Moving Violations... Fight them or Accept Them?

[jlmiracle 7]

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You can try it but dont hold your breath
Speed limit is a maximum limit, not a mean, mode or median speed.

Would it make them laugh at least? They must need some new stories/excuses.


j

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Phillbo 11]

Around here we have metered ramps onto the freeways. 2 lanes, a light on each that alternate between red and green . If I am the ONLY person on the ramp I do not stop. A couple months back I was cited for running the red light.

I went to court on it and won.

I asked the Judge is his understanding of the system was the same as mine in that it was designed to only allow one car at a time to enter the flow of traffic on the freeway. It was .. I then asked what the logic would be behind stopping if you are the ONLY car on the ramp. He said none. Dismissed.

My next quetion was going to be to the cop.. He claims to have seen me run the light but in reality he could not have seen the color of the light from his vantage point so it was 50 / 50 as to red or green.. I did not get that far..

as for all other tickets I've recieved, paid and traffic school .

[Scoop 0]

Erm, I think I've heard alot of them but you can give it a go. Here are some funny/memorabel ones...

PERSON - 'sorry officer, its these damn shoes, they are new and i can't feel the pedals, im used to pressin gdown on the pedal so far but because these have bigger soles i must be pressing down furthur'

ME - (With big smile) 'But your eyes and speedo still function correctly do they? slow it down. I f I see you driving like that again I'll give you a ticket'

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PERSON - (caught doing 85mph in a 30mph - subsequently banned) We were being chased by a guy with a knife down the road there!

ME - Ok, so wheres the danger now? Your in a car with 4 of your mates and are half a mile from the town where it happened. I tell you what, it's not down for me to decide things like this on the street, I will report you and you can explain to the magistrates why you had to drive that fast. I'll put a call out on the radio to have a look in the town.

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PERSON - Whats the problem now!? (immediatly fails attitude test)

ME - You were driving in excess of the speed limit, 50 in a 30.

PERSON - Yeah, whats the problem

ME - Its illegal and dangerous.

PERSON - Just hurry up and give me the ticket, my dinners getting cold (gesturing to takeaway on passenger seat).

ME - OK, but I just want to make sure I've got all the correct deatils. (Cue numerous radio checks and ID checks, vehicle checks for good 15 minutes. Issue paperwork, explain procedure, caution then get rid)

[Darius11 12]

That’s is a very stupid comparison for many reason.

One of them being that everyone I know at least at my drop zone takes exit separation very seriously and not only that I personally would think of it as a serious risk that I am not willing to take.

The speeding law is not flexible it is law right?

Do you always drive 55mph or lower then the indicted speed limit? If not and by chance your driving 65mph or 60 do you immediately pull over and call an officer to report your crime or just send in the money?


Do you think most people drive 55mph when the speed limit says 55mph or not?

I can say from what I see everyday at least 90% of the cars braking the law so what does that tell you?

Why set a speeding limit to a point where everyone feels safe going over it? And no one respects?

You can look at extremes all you want that’s the problem with anal laws and anal views on life. People seem to forget we have brains and common since.

I don’t need to be told not to do 50 mph in a crowded neighborhood or in a school zone I use my brain and do this weird thing called thinking. But when I am on a road that I frequently travel and I know there is no residential area near by no schools no stores nothing, and there is no one on the road I again use my common since and go fast.

Also like someone else mentioned on here as well. I enjoy going fast I love driving fast more then jumping from airplanes. 1st time I sat behind a car on my dad’s lap was when I was 6. I used to drive on backroads with my mom and bro. When I was 12. My brother didn’t just teach me to drive he thought me how to drive well.

Trust me I am not saying everyone should drive above the speed limit. About 20-30% of the people I see on the roads daily I believe should have there license revoked, but personally I trust my skills and I trust my car and my judgment.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Scoop 0]

Maybe more people should take road safety as seriouslly. I agree sometimes the limits can seem pathetic and I know in early hours of the morning with no traffic on the motorway I have hammered it BUT I knew that if I got caught I'd have to face the consequences.

The limits are thought out for a reason, it just might be that at certain times they are inappropriatly low.

People often say to me 'but its 3 o clock in the morning' as if there is a rule which says if its early hours the speed limits don't apply anymore.

Sadly some people don't have common sense as you say. Today I saw a car doing 40 mph down the motorway and cars were actually swerving to avoid. Says something for their forward observation but also what the slow cars driver was thinking, I do not know.

[Darius11 12]

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PERSON - Just hurry up and give me the ticket, my dinners getting cold (gesturing to takeaway on passenger seat).

