So i was back in my hometown on thursday and had just left to head back to my apartment in chicago. I pulled up to a red light and a friend i hadn't seen since high school pulled up next to me. He was LOVING my new ride so the light turns green and i get on the throttle a little and stop accelerating at 45 (speed limit 50), i make a right at the next light which was no more than 1,000 feet from the one i had just taken off from and my buddy takes a left to go to the local Wal-Mart. After taking a right i notice a cop following me and soon after i get pulled over. The police officer was very rude and angry as i was trying to be nothing but polite. I assumed he had pulled me over for my window tints or maybe my lack of a front license plate. The police officer says " so you and your buddy called that drag race off when you saw me huh? decided to split?" i calmly explained exactly what had happened and the officer goes back to his squad car with my information after saying " i might issue a citation for drag racing". He comes back to my car and i had been written a ticket for drag-racing! he got my buddy's plates also and he went to his house and wrote him the same ticket 20 minutes after. I was in shock. I am really hoping i have a strong case in court... neither of us squealed our tires, my buddy was driving his dad's 1989 caddy what interest would i have racing him? Neither of us exceeded the speed limit and did not "split" to avoid being pulled over. UGH regardless this just makes me want to never go home ever again. btw i live in illinois... just curious what everyone's thoughts are on this? do i have an arguement? i have a meeting with my attorney on tuesday i'll be sure to let you all know what he says.

 

How old are you? Good driving record? With an attorney you can usually get out of stuff like that. Thats stupid though good luck

 

22, one ticket previously, i am really hoping i can get away with a charge less serious than drag racing.

 

If you didnt exceed the speed limit, he can't write you a ticket, you did nothing wrong. Worst he could MABYE give you one for is for excessiva acceleration, which I know wisconsin has.

 

I'm not sure if illinois has that type of violation, i've been looking but not seen it so far. I was under the same assumption that if i wasn't speeding i wouldn't get in trouble for anything. I really think he issued a ticket only becuase we went in separate directions at the next light and assumed we were making a run for it.

 

yeah there is nothing that he really has on you with that story. he will weaken in court for sure, judges are much better letting dumb stuff go like that since you didn't even speed and were not even in town for few days yet

 

yeah hopefully the officer said he would tell the judge i was very cooperative... so hopefully that does something... regardless shitty way to start off my weekend

 

Artrip what part of wisconsin are you in, I'm in the Madison area.

 

Sheboygan man!

 

Unnecessary exhibition of speed......I'm a police officer in CA, after you explained yourself truthfully, he should have written you for that if he wasdead setabout citing you.

Where was he when he saw you?
Did he light you up immediately?
Do you know if made an illegal maneuver to come after you?
Did you tell him how long you have owned the car?


Either way, what you did was indeed against the law, however, I wouldn't have cited you for speed contest, just what I said above.