By the way, this made me think of my second most irritating thing about idiot drivers, those who dont turn right on red when they can.. ahhhh
Speeding! You cited or warned!
- Thread starter emertmakeshiteup
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By the way, this made me think of my second most irritating thing about idiot drivers, those who dont turn right on red when they can.. ahhhh
I had a cheap radar detector back in the 80s. Come over a hill and the thing goes nuts and I hit the brakes. Cop comes up to the window and asks where's my radar detector. Even though they were legal, I had tossed it on the floor. He chuckles and says I got you with an instant on radar gun. I said; I heard those things give you cancer. His smile disappeared and he began writing the ticket. Later I was speaking with a friend at the wedding I was on my way to when pulled over. He said he got pulled over by the same cop and was let go with a warning after he told him he was on his way to a wedding. I guess some people don't like cancer jokes. Who knew.
Cheap ones are good for a false sense of security and thats about it.
I have been pulled over a lot through the years. Gotten off with warnings most of the time, had charges dismissed some of the time, and witnessed more asshole judges than police over the years.
The worst was a judge in Ohio. I was on my way home after being discharged from the Army in 1992. My sister and I were driving along I70 and I got pulled over, cited, and I fought the charge. I told the judge I didn't understand the ticket because I was driving in a pack of 10 other vehicles. He said, and I shit you not, "Ticketing is like duck hunting. You see a flock, fire your shotgun, and hope you hit one. Fine stands."
I got out of one a few years ago on our way to Ocean City, MD for vacation. I was on MD32 just after I95. I pulled over, rolled the window down, and as I am handing him my license, registration, and insurance he says "You know why I pulled you over?" I said "Yeah..." daughter from the backseat says "YES! He was speeding. Mommy told him to slow down, but he didn't listen." Cop walks away, comes back. "I'm letting you go with a warning. By my estimate you are going to pay for this for a long time. Have a nice vacation and slow down."
The worst was a judge in Ohio. I was on my way home after being discharged from the Army in 1992. My sister and I were driving along I70 and I got pulled over, cited, and I fought the charge. I told the judge I didn't understand the ticket because I was driving in a pack of 10 other vehicles. He said, and I shit you not, "Ticketing is like duck hunting. You see a flock, fire your shotgun, and hope you hit one. Fine stands."
I got out of one a few years ago on our way to Ocean City, MD for vacation. I was on MD32 just after I95. I pulled over, rolled the window down, and as I am handing him my license, registration, and insurance he says "You know why I pulled you over?" I said "Yeah..." daughter from the backseat says "YES! He was speeding. Mommy told him to slow down, but he didn't listen." Cop walks away, comes back. "I'm letting you go with a warning. By my estimate you are going to pay for this for a long time. Have a nice vacation and slow down."
Go the speed limit on Rte 32 near Fort Meade, between the BW Parkway and the exit after Rte 108. They have federal cops in that area and you always see them pull people over.
BINGO!
If an a-hole pulls you over, its a ticket no matter what. The area, region, state, locality, etc. has a lot to do with it from our experience.
In PA, the cop to driver ration is about 1/3 that of Ahia. We drove for over 30 years in PA and I was pulled over twice, my wife, never.
In Ahia, in just 10 years I was pulled over three times, 2 tickets, one earned, one from an a-hole for nothing. The wife was pulled over thrice, two tickets from to OBVIOUS a-holes. Our son drove to Akron, about an hour and was pulled over three times for a tail light out, a bit aggressive? I won't discuss the other incidents but we never had a problem in PA near that in Ahia.
Ahai has a major county police force that PA didn't seem to employ, they are tax collectors in a real sense. If you drive you pay the ticket tax. They predate during drive time, disappear until the next drive time in general. Then, after about 10:00 p.m. and really after midnight they move to drunk driving mode, if you are driving you must be drunk. My wife was stopped for drunk driving, I was a passenger. She never drinks but didn't dim her light to an oncoming police car, with a police car following her at a distance of about 10 feet for miles. Think she was a bit distracted? at 2:00 a.m. within three miles of our home? A-holes at work trying to bait her into a minor mistake which they did. No ticket this time but they wanted to.
