Oregon Judge busted...loses license for 30 days

[pwd72s]

Guys, as I've posted before, Oregon has new speeding laws. This column proves that it doesn't matter who you are or what you're driving. Following is a cut & paste of a column in the 7 January 2007 OREGONIAN:



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Major stupid and Judge Kurshner
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Back in October, Oregon State Police nailed Michael Jay Mitchell, 19, for piloting his '99 Toyota Corolla at 117 mph as he flew into Gresham westbound on U.S. 26.

On an afternoon in December, an unmarked patrol car tracked Paula Jean Kurshner, 60, jetting through Wood Village on Interstate 84 at 103 mph.

On a fatal morning back in April, a high-speed . . .

Wait a minute.

Paula Kurshner? The Honorable Paula Kurshner? University of Oregon grad? Lewis & Clark Law School? Multnomah County Circuit judge?

The one and only. Going one-oh-three in her Audi A4.

I've never gone 103. A quarter-century ago, I took an Alfa Spider up over 90 on the wind-swept plains of west Texas. I'm comfortable passing semis in the high 80s in California's San Joaquin Valley.

But 103? Not even when team manager John Dick sent me out in one of those DeAtley Camaros at Portland International Raceway back in the day did I push the pedal to 103.

According to the state police, that means I'm increasingly out of fashion. In the first six months of 2006, OSP troopers cited 258 drivers for touring the state at speeds of 100 mph or higher. Eighteen speed freaks pushed the needle past 116.

More than half the drivers cited were 24 or younger; 80 percent were male. Kurshner may be close to the state record for her gender in the senior division. Since January 2005, OSP has cited only one other woman 60 or older moving at these speeds.

"I have no explanation," Kurshner said last week, noting that she was in no particular hurry. "I was out in the gorge. I was driving too fast. I made a mistake. I know that that happens. It just has never happened to me."

Kurshner's driving history supports her claim. I could find no record of a parking ticket, much less another speeding violation.

And give Kurshner credit. She didn't pull a Greg Smith. Back in 2002, the Republican legislator from Heppner was snared zipping through a 20-mph school zone at more than double the legal limit.

Smith responded like, well, a third-grader. "He told the officers that he was a legislator and on his way to the Capitol," said Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer, a Salem police spokesman, "and that they didn't have the authority to stop him because of legislative immunity."

Kurshner pleaded no contest to her speeding ticket and a second violation for "following too close." In her letter to the court, the judge admitted "it could be proven that I was going over 30 miles over the posted speed," but added, "I do not believe I was going over 100 miles per hour."

She further noted, "There were no cars around me, and I do not believe that I was following anyone too closely." However, Kurshner said, "I have decided not to contest this matter due to my occupation."

"You know," Kurshner told me, "I have cases in juvenile court where kids do something out of the ordinary and where I say, 'I hope this is major stupid and it will never happen again.'

"This was major stupid. It will never happen again."

Owing to a year-old state law that targets drivers who top 100 and keep on truckin', Kurshner was fined $1,182 -- of a maximum $1,345 -- by Judge Pro Tem Terry Hannon, and her license was suspended for 30 days. "If I have public enemy No. 1, I give them the full 90-day suspension," Hannon said. "She had a perfectly clean driving record."

Well, she did. Now, she has a show-stopping speeding citation and a stinging sense of regret. As the trooper walked away, Kurshner said, she wasn't focused on the fine or the embarrassment: "I just remember thinking this is really stupid. Other than that, there's not much more I can say."

Steve Duin: 503-221-8597; 1320 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 steveduin@news.oregonian.com http://steveduin.blogs.oregonlive.com

You know, having a high performance car in Oregon just isn't the fun it was back when we had a "basic rule" speed law...

[CurtEgerer]

>>>>I've never gone 103. A quarter-century ago, I took an Alfa Spider up over 90 on the wind-swept plains of west Texas.<<<<<

Wow, what a daredevil!

[pwd72s]

Curt, definitely...this columnist represents the rampant socialism, er, liberalism that rules Oregon these days. He's one of the columnists I love to hate...

[efhughes3]

What a homo. The guy that wrote that piece.

[efhughes3]

We had a columnist here that wrote about getting tired of speeders and aggressive drivers. He cited one time being in the fast lane on a local tollroad when the guy behind him honked his horn and flashed his lights, he then stated that he was going the speed limit, and that he didn't feel like moving over. EXCUSE ME, his type is one of the reasons there ARE aggresive drivers!

