I was stopped by the police

It was something similar to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz9PNHP43NY

Seriously, the chain of events had almost been perfect. I knew it was coming, I just had a feeling.

My car had been sitting in my driveway since some time in August I guess. It needed inspected, which meant it needed work, work that I couldn't afford at the time. I ended up procuring a company vehicle for a while I drove it until the beginning of December, when I was confident that I'd been able to save enough to cover the cost of the repair.

My car is a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier, 2.2 liter 4 cylinder, by no means is it a ridiculously fast car or anything. However, the company vehicle I was driving, was a truck. a 1992 Chevy 4x4 with a back seat, and 6 foot bed. It had a big engine, and was a 5 speed manual (sorry, car's an automatic) shift.

The truck had good low range, lots of pushing / pulling ability, but the ability to travel at or above the speed limit? Not so much.

Enter the problem!!!

I get my car back the other day, and the first thing I do is take it down the road I use to get to the office. The speed limit on the road is 45 (I think) and I normally travel it at 50-60. I'm not alone, it's a long desolate pretty straight country road. In the truck, I'd gotten use to traveling at 35-40 because that's about all you could do, unless you paid attention to your speed, and intentionally drove the truck harder than you should.

Anyhow. I'm nowhere near the story yet, to get to the humor, skip this paragraph.. I'm zipping along in my cavalier and think, here's the middle of the straight stretch of the road, better check my speed. 90 miles an hour.

I knew right at that moment that I wouldn't get use to driving my car, quickly enough to avoid a run in with the local law enforcement. Sunday, I was proven correct.

I was stopped on icy roads traveling 45 in a 25, would be a substantial speeding ticket, plus 4 points on my license. But I used some sly talking, and stuck to my word. He changed the thing from a speeding ticket to disobeying an officially posted sign. I got 0 points, and my fine was only just over $100.

Anyhow.. He came up to the car, and here's how it went. He's bold

"Good afternoon, do you know why I stopped you?"
"Absolutely, sir. I'm very sorry."

"Do you have any idea how fast you were going?"
"I didn't see you sitting anywhere sir, but when you turned on your lights, I was going 50."

"50? Well I timed you at 45, do you know what the speed limit is?"
"That depends on where you were sitting sir, most likely 35."

"Actually, it's 25 through there, where it's 3 lanes."
(where he was, it goes from 35-25-45 in under a mile)
"I don't think I've ever noticed where it switches, I know the Boulevard is 35, my apologies."

"Why were you moving so quickly through there?"
"There's no excuse sir. I was lost on these roads for a half an hour, I was just happy to be on familiar roads. I hadn't seen her (I had my cousin with me.) in a few years, and we were just talking and driving, I had no idea it was as bad as it was. I don't travel 20 miles over the limit, that's irresponsible of me."

(here's the clincher)

"I'll be right back."
"Sir, if there's any way you could give me a break at all, I would appreciate it. I don't expect to leave here without a fine, but no matter what you decide, I want you to know that I'm going to drop her off at home, and then I'm going back out to the mall (5 miles away), and retracing my steps, under the speed limit. I'm not in any hurry, and I want to show myself that I can drive just as well under the speed limit, and safely as I can speeding, and carelessly."

(he has this bewildered look on his face)

When he came back, he told me he saved me quite the fine, and 4 points. gave me "failure to obey an officially posted sign" My fine was $109 and I got no points. He made me bump his fist and smiled as he left.

I guess you can say I got off lucky, no complaints about the fine. I admitted that I was in the wrong, and offered my own solution to the problem, which I didn't think he'd have heard often before.

Hope it's a while before that happens again though! LOL

 

WOW! Was that your quick thinking or did you hear or use that before?

Either way, congrats on dodging a 4 pointer, plus what would have been a substantially higher fine, at least where I live. And then there's the insurance cost.

Sounds like you got yourself an early Xmas present.

 

Yes, I imagine the fine would have been pushing $300 easy, but I don't know how they calculate them. I think you're right too about the insurance, mine just went down, and that would have probably negated that in a hurry.