ME - OK, but I just want to make sure I've got all the correct deatils. (Cue numerous radio checks and ID checks, vehicle checks for good 15 minutes. Issue paperwork, explain procedure, caution then get rid)

You don’t think that’s a misuse of your powers?

Making a guy who is already frustrated (maybe his wife just died you have no clue why he is mad) wait extra time so you can have a giggle at his expense?

I have noticed that a lot by the cops who have pulled me over.

FYI I turn of my car turn on the lights always call them sir, never give them a hard time, but I always get an attitude.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[jlmiracle 7]

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You don’t think that’s a misuse of your powers?

Making a guy who is already frustrated (maybe his wife just died you have no clue why he is mad) wait extra time so you can have a giggle at his expense?

I do that to people who have attitude problem that I work with. The more assholish they act, the longer the task will take me.

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FYI I turn of my car turn on the lights always call them sir, never give them a hard time, but I always get an attitude.

Maybe their wife just died.

j

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Shawndiver 0]

I think it has to do with a little of both. Citations should be issued for safety violations, when safety is an obvious issue. Then there are the cases where safety is not an issue, but a citation is given regardless. Case in point: Only car on a two lane straight stretch of highway, clear weather. CHP coming opposite direction. After passing, swings around, comes up from behind and issues a citation for 70 in a 65. No safety issue in this situation, purely revenue driven would be my guess. Yes, I was there.

How about:
Local paper reports that officers handed out 40 citations (at $146 each) in a crosswalk "sting" operation. The police say that this is for "education" and "awareness" for the public. If that is strictly what it is about, shouldn't pulling the guilty parties over and warning them be sufficient? In my experience, just getting pulled over and the embarassment that goes with it is bad enough. I would say that it was more about the almost $6000 they generated in revenue than "education".

Not revenue driven? Its all about revenue. 3 years ago, someone broke into my garage and stole a $5000 mountain bike. Police response? One officer taking a 10 minute report and a form letter. How many man hours spent on investigation? None. No bodily harm done to anyone, no threat to society. But they are there to protect and serve, right? No revenue generation, no service. However, when I got pulled over and given a sobriety test, no less than three squad cars with a total of five cops sat around for 45 minutes. I successfully passed the test, including breathalyzer, and was then informed that I had been following the car in front of me "too closely" and handed a citation for $150. Cop seemed pretty dissapointed that he wasn't going to be able to cost me thousands for DUI. (Sorry if I sound a little bitter) Yeah I would say more revenue than safety in my experience.

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[Scoop 0]

I think respect is 2 way, I always give people respect. If they return it thats great, we'll get on just fine and everyone can carry on with what they were doing ASAP. In fact 80% of times I deal with people we have a bit of a joke and make chit chat. 20% of the time, by the very nature of the work, we deal with assholes and I have no problems in doing a few extra checks, after all why are they being so aggreessive? Do they have something to hide?

[Darius11 12]

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Maybe more people should take road safety as seriouslly. I agree sometimes the limits can seem pathetic and I know in early hours of the morning with no traffic on the motorway I have hammered it BUT I knew that if I got caught I'd have to face the consequences.

The limits are thought out for a reason, it just might be that at certain times they are inappropriatly low.

People often say to me 'but its 3 o clock in the morning' as if there is a rule which says if its early hours the speed limits don't apply anymore.

Sadly some people don't have common sense as you say. Today I saw a car doing 40 mph down the motorway and cars were actually swerving to avoid. Says something for their forward observation but also what the slow cars driver was thinking, I do not know.

That’s kind of my point. I say fucking arrest me and beat my ass if you ever see me cut someone off or drive in a way, which causes a big reaction to any other cars on the road.

But me doing 80 on a road with little or no traffic and being fully alert of my surroundings is a lot safer then many people who are on the road on there cell phones. I wish we would have hands free law in RI.

Lately I have had a lot of bad luck with mean officers. I don’t ever give them a hard time I even thank them when they give me a ticket but they treat me like shit. I think I am a bit frustrated with the MA police.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Darius11 12]

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I think respect is 2 way, I always give people respect. If they return it thats great, we'll get on just fine and everyone can carry on with what they were doing ASAP. In fact 80% of times I deal with people we have a bit of a joke and make chit chat. 20% of the time, by the very nature of the work, we deal with assholes and I have no problems in doing a few extra checks, after all why are they being so aggreessive? Do they have something to hide?

