• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

I saw this article on the Yahoo Finance page---The name of the link says a great deal

MatieA

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
400
Location
Egbert, Wyoming, USA

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
The article wrote or quoted:

Police officers are not out to make your life miserable, but to make sure you're following the rules of the road and not endangering yourself or those around you.

With a few exceptions, and an egregious traffic violation is top among them, cops aren't mandated to write tickets. Most would rather send you on your way with a friendly warning...

Uh, huh. A friendly warning after their fishing expedition is what they meant to say. Cops don't ask for your license and registration to see if you know the speed limit. Your license gots nothing to do with that burned out brake light. First they'll check to see if there are any warrants for you. And, they'll peer closely at you to see if you're nervous, because you might have something in the car that would make their shift more interesting.

Only after you pass all that and become just boring soccer mom or dad, do they let you go with a warning.
 

PrayingForWar

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
1,701
Location
The Real World.
The article wrote or quoted:

Police officers are not out to make your life miserable, but to make sure you're following the rules of the road and not endangering yourself or those around you.

With a few exceptions, and an egregious traffic violation is top among them, cops aren't mandated to write tickets. Most would rather send you on your way with a friendly warning...

Uh, huh. A friendly warning after their fishing expedition is what they meant to say. Cops don't ask for your license and registration to see if you know the speed limit. Your license gots nothing to do with that burned out brake light. First they'll check to see if there are any warrants for you. And, they'll peer closely at you to see if you're nervous, because you might have something in the car that would make their shift more interesting.

Only after you pass all that and become just boring soccer mom or dad, do they let you go with a warning.

I feel compelled to take issue with this comment. When police initiate a stop, they're rarely doing so simply because they WANT to screw with people. Not to say there aren't malignant a$$holes out there, but as far as I'm concerned they're a significant minority of the overall force. Indeed there is the issue of revenue generation that some agencies are known for as well.

However, when they do indeed find a friendly citizen who treats them respectfully and is doing nothing wrong EXCEPT 11 MPH over the limit. It has been my experience that they will let you go. I've even been pulled over in Austin in a speed trap, they were catching people like flies. I maintained a respectful demeanor, and as the officer was writting the ticket I politely asked for a break citing a financial hardship at the time. He replied that he'd already begun writting the ticket, and that he could not just "tear it up". He did say that he "remembers people who are jerks", and that when I show up to court he would "forget the details of the incident" thus negating the case.

When I went to court, the DA didn't waste any time and informed me the ticket was reduced to a parking violation, a $20 fine assesed and I went home. I could have pushed the issue and forced a trial, but I was wrong in the first place for doing 65 in a 50. I got a break walking out 20 bucks short.

I hate to see cops painted with a broad brush, and their profession maligned. That's just as an offensive sort of bigotry as any other. They ARE NOT just out there to &%$! with people. They are human beings just like us, and all have a job I would not want. The few that I've gotten to know do their job out of a sense of duty, to combat criminal elements. So just obey the law. Should you not realize your tail light is out and get pulled over, DON'T BE AN A$$HOLE. You'll most likely go home scott-free every time, and even if you don't you'll probably still get off light in court.
 
Last edited:

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
I feel compelled to take issue with this comment. When police initiate a stop, they're rarely doing so simply because they WANT to screw with people.

You understand, I didn't say they wanted to screw with people, I said they go on fishing expeditions. Traffic safety is not always their concern.

Maybe its just the fuzz in my area.

I've been stopped 4 times since 2006 or so. Of those, two were equipment problems. The cops did the whole bit--license, registration, run the checks, etc. Had nothing to do with traffic safety. All it would take is to tell me, "Mr. Citizen, I notice you have a brake light out. Would you fix that for me." (one brake light of three, thank you). The simple fact they went beyond the quick verbal warning proves the fishing expedition.

So, in light of these experiences, I no longer buy the "traffic safety" concern. I just chalk it up to public relations spin. Are they never looking out for traffic safety? No, of course not. But, there is more going on than their PR machine is telling us.

Oh, I never said be an a$$hole, either.
 
Last edited:

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
I have been stopped for speeding scads of times.

I have never gotten a single speeding ticket. Ever.

I was guilty every single time.

When an officer stops you, he has two main concerns. He is concerned about his safety. He has no idea who you are, what your attitudes are, what your temperament is like, and, if you are armed, whether you are a LAC or a criminal. He is also concerned about being treated respectfully, as a person and as a LEO who is just doing his job. He knows that he has just made your day a lot worse and that some people will not react well to that at all.

If you assuage the officer's concerns, he is much more likely to give you a warning and let you go.

