To make up for huge budget shortfalls, police will shortly start ticketing people for not committing murder, for buying things in stores instead of stealing them, for not taking pictures of cops doing illegal things, …
A Valencia County woman who was pulled over for driving too slow said state police went too far.
Jeanette Sedillo said was driving on Reinken Road in Belen, N.M., after 10 p.m. Wednesday when a state police officer pulled beside her and told her to get off the road. Sedillo pulled into a parking lot, questioning what she did wrong. Apparently, going too fast was not the problem: the officer wrote her a ticket for driving 6 mph under the speed limit.
“He said, ‘You were going 34 in a 40,'” said Sedillo.
The citation said she violated the statute for minimum speed. Now, she has to pay a $70 fine for what she thought was careful driving.
Sedillo said there was little traffic in the area at the time and that she wasn’t putting drivers in danger. She said state police went too far with the citation and that officers should be going after more serious offenders.
Well at least he didn’t drag her out of the car at gun point and shoot her.
Th1e cops are just scared for their jobs.
What will happen when pot gets legalized and the lose a major source of income? (Seizing it and/or selling it!)
‘You were going 34 in a 40,’
— YOU WILL OBEY. A sign that police powers have grown far too much. Time to scale them back. Would that be a legislative issue (vary by state?)?
@msbpodcast: Nah, cop wouldn’t shoot her when Tazing is less hassle. 😉
Speed Limit was 40 MPH
In other words, the limit on speed was established at 40 MPH.
If you drive over 40 MPH, you get a ticket.
Now, when you drive under 40 MPH, you get a ticket.
Could not determine from the link if the 40 MPH was a minimum speed limit. If so the cop was just doing his job. But minimum speed limits are usually reserved for major roads or limited access highways.
Checked on Google Maps… There is Reinken Ave (E&W) in Belen NM, not Road. Top speed limit is 35 mph (street view). Also, street is very short, even at 35mph you’d pass it end to end in less than minute. So, few facts are skew. BS story?
Ah New Mexico….state motto is “Land of Entrapment”.
Another cop related story that should be on the blog..
http://wtop.com/?nid=104&sid=2031549
Well, it was a slow night…nothin’ better to do than hassle little old ladies.
Always have this excuse ready;
“Officer, I’m doing a milage test to see how much extra I can get out of each gallon of gas.”
Thank goodness. The cops are finally doing something right. I am sick and tired of doing the legal limit on highways and two lane roads and some dumbA$$ deciding that that is to fast and holding me up. To many times on the highway, where the speed limit is 65, have I come up on people blocking all lanes going substantially less than the limit and creating a hazard.
I hate inconsiderate people who think the world revolves around them and elect themselves as the dogooders in charge and decide for me that the speed limit is way too high.
#4Cap’nKangaroo said:
Could not determine from the link if the 40 MPH was a minimum speed limit. If so the cop was just doing his job. But minimum speed limits are usually reserved for major roads or limited access highways.
The article states:
“the officer wrote her a ticket for driving 6 mph under the speed limit”
So the speed limit was 40 mph.
#5. The posted limit going east of the overpass is clearly 40. You see one just before Jarales Rd and another before Al Seery Dr.
If you are going WEST, that same stretch is posted as 35. (one just before Michigan St.)
This makes the cop’s case even less authentic.
“Fuck you, officer. This street can’t make up its mind, so wtf do you want from me?”
#5
Check out E. Reinken Ave Belen, NM 87002
It is a 4 lane divided highway overpass running over the railroad tracks. Very logical to believe the speed limit would be 40 mph
#10
I’ll bet stopping for those damn pedestrians and handicapped people just pisses the hell out of you as well.
I wonder if a judge will dismiss it. I also wonder if a dismissed ticket will still count in the hideous “quota” that police must reach.
dusanmal,
Don’t believe everything on the internet includes Google maps.
On my drive job, I use Google maps all the time. It’s not 100% accurate. It has a lot of incorrect data.
Good. People who drive under the speed limit are worse than people who speed.
Agreed. Speed up or turn in your license.
If found guilty her insurance rates should go
DOWN.
# 8 Floyd “it was a slow night…”
Apparently 6 mph too slow.
“Sedillo said there was little traffic in the area at the time and that she wasn’t putting drivers in danger.”
Case closed. She decides which laws apply and when.
Obviously a few here are so ignorant that they don’t understand the meaning of MAXIMUM.
If there is a MINIMUM it should be posted as well… otherwise 5 kph (or mph) below a MAXIMUM speed limit is REASONABLE, but the driver should move to the right lane as soon as they can when the roads are very busy. The driver who drives purposely under the speed limit just to be a prick are actually very rare.
Self centered irate speeders who have no clue as to WHY someone would be driving a little under he MAXIMUM speed limit are more dangerous than the slightly slower moving vehicle. Maybe they suddenly don’t feel so well. Maybe they are looking for an exit or worried that thy missed their exit because they are from out of state or otherwise unfamiliar with the area. Maybe they just noticed a strange noise coming from the tranny or the engine is about to overheat. The point is, shove your attitude where the sun don’t shine, and allow some reasonable variance in speed. MAXIMUM means MAXIMUM.
Just chill, take a big breath and calmly look for an opportunity to pass SAFELY. Is that so difficult to do?
You’re all missing the point. This is about finding ways to make money via fines.
At ten at night? N.M. rush hour. Stupid Cop.
I have to agree with Uncle Dave. Fines, tolls, fees, permits, licenses, anything to get more money.
After Obama was elected, and the state governments realized what they were in for, someone photoshopped an official New York road sign that said:
Welcome to New York
Give us your freaking money
What about blocking in the fast lane? Isn’t that a crime? Or driving to fast in the pit lane? I got stopped for driving with those new small Xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights (HID).. He wanted to know why I was driving with only my ‘fog lights’ on…. I tried to explain that the car came that way from the manufacturer.
Then, a white pickup truck blew by us with no lights on in the fog…
End of story.
#22
“The citation said she violated the statute for minimum speed. ”
Person goes under minimum speed. Cop pulls them over and tickets them for it. End of story.
The minimum speed limit does not need to be posted. Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.
But many of Ms Sedillo’s actions remain legal only because lawmakers have chosen not to criminalize them.
>Case closed. She decides which laws apply and when.
Exactly. Such behavior and then complaining about the police is Seditious. Or perhaps Sedillicious.
This is a ticket I could get behind on the HWY’s. Nothing worde than some clown holding up traffic on the HWY.