Ever Get A Warning Rather than a Traffic Ticket?

[Fishinfool]

When I was a road trooper, I wrote few tickets. I did give a lot of verbal warnings, as that gave me the satisfaction of letting the miscreant know he had been caught, and the opportunity to see if anything more serious was going on.

I usually reserved writing tickets for those violations you would see other drivers commit, and think to yourself, "I wish there was a cop around"......

Larry

 

[Big Cholla]

I have to tell this story on myself; My wife just hates what happened. She is very conservative and never exceeds the speed limit no matter what. She continually berates me about my lead foot. We had been in Michigan visiting relatives and were on our way thru Ohio to visit more relatives in Virginia. I was flat tired of driving and so she took over. She was driving the posted limit of 60 mph. I couldn't sleep so told her to either speed up or let me drive. She promptly gave the driving back to me. It was late afternoon and the freeway traffic was fairly light. I was doing about 75 and passed a Trooper parked facing my traffic lane. I knew what was going to happen, so just pulled over and lowered both windows and placed my hands on the top of the steering wheel. The Trooper walked up and asked for the DL, R and I. I handed them all to him after pulling the DL out of my Badge Wallet. He saw the So. Nevada Badge and asked if I was retired. I said not yet, but soon. He said he was 18 mos from retirement and was thinking about one of those cushy Security Guard positions on the LV Strip. I told him what I had heard about the best places to work, assured him that retired Troopers were well thought of and hired first. He thanked me and then told me to hold my speed down as there were two more Troopers working the freeway between us and the State line and they weren't close to retirement. I drove on at just a little more than the speed limit. My wife was angry that I had skated and not got the ticket that I deserved. .........

 

[Old TexMex]

What a coincidence! I just got one here in Mexico yesterday...although it cost me 200 pesos.

 

[P&R Fan]

Several years ago Missus Fan and I were leaving church. We were supposed the meet my Grandmother for lunch. Got a few miles out and she realized she had left her purse at the church. We were running late so I wheeled around and hoped to make it before they locked up. Topped a hill in a 45 MPH zone and saw a local cop coming towards us. Watched in my mirror and saw him stop and turn around. I just pulled over. Handed him my license, he looked at it and said "how fast do you think you were going, Jim?" I said "had to be at least 70. He smiled and said he clocked me at 69. (Oh good, I OVERESTIMATED it!) I told him what we were doing and that we were late for lunch with my Grandmother....my WIDOWED Grandmother. He smiled and said "Ya know, it's raining, I'm getting wet, why don't you just slow down?" Thanked him profusely.
Told several people who were furious, as in this town nobody gets a break.
Jim

 

[soFlaNative]

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.

Lord had Mercy!

 

[Marshwheeling]

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. ....

A buddy who retired after 30 years on the St. Paul P.D. once said, "Nobody ever talked me out of a ticket, but a lot of guys talked me into one."

 

[Aden67]

I was driving in Philly as I had to run into Temple University to pick up some papers to review during spring break. Had the ex-wife in the car and she was in a really bad mood...complaining about everything. I was in a hurry to get this trip over, so at a 4-way intersection I did not exactly do a complete stop. Got pulled over and the officer came to the window. He asks for my documents and then the ex-wife starts in with him about how there is so much other crime in Philly (and especially around Temple)...how stupid it was to pull us over. I looked at her and said in a quiet voice...chill out...you are not helping. The cop started getting worked up with the wife's antics, so I asked if I could step out of the car to speak with him. We went to the back of the car and I showed him my Temple ID and told him I was teaching classes and finishing my Ph.D. I was also working for a local county Probation/Parole department, so I had their badge as well. I apologized to the officer for my wife's behavior and admitted I did not come to a complete stop. I actually asked him to write me a ticket...and have me stand at the back of the car...so I could just get away from the wife for a few minutes. He laughed and told me to wait while he checked things out. He came back after a few minutes and gave me a verbal warning. He told me he was married too...and he understood. We shook hands and I went on my way. God...I don't miss my ex!

 

[4011]

Got a warning a 11:30 PM for speeeding. I was passing the reduced speed sign and DPS was parked there. I was looking at him not the sign. After he stopped me he told me exactly what I did .never saw him pull out. I had been driving over eleven hours and was beat. Didn't show him my license till I explained my billfold was on the right as was my Smith. He says OK let's see both license. Went to his Impala and printed a warning. He was a perfect gentleman and his uniform was worn perfect. He wore his hat in a friendly manner. I emailed DPS HQ. And gave him a fine review. His commander emailed me a copy of the letter they put in his file. Trooper Patterson is a credit to Texas.

 

[da gimp]

sure.......

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I'm usually pretty careful out of respect for the LEO's I work with more than anything else. One day however I was driving with my head elseware and blew through a red light one Sunday afternoon in town. Next thing I know I'm being pulled over. Kid walks up to the car and it was obvious he was new-didn't know me, nor I him. Anyway I gave him my license ( I NEVER try to pull rank-it's disrespectful and I'd rather just get the ticket taken care of the old fashioned way ) and about this time the kid's rank drove by, laughing at me and flipped me off with a big grin.. Knd is by now at the back of the car calling me in and th enext thing he's walking back to the car with his head down, handing me back my license and saying "sorry Mr. Gary". I felt bad for the kid. ANyway I've seen him in court a few times since then and he looks like he's going to turn into a good one. Hope he stays but I think he's probably going to go with the state police the next class.
Usually everyone else knows my car and unless I've got a bloody tennis shoe imbedded in the grill I don't get stopped.

 

[Cooter Brown]

One warning I got I really shouldn't have.

