Reverse passing and the Flagstaff Highway Patrol

[Xist]

I was driving back from finally taking the Graduate Record exam and during an uncharacteristically empty stretch of highway after the sun went down, a vehicle stayed behind me in the slow lane, so I changed lanes to let them pass.

That got me a lecture from the highway patrol.

They cited me for not having a current proof of insurance. I need to set a reminder. I had not realized it was out-of-date. I handed him my last card and he said he could not use it.

Another officer here in Arizona told me he could use my old card. Yet another time, while I was looking for my card, the officer asked who my provider was, and then said he believed me.

Was he allowed to believe me?! Wasn't that against regulation?!

Arguably, I am doing something wrong, being stopped three times in four months on the same stretch of the I-40, but this officer said that as long as I can show I am currently insured, they should dismiss the charges.

This page says they will, which is good, because it is a $950 fine: http://courts.yavapai.us/Portals/5/F...e-Schedule.pdf

Keep your insurance documents updated, people!

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Xist

Was he allowed to believe me?! Wasn't that against regulation?!

Arguably, I am doing something wrong, being stopped three times in four months on the same stretch of the I-40

Sure, the officer is allowed to believe whatever they want. Can't speak to their department procedure.

In my youth I have put on a show of having difficulty getting access to my non-existent proof of insurance. I told the officer I normally keep it under my motorcycle seat, and that I could get it if only I had a 10mm wrench. The bike wasn't insured, and the seat was removable by key, not wrench. The officer let it go.

It surprises me that in the year 2017, when all records are stored electronically and accessible though the internet, proof of insurance is not checked electronically.

Instead we present flimsy documents printed on home printers, which vary in appearance between every insurance company as "proof of insurance".

Perhaps what you are doing wrong is driving I-40. If that's the only place you're getting pulled over, I-40 appears to be the problem.

What was the officer's stated reason for initially pulling you over?

[jakobnev]

You changed out of the slow lane? ??

[Xist]

He said it was dangerous to drive slower than traffic, especially when I tried to let him pass, and he seemed incapable of interpreting that as anything but the behavior of a lunatic.

[me and my metro]

Everybody including trucks go 75+ on I40 in Arizona. Maybe you need to drive a little faster.

[Xist]

I have definitely passed vehicles on the I-40, including semis. It is crazy how people act like individuals sometimes.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Xist

He said it was dangerous to drive slower than traffic...

He's right about that. Especially when you're not in the slow lane. Just takes one idiot paying more attention to their texting than what's up front...

[Xist]

Yeah... I do not reverse pass in front of people.

Duh.

[Xist]

My roommate said he never carried proof of insurance because when he was pulled over for speeding they cited him for lack of proof of insurance instead. He proved that he had insurance and the charges were dismissed. "That does not work anymore, everything is electronic, so they can see you are insured."

I called and e-mailed the court to see how to submit my proof of insurance, but nobody answered. I faxed it in and kept calling and e-mailing to make sure they received it, but nobody answered, so I took the day off, and started the four-hour drive at 0430.

The court opened when I was twenty minutes away, I finally got a hold of someone, and they said I did not need to appear.

It was nice when the sun came up and I knew that eventually it would get above freezing, but my windshield became dirty in the last few days, and the sun was hitting all of the dirt. I debated using the windshield washer. Are the nozzles frozen? Will it just make my windshield dirtier?

No.

It froze.

So, then I pulled over without being able to see the shoulder. That was exciting.

Idiot, right? I should have cleaned my windshield before leaving town, right?

I would have if the squeegee buckets were not frozen!

[Natalya]

I would have appeared anyway. I mean, how do you know the guy on the phone was competent and did their job properly?