My 5 year streak comes to an end

[stewie]

Stewie gets nailed for speeding.

Usually my my spidey senses are strong when it comes to road pirates, but it was a long day, dark as hell out, i was tired and just wanted to get home. He got me good. 68 in a 55 

So, i have to pay the cost of freedom for the first time in many years. Hopefully they use the money to plant a few trees or do something useful.

I'd hate to know the extortion $ was used for a red light camera, an APC or riot gear for a rural tx town or something.

[EL TATE]

In WA we can do a "deferred finding", pay the $100 extortion fee known as court costs, and it will not be posted to our driving record as long as there are no more traffic violations for a 7 year probationary period. I successfully made it to the month of my 7 year period and almost immediately got popped doing 50 in a 35 in a late rush to work...

[stewie]

im going to take a "driver safety" course to get out of the larger extortion fees. I still need to pay court fees and a do a buncha crap.

When i lived in vegas, i was always on edge because the first time i was pulled over it turned into a felon stop because... GASP... i had a concealed firearm. When i recently got pulled over, it was non eventful. I got the generic "you wont see mind if i dont see yours" line. whatever. just give me the ticket so i can go home.

it was over in 5 mins.

my daughter got to see the whole thing. it was her first experience getting pulled over because mommy never does anything wrong on the road. lol.

[OldKooT]

Bummer you got caught, but sounds like the officer was doing his job. Around here that speeding ticket is a $75 fine plus court fees..(usually $49) and 2 points against your license.

[dave945]

I just got pullled over last night leaving church with the kids. Got tagged with a half mile of the church on road that's 35 mph. Hr said I was fling 49.  Told him I knew I wasn't and asked him where he clocked me at, he didn't give a very definitive answer. Took my license and insurance card(expired card but I have insurancce) back to his cruiser.  Kids asking all sorts of questions the whole time.  He cones back up and hands them to me, "have a nice night" and walks away. Not what I was expecting but I'll take it over a ticket every time.

[stewie]

Bummer you got caught, but sounds like the officer was doing his job. Around here that speeding ticket is a $75 fine plus court fees..(usually $49) and 2 points against your license.

I could think of a million other things he could have been doing... like fighting crime.

[dave945]

Bummer you got caught, but sounds like the officer was doing his job. Around here that speeding ticket is a $75 fine plus court fees..(usually $49) and 2 points against your license.

I could think of a million other things he could have been doing... like fighting crime.

I'm pretty sure you don't want to see him running around in tights with a cape trying defeat the criminal underworld. Where would he keep his doughnuts? 

[stewie]

Bummer you got caught, but sounds like the officer was doing his job. Around here that speeding ticket is a $75 fine plus court fees..(usually $49) and 2 points against your license.

I could think of a million other things he could have been doing... like fighting crime.

I'm pretty sure you don't want to see him running around in tights with a cape trying defeat the criminal underworld. Where would he keep his doughnuts? 

not at all. he's more effective at revenue generation.

[Wilbur]

I have been in good shape lately (fingers and toes crossed that I don't jinx myself here...  ). The worst (or best maybe?) was one time coming home from work early on I-90....I was cruising along....not really speeding...75 or 80....a guy behind me in a Mustang....I pulled into the middle lane to let him pass me....he did and took off....well heck now I have a blocker  ....so I got back in the fast lane....it was early afternoon so not much traffic....he was doing about 85 and I was keeping up but staying a few cars back....he got to a point quite a ways up and just took off and I was kind of blocked in....I got free of the cars I had around me and I buried it....got up around 100 or so for a while....he slowed down....I pulled past him....he pulled in behind me and that's when I saw what looked like a darn VCR on his dashboard....uh oh....unmarked....the lights come on....he pulls me over. He comes up to me gets the license and registration and Im thinking I could really be screwed here. He comes back in a couple of minutes....wrote me up for 80 in a 65. Said if he wrote me up for more it would have been arrestable. I thanked him then sort of joked with him that I about crapped myself when I "saw that dam* VCR on his dashboard". He laughed like heck and we parted ways. All in all I was pretty fortunate. In MA that was a $150 ticket. But as I say....it could have been a lot worse! 

In the past I have had my NRA and GOAL (local MA gun organization) stickers help both me and my wife. But I just find I really don't speed anymore.

