question for anyone with a knowledge of law

[usa320]

Okay tonite i had gone bowling with some friends for a few hours. On the drive home this cop pulls me over for abolutely no reason.

He makes some asinine remark like "having a fun night tonite arent we" and then he asks me for my papers. Then he asks me if i had anything to drink or smoke. I absolutely hadnt, knowing i had to drive. So i tell him no way. So he says "well i think your lying to me because your eyes are all red". He makes me get out of the car and do a field sobriety test and everything. This dude is convinced im drunk. Okay, so he finally realizes im not drunk. He goes back to his car and gives me a ticket.

Now heres the thing... he gives me a ticket for speeding... never told me why he pulled me over... Nothing. gives me a speeding ticket. He says i was doing 55 in a 40mph zone, when i was only doing 40mph because 1: it was dark and 2: i was lost and looking for a ramp to get on the highway. Im absolutely 100% sure that i was NOT going 55mph, there was no way in hell. So he gives me this ticket. It says i was "Speeding". It says that "Speed Was Verified By Radar".

Now heres my problem with this.

1: The police car had been following me for a good 10 minutes. He was MOVING. Unless hes got some awesome skills, and radar guns can now track a vehicle from 5 feet behind, there was no way he clocked me on radar.

2: The officer was alone. There was no radar officer. The area on the disposition on which a radar officer's signature is required to verify that the radar had in fact clocked me at that speed, was left blank.

So heres my feeling. This guy saw us two young guys in a car late at night... what better thing to do than bring in a DUI before the end of his shift... he pulls us over expecting an easy DUI grab, and realizes we didnt do anyhting. charges us with a very generic charge.

While part of me says just plead guilty and get it over with, another part of me says to argue it.

1: I have no tickets or any charges of any kind.
2: i was operating the vehicle well within the law throughout the entire time i was driving, and im damn sure of it.
3. THe officer has a really week case. He himself told us before he drove of "hey you should probably plead not guilty and they will take care of it"- this shows to me that he really knew he had a poor case.
4. While the officer has his own word, i have the word of a witness who can 1)verify i was not speeding and 2) testify that at no point that night did i take a single schwig or toke of anything and 3)the officer was convinced we were intoxicated and was pissed when he realized we werent.

So my question is, should i just pay the fine and get the freakin hundreds added to my insurance, or should i go to court about this? What are the chances of getting the fine dropped or reduce considering what i see as a really poor case against me...

[Seraphim]

Dont let the man take you down!

BTW I dont believe there is a minimum distance for radar.

[usa320]

Dont let the man take you down!

BTW I dont believe there is a minimum distance for radar.


sure, but i also dont believe that it can be done while the police car is moving.

[Seraphim]

sure, but i also dont believe that it can be done while the police car is moving.

No it can.

[sergey31]

By all means dispute the ticket and present your case in court, and I mean everything that officer had said and done.
You have a right to ask him to actually see the radar with your violated speed on it.
If the officer knows he screwed up most likely he will not even show up in court.

You have nothing to loose and it's your right to fight/dispute the charges.
I would only pay if I knew I was at fault.

[Seraphim]

By all means dispute the ticket and present your case in court, and I mean everything that officer had said and done.
You have a right to ask him to actually see the radar with your violated speed on it.
If the officer knows he screwed up most likely he will not even show up in court.

You have nothing to loose and it's your right to fight/dispute the charges.
I would only pay if I knew I was at fault.

Sure you have the "right" to ask to see your speed on the radar, but he doesnt have to show you ****.

It would certainly help your case if you looked at his radar and the speed wasnt what was wrote on your ticket. But if hes a shifty cop to begin with he can just lock a speed earlier in the day and just say you were going that speed and "if" someone challenged him, he could show you.

[DarkCypher]

Dodgy cops... I ****ing hate them.

