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September 24, 2008
Getting Out Of A Ticket: What Works For You?
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
Unless you’re filthy rich or you don’t care about your driving record, you’re going to try to talk your way out of a traffic ticket when you get pulled over. Jalopnik posted an article on the subject, and while it’s pretty hilarious, I wonder how many of these tips would help you make any headway with a real-life cop. The standard pull-over advice involves keeping your hands in view on the steering wheel, removing suspicious sunglasses, minding your p’s and q’s, and so on—but hell, you know you’re going to need a serious whopper to set you apart from every other polite, law-abiding schmuck who gets run down. Read more…
My standard tale of woe for getting tagged for loud exhaust—which happened with some regularity in my cherrybomb-equipped Eagle on this one hill in my previous town—was that the Eagle is a weird old car that’s really hard to get parts for (which happens to not be true) and that "my mechanic" keeps telling me that the parts to fix the problem are being shipped, but it’s just taking them a really long time to get here. Furthermore, I’d sometimes throw in, I’d been trying to keep the car off the road as much as possible since this "problem" developed, and it’s only because (insert urgent or admirable reason for trip here) that I’m out with the car tonight. That story never failed—knock on wood. Speeding is a little trickier, but since I’m guessing that I’d be more likely to be pushing the speed limit in a brand-new rental or press car than one of my own babies, I’d probably explain to the cop that I’m used to driving 25-year-old cars, and it’s just so easy to let these ultra-smooth modern road appliances get out from under you without even realizing how fast you’re going, so slight is their feedback.
How about you? What do you say to the fuzz when you’re at the side of the road, and does it work?
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Zach Daniels
Sep 27, 2008 at 5:49 am
This chick i was riding with got pulled over. Doing well over 100 in a 65 zone. the cop came to the car and she started crying outta control and started saying she just got her period and ther was blood everywhere. the cop apoligized and told her to be careful and left. after he left she started laughing and said “do you know how many times that worked?”. i guess if your a girl its easier… me well i woulda been cuffed and in the back seat… HAHA
JayPee
Sep 27, 2008 at 3:58 am
I had rushed home to get to my house for mothers day, I was really going 90KMH in a 70KMH and when I took the left turn I hit the gas and took off down the street. A cop had been sitting at the light and when they saw me go he shot up his lights and came towards me. Pulled me over in a college parking lot and asked if I knew why I got pulled over. I told him honestly i’m not too sure, but if I had to guess because my tires went “eet” when I took the corner. He said that I was speeding (Which I was) and that he had to go 90 to catch up to me. I looked at him puzzled and said “90, really? Wow, my gauge said I was only going about 68.” And he looked at me and said “Really? Well, can I see your papers?” so I handed them to him and he walked over to the cruiser. On the way back I see him bend over in my rear view, and he shakes me car. In my head i’m thinking (Oh fuck my muffler). He hands me the papers, ticket free and says “I suggest you get your gauges checked, you can get in a lot of trouble. And the only reason why we noticed you is because of that muffler of yours. Be careful with that, you might get a prick who will ticket you for it.” I thanked him politely, took my papers. Sat in my car till he drove off. I put my phone to my ear to make it look like I was answering a call so they didn’t come back and ask me why I left.
I’ve been pulled over three times, ticketed 0. I have had two tickets from camera vans though, fucking assholes.
Satty12
Sep 27, 2008 at 1:50 am
I have 2 tickets on my record on for speeding doing a 55 in a 30 and one for an expired inspection sticker. I was 18 and was taking some backroads home with a friend after we had a car stereo shopping spree at circuit city for his car and this cop coming off his brake at his own house is pulling out and the lights come on i pulled over 20 feet from is driveway and he walks up im give him my papers and answer a few questions then he says “Ihate to do this to you since you pulled over so fast and have been very polite” so he gives me a $250 ticket the speed i was going over with a 0 on the end of it then told me to take it to court so he can have the day and not show up, how cool is that but i paid the ticket and took it like a man since i was in the wrong. Now for the other one i got pulled over coming out of the College lot and i as soon as i turned the cop at the red light pulled me over (legal right turn at a green light u can only go left or right for me) so he asks for my papers comes back and says everything checks out, then walks alaround the car stops at the sticker busted by a jackass who had noting better to do fought that ticket and won since he gave back my papers before noticing the sticker,were i live it is illegal to do this so he got written up and i also got an apology from the department. All the other 10 times ive been pulled over are because of how late i get out from work and the body kit but now i know all the cops on this route and if i see one i know i always keep a cup of coffe from work in my car at the end of the night so i hook them up and now i just talk to them so be nice and truthful and remember loopholes work.
