tduby1
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Post by tduby1 on Apr 25, 2016 18:15:14 GMT
So as evidenced in the traffic ticket thread, driving laws are different in different places. I totally get you need to know the law in the areas you travel the most, ignorance is no excuse, etc, etc, etc. I agree.
Except, what about when you are traveling? So what if, where you are from it is perfectly legal to drive in the left lane, not just passing where you are from and you are driving cross country on vacation, are you really expected to learn ALL the traffic laws for ALL the areas you will be traveling through and remember them. Or is ignorance a good excuse in that case?
I have often wondered that. A lot of things are posted, like speed limits, seatbelt laws, etc but they all aren't. Should the officer be a little more forgiving in that case? Especially, If it is true that the law doesn't exist "back home"?
My kids are all older now but when they were little car seat laws varied greatly across states. I am not sure if they are more standardized now but I always wondered about that back then. Would you be ticketed if you were from a state with less stringent laws? |
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Post by lancermom on Apr 25, 2016 18:19:18 GMT
I wonder that too. When my kids were little we always checked the state guidelines for car seat laws. We used to travel between MN, WI and IL a lot. We don't have the point system, so I wonder if I get too many points in one state, will I not be able to drive at all!? I just check limits and hit the cruise. At one point I knew too many deputies, sheriffs and officers in the southern part of my state. So I was sure not to speed, as I didn't want to meet them on their terms, I liked calling on them!!
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Post by myshelly on Apr 25, 2016 18:20:15 GMT
No.
When you are traveling it is YOUR responsibility to learn and follow the laws.
If you can't/won't do that then don't travel.
It's just like if you went to a foreign country - you are responsible for learning and following their laws.
Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
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freebird
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Post by freebird on Apr 25, 2016 18:26:18 GMT
Crazy idea... If you're not sure, GET IN THE RIGHT LANE. lol.
But yeah, if you go to England and drive on the right because that's how you do it "back home" and kill someone, you're going to be up a creek. It's no one's fault but your own that you aren't following the local laws.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Apr 25, 2016 18:30:21 GMT
No. When you are traveling it is YOUR responsibility to learn and follow the laws. If you can't/won't do that then don't travel. It's just like if you went to a foreign country - you are responsible for learning and following their laws. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. I agree  My mom has gotten a ticket in Arizona when she was visiting my sister and had to pay it because she wasn't staying long enough for a court date. I do wish people would learn the laws/rules of other states/countries when they drive in them. We get a lot of people with British Columbia license plates that don't seem to know our laws (or don't want to follow them). The other thread did show me that they might not follow the 'keep right except to pass' law because it seems it's not as common in Canada. But we do have signs up and down I-5 so I'm not sure if they ignore them or if they just drive by and wonder what they mean. |
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MizIndependent
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Post by MizIndependent on Apr 25, 2016 18:31:23 GMT
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quiltz
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Post by quiltz on Apr 25, 2016 18:36:06 GMT
Many states and provinces have reciprocal agreements with each other. They sometimes add an additional fee (to the person that is given a ticket) to bear the cost of maintaining the cost of this said agreement.
If an Ontario plated driver is issued a ticket by the state police, there's an additional fee of approx. $250.00 USD $added to the ticket. If there's points that are also part of the ticketing charge, that will also be se t to the MTO and put on your drivers abstract. A few years ago Global TV did a segment about this reciprocal agreement.
Ontario has agreements with Michigan, Kentucky and other states that you drive through to Florida.
Yes, it is up to the driver to know the rules of the road wherever they are driving.
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Dalai Mama
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Jun 26, 2014 0:31:31 GMT
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Post by Dalai Mama on Apr 25, 2016 18:41:05 GMT
The two that I always find myself looking up are whether it's legal to turn right on a red and what signals an advanced green. I lived in Montreal where it's illegal to turn right on a red (when I lived there that law was province-wide) and in Vancouver where a flashing green (advanced in Ontario) meant that it was a pedestrian activated light.
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 18:25:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2016 18:43:43 GMT
Except, what about when you are traveling? So what if, where you are from it is perfectly legal to drive in the left lane, not just passing where you are from and you are driving cross country on vacation, are you really expected to learn ALL the traffic laws for ALL the areas you will be traveling through and remember them. Or is ignorance a good excuse in that case?
I have often wondered that. A lot of things are posted, like speed limits, seatbelt laws, etc but they all aren't. Should the officer be a little more forgiving in that case? Especially, If it is true that the law doesn't exist "back home"?
