Rep. Cary Allred said a speeding ticket issued five days after he was stopped is a case of "reverse favoritism."
"I'm being singled out to give a ticket to five days after the fact because I'm a legislator," Allred said. "It seems like, you know somebody is going to great lengths to embarrass me."
Allred was stopped about 6 p.m. near the split of interstates 40 and 85. He said he had accellerated to make sure he was in the correct lane to stay on Interstate 40. Allred's car didn't have the license plate that would identify him as a House member.
"The officer asked me why was I going so fast," Allred said. "And I said I'm trying to get to the legislative building so I can vote."
The trooper then asked for identification beyond Allred's driver's license and Allred showed his legislative ID.
"He wanted to verify that I had a good reason for going over the speed limit," Allred said.
Allred was about 42 miles from Raleigh and had about 45 minutes before the House session began.
The officer, who had apparently clocked Allred at 102 miles an hour in a 65 zone let Allred go.
"He said, 'Would you please slow down.'"
Allred said he intended to consult a lawyer about the ticket. "I'm going to probably challenge it," he said.
Comments
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
October 4, 2009 - 8:02pm — ryantechWas he driving while impaired, over .08 bac? roaring along at 102 mph is pretty scary. Maybe instead of single lawyer, he should hire a consultant to help him.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 13, 2009 - 10:26am — KryptonicWhat is it with this paper's hysterics over speeding? By its own statistics there are fewer than 6 fatal accidents for 10,000 ticketed speeders in North Carolina and that was _before_ this paper tried to get everyone all ginned up on the issue. . .
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 9, 2009 - 10:22am — Isaac136Except, onejrfan, he isn't a child, and the law isn't Mommy.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 8, 2009 - 8:53pm — onejrfanI think 102mph is too fast. But I do know the man and can safely say he is a very giving and helpful guy. He is still human though, and lets be real here... we have all made mistakes from time to time. AS for the ticket, if he didn't get it then, he should not have gotten it later. You don't punish a child 5 days after they mess up. same here I think.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 4, 2009 - 1:00pm — j1c2kpIf Allred is claiming reverse favoritism, is he telling us that there is favoritism for legislators?
Which of course we know there is...
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 4, 2009 - 12:49pm — HurricaneHustler"Allred's car didn't have the license plate that would identify him as a House member ..."
Isn't that the reason those plates are issued to begin with? So, legislators can drive as fast as they want, drive as the please, and not worry about a ticket?
If he had been driving a car with the legislator plate registered HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN STOPPED AT ALL!
Get Real!
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 4, 2009 - 9:37am — CitizenOpinionatedI think Mr. Allred should be ashamed for using the victim card in this situation. You are guilty sir...102...that is not safe no matter who you are...except for maybe Junior.
But as far as him being guilty of recieving special treatment by the authoriies - this simply happens all the time and on both sides of the aisle. Basnight's restaurant burning down and already an insurance claim had been filed, Black and Norris, Easley and all of is sketchy ventures, and so forth and so on.
Heck I know of a first hand account of a candidate for office getting pulled and being apologized to for being pulled as the officer did not recognize the plates until he came up to the car. This happens all the time - what are we to do?
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 2, 2009 - 10:45am — scharrison"I am no lawyer but how can he be ticketed 5 days later?"
I've actually seen judges/DA's add charges when someone shows up for their court date, like reckless driving or operating faulty equipment (or something like that). There probably is a statute of limitations on speeding, but I would imagine it's months/years as opposed to a few days. He was clocked by the trooper, and it was probably radioed in, so there's a trail of evidence.
The bigger question in my mind is: was he driving while impaired, over .08 bac? If so, the 5-day-late speeding ticket is a far sight easier than what a DWI would have meant for Allred. But you can't give someone a breathalyzer five days later.
Re: Starting to see Allred's point
May 2, 2009 - 9:03am — Gosh (not verified)Please state the "obvious" as you see it Paul, for those that actually get the obvious.
Re: Starting to see Allred's point
May 1, 2009 - 8:42pm — PaulTerrellWhy hasn't the latest post by gosh been deleted for obvious reasons?
Starting to see Allred's point
May 1, 2009 - 7:46pm — Gosh (not verified)Given his party's trouncing and his minority status, this is practically a hate crime.
Why shouldn't drunk Republicans doing 102 MPH be allowed to go?
They're an endangered species.
I'm pretty sure this is a bipartisan flaw
May 1, 2009 - 5:51pm — James_ProtzmanThough lately it does seem to have more of a reddish flavor.
Agreed
May 1, 2009 - 5:50pm — James_ProtzmanSeems kinda fishy. That said, it's amazing what a little sunshine will do.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 1, 2009 - 5:34pm — notacolourWait...you think you had a good reason for going 102 mph on I-40? As an elected official, you just wouldn't be endangering others enough if you stayed below 90?
Good Lord, this guy is full of himself.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 1, 2009 - 5:11pm — GrayJI think Allred should have been ticketed on Monday but he wasn't. I am no lawyer but how can he be ticketed 5 days later?
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 1, 2009 - 4:57pm — lgrafsteinThere's a serious ethics issue here, too: he obviously used his position to get favorable treatment (and then cried like a baby when his little privilege toy was taken away). Favorable treatment included something of value -- not getting an expensive ticket & potentially losing his license.
It is good to know, though, that the legislature moves so quickly that he had to be on the floor by the opening of session to vote.
I really hope he challenges the ticket -- we could fill part of the budget hole by selling tickets to that.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 1, 2009 - 4:47pm — jeffreyhsykesI am past tired of adults who cannot take responsibility for their actions.
Republicans are killing their grassroots folks with inane missteps.
Alcohol and speeding? Disgraceful for an adult, doubly bad for a grandparent and triple so for an elected official.
Alcohol and eccentric behavior in a legislative chamber deserves a rebuke.
Grow up Cary. I hope Hackney, or at least Stam, will hold this "gentleman" to some sort of standard of decorum.
What a disgraceful week to be a Republican.
Re: Ditto
May 1, 2009 - 4:36pm — Gosh (not verified)He is a Republican after all.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 1, 2009 - 4:29pm — Isaac136I think Mr. Allred just doesn't get it, poor guy. A friend should take him aside and suggest that the person who is apparently going to great lengths to embarrass Mr. Allred is Mr. Allred himself.
That he had any alcohol in his system and was roaring along at 102 mph is pretty scary.
Maybe instead of an attorney he should hire a consultant to help him makeover the mess he's made of his image these last few days.
Ditto
May 1, 2009 - 4:27pm — James_ProtzmanI guess when the guy's got no leg to stand on, the old "I'm a victim" ploy is the best he can do.
Re: Allred: ticket is 'reverse favoritism'
May 1, 2009 - 4:25pm — chicadechip102 mph???? and he's screaming reverse favoritism?? He should have had his license revoked! Just think... this fool actually represents us!