[BK911]

So I am driving home from a buddy’s house about 3am. Nobody is on the road except me. I am probably doing about 35 in a 30. In my rearview I see a car at an extremely high rate of speed catching up to me pretty quick and before I know it he is right on my bumper. So close that I can’t even see his headlights. I am on a one lane road and about ¼ mile ahead the road gains another lane. I don’t know what this dudes problem is, so I speed up a little to get to the two lanes so I can get out of his way. As soon as the 2nd lane appears, I get in the right lane to let this butthead go around me. He doesn’t and stays right on my bumper. I get a red light and have the chance to get a look at this guy. It’s a cop. As soon as the light turns green I go and he pulls me over. He ends up giving me a "break" and gives me a ticket for “failure to obey a traffic control device – speed limit sign.” $40 fine and no points. I explain to him that the only reason I sped up was to get out of his way. No luck, I still get the ticket.

$40 is no big deal, but it’s the principle of the thing. I take it to court and explain exactly what happened to this so called “judge.” The judge, in his infinite wisdom, ends up giving me a $220 fine and an order to attend an 8 hour defensive driving class. I find it ironic that I have to take a defensive driving course because I was trying to avoid a conflict.

Of course I am completely baffled by the judge’s complete lack of reason and am considering appealing his decision. I feel I was almost coerced into breaking the law by the police officer. I felt my safety was at risk so I was trying to avoid conflict by getting out of the way of a potential belligerent drunk driver.

In hind sight I should have just paid the $40 but it’s too late now. If I appeal it, will hind sight tell me I should have just paid the $220 and attended the traffic school?

The guy before me was about 60 years old and was there for a 30 in a 25. It was his first offense ever. The judge gave him the full fine and ordered he attend the traffic school as well. I am considering doing an investigation on the judge to see if I can inconvenience his life somehow.

What can I do? What should I do?