street racing in florida

[Stealth7]

long story here so i apologize in advance

but, i was with a friend and he was driving me home from our friend's house at around 3am and our other friend was in the car next to us also going in the same direction home, as a joke he gooses it a little and we just smile seeing how we have the faster car and give it some gas and accelerate up to about 60-65 from about 50, with him right next to us. keep in mind that this was a 45 mph speed limit area. anyways, we go on our way keeping at around 60, which is not unusual for this road, with our friend a little ways back of us. all of a sudden, we see the cherries and blueberries, and sure enough, hes getting pulled over. we think we're next so we take the next turn and twist our way through a neighborhood just in case the cop tried to come after us. we get a call from our friend. appearantly he must've said he knew us :cuss: and the cop came on the phone and told us we needed to come back or he'd have to search for us and we'd be in more trouble. then we had a dilemma, we could either go home and leave our friend or go back for him, (we were far enough away that we could) but we didnt know whether the cop had caught the liscense plate or was bluffing, so we decided to go back. the cop was actually pleased we came back and was very nice to us, but both drivers got street racing on a highway tickets/court orders. he also said that if we hadnt come back, our friend would've been arrested and he wouldve came after us. i am just wondering what my friend can do about it and whether we can get it reduced to just speeding seeing how we werent street racing, or if now the cop has issued it, nothing can be done. just looking for some advice, thanks.

 

[Stangracer44t]

Thats BS. He cant make you come back. I'd have kept going.

 

[GunsUpCoyote]

Florida has strict laws on street racing, From what I hear they will impound your car
if they even suspect you of racing.

The cop cannot get on the phone and make you come back, no way, no chance

He had full right to take your friend to jail without you coming back because he
said you were racing, he could have been bluffing and when you got back he could
have taken YOU to jail to.

Lets see what Adam has to say about this one

 

[BronzeGod]

*removed by moderator - read the rules of this section before posting again*

 

[FordSVTFan]

long story here so i apologize in advance

but, i was with a friend and he was driving me home from our friend's house at around 3am and our other friend was in the car next to us also going in the same direction home, as a joke he gooses it a little and we just smile seeing how we have the faster car and give it some gas and accelerate up to about 60-65 from about 50, with him right next to us. keep in mind that this was a 45 mph speed limit area. anyways, we go on our way keeping at around 60, which is not unusual for this road, with our friend a little ways back of us. all of a sudden, we see the cherries and blueberries, and sure enough, hes getting pulled over. we think we're next so we take the next turn and twist our way through a neighborhood just in case the cop tried to come after us. we get a call from our friend. appearantly he must've said he knew us :cuss: and the cop came on the phone and told us we needed to come back or he'd have to search for us and we'd be in more trouble. then we had a dilemma, we could either go home and leave our friend or go back for him, (we were far enough away that we could) but we didnt know whether the cop had caught the liscense plate or was bluffing, so we decided to go back. the cop was actually pleased we came back and was very nice to us, but both drivers got street racing on a highway tickets/court orders. he also said that if we hadnt come back, our friend would've been arrested and he wouldve came after us. i am just wondering what my friend can do about it and whether we can get it reduced to just speeding seeing how we werent street racing, or if now the cop has issued it, nothing can be done. just looking for some advice, thanks.

As noted above, Florida does have specific laws regarding street racing. What the two drivers did, fits the Florida statute for a "speed contest/racing." The other driver challenged and accelerated, your driver responded by doing the same. Although most people who use the "street" definition of a race, would describe a race as from a stop or a roll and going WOT for a distance. But that isnt the law.

Additionally, the officer identified both cars and could only pull over one. He investigated found out who the other car involved was driven by and he made contact. He informed that driver of his options: return to the scene or deal with the consequences of fleeing and the race.

I would recommend a consultation with an attorney. Getting this reduced is not as simply as some would have you believe.

 

[FordSVTFan]

Thats BS. He cant make you come back. I'd have kept going.

That is BS? Really? What is your legal basis for that determination? The officer identified the driver of the other car and made contact, he gave the driver his options: return to the scene or deal with the consequences of not. But either way he was identified and would be caught either later or right then.

Maybe you should avoid giving advice based on nothing but your own wishes.

 

[FordSVTFan]

The cop cannot get on the phone and make you come back, no way, no chance.
Lets see what Adam has to say about this one

Where do you people get this info? What in the world would make you think a L.E.O. cant investigate, identify a suspect/violator, and then contact him and give him options for handling the offense?

the cop came on the phone and told us we needed to come back or he'd have to search for us and we'd be in more trouble. then we had a dilemma, we could either go home and leave our friend or go back for him, (we were far enough away that we could) but we didnt know whether the cop had caught the liscense plate or was bluffing, so we decided to go back.