[FallenAngel]

go to court to challenge it. In LA the cops dont show up 80% of the time so you win by default. ;)

[Backwoodshunter]

yea id try and challenge it, but you should have asked to see the radar gun at the moment, asked when he last calibrated the gun if he didnt do it the instant he got on duty it would be thrown out, i believe in court you can request to see his paper work of it. Other than that had i known i wasnt drinking and had absolutely positively no possible trace in my system refuse the sobriety test, then at least in NY they have to call the STAR unit and wake up a judge and test your blood and all, so he would have loved to have done that and probably would have backed out when theres the chance your most likely 100% sober.

[Creeper]

But remember: what you said may have been recorded, so has the video tape aswell.
Good luck,

[Seraphim]

yea id try and challenge it, but you should have asked to see the radar gun at the moment, asked when he last calibrated the gun if he didnt do it the instant he got on duty it would be thrown out, i believe in court you can request to see his paper work of it. Other than that had i known i wasnt drinking and had absolutely positively no possible trace in my system refuse the sobriety test, then at least in NY they have to call the STAR unit and wake up a judge and test your blood and all, so he would have loved to have done that and probably would have backed out when theres the chance your most likely 100% sober.

SOP is to test before your shift and after every ticket.

[Lokos]

Absolutely, challenge it if you feel there is no proof that points to the officer's conduct being correct.

Lokos

[usa320]

another thing...

The officer had been following me for a good 10 minutes... at speed higher than mine... he was literally no more than 2 feet away from my rear bumper. He would slow down, and then speed forward onto my ass again... as if he was trying to get me to speed up.

IMHO this guy was simply looking to start trouble with people so he could meet the quota.

[Hot Lips]

sure, but I also dont believe that it can be done while the police car is moving.
Sure it can.

Only thing that might save you is 1] him not showing up for court or 2] if he actually clocked you with his odometer (since he was pacing you) and you ask to see the radar verification since that is what he wrote on the official ticket.


he officer had been following me for a good 10 minutes... at speed higher than mine... he was literally no more than 2 feet away from my rear bumper.

He can't drive faster than you from behind you and be that close to your car. Please don't say that in court.

Find out if he has a car cam that documented the incident.

Technology. It'll get ya.

[buttchowder]

Well, I guess you have two choices: either dispute the ticket in court, or pay the ticket and go to one of those speeding classes so it gets erased off your record. If you are pretty much clean (no previous arrests or tickets) you could go to court and try to argue the ticket. It seemed the cop himself was just reaching his quota by his telling you to go to court. If I were you, i would just pay the ticket, go to the class to erase it, then get on with your life.

p.s. my dad is a lawyer and does this **** all the time.

good luck.

[pathfinder82]

The guy was an a-hole, what do you want. Hire a lawyer, go to court and plead not guilty. Maybe youll get lucky and he wont show, either way your lawyer, if you chose to use one, will tell you to pay a fine and go on with your life.

Is it fair, no it isnt, the judge most likely will look for nods from the officer when your telling your side of the story. Unfortunatley your fighting a losing battle and traffic court has become a place where you are just assumed guilty.

Last time I was in court there was this grandmother who was ticketed for speeding in a school zone, a serious offense. She denied it through and through.

The prosecuter said since her record had been clean for the last 5 years they would forget that it was in a school zone and she would just be guilty of speeding. She wasnt buying that and still wanted to plead not guilty. The judge asked the officer some questions he gave a few nods and she was found guilty just like that.

The best thing though was when she got to the door to pay her fine she in the loudest voice said "what a crock of ****", that made my week.

Sad part is, Im sitting there thinking the same thing, which is why Im looking into the Coast Guard. Theres just to much crap I cant swallow in this job.