Lauren
Sep 26, 2008 at 7:12 pm
If you’re a decent driver and follow the rules of the road you don’t have to worry about getting caught. Street racing may be fun, but it is illegal for a reason, because people can die. It isn’t worth the ticket or the chance of killing yourself or some innocent person. My bro has 44 tickets and got his license taken away for four years so I drive like a granny, and I’m saving my race days for the track.
jwop
Sep 26, 2008 at 6:47 pm
run.
Zxan
Sep 26, 2008 at 5:14 pm
The other thing for the guys to do is act really gay. This has helped me to avoid so many speeding tickets. Most Cops, especially macho male cops are homophobic and to avoid anything happening they will want to avoid the situation as quickly as possible. When it comes to female cops, simply talk alot, like a flammer would do, say alot of nice things, like girl I love you hair and nails, blah blah blah. Most females are what are called f@g hags and women cops are no exception. They will usually let you go with a warning, but you usually have to conversate for a long time.
Derrick
Sep 26, 2008 at 4:58 pm
By looking like this, http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/2839616469_0e3bc21a91_o.jpg ,but I don’t so I’d be shit outta luck.
Acy704
Sep 26, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Got pulled over in my impala going 110 on the st8 a way the cop was sitting under the over pass i seen but it was too late i thought about just leaving him because he wasnt going catch to i just stopped he was like where the hell are going just told him i had to shit so he gave me a ticket i had to go to a driving class where it was like a aaa meeting
Jon
Sep 26, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I got pulled over for 90 in a 35, running three redlights, two illegal lanes changes (drag racing) my buddy was freekin out thought we were going to jail and the officer walked up to the window and started laughing and said “have a good night”. (I smoked weed with him like a week before that)
anthony
Sep 26, 2008 at 1:38 pm
i got pulled once for drag racing this lil Honda. we went threw two red lights goin about 90 in a 45. at the next red light we decided to stop, but behind us was an unmarked we didn’t see. he put on his lights and told us to go in the wal-mart parken lot. turns out the dude that was racing me was driving a stolen car. HA! i got a slap on the wrist with a no seat belt ticket and took off. the other guy….well that dudes fucked.
Joe D
Sep 26, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I got pulled over 17th times and it was all for the same thing speeding. I was going 35 over the speed limt. That how a man goes a last than 100mp.
darkfairygod1973
Sep 26, 2008 at 12:19 pm
i got pulled over once for seat belt check stop and i was not wearing one but my fience was driving and putting the top down on my car and a cop asked us to pull off for no seat belt we didnt get to roll down the windows and my fience tinted them at 5% limo black with u/v reflective coat you just cant see in the car at all and the cop noticed the tint but was suddenly amazed asked us about the tint and who tinted it and since has tinted about half the city cops crown vics i am still confused but i didnt get a ticket for either thing
Muff_dyvin
Sep 26, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I’ve been pulled over 6 times for speeding, 3 for some type of faulty lighting, 1 for racing(which at that particular time i wasn’t) and 4 times for no seat belt. Yet, I’ve had 2 speeding tickets and 1 seat belt ticket. one speeding ticket was a new cop so it stuck somehow i think he wrote that i was in a school zone(which i was not) and the other was out of town lol and it resulted in a loss of license but here in my one horse little town i hate. I’m friends with the cops and trust me it pays off and I AM SERIOUS IF YOU EVER COME HERE DO NOT LIE OR DISRESPECT A COP. high school kids lie enough that any excuse is laughed at some if true but if you acknowledge what YOU did wrong they usually let people go as long as they know what they were doing and admit they were in the wrong
Matt
Sep 26, 2008 at 10:54 am
man they need those FOP stickers in canada! hahahaha, gettin away with DUI is hilarious!