So you are saying that the officer allowing the violator to return to the scene rather than face additional charges, is not appropriate?

 

[GunsUpCoyote]

I am saying that in a legal sense I would assume no.

Learn something new everyday.

I can see how this could be fleeing a LEO considering that he did flash his lights, but if
it were me I would not have stopped either.

Thanks for the info Adam

 

[ralliart16]

Your friend should have just said he didn't know the other car, and then both of you split the attorney bills for him lol :shrug:

 

[Willduhhbeast]

I spun my tires at a red light at 2 in the morning, no one on the road but me and my buddy in a accord next to me, and the cop about a half mile behind us. Well, at the redlight we discussed my car and i was gonna spin the tires coming off the light. I did so, and the cop pulled us both over and said we were street racing. 17 hours later I got out of jail and had my license revoked for a year. All for spinning my tires and never getting over 25 mph.

Ive never even had a ticket before..

Florida isnt playing around.. its overboard.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I am saying that in a legal sense I would assume no.

Learn something new everyday.

I can see how this could be fleeing a LEO considering that he did flash his lights, but if
it were me I would not have stopped either.

Thanks for the info Adam

The other car stopping is a judgment call, as the officer was pulling over his friend, and did not overtly command him to stop too.

 

[FordSVTFan]

Your friend should have just said he didn't know the other car, and then both of you split the attorney bills for him lol :shrug:

Because lying always makes things better.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I spun my tires at a red light at 2 in the morning, no one on the road but me and my buddy in a accord next to me, and the cop about a half mile behind us. Well, at the redlight we discussed my car and i was gonna spin the tires coming off the light. I did so, and the cop pulled us both over and said we were street racing. 17 hours later I got out of jail and had my license revoked for a year. All for spinning my tires and never getting over 25 mph.

Ive never even had a ticket before..

Florida isnt playing around.. its overboard.

Racing (speed contest) in Florida does not require you to exceed the posted speed limit.

The Florida Legislature is quite serious in their attempts to curb street racing and reckless driving in the State.

 

[04spinbra]

i spun my tires coming out of the ford lot and a leo coming off a side road caught me straighting out and pulled me over and gave me a ticket for racing on a highway while fishtailing which is a court date in florida went to court judge down graded it to wreckless driving which aint much better but i still got my car and license. so florida aint no joke. good luck on the court date:beer:

 

[Stealth7]

thanks for the help people, hopefully this wont be too bad,

i had no idea that florida was getting this pumped up about street racing

 

[Carbd86GT]

I have been in this situation and so have a few of my friends. Just get a lawyer and let them handle it. The cop witnessed me and the other car stop, block traffic, warm up the tires and make a run through the marked 1/4, my case got dismissed. Also, 5 of my other friends have also had their cases dismissed. Dont let the officers scare you, this law is very subjective, and unless they have it on tape to prove that you were racing, it will most likely get dropped to a $100 careless driving ticket or dismissed all together. The other car I raced, he just got 6 months of driving probation and he didnt even have a lawyer. He walked in and pled NO CONTEST lol.

 

[BronzeGod]

thanks for the help people, hopefully this wont be too bad,

i had no idea that florida was getting this pumped up about street racing

Yea, the law is a bit stiff, but the law is the law. If one is dissatisfied by the current laws, send a letter to the state legislature.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I have been in this situation and so have a few of my friends. Just get a lawyer and let them handle it. The cop witnessed me and the other car stop, block traffic, warm up the tires and make a run through the marked 1/4, my case got dismissed. Also, 5 of my other friends have also had their cases dismissed. Dont let the officers scare you, this law is very subjective, and unless they have it on tape to prove that you were racing, it will most likely get dropped to a $100 careless driving ticket or dismissed all together. The other car I raced, he just got 6 months of driving probation and he didnt even have a lawyer. He walked in and pled NO CONTEST lol.

Give us a break. The only way your "story" is even plausible is if it occurred at the point in time when Florida's "racing" statute was determined unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court. Consequentially, it was rewritten and has been determined constitutional.

 

[ralliart16]

Because lying always makes things better.

Well in this case no one would "get hurt" from this lie. I wonder if the officer even straight out asked him if he knew the other person, or the kid was just afraid and said something like "me and my friend were just messing around".

 

[FordSVTFan]

Well in this case no one would "get hurt" from this lie.

Unless the court finds out about the lie, which happens all the time. Remember a secret isnt a secret if anyone other than you knows. There were two people in one car and at least one in the other. That is three people that know the truth. One of those people was caught, and he will undergo an interrogation and he will be given an incentive to tell the truth.

Lies in court have a very unique way of coming out.