Was headed to a mechanic to have the mass air sensor replaced. An expensive part on this truck and I was not in a good mood. The road I was on has a 40mph limit and I don't exceed it. There were two county police cars in the church driveway, back to front, chatting I guess. (This county has a sheriff's dept, police force, a well as all the town PDs)

Anyway I made the mistake of making eye contact with the guy facing the road. Sure enough he pulled me over. Young guy, very cocky, looked more like the type you see selling cars than pulling them over.

He checked license, insurance, reg. and walked all around the car.

"Do you know why I pulled you ever?"

"No idea. I drive like a little old lady." I managed to resist the urge to say, "You didn't like me making eye contact, did'ja?"

He said, "You have a crack in your windshield."

And I did, about 3 inches long. I don't think he could have seen it when I was driving past him.

"You pulled me over for that?"

"It's a violation."

"OK."

And then he asked the question--I know SCOTUS has said it's OK for police to ask it, but it still bugs the hell out of me: "Where're you headed?"

It was hot, I was tired and hungry, and I was just headed somewhere to get soaked for an expensive repair, and here's this kid pulling me over because he didn't like me looking at him.

Where was I headed? Uh-huh. I blurted out, couldn't help it, "Southeast."

You know the cartoons with steam coming out of the guy's ears? Yeah, that. This guy wanted to reach in and yank me out of that truck. He looked at me for a minute, getting madder and madder, and then went back to his car. After a LONG time he came back, shoved a warning in my hand, and walked off.

Still don't know why he let me off. Maybe he called his buddy in the other car? Maybe because he didn't have a moving violation to pull me over. Don't know. But my mouth almost got the better of me that time.

 

[NYlakesider]

Actually most times I got a warning. Been driving a hot car all my life since about 1963 and have a bit of a heavy right foot. That hot car description included 7 Corvettes and let me tell you any Vette; any color will attract LEO attention. I also drove CDL large trucks for a few years and that has generated more than a few talks, both at truck stop inspection areas and a roadside pull over.

I have had countless roadside chats with all sorts of LEOs, State, county local and I find most are decent hardworking and if treated decent will be more apt to warn rather than write. They come up to the car and say good morning sir and you reply good morning officer/ sheriff/sir/mam/trooper/sergeant/corporal and that gets things moving smoothly.

Answer their questions, keep your hands in a viewable position for the officers safety, turn on the inside lights at night, drop all windows before they get to your vechicle and be relaxed. Hey cops are people too and they appreciate being treated right.

Now at age 70 driving my Vette I kind of think I'm not what they expect to see, and with my demeanor all is well.

 

[M29since14]

I will probably jinx myself by writing this but in the U.S. I have only received warnings. I try to be friendly but polite and respectful, answer all questions without making speeches, admit my "sins," and I throw in the customary "sir" here and there as I think prudent, but without being overbearing about it.

The ex-wife used to complain that police officers only gave warnings to other men. (I always figured the ladies were more likely to get a break.) I never could understand how she would know about any of that because she never had received any warnings or citations. Pure jealousy.

These days I hold the speed down and try my best not to do anything that makes LE want to speak with me.

 

[Skeet 028]

I get stopped fairly regularly for not wearing a seat belt. I usually have it on just not over my shoulder as I have a pacemaker(recent) and the docs don't want a strap overtop of it..My docs letter gets me over the bumps

 

[M&P Freak]

Early one Sunday morning a few years back I was traveling through California, I-5 North, had just began the long boring stretch of the San Joaquin Valley.

Was not paying attention and the next thing you know being pulled over (speed trap @ Buttonwillow). The CHP asked me if I knew how fast I was going and I told him the truth - I did not, was not paying attention and probably going way too fast. He takes my license and registration back to his car, then comes back after about five minutes, hands me my documents and says he clocked me at 93, then asked that I please slow down because he just wants me to arrive home safely.

My wife could not believe it. She said let's detour to Vegas because it's your lucky day.

 

[JohnSW]

When he asked if I knew how fast I was traveling, ...

One time, when I was obviously speeding, my response was "No". It was about two in the morning, with empty streets, so the officer didn't have his radar turned on. Since there was no proof of speeding, he just chewed me out. (I had just exited the highway, and didn't bother to slow down when I got to main street.)

 

[TTSH]

Friendly warnings don't seem to happen to me.

The only tickets I've acquired in decades were both received while I was driving my pick-up truck (which is quite rare): One for getting a flat tire on the highway ("failure to stay in marked lane" after the blowout, believe it or not) and one for speeding ("estimated", no radar) when I had to have been the slowest moving vehicle on the road that day (a small town "revenue enhancement" attempt).

Fortunately for me, they were both very easy to beat in court.

 

[vt_shooter]

In my 41 years of driving I've had two tickets and 2 warnings. Last warning was a few years ago; wasn't paying attention, I had just dropped my cat off at the vet and was worrying about the cat. I told the officer as much and apologized for speeding, maybe she was a cat person because she let me go with a warning. The last ticket was maybe 15 years ago, for speeding. I bet I could have beaten it though - conditions were night time and raining, and the cop wrote the wrong make & model car on the ticket. I imagine I could have argued that the cop had the cars mixed up in his mind, but I just paid the $110 - I would have had to travel to a neighboring state where I got the ticket to fight it.

 

[jbull380]

Well if I'm to believe recent stories featured on the news I'd have to say most of the posters here are lying through their teeth. Not one was dragged out, beaten, tased, shot then bombarded with mean statements. Weird.

 

[CajunBass]

I don't think I've ever been pulled but three or four times in my life (I've been driving 40+ years). I've gotten one ticket. Well deserved I admit. I actually said "Thank you, Deputy." He looked at me like I was from Mars.

I once got an apology from the police officer. Never did find out why she pulled me. AFAIK, I wasn't/hadn't done anything. I guess she was looking for someone other than an old, fat, white guy with a beard.