Jon
Sep 26, 2008 at 10:32 am
See the FOP sticker? usually worked for me till i turned 18. I got pulled over 48 times by the time I was 18. for everything from exhaust to 85 in a school zone; and never got a ticket. Then when I turned 18 I got a ticket for going 39 in a 25 but I talked to the chief and got off (p.s. the officer got fired because he had 3 previous complaints about being an asshole and mine was the final straw.). But I did get a ticket for going 83 in a 55 when I was 19 and haven’t had any tickets since so slow down follow the law its cheaper that way. (unless you got an F- Fraternal O- Order of P-Police sticker then you can do what ever u want till your 18) would have had 3 DUI’s Thank god for that little sticker.
Cole
Sep 26, 2008 at 5:06 am
I have only been pulled over twice and both times in front of my school with all of my friends laughing and giggling. The first time, i had red marker lights in the front of my 97 chev instead of amber orange ones. The cop was a real jerk about it and didnt realize that i knew thay were illegal. i just looked straight ahead and answered with brief quick yes sir and no sir answers and i got no ticket.
SpeedCanHurt
Sep 26, 2008 at 4:33 am
Most coppers will just do what they think is right or fair. Admittedly, you can get some bastards (though we’re pretty lucky in Oz), but if you tell the truth, maybe with some slight tweaks, you’ll stand the best chance of getting out of it. Always cooperate, don’t try to outsmart them, don’t play dumb, don’t try to lie outright.
Metal
Sep 26, 2008 at 2:52 am
I got pulled over about a year ago for doing 122 in a 55 around midnight on the highway. As the cop was coming up to my window I was thinking to myself “fuck, there goes my license”. He asked me if I knew why I was pulled over and I said “yeah, I was speeding” and that I was late for a going-away party. He took my paperwork and came back with only a 90 dollar ticket and no points. After he gave me the ticket his demeanor completely changed and he was calling me “dude” and “man”. Hah it was pretty cool considering I probably would have gotten a ridiculous fine.
Anonymous
Sep 26, 2008 at 2:40 am
If you really got enough guts for this one, install a blackout switch in your dash for driving at night, splice a switch into your tailights so you can just flip them off if you think a cop is following you, slam the gas and get out of there!, if that fails your screwed for getting pulled over for whatever you did and no tail lights haha
but what u could do is turn off ur lights and drive with your fog lights only
russ
Sep 26, 2008 at 2:40 am
thats where the pba cards come into play. my uncles are retired nyc cops/ detectives and they know all the cops in my town. Got me nd my bro out of trouble already hahaha
retroman
Sep 26, 2008 at 12:41 am
I find that sometimes if the cop appreciates the wheels, he’ll at least let you off easy. I mean who wouldn’t drool over a 40 year old muscle car say like a ’66 289ci hi-po Mustang convertible or a ’67 Camaro or Hemi Mopar. Most officers I think understand the proper use of these cars, even though they might prefer we take our speed obsessions elsewhere. My buddy got an escort to the next state partly because he was driving a ’72 Camaro with a blown 454, although he also told the officer he just got back from Iraq which was true.
95blckfirebird
Sep 26, 2008 at 12:18 am
i was told a cop that i had heart problems…irregular heart beats…so while one jack ass cop was yelling at me for peeling out at a green light…the second i told him he was making me too nervous and my heart rate was going crazy he backed off and started to calm down..spoke to me in a quite/gentlemen manner lol…anywho he let me slide without giving me any tickets. but the original police officers that pulled me up, just told me to be careful next time and let me go..but that’s when the jackass cop came and i sure as hell told him off haha…but yea no joke, i really do have heart problems. i felt i did justice because he was yelling at the top of his lungs..but now I’m sure he’s a lil more careful when to handle a situation like this.
p.s i peeled out, not on purpuse. i was trying to make a left turn and some people drive like a$$wholes and never give you the chance to go..so when i got the chance my dumb a$$ just floored it..i owned my rear wheel drive car for just a few months at the time.
john
Sep 25, 2008 at 10:45 pm
i got pulled over for loud exhaust and the officer told me that anything louder than stock it illegal.
so i argued that it all depends on the stock vehicle.
stock muscle car is louder than stock hybrid.
and that harly’s are loud as hell stock.
he said i had a good point and let me go.
so i say if you notice a loop hole, use it!