[askDNA]

you better start heading for mexico

[TuNeRsHaRk]

no, youll get raped by the mexican gang bangers crossing the border, id suggest going to canada and living with Lexi for awhile

[sir-chimp]

no, youll get raped by the mexican gang bangers crossing the border, id suggest going to canada and living with Lexi for awhile


mmmmm spicy burritos

excuse me while I run for the border

watch out for lexi she is a paranoid kleptomaniac and she smells funny

[usa320]

The guy was an a-hole, what do you want. Hire a lawyer, go to court and plead not guilty. Maybe youll get lucky and he wont show, either way your lawyer, if you chose to use one, will tell you to pay a fine and go on with your life.

Is it fair, no it isnt, the judge most likely will look for nods from the officer when your telling your side of the story. Unfortunatley your fighting a losing battle and traffic court has become a place where you are just assumed guilty.

Last time I was in court there was this grandmother who was ticketed for speeding in a school zone, a serious offense. She denied it through and through.

The prosecuter said since her record had been clean for the last 5 years they would forget that it was in a school zone and she would just be guilty of speeding. She wasnt buying that and still wanted to plead not guilty. The judge asked the officer some questions he gave a few nods and she was found guilty just like that.

The best thing though was when she got to the door to pay her fine she in the loudest voice said "what a crock of ****", that made my week.

Sad part is, Im sitting there thinking the same thing, which is why Im looking into the Coast Guard. Theres just to much crap I cant swallow in this job.


pretty much. the cop was an asshole... i dont think he really knew what to charge us with when he pullled us over, he just pulled us over first and then starting looking for reasons to charge us...

Speeding tickets through and through are really a crock. They are completely random, a crap-shoot. They will pull over a guy doing 45 in a 40 while a guy doing 65 drives by no problem. its luck of the draw, and the more and more i think about it, the more and more i think that its more an issue of collecting revenue than it is an issue of enforcing the law.

[usa320]

okay ive changed my mind...

Im not going to go to court. Ive got a better idea. I can actually MAKE PROFIT from this situation.

Im gonna pay the 60-80 dollar fine tommorow, after which i will tell them im never comming back to their crap-ass town....which, rest assured, it is.

The ticket will add 3 points to my insurance. i already paid my november insurance.

My old high school is offering a Point Reduction class Dec 14th that removes 4 points from your insurance...its free to alumni.

I was taking one Management Skills class at the community college one day a week. I have a 3.9 in it. My insurance company offers a 10% discount to anyone enrolled in college classes with a GPA of B or higher.

So by time i make my next insurance payment, the last week of december, i will actually be paying less in insurance than i was prior to the ticket.

Now, in order to take the 2 night point reduction class, i will have to take off work those two nights. But i will be able to pick up 2 day time shifts to make up for it. At my job, picking up a shift gives you time and a half. So that will make up for the 60 dollar fine, if not more.

So in the long run, im freaking profiting from a ****ty situation.

rofl rofl rofl

[usa320]

okay, im really pissed. I went to pay the ticket today, and i was told I HAD TO PLEA NOT GUILTY and HAD TO GO TO COURT. Apparently you arent allowed to just pay the ticket?

This is really annoying because now im going to have to miss a day of work so on top of the 80 bucks or whatever for the ticket, im going to be out another 60-80 bucks from not going to work that day.

I cannot believe that this is true, since when were you NOT ALLOWED to plea guilty and just pay the fine?

judging by the past history of crookedness in this particular town's police department, i wouldnt be surprised if they are just working a scheme to shake my pockets out some more.

[California Joe]

A cop can write you a ticket for speeding by simply pacing you like Hot Lips said. No radar involved. That being said it was a bullsh*t stop. What he was really doing for 10 minutes was watching you drive. How close you came to the centerline etc. Any little thing he could use as probable cause to justify pulling you over. It doesn't take much. He made up his mind you'd been drinking and if you had been you'd be screwed. When he found out that you weren't he could have let you go with a warning to slow down a little or some crap. But he had to be a **** and write you. I'd go to court. You passed a field sobriety test. Maybe it'll help.

