[sixspeed]

Two days ago I was coming back from my sister's house. It was about 9pm, the road is nice and twisty. Since there were no cars on the road (it doesn't happen often) I stepped it up a bit... and saw the blue lights flashing behind me.
Now, I'm not a speeder (at least I don't think I am), always try to stay with the flow of traffic, practice common sense and a lot of times drive defensivly.
It was the first time in my 14 years of driving that I received a ticket.

I feel so sad

 

[larchmont]

How did you approach it/how did you react when you got stopped?

 

[johnej]

Alot of what the police will do is exactly what Larch is getting at, how did you approach it, and your reaction

 

[sixspeed]

When he approached my car I already had my documents ready. He asked me if I knew why he pulled me over and I said yes, I appologized and he walked away. He didn't give me much chance to talk about it.

He cited me for doing 58 in 40-mph zone. However, the speed zones change a lot on that road and I believe I was in the 50-mph zone when it happened. But it will always be his word against mine so I don't know if I would stand any chance in the court.

The worst thing is I know one female driver who got caught for doing 50 in 25-mph residential zone and got away with just a warning. Now you tell me which one is worse.

 

[sygyzy]

Alot of police also lie. I hear first hand from cops all the time about how they are jerks because everyone is rude to them and it's refreshing when someone is polite. I am polite every single time and everytime they never want to hear anything I have to say. I had one officer, that must have failed basic writing skills class, that gave me a yellow carbon copy that looked like jibberish. I didn't even know what the ticket was for. Or at least how fast he claims I was going. I had to get out of my car after everything was over and walk over to ask him. Is this a traffic stop or Trivial Pursuit?

Please note I never said I was not guilty. I was guilty of all the tickets I've ever received. All I am asking for is at least some respect.

 

[sygyzy]

sixspeed - Never ever admit guilt. If an offier says "Do you know how fast you were going?" and you answer "Yes, 58 mph" you just admitted to it. Let them tell you.

 

[robert_tg]

sorry to hear that you lost your "no-ticket" virginity
hope youre feeling better talking about it.

I think it depends on several factors whether teh cop give ya ticket or not...his mood, , his persinality, your/his race, how you llook....

This past summer I got pulled over doing 65 in 40-mph zone at 2 AM, the dead of night...I guess he pulled me over cause he was lonely & just wanna something to do, exchange few words whatever (probly :007: )
he gave me a warning.

 

[Luwin1026]

He cited me for doing 58 in 40-mph zone. However, the speed zones change a lot on that road and I believe I was in the 50-mph zone when it happened. But it will always be his word against mine so I don't know if I would stand any chance in the court.

Props to you for having your documents ready. And good thing that you treated him with respect as well. If you believe it was in a 50-mph zone when it happened, and can take some photographs, you may be able to contest it and lessen your fine. The location where he pulled you over should be on the citation, so you can verify if it was indeed a 50mph zone. So it's not entirely a "his word against mine" deal - facts are facts. However, speeding is speeding, and going 58 in a 50-zone would still be grounds for a citation.

I'm sorry to hear that you got docked for this - much respect to you for not being much of a speeder and putting others on the road at risk. Sorry to hear that there was a girl who was going 50 in a 25 zone. It's a stark reminder that life is not always ideal. Cops are humans, and they can't catch every lawbreaker in the world . . .

 

[02-Type-S]

Sorry to hear about it. Always pays to be polite with the police as they like to max out the charge if you're not.

Just out of interest what do you get for speeding in the States ?? Is it easy to get banned from driving or are your police quite liberal ??

 

[bob shiftright]

Ahhh, yes, the CURSE of the TSX!

It was the first time in my 14 years of driving that I received a ticket.

Speed limit change zones are favorite spots for speed traps. Fully HALF of the citations I've been awarded and ALL of my wife's (1) have been under such circumstances. Laws of averages here. EVERYONE speeds, eventually you'll get nabbed.

If they're gonna frame you, well, it's just a ticket, and you WERE speeding.

After the NJ State Police framed Bruno Hauptmann for the Lindbergh kidnapping, they electrocuted him.

Oh. And buy a radar detector. It's not perfect, but it's certainly darn helpful.

 

[Guest]

Don't be sad, be glad! I knew a guy that got a little carried away on a road just one time and he hit a lady and her little girl. They both died. They were crossing where they weren't supposed to so he didn't get jail but deep down he always felt guilty and felt that if he wasn't speeding, he could've stopped in time. He was so upset that he left his Honda Accord in pieces and gave it away. The insurance company wanted to fix it, but he never wanted to drive the car again. I like spirited driving myself but I always remind myself, that it only takes one time to have some really bad consequences. As much as I understand cops are less than perfect, they're all we have between us and bad guys. I hope sharing this helps a bit.

Ignacio

 

[larchmont]

When he approached my car I already had my documents ready.....

Worst thing you can do.

I know that's surprising. I also used to think that was a good thing -- showed respect, etc. But it's the worst thing you can do, other than pulling a gun on the cop.

Why? Because when you're reaching for your stuff, as far as he's concerned, it MIGHT BE a gun you're getting!!

I learned this from a book by an ex-cop. He talked about how this goes against what just about any thinking person would think -- except that when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

The guy emphasized that one of the cop's chief concerns is that you might be a dangerous character -- after all, some people are, and we've all heard about incidents where somebody getting stopped for a minor violation shoots the cop. The best thing to do, first off, is to do everything possible to show that you're NOT a dangerous character, and that he has nothing to fear. Of course it doesn't guarantee you won't get a ticket, nothing close to that. But it gives you an advantage.

How do you put the cop at ease? DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH YOUR HANDS; KEEP THEM IN HIS VIEW, like on the steering wheel. Except: If it's night-time or just dark, take a second to flip on the interior lights (so he can see you better), then get your hands back up -- not up in the air or anything like that, but on the steering wheel. When he gets to you, he'll asks for your stuff, and that's the time to get it.

Since I read that book, my batting average has improved from about .250 to about .750.

 

[johnej]

Thats what the teach in defensive driving class (a way to get out of the ticket being on your record and an insurance discount in texas).

 

[lucky8]

I was clocked at 80 in a 40 and no ticket ... it's nice to have family on the job

 

[johnej]

sometimes it is nice.. I wish I had someone on the force also