Ever Get A Warning Rather than a Traffic Ticket?
- Thread starter finesse_r
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Slowhanddd
Member
I guess I'm lucky.We have twin Sons in law enforcement.
Both have been on the job about ten years.One is a small town cop where we live and the other is a sheriffs deputy here also. The last two times I was stopped,no tickets just a call from one of the boys telling me how much money they saved dear old Dad.I always tell them thanks and it's about time the saved me $$
Both have been on the job about ten years.One is a small town cop where we live and the other is a sheriffs deputy here also. The last two times I was stopped,no tickets just a call from one of the boys telling me how much money they saved dear old Dad.I always tell them thanks and it's about time the saved me $$
Several times, most recently last year. Like others here note, being polite and showing some courtesy and some taste to the officer can be to your benefit. I certainly was NOT in the right...
GWK4667
US Veteran
With the blessing of the elected sheriff I give out at least 10 to 15 warnings for every ticket. I am retired and only fill in 4 or 5 shifts a month and drive a dump truck a lot - - - I get pulled over in the dump truck a lot so the other deputies can use it to hide behind at school zones as that is where we have the most problems.
The way to get a ticket from me is to speed in a school zone or if you really want me to throw the book at you go past a stopped school bus with the flashers on.
Rolling thru a stop sign where it is safe will get me to pull you over and run your record and if you have a good record a verbal warning will send you on your way.
But I have taken in several people that have rolled thru and find out they have bench warrants ( mostly failure to appear ) or body attachment warrants ( mostly failure to pay child support ). I am always amazed that people with warrants drive like they want to be arrested.
The way to get a ticket from me is to speed in a school zone or if you really want me to throw the book at you go past a stopped school bus with the flashers on.
Rolling thru a stop sign where it is safe will get me to pull you over and run your record and if you have a good record a verbal warning will send you on your way.
But I have taken in several people that have rolled thru and find out they have bench warrants ( mostly failure to appear ) or body attachment warrants ( mostly failure to pay child support ). I am always amazed that people with warrants drive like they want to be arrested.
doublesharp
Member
I've got a warning ticket story. It was President's Day, about 2009, and I was driving my wife's bright red VW beetle convertible. My wife was in passenger seat and our 9 year old niece, Shelby, was in the backseat. We were taking Shelby to the Louisville Science Museum and then out to eat.
I was right in the middle of the old Clark Memorial Bridge (US31), directly over the Ohio River about 10am when I got lit up. I knew the speed limit was 35 and I was doing mid 50s. I got in the right lane with my signal on and proceeded slowly figuring I'd get off the bridge and pull over on Main St. Cop turned on siren and I knew that meant stop now, so I did.
Plainclothes officer asked me if I knew how fast? I said mid 50s. He said he had me doing 53 and I said yep, I was. I was wearing seatbelt as was everyone else and I had ins and reg handy. I was also wearing a gimme ballcap with our current sherrif's name on it.
Officer asked what we were doing and I told him. He asked how long since my last ticket and I truthfully said about 15 years. He looked in the backseat and spoke to niece Shelby. "Shelby, should I write him up or let him go" he asked? Shelby smiled sweetly and said "let him go"
Officer smiled and said have a nice day and slow down.
I was right in the middle of the old Clark Memorial Bridge (US31), directly over the Ohio River about 10am when I got lit up. I knew the speed limit was 35 and I was doing mid 50s. I got in the right lane with my signal on and proceeded slowly figuring I'd get off the bridge and pull over on Main St. Cop turned on siren and I knew that meant stop now, so I did.
Plainclothes officer asked me if I knew how fast? I said mid 50s. He said he had me doing 53 and I said yep, I was. I was wearing seatbelt as was everyone else and I had ins and reg handy. I was also wearing a gimme ballcap with our current sherrif's name on it.
Officer asked what we were doing and I told him. He asked how long since my last ticket and I truthfully said about 15 years. He looked in the backseat and spoke to niece Shelby. "Shelby, should I write him up or let him go" he asked? Shelby smiled sweetly and said "let him go"
Officer smiled and said have a nice day and slow down.
That one should get the person cuffed; stuffed; and at least the night in the gray bar motel!!!!