I always have the window down already when the officer steps up to it. My hands are already holding my license, insurance, and registration, are on top of the steering wheel, are visible, and are otherwise obviously empty. There is a smile on my face. I greet the office politely with something like, "Good morning, sir." I am contrite and willing to be lectured by the officer. After all, he is right. I broke the law.

I am convinced that my answering the officer's top two concerns--by making him feel safe and by respecting the tough task he is having to perform--has greatly increased the probability that I won't get a ticket each stop. There is no guarantee that this will work every time because, when you are stopped, you are not in control of the situation. However, you can heavily influence the situation with a little wisely placed civility.
 

sultan62

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
1,311
Location
Clayton, NC
Funny, I've been pulled over for speeding twice, maintained complete respect both times, and walked away with a ticket both times.

Of course, I also admitted to speeding. Hopefully I won't get pulled again, but if I do, hopefully it will turn out differently.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
I related the above story to a young guy with whom I worked at the stadium. He said he'd try it. Two days later he was stopped doing 30 over. No ticket.

Like I said, no guarantees. Well, there is one. If you totally disregard the officer's concerns and are rude to him, I guarantee that you will get the ticket.
 

OldCurlyWolf

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2010
Messages
907
Location
Oklahoma
I have been an officer and have dealt with them before and after having been one. At last count I had been pulled over 9 times in 41 years by state and local pds and received 2 speeding tickets, 28 years apart. No other tickets were issued.

Mostly it was because I don't speed by a large amount, most of the time, the rest was by being polite and doing things that are mindful of the officer's safety. I will argue when I believe that a mistake has been made, but I still do so politely.

I guarantee being an a=hole to an officer is a quick way to more than one ticket or a quick ride to jail.
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
From my experience: be polite, sound helpful, admit to nothing and give out no real information other than what is legally required.

Once I was pulled over by a cop, and 3 of his buddies who surrounded my vehicle so I couldn't leave the parking lot, if they didn't want me to, and lights galore. I did as I recommend above and they let me off with no ticket. and to boot I was out of state.
 

merc460

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
229
Location
North Carolina, USA
From my experience: be polite, sound helpful, admit to nothing and give out no real information other than what is legally required.

Once I was pulled over by a cop, and 3 of his buddies who surrounded my vehicle so I couldn't leave the parking lot, if they didn't want me to, and lights galore. I did as I recommend above and they let me off with no ticket. and to boot I was out of state.

LOL... sounds like what I went through. One pulled a U-turn when he thought I wasn't wearing a seat belt. I had a car pulled up to my drivers door, one at the front bumper and one at the rear bumper. Keep in mind, this is a seat belt stop!! When he gets to my door and I ask what's up, he says the seat belt and I point to the 5 point safety harness I was wearing. (he didn't see the strap from the door post, so assumed I wasn't wearing a belt) when he saw that, then the story changed..... NOW my car LOOKED liked a drug running car. Yeah, right........ to make a long story short, I let them ran sack my car, crap left all over the parking lot, doors left open AND a ticket for defective equipment (no factory seat belts) I was polite, but I sure wanted to cuss every $!@$%#@ one of them. Bad part, I was on a hot dog bun run for a cookout me and the family WAS having.
 

Attachments

  • 14 (Medium).jpg
    14 (Medium).jpg
    76.9 KB · Views: 95

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Bad part, I was on a hot dog bun run for a cookout me and the family WAS having.

They're just sore you didn't invite them for the cookout!

On a more serious note, this underlines a rather serious overstepping of authority of LEOs when their job ceases to be "serve and protect" and begins delving into Gestapo-like tactics of "let's run you through the ringer and see if we can find anything and everything which can and will be held against you."

If you read through the history of Hogan's Heroes and the players from that show, half were personally involved in either POW or Jewish retention camps during WWII. Much of the show's emphasis was on highlighting that elitism absurdity for what it was, and dedicated towards countering it with comedy.

Sadly, the lessons we learned during WWII against elitism we find we must repeat again and again, throughout all levels and segments of society, from the lowliest gang-banger to heads of state.

I'm not quite sure what it is about certain individuals in humanity who think they can rise about the body politic, but for some reason, they're out there.

Keep an eye, carry a recording device, protect your derriere.
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
Only after you pass all that and become just boring soccer mom or dad, do they let you go with a warning.


Yeah, they treat soccer moms REALLY nicely...

[video=youtube;VQtCC-ggZic]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQtCC-ggZic[/video]
 
Last edited:

Kirbinator

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
903
Location
Middle of the map, Alabama
I'll say it before any police officer does: People get some weird ideas about what they can and can't do during a traffic stop, but rarely do they really get good information from a trusted source.
 
Top