DPS Stop near Luling. Is this typical?

[puma guy]

I got my questions answered satisfactorily, but I have run across additional issues with my citation. I filled out the request i received with the citation for Defensive Driving 5 days after receiving the ticket to the address listed for the JP in Luling via return receipt mail. I got comfirmation but never heard back so I called them several times. Finally got someone to pickup about 3 weeks later and asked if I was approved for DD. Clerk says they are behind and haven't looked at my request and they have 90 days after court date to get it done. She told me I could go ahead and take the DD unless I am ineligible, which, I did. I did finally receive my application paper work from the court. The problem is this, when I looked at the application for DD the information for the court is different than what was on the citation. (the trooper didn't enter the correct court info on the ticket) We were to by the instructor to enter the court info of the ticket for our certificates. Mine has a nonexistent JP court precinct in Caldwell County listed on it. The instructor was very emphatic about having proper info on the form for the Driving Safety Course Uniform Certificate of Completion and told stories of people being stopped and finding out the state never dismissed their ticket and had warrants out for them becuase of some minor error on the form and thus the certificate. I am hesitant to send my certificate in since it's in error. I guess I get to go to Luling and try to resolve this.

[jocat54]

I know this is a older thread, but I got to reading it all and might be confused (not unusual ) but you said you had to speedup to pass a couple of slow moving vehicles (I immediately thought 2 lane highway) and then said you were on I10. Why would you have to speed up to pass on the interstate? I know I'm missing something, thought I would just ask.

[puma guy]

I know this is a older thread, but I got to reading it all and might be confused (not unusual ) but you said you had to speedup to pass a couple of slow moving vehicles (I immediately thought 2 lane highway) and then said you were on I10. Why would you have to speed up to pass on the interstate? I know I'm missing something, thought I would just ask.

I left out a lot in my original post. There was long raft of traffic being held up by two cars driving side by side. There were a couple of vehicles in front of me and whole long line behind us. This had been going on for about 10 miles. Theyd' go 60 then 65 and then back again. To make matters worse there was a Crew -cab Dually Chevy truck pulling a big van trailer about 20-25 ft long driving on the shoulder (no flashers I might add). We were coming up on him in the distance. When the opportunity finally arose the vehicles in front of me were able to get around I started moving up. I had a vehicle on my tail ( actually a whole line) as I worked my way up to pass and I accelerated. I interpret passing as gaining enough speed to go around a vehicle expeditiously, not overtaking by slowly paralleling and I was glad to be finally be getting past so I factor in that I was a little irked and factor in that I drive a 2009 Tundra with "drive by wire accelerator" that's very touchy. It's easy to forget old habits when you had to floor it to get into passing gear and I was going faster than I intended. I was signalling and moving to the right lane when I came upon the DPS. I looked down and I saw the needle just over 80 and new I was caught since I presented the only target for the radar. None of this excuses it but those are the facts. It was my behavior that led to the ticket.
Of course all the traffic behind me saw it and slowed down. It took a while for her to get on the highway and she had to sceedadle and was weaving in and out of traffic to get to me. I have gone back to where it happened and noted we actually travelled 3 miles before she lit me up. She never even saw the Chevy coming up the shoulder about the time she nodded and told me to move in front of her car which I of course questioned. She let me stay where I was which was already several feet away from her. The truck went around and got back onto the shoulder. I just signed the ticket when she said to, took my copy, got in my truck and watched her make a hard right off the shoulder onto and across the grassy median to the frontage road as I waited for a clear spot to enter traffic with her lights off. When I came upon the Chevy he was still on the shoulder and I noticed he had no trailer plates nor a front plate on the truck, couldn't get a look at the rear. The trailer had some BBQ outfit painted on the side and a Texas Flag so I assume it was a Texas vehicle. He may still be driving to wherever he was going

[srothstein]

Before you go back to Luling, I would call the court and explain the problem. judge Horne has always been pretty reasonable with cases I was involved in. I admit I am not a specialist on the DD part of getting out of a ticket, but I have never heard of the problem you describe with the certificate. If it helps, it is going to be a little different everywhere since it is not the state that dismisses the ticket, but the local court. It is not unreasonable to think that one local court is strict while another is more reasonable on things like that.

And if you do come to Luling, let me know when. If I am home, I can be talked into going out to meet another forum member pretty easily.

[puma guy]

Before you go back to Luling, I would call the court and explain the problem. judge Horne has always been pretty reasonable with cases I was involved in. I admit I am not a specialist on the DD part of getting out of a ticket, but I have never heard of the problem you describe with the certificate. If it helps, it is going to be a little different everywhere since it is not the state that dismisses the ticket, but the local court. It is not unreasonable to think that one local court is strict while another is more reasonable on things like that.

And if you do come to Luling, let me know when. If I am home, I can be talked into going out to meet another forum member pretty easily.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give them a call. I have no point of reference for the process. The instructor was emphatic about correct info and offered the anecdote about having incorrect court listing. Judge Horne is Precint 2 and the ticket said Precint 21, but just JP, no name. If I get up there I'll be sure to send you a PM before I come.