We were to arrive at class at 11:30. When I arrived at 11:15 there was a line out the door and the classroom was almost full. There were seven seats left that I counted when there were about 20 people still in line. I put my purse on a table with an empty chair in front of it. Once I was signed in, seated, and just a few more people behind me got signed in, the teacher looked up, saw there were no more seats in the room and told everyone that was still in line they would have to re-register for a different date. He could not let them stay without a seat. Some of the students already seated immediately called out to the instructor that the remaining people could sit on the tables. The instructor told the people in line to go see if they could find other chairs ( the class was at The Holiday Inn ) and he would let them stay. Why did they register more than they could accommodate? Other chairs were found and that part ended well but I think all of us with seats were putting ourselves in the position of the people still in line as they were all in line by 11:30. I would have been wanting to ram the room with my car ( oops, road rage, another ticket coming ) if after I had legally registered, gotten my money order to pay and been there on time I had been told I could not attend class.
Alright-next- when talking about drunk driving, the different stages of offenses were presented along with the consequences and it was indicated the consequences were the bottom line, no exceptions. Well-----you know me and my big mouth. I asked the question what happened when the consequences were not followed, as my daughter had an extreme DUI , and we were still waiting for her to do her 30 days for the DUI. He sort of ??? Of course he does not know my daughter's case and I know the law is supposed to be the law but ??? Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Also, we were told police officers do not get off on tickets. They are sited like everyone else. While I think this is true much of the time I do not think this is true all of the time.
Then again, we all get warnings some of the time so I guess this is not a very good complaint on my part. I think my complaint is that it was brought up in the first place.
Below are some of the things I did learn ,which may or may not help you keep from getting a ticket:
You will not be stopped on a freeway if you are doing up to 9 miles over the speed limit. Do not however do 11 miles over.
When exiting a freeway and you come to the stop light and it is red stop before the intersection. If it is a No Turn On Red intersection and you are over the crosswalk line you can be sited for running a red light even though you have not actually made the turn. If No Turn On Red is posted there is no reason at all for you to be looking to see what the oncoming traffic is doing as you are not to turn until the light becomes green .
Those middle turn lanes are for left hand turns only. They are not there for you to pull out in traffic and wait until you can get in the right hand lane. While you might not be stopped for doing this, if there is an accident---well, you know the rest.
We were told how the cameras work for the red lights. There are sensors ( I am calling them sensors ) under the pavement. Do not think you can beat a ticket by going to court. You will not win. Actually, it pretty much sounded to me that if you get a ticket for any reason you were not going to beat it so -- pay it or go to school.
Do not go 16 miles in a 15 mile school zone. You do not even want to know what the fine is for this--and especially if children are present. The end of the school speed zone is the second line in the crosswalk--not the other sign in the road from the opposite direction. Once you cross that second line in the crosswalk you can speed up to the normal speed limit. I already knew the following but I will mention it here as I see this happen so often. When you are in a school zone you may not go by another car in the other lane, even if they are doing 5 miles an hour. That is what the no passing means. Not that you pull out and go around a car---don't pass a car, period, end of story, when in that school zone speed limit area.
If you are at a four way stop, and two cars arrive at the same time, the car on the right only has the right of way if the car on the left chooses to defer to the car on the right. It is not automatic. Also, if you wave a car on and then the car going gets involved in an accident you can be held 1/3 responsible so don't use your hands to indicate you are deferring to another driver.
I also learned there were other people in the class just as shall we say disappointed about being there as I was---especially about 1/3 of the class that got ticketed in I believe it is Star Valley , right outside of Payson. We also learned there are many and I mean many more cameras being installed all across the state so people watch out. The state has a contract with a company and the contract continues---
Oh yes, when you are pulled over, before the officer even approaches your car he or she knows already if you have insurance, if you are wanted by the police, etc. etc.
Other complaints by students were about the speed limit changing often from 45 to 35 to 25 and back again in a short distance.
It is in the works to make cell phone usage inside the the moving vehicle illegal.
On break I asked the instructor about the officer telling me he would have normally given me a warning but he was on a detail and no warnings were being issued. According to the instructor if he was on a speed detail he was required to ticket me.
You know, I really do respect most law enforcement officers and I would not be a policeman or woman for any amount of money but I must say, some of the tickets being issued are not in my mind about safety---it is more about revenue. I will not say the instructor verbally said these same words but I will say he was sympathetic with this view point. That was one thing that will stay fresh on my mind for a long time. I will also most likely be that person causing road rage as I go the speed limit ,to the limit, when I am not on the freeway. We will see how long this intention stays fresh on my mind!
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