Only in America: The physically impossible traffic violation

A physicist uses scientific arguments to get out of a traffic ticket — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

The physically impossible traffic violation
(Image credit: moodboard/Corbis)

When California physicist Dmitri Krioukov was hit with a $400 traffic ticket for allegedly failing to fully brake at a stop sign, he refused to pay up without a fight. He submitted a four-page paper arguing that the ticket defied the laws of physics, given the angle and relative speed of his vehicle. His proof convinced both the officer and the judge of his innocence, and he was let off the hook.

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