A California teen (I like CA, but am not surprised at all the origin of this story) got stopped by a police officer for doing 62 in a 40. Mommy and stepdaddy went to fight it in court because of the GPS unit they installed in their kid’s car stated he was going 45 in nearly the same location.
The court decided sided with law enforcement based on mathematics. Given the distance between the two points that the GPS unit recorded the speed and location (one of which was at a stop light), as well as the speed the officer clocked him at they decided the kid had to have exceeded the speed limit. The best part is that the GPS unit actually gave the court more information to uphold the ticket.
[Sonoma County (CA) court commissioner] Bonilla ruled the GPS data confirmed the prosecution’s contention that Malone had to have exceeded the speed limit.
“The mathematics confirm this,” she wrote.
Priceless. It’s been a two-year battle over $190.00. So the kid will have to pay the money – not really. Mommy is going to pay it. So the kid learns no responsibility in this situation. The irony is that his stepfather is a retired Lt with a local sheriff’s office. Um…what? And their attorney actually questioned the accuracy of the radar…um, what? A link to the kid’s MySpace (where he lies and states he’s 23) shows he’s spoiled…no surprises, really.
Via /. , Press Democrat