[usa320]

A cop can write you a ticket for speeding by simply pacing you like Hot Lips said. No radar involved. That being said it was a bullsh*t stop. What he was really doing for 10 minutes was watching you drive. How close you came to the centerline etc. Any little thing he could use as probable cause to justify pulling you over. It doesn't take much. He made up his mind you'd been drinking and if you had been you'd be screwed. When he found out that you weren't he could have let you go with a warning to slow down a little or some crap. But he had to be a **** and write you. I'd go to court. You passed a field sobriety test. Maybe it'll help.


exactly. He pulled me over first, and then decided why he was pulling me over as he wrote the ticket- he didnt see me doing something illegal and THEN pull me over. As a matter of fact, one of the last things he asked us is "Do you know why i pulled you over?"... which really should be THE FIRST THING he asks you.

Rediculous.

Also, i read that had i not wanted to submit to a field sobriety test, i could have refused, in which case a tech would be required to bring down a field breathalyzer, at which point it would come back negative and he would have looked like a total ass in front of his superior.

[EvanL]

Okay tonite i had gone bowling with some friends for a few hours. On the drive home this cop pulls me over for abolutely no reason.

He makes some asinine remark like "having a fun night tonite arent we" and then he asks me for my papers. Then he asks me if i had anything to drink or smoke. I absolutely hadnt, knowing i had to drive. So i tell him no way. So he says "well i think your lying to me because your eyes are all red". He makes me get out of the car and do a field sobriety test and everything. This dude is convinced im drunk. Okay, so he finally realizes im not drunk. He goes back to his car and gives me a ticket.

Now heres the thing... he gives me a ticket for speeding... never told me why he pulled me over... Nothing. gives me a speeding ticket. He says i was doing 55 in a 40mph zone, when i was only doing 40mph because 1: it was dark and 2: i was lost and looking for a ramp to get on the highway. Im absolutely 100% sure that i was NOT going 55mph, there was no way in hell. So he gives me this ticket. It says i was "Speeding". It says that "Speed Was Verified By Radar".

Now heres my problem with this.

1: The police car had been following me for a good 10 minutes. He was MOVING. Unless hes got some awesome skills, and radar guns can now track a vehicle from 5 feet behind, there was no way he clocked me on radar.

2: The officer was alone. There was no radar officer. The area on the disposition on which a radar officer's signature is required to verify that the radar had in fact clocked me at that speed, was left blank.

So heres my feeling. This guy saw us two young guys in a car late at night... what better thing to do than bring in a DUI before the end of his shift... he pulls us over expecting an easy DUI grab, and realizes we didnt do anyhting. charges us with a very generic charge.

While part of me says just plead guilty and get it over with, another part of me says to argue it.

1: I have no tickets or any charges of any kind.
2: i was operating the vehicle well within the law throughout the entire time i was driving, and im damn sure of it.
3. THe officer has a really week case. He himself told us before he drove of "hey you should probably plead not guilty and they will take care of it"- this shows to me that he really knew he had a poor case.
4. While the officer has his own word, i have the word of a witness who can 1)verify i was not speeding and 2) testify that at no point that night did i take a single schwig or toke of anything and 3)the officer was convinced we were intoxicated and was pissed when he realized we werent.

So my question is, should i just pay the fine and get the freakin hundreds added to my insurance, or should i go to court about this? What are the chances of getting the fine dropped or reduce considering what i see as a really poor case against me...
your ****ed. he noted that speed was checked by radar, and his word will hold up against yours in court, mainly because hes a police officer, but also because your a ****.

[EvanL]

A cop can write you a ticket for speeding by simply pacing you like Hot Lips said. No radar involved. That being said it was a bullsh*t stop. What he was really doing for 10 minutes was watching you drive. How close you came to the centerline etc. Any little thing he could use as probable cause to justify pulling you over. It doesn't take much. He made up his mind you'd been drinking and if you had been you'd be screwed. When he found out that you weren't he could have let you go with a warning to slow down a little or some crap. But he had to be a **** and write you. I'd go to court. You passed a field sobriety test. Maybe it'll help.
it mayn ot have been just the officer being a ****, but an arrogant attitude could have led the cop to decide that this particular individual deserved a ticket when he could just as well have let him off the hook.