You know before you travel that all states have different laws so it's no different for all Europeans to drive across Europe and expect the Italian Police officer to let me off the hook for driving on the wrong side of the road because their laws are different to my "back home" ( UK) laws. It's your responsibility to check the laws of the states you are visiting in the same way as it's my responsibility to check the laws of the countries I am visiting. For as long as you have individual state laws rather than federal law covering all states then the onus is on you to abide by those laws where ever " back home" might be. |
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Post by Darcy Collins on Apr 25, 2016 18:55:08 GMT
No - they shouldn't be more forgiving. If it's too much of a burden for you to learn the relevant laws (and let's be honest, there really aren't THAT many differences) don't drive in those states - or be willing to pay the fine.
If we're planning on renting a car in a foreign country, we learn the laws. The only place it was at all difficult was Italy - which had some pretty different signage regarding areas you couldn't drive into (particularly around historic centers). I learned them and passed them on to our traveling companions who apparently didn't feel the need to learn them. I had exactly zero sympathy when they received the $100+ fine when they drove into a section of Florence they weren't allowed. I was yelling at my husband to stop as it was clearly signed to not drive in there. Learn the rules or stay off the roads.
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Post by justkat on Apr 25, 2016 19:02:05 GMT
I don't understand how this is even a question. If you choose to travel you either A) learn the laws of your destination/area of travel or B) accept the consequences of your actions, i.e. ticket for violating a law you were ignorant of.
I know the laws of my state/city etc. I obey them to the best of my ability. When I travel I make myself aware of the laws in general terms. If I were to violate a law, I'd calmly apologize and explain I'm a tourist and was unaware. Then I'd accept my ticket and pay my fine like the adult I am.
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wellway
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Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Apr 25, 2016 19:27:10 GMT
As we live in England it's easy to drive across to mainland Europe. Last trip took us through France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Well before we travel we research the motoring laws of the countries we will be driving through (there are motoring sites that highlight the differences) and make sure we have the various bits of extra equipment in our car. Depending on country you need extra headlight bulbs, warning triangles, hi-vis jackets, breathalysers, turn off the speed trap notification on your GPS, headlight adjusters etc etc. Before every trip we check and double check. It's not hard but vital.
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Post by cmpeter on Apr 25, 2016 19:31:26 GMT
No, it's up to you to know what is legal or not legal in all the places you drive. Yes, it would be nice if the officer gave you a break. But, I wouldn't expect it or think poorly of them if they didn't.
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Post by anniefb on Apr 25, 2016 19:37:56 GMT
No. When you are traveling it is YOUR responsibility to learn and follow the laws. If you can't/won't do that then don't travel. It's just like if you went to a foreign country - you are responsible for learning and following their laws. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. That ^^ |
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pudgygroundhog
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Apr 25, 2016 20:22:16 GMT
Are there really laws that vary so drastically between states? I know turning right on red can vary and some cities/states might have traffic patterns or features that are more regional (traffic circles, traffic lights at the side and not overhead, merging patterns, don't block the box in NYC, etc). I don't think I have ever studied up on a state's laws before travel, although I fully accept it's my responsibility. If I got a ticket for something I really had no clue about, that's on me and not the officer.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Apr 25, 2016 20:36:14 GMT
I can't imagine there are many laws that would trip you up from state to state. Cell phone usage, right on red, left lane, carpool lanes, whether or not you can pump your own gas...I can't really think of others off the top of my head.
I am a little surprised that Louisiana is listed above as using the left lane only for turning...I've driven there a lot and that has not been my observation at all.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Apr 25, 2016 20:41:01 GMT
Are there really laws that vary so drastically between states? I know turning right on red can vary and some cities/states might have traffic patterns or features that are more regional (traffic circles, traffic lights at the side and not overhead, merging patterns, don't block the box in NYC, etc). I don't think I have ever studied up on a state's laws before travel, although I fully accept it's my responsibility. If I got a ticket for something I really had no clue about, that's on me and not the officer. Child restraint laws varied dramatically 10+ years ago when my kids were little. I don't know if it's as true now. We were typically on the more conservative side anyway, so it wasn't a huge deal for us. Highway speed can vary quite a bit too. You'll eventually hit a sign, but there can be a fair amount of time - so if you're coming from a state with a very high highway speed it behooves you to know what the maximum highway speed is in the state you're traveling through. I really don't think the officers in New Jersey will be understanding to the tourist from Texas who explains that they're used to highways having a maximum of 85 MPH and they just didn't realize it's different than back home and they hadn't hit a posted sign yet. ETA - definitely the handfree or cell phone usage laws vary dramatically! |
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valleyview
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Jun 27, 2014 18:41:26 GMT
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Post by valleyview on Apr 25, 2016 20:50:20 GMT
We've noticed how much variety and monitoring there is in HOV lanes. You will be ticketed no matter where you're from.