You know what your right I didn’t mean to attack you Cops are people too and I am sure I have just had a bit of bad luck getting the cranky ones lately. In the past especially in NYC I have met some great guys and gals of the police department they were always nice and friendly.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Scoop 0]

Yeah, this is where officers training, people skills and discretion comes into play. Alot of the time in situations like that you will have word because I can't just ignore it. If the manner of driving seems safe and on speaking to the driver they acknowledge what they were doing and apologise thats good enough for me
Only if people seem to be having difficulty in appreciating what I am sayin gdo I reach for my ticket book. Do you really think I want to do all that paperwork. Yuk no!

I hope you have better experiences in the future. We were always reminded that the time we deal with something, although just part of our everyday routine, it could be the only time that person ever has an experience of the police. Leave an impression of how you want to be remembered. For me that means, professional, courteous and approachable

[brierebecca 0]

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hope you have better experiences in the future. We were always reminded that the time we deal with something, although just part of our everyday routine, it could be the only time that person ever has an experience of the police. Leave an impression of how you want to be remembered. For me that means, professional, courteous and approachable

I wish more traffic control officers in the US had the same attitude. I've been pulled over by one really professional, courteous officer, and three real assholes. There is nothing more infuriating than an officer swaggering up to your window, berating you for being a menace to society for going 50 in a 35, then gleefully writing you a citation. Then he hops back in his police car and takes off up the road...at 80 MPH......back to his spot, not going after another speeder.

Bleh.

Brie

"Ive seen you hump air, hump the floor of the plane, and hump legs. You now have a new nickname: "Black Humper of Death"--yardhippie

[Scoop 0]

I don't know about in the US but in the UK even other police officers hate traffic officers for those exact reasons. They are called the black rats or shiny ass brigade because they sit in their cars all day

[Shotgun 1]

Every ticket I've had was issued because I did something wrong, so I've always just paid them.

If I thought that I had been wrongly accused then I would take it to court, but I wouldn't abuse the system to get out of a ticket if I knew I had broken the law.

[Deuce 1]

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Every ticket I've had was issued because I did something wrong, so I've always just paid them.

If I thought that I had been wrongly accused then I would take it to court, but I wouldn't abuse the system to get out of a ticket if I knew I had broken the law.

You guys are all silly.

Cops want to arrest bank robbers.

Repeat: Cops want to arrest bank robbers.

If you are radar-busted for 10 0ver the limit it's because your fellow citizens are pissed cause you are scaring their kids.

Suck it up and pay.

When I was on the street and pulled someone over for a mover, I'd ask them if they had been to traffic school in the last two years. (CA) If they had not, I had no problem sending them to traffic school (no effect on their insurance) If they had, they were goofuses and needed a lesson.

Yeah, I was recentl;y pulled over for speeding on my bike, but it had been 6 years. I got out of it. You could too.

[ladyskydiver 0]

Depends on if I'm actually guilty of what I'm being charged with AND the cops attitude to me. If I'm guilty AND the cop is pleasant (I'm always pleasant to them), I'll pay the fine. If I'm guilty AND the cop is an asshole, I'll fit it tooth and nail SPECIFICALLY because of the cops attitude. If I'm innocent, I'll fight it regardless of cop's attitude.

I had 2 speeding tickets in Iowa. Paid them with no problem. I was guilty and (both of the times) the cop was pleasant - even the one that made me get out of my Explorer, get into his car (passenger side) and had his hand as close to his gun as is possible ('course at the time I had a bumper sticker on my SUV that said "A lady with a gun has more fun." so I understood his caution.).

I received 1 ticket of going through a red light (it was yellow when I entered and left the intersection). Cop pulled me over and despite my pleasantness to him was a fucking asshole to me. Not only did I fight that ticket (had it bumped down to improper use of a turn signal and paid the fine), I, also, called up his CO and bitched about the cop's attitude. Didn't file formal charges as I was told straight up that anytime I came through the town I received the ticket in, I'd be pulled over. Didn't feel like dealing with the threat of harassment.

I get the fact that a cops job can be dangerous and that people can be having a bad day. However, attitude is everything and will go a long way on how the "ticket recipient" interacts with you.

And the bullshit lies of "there are no quotas..." Give me a break. Tell me there are no quotas when the only time I see cops handing out speeding tickets is towards the end of the month. Yeah...right...no quotas.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[FreeflyChile 0]

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The other point of course, is that if you are caught speeding you are obviouslly not observing the road ahead of you. A person with a speed gun, a fixed camera, a police vehicle behind you or a vehicle parked are all easy things to spot

Well, of course, unless you get nailed by an airplane like I did once....

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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You guys are all silly.

Cops want to arrest bank robbers.

Repeat: Cops want to arrest bank robbers.

FUN!!! Arresting bank robbers. All I can think of is the old west with horses and kerchiefs over their faces and stuff.