[usa320]

it mayn ot have been just the officer being a ****, but an arrogant attitude could have led the cop to decide that this particular individual deserved a ticket when he could just as well have let him off the hook.


really? Because i didnt say a single word to the cop other than "i am fine tonite' and "Thank you".

Anywho, someone told me that it is my right to plea guilty and pay the fine and move on with it... however they told me must go to court and plead not guilty which is a royal waste of time... is this true?

because if i can just pay the fine i will, because going to court will most likely mean losing even more money from time off of work, and i will miss the insurance reduction class as well. So im gonna get boned over big time.

If i can in fact plead guilty and just pay the fine, which wont be that much, probably 60 bucks, then they really cant tell me otherwise and i will be giving the Dept. Of Justice a call.

[EvanL]

really? Because i didnt say a single word to the cop other than "i am fine tonite' and "Thank you".

Anywho, someone told me that it is my right to plea guilty and pay the fine and move on with it... however they told me must go to court and plead not guilty which is a royal waste of time... is this true?

because if i can just pay the fine i will, because going to court will most likely mean losing even more money from time off of work, and i will miss the insurance reduction class as well. So im gonna get boned over big time.

If i can in fact plead guilty and just pay the fine, which wont be that much, probably 60 bucks, then they really cant tell me otherwise and i will be giving the Dept. Of Justice a call.
if all your trying to do is save face, i wouldn't bother. You will end up spending more money than the actual ticket, and you may even lose. Its better to just take one for your wallet and pay the fine.
I had this happen to me once before, the officer didn't even bother to show up meaning i would have to come at another date which was tottally inconvenient, or just pay the fine.

[usa320]

if all your trying to do is save face, i wouldn't bother. You will end up spending more money than the actual ticket, and you may even lose. Its better to just take one for your wallet and pay the fine.
I had this happen to me once before, the officer didn't even bother to show up meaning i would have to come at another date which was tottally inconvenient, or just pay the fine.


go back and read my posts further up.

I went today to pay the fine, and they told me I HAD TO plead NOT GUILTY and i HAD TO SET UP A COURT DATE. So i will lose even more money from being out of work.

The police in this particular town are crooked as hell, they are just trying to cash in best they can. On their website they boast in big ass letters "Traffic Ticket Revenue up 42%". They are no good.

[walford]

go to court to challenge it. In LA the cops dont show up 80% of the time so you win by default. ;)Don't bother doing that in VA, they already have a court date before they write the ticket. They ALWAYS show up.

You say he followed you for 10min before pulling you over? In the future, if you are being followed by the cops like that, just find a legal place to pull over as soon as possible. Maybe they'll keep going, maybe not, but to keep driving when one is following you only provides more opportunities for a bored LEO with a quota to fill.

[usa320]

Don't bother doing that in VA, they already have a court date before they write the ticket. They ALWAYS show up.

You say he followed you for 10min before pulling you over? In the future, if you are being followed by the cops like that, just find a legal place to pull over as soon as possible. Maybe they'll keep going, maybe not, but to keep driving when one is following you only provides more opportunities for a bored LEO with a quota to fill.


i didnt know it was cop. It was an unmarked car.

[California Joe]

Walford is right. In VA they will f*ck you. I know this.

Evan, obviously I don't know the whole story. But I pulled over a lot of people based on "hit the centerline 3 times. Swung wide on corner. Hesitated at green light" etc. Because I had a good idea they'd been drinking and once you pull them over you own them.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Man

Aussie cops don't need a reason to pull you over.

They can just pull you over for the sake of it.

[EvanL]

Walford is right. In VA they will f*ck you. I know this.