elcamino-dude
Sep 25, 2008 at 10:37 pm
i’ve gotten stopped a few times, i run a small block chevy with just straight pipe and a cherry bomb,
really big ass back tires,
and i’m always out at night with my friends who all have done up tuner cars so i’m major heat for sure,
so far besing honest and respectful has always been good to me with the cops
Nismo
Sep 25, 2008 at 10:32 pm
i was once doing 100mph in a 30mph zone at 4am.it was not a residential area but…suddenly a cop rushed into the road because he shot me with his radar.i didnt get a speeding ticket.you know how?i turned off my lights,hold the highlights knob and stepped on the gas!its the only effective way.no talking,no stoping no licence check no arrest.try it.it works
RJ Walker
Sep 25, 2008 at 9:13 pm
David has the right idea. hahahahah, try this one, i hear it works…
keep a bottle of water in the car at all times, when you see a cop put his lights on, dump the water all over your lap. then act all nervous and stuff, you know, pretend like you pissed yourself. the officer will either sympathize, not want to deal with you, or not care and give you a ticket.
cops are good guys tho, they are just trying to do their job, lets keep the racing for the track people.
Anonymous
Sep 25, 2008 at 9:09 pm
alright Cadillactien, the cops aren’t there to help, so when some guy pulls a gun on your retarded face and says gimme your car, the cops won’t help you get it back. they are just there to trap you remember? when your car gets smashed, broken into, or vandalized, i hope law enforcement does nothing for an ignorant idiot like you.
David
Sep 25, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I got pulled over for doing 60 in a 40. When the cop came to my door he was obviously pissed and asked for my paperwork. I handed it to him and immediately followed with the excuse that I had real bad stomach cramps and that I needed to use the rest room. His demeanor totally changed and he allowed me to step out of the car and go use a nearby rest room. Luckily for me, it was 7:00 am and no businesses were open yet. I rushed back to my car and told him there were no open businesses and urged him to hurry up with his paperwork before I crapped my pants. He said and I quote, “I’m going to let you go because I know the feeling. Your insurance and driver’s license is up to date right? No warrants?” I replied promptly with what he needed to hear and he let me go on my way without a ticket. For sure I was expecting a ticket in the mail but it has been a year and still no ticket so I can safely say it worked. I remember my bro used the same excuse when he was in high school so I had to give it a try.
Cadillactien
Sep 25, 2008 at 8:13 pm
“This is an area I have a lot of experience in.”
“IT IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT”
“DON’T TRY TO TALK YOUR WAY OUT OF A TICKET.”
I’ve been poled over for reasons stemming from, “I saw it was you, too you know how fast you were going?” In every situation it is sad to say the officer always has the upper hand.
(Why is it that all these fu*ks want to know is if I have Insurance and a Drivers License?)
My responses have also resulted with a bunch of “F” yous’, eat sh*ts’ and go “F” your Mother. I’ve even approached it with a little humor, like “what if I don’t have a license?”
“I was just driven it like it was stolen.” As much as these examples work, I like to approach things a little different now-a days.
It may vary state to state (and is eroding more and more) but “know your rites.”
Pull over in a “public”, or well lit spot. preferably on “private property” in a parking spot “legally”.
Crack your window, turn off your car, and have your license and insurance ready, and keep your hands in plain site.
“Golden rule don’t say anything.”
If ask, answer, be polite, brief, and do not say anything incriminating.
(cops are trained to trap you, they are not here to help, they are here to bust you,
“COPS ARE NOT ON YOUR SIDE.”) I have been antagonized by the police to argue, I have been insulted, assaulted, and accused of BS. “It only can get worse.”
(WE DO LIVE IN A MILITARY STATE) “There is nothing protecting us from the Police.” “The only hope for justice is in court; and when you get there, their is no room for ignorance or excuses.
Just doing these things usually gets me out of the ticket.
If not look up the law on the infraction be ready for your day in court.
You’d be surprised on what will get you out of the ticket if your ready and don’t try to weasel the judge.
Anonymous
Sep 25, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Ryangood187 sounds like a typical ricer!