I think the lesson from both threads is to be more aware and alert while driving. That also means pay attention to your own state's driving laws and changes in them.
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Post by hop2 on Apr 25, 2016 20:53:54 GMT
I suggest that if your traveling thru other states that you do take a moment and look up the laws on the Internet. There are some places where they DO target out of state plates because they know your not going to want to come back for court. It's easy money. Ive seen it happen.
So no they aren't going to be more lenient, chances are they were watching you specifically because your from out of state.
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Post by hop2 on Apr 25, 2016 21:01:41 GMT
Are there really laws that vary so drastically between states? I know turning right on red can vary and some cities/states might have traffic patterns or features that are more regional (traffic circles, traffic lights at the side and not overhead, merging patterns, don't block the box in NYC, etc). I don't think I have ever studied up on a state's laws before travel, although I fully accept it's my responsibility. If I got a ticket for something I really had no clue about, that's on me and not the officer. Child restraint laws varied dramatically 10+ years ago when my kids were little. I don't know if it's as true now. We were typically on the more conservative side anyway, so it wasn't a huge deal for us. Highway speed can vary quite a bit too. You'll eventually hit a sign, but there can be a fair amount of time - so if you're coming from a state with a very high highway speed it behooves you to know what the maximum highway speed is in the state you're traveling through. I really don't think the officers in New Jersey will be understanding to the tourist from Texas who explains that they're used to highways having a maximum of 85 MPH and they just didn't realize it's different than back home and they hadn't hit a posted sign yet. ETA - definitely the handfree or cell phone usage laws vary dramatically! Depends, are you driving a Texas car? End of the month ( yea quotas are supposed to be illegal but you can tell... ) ? Have time for court? Haha that's always fun. Lol Actually no they are not terribly forgiving. Until you get to court, in several NJ towns you'll get a ticket for a high point offense and when you go to court they will offer you low or no points offenses to plea guilty to, Knowing 80% of people will take it. The high fines associated with the high points end up getting turned over to the state. The high fines for local no point violations stays in the township. It's a 'win-win situation according to them. You get no pints no increased insurance costs - they get to keep a larger portion of the money. It also lowers time spent in court so less salaries for that. It's a money making scam. Not all towns do this but enough do. ( cough cough fort lee ) |
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Loydene
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Post by Loydene on Apr 25, 2016 21:02:40 GMT
You know.... the good ole "Golden Rule" can really go far in life.
If you are driving on any highway, street or road, and there appears to be traffic behind you that appears to want to pass, even if you think you are driving at or above the speed limit, eo unto others as you'd wish they do unto you and move the fuck over! That's what I learned in kindergarten ... well, almost ... I was older when I learned that one word, and even older before I started to use it!!
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Post by elaine on Apr 25, 2016 21:15:23 GMT
So as evidenced in the traffic ticket thread, driving laws are different in different places. I totally get you need to know the law in the areas you travel the most, ignorance is no excuse, etc, etc, etc. I agree.
Except, what about when you are traveling? So what if, where you are from it is perfectly legal to drive in the left lane, not just passing where you are from and you are driving cross country on vacation, are you really expected to learn ALL the traffic laws for ALL the areas you will be traveling through and remember them. Or is ignorance a good excuse in that case?
I have often wondered that. A lot of things are posted, like speed limits, seatbelt laws, etc but they all aren't. Should the officer be a little more forgiving in that case? Especially, If it is true that the law doesn't exist "back home"?
My kids are all older now but when they were little car seat laws varied greatly across states. I am not sure if they are more standardized now but I always wondered about that back then. Would you be ticketed if you were from a state with less stringent laws? Officers should NEVER be EXPECTED to be forgiving of lawbreakers. I cannot believe that is even a question. If they happen to issue a warning instead of a ticket, that should be a surprise bonus. Although given some of the entitlement attitudes on this and the other thread, I'm thinking issuing warnings is resulting in entitlement for some, rather than relief followed by more attention being paid to the rules of the road. |
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Post by bc2ca on Apr 25, 2016 21:17:39 GMT
It is your responsibility to know the local traffic laws and to pay any tickets on time.
