Complaint Review: California Highway Patrol

I accidently ended up in the carpool lane and got myself out, but it was too late and got pulled over by a CHP officer that had just finished ticketing someone else so was pulled off the road. I decided to fight this and ended up in traffic court with the officer. I am sorry to say that the officer either blatantly lied or for some reason decided to present some errant facts, such as:

1) I was in the carpool lane when he pulled up behind me (I wasn't...how would he remember anyway?)

2) I passed 50 or 60 cars while in this lane (hmmmm, now how did he track that if he was pulled off the road and only saw me IN the lane as I passed him?)

I was so stunned at his blatantly incorrect statements that I didn't really say much else in court...I couldn't believe he would say such things with such certainty.

It did occur to me that it would not look good for an officer to submit a ticket and have it overturned, so it would make sense that he would present an open-and-shut case, but PLEASE JUST KNOW that if you are going to court to fight a ticket and the officer does show up, he very well might say whatever is necessary to ensure he doesn't look bad, and unfortunately I'm witness that at least one officer is willing to compromise his integrity in the process.

Drmess
Rohnert Park CA, California
U.S.A.