Neighbor kid, was 21, acted like 14 worked part-time as a town cop. The stories he told me were disturbing. The radio system reaches across the entire county and they played a game of seeing which cop could pull over the most red cars in an hour, the most of whatever you can think of in an hour. I can attest he was aggressive. Abusive but it sure did ring up the cash register for the county. The a-hole mentality here is rampant, sadly. It gives the cops a very bad reputation. My wife, a gentle soul, is furious upon seeing a cop and unfortunately, she sees numerous ones on the way to work each morning (drive time) as they attempt to hide in places where those late to work may speed a bit, exit ramps, etc.
I used to respect the police, I no longer do as a whole but very individually. Ahia in general and one horrific incident in PA involving my wife and infant son left by a "cop" in an inoperable car (pre-cell phone days), in January, along an interstate highway because he "had a meeting". No call, no help, nothing. No respect to me, no respect for them. Tax collectors and jerks, sad but true. That is our experience, all true, nothing embellished.
If ever there was a state where the speed limit should be about 85 Ohio is it.
Get through it as fast as possible.
The cop that left you off at 30 over the limit should be fired. Probably to lazy to do the paperwork.
I must be "LUCKY". Quite a few warnings (at age 60), never fined. I don't know if it's a difference, however, here in rural Iowa if it's NOT outrageous then then tend to be nice.
My funniest two:
1: just finished a call on a terrible OB on a cow. The smell was still with me. I opened the window real wide as the officer walked up. On whiff of the smell and he stated: "slow down and go on your way. I won't give you a ticket because the smell is so bad"
2: In South Dakota going 10 MPH over the limit at 90 MPH. The guys approaches and talks to me about the speed. He then sees that I have an antelope decoy in the back for hunting antelope. Turns out he is an antelope hunter also... we talk hunting and he lets me go.
My funniest two:
1: just finished a call on a terrible OB on a cow. The smell was still with me. I opened the window real wide as the officer walked up. On whiff of the smell and he stated: "slow down and go on your way. I won't give you a ticket because the smell is so bad"
2: In South Dakota going 10 MPH over the limit at 90 MPH. The guys approaches and talks to me about the speed. He then sees that I have an antelope decoy in the back for hunting antelope. Turns out he is an antelope hunter also... we talk hunting and he lets me go.
Thirty some years ago, a friend of mine was hauling ass through west Texas. He didn't spot a Texas Ranger hiding behind a road sign until it was way too late and got pulled over. My buddy was driving a car with Iowa plates and, having heard horror stories about out of stater's treatment in Texas, feared the worst. He sat in his car as the ranger sauntered up to him, bowlegged with a cowboy hat and all. When he rolled down his window, the ranger said "Son, I've been waiting for you ALL day long." My buddy, who is quite quick-witted, responded with a "I got here as quick as I could." The ranger cracked up and let him go with a warning.
From 1990 - 2006 I owned a small house out in Galena, IL.....about 130 miles northwest of my northwest suburb outside Chicago.
It was in The Galena Territory with 54 holes of golf so I had a lot of long 3-4 day weekends with friends out there.
So the last 40-50 miles is mostly a two lane road with lots of small towns with the local officer(s) working hard to fund the towns’ activities.
So one year an officer nailed one of my friends as the four of us were returning home late on a Sun eve. A legitimate stop, we were talking and not paying attention as we went over a hill and hit the reduced speed limit area. Pulled over, got the ticket, told to drive safely, etc.
