Would you fight it or not? Ticket question...

[gregintenn]

Being an LEO you can probably successfully fight it. I've had several similar situations, and by NOT being an LEO, judge, etc., I've found that I'm peeing in the wind trying to fight these things. Forgive me for sounding rude, but I find humor in the fact that this did happen to an LEO. I do applaud you for using restraint, and for not showing your badge. You sound like a much more reasonable person than many LEOs I've had contact with.

 

[ASA335]

By the way…

Now I've been in law enforcement for over 28 years, but I never badge or play that card unless I'm specifically asked what I do, so I'm not anti-LEO, but I have no patience with badge happy, authority abusing LEO's of any stripe, including in my agency.

Good for you!

We used to have a many term Sheriff here that required that if one of his deputies had a valid stop and the person stopped, in any manner at all, implied that his own LE status should get him some "professional courtesy" exemption, then that person was to get a visit to the Sheriff's Office Jail while his department was contacted. Trying to get away with not answering for violations or (worse yet) crimes by expecting "professional courtesy" was not "professional" in his mind (nor in mine). If one of his deputies tried to use their LE status in an unprofessional manner (e.g. to get out of a ticket, etc…), then that deputies status would change post haste as soon as the Sheriff found out about it.

At your service,

 

[feralmerril]

This story might be bogus, maybe my friend was telling me a lie? But its too good not to pass on!
He was a LAPD motor officer before we worked together. (In fact he also was a adviser to "chips" tv series, and had a few small parts).
Anyway, he said years ago he and several fellow officers decided to take a vacation all together and go to florida to some event. I belive it was georgia? He claimed they stopped at some old gas station/resturant and this county mountie or whatever comes over and is going to give them a speeding ticket. When they protested he hadnt even seen them driveing, he supposedly ambeled over and pointed at their windsheld and says, those bug splatters looked like they had to be going over 75 mph!

 

[DeathGrip]

Please go to court for the little guys that have suffered at the hands of this "HP".I don't expect this will go well for him if he appears.If he don't show up pursue it further.I don't like dirty cops like I don't like dirty mechanics.(just an example) theres plenty of work for an honest one.These days it seems as the percentages of bad professionals are greater than before.

I'm a citizen and I'd probably let him have it.I have when I didn't have a dog in the fight,Except Principle.They wasn't to happy with me.Oh well.That's another story.

 

[ohiobuckeye]

We all seem to forget that most traffic tickets have nothing to do with right, wrong, justice or public safety. The name of the game is raising revenue.

 

[Bat Guano]

Fight it. I've gotten three questionable tickets in my life, let the first two slide. The last one was a citizen complaint about my ATV driving, with lots of creative details thrown in--no witnesses. The city attorney went with it and I pushed back at every stage. The complainant had to show up three times in court but never got to testify, and the officer issuing the summons based on his complaint somehow "failed" to show up on trial date. (I suspect that he, too, felt it was a put-up job and conveniently forgot to appear--but I'll never know.) The complainant was pretty disgusted at having to show up three times for nothing, and I doubt he'll feel inclined to play traffic cop in the future. I also visited with the city's attorney afterwards and commented that I knew something about evidence in the real world and that he had wasted everybody's time.

So few people dig in their heels in these questionable cases. The good cops make good citations--no problem. The badge-heavy ones need to be reminded now and then that they may get called on bad ones.

Years ago I was way out in the boonies one night in the agency car trying to get home, stuck behind a slowpoke on mountain roads. I finally got a chance to pass him, and I got lit up for it. When the trooper walked up to my car he saw the prisoner cage and asked me who I worked for. I told him, and when he asked me why I had been clipping right along I told him the truth. He looked at me, chuckled, and said, "Well, go catch him again."

Talk about conflicting emotions...but somehow I liked him better than the guy you ran into.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Make sure you can prove you wre in a 70 mph zone-check what he put on the ticket-ie mile marker etc. If you don't have pretty concrete proof you were in a 70-you're gonna loose.

 

[m1gunner]

I am not in your profession, but when I see someone in my field giving the profession a black eye, I am inclined to do something about it.

The times I have been in traffic court, I have beat the ticket every time, and only because I never go to court without a local lawyer.