Matt
Sep 25, 2008 at 7:30 pm
About 2-3 weeks ago, I got pulled over in a Subway parking lot for doing 78 in a 55. I had no idea what was going on, and I was on my way out of the car and into the subway for some food, when I saw the cop. He asked for liscense and registration, and we proceeded to talk for about 10-15 minutes as to why I was on that road (Illinois RT 1 going towards Chicago from Terre Haute, IN). He seemed to think I was trying to get off of the road after seeing him turn around, but neither my buddy nor myself saw him, and when we were honest about what we were doing and everything, he let me off with just a warning. I don’t even think he pulled my record, just ran the tags and looked at my ID. Also, my car has illegally tinted windows (limo on the back, 15% on the fronts) and there’s no way he couldn’t have noticed that…
Anonymous
Sep 25, 2008 at 7:17 pm
i got pulled over for going like 40+ in a parking lot. i just said that there was an emergency and i just put that puppy dog face on and justt looked down and tried to cry cuz i just had gotten my liscense. i was going to call my mom during the whole thing. that would have been hilarious. any way i got off
Ashley
Sep 25, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I usually cry and it gets me off. There was actually one time where i flashed my boobs to get out of it and it worked!!
(.)(.)
Anonymous
Sep 25, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Gabrielle Iglasius lol
l
V
nick bean
Sep 25, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I got this idea from a comedy special and have not had a chance to try it yet, but i’m ready. When the cop pulls you over roll down all of your windows and when you see him exit his car and approach yours start playing the cops theme song as loud as your speakers will go. hhuuuuhhh, what you gon-what you gonna do when the sheriff john brown comes for you. i can’t wait to see how that plays out
ryangood187
Sep 25, 2008 at 4:49 pm
i have been pulled over numerous times they only ticket i have ever gotten out of was for my illegal lighting (neons and strobes) in a private parking lot, the officer wrote the ticket wrong so he dropped the charges, my rap sheet consists of over a dozen illegal lighting tickets, 3 for criminal speeding one of which i went to jail for going 99 in a 55 and spent 2 nights in jail had my car impounded, and licence suspended for a month,3 for noise violations and 2 for no seatbelt and one of those my friend was criminal speeding got a warning but i got a ticket for no seatbelt, being honest with the officer and polite always seems to drop one of the things he is pulling you over for or getting away with the warning, especially if you can make them laugh, they hear the excuses all the time just make them laugh and thier job easier, no cops likes his job.
Mark
Sep 25, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Every time I get pulled over I just shoot it straight, that usually gets me off the hook, that and the cops around here are too lazy to fill out paper work =)
Nismoke
Sep 25, 2008 at 11:25 am
whenever i get caught i dont whine for anything.i just make them mad but had 7 tickets in 4 years,4-5 pursuits out of the city at night, and got 11 points out of 12 during the day for speeding.
Sim
Sep 25, 2008 at 6:39 am
lol those are some funny stories,but yeah on my way to work not long ago I was doing 140km/h and I didnt notice a grey ford fusion but after I get off the bridge it pulled me over like 30 sec later,i had work clothes and told him im getting really late for work so luckily he let me go and said dont be burning up the bridge next time, first cool pig I ever saw. Other than that i got tons of tickets.
Ryan
Sep 25, 2008 at 6:00 am
I’m a overly observant driver, and as a result I’ve only been pulled over twice in well over 130,000 mi (8 years). The first time was right after I got my license, I was doing 60 in a 35 and the officer spoke to my parents. Got me off the hook with a warning, but the parentals took my license for 3 months. Bum rap for a high school kid, but better than the law taking my license and insurance skyrocketing through the roof.
Second time was a 70+ in a 55, with expired tags and an expired inspection sticker. Luckily I was one state over, and the officer didn’t notice. I had my license and registration ready, and my keys on the dash. It was a lot of “yes sir”, and “I wasn’t pay attention, sir”. Another warning. Being polite is key, and having everything ready is important too. Keeps the guess work out of what the officer thinks might be hiding in the glove compartment.
7urtle
Sep 25, 2008 at 5:54 am
ive only been caught once this year.lol the cop was a prick arrested for not having my drivers license even though i had id
GTwildfire
Sep 25, 2008 at 3:06 am
When my Jedi Mind tricks don’t work, I get ticketed.
