I got my first traffic ticket yesterday.....WTF!!!

I understand what you are saying, but it isn't the legal definition of impeding traffic.  

In Michigan, the law about impeding traffic does not make any mention of speed limits.  It only talks about blocking the normal flow of traffic.  If someone is behind you in the passing lane for miles and you block, or IMPEDE, his or her ability to drive faster than you are, you are breaking Michigan law.  The posted speed limit has nothing to do with it in terms of legal definitions.  

You could try to argue it, but I don't think legally you have much of a leg to stand on.

Apparently there has been quite the campaign out there in MI - when looking up the legal definition of "impeding traffic" a number of complaints of being ticketed for it in Michigan came up in my Google results. 

In one of the videos that MizIndependent posted the officer even states that the speed limit doesn't matter when it comes to impeding traffic. You could be going the speed limit and still be impeding traffic if you are not going with the flow. But then what is the "limit"?! It is like a circular question.

Apparently, this is a new initiative that ends on Sunday April 3rd. Here's some more information for you: 

theweek.com/speedreads/614984/north-carolina-might-ticket-going-1-mph-over-speed-limit

I don't know how hard they're enforcing it now, but about a week ago, my neighbor saw a bunch of cars being pulled over. Enjoy your trip to NC. It's a good time of year to visit... warm but not humid. 

That was a DOT initiative,not a LEO one. The troopers and many other LEO agencies said they are given discretion with enforcement and would continue with it with speed enforcement.
NC is an absolute speed state, meaning they can write for one over. Personally I go 5 over and know many that do. If I get pulled I get a ticket and yes I've have been ticketed before.

I was going to ask you if it was GR area. That's where I live and they have been enforcing it hardcore. I know of several people who have been ticketed recently. It's like they've created a sting operation like they do with the seatbelt checkpoints.

Sort of a spin off but I remember years ago when a state in the DC area (can't remember which) had signs posted when you entered the state saying how much the fines were for each mile you went over the limit. For instance 1-5 miles over was $X00.00, the sign was headlined with "Drive as Fast as You Can Afford" or something like that. I loved it and I drove 5 over the entire time I drove in the state, I could afford it.

That does suck. I gotta say though one of my pet peeves is having to pass someone on the right side.

Well, this has been a very interesting thread. I opened it up early on, saw the OP's completely disrespectful references to a law enforcement officer doing his job, and walked out again. But I came back based on the spin-off thread, and actually I've learned a lot here.

This is not the law in California, as far as I know, but I'll be looking up exactly what the CVC does say. But it IS the law that you can't cruise in the far left lane (aka the number one lane) holding up traffic behind you that wants to go faster, no matter what speed you're going.

So now that I understand the purpose and workings of this passing-lane law, it makes total sense. Even if California doesn't call it a passing lane, it functions the same way. You need to be going faster than the number two lane, and you need to not be holding up anyone behind you.

I think the people who are outraged by it don't understand how it works. It doesn't mean "you can't drive in this lane unless you're actually passing someone" or "we're subtracting one lane of traffic and causing yet more congestion," it means "only the fastest traffic belongs in this lane ... everyone else move over one lane."

I like it!

OP, a perfect driving record is not an entitlement. You lost your right to yours when you broke the law. I don't understand your insistence that you should have gotten a warning instead. What the heck? A warning is a gift, not a given, and not in any way tied to your past driving record that I've ever heard of.

And I don't like it when people talk about cops just doing their job the way you did.


The distinction is irrelevant, at least in California. The law is that if there is room for you to pull over (a lane to the right, or a pullout at the side of the road) you don't hold up traffic gathering behind you, whether they're speeding or not. Their speeding is a separate issue that may also be addressed, but it isn't your place to hold them up.

If you are holding them up, you are impeding traffic. Ironic or not.

As others have said typically it is not a law that would be actively ticketed for in gridlocked or heavy traffic areas.  The problem comes with cruising traffic.  When all of the lanes are bumper to bumper there is obviously not one lane sitting open idle because people would be using it to pass, that is silly to even think that.

I think in cruising traffic, one person is causing a gridlock is far more dangerous than changing lanes. Our speed limit on the interstates is 45 - 65 miles per hour.  So someone who is going 45 is going a legal limit, (I can't even imaging that...hahaha) but incredibly slow. You can't just "get rid of slow drivers". If that is all they are comfortable going to force them to go 65 is much more dangerous, and to then say well they just shouldn't drive is even more ridiculous.  There are multiple lanes so that most are able to travel on it.  

If more people would learn how to drive on the interstate and would engage in common sense and common courtesy they would be a lot less dangerous.

I see this topic is going the way that the merging on to the interstate one did.  Driving etiquette and rules are right up there with politics and religion. 


ETA. I should have read further before posting this because many peas explained so much better.  

ETA2 - I am glad someone else remembered that merging on thread...hahaha.

I was going to stay out of this but just can't. My DH is a law enforcement officer and I work in the field too in training, education and research. As mentioned by others the officer was doing his job. At least when he stopped OP, she stated she was polite and did not pull a sawed off shotgun and blow his face off or run him over with her car. With this in mind no stop is just for grins or just because they are "fuckers". Thank you.

^^^^^I wish I could like this post 1,000 times.