Understand, if you have to drive 400 miles, that is about $240 in just operating costs for your ride. Your time is worth something as well. What would I do? I would find the lawyer this Judge plays golf with, hire him as my representative, and embarrass the heck out of that hot pencil. (Of course, I would be out about $5,000). And I would sleep well that night.

 

[handejector]

Fight It.
Take the wife as a witness verifying the pics of signs and speed limit.
Wear the uniform.

 

[old bear]

Am I being an stubborn old man?

No you are doing what you believe to be the right thing. Remember when we stop doing what we believe is right we may as well be dead.

 

[Big Cholla]

There is an old adage among LEOs that "you either lecture or you ticket, but not both". A number of years ago a state trooper was assigned to a highway in an adjacent state leading to Las Vegas. For a couple of years he rode rough shod in giving lectures up to an hour long to anyone that he stopped and always finished with a maximum ticket. The story goes that someone had enough of him and as he drove thru a twisty and hilly portion of 'his' highway, a shot was fired with a deer rifle that passed exactly thru his vehicle windshields rear to front where a passenger would have been setting. A search turn up only an intermittent track of an ATV. The Trooper cooled his jets and soon was transferred to the opposite corner of his state where he became a much more reasonable LEO. I am not advocating this response, but rather am just the story teller. .... Big Cholla

 

[Bent Barrel]

Sorry this happened to you. I agree that you should fight it. As an aside, have enjoyed the discussion-- it`s a Hoot.

 

[scooter123]

Cajun gave some very pertanent advice, make absolutely certain that you weren't in an area where the speed limit changes. In addition, because there was snow present, he can always clame that your speed wasn't "reasonable for conditions". IMO, if you beat it, it'll only because you've worn your duty uniform. For a civilian, it's a complete no go, traffic courts operate on the principal that everyone there is Guilty.

Yeah, I'm still bitter about that speeding ticket I got back in 1987. The citing officer testified in open court that he used an uncalibrated instrument to determine my speed and I was still found guilty.

 

[ladder13]

Most places I know, of will not allow you to wear your duty uniform unless you're in official capacity.

 

[sheriffoconee]

Fight it, as long as you promise to tell us all about it after you go to court

 

[whitecoyote]

On Nov. 19th I was heading to Great Falls for an 80th birthday party for my mom, motoring along in the Dodge on Hwy. 2. It had snowed some, not terrible for Montana, and I pull up behind this knot head doing about 30 for no good reason. I pass him and next thing I know I have an HP guy lighting me up.

Now I've been in law enforcement for over 28 years, but I never badge or play that card unless I'm specifically asked what I do, so I'm not anti-LEO, but I have no patience with badge happy, authority abusing LEO's of any stripe, including in my agency.

The mini me trooper walks up to the truck, all authority and badge happy, and after asking me where I'm going and what my hurry is, writes me for 62 in a 45 zone, $85 bond and 3 points on the license. I knew I was in a 70 zone, but young copper was spoiling for an argument when he walked up to the truck and reason was not going to work on this dude. He said "I can write you up for passing in a no passing zone (it wasn't), and for reckless driving", I guess because there was some snow on the road. Hell, it's Montana in Nov., if there isn't snow on the road, you're lost. I clenched my jaws, kept my mouth shut, and listened to the little trooper. My wife tells me after he goes back to write me that I should kiss up a little big, I guess she doesn't know me as well as I thought. He asked me if I wanted to post bond now or take care of it later, I told him later, I wasn't going to give the little turd the satisfaction. I mailed a check for the bond while at my moms so I don't get a warrant issued.

I proceed on way, had my vacation, and on the way back home last Friday, I stopped at the mile marker noted on the ticket as the location of the violation, and it's solidly in a 70 mph zone. I take pics of the road, signs, and proceed home.

I had until the 29th to plead, so I call the court, and yesterday the JP calls and I had a telephonic arraignment. I plead not guilty, he then asks how old I am, and then tells me in exchange for a guilty plea, he'll waive the 3 points after 3 months if I have no further violations, and I'll forfeit the bond. I tell him no thanks. It's 200 miles to the town for court on 1/11/11, but I'm stubborn, and in the right, and I'm not going to plead guilty to an offense when the baby trooper is blantantly wrong. My wife asked me today if I realized how far it was to the court, and if I knew what it would cost to go, yea, I know the cost will probably equal the bond, but to hell with it, I'm not going to plead guilty to something I didn't do.

Am I being an stubborn old man? (Probably), but what would you guys do?

