Calif.'s new 'Move Over' Law.take it very seriously

In case you've not incorporated this into your thinking yet, better do so immediately. I don't know if the fines will be uniform throughout the state, but in Contra Costa County at least, the fine seems to be $754, plus 3 points against your record and a mandatory court appearance according to an e-mail I received this a.m. To my knowledge, the fine was to be $50. I received an E-mail this a.m. from someone in Contra Costa County (on Pleasant Hill) that her son recently got a ticket for not moving over one lane.There were two police cars pulled over giving a ticket and the second one pulled out behind her son immediately when he had not moved over. Sounds as though they were waiting to target someone. I think the law should apply to anyone stopped at the side of the road, not just police and emergency vehicles..you would think that common sense would prevail, but sometimes common sense is a rare thing....

From the handbook:

"Roadside emergency" would cover anyone, I think, but the law was probably prompted by increased deaths of emergency personnel. It's usually a responder who dies, unfortunately, not the driver who was stuck (though I'm sure there are some cases).

The fines are buried deep but are available online. That one seems high - I wonder if they compounded it in some way by adding another infraction? Poor guy. Expensive way to learn the system.

It's actually been in effect for a while but was amended to become permanent and to add Caltrans workers as of Oct 2009, when a Caltrans worker was killed while tree-trimming.

If on a multi-lane roadway, drivers are required to pull into the lane to the right; if a single-lane (one lane each direction) then you're required to slow down as you pass.

There have been so many cases of drivers fixing a flat, or a good Samaritan stopping to help where peole have been killed...even just walking along the road is hazardous as your eye is drawn to something along the road and without realizing it, your vehicle follows your eye. We had a man here in town who used to walk for miles, everyone knew him and he pretty much followed the same route daily...hit by a car for that very reason. It happens all of the time.

My husband's cousin's (they live in NoCal) son (16-years-old) got the dreaded $754 ticket and 3 points on his record!

DH thought I was nuts when I did change lanes, upon seeing a car broken down on the side of the road. I told him it was the law. Seeing as how I had just studied the new Driver's Handbook before getting my license renewed, I remembered that. My problem is that people won't let you over to the other lane. So many don't even slow down. No wonder I hate driving on the freeways.
Just be safe. Be considerate.
I think it's a good idea whenever possible, for safety of everyone. Then again my BFF's Dad was a CalTrans worker. We were always happy when he came home safe. The things they found on the side of the road were amazing. So much trash!
Besides, it' just plain common sense, and the courteous thing to do, what if it was a member of your family? Wouldn't you want to have the people providing emergency care to be safe enough to do their job?
Be safe!
WIB!
SW

It's a very good law...but they should have to move over for any ememrgency on the side of the road.

I had a friend that stopped to help a lady with a flat tire...he was hit and died later. Good Samaritan! Jo

Glad to see this! I had not heard about it. Just today on the dangerous 880 thru Oakland the traffic was so slowed for several miles. I finally got to the accident just about 200 feet before I wanted to exit. None of us moved over. Though there was no room to move over if we had wanted to. The traffic was at a slow crawl and a lane was already taken with the accident and emergency vehicles. I wonder what you are supposed to do then? Maybe just all of us going so slowly was good enough?

Good question Kell. I was wondering the same thing. Although, if emergency personnel are on scene, they usually direct traffic.
I think that we should stop until someone lets us in the other lane, but we'd probably get someone slamming into us. Given how rude people are about letting others change lanes, it's hard to say.
You were planning to exit right after the accident. I'd have gone on to the next exit and then doubled back. I haven't seen it often but I have seen emergency personnel shut down the offramps to expedite their arrival to an accident scene.
I do stop and make others stop for the school buses, emergency vehicles and really dumb teenagers who don't bother to look before walking into the road. Their parents are just as bad. I can't believe that they park in the fire lane, talk about nightmare traffic.
I guess I should could complain again. Especially about the lady on the corner across the street from the high school, who has blocked the parking on the frontage which is city owned, by building a berm and planting very large rocks on top of it.
It creates an unsafe condition for those of us who park there, and for the kids who are walking home. Most of them are forced to walk in the street or "trespass" onto her property to get to where it is safe.
Gee, if you don't like the traffic, don't buy a house across the street from the high school! I just realized that her fence is over the property line, and should end where her neighbor's chain link fence does.
I guess she's not so happy about all the rain, but if she'd left her dirt where it was, her yard wouldn't have flooded.
Sorry to get off topic, but I am concerned about the safety of those in our community.
I think in my newspaper that there is a column where you can write and ask questions about what to do in certain situations. It would be good to know what to do. Does your paper have any thing similar? I wonder if the DMV does?
Hmmm!
WIB!
SW

DH always says the biggest problem with traffic is that so many people drive with no thought to any other living thing. MY road, MY lane, MY car...

Oh, well, 'they' are that way about everything......