Many times. For most of my life I was a consistent speeder. After a few tickets in my twenties, I pretty much stopped getting them; that is to say, I got pulled over about three times a year, but only got a ticket about once every four years. Those I took to court and made most of them go away.
Most of them were deflected at the point of sale, mostly by simply not giving the officer a reason to write the ticket; i.e. keeping a clean driving record, not insulting his intelligence, not denying the obvious, without actually admitting anything, being affable rather than obsequious, and doing whatever I could to disarm the apprehension that every cop has to feel as he approaches a vehicle with unknown occupants.
Most of them were deflected at the point of sale, mostly by simply not giving the officer a reason to write the ticket; i.e. keeping a clean driving record, not insulting his intelligence, not denying the obvious, without actually admitting anything, being affable rather than obsequious, and doing whatever I could to disarm the apprehension that every cop has to feel as he approaches a vehicle with unknown occupants.
I've had that experience in exactly the same place several times over the years. Have had a bunch of warning tickets and Fix-it tickets too. A lot of them I attribute to my driving non-traditional vehicles. Last one was somewhere around Dalhart, TX. Driving F-350 dually diesel, pulled out to pass a semi on 2 lane hiway, then realized it was a huge double trailer and on-coming traffic was closer than I thought, floored it and made that diesel bark and got around the truck with VERY litttle room
to spare, hit about 95-100 in the process. And guess what? 2nd on-coming vehicle was a county sheriff, figured I was toast. He turned around and pulled me over. What did he say? Ma'am, that was some kinda drivin' there, you ever been a race car driver? I politely told him no, but I would have liked to. He checked to make sure I had a valid DL, registration & insurance and let me go. Doubt he expected the driver to be a 60 something female.
spdguns
Member
I agree, but I still had to look up "obsequious".......
35 plus years in law enforcement.
I think that at least 50% of the people that I stopped received a warning and not a citation. In my younger years that number was a bit higher and as I got older you almost had to run into me to receive the citation.
I think that at least 50% of the people that I stopped received a warning and not a citation. In my younger years that number was a bit higher and as I got older you almost had to run into me to receive the citation.
Tickets
Several years back I would get a speeding ticket about every 5
years. A local state patrol trooper brought in his off duty gun for
repair. When he came to pick it up he asked what he owed. I said
I wanted "Get out of jail free card" trooper said as long as you
don't shoot or rob , you got a deal, as long as I'm a trooper. A
few weeks later, on a Saturday afternoon I recieved a phone call.
All I could hear was loud music and people talking, then voice
said do you know who this is? It's Trooper XX. I said where are
you, in a beer joint? He said yes, at my retirement party, Your
card is here by canceled!
Several years back I would get a speeding ticket about every 5
years. A local state patrol trooper brought in his off duty gun for
repair. When he came to pick it up he asked what he owed. I said
I wanted "Get out of jail free card" trooper said as long as you
don't shoot or rob , you got a deal, as long as I'm a trooper. A
few weeks later, on a Saturday afternoon I recieved a phone call.
All I could hear was loud music and people talking, then voice
said do you know who this is? It's Trooper XX. I said where are
you, in a beer joint? He said yes, at my retirement party, Your
card is here by canceled!
Was stopped for 15mph over in the 55mph days by FHP northbound on US27 in Palm Beach co. Produced the paperwork, agreed I was in the wrong and complied when asked to step out of the vehicle.
As it was early summer and the sun had just set the mosquitos appeared and swarmed under the brim of the Smokey hat leaving me untouched. I'll give the man credit, he tried but it was too much for him. He asked if I would mind sitting in the cruiser with him while he wrote me up and I politely declined.
He tried writing as he moved around but the skeeters were relentless, almost obscuring his features under the hat. I'm as prone to mosquitos as anyone else but as long as I'm not alone they seem to not bother with me too much.
After a few minutes he handed back my paper, folded his book and told me not to be speeding through his county any more and sent me on my way.
As it was early summer and the sun had just set the mosquitos appeared and swarmed under the brim of the Smokey hat leaving me untouched. I'll give the man credit, he tried but it was too much for him. He asked if I would mind sitting in the cruiser with him while he wrote me up and I politely declined.