[EL TATE]

I have to agree with ol Kooter there as much as I hate to. I've got plenty of family in blue and even if their specific job to do is "generate revenue" they've still got to do it. and for you and me and lots more that know what their doing and are driving alert and not texting or eating or putting on makup or on cruise with their feet hanging out the window, it's a big inconvenience to be stopped and sited when we darn well know we're safe, but take it for what it's worth, the officer just doesn't know you yet. I still get burned up over it and usually have some choice words for them in my head though.

I had a 1991 Beretta Indy pace car back in 1999 and had just finished decking and porting the heads and swapping out the upper intake manifold after sitting in the garage for over a year. My buddy and I deserved a break so we went camping over at Lake Chelan and on the way home we were on cruise control coming back over steven's pass on hwy2 when I saw a stater heading my direction from the other direction. I had a barq's rootbeer in my hand when I gave him a little nod and half solute as we passed, (as I appreciate the other aspects of their work) and he lit me up as he passed, flipped around REAL quick and was very agitated as he approached the window. I carefully held up the rootbeer as I took the keys out and put them on the dash, very politely asked what was wrong, when he told me I was doing 63, in a 60... confused I apologized and explained it was on cruise and my dash was digital, so it showed 60 as we were passing? He thought I was drinking and driving and mocking him. the fun part was forgetting to renew my insurance I had put on hold while the car sat so I had to drive back to eastern Washington a week later to fight a nearly $500 ticket in that county. Good times.

[stewie]

the sad part is the 70mph sign was within eyesight ahead of me.

so i called the court and will be avoiding the worst of the extortion fees.

normally i mind my p's and q's, especially going through towns. i guess i was in condition white at the time and the cops radar gun was registering multiple dollar signs when i came into its view.

i got caught fair and square. my streak hath been broken. i mourn.

[stlaser]

Well, the only thing I can share is I've been good (for years knock on wood) and the wife while in Seattle on business recently was awarded a ticket in a rental from a traffic cam for being 6 mph over & the letter (in a plain uncertified envelope btw) they sent was requesting a $150 for that infraction.

I promptly filed that in the oval filing cabinet.......

[Farmer Jon]

[/quote]

I could think of a million other things he could have been doing... like fighting crime.
[/quote]


That's how they make the big drug busts. Random traffic stops.

[Farmer Jon]

Bummer you got caught, but sounds like the officer was doing his job. Around here that speeding ticket is a $75 fine plus court fees..(usually $49) and 2 points against your license.

Yea but you can take the class and keep your points.

[stewie]

Bummer you got caught, but sounds like the officer was doing his job. Around here that speeding ticket is a $75 fine plus court fees..(usually $49) and 2 points against your license.

Yea but you can take the class and keep your points.

new business idea: Drivers license points exchange.

Got extra points? trade them with someone who needs a few.

[EL TATE]

Well, the only thing I can share is I've been good (for years knock on wood) and the wife while in Seattle on business recently was awarded a ticket in a rental from a traffic cam for being 6 mph over & the letter (in a plain uncertified envelope btw) they sent was requesting a $150 for that infraction.

I promptly filed that in the oval filing cabinet.......

Yeah, those things are an actual joke. "I'm not sure who I loaned my car to that day but that's not me driving" case dismissed every time. The best ones are the timed ones near school zones. they snap a pic of you entering and another leaving. if you got there too fast, you must have been speeding. Thanks Tim Eyman.

[stlaser]

Well, the only thing I can share is I've been good (for years knock on wood) and the wife while in Seattle on business recently was awarded a ticket in a rental from a traffic cam for being 6 mph over & the letter (in a plain uncertified envelope btw) they sent was requesting a $150 for that infraction.

I promptly filed that in the oval filing cabinet.......

Yeah, those things are an actual joke. "I'm not sure who I loaned my car to that day but that's not me driving" case dismissed every time. The best ones are the timed ones near school zones. they snap a pic of you entering and another leaving. if you got there too fast, you must have been speeding. Thanks Tim Eyman.

Copy, it was a school zone with pics. The rental co charged us $30 or so for paperwork processing they had to do because of this ticket which I paid so I can rent thru them in the future.

