Ticket at stop sign: Can Carwings prove that I stopped?

[ChipsLeaf]

So this morning I see a police car behind me with his lights flashing and I was perplexed why. I have come to drive very conservatively in the Leaf. Usually one has that sense of the guilty infraction - Oops, I was speeding. But this time that was not the case. I had no clue why I was being pulled over. The officer said that I did not come to a complete stop at the 4-way intersection. It was early in the morning and there were no other cars or pedestrians on the road. I was not in a rush and I am sure that I stopped. I even glanced both left and right and noted that the road on my left was a dead-end. Is there any way to download information from the Leaf or Carwings to prove that I had stopped or that my speed was 0 at that time or location?

 

[FerretPewPew]

Hmmmm...haven't heard of being able to do that, so this might be the next best option:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/question-stop-sign-prove-fight-ticket-28389.html

 

[keydiver]

That's one reason I installed a dash cam:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=15151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That sucker records EVERYTHING, including your speed and GPS coordinates.

 

[Phatcat73]

+1 on the dash cam. I chose a cheaper option without gps/speed.

 

[ChipsLeaf]

That's one reason I installed a dash cam:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=15151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That sucker records EVERYTHING, including your speed and GPS coordinates.

That is a good idea. After watching the video describing the operation of the dash cam, the reviewer said that the recorded speed may be off. I wonder if it will show the speed at 0, or if it will depend for how long you hold the stop? Also, if you are pulled over for speeding, how can one use this as proof if the speed on the video is not accurate?

 

[kubel]

+1 on dashcam. I've got one in my car. In addition to recording crazy stuff that has a tendency of happening right in front of my car, it's also there to protect me from bottom feeders of society (insurance scams, revenue generating police, etc...). The recorded speed is based on GPS, so there is a delay of one or two seconds. If you completely stop, it should show a few seconds later. You'll also capture a full stop in the video since the car will obviously stop moving.

Carwings won't help you here. I suggest filing a FOIA request with the department that ticketed you. It's free, and you can submit the request completely anonymously. Request all material relating to the stop, of particular importance is dashcam footage from the police officers vehicle showing the infraction. If it's not available, your only recourse is to show up at court and maintain your innocence. Since police are on the same side of the law as the judges, your chances of being vindicated are slim. Your best hope is that the cop doesn't show up or that the judge eliminates the fine.

I'm sorry this happened to you.

 

[abasile]

Since you are in California, you could probably opt to contest the ticket in writing, by mail. I received a ticket several years ago that I felt was unjustified, and successfully contested it by mail. I carefully and respectfully explained the circumstances, cited the vehicle code and a reasonable interpretation thereof, and provided both a photo of the general area and an annotated map. It would have been cheaper (in terms of the value of my time) to simply pay the ticket, but there was, I felt, a principle involved. Besides, it is nice to have a clean driving record and not need to do "traffic school".

 

[johnrhansen]

I got a ticket at a red light camera once. I swore up and down that I had stopped at the intersection before turning right. I was cursing at the stupid light camera for writing me a ticket, when I was POSITIVE that I had stopped. I was blabbing on and on about taking those fools to court... etc... Finally I noticed a link... "play video" I clicked on it, and there I was... rolling right on through.... I paid it.

 

[lion]

As others have mentioned, a dashcam is the solution (dual channel is even better). Check out the dashcamtalk forums, helps narrow down the choices which fit your requirements.

I recommend the Mini 0803, very affordable, discreet and great quality (foxoffer.com, or their eBay store, foxoffer1, which offers better deals on the same hardware).

I have dashcams in all my vehicles (have witnessed 3 hit & runs, and other freak stuff), and there's even an insurance company in the UK now which will offer a discount for having one (hoping US companies will pick up this habit).

I can't imagine being able to retrieve this data via CarWings, unless you get lawyers involved and somehow convince Nissan to give the data up.

 

[nerys]

I would refuse to pay if I knew I stopped (I have a dash cam)

be sure to mention at court that it is a purely electric car. it is very very smooth in slowing and accelerating so smooth that some of the normal "cues" an officer looks for (the car dipping as you brake the car bobbing as you stop completely and the car rising as you accelerate) simply won't happen in typical ev driving.

you regen to slow applying almost no brake pressure to finish the stop (so the car won't dive to the stop dip its nose) and with a stop so smooth you won't see the car "bob" as with a normal car when you bring its mass to the final stop motion.

then since its early no traffic and I have limited range I drive for efficiency. so a nice smooth take off. the car has no transmission and no combustion engine. just a continuous power electric motor so there is no "chuffing or bucking or shifting. it simply silently begins moving forward with perfect fluidity.

say your honor your welcome to come take a ride with me around the block so I can demonstrate. I am confident you will understand the first time your ride in it. it is a very strange experience.

I don't think the officer is so much wrong as simply "unfamiliar" with how such cars operate so he was confused by the normal cues he would look for that simply are not present in an efficiently driven ev.

in fact your regen and brake usage may be partially what did it.

the cop would see you coasting to a stop sign with NO brake lights he would see the brakes flicker on momentarily (your full stop with a tiny bit of brakes) and in one fluid motion the car would appear to simply be moving again with no "rise" on the front making it appear as if it kept speed the entire time. I can ABSOLUTELY see how a cop might think you just floated that stop sign with those cues if he was unfamiliar with them.