cops.

What the heck are you going on about? I've never heard anyone state this opinion on dash cams... people buy them to protect themselves.

[OutOfTheCube]

The interesting thing is that rear ending someone is not, in itself, proof of following too closely. You could have plenty of following distance and just be distracted and still rear end someone.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by stang

I feel that post was in jest.

No, I was serious. It's some big brother stuff.

Originally Posted by TheFlamesVan

What the heck are you going on about? I've never heard anyone state this opinion on dash cams... people buy them to protect themselves.

There's like a guy on CP that posts his dash cam stuff. I see it all the time. People posting "look at the a-hole that cut me off" on Facebook and Reddit. It just bothers me that people are trying to rat each other out like that.

Maybe there's a good hockey analogy. I've never played, but I assume when you're playing against another team you beak at them a bit and push and shove a little, but generally what happens on the ice stays on the ice unless there's a major mishap. Driving should be like that. Maybe I'll cut you off or give you the finger or not let you in if you have big knobby tires and no mudflaps, but what happens on the road stays on the road. Don't go filming and posting that crap - it's counter to the spirit of ripping around having fun in cars.

[TheFlamesVan]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

The interesting thing is that rear ending someone is not, in itself, proof of following too closely. You could have plenty of following distance and just be distracted and still rear end someone.

Exactly, I agree with this. You're at fault if you rear end someone for insurance, so the police just have to call it something else in order to tax the dangerous act.

I rear ended ended someone on a slippery Southcentre mall parking lot exit the week before Christmas. Handled it without police but the next day at the station the officer threatened to charge me with distracted driving. He said "you were probably making out with your girlfriend (who was in the car at the time)". Just bizarre. Pissed me off. I was following too close and glanced over at oncoming traffic, he stopped on a dime and I hit the brakes and slid into him. A remarkably gentle $2k tap.

Had to learn to leave more space the hard way.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I received a "following too closely" ticket after I rear-ended someone about 3 years ago.

The incident was on a residential street, turning right onto a busier two-lane road. I was the second car stopped at the stop sign. The first car went, as there was no one coming. I crept up to the stop sign, still no one coming, had just started to push the gas when *bump* I hit the guy in front of me. He stopped for no reason, there were no other cars in the area. So I don't know why he stopped.

Anyway, I didn't have my new valid pink card, as my insurance had just renewed the week earlier, so when they saw that it was an expired card they called 911 right away. I called my wife who sent me a photo of the new pink card and the responding officers accepted it without any issue, but they did write me a ticket for following too closely.

After discussing it with the officers, I got the impression they were trying to tell me (without telling me) to fight it. Much like your situation, I suppose.... So I showed up to court on the date on the ticket and it turns out the officer either believed me about what happened, took some sympathy on me, or had forgot about the ticket because it was not entered into the system. Clerk gave me the warning that the officer has 90 days (or 6 months, I forget) to re-issue the ticket to me in person.

TL;DR: yes, show up to court and see if it was even entered into the system. It will take as long of time as however long the line-up is.

That's how I got into the only accident I have ever been in, when I was 17. So don't feel to bad about it! The women I hit said "I'm so sorry, I don't know why I stopped again, I just did!" Gee, thanks lady. Of course her old ironside was entirely unscathed, while my plastic bumped collapsed like Kris Russell. No cops involved, so no ticket.

[EVERLAST]

Just today I handed a cop my dash cam footage as I'd had it with too many distracted Drivers.
I pull a trailer around all of southern Alberta and I have never seen so many twits on the road who are so damned important and have to be on thier f'ing cellphone.....by the way you aren't that f' in important.

Now....I will have to appear in court if they write tickets that end up getting fought but my footage made the cop I dealt with laugh.

He said no one takes the time to do what I did which is load it up my footage on to a flash and hand it over.

I have 30k worth of equipment for work in my trailer And this year had my fenders hit And torn off the trailer because people hit me while on their phones.
Say what you want but there are too many entitled important people driving around putting others in danger.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by TheFlamesVan

What the heck are you going on about? I've never heard anyone state this opinion on dash cams... people buy them to protect themselves.

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

Just today I handed a cop my dash cam footage as I'd had it with too many distracted Drivers.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I received a "following too closely" ticket after I rear-ended someone about 3 years ago.

The incident was on a residential street, turning right onto a busier two-lane road. I was the second car stopped at the stop sign. The first car went, as there was no one coming. I crept up to the stop sign, still no one coming, had just started to push the gas when *bump* I hit the guy in front of me. He stopped for no reason, there were no other cars in the area. So I don't know why he stopped.

Anyway, I didn't have my new valid pink card, as my insurance had just renewed the week earlier, so when they saw that it was an expired card they called 911 right away. I called my wife who sent me a photo of the new pink card and the responding officers accepted it without any issue, but they did write me a ticket for following too closely.

After discussing it with the officers, I got the impression they were trying to tell me (without telling me) to fight it. Much like your situation, I suppose.... So I showed up to court on the date on the ticket and it turns out the officer either believed me about what happened, took some sympathy on me, or had forgot about the ticket because it was not entered into the system. Clerk gave me the warning that the officer has 90 days (or 6 months, I forget) to re-issue the ticket to me in person.

TL;DR: yes, show up to court and see if it was even entered into the system. It will take as long of time as however long the line-up is.

Did the guy get a ticket for calling 911 for a non-emergency?

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Sliver

No, I was serious. It's some big brother stuff.



There's like a guy on CP that posts his dash cam stuff. I see it all the time. People posting "look at the a-hole that cut me off" on Facebook and Reddit. It just bothers me that people are trying to rat each other out like that.

