Hassled by the police..........

[1971Stepside]

Ah, but that is not true. Based on his speedometer it sounds like it was raised, but according the speed gun (or at least what her testimony will be) it was spot on.

Don't get me wrong. It sounds like he got the short end of the stick, but when all is said and done the judgement will stand. As someone stated earlier...his word against a badge...and for right reasons who do you think the judge will go with?

She didn't write him a ticket for emissions so in my opinion if you bring that up it will sound even more like you are whinning.

Again, I wish you luck and I think you got pulled over by someone having a bad day and they took it out on you.

[Project1970]

First off, if she was doing a U-turn to get back to him...they can't use the gun while moving, can they?

Second...yes, tell that to the judge!!! I went in and said "Yes, I did get on the gas a little hard" and then proceeded to explain how as street racing tickets go, this was (in nicer terms) BS...first off, the cop only wrote my speed as 50 in a 45; and second, he thought we both spun our tires, when the Mercedes-Benz has standard traction control and it was only the Civic.

So it was my word against the cop's...and at least in my case, the court was fair enough to realize that both of us had some evidence to back our cases up.

I also think that bringing up the point that at first she never mentioned the speed issue, and only did so after she was proved wrong, could go either way...the judge could either agree with you, or could see you as whining...

[Ray Cobia]

RUSTY OL' 69'-- "Be a man about it" Means being responsible for your own actions. If he was speeding, and by his own admission, he was, then he should face the consequences. The officer was wrong about emissions on a 70 model, but that doesn't make hera bad cop, or change the fact that he was speeding. My moral honor @ dignity are intact. I have the utmost respect for law enforcement officers. If the tires were changed on this truck, The speedometer could well be 5 mph or more slow.

[Southpa]

They can target your speed from any angle these days, even while they are moving. I was stopped the same way quite a few years back by an oncoming police car. He had the radar mounted in the grill w/ the readout inside on his dash. So if you are using a radar detector you better hope you see them first, !

[1971Stepside]

Some types of the radar guns allow the officer to measure speed in their moving patrol car. The radar gun receives information about the patrol car speed from a reflected signal from the road.

I pulled this off a police radar gun site.....you know the internet...it can make us all sound smart.

[lukecp]

Yeah, the only ticket i got was from a cop about 1/4 mile infront of me, traveling the opposite direction. I was going 65 in a 55, and a cop came around the corner infront of me. I prompltly dropped it down to 55, but he pulled into a driveway and waited until i passed then pulled out and pulled me over. I told him my speedo only said 60, and he wrote me a ticket for 5mph over. He pretty much said "I like the color of your truck, now come back to the car with me", lol.

[rusty ol' 69']

Ok, you failed to see the obvious so I will once again try a course of enlightenment. If you wish to remain oblivious after... it's not my fault. No she is not a bad cop by being wrong about his emission system, but as stated early she neglected to mention the speeding thing when she pulled him over. Secondly, show me your definition of a MAN in any dictionary and I will believe you, but that is besides my point, eventhough your are infering that you are better than he is for not knowing how to be like YOU want him to be. If you do not believe she gave him a ticket out of spite or ill will, you are sincerely blinded by reality. And you infering about his tires is just ridiculous do you realize how silly you sound? FYI, @ = at, so your sentence, "My moral honor @ dignity are intact," seems extremely confusing to me. Your moral honor at dignity are intact? Huh? I don't understand where your coming from.

[miket]

A couple things...

ALWAYS fight the ticket....

Check to see if you will be penalized for re-scheduling the court date once you have decided to contest it. If you find that they will not penalize you, let them schedule it and then reschedule it but have a good reason. It's up to you on this but, if she doesn't show, you win. You obviously want to make it as much of an inconvenience as possible but without being an a**.

Be respectful no matter what. Don't give them any reason to want to punish you...even more so if your under 25.

Check to make sure that the proper certification has been done that allows officer's to use radar on the road in which you were cited. In some states this is a requirement.

Did she show you the radar readout? if not it probably won't hold up in court...

How many cars were around you and how close? In most cases it's a judegement call....there is nothing that factually and scientifically picks you out when the radar reads what it does (unless you are the only car on the road). Purposefully ask detail questions...especially ones she may not be able to remember...credibility goes down when she can't remember.

when was the last time the radar unit had been calibrated?

and again....be nice and respectful!!!!!

Good Luck.

[Hotrod70C10]

Ray, I have all respect for all forms of the law. I don't see where you can tell me to be a man about this situation. Yes I was speeding but, I was not going as fast as she said I was. Along with that she didn't say anything until after I corrected her about the emmisions statement. My tires which are 255/70/15's are not taller than the old tractor looking tires that originally came on the truck. With that in mind it would actually decrease the speed of my truck in comparision to the speedo. By the way this is my first ticket in 4 years I don't drive like a little snot nosed kid. Sorry I got you a little torqued over on this subject but i don't agree with what you commented.

[Hotrod70C10]

Miket, No she did not show me her radar readout. She didn't even tell me that she picked me up on the radar. I was the only car on the road besides her. it was just before midnight last night.