Evan, obviously I don't know the whole story. But I pulled over a lot of people based on "hit the centerline 3 times. Swung wide on corner. Hesitated at green light" etc. Because I had a good idea they'd been drinking and once you pull them over you own them.
yeh, we are always told that if you have the suspicion but can't prove it, find a nonsense reason to pull over/detain, and take all your time until you can come up with a probable cause to investigate even further.
One of my teachers who is a Sgt. in the OPS was describing a situation with him and his area. How whenever the crips come into the area to try and recruit young girls for their nefarious reasons, he says he has probable cause everytime to pull them over, and even if he can't charge to tell em to get the **** out of his area. His justification is that they aren't there for anything other than to pick up these girls and sell drugs. Seeing as the crips aren't even from that area but from Ledburry Bluffs.

[usa320]

i have chosen to plead not guilty, and i have prepared the following statement for the court.

"Your honor, i plead not guilty.

At the time of the stop we had been returning home to x town from y town after dropping off a friend while we were on the way home from a night of good clean fun bowling. On the way home, we turned onto a road we were not familiar with and became lost. At the time of the stop, we may have been speeding up or slowing down as we were lost and looking for the ramp to access the highway. This stopping and going may have given the officer reasonable cause for the stop, from his view it may have seemed eratic. the driving MAY have appeared to be consistant with that of an intoxicated driver from the viewpoint of the officer. THat being said, at no point was the vehicle being operated by a driver under the influence, or just as importantly, the distraction of anything. The field sobriety check performed by officer John Smith confirms this fact.

While i was initially somewhat bothered by having to count and do the other things required when submitting to a field sobriety test, i realize that the officer, as they usually do, had to make a judgement call, and based simply on that fact that it was 1am on a Saturday, i can say, as a driving member of the public, i am able to understand that the officer did so simply out of concern for the safety of himself, myself and every other driver on the road. Drunk drivers are selfish people who put not only themselves, but other innocent people around them at an incredible risk, a risk which is often fatal. I would go as far as to thank the officer for showing this much concern for the safety of the public.

that being said,

I, the driver was in complete control of vehicle the entire night, and i had been driving relatively equal, though at times much slower due to our unfamiliarity with the roads on which we were driving, than the little traffic that had been on the road at this hour, and had safe control of the vehicle throughout the entire drive, and was driving appropriately to match the conditions, both traffic and weather, which was clear and dry. We were stopped just before we reached the on ramp which we had been looking for, it was less than a mile down the road.


With regards to the speed, the officer's report indicated our speed at 45mph, in a zone where the speed limit is 40mph. I find this difficult to understand, considering the fact that we were driving much slower than to be expected because we were relatively lost. However, if it can be proven that the officer using the radar gun, which was used, according to the deposition, is certified to use this particular technology, and assuming it can be proven that the radar equipment had regular maintenence and calibration performed on it, there is very little i could possibly argue against the charge of speeding. The technology, if maintained properly and operated by a professional is generally accurate.

SHort of that, i would like to (*i cant believe im writing this*) thank the officer for having a cool and collected attitude and helping me to better understand the procedings by explaining to me how to send in the ticket and such. The officer showed absolute professionalism.

I always feel a sense of compassion for law enforcement officers. They are willing to put themselves in harms way at a moment's notice, often, for people who just hours or days earlier had cursed the badge.

With all this being said, considering my slate which is clean of any past offenses what so ever, the fact that me and the other occupant of the automoblie were completey, as should be expected of anyone, cooperative and collected with the officer, as well as the fact that i have since enrolled in defensive driving education to even better insure that i am driving as safely as i humanly can at any given time, it is my firmest belief that the fines should be reduced, if not dropped."



What do you guys think? At this point, assuming the cop shows up and is able to recall the incident, my goal is not so much to get rid of the ticket, but to get the fines reduced, and by stating my feelings with regards to law enforcement. Genuinely, i do like policemen. Everytime ive needed their help they havent hesitated. This is the one time ive ever had a problem with a cop...