Now then, there is an aspect to all of this that wasn't brought up (even by Lawrocket, which kinda surprised me): the mitigating circumstances.

I was given a ticket for 73 in a 60 northbound on I-5 from southern Washington back up to the Puget Sound area. I took it back to court (yeah, it was a 3 hour car ride each way).

Everyone around here knows that those truckers barrel up and down I-5 all day, all night. I was behind a truck driver in the right lane, going 55 (he must have just got on the dang freeway or he was being pokey for some reason, because they never go that slow!) I pulled to the left to pass him.

Another trucker is now ahead of me in the left lane, pokey is on my right, and I have a third joining the party RIGHT on my butt.

Pokey speeds up, now we're all doing 60. This is looking like a Jaye sammich with far too much steel surrounding me, and whatdaya know, but pokey's trailer starts swinging into my lane (must have been why he was starting off slow).

I see daylight ahead of pokey but I have to gun it to get past him and squeeze through the hole between him and the guy ahead of me. Zoom! Thank God I'm through...then I get nailed with radar at 73 or something RIGHT after I sneak past.

I take it to court and the judge tells me that my only legal recourse was to slow down. I explained that if I slowed down, pokey's trailer would have smacked my passenger side and sent me packin'. The judge asked me why I didn't explain that to the officer, and that was my bad...I was too a-skeered. The judge shook his head and sighed --> >sigh<. "Mrs. P-----, the only LEGAL recourse you had was to slow down...but given your position...we'll forgive you."

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Scoop 0]

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Well, of course, unless you get nailed by an airplane like I did once....

Now that's just sneaky. But I think its fair to say you can't say that was a revenue raiser! Damn that must have been an expensive initiative!

[PLFXpert 0]

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If they had not, I had no problem sending them to traffic school (no effect on their insurance)

Traffic school bites. I know more about traffic law than I care to.

After my most recent tic (previously mentioned in my first response) I called my insurance company to find out if they gave a rats bootie about traffic school---they do not, but thanked me for playing. I then called to pay for my ticket, first asking how much it would be if I completed traffic school; a whole $10 off my $300 ticket! Oh, but wait: It keeps the points off my license. Give me a break. I've been to traffic school before and thus I know I have 9 more points to spare before points come into play.

Screw traffic school.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[mx757 4]

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1) Speed limits are set without regard to safety and are set entirely on the basis of revenue-generating potential?

what about 3 am in morning when roads are deserted.. they still give you tickets it's a revenue generating think. if they wanted SAFETY they need to get these clowns that are always running red lights!

[Samurai136 0]

Folks, when you get caught, suck it up. If you are wrongly accused, fight tooth and nail.

Amen!

One of my friends has a lead foot and he knows it. A few years ago he told me his trick for getting out of speeding tickets. He is a God fearing Christian who goes to church every Sunday.

Officer: Do you know how fast you were going?
Friend: Uh, yeah, I was going 75mph. I'm sorry, I know the speed limit is 55mph.
O: Why were you going so fast?
F: I Don't know, I guess I just had my head up my ass.
O: Excuse ME!
F: I... Had My Head... Up My Ass. I'm sorry.

Over time LEO's have tended to let him go with a warning.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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1) Speed limits are set without regard to safety and are set entirely on the basis of revenue-generating potential?

what about 3 am in morning when roads are deserted.. they still give you tickets it's a revenue generating think. if they wanted SAFETY they need to get these clowns that are always running red lights!

I fell asleep at the wheel and ran a red light and T-boned a car in the intersection at about 30mph. My freaking airbags didn't even deploy, but their car was totalled (they switched drivers on the report, too...it was a mom and her teenage daughter, and the girl was driving, but they told the cop that the mom was driving. I didn't bring it up since I definitely hit them. I'm sure the girl prolly didn't have a license, but I mean crap I hit them so who cares was my thinking...).

I didn't get a ticket out of that, come to think of it...I didn't ask to get out of it at all, I just never did get issued one.

-Not that a ticket would be any worse than the $25,000+ that I got sued for...

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[NWFlyer 2]

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Over time LEO's have tended to let him go with a warning.

Yup! I have found that (at least back in "the day" when I had more of a lead foot) that being totally honest and admitting you fucked up can get you out of a ticket before it's even written (helps if you already have a good record, of course).

I even had one police officer tell me (when he let me off with a warning) "We're out in this spot a lot, so don't let me catch you here again." It was a spot on a busy highway where the speed limit dropped from 55 to 45 as it went from rural to urban... and a well-known poaching spot.

I am a firm believer it only becomes adversarial if you let it.