On a similar note two years ago when we moved here to the Denver metro area they were using cameras to ticket motorists for various thing mainly running stop lights. At the time everyone here just threw them in the trash. They have since to my knowledge quit sending out tickets in such a fashion. It is reassuring to know that even in a liberal utopia as is Denver the people when they see something really dumb will fight back thru disobedience.....

[OldKooT]

I just don't speed.   

[cudakidd53]

I just don't speed.   

Says the retired farmer who's married to Sherlie Muldowny's lost sister.........

[JR]

It was never about $$$ with us. In fact they did not encourage traffic stops. It was a tool to get inside the car. 90% was have a nice day if you had all your stuff.

Funniest one was a lady who argued she didn't see the stop sign so she didn't have to stop.

Guess I just drive like an ol fart now,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Bob Smith]

It was never about $$$ with us. In fact they did not encourage traffic stops. It was a tool to get inside the car. 90% was have a nice day if you had all your stuff.

That almost sounds like profiling

[Wilbur]

I just don't speed.   

Says the retired farmer who's married to Sherlie Muldowny's lost sister.........

Haha! I was thinking the same thing! Course women don't get tickets same as guys... they have....ways...of getting out of them.

[dave945]

That's not profiling, if you break the law(speeding) and they stop you just to see if everything is okay and send you on your way if it is, that's a lawful stop and frisk rolling style. As long as the 10% receiving tickets don't receive them for the sole reason of being a member of a demographic of your choice, no harm no foul. If they get tickets or arrestdd for being idiots or criminals,that's their own darn fault.

There is a fairly heavy dose of sarcasm on this post.

[JR]

That almost sounds like profiling

Yep and is still used and taught. You can't just stop a car, but there is always a reason for the stop.

[stewie]

It was never about $$$ with us. In fact they did not encourage traffic stops. It was a tool to get inside the car. 90% was have a nice day if you had all your stuff.

2008 - a broken tail light and a CCW turned into a 2 hour felony-style fiasco on the side of a busy road with some meat head cop trying to prove i had stolen weapons in my car. they quickly got an education on pre-34 rifles that were purchased in sears catalogs.

they got into my car alright.

cool thing was the city was sued by ccw holders not long after. the other times i was pulled over were 100% uneventful.

[JR]

There is always one, we had em too.

[Bob Smith]

That's not profiling, if you break the law(speeding) and they stop you just to see if everything is okay and send you on your way if it is, that's a lawful stop and frisk rolling style. As long as the 10% receiving tickets don't receive them for the sole reason of being a member of a demographic of your choice, no harm no foul. If they get tickets or arrestdd for being idiots or criminals,that's their own darn fault.

There is a fairly heavy dose of sarcasm on this post.

So if your backup light switch is stuck on, it is ok to be stopped and detained for how ever long Mr Policeman feels the need to harass you or try to visually search your rig. Maybe sarcasm maybe not....

[OldKooT]

Last time I got stopped, it was to tell me my wife left her phone at the grocery store.

[stlaser]

Says the retired farmer who's married to Sherlie Muldowny's lost sister.........

ROFL, I got quite the chuckle out of that.......

[JR]

Not knowing how to operate lights is a hint to auto theft. A light working wrong is a safety issue, normally a courtesy stop.

Length of stop is mostly attitude (both of you), but under 10 is average even for a cite.

I used to stop people dragging chains all the time or covered plates, DUIs we left to CHP if we could.

[Bob Smith]

JR, I have seen the results of chains dragging behind a rig and starting forest/grass fires along the hwys. A darn good reason to make a stop to let the driver know.
If you want to stop me to let me know I have white lights showing to the rear, fine. But there really is no need to try to make an arrest of the year out of a simple courtesy stop because a safety chain is dragging or a light is or isn't burning, like some do. Yes, I am offended when that kind of thing happens to me or people I know. It may only be a few, but that is a few too many.

[stewie]

Not knowing how to operate lights is a hint to auto theft. A light working wrong is a safety issue, normally a courtesy stop.

Length of stop is mostly attitude (both of you), but under 10 is average even for a cite.

I used to stop people dragging chains all the time or covered plates, DUIs we left to CHP if we could.

the minute i informed him about having a concealed handgun license and i was armed, that 10 min courtesy stop went out the window.
apparently showing a card that i invested time and $ in didnt matter, i was still guilty of something till proven innocent.

i was a new gun owner at the time so i was more scared/nervous, was not a jerk at all. but he had to use me as proof to his superior(s) for something because they rolled up a few mins later.