[miket]

HotRod,

You have to decide if you want to fight it. If so, don't be mad about it. Be smart. I have been given just about every ticket you can imagine and given every excuse possible...I have out run the police and now my livelihood depends on them. They are people just like us and if you play your cards right (during the stop and in court) you might win.

Just be cool.

[70 Jimmy]

Here's my take on all of this:

1. You were speeding. Tell the judge by how much (5mph) but make sure your right. Get the speedo checked. If your wrong, admit it.

2. The cop was wrong in the way she handled it but, she didn't give you a ticket for emissions. No harm, no foul there (see above for possible exceptions).

3. PAY ATTENTION TO THIS ONE! Never stereo type police officers in a negative way. You don't know thier life. They put up with the dregs of society. Some handle it wrong, just like some of us do. Most are there as a public service (some are on a power trip, like any other profession of authority. They get paid crap and have to listen to whiners cry about piddly BS. Everybody's got a "bad cop" story. We also have a bad grocery store clerk, dentist, doctor, mechanic, etc. story.

4. Life ain't fair, but we should try our best to make it just. Get over it.

5.Get your information together, like the reasonable people here told you and go to court with a professional attitude not an "I'm right, your wrong mentality" . That's High School crap.

Good Luck on your ticket. I

[Hotrod70C10]

The only reason I posted this is to let you guys see my little mishap. I was not trying to pick at the way the situation was handled. I didn't know I would get so many replies on this.

[crazy longhorn]

Being an old man probably helps me at times, but I never argue with a cop.........I did it, they saw me....whats the point! I have been handed a written warning, or given a verbal warning over things that would put a teen age guy in BIG TROUBLE! Try a 3 ft wheel stand in a sand rail..........right past a cop (oops) one did iritate me tho......I rolled through a small town.....2 mph under the speed limit & got pulled over in the longhorn......well he didnt like that I didnt have bumpers on that old primered truck! It was a written warning(no ticket) , but the cops in my city have pulled that thing over for some kinda weird smoke comin off the back tires ,3 or 4 times..........& told me to take it out of town to do my tuning! I have run into some really good cops out there , that like I said gave me a break.........when they really should not have........then there are some that "authority" is the game. No point in an arguement either way..........and NEVER try to tell a woman she is wrong.....it dont work! Bottom line, is that if you got pulled over for speeding, there should be no BS about "cats" that were said to be missing.......that was an arguement waiting to start(on the cops part)......still, I dont think that will get you anywhere in court. Im not sure how it goes in your parts, but in Illinois when you are pulled for speeding(on radar), you ask to see the readout.........& i have seen them tossed out of court for a cop "fudging " on what the gun said! if I know Im over the limit, i just say "oh well", my fault& pay the fine.......crazyL

[Locutus]

In Texas(i don't know about any where else) they do not have to show you the radar gun read outs. Any radar on a moving vehicle requires a calibrated speedometer in the vehicle to determine its speed. It takes about 1 - 2 seconds to determine your actual speed using radar equipment depending on your distance from the vehicle that is equiped with the radar. Officers have to be trained and frequently updated on the equipment they use. You can request maintenance logs for the equipment used against you, and training records. You can also request copies of the video surveillance. This would prove useful as it usually shows the speed that you were clocked at. It is all considered evidence and as your defense you are entilted to it. If they refuse to give it to you it is grounds to dismiss your case.

[1971Stepside]

OK, if you are worried about the insurance all you need to do that is a sure fire way to avoid the chance of not getting off in court is to contact an attorney and ask him/her to have the ticket reduced and not reported to the Dept. of Revenue (in MO that is who files the tickets with the insurance companies). It will cost you a little extra, but that is the only way you will win this battle.

[Ray Cobia]

Hotrod 70c10-- I'm not torqued man, just my opinion. Hope you come out good in court.

[Ray Cobia]

Rusty ol' 69'-- Have a nice day!! "Dude"

[wxman1]

You probably should have played dumb about her
emmissions equipment comment and taken the ticket
for that. She probably would have let the 5 over
speeding thing slide. Then when the court date
comes up you present the judge with the title
to the 1970 truck which matches the vehicle
ID on the ticket and ask that the ticket be
thrown out since no emissions equipment was required. That would have avoided you having to
correct her (and piss her off) and you probably
would not have a speeding ticket either.

Now she and her buddies will be checking you
over in great detail when you go through town.
I've always counseled my son to never say anything
to a cop when pulled over except to answer their
questions. In SOME jusisdictions, mouthing off
to a cop will get you a trip to jail or to the
hospital and then jail.

This is essentially about power. They have it
and you don't. In the future...do your talking
in court. Thats the safest way.

