[Nearborn]

Local judges in district courts have to get re-elected. They don't give a damn how much the state gets from a ticket, or even how much the local government gets. They routinely lower the violation to something without points so the person doesn't get an insurance increase and the rest of us continue to subsidize crappy drivers.

[jeeg]

Just fight it. Be respectful, as someone else said don't say he was in the wrong instead say he was mistaken.

I once fought a ticket I didn't feel I deserved and I won. I would especially fight it considering how they changed the points/violations systems now and it'll keep your insurance rates down.

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by jst333

Its about time that police start giving tickets for this. Were You 2.5 car legths behind him? If not, You should be, it was the law, and a safe distance. But in Your defense, I've had police speed up and ride my A$$, until I turn off. Why? because they can, and they can write you tickets for laws that you would never think of. But they are the law.
When, I see people riding My bumper.. and, I'm doing the speed limit... Its "Brake Check Time"!

Instead of touching your brakes, turn on your parking lights...your car won't slow down and the person behind you will be thinking too fast to know the difference.

[Nearborn]

I always wondered why the guy in in the 2008 Cadi would hit his brakes when I'm too close to him in my rusty 87 Chevy. He deserves to be hit.

"You sure showed me!"

[magellan]

Originally Posted by smallcoin

Im wondering if some one here might be able to tell me any thing concerning the law, in Michigan pertaining to following a vehicle too closely, 2 days ago I was on my way from the church where i work and was going to the bank to cash my check, it wasin the afternoon, dry, no rain, sunny, a beautiful day, it was in a residential area and the speed limit was 25mph, I was driving along minding my own business at about 22mph with a Police officer in front of me, I was in absolutely no hurry, its a park like area so I was just enjoying the ride, all of a sudden the officer with no indication of what he was going to do puuled over like he was going to turn down a side street, but then kind of just stopped blocking the side street, I wondered what he was doing but thought oh well maybe he got a call, so kept going, turned down the street to got to the bank and he came up behind me and pulled me over, and ticketed me for being to close to him, I was shocked, I was not speeding, I was wearing my seat belt, I didnot bump into him or had to break inany way when he left the road, I just dont understand it at all,I dont know whether to fight this or just pay it, thinking I am not going to win over an officer of the law. Does anyone have any advice?

You should switch to automatic deposit.

[Coldjensens]

My solution to tailgaters was always to drop one rear wheel off onto the shoulder and spray them with gravel. Dangerous, but it worked every time

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

My solution to tailgaters was always to drop one rear wheel off onto the shoulder and spray them with gravel. Dangerous, but it worked every time

[BurtsBees]

You were tailgating the officer, plain and simple. If you're silly enough to do it to an officer, you're obviously silly enough to get a ticket for it. Thats like dangling a bag of weed infront of an officer and saying "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

[BurtsBees]

Originally Posted by jst333

Its about time that police start giving tickets for this. Were You 2.5 car legths behind him? If not, You should be, it was the law, and a safe distance. But in Your defense, I've had police speed up and ride my A$$, until I turn off. Why? because they can, and they can write you tickets for laws that you would never think of. But they are the law.
When, I see people riding My bumper.. and, I'm doing the speed limit... Its "Brake Check Time"!

Most likely running your plate and getting a better look at the vehicle.

[djmilf]

Easy way to determine if you're following too close -- Two-second rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

As someone who has gotten to know his Auto Body shop manager on a first name basis due to having my vehicles struck from behind at least once a year going back 10+ years, I really don't have much sympathy for tailgaters.

I've got a brother-in-law who retired after 25 years as a traffic cop. According to him, cops LOVE to go to traffic court! The court schedules all of each police officer's cases on the same day, the cop gets to spend that day in a comfortable court room, and the judge and cop are probably on a very friendly basis, having "worked together" for a decade or more. Heck, the judges and the cops even swap stories and show each other pictures of their kids during breaks between cases!

When push comes to shove, the judge is more likely to believe a veteran law enforcement official who's also a friendly acquantance of several years rather than an angry civilian that the judge has never met before.

Bottom line: if you go to traffic court (especially in Michigan): be courteous, be civil, state your case, and don't call the ticketing officer a liar.

If the judge lets you just pay a fine and waives the points provided that you don't incur another ticket within 6 months or a year, then take the deal and be grateful.

If you do come off as angry SOB, you'll wind up paying the fine and getting the points and later paying more for your auto insurance. That boost in auto insurance payments is the real kick in the butt!