[EvanL]

i have chosen to plead not guilty, and i have prepared the following statement for the court.

"Your honor, i plead not guilty.

At the time of the stop we had been returning home to x town from y town after dropping off a friend while we were on the way home from a night of good clean fun bowling. On the way home, we turned onto a road we were not familiar with and became lost. At the time of the stop, we may have been speeding up or slowing down as we were lost and looking for the ramp to access the highway. This stopping and going may have given the officer reasonable cause for the stop, from his view it may have seemed eratic. the driving MAY have appeared to be consistant with that of an intoxicated driver from the viewpoint of the officer. THat being said, at no point was the vehicle being operated by a driver under the influence, or just as importantly, the distraction of anything. The field sobriety check performed by officer John Smith confirms this fact.

While i was initially somewhat bothered by having to count and do the other things required when submitting to a field sobriety test, i realize that the officer, as they usually do, had to make a judgement call, and based simply on that fact that it was 1am on a Saturday, i can say, as a driving member of the public, i am able to understand that the officer did so simply out of concern for the safety of himself, myself and every other driver on the road. Drunk drivers are selfish people who put not only themselves, but other innocent people around them at an incredible risk, a risk which is often fatal. I would go as far as to thank the officer for showing this much concern for the safety of the public.

that being said,

I, the driver was in complete control of vehicle the entire night, and i had been driving relatively equal, though at times much slower due to our unfamiliarity with the roads on which we were driving, than the little traffic that had been on the road at this hour, and had safe control of the vehicle throughout the entire drive, and was driving appropriately to match the conditions, both traffic and weather, which was clear and dry. We were stopped just before we reached the on ramp which we had been looking for, it was less than a mile down the road.


With regards to the speed, the officer's report indicated our speed at 45mph, in a zone where the speed limit is 40mph. I find this difficult to understand, considering the fact that we were driving much slower than to be expected because we were relatively lost. However, if it can be proven that the officer using the radar gun, which was used, according to the deposition, is certified to use this particular technology, and assuming it can be proven that the radar equipment had regular maintenence and calibration performed on it, there is very little i could possibly argue against the charge of speeding. The technology, if maintained properly and operated by a professional is generally accurate.

SHort of that, i would like to (*i cant believe im writing this*) thank the officer for having a cool and collected attitude and helping me to better understand the procedings by explaining to me how to send in the ticket and such. The officer showed absolute professionalism.

I always feel a sense of compassion for law enforcement officers. They are willing to put themselves in harms way at a moment's notice, often, for people who just hours or days earlier had cursed the badge.

With all this being said, considering my slate which is clean of any past offenses what so ever, the fact that me and the other occupant of the automoblie were completey, as should be expected of anyone, cooperative and collected with the officer, as well as the fact that i have since enrolled in defensive driving education to even better insure that i am driving as safely as i humanly can at any given time, it is my firmest belief that the fines should be reduced, if not dropped."



What do you guys think? At this point, assuming the cop shows up and is able to recall the incident, my goal is not so much to get rid of the ticket, but to get the fines reduced, and by stating my feelings with regards to law enforcement. Genuinely, i do like policemen. Everytime ive needed their help they havent hesitated. This is the one time ive ever had a problem with a cop...

Thats all pretty good, but i would reccomend not going off onto other tangents such as talking about drunk drivers, and then your admiration for police officers. Its going to make it seem like you are sucking up, and therefore being insincere. You don't need to impress them, your just their to clear your name and hopefully your ticket.

[usa320]

Thats all pretty good, but i would reccomend not going off onto other tangents such as talking about drunk drivers, and then your admiration for police officers. Its going to make it seem like you are sucking up, and therefore being insincere. You don't need to impress them, your just their to clear your name and hopefully your ticket.


did you ever think that maybe i truley do have respect for the job that they do?