Jim
Mt Juliet, TN

[jku72]

I respect MOSt police officers, and take my tickets when I deserve them. But somtimes the cops really just have a problem. I have been pulled over and, at gunpoint, been interogated. There was no reason to pull me over, none was given, and after the "ordeal", I was left to go with no explanation. The only words they said about it was that I looked suspicious. Not sure how anyone can look suspicious in Cornville, Maine.
I have gotten petty tickets before, where there is no real reason to give me one, but I didnt fight those because they were technically valid, such as the 2 days expired inspection sticker. Most decent cops would give a warning, but once in a while you get a 'super cop', or a rookie. I paid the ticket.
The worst case was when I was in highschool, it was an icy morning, and my car went off the road like about 30 others had. In fact, I saw another car, a station wagon off about a 1/4 mile away. Anyhow, there was no damage to anyones property, or my car, so i decided I ought to hike to the next house to call for a tow. The car was off the road, so presented no more danger than any other car off the road. I got back to my car about 45 minutes later, only to be arrested for "fleeing the scene". I tried to explain my situation, but no avail, I went down town. My car was torn apart in the hopes of finding some drugs or somthing, which obviously they never found. In the process of hauling off my car, the police-hired-at-my-expense tow truck driver tore the front off the car. Literally, the guy just hooked his chains to the sheetmetal and grille. Now the police had the "evidence" that I had left the "scene" of an accident. An accident is defined as an occurance where more than $500 in damage occurs. Certainly there was not any damage prior to my "arrest", but there sure was now. Luckily, the police had taken photographs of the "crime scene" prior to disturbing my car, and this evidence is what got me off in the end. Even before the trial, my lawyer presented the evidence to the police, but they refused to drop the charges, even though it was obvious they had no case. The trial itself lasted 3 minutes, my lawyer showed the evidence to the judge, who promptly dismissed all charges. No matter, I still had to pay the lawyer, as well as all expenses of my car. I had a 4.25 an hour job, and was still in high school. I am not, nor was I ever a punk. I didn't look like a punk, and got decent grades.
I am telling you, some cops are just bad, period. That is how life is.
Most cops are decent guys, and have treated me well. But not all.

[GREEN70-72]

BE CAUTIOUS. I WAS GIVIN A BOGUS 300 DOLLAR TICKET. I TOOK IT TO COURT WITH WHITNESSES, PROVED THE COP WRONG. THOUGHT I HAD WON, BUT LOST. KINDA LEFT A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM! AND WHAT IT THINKS ABOUT YOUTH AND HOT RODS.

BELIVE IT OR NOT THE COP DIDNT EVEN REMEMBER THE NIGHT OR THE CAR. BUT I KNOW IF I PULLED A 18 YEAR OLD IN A PURE WHITE 72 SKYLARK.WITH 17"S ON IT,AND THE DRIVE WAS NICE TILL HE FOUND OUT ABOUT A 300 DOLLAR BOGUS TICKET. I THINK I WOULD REMEMBER THAT.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS IN


SORRY TO RANT BUT IT STILL PISS@S ME OFF


IVE BEEN PULLED OVER IN A BUDDIES 64 NOVA AND SEARCHED, THOUGHLY,CAR AND POCKETS BECAUSE OF A TAIL LIGHT OUT. I'D KINDA UNDERSTAND BUT WE LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN WERE EVERONE KINDA KNOWS WHO YOU ARE BY YOUR CAR. THE FUNNIEST THING ABOUT IT WAS THEM GETTING PISSY ABOUT THE BATTERY IN THE TRUNK.

[Reumster]

Don't even get me started on cops now days not abiding by whats on the side of there cars " to protect and serve" It should clear state in bold letters "To Harrass and provoke"

Getting pulled over for red license plate bolts in the rear, is just flat out rediculous! And to think I pay there wages. It torques me to know end. If I'm being unsafe, and get caught I'll be the first to pay up and shut up. But for B.S. I'm fighting.

Getting pulled over for an american tradition of dice on the mirrior, for obstruction of veiw. When is the last time you seen a handcap person with that huge sign hanging get pulled over? Give me a Mucking break.

[rusty ol' 69']

Actually not to be a jerk or anything, but handicapped drivers are only supposed to put their tag on the rearview mirror when they park. But I agree it's petty sh!t to pull someone over for fuzzy dice.

[>X<]

i hve little respect for cop here, they ave to earn it. i have neve gotten in touble in my life, so don just think" punk kid hates the man" bull. i saw senoirs at my school when i was a freshman that sold major drugs, terrible grades, always in trouble, etc etc, BECOME SHERIFS. one in particular, when i saw him step out of his car one night, i jsut laughed. there was no way that this guy was a sheriff. but he was and he is the worst kind, jus like most of them around here. the polics around here aregood, just not the sheriffs.weird.

[teeitup]

I'd fight it, you never know.
I had a buddy that got pulled over and the first thing the cop said is you exhaust is illegal. He never checked it and then gave him the DUI test and he was over. He was a block for his house on a Sunday night and he had to show the cop how to get to the county jail, out of county state trooper, going about 75-85, my buddy asked him if he was in a hurry. On his report he said he was run off road by the driver is why he pulled him over. He didn't fight it, I wish he would of. Yes, I know he was legally drunk. Cops are different. Good luck!