I posted this in one of the groups I follow but figured I would post it here too... I just received this in my email, confirmed it with Snoops.com and decided to post it here...

FYI

New Law 2010 - Ticket cost $754.00

GOOD THING TO KNOW: New Law: If a patrol car is pulled over to the side of the road, you have to change to the next lane (away from the stopped vehicle) or slow down by 20 mph. Every state except Hawaii, Maryland and D.C. has this law. In California , the "Move-over" law became operative on January 1, 2010.

A friend's son got a ticket for this recently. A police car (turned out it was 2 police cars) was on the side of the road giving a ticket to someone else. He slowed down to pass but did not move into the other lane. The second police car immediately pulled him over and gave him a ticket. He had never heard of the law. It is a fairly new law that states if any emergency vehicle is on the side of the road, if you are able (be sure and look to make sure no one is passing on the left), you are to move into the far lane.

The cost of the ticket was $754, with 3 points on your license and a mandatory court appearance. Please let everyone you know that drives about this new law. It is true, see details at the following web address: http://www.moveoveramerica.com/

 

You mean Snopes?

Thanks for the info.

 

wow, i'm speechless..

thats gotta be the dumbest law ever!!!!

 

I was pulled over for this on the Turnpike about 4 years ago by a HiPo in a Z28. Made me get out and sit in his car for some reason. They had setup a two car trap like the one described above. I had never heard of the law and luckily he just gave me a warning.

 

It's not really a dumb law. It's for the safety of the officers. The fine is a little on the high side though.

 

What a dumb law... with another over the top fine. OK, I can understand they make the fine so high so people abide, but they make it our responsibility to find out about new laws... "Oh, you didn't hear about the new law?"

They should technically have a web site dedicated to new laws, rather than one for each, as well as send a notice to all drivers. Sounds like another way to generate revenue to me.

 

^revenue and safety, knock out two birds with one stone.

 

I doubt they really give a damn about the safety part of it though... OK, the cops do, but the rest of the government it takes to approve any laws don't.

 

Sounds good. But pull someone over on the freeway durig rush hour traffic and see what happens.

Or watch all the accidents from people seeing a pulled over officer and trying to move over before passing them.

 

I guess I cant complain about living in Canada anymore :P

 

Yeah, I think it will rarely be enforced unless a trap is setup on a highway that's not too busy.

 

If you cannot safely move over, you need to slow down. Cops know when you've made a conscious effort to acknowlege them. We've had no problems with this law in VA.

 

well cops should be on the side of the passenger not the driver side, especially in high traffic areas, especially on the freeway...

 

Ouch, expensive ticket...

 

wait so whats the point of this law?