I did hear that before, in an audio book I just listened to. I guess I was paying attention, I didn't think I'd be needing it that quickly though, LOL.

I just thought it was cool, his attitude, how he went from irritated, as he should have been, to this look of what the heck just happened here?

I have that way with a lot of people. I'm known as manipulative in certain circles. LOL

 

A friend got lucky with a similar type of scenario when he got clocked going 110 in a supposed 50 zone(that's KPH) which would have been $900 plus 8 points and 12 is dangerous territory, license and insurance increases on top of that too!:eek He contested the ticket in court and got it postponed because there were three signs and the radar distance was questionable in the judge's eyes as brought up by friend, cop was on an overpass.

So friend goes back to measure the distances between the signs with a looong surveyors measure and casts more doubt on the accuracy of the radar gun, one also receives info about where and how fast others were caught going that day by the same cop. He got lucky because there was enough doubt about the accuracy. He did plead guilty to going 110 in a 90 zone. That's a $120 fine! :celebrate

That's as good as a win as he happily paid that the other day! However, he was as guilty as sin!:-D

 

If you some how every bring up something here against the cops/judge they really hate that and punish you for it with the max. I ve seen people go fight things for tickets that are not arrestable and I wait outside.. and they never come! I go check and they were arrested and later release the next day or two with more fines and etc.

 

Ill tell ya something everytime I get pulled over by these(local cops in certain town) I actually feel uncomfortable"coming from a guy grown up" because you never know what they will do (trust me) lol anyways! Everytime I got pulled over they question me about was I high on some sort of drug and why are my eyes bloodshot, why are my eyes not following there fingers.. and etc. Now to tell the truth I smoke weed like few times in my life. Neither of these times I was under anything! Anyways an excuse for my eyes is because I stay up till 3am every night and wake up at 9-10am. And many times I just stay up all night (just how I am) anyways I get pulled over speeding 55 in 30mph with a girl i was tring to joke with... I get pulled over they ask me why I am shaking and look scared? I wasn't even scared nor worried because I was young and it was only speeding..anyways cop says he feels uncomfortable about me (age 16 at the time) anyways he puts me on the hood and ask to pat me down I said sure. He pats me down doesnt find anything.. then he goes and gets the girl out and I said can she get a coat on her sinces it was cold out. Cop says very rudely saying I had no right to talk or ask questions at that time until hes done. I said okay. He then says I just dont feel comfortable with you so he calls K9 to stiff for drugs! lol I start laughing and he gets mad about that! Anyways my friend comes along starts talking to me and stays away.. cop tells him to go away not his business.. anyways later I was let go with no tickets or nothing. Anyways next time I get pulled over and I was suppose to get the illegal alch to drink this night.. SO I was going to my friends to talk 1st.. I am in buddy blazer driving.. anyways my buddy house few blocks up and to the left.. anyways I notice a car lights behind me few blocks.. I go up to that corner and turned it and as I am turning I see a car on my arse whooping around the corner like there going to hit me(turns out to be the cops) I pull to the right in someone driveway with my 2 friends in the car.Now my friends house is two houses down more and to the left . Anyways driver door dont open nor roll down. I said I cant roll down its broke. I said let me get out or something and Ill talk to you. He called for back up(17 yrs old atm) and anyways he comes to side door and has 4 cops asking questions and then he said he wanted to seach the car. I get put in a freaking police car with no answers. SO while in the car I said can I ask why your searching? He said to check for drugs or alch. I said I don't got any nor do em. He didnt speak. Anyways in the car he checks my eyes and says what I am I under the influences of right now? I said what? nothing. He said your eyes are blood shot and there not following his fingers.. (like all the other times I got pulled over they think I am high). Anyways I said nothing. He said well I can arrest you for being under the influence and driving.. and we will rack on charges of fleeing from the cops. I said fleeing?! I was turning cause my friend lives over there... (pointed at the house) He said why you pull here I said cause I just happen to stop here. He got rude and talked about he doesnt believe me I am lieing I was fleeing and I am under something.. (which I sure in hell wasn't) anyways he asked who has the dope on them? I said what? No one.. he goes then why does ur buddy got a pot hat on? DO you think I am stupid kid? I said no but that hats for a band he likes.. He said what you really think you got me believing this bullshit? I said its not bs. I said you can even piss test me. Cop goes okay and what about ur buddys? I said yeah they come back clean. Anyways the other 3 cops are searching the blazer tearing up wires for speakers in the back and they even undo they asked whats in the speaker box? I said nothing... a speaker.. he gets the K9 to sniff and nothing comes up. SO eventually the cop let us all go and I didnt even get a ticket for anything.. But why would they scare kids like that? My mom has police scanner and flipped out on me when I got home. I got more storys but basically I mma say ever time I get pulled over I get accused of being high. And a side note to this is why I never have issues outside that town when I get pulled over? And who goes through this much trouble with there cops? Noone I hope .

