Was this Tesla Cybertruck targeted by the Georgia State Patrol?
"I was given a 'super-speeder' ticket in Georgia. The State Patrol officer said I was going 89 mph when my Tesla Cybertruck was on cruise control at 82 mph. Now, I risk losing my license."
Brantley May says that in a Tesla Cybertruck Owner's Facebook post. He thinks the Georgia State Patrol unjustly targeted him for speeding excessively in his Tesla Cybertruck. Check out his story, and let us know what you think.
First, imagine driving your Tesla Cybertruck on a rural interstate highway in Georgia, and you have your cruise control set at 82 miles per hour. However, the speed limit is 70 miles per hour.
You spot a State Patrol car ahead of you in the left lane, and it's going the same speed as you are. The officer pulls into the right lane to let you pass him. After you pass him, he returns to the left lane, turns his lights on, and pulls you over.
Now, the State Patrol officer says you are going 89 miles per hour and gives you a "super-speeder" ticket, anything over 85 miles per hour. However, your cruise was set at 82 mph. You risk losing your license if you don't pay the ticket and the extra fine.
Was the Patrol officer's radar malfunctioning, or was this a case of a Tesla Cybertruck being unfairly targeted by the Georgia State Patrol? Brantley's story certainly raises some questions.
Here is what Brantley says.
"I'm driving through Georgia, and this officer gave me a ticket for going 89 miles per hour, but we are going the same speed. I will show you what happens in my dash cam video."
"The Georgia State Patrol car brakes and slows to leave the passing lane. So, I thought, okay, that's nice, he's getting out of the passing lane, and I'm on cruise control by the way. It's set at 82 miles per hour. So, I'm maintaining the same speed. I'm not speeding up or changing speeds."
"Soon after, the officer turned his lights on and pulled me over. So, the officer is behind me, my Cybertyruck is on autopilot, and I still have it on cruise control, at 82 miles per hour. "
"He comes up to my window, and the officer tells me I was going 89 miles per hour, and anything in Georgia over 85 miles per hour is considered a 'super-speeder' fine."
"I said, No, I was on cruise control, going 82 miles per hour, being honest, so I was going 82, but he refuted that and said no, you were going 89 mph. He explained that my super-speeder fine means paying an additional fine since I was doing an excessive speed."
"If I don't pay it, my license will be suspended, and a warrant will be out for my arrest. So, I’m like sheesh, okay."
Brantley Calculated His Speed Using His Dash Cam Video
"So, what I did, was to just calculate how fast I was going using the video footage from my truck. So, I calculated my speed based on the 40-foot distance between the end of each white divider line on the highway from end to end and how long it takes to travel between them."
"I passed the first line that's 40 ft, the second 80 ft, and the third line 120 ft. It took exactly one second. If you do the math, 120 feet in one second is 81.8 miles per hour. So, I was only going 82 miles per hour."
Does Brantley Pay the Fine or Fight It In Court?
"Now, I have to drive back up to Georgia to present my case or I can just pay the ticket or have my license suspended and a warrant out for my arrest.
What is the speed limit in Georgia on a rural interstate divided highway?
The speed limit in Georgia is 70 miles per hour on a rural interstate, 65 miles per hour on an urban interstate or a multi-lane divided highway, and 55 miles per hour in all other areas.
Brantley was driving his Tesla Cybertruck on a rural interstate highway, so he was going 12 miles per hour over the legal speed limit. He admits to that. However, he was going 82 miles per hour.
What is a "super-speeder" fine in Georgia?
The super speeder fine in Georgia is an extra $200 penalty added to speeding tickets. This fine is assessed in addition to any other fines and court costs related to the initial speeding violation. Super speeders are drivers exceeding 75 mph on a two-lane road or 85 mph on any other road or highway. So, the officer was being truthful with Brantley.
However, the officer's radar did not calculate his speed correctly, or Brantley was targeted because he was driving a Tesla Cybertruck. What do you think?
Conclusion
The Georgia State Patrol baited Branley. The officer pulled over to let the Cybertruck pass him. This was Branley's first mistake. He should have slowed to the legal speed limit, 70 miles per hour, and pulled into the slower traffic lane.
Branley's second mistake was to pass the officer, not slow down, and he maintained his speed, which was 12 miles per hour over the speed limit. Any State Patrol officer will think you are either flagrantly disobeying the speed limit or not paying attention to what's happening around you.
Passing a State Patrol officer when speeding is just asking for trouble. Arguing with him was his third mistake after he passed the officer and did not even attempt to slow down.
Does Brantley have a case where he can prove he wasn't going 89 miles per hour?
He probably does, but it will take a day in court, hiring an attorney, and paying the extra court costs. Brantley should bite the bullet and pay the additional $200 super-speeder fine and $150 for going 19 mph over the posted speed limit. So, he'll have a $350 speeding ticket plus the additional court costs related to the initial speeding violation.