[JR]

This must be an issue sometimes in states where you must inform. However it does not excuse being a but head.

What state was that?

[OldKooT]

A year or so ago I was stopped with 5 friends in a conversion van by the State Patrol. The officer got to the drivers window I informed him we had 6 class 3 weapons in the van along with a few dozen handguns and rifles. His response was "Oh ok, well you have a taillight blinking on and off so I thought I'd let you know" I mentioned I'd get that taken care of and thanks for letting me know...he told us to enjoy our shooting trip and that was it.

So some officers are pretty relaxed and just do their job.

[EL TATE]

And some are this guy

[stewie]

This must be an issue sometimes in states where you must inform. However it does not excuse being a but head.

What state was that?

Nevada. notification is required, however one city "norf town" was notorious for doing their own thing despite state pre-emption. that's why they were sued. they had a city statute making it a crime to have a gun in your car. Im retrospect, i hated living there. it got so bad after the housing crash.

[TexasRedNeck]

Don't do the crime and you won't do the time. I speed. I get caught. I'm respectful. I usually get let go. When I don't I either pay or hire a lawyer and beat them at their game. Part of life. I got let go from a 92 in a 55 once. In a highly modified 1995 impala SS with the LT1. Heads can tuning exhaust etc. was respectful and he was driving the cop version and when he said he had the same motor I told him he couldn't touch mine. Popped the hood and a conversation and left with a warning.  I'd rather the speeders generate the revenue than raising taxes on everyone. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OldKooT]

TRN that's pretty much how I see it as well. I just keep in mind all the times I wasn't caught and figure it's time I pay up LoL

I remember my wife getting stopped in her Turbo LS3 powered Porsche. She was humming along around 90mph headed West on I80 with me riding shotgun...he was headed East. He hit the lights, went through the median in a very pretty display of flying grass tire smoke and dirt and started his pursuit. We were all alone out there...we were a 1/4 mile from a exit to a deserted 2 lane and all the gravel roads that meant he had no chance.

Kay slides up the off ramp rolls to a stop and waits. He shows up a minute latter. Walking to the door he says please shut off the engine keep your hands where I can see them. Kay yells out " I need to let the turbos cool a little, no worries I stopped so you could give me a ticket" He walks up hearing that LS loping away at idle and looking at the hood says..." I should probably thank you for stopping"

He gets her license goes back to his charger, and I then begin enjoying giving her a hard time regarding her lead foot. Two minutes pass he's back at the window and says. "why did you pull up this off ramp" Kay looks at him and smiles. "I didn't want you standing out on the side of the freeway, you already took enough risk going through the median so skillfully".  He then tells her to slow down some and hands her license back, wishes us a safe evening, and goes back to his car and drives off. I was so pissed LoL

[JR]

In my younger days I out ran a few CHPs and border patrol when playing in the lower deserts. Even stopped for one and waited on the tailgate in Sonoma, got written up even though he knew me.

Been lucky for the last 20 years or so and I have slowed down.

[KensAuto]

I don't have a problem paying up, Lord knows I deserve it....been to traffic school more times than a guy wants to admit (here you can only go every 3 years...which sucks!!).
The problem I have is the "excuse" stops. Like you guys were talking about, taillight out, etc. Sometimes it's just a reason to try and find drugs, or whatever. I've been profiled several times because of the dark tint on my truck....and I know most of the guys in town!  Had a new guy pull me over for grabbing the outside lane when making a turn a couple years back. I told him "you guys don't enforce that law, don't you know?" lol.

[stlaser]

Please strike Kens testimony from the record, he made reference to "while driving his truck". Realize, I'm sure it wasn't the dark tint as much as it was that bumper sticker......