The next summer history repeated itself. The same officer walked up to our stopped car, requested the driver’s license.....then after looking at it for about 10 seconds said “the name looks very familiar, have I stopped you before?” That’s when the brother of the driver said from the back seat “yes, officer, nice to see you again, that was me you ticketed last year.” The officer had trouble keeping a straight face but had no trouble giving out another ticket. He did suggest that maybe one of the other of the two of us might want to drive instead of one of the two brothers.
It was in The Galena Territory with 54 holes of golf so I had a lot of long 3-4 day weekends with friends out there.
So the last 40-50 miles is mostly a two lane road with lots of small towns with the local officer(s) working hard to fund the towns’ activities.
So one year an officer nailed one of my friends as the four of us were returning home late on a Sun eve. A legitimate stop, we were talking and not paying attention as we went over a hill and hit the reduced speed limit area. Pulled over, got the ticket, told to drive safely, etc.
The next summer history repeated itself. The same officer walked up to our stopped car, requested the driver’s license.....then after looking at it for about 10 seconds said “the name looks very familiar, have I stopped you before?” That’s when the brother of the driver said from the back seat “yes, officer, nice to see you again, that was me you ticketed last year.” The officer had trouble keeping a straight face but had no trouble giving out another ticket. He did suggest that maybe one of the other of the two of us might want to drive instead of one of the two brothers.
Group of car guys I’m in does cruises out to galena every year. Two summers ago just before we got there two cars out of the group of around 20 pulled out to the front of the pack (800 horsepower lancer evolution and a charger hellcat). They start lining up and suddenly everyone in the groups radar detectors start going off. Everyone starts slowing down except those two who nail it going over a small overpass. Sure enough cop is sitting there on the other side and they both pull over before he even gets the siren on. Clocked one of them at 135, because they pulled over immediately he only wrote them the speeding tickets, didn’t tack anything else on and didn’t impound the cars. Apparently he had a bunch of questions about the evo while they waited for backup, asked what the fastest it’d been was. Was impressed to hear 180.
Small world. The guy who told me the Texas Ranger story lived in Galena. I've played a couple of those courses.
Three tickets in PA in twenty-five years of driving. 74, 75, and 76 - at least I’m consistent.
Was doing that or more each time but two should have been thrown out on procedural grounds - the middle one the trooper agreed to reduce the guy before me to failure to obey and when it was my turn said to the judge, “Oh, let’s do it for ... too”
The minor judiciary in Pennsylvania is a joke. No understanding of the law whatsoever, just what they were told at judge camp in their 40 hours of training. Blatant mistakes and ignoring procedure all over the place. My lesson learned is not to say or ask anything in front of the MDJ and take the de novo appeal to Common Pleas court where at least the judge has a law degree. If you try to execute any strategy at the MDJ level the judge won’t understand it anyway and the state will be ready for it when you appeal. Why give them two bites at the apple?
Was doing that or more each time but two should have been thrown out on procedural grounds - the middle one the trooper agreed to reduce the guy before me to failure to obey and when it was my turn said to the judge, “Oh, let’s do it for ... too”
The minor judiciary in Pennsylvania is a joke. No understanding of the law whatsoever, just what they were told at judge camp in their 40 hours of training. Blatant mistakes and ignoring procedure all over the place. My lesson learned is not to say or ask anything in front of the MDJ and take the de novo appeal to Common Pleas court where at least the judge has a law degree. If you try to execute any strategy at the MDJ level the judge won’t understand it anyway and the state will be ready for it when you appeal. Why give them two bites at the apple?
Late to the party here on this thread, but as a PA State Trooper myself, I can maybe shed light on here. For me, I try to use common sense when citing someone, or letting them off with a verbal warning. For example, if someone is on Rt. 28 swerving through traffic at 10-15 over, I’m more inclined to give them a ticket. If traffic is light and they are 25 over, they are getting a ticket. I usually give a 20 MPH buffer, for a speed limit at 65, if you’re approaching 85, that’s ticket time. I’m more inclined to let you go on non-moving violations like expired registrations and burnt out bulbs. Most DJ’s will throw those out anyway, and it’s a waste of time to show up to court for those.
