I wanted to get folks thoughts on this. I'll start by reviewing the incident while being as objective as I can. I make comments in later posts.
I was going home last night at about 5:45pm on US-31. It's a 4-lane divided non-interstate highway with a posted speed limit of 60 mph. It was dark outside. I looked in my rearview mirror and didn’t see any cars behind me and decided to experiment a little with engine off coasting. I accelerated up to about 50 mph and shut the engine off. I kept coasting and coasting (probably about a mile or so). Since there wasn’t anyone behind me and I wasn’t in a big hurry I decided to milk it for all it was worth and coasted down to about 10 mph or so before restarting and continuing on my way. I resume my normal pulse and glide technique, going from about 28 mph to 45 mph and back, keeping an eye on the cars behind me, and making sure I wasn’t holding up anybody too much (allowing them to pass on the left). 5 miles later, a sheriff pulled me over.
He asked why I was going so slow. I told him I just wasn’t in any big hurry. He said that he had just clocked me at 28 mph. He said that some cars behind me had had to step on their brakes and that cars were passing me left and right. He said he had first spotted me back earlier where he said that I came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. I stated that I hadn’t completely stopped and he responded that I was going really slow, like 2 mph. He asked if I had been drinking or was on any medication or was diabetic or having trouble seeing. I responded no, I just wasn’t in a hurry.
He asked me to get out of the vehicle and he asked me again if I had been drinking. I again responded that I had not, and that I don’t drink. He asked me to remove my glasses, which I did, and he administered what I assume was a sobriety test by asking me to follow his pen with my eyes as he moved it around. He then asked me if I would take a portable breathalyzer test. I said, “Sure.” I then took the breathalyzer test, and I assume that I passed. He then asked me to get make in my vehicle and wait, which I did. It seemed like I waited for quite a while (I estimate at least 10 minutes) before he came back to the window.
He said he was giving me a warning for doing the 28 mph in a 60 mph zone. I responded that I was not aware that there was a minimum speed limit. He responded that there was and that for a road like US-31 that has a 60 mph speed limit the minimum speed limit is 45 mph. He said interstates also have minimum speed limits and quoted the number, which I do not remember. He said county roads don’t have a minimum. I gain responded that I was not aware of that. The written warning was for Indiana Code 9-21-5-8.5 (shown below).
Quote:
IC 9-21-5-8.5
Low speed vehicles
Sec. 8.5. A person may not drive a low speed vehicle on a highway that has a speed limit in excess of thirty-five (35) miles per hour.
As added by P.L.21-2003, SEC.8.
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He then said that he was giving me a ticket for the earlier incident in which he said I had come to a complete stop in the middle of the road. That ticket was for Indiana Code 9-21-8-24(1) (shown below).
Quote:
IC 9-21-8-24
Slowing down, turning from a direct course, and changing lanes; performance with reasonable safety; signal Sec. 24. A person may not:
(1) slow down or stop a vehicle;
(2) turn a vehicle from a direct course upon a highway; or
(3) change from one (1) traffic lane to another;
unless the movement can be made with reasonable safety. Before making a movement described in this section, a person shall give a clearly audible signal by sounding the horn if any pedestrian may be affected by the movement and give an appropriate stop or turn signal in the manner provided in sections 27 through 28 of this chapter if any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.9.
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Both the warning and the ticket show my speed as 28 mph.
The fine is $118.50 and there is a court date of March 7.