Does anyone remember a couple of years ago when states starting sharing outstanding traffic violations? A friend in WA couldn't renew her license because of a decades old outstanding ticket in NJ.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2016 21:20:17 GMT
Many states and provinces have reciprocal agreements with each other. They sometimes add an additional fee (to the person that is given a ticket) to bear the cost of maintaining the cost of this said agreement. If an Ontario plated driver is issued a ticket by the state police, there's an additional fee of approx. $250.00 USD $added to the ticket. If there's points that are also part of the ticketing charge, that will also be se t to the MTO and put on your drivers abstract. A few years ago Global TV did a segment about this reciprocal agreement. Ontario has agreements with Michigan, Kentucky and other states that you drive through to Florida. Yes, it is up to the driver to know the rules of the road wherever they are driving. I just learned something new today! I had no idea abut reciprocal agreements. Thanks for posting this! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2016 21:21:44 GMT
I don't understand how this is even a question. If you choose to travel you either A) learn the laws of your destination/area of travel or B) accept the consequences of your actions, i.e. ticket for violating a law you were ignorant of. I know the laws of my state/city etc. I obey them to the best of my ability. When I travel I make myself aware of the laws in general terms. If I were to violate a law, I'd calmly apologize and explain I'm a tourist and was unaware. Then I'd accept my ticket and pay my fine like the adult I am.  |
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LeaP
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Post by LeaP on Apr 25, 2016 21:24:21 GMT
I agree My mom has gotten a ticket in Arizona when she was visiting my sister and had to pay it because she wasn't staying long enough for a court date. I do wish people would learn the laws/rules of other states/countries when they drive in them. We get a lot of people with British Columbia license plates that don't seem to know our laws (or don't want to follow them). The other thread did show me that they might not follow the 'keep right except to pass' law because it seems it's not as common in Canada. But we do have signs up and down I-5 so I'm not sure if they ignore them or if they just drive by and wonder what they mean. That is interesting. I just moved back to L.A. from Vancouver and I thought the laws up there were stricter than here in California. In British Columbia's driver's manual they referenced a "stale" green light. It really confused me. Do you find that California plates are also scofflaws (apart from speeding)? Driving in Maine was a challenge because it felt like the speed limit changed endlessly. Should I go 20 or 30 or 35 or 50? I was afraid to blink lest I miss a sign. |
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tduby1
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Post by tduby1 on Apr 25, 2016 22:06:25 GMT
Crazy idea... If you're not sure, GET IN THE RIGHT LANE. lol. But yeah, if you go to England and drive on the right because that's how you do it "back home" and kill someone, you're going to be up a creek. It's no one's fault but your own that you aren't following the local laws. I am thinking more about other laws. Car seats are the big one I've thought about. what if my car seat is legal for my child in my state but I will be traveling through 6-7 other states all with differing car seat laws. |
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Post by myshelly on Apr 25, 2016 22:09:55 GMT
Crazy idea... If you're not sure, GET IN THE RIGHT LANE. lol. But yeah, if you go to England and drive on the right because that's how you do it "back home" and kill someone, you're going to be up a creek. It's no one's fault but your own that you aren't following the local laws. I am thinking more about other laws. Car seats are the big one I've thought about. what if my car seat is legal for my child in my state but I will be traveling through 6-7 other states all with differing car seat laws. This just isn't a big issue for me. Laws are the absolute minimum in terms of safety. I'm following current safety standards, so I'm up to where the law is in every state. |
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tduby1
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Post by tduby1 on Apr 25, 2016 22:11:09 GMT
Are there really laws that vary so drastically between states? I know turning right on red can vary and some cities/states might have traffic patterns or features that are more regional (traffic circles, traffic lights at the side and not overhead, merging patterns, don't block the box in NYC, etc). I don't think I have ever studied up on a state's laws before travel, although I fully accept it's my responsibility. If I got a ticket for something I really had no clue about, that's on me and not the officer. Highway speed can vary quite a bit too. You'll eventually hit a sign, but there can be a fair amount of time - so if you're coming from a state with a very high highway speed it behooves you to know what the maximum highway speed is in the state you're traveling through. I really don't think the officers in New Jersey will be understanding to the tourist from Texas who explains that they're used to highways having a maximum of 85 MPH and they just didn't realize it's different than back home and they hadn't hit a posted sign yet. ETA - definitely the handfree or cell phone usage laws vary d car seat laws was one of the examples I gave in the OP. i do remember the big variance in laws. Would I be expected to buy new car seats for all three of my kids that were in car seats if mine didn't meet a states standard? |
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tduby1
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Post by tduby1 on Apr 25, 2016 22:14:33 GMT
I am thinking more about other laws. Car seats are the big one I've thought about. what if my car seat is legal for my child in my state but I will be traveling through 6-7 other states all with differing car seat laws. This just isn't a big issue for me. Laws are the absolute minimum in terms of safety. I'm following current safety standards, so I'm up to where the law is in every state. I think I probably was too. ButnI do admit traveling to Florida and also OK and not really checking or worrying too much if I was indeed ok with all the states along the way. Just curious how it would play out if I hadn't been. My kids are all way beyond the car seat age so it its just a curiosity thing. |
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