 

I looked at that Silas and some brain shot from my nose...

 

Yes.. please LOL I couldn't even attempt to start reading that. I think my eyes would fall out of my head.

 

where would she start =O

 

Silas, no wonder your eyes are bloodshot!
I had to go back to finger touch/point reading (or whatever it's called) for that.
Cheers my friend...

 

So, are you going to contest the $109 fine in court? :-D

 

Absolutely not. I'm going to pay it with $1 bills though. I was in the wrong, far more in the wrong than this piece of paper says, though he did note that the sign I ignored was a speed limit sign, and how fast I was going, compaired to what the sign said.

If I did try and fight it, I have a feeling, I'd walk out of the court room with points and a speeding ticket. I'll just pay it and be done.

I once got pulled over for speeding, the officer was a State Trooper, not local like this guy. He was making me nervous, yelling about where I stopped, asking me to move my car. I was not kind with him.

I was in a parking lot, lit, with other people around. He asked me to move, and I told him I wanted to be sure that nothing funny happened, and so, being in a populated area, where people could see, I had that. I told him if he'd just hurry, it wouldn't much matter.

Then he was giving me a bunch of grief, scolding me about speeding, and being uncooperative, so I told him I was uncomfortable, and wouldn't talk to him, until he called another car to supervise. When you ask for another officer, they have to oblige you here. So we waited, in the parking lot, for 35 minutes, until another marked police car & uniformed officer showed up.

While writing me the ticket, a piece was loosely hanging on to the paper that stayed with the officer, he crumpled it up, and tossed it on the ground, likely not thinking twice about it (but this is why I asked for officer #2)

I asked the second officer (who was way more annoyed than the first) if the dash camera was on in either vehicle, he said they were, they turn on with the lights.

I told officer number two, that officer number one had littered, and that it was caught on video in that case.

Officer number two wrote officer number one a $300 littering fine, dwarfing my speeding ticket, and I left.

I don't know if it was something he actually had to pay, but by the look on the faces, I think it was. Me 1 - Police 0

A week later, my friend was pulled over, and I was with him in the car. It was officer number one. Sadly, my friend didn't stand a chance..... I never told him that story. ;-)

 

roflmao
Have to say Pax, you live a charmed life. Did I mention you're quick and witty
Cheers..

 

Two things you can do. Shortly before your court date call and ask for a postponement because you will be away on the assigned date. If you do that, chances are the officer who gave you the ticket won't be there in court, and they will let you off. If you have to pay a fine after pleading guilty, add $5 to the amount of the fine on your check. They can't close the case and inform your insurance company until they satisfy the error of the extra $5 on your check. This could stall your fine for months.
I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't contribute to the court sytem any more via fines. I have joined the rest of the senior citzens who putt down the road going 5 miles under the speed limit, and turn on my turn signal a tenth of a mile before the turn.
The first thing you say to the officer who pulls you over is "Officer, could you step back a little, your breath stinks of donuts". :cool

 

I'm going to call bluff, you're not legit until you drive around with your wipers on, in the blistering heat of a drought! LOL

 

I agree with the motion, but your protest then becomes an annoyance to the over worked clerk who has to count all the bills.