Got 2 tix in two states 45 mins apart trying to get to Dulles from my house. 1st one, was going 76 in a 55, local cop wrote me for 70. By the time I finished with him I was REALLY late. When the VA Trooper stopped me 45 minutes later, I was going over 85 in a 55. He wrote me for 85, big trouble, since at 75(20 over) I would lose my license.
So I figured I was F'ed on making the plane, but I still had to go to O'Hare. Got to Dulles, sauntered in about 5 minutes after the flight was to leave, and found out the flight was delayed. Ended up waiting a half hour to board. Worked out fine.
Paid the 150 ticket in WV, then had to hire a lawyer in VA, who weaseled/chiseled them down to 74 and saved my license. All told that trip to the airport cost me right at 1400 bucks. I remember the amount because I was going to Chicago for a bar exam grading seminar. That was part of my service on the WV Board of Law Examiners, where I graded exams and interviewed candidates, for a gratuity of 1300 dollars a year. So, yeah, a years' pay wasted on one airport run.
So I figured I was F'ed on making the plane, but I still had to go to O'Hare. Got to Dulles, sauntered in about 5 minutes after the flight was to leave, and found out the flight was delayed. Ended up waiting a half hour to board. Worked out fine.
Paid the 150 ticket in WV, then had to hire a lawyer in VA, who weaseled/chiseled them down to 74 and saved my license. All told that trip to the airport cost me right at 1400 bucks. I remember the amount because I was going to Chicago for a bar exam grading seminar. That was part of my service on the WV Board of Law Examiners, where I graded exams and interviewed candidates, for a gratuity of 1300 dollars a year. So, yeah, a years' pay wasted on one airport run.
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last one I got was in VT, sheriffs deputy was making money for the county, no way to talk him out of a bullshit ticket for less than 10 over on a country road near nothing but trees
we both knew I could have run away from him, too- but I stopped anyway, he should have cut me a break but I wasn't going to ride two hours to fight a ticket for under $100 with no points, and he knew that, too
we both knew I could have run away from him, too- but I stopped anyway, he should have cut me a break but I wasn't going to ride two hours to fight a ticket for under $100 with no points, and he knew that, too
I've been unconscionably fortunate. I got tickets the first two times I was ever pulled over, at ages 17 and 19. One for going 77 in a 65 near Indiana, PA, and one for going 76 in a 65 in Ohio near where I coincidentally live now. Since then, I have been pulled over 4 times, and got warning all 4 times. I generally drive like a grandma, as my wife tells me, setting my cruise at 7 mph over on the highway and never going above that.
Now, when I say unconscionably fortunate, I'm referring to one of those instances specifically. The wife was out of town with our son, so I decided to head to the casino (less than 2 miles from our house at the time). I hit big early, so make it a much longer night than anticipated. Unfortunately I also kept getting after the 32 oz IPAs. It was a solid 7 hours of pounding those. Then, as an idiot, I figure I'm only 2 miles away, I'll just drive. So of course I get behind someone absolutely crawling, and the minute it opens to 4 lanes, I hammer it out of frustration. I see the lights and immediately know this will be a life-changing stop. Cop asks why I'm going so fast and I explain, as best I can in that state. He says I was going 55 in a 35, and have one headlight out. Meanwhile, I hand him a stack of papers, because I can't even see well enough to read which is my registration. I'm just waiting for him to ask me to get out of the car. Instead, he comes back, asks me what I do for a living, chuckles, tells me to slow down, get my bulb replaced, and lets me go. I will never understand why. Honestly, and this absurd to say in my circumstance, but what he did was awful. I could've really harmed someone that night. I'm certain I would've blown above a .2. I don't tell this story out of pride, it's pathetic, and I'm ashamed of it. I've never driven after more than 2 drinks again. But for some reason, he let me go.