Maybe there's a good hockey analogy. I've never played, but I assume when you're playing against another team you beak at them a bit and push and shove a little, but generally what happens on the ice stays on the ice unless there's a major mishap. Driving should be like that. Maybe I'll cut you off or give you the finger or not let you in if you have big knobby tires and no mudflaps, but what happens on the road stays on the road. Don't go filming and posting that crap - it's counter to the spirit of ripping around having fun in cars.

The only possible explanation to your posts are that you yourself are that very person who has been 'ratted out' by a dash cam, and have had your own crappy driving put on public display for all to see. You've lost your marbles if you think in this day and age, having a dash cam is a p*ssy move.

What goes on the road doesn't stay on the road. People are literally driving tons and tons of metal and have the potential to kill themselves and others in the blink of an eye. No #### they should be held accountable and 'ratted' on if they do something stupid/dangerous.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

The only possible explanation to your posts are that you yourself are that very person who has been 'ratted out' by a dash cam, and have had your own crappy driving put on public display for all to see. You've lost your marbles if you think in this day and age, having a dash cam is a p*ssy move.

What goes on the road doesn't stay on the road. People are literally driving tons and tons of metal and have the potential to kill themselves and others in the blink of an eye. No #### they should be held accountable and 'ratted' on if they do something stupid/dangerous.

I think the public shaming aspect and public identification and mob justice is an issue. Sending the footage to the police and being willing to testify seems reasonable and burdensome enough it will be limited to real safety issues and not people doing 10-15 over or rolling stop signs.

[Amethyst]

I think if you're following close enough that when the other person stops suddenly, you hit them, you are following too close. But I don't have an issue with fighting the ticket, as you are likely already at fault for the collision and that's probably "punishment" enough unless you were driving like an idiot or following really close to try and intimidate the other driver.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Regardless of the conditions, if the car in front of you brakes suddenly and you haven't left yourself enough room to stop in time, that's 100% on you.

Not always that simple. If a car suddenly pulls in front of you and slams on their brakes (think road rage) then they are responsible. Without a dash cam it would be your word against theirs and you'd probably get a ticket. Having said that I'd say in the vast majority of cases when you pile into the back of someone it is your fault.

Can't stress this enough everyone should own a dash camera.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by zamler

Not always that simple. If a car suddenly pulls in front of you and slams on their brakes (think road rage) then they are responsible. Without a dash cam it would be your word against theirs and you'd probably get a ticket. Having said that I'd say in the vast majority of cases when you pile into the back of someone it is your fault.

Can't stress this enough everyone should own a dash camera.

Yes, I agree with this. Road rage or just bad driving - someone entering a road when it's unsafe because they misjudged it. But in general, I think if you're following a car and you hit it when it stops, you are following too close.

As for the dash cams - do they record the sound in your car? There's some swearing when I'm driving that doesn't need to be preserved. LOL. Otherwise, I have thought it might be a good idea to get one.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Fire

Did the guy get a ticket for calling 911 for a non-emergency?

No, as it doesn't work that way, sadly-ish.

To get a Misuse of 911 ticket, you need to call multiple times. Generally in the same day. Sometimes even in the same hour or so. Yes, there are people who call that frequently. There are folks who call so frequently that you don't need any other identifier than their voice...you'll recognize it. Those are the folks who get the Misuse of 911 fines.

But for just calling after a traffic accident, no. The biggest problem is that a lot of folks no longer realize that 911 is for "Life or death emergencies and/or crimes in progress" and simply parse it as "The Police Phone Number", so if they need police for any little matter, to them that's a 911 call, because they don't think that there would be a non-emergency phone number to get ahold of police (and don't get me started on folks who call non-emerg, wait on hold a few minutes, hang up, call 911, and then complain that non-emerg was busy...)

But no, they don't just hand out Misuse of 911 fines capriciously. You have to work to get them, because, in the end, they'd rather that someone call police when needed, even on the 'wrong' line, than not call at all.

/911 soapbox

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

As for the dash cams - do they record the sound in your car? There's some swearing when I'm driving that doesn't need to be preserved. LOL. Otherwise, I have thought it might be a good idea to get one.

Depends on the cam. Some do, some don't.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by dubc80

Anyone ever gotten a ticket for Following Too Closely after an accident?

I was unfortunately in an accident a few weeks ago. There was a 3-car collision in front of me. The guy immediately in front of me stopped suddenly (avoiding the prior crash) and swerved partially into the open lane to our left.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to stop in time, or swerve far enough out of the way, so I rear ended him on the back left corner. He did not crash into the 3 cars in front and thankfully no one was hurt at all.

Because of the number of vehicles involved, cops showed up on scene to do all the paperwork and I got a ticket for following too closely. $233!

The cop was pretty sheepish when she gave it to me and actually recommended me to go fight it in court. It almost seemed like it was routine procedure or something.

I thought it was rather unfair considering the driving conditions at the time.

Anyone ever had this happen, and have success challenging it?

When I was an Articling student (some years ago) I spent about a month prosecuting Highway Traffic Act matters. Here's my two cents:

Proving the offence of "follow too close" is actually very difficult. It requires evidence on your speed and following distance just prior to the accident. Generally, Crown witnesses aren't able to provide this (most drivers just don't pay that kind of attention to the vehicles behind them.) The officer really should have charged you with careless driving because it is much easier to prove.

You should seriously consider a not guilty plea. You could retain a lawyer (obviously pretty cost prohibitive for something this minor) or a paralegal (although frankly the vast majority that I have ever encountered are incompetent). If you choose to represent yourself, request disclosure from the Crown and review the officer's notes and witness statements for references to speed and distance.

Hope that helps.