Had my first HOV / CHP (near) incident

[Black Mariah]

I was driving on 101 South, around Palo Alto in the SF Bay Area, 8:05 a.m. Friday morning. I was in the far left (HOV) lane and passed by a CHP car loitering in the far right lane. I'm driving my 2004 F150 CNG with stickers.

Almost immediately he merges over behind me, thinking he's about to write an easy $279 (minimum) ticket.

He pulls in right behind me, and starts tail-gating me, but no lights came on. Obviously he saw the stickers -- and was knowledgeable enough not to pull me over. After a reasonable delay, I did what I would do in any lane with a cop right on my tail, which was to put on my turn signal and safely merge one lane over.

After a LONG delay, he finally proceeded forward in the HOV lane. I then merged back into the HOV lane and began following him at a safe distance.

At that point he merges over 4 lanes to the right and exits the freeway.

Score one small victory for CNG!

[alliedmotors]

Re: Had my first HOV / CHP (near) incident

I'd really like to see a requirement for all law enforcement to take a "rules of the road" class and exam every couple of years, updating them on things such as HOV Carpool decals and different types of license plates. I'm a car dealer and I've had some heated discussions with friends in LE, some now retired, that dealer plates allow me to drive ANY car, anywhere, any time.

And if a car was manufactured without brackets to hold a front plate, it doesn't require one in CA. Seems when a new law goes into effect that enforces a new rule, they're more than enthusiastic about giving tickets. There's just too many rules and exceptions for every officer to know. I'd be curious to know if the CHP does any continuous training for vehicle codes.

[mlnielsen]

Re: Had my first HOV / CHP (near) incident

In the past 8yrs / 100k miles, I've been pulled over about a dozen times in the HOV lane and not one ticket.

Of course, none of them have been aware of the silver HOV sticker...

[larrycng]

Re: Had my first HOV / CHP (near) incident

I'd really like to see a requirement for all law enforcement to take a "rules of the road" class and exam every couple of years, updating them on things such as HOV Carpool decals and different types of license plates. I'm a car dealer and I've had some heated discussions with friends in LE, some now retired, that dealer plates allow me to drive ANY car, anywhere, any time.

And if a car was manufactured without brackets to hold a front plate, it doesn't require one in CA. Seems when a new law goes into effect that enforces a new rule, they're more than enthusiastic about giving tickets. There's just too many rules and exceptions for every officer to know. I'd be curious to know if the CHP does any continuous training for vehicle codes.

First, my Dad was an auto dealer for about 50 years and had his own dealership (used cars and new International Scouts) -- guess what I did when I was a young punk? When I was growing up there was about 3 of us driving on dealer plates, from different dealers, when I was in high school. I drove a lot of vehicles when I was a kid on dealer plates. Technically dealer plates are to be used for demonstrating a vehicle that is not or has not been licensed, or is currently licensed in California. Yes, they are use for the owner's wife, kids, the salesman (they have demo's) and for any other reason you can think of for a dealer to avoid paying registration for a vehicle on the lot. Yes they pay registration for the dealer plates. As for driving anyplace, anywhere, anytime, you still have to meet the requirements for HOV or disabled, or whatever. You're paying your money and taking your chances. A traffic officer can stop a vehicle and question the use of dealer plate any time they want.

The last time I check the vehicle code, California registered vehicle is required to have a front and rear license plate. If you look closely you will find a place to hang a front license plate and required by CA law. My '08 CRV has place to hang front plate, it is auxillary bracket, I could leave it off and get a ticket. OK Curtis, you're more up on this than I am -- 2 cents please

Also, it is illegal to have any covering (such as clear or colored plastic) covering a license plate in Calif.

Larrycng

P.S. I also had a vehicle salesman's license when I was in high school -- so I would be covered on company insurance when I driving a vehicle on dealer plates

[Wellarmed]

Re: Had my first HOV / CHP (near) incident

Hey Larry, what ever happened to your thunderchicken? I agree with you that not having a front plate is a ticketable offense in CA, but it only applies to legal residents of CA. CA has some of the most draconian laws of any state that I have ever visited. I went on the states web site to see if that section was still current, and it is. I feel that CA makes laws like this to justify pulling people over with out probable cause. I can only think that these types of codes are created to allow officers to continue with this dispicable practice. These codes seem to only be enforced at the discretion of the officer, and I find the lack of uniform enforcement to set a dangerous precedant when it comes to equal treatment/due process of the law. The open carry movement in CA had to resort to members video tapping officers violating citizens rights in order to force local LE agencies to properly enforce the law, and it may require the same for people driving in the HOV lane with proper identification. Getting pulled over ten times for the same offense, in my mind should warrant some legal action. I would get a video cam and tape the next event so you can bring it to the attention of the commanding officer.