So, it was an expensive lesson for Brantley.
The Georgia State Patrol officer claims Brantley was speeding at 89 miles per hour, a significant violation leading to a 'super-speeder' ticket. However, Brantley insists his cruise control was set at 82 mph. The stakes are high, with Brantley risking his license and being arrested if he doesn't pay the fine.
In the Facebook post comments, Mark Gabriel Martinez says, “Scenarios like this are just better not to push your luck with law enforcement (even though you were going with the flow of traffic or above the speed limit a bit). I’d slow down to the speed limit or less than 4 mph above. Not worth the trouble and wasted money.”
Brantley says, “I agree! I was being a little cocky and it backfired.”
What Do You Think?
Was Branley targeted because he drives a Tesla Cybertruck? Click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know your thoughts.
Check out my Tesla Cybertruck story: My Tesla Cybertruck Just Drove Itself Back To the Dealer Because of the Heavy Debt I Owe, Come Back Cybertruck
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl
Comments
The speed limit is 70.
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The speed limit is 70.
So, literally this exact…
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So, literally this exact same thing happened to me (other than driving a Tesla) and I vowed I would never return to Georgia. The truth is Georgia is an extremely poor state, and they target out of state vehicle for this bogus “super speeder” thing which is real. It’s all a money making scheme for the state, that’s all it is, a racket. The best (and only real course of action) is to contact a lawyer in state and have them handle your case. They will get it pled down to a non moving violation, and you will likely just pay a fine plus the lawyer fees. My lawyer explained that this is an every day occurance.
Anyone PASSING a State…
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Anyone PASSING a State Trooper while, admittedly, going 12 miles over the speed limit, deserves whatever he gets. Betting on a technicality to get 7 mph dropped off the ticket is a sucker bet.
The guy was speeding. He…
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The guy was speeding. He passed a state trooper while speeding. He then had the nerve to argue with the trooper. What did he think was going to happen? This guy has a warped sense of reality. Apparently he thinks that because he drives a CyberTruck, the police have to look the other way while he breaks the law right in front of them. He made a lot of bad decisions starting with buying a CyberTruck, but it was the bad decisions he made afterwards that got him into trouble.
The guy was speeding. He…
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The guy was speeding. He passed a state trooper while speeding. He then had the nerve to argue with the trooper. What did he think was going to happen? This guy has a warped sense of reality. Apparently he thinks that because he drives a CyberTruck, the police have to look the other way while he breaks the law right in front of them. He made a lot of bad decisions starting with buying a CyberTruck, but it was the bad decisions he made afterwards that got him into trouble.
Why are the options only "…
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Why are the options only " he was targeted or the police radar was faulty?" Tesla's electronics couldn't possibly be faulty as a reasonable 3rd option...assuming the story is accurate. No! It's purely the fault of the Trooper and not the guy who is already admitting that he was intentionally breaking the law BY AT LEAST 12 mph or faulty Tesla electronics. There is not a lot of sympathy for a guy who is already foolishly engaging in criminal behavior as defined by the laws of Georgia. This will also be the last time I read a crappy article from this site. You could have tried to give reason and fairness a shot!
He should have received a…
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He should have received a ticket because he was speeding. Admittedly, the officer's radar could be incorrect, but so could the Cybertruck's cruise control. Anything mechanical can fail - even a Tesla. Pay the money and don't exceed the speed limit if you don't want a ticket again.
All I can say is, speeding…
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All I can say is, speeding in a Swastikarr, got nabbed.
More likely targeted because…
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More likely targeted because he was stupid, and passed a cop while speeding. Cops tend to be pretty right wing, so I doubt he cared Brantley was driving a CT.
Man... what a set on this…
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Man... what a set on this guy to knowingly pass ANY enforcement officer while ALSO speeding. Youngns gotta learn (I never did that, but i was cocky and thought I could outthink The Man too at a certain age, so I understand). Tough lesson... I'd bite the bullet and cut your losses... too much risk to drive down for court.
Best of luck.
Your comments about how he…
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Your comments about how he messed up are correct. He should have slowed to the speed limit after seeing the cop. He didn't. 82 mph is still 12 over the speed limit. Can he prove he wasn't going 89 mph, sure. Will it still be a ticket? Yes. There's a lesson to be learned here, which the guy should've learned by the time he could afford a 100k vehicle. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
One other possibility is…
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One other possibility is that the cyber truck speed was calculated at 82mph incorrectly. Putting that aside, it is possible the police officer was pacing the cyber truck speed when it was behind him. Either way, the cyber truck continued to speed whether at 82mph or 85mph…you aren’t going to get out of it. As far as targeting the cyber truck…please….nobody wants to look at or pay attention to those ugly things.