 

 

 

 

 

[stewie]

I don't have a problem paying up, Lord knows I deserve it....been to traffic school more times than a guy wants to admit (here you can only go every 3 years...which sucks!!).
The problem I have is the "excuse" stops. Like you guys were talking about, taillight out, etc. Sometimes it's just a reason to try and find drugs, or whatever. I've been profiled several times because of the dark tint on my truck....and I know most of the guys in town!  Had a new guy pull me over for grabbing the outside lane when making a turn a couple years back. I told him "you guys don't enforce that law, don't you know?" lol.

i used to have 5% tints on my 1st and 2nd cars. they made me magnets for the kings men when i lived in the people's republik of new yorkistan. the look on their faces was priceless when i whipped out the dr. note stating why i have such dark tints.

tx allows for exemptions on tints, but they're stupid about visor strips.

[KensAuto]

The only reason I have tint is for it's original intended use, blocking out the sun, but I also understand why it makes our boys in blue nervous.

The first thing I do when getting pulled over (or going through a Border Patrol checkpoint) is roll down all 4 windows and turn on the dome light if it's dark.

...wait, the first thing I do is put my seatbelt on. 

[JR]

Even I roll my windows down and put my hands on the wheel. We/they like that. Been pulled over for window tint to, CHP loves that.

I let them say what they want, then state off duty LEO (now I say retired) which has never caused an issue.

Even if you don't like it, let em think they are in control and you are fine 99% of the time.

[dave945]

The only reason I have tint is for it's original intended use, blocking out the sun, but I also understand why it makes our boys in blue nervous.

Boys in blue?  Why would it bother the Air Force guys, my windows are tinted on my blazer.  Oh,you meant the police, I don't think ive seen one wearing blue in a while.  Always some tacticool combine of black and gray. 

[EL TATE]

My Aunt and Uncle on my mom's side taught me that when I first started driving; keys out of the ignition on the dash, lights on in the dark, windows down and respectful yes sir no sir etc. and I've been warned more times then I've been fined living by that rule. I also learned not to name drop. had my uncle's card behind my license most of my teen years, and once a Snohomish county deputy that had pulled me over spotted it as I was handing him my information and asked, "how do you know Pete?" "he's my uncle.." walked away and came back with my ticket and said nothing more. I asked my uncle about it later, turned out he'd been dating his ex for a few weeks now...

[Bob Smith]

I don't put my keys on the dash, open the windows, except the drivers and then only far enough to speak, listen, or hand paper work back and forth. Inside lights only on long enough to retrieve my paperwork from the glove box. No sense making their "stop me mostly to check everything out and try to find something to justify a bust" any easier than necessary. If they get too pushy, I request a supervisor, at least a supervisor should not have such a better than you attitude like a lot of the younger aggressive  line guys. I am not a retired cop, active duty, or know someone, so no favors expected, none given and that is just fine.

[JR]

Bob, that makes em nervous. They want to see you and compare to the DL, they have that right.

Drivers window open and engine off with hands in sight is good enough. Inside lights are an option, they have a flashlight.

[cruizng]

I have always deserved what I received from the police. Both good and bad. I normally get a ticket if I am speeding but like my Dad used to say.. " if you dance you got to pay the fiddler". So I am polite and they hand me a ticket and we are fine.

The only time I was frustrated was back in the 80's and it was 2:30am on a weeknight and had just moved up to Wisconsin. I worked that morning at 5:30am and was caught doing 70 in a 55mph. The ticket right at the roadside was around $55... I only had $50 or so. I asked him to drop it down so I could pay and he said no. He said you can call someone and have them bring you $5. I said I was new to my job and didn't know anyone and didn't want to get my boss up at 2:30am. He said no. I asked him to hold my $2K watch and I would bring him the money when I got off work. He said no... He said if you can't pay I will have to take you to jail. Fairly annoyed at this point I said ok Barney... put your bullet in and lets go to jail. So I followed him back into town to the jail... (I was on fumes and hoping I didn't run out of gas). They took my belt and shoes etc... I was allowed one call and I called the girl that I was just leaving and asked her to bring me some money when she went into work... Slammed the jail door and tried to get a little sleep but some yokel next to me was drunk and causing a fit. The guard said welcome to the big house... LOL.. EauClaire WI.. the big house.. cracked me up. Anyway.. I got powdered scrambled eggs for breakfast and the girl brought the money about 8am... got out got gas and headed to work not in freshest of manners... from then on I always had at least a couple of hundred dollars on me so I could pay the "fine"...

So other than the Barney I have been treated very well.

[JR]

Fines on the spot, hmmm. Go to jail though for not paying it, something is not right there.