Take care...

I say just hold on here a second everyone. There is always two sides to every story, and we only heard one side. I read bobcats post a couple of times, and something struck me as odd. Is bobcat really a LEO? Does anyone know him who can verify this?
What peaked my interest is, if bobcat is a LEO he would know exactly what to do. Not come on a public forum, and flame a Trooper who can't defend himself.
Reading his post it appears bobcat has a problem with authority. He never once refers to the LEO as a Police Officer, or a Trooper. Bobcat calls the LEO "badge happy, Authority abusing LEO, mini me trooper, all authority, and badge happy, young copper, dude, little trooper, little turd, and baby trooper.
If bobcat doesn't want to identify himself as a LEO, that's his business. But not know what to do? He should know better. If what the LEO did was so egregious, bobcat should have immediately gone to the Police Station, and asked for a Supervisor. At this point he can identify himself (but that's up to bobcat). He should file a complaint, ask the Supervisor to get the video from the patrol vehicle, and view it with him.
Something smells fishy here. If I'm wrong I apologize.

 

[kennyb]

I say just hold on here a second everyone. There is always two sides to every story, and we only heard one side. I read bobcats post a couple of times, and something struck me as odd. Is bobcat really a LEO? Does anyone know him who can verify this?
What peaked my interest is, if bobcat is a LEO he would know exactly what to do. Not come on a public forum, and flame a Trooper who can't defend himself.
Reading his post it appears bobcat has a problem with authority. He never once refers to the LEO as a Police Officer, or a Trooper. Bobcat calls the LEO "badge happy, Authority abusing LEO, mini me trooper, all authority, and badge happy, young copper, dude, little trooper, little turd, and baby trooper.
If bobcat doesn't want to identify himself as a LEO, that's his business. But not know what to do? He should know better. If what the LEO did was so egregious, bobcat should have immediately gone to the Police Station, and asked for a Supervisor. At this point he can identify himself (but that's up to bobcat). He should file a complaint, ask the Supervisor to get the video from the patrol vehicle, and view it with him.
Something smells fishy here. If I'm wrong I apologize.

i'm with you mr coyote...everyone here seems to have jumped on the bandwagon without so much as hearing one word from the other side (if there really is another side)several here always jump on the offensive with scientific evidence such as the bug splatters that dr merrel enlightened us with...if this incident happened as related here it could have been investigated by supervision on the spot....the entire story from start to finish to me sounds bogus....the original poster could have explained that he did not in fact pass in a no passing zone and the speed limit was 70mph but he did not.....yeah right...as explained it should be pretty straightfoward...one looks at the mile marker where the summons was written...what is the speed limit there and what speed was the guy written for?i don't know as i wasn't there...i do know when only one side of a story is heard it often leads to a foolish conclusion

 

[DeadAye]

I got a ticket in Memphis for 60 in a 40 --- The actual speed limit was 55.
I argued with the cop but he insisted that we were in a 40 mph zone.

The court was set up at a long table.
First was the prosecutor
Then the judge
Then the clerk.

At court the officer admitted that he made a mistake and the speed limit was infact 55 ---

Prosecutor = Your honor we will dismiss the charges.
Judge = Case dismissed.
Clerk = Can you pay the $110 court costs now?

Yep - Got off for *only* $110 Yipeeee

Oh yeah - We live about 100 miles from the court house and I locked my keys in the car as an added bonus....

 

[dmar]

I got a ticket in Memphis for 60 in a 40 --- The actual speed limit was 55.
I argued with the cop but he insisted that we were in a 40 mph zone.

The court was set up at a long table.
First was the prosecutor
Then the judge
Then the clerk.

At court the officer admitted that he made a mistake and the speed limit was infact 55 ---

Prosecutor = Your honor we will dismiss the charges.
Judge = Case dismissed.
Clerk = Can you pay the $110 court costs now?

Yep - Got off for *only* $110 Yipeeee

Oh yeah - We live about 100 miles from the court house and I locked my keys in the car as an added bonus....

And that, my friends, is American justice; show me the money!

 

[Bat Guano]

I like the observation that the OP "might have a problem with authority". That allegation can be levelled against anyone questioning anything at any time. It says more about the authority than it does to the facts. Sometimes it might be exactly what is required. We're citizens, not subjects.

I believe there was a lot of that going on in 1776.