Every single cop ive ever met, with the exception of this one, have been pretty decent guys who have to put up with alot of crap they shouldnt.

[EvanL]

did you ever think that maybe i truley do have respect for the job that they do?

Every single cop ive ever met, with the exception of this one, have been pretty decent guys who have to put up with alot of crap they shouldnt.
yes but like i said, there is no reason to bring that up in your statement to the crown. Or court. Just be straightforward and to the point.

[California Joe]

Evan's right. Be sincere.

[EvanL]

Nobody likes a brown noser.. Except maybe silencer.
I love you hunny!

[Fintin]

the answer 320 is yes...your ***** is still really small....next question....


last time i got the cops called on me....they told me where to park next time so i didnt get caught....i love west michigan

[sir-chimp]

the answer 320 is yes...your ***** is still really small....next question....


last time i got the cops called on me....they told me where to park next time so i didnt get caught....i love west michigan

I was just in Western Michigan. Beautiful, beautiful countryside. I went all the way up to North Port.

[Fintin]

I was just in Western Michigan. Beautiful, beautiful countryside. I went all the way up to North Port.


i am right in GR...but you go 45 minutes north and you are at beaches and sand dunes...

[WolverineBlue]

After your speech, usa320, I hope the prosecutor gives you a reach-around. In all seriousness, I think you're screwed. It's gonna be your word versus the cop's regarding the speeding, and though I think you're getting scammed, the whole 10 minute clocking you part means you're doomed. Sorry you actually have to go to court to deal with this instead of just writing a check.

And yes, in Virginia, the cops show up. And in Fairfax County, the cops and the prosecutor will own you 82.5% of the time.

[Fintin]

After your speech, usa320, I hope the prosecutor gives you a reach-around. In all seriousness, I think you're screwed. It's gonna be your word versus the cop's regarding the speeding, and though I think you're getting scammed, the whole 10 minute clocking you part means you're doomed. Sorry you actually have to go to court to deal with this instead of just writing a check.

And yes, in Virginia, the cops show up. And in Fairfax County, the cops and the prosecutor will own you 82.5% of the time.


i love it when you talk dirty....

[joka]

He was MOVING. Unless hes got some awesome skills, and radar guns can now track a vehicle from 5 feet behind, there was no way he clocked me on radar.

As far as I know the radar gets input about its "own" speed, i.e. the speed the police car is doing, thus it can calculate the speed of the car it's aimed on.

Anyway, fight the power! p-)

[walford]

As far as I know the radar gets input about its "own" speed, i.e. the speed the police car is doing, thus it can calculate the speed of the car it's aimed on.

Anyway, fight the power! p-)With Vascar (http://www.vascarplus.com/Pages/How_it_works.htm)®, they can get you stationary, moving the same direction or moving in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the judge knows who is paying his salary and is not going to say no to a special on-the-spot roadside tax. He's going to take the cop's word over yours. Bring some personal lubricant, you're gonna need it.

[Laconian]

Cali Joe, as usual is right; the cop followed you to build a DUI case. He may have clocked you speeding earlier and waited to pull you over after waiting to see what else he could throw on top to build the driving case. I'm not sure of NY but several states do not require a locked radar reading. They are not required to tell you why they stopped you. He could have stopped you, got your papers, wrote you & cut you loose.

As far as your speech to the judge, save it. The only thing he'll want to hear is about the charge. If the cop says it was radar, your entitled to see the radar cert for the day of the ticket. If it was in cert, it is considered good to go.

I have never heard of not being able to plead out prior to traffic court, but I've never been a cop in NY. Also, he told you to plead not guilty and take it to court so he could scam the overtime. You go to court, he works midnights; court time is overtime he wins double.

I'm sorry you had this experience, I was never much of a traffic hound but I knew guys who were. I always thought most of 'em did it cause they could hump real calls and traffic kept 'em busy.