Now, when I say unconscionably fortunate, I'm referring to one of those instances specifically. The wife was out of town with our son, so I decided to head to the casino (less than 2 miles from our house at the time). I hit big early, so make it a much longer night than anticipated. Unfortunately I also kept getting after the 32 oz IPAs. It was a solid 7 hours of pounding those. Then, as an idiot, I figure I'm only 2 miles away, I'll just drive. So of course I get behind someone absolutely crawling, and the minute it opens to 4 lanes, I hammer it out of frustration. I see the lights and immediately know this will be a life-changing stop. Cop asks why I'm going so fast and I explain, as best I can in that state. He says I was going 55 in a 35, and have one headlight out. Meanwhile, I hand him a stack of papers, because I can't even see well enough to read which is my registration. I'm just waiting for him to ask me to get out of the car. Instead, he comes back, asks me what I do for a living, chuckles, tells me to slow down, get my bulb replaced, and lets me go. I will never understand why. Honestly, and this absurd to say in my circumstance, but what he did was awful. I could've really harmed someone that night. I'm certain I would've blown above a .2. I don't tell this story out of pride, it's pathetic, and I'm ashamed of it. I've never driven after more than 2 drinks again. But for some reason, he let me go.
Many many years ago (30+) I had just left work in downtown Chicago and was heading for the expressway.
I was on a one way street and turned left on red onto another one way street. A very young Chicago police officer pulled me over a block later, walked up, asked for my license and registration. He then asked me if I knew why he had stopped me. I said no, he then said I went thru a red light. I explained to him yes I had, but that IL law allowed a left turn on a red light if it was from a one way street to another one way street. He shook his head and went back to his patrol car for about two minutes and checked in with someone over his radio (I watched him in my rear view mirror). He then walked back up to my car, handed me my license and registration and said with a sheepish smile “have a good evening”.
I was on a one way street and turned left on red onto another one way street. A very young Chicago police officer pulled me over a block later, walked up, asked for my license and registration. He then asked me if I knew why he had stopped me. I said no, he then said I went thru a red light. I explained to him yes I had, but that IL law allowed a left turn on a red light if it was from a one way street to another one way street. He shook his head and went back to his patrol car for about two minutes and checked in with someone over his radio (I watched him in my rear view mirror). He then walked back up to my car, handed me my license and registration and said with a sheepish smile “have a good evening”.
IllinoisLion, after reading that you got over on Chicago's finest, I am proud to endorse your candidacy for BWI McAndrew Board moderator.
Years ago I purchased a corvette when I was stationed at Fort Benning Georgia. The dealer did not have the car I wanted by assured me he would "order" it and get it to me before I was to leave for my next duty station. I was being assigned to Hawaii and needed to turn the car into the shipment facility in Oakland CA. I went home to Pittsburgh on leave and at the last moment the dealer called me to tell me the car was in. I had just enough time to fly to Georgia pick up the car and drive to Oakland. I picked up the Car on Monday afternoon and needed to be Oakland by Friday morning. As I was picking up the car I noticed the car had a cardboard license plate with the dealer's information. But being in a hurry I had no time to correct. That night I hit a violent rain storm as I drove across Mississippi and Louisiana. Drove until midnight and got a room in Texas. I got up early the next day and with horror saw the cardboard plate had evaporated. Back then all the speed limits were 55 mph and I was driving much faster. I was in Texas about 30 miles from the New Mexico border when I was stopped. There I was speeding, with no plate, a PA drivers license and a temp registration. I knew I was in big trouble. The officer was great. He just told me to keep in down until I hit the border. To this day I thank that officer.
Ask anyone from Columbus about New Rome and Brice. The first was fortunately disestablished a few years back, I think they had more cops than residents.
My first ticket was for jaywalking. In East Berlin--payable on the spot in West German marks.
...they had machine guns....
...they had machine guns....
