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California Highway Patrol, Sacramento California Highway Patrol, San Diego Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Senator George Runner Assembly Member Cameron Smyth July 13, 2009 Dear _______________, I was recently put through an ordeal that was unjust and unjustified. On July 9, I, the slowest driver in California, was convicted of speeding. Why? Because for ten seconds I increased my speed to reach the only opening in a line of traffic in the right lane so that I could exit the highway less than a quarter mile ahead and use a rest area. No one should be fined $350.00 to use a rest room. The details are as follows. I had driven from Los Angeles being careful of my speed because I don't want problems. I had originally moved to the left lane while ascending the hill because of the slow trucks and was then so preoccupied in looking for my exit, I just hadn't moved right yet. When I saw the sign for the rest stop in three miles, there was a line of cars to my right that I could not squeeze in between. There was a space ahead and without speeding, I was trying to get to it, but by then I had passed the one mile sign and only had a few seconds to reach the opening. I increased speed for about ten seconds and once past these cars, I moved right and reduced my speed and exited. Had I realized that using the rest stop would have cost me $350.00 and ruined my almost perfect driving record, I would have wet my pants. It all ruined the atmosphere of a trip I had planned for years and canceled twice, and I just needed to use the rest stop. Instead of citing the cars that would not yield, Officer S. Sadin cited me because it's a bigger fine than failure to yield. The officer testified that I passed three cars. Yes, more than three cars that would not let me into the right lane. For the trip of 750 miles, I drove 749 3/4 miles carefully under the speed limit using the cruse control and 1/4 mile forced to drive over the limit to reach the only opening in the traffic. In court, I testified that I was trying to reach an opening so I could exit, but this was ignored. I couldn't slow down because there was a car behind me (which I didn't realize was a CHP and while the officer testified that it was marked, it isn't from the front) and many years of driving has taught me that if I slow down to reach a space behind me in the next lane when there is a car behind me in the same lane as me, then that car takes the space as it approaches it first and passes me and I never get over. The officer testified that I increased speed but not that it was only ten seconds, passed three cars, and exited. That is exactly what happened, except that it was the only way to get past the cars that would not yield and the only ten seconds that I exceeded the speed limit for the entire trip - the officer says 92, I was distracted with trying to exit but guess in the high 70s. Had these three cars yielded to me, this incident would never have happened. The officer was experienced with testifying in court, I was nervous and as intimidated as when first stopped and couldn't get my story out. I'm not an articulate speaker but a good driver. I didn't even understand until the trial when he mentioned that I passed the cars why I was stopped because I knew I wasn't speeding, but the trial was over before I figured it out. I could have gone to traffic school, but instead drove 300 miles to court because I think this was unjust. What would I have learned in traffic school, to wet my pants next time? I'd bet that if Officer Sadin were in the same situation, he would have done the same thing as me. You probably would have done the same thing. I think most people in the same position would have done the same thing. I would bet that if you followed Officer Sadin while off-duty for a week and follow me for a week, you would probably see that he drives above the limit while I drive below the limit most of the time. Almost everyone passes me and I only pass some trucks and trailers and the occasional slow car, everyone else seems to average 5 miles per hour over and I get punished. Civilian drivers don't think I drive too fast. Many express that I am too slow in a hostile manor. I've suffered all sorts of aggressive actions from other drivers including being forced to the shoulder, drivers pass me and cut back in front before clear, high beams, horns, gestures, insults, and threats. One man tried to beat me up saying "you drive funny and shouldn't have stopped (for the stop sign)" after a woman ran into my car. My personal web site list dozens of such events. Yet, I get punished. It's hard to be the only car going the speed limit, and then get a fine for speeding for 10 seconds to change lanes and exit. I should not have to suffer abuse on both ends. I had driven almost four hours from Los Angeles without a restroom break. I'd like to see Officer Sadin and maybe the judge spend four hours driving and then deprive him of a rest room. Then they might be more understanding. I have been punished and bullied since I was in elementary school with learning problems. I can assure you that punishing someone who is trying to do the right thing does not make them better. An abuse victim often blames himself/herself and that's what I'm doing. My wife noted that I am no longer driving 1 mile under the speed limit but now I drive 5 miles under trying to avoid any more abuse from law enforcement. It's abuse and wrong and makes victims very angry and demoralized and they eventually rebel and stop trying to be good. Maybe if I were to stop driving below the speed limit, I can reach my destination faster and outrun the CHP. I've been bullied since I was a child and I don't pay taxes to be bullied now. This is not the first time that I had a bad experience with the CHP. About 1982 or 3, just a day or two before the end of the year, I was the only car on an unfinished freeway and with nowhere to hide, was being very careful of my speed. A CHP came in from an interchange and while still on the interchange, turned on his lights. There was no basis to assess my speed, he just picked me at random. After over 25 years, I am still mad at myself for not contesting that citation. In the early 1990's, I was returning home form volunteering (three hours plus travel in voluntary service to my community) and traffic for everyone was between 50 and 55 in a 55 zone. I saw the CHP enter the freeway, noted my legal speed, kept a consistent and safe distance behind the car in front of me, and two minutes later the CHP was pulling me over, charging me with going 65 and in two lanes. I contested and won that case. No one obeying the law should have anxiety attacks about law enforcement. When he first stopped me, officer Sadin addressed me in a hostile tone and came on all tough and intimidating. I several times told him to calm down to which he snickered and said he was. He never gave me an opportunity to explain. He just acted like I was a bad person and didn't care about me reasons. My wife was scared and I just felt abused. I think he was frustrated that he was not home this holiday playing violent video games. There was no call for the hostile tone. I draw scenery for TV and movies using a computer, the officer draws with a gun. I am not a violent person, but I am angry. When in court, as he confidently recounted what I did, he acted like he was bringing to justice a hardened criminal who needed punishment. I was just an abused law abiding citizen who need to use the rest room. I do not oppose the CHP because I like to drive fast. I oppose them because I don't drive fast, but am punished for doing so. My wife has always been afraid to drive the highway and now, so am I. I admit to being angry. I've put up with abuse for 50 years and I refuse to pay taxes to hire people to abuse me further. In conclusion: I demand an investigation. I demand to know how many "failure to yield" and how many "speeding" citations Officer Sadin has written in the last 12 months. I demand that the three cars that I passed, that didn't yield, be cited and punished like I was. I demand that Officer Sadin be denied a rest room when he needs one. I demand that law enforcement be polite and courteous to citizens who are not offering resistance. We aren't often placed in this situation. I demand that in such situations, officers give an unbiased opportunity for a driver to explain before writing a citation. I demand less emphasis on speeding and more emphasis on poor road manors like failure to yield, excessive lane changing, hostile responses to people (like me) who obey the law (and drive the speed limit, make complete stops, yield to pedestrians and other drivers, stop for yellow lights, and other lawful actions). Poor road manors case as many problems as speeding. I demand that the state not balance it's budget by cutting State Parks that everyone enjoys, but the CHP that torments everyone who drives on the state highways. Lastly, I demand Officer S. Sadin's badge, he should not be allowed to interact with the public. Sincerely, Kenneth Larson |
my follow-up letters will be added soon.
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This page last updated: Sunday, 18-Oct-2009 11:39:54 EDT
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