[Flatbutt1]

Originally posted by efhughes3
...he then stated that he was going the speed limit, and that he didn't feel like moving over....

Not to mention laws requiring drivers to stay right and only use the left for passing.

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by efhughes3
What a homo. The guy that wrote that piece.

He's not a homo. He is merely the typical, whining, liberal, Prius driving, self important twit that inhabit the major cities of the North West. We got gobs of them in Seattle. Their wives keep their nuts in a box.

[efhughes3]

He could be a homo not that there is anything wrong with that.

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by HardDrive
He's not a homo. He is merely the typical, whining, liberal, Prius driving, self important twit that inhabit the major cities of the North West. We got gobs of them in Seattle. Their wives keep their nuts in a box.

Too True! Alas, these are the type in the driver's seat here. I often think of moving. But are there any conservative states left?

(edit) One thing I'm enjoying here? So far, nobody has blasted the Judge for doing 103 in an A-4.

[m21sniper]

FROM ARTICLE:
I've never gone 103. A quarter-century ago, I took an Alfa Spider up over 90 on the wind-swept plains of west Texas. I'm comfortable passing semis in the high 80s in California's San Joaquin Valley.

But 103? Not even when team manager John Dick sent me out in one of those DeAtley Camaros at Portland International Raceway back in the day did I push the pedal to 103.

So you're a wus cuz, i wouldnt brag about it...

[m21sniper]

Originally posted by efhughes3
We had a columnist here that wrote about getting tired of speeders and aggressive drivers. He cited one time being in the fast lane on a local tollroad when the guy behind him honked his horn and flashed his lights, he then stated that he was going the speed limit, and that he didn't feel like moving over.

Do that on the autobahn and the polezei will fine your asss off.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by Flatbutt1
Not to mention laws requiring drivers to stay right and only use the left for passing.

Exactly. What they are doing is as much against the law as speeding. When they are issued a badge then they can *****, otherwise move over and let the faster traffic flow.

[pwd72s]

Hmmm...I'm thinking of sending the columnist a link to this thread.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by efhughes3
....He cited one time being in the fast lane on a local tollroad when the guy behind him honked his horn and flashed his lights, he then stated that he was going the speed limit, and that he didn't feel like moving over. ...

Actually, honking or flashing lights in OR are part of the definition of an aggressive driving statute in the state. You can be reported and fined.

Nice to see that the judge didn't try to get out of it.

Must have been a black audi wagon. That car just makes you do stuff that's naughty.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by pwd72s
"I have no explanation," Kurshner said last week, noting that she was in no particular hurry. "I was out in the gorge. I was driving too fast. I made a mistake. I know that that happens. It just has never happened to me."

"Never happened to me"??!! Does anyone else see the denial of responsibility in this? Nothing happened to her. While I laud her actually taking some level of responsibility, this king of attitude kind of rubs me the wrong way. Oh no, it wasn't a concious decision that she made to break the law, but rather something that happened to her. And I bet this has only happened to her just this once. Uh huh...

Kurshner's driving history supports her claim. I could find no record of a parking ticket, much less another speeding violation.

No ***** it supports her claim. Lots of judges have squeaky clean driving records. So do lots of cops. Funny how that works.

[m21sniper]

It is funny how that works, aint it Jeff?

Hell i get let go sometimes when i'm working ("Oh, you're a repossessor, OK, stay safe man."), and i'm not even a cop. Not that i'm complaining, when the courtesy is extended your way, it's really friggin' great.

One time a few years back when i used to do some surveillance work(the most boring job i've ever had) for a PI buddy of mine i got let go twice in 20 minutes in NJ doing 90 in a 55 zone because i was trying to beat a subject i'd lost to his next known stop. I couldn't believe it as Jersey cops have a reputation for being total ball-breakers. About two months ago my old repo partner who's now a philly cop was in NJ with my brother in law riding quads out in the pine barrens, and some cops took it upon themselves to roust them. Well, my Brother in law did get a ticket, and my ex partner did not.

I wonder why...

[pwd72s]

Like the old tale from the 1960's...a young Texas state cop, patrolling a lonely highway, got passed by a Caddy rolling well over 100. He pulled it over....the driver rolled down the tinted window. It was LBJ behind the wheel. Rookie cop: "Oh, my God!"
LBJ: "And don't you forget it!" Window rolled back up, Caddy drove away.

[Moneyguy1]

"Cop didn't see it...I didn't do it...."

G. Carlin