He tried writing as he moved around but the skeeters were relentless, almost obscuring his features under the hat. I'm as prone to mosquitos as anyone else but as long as I'm not alone they seem to not bother with me too much.
After a few minutes he handed back my paper, folded his book and told me not to be speeding through his county any more and sent me on my way.
DGM
Member
We used to have a put a sticker on our license plates to indicate current years registration.An officer pulled me over,came to the window and said, I pulled you over for expired registration but I see your inspection sticker is expired also.So I replied then you really don't want to see my drivers license .I told him I had called drivers license folks that morning,reeled off the phone # etc. He shook his head and asked , if I let you go would you take care of all of it today.Sir,I can't think of anything I could do today that would make me as much money as you're offering to save me.Sent me off with a grin.Thank ou very much officer.
I've gotten my share of tickets and warnings. I've instructed many a young sheriff as to what would stand up in court, and when to just make a note. One of the Deputies kept a bound book. At the third warning, you got written up for voluntary and intentional endangerment of the general population. One year and $10k. He also loved fire lanes. Parking violation, towing, storage, plus a fine for each counted person who lived within 500 feet who would be in danger for a fire (fire code, not traffic). Don't remember the clause, but he made lots of $$ for the town.
I want to start by saying I've only had I think one ticket in the last 10 years, and only two or three in the last 20 years, BUT...
When I was a young man I was hell on wheels - in every sense of the phrase. At one time I counted them up when I was about 35 or so and I'd had something like 37 or 38 tickets in my life. I've been ticketed for just about everything you can get a ticket for. From DUI to no seat belt, from reckless driving to bald tires, from driving with a suspended license to a rolling stop. I've even been given a ticket for failure to dim headlights - and I've never even hear of ANYONE else getting ticketed for that.
In 35+ years driving I have been stopped and only given a warning TWICE in my whole life. If I get stopped I get the ticket - and I don't know why. I have always been polite and respectful to the officers. But I've never been one to get "let off" if I got caught breaking a traffic law. Just my luck I guess...
When I was a young man I was hell on wheels - in every sense of the phrase. At one time I counted them up when I was about 35 or so and I'd had something like 37 or 38 tickets in my life. I've been ticketed for just about everything you can get a ticket for. From DUI to no seat belt, from reckless driving to bald tires, from driving with a suspended license to a rolling stop. I've even been given a ticket for failure to dim headlights - and I've never even hear of ANYONE else getting ticketed for that.
In 35+ years driving I have been stopped and only given a warning TWICE in my whole life. If I get stopped I get the ticket - and I don't know why. I have always been polite and respectful to the officers. But I've never been one to get "let off" if I got caught breaking a traffic law. Just my luck I guess...
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I was stopped for doing 50mph in a 35mph and while I was waiting for the Officer to finish checking Me out on the Radio His Backup arrived and just sat there behind Him. As I watched Him in My rear view Mirror I saw Him throw up His Hands and get out of His Car and came up to My Window,I was ready for a big ticket as that City gets most of it's income from Traffic Tickets but He just said that I could go.
I never found out why.
I never found out why.
1sg
Member
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I was recently stopped by a county sheriff for driving 12 miles an hour over the posted speed limit. Mea culpa and I admitted as such. The LEO was very understanding and let me go with a warning. A few months ago I was pulled over on a military installation by a DoD Police officer for approx 4 miles an hour over the posted speed limit; I thought it was bogus and said as much. I wasn't disrespectful but it still cost me over $250. Go figure...
Big Cholla
Member
I issued a lot of 'Warnings'. It usually depended on the attitude of the stopee. 
Fail the 'attitude test' and it was an automatic citation. ....
Fail the 'attitude test' and it was an automatic citation. ....
GB
Member
Yes, as a youth, I was fortunate to receive several warnings. ( I richly deserved to be ticketed, by the way.). As a police officer, I wrote about a bazillion warnings. My last department had a contact quota system and a warning counted the same a cite. My way of poking the powers that be, without incurring to much grief. (Probably explains why I only lasted 12 years instead of 20+. I didn't always play well with others!) I once stopped a former governor of my state and up until the moment I handed him the warning, he thought it was going to be the real deal. As big a horse's rump as he was, his wife was even worse.
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