Ask for a trial by jury and…
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Ask for a trial by jury and it'll get thrown out, if not due to the high cost of one, surely because the deputy will either be on duty and no show at the trial everyday or because he's off duty and won't waste his personal time. If both of those just happen to fail, take your dash cam footage or other recordings and if not thrown out altogether, it'll be reduced to something you can pay and walk away, same day. GOOD LUCK!
$150 89mph ticket + $200…
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$150 89mph ticket + $200 super speeder + 3 insurance points vs $100 82mph ticket + 200 attorney fees + no points.
He was speeding if he was…
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He was speeding if he was doing 82 MPH in a 70 MPH speed zone.
If you have money and low…
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If you have money and low self esteem and decide to buy a CyberTruck because you think that makes you cool, then you can pay any fine law enforcement decides to give you. That's the 'idiot tax' for purchasing that particular Tesla vehicle.
Pro tip; get a gps app on…
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Pro tip; get a gps app on your phone to double check against your speedometer. Also if you got bigger tires than stock your Speedo will read lower than you are actually going. I recently had my Speedo set on cruise for 125 km/h in northern Alberta, and the prick cops in Fox Creek gave me a ticket saying I was going 150km/h. Paid 5 mins later. Hard to argue with cops when they’re Rebel Ridging you.
request the detailed…
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request the detailed telemetry from Tesla and use it as evidence in your case. You'll have Tesla cam footage, throttle percentages, gps speed data, braking data, etc.
If you can afford a tesla…
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If you can afford a tesla truck you can afford a ticket so slow down and stop complaining.
82, even on cruise control,…
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82, even on cruise control, in my opinion, is too fast anyways when the speed is 70. 77 would have been my stretch. 89 being clocked at is way too fast, doesn't matter what officer was doing, the fact you're even willing to pass a cop going 12 over (supposedly) is bravery. Good luck though!
Crimes and torts require…
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Crimes and torts require actual victims and actual damage. No victim, no damage, no crime, no tort. For profit selective prosecution achieved by infringing on the common law right to travel without interference lawfully retained via the 9th amendment, and lawfully exercised via the 1st, 2nd and 10th amendments, amounts to nothing more than highway robbery under the color of law.
In all likelihood the…
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In all likelihood the officer did not use radar he simply paced you comparing your speed to that on his Vehicles speedometer. Now could his Vehicles speedometer be off of course and is there a margin of error for the Tesla using cruise control? Probably. Save yourself the headache pay the fine slow your roll and you're only at risk on your license if you've got a history of these tickets for speeding good luck to you I doubt that Elon can be subpoenaed to come and testify that there is a margin of error nor would he want to admit such a thing but everything has a margin of error
Cruise control set to 12…
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Cruise control set to 12 over is dumb. Arguing with trooper in this scenario was dumber. Finally, passing Trooper at 82 in a 70 was dumbest.
Cybertruck owners are losing…
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Cybertruck owners are losing grip on reality to even question if this was targeted. Dude passed a state trooper going 12mph over the speed limit, but still ponders if he's the victim. I like the CT, but it's literally a cult of personality at this point.
Lawyers show up without…
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Lawyers show up without their clients for speeding tickets all the time. He should hire a lawyer that practices in that jurisdiction to argue the case for 82 and expect to still owe some fine.
Dispute it in court or do…
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Dispute it in court or do what I do and just pay. Depends whether you value time or money more. I feel like I made poor use of my time reading and commenting.
Absolutely do not pay it…
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Absolutely do not pay it. That's why he got the ticket in the first place. They know ppl would rather pay the fine.
I had a similar situation happen to me, and I told the officer that my phone records my speed in real time and I have proof that she was wrong. She ended up giving me a "fix it ticket" which in Oregon you can take a 45min online course to have the ticket dropped. I'm sure if this guy pulls the data log for that day and takes it to court, the excessive amount would be dropped. Lawyers are not required for traffic violations unless there was a crime attached. Anyone who's ever had a ticket knows that you show up to traffic court with everyone else who was cited that day, and pray the officer doesn't show up. If they don't it's dropped, and if they do, you submit your case to the judge. The data logs of that time of day is enough to prove your innocence.
Get speedometer checked out…
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Get speedometer checked out and take it to court. Sounds to me like they're just picking on Teslas. I 'll bet he was just keeping up with traffic. Just an observation.
I live in Georgia. You set…
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I live in Georgia. You set your cruise to 7 (no more than 8) over and you're fine. They don't stop you for 77. Even if he was only doing 82 and not 89 they're stopping him. It's the unofficial rule that 7 over isn't worth it to them but super speeders are. Passing one is silly though.
Rule #1 NEVER pass a cop at…
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Rule #1 NEVER pass a cop at ant speed.
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