___nes___
Sep 25, 2008 at 2:57 am
The only time that i ever got pulled over (expired tag) the one thing that worked for me was that i told Mr. Law that i wanted to join the force and where i could get the info for it. He still padded me down and drug searched the vehicle but he didn’t give me a warning all he said was “I can’t believe your record is so clean (not a single ticket or infraction, EVER) and for a kid your age (i was 19 at the time) that’s good. And it’s even better you want to be a part of my family” Then proceeded to give me the info and left. I was laughing my ass all the way home!
cknarf
Sep 24, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Haven’t got a ticket yet, but I’d try asking about his first car.
If he says big ass american car wth a V8, I’l ask ” haven’t you ever got on it before? wouldn’t giving me a speeding ticket be a bit hypocritical?”
-
Or I’d just cooperate….
Gary Faules
Sep 24, 2008 at 9:53 pm
A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff’s deputy. He thinks that he is smarter than the deputy because he is a lawyer from New York and is certain that he has a better education then any cop from Houston , Texas He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Texas deputy’s expense.
The deputy says,’ License and registration, please.’
‘What for?’ says the lawyer.
The deputy says, ‘You didn’t come to a complete stop at the stop sign.’
Then the lawyer says, ‘I slowed down, and no one was coming.’
‘You still didn’t come to a complete stop,’ says the deputy. ‘License and registration, please.’
The lawyer says, ‘What’s the difference?’
‘The difference is you have to come to complete stop, that’s the law. License and registration, please!’ the Deputy says.
Lawyer says, ‘If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I’ll give you my license and registration; and you give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don’t give me the ticket.’
‘That sounds fair. Please exit your vehicle, sir,’ the deputy says.
At this point, the deputy takes out his nightstick and starts beating the daylights out of the lawyer and says, ‘Do you want me to stop, or just slow down?’
Anonymous
Sep 24, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I tried to get out of one, but my radio was playing “F the police” from NWA and he got mad :S
Leatherman944
Sep 24, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I got pulled in my Porsche once. See, I bought the car from my dad. He had put blue lights in it. On the early 944′s, the original headlights tend to be yellow hazed. Combine yellow and the blue tint on the headlights, and you get green. When the cop pulled me over, it was on Halloween, and I’m stuffed into my cousin’s old prom dress. Now, if you can imagine coming up on a black 944, with green headlights, a big 6’2″ 260 lbs guy with a big beard, wearing a prom dress and full makeup, you would probably be thinking, I hate halloween.
So the cop comes up to my window, asks if I knew that my headlights were green, to which I replied, “Actually they’re blue, when your standing right in front of the car and look down they are blue. Lean down and they start to turn green.” He went up and looked, and being as that is how they work, he comes back, and asks, “Did those come with the car?” “So far as I know sir, they were in it when I bought the car.” He nods, asks me for my license and registration, goes back to his car. When he comes back to the car, he looks at the drivers license, looks at me, looks back at the drivers license, “You look a lot different with hair.” I laughed, (I keep my head shaved) “Yes, well, have a good night sir.”
I wished him a good night as well, and continued on my merry way.
atomicalex
Sep 24, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Ah, the old “the parts are in the mail” one. Worked for me many times! In cases of exhaust issues, I’m always two days away from my appointment at the muffler shop.
Gary Faules
Sep 24, 2008 at 7:04 pm
When getting pulled over most people think they can use just about any cock & bull story to lie their way out of the ticket but what everyone seems to forget about is, more than likely YOU got pulled over because YOU broke the law. Equally as important to remember is these officers are not new at this game and every time they approach you they are saying to themselves… “Ok, what is this guys lame excue going to be?”
Believe me when I tell you, your best chance of getting off is make it clear you respect the officer, (No attitude) hands in sight, don’t play dumb, “Officer did I do something wrong?” and if anything try the truth. You will be surprised how many times an officer will give you a break simply for treating them the way he would like to be treated.
Last year I took a weekday off to take my Viper for a spin down to Monterey for lunch. I wasn’t paying attention and all of a sudden I saw a CHP coming on the freeway on-ramp next to me like a bat out of hell. Realizing it was too late to slow down I glanced at my speedo an saw I was doing over 100. In a heartbeat he had his lights on and I pulled over. When he walked up to my passenger’s side window he leaned over and looked thru his sunglasses and asked, “Any idea how fast you were going?” I smiled politely and said, “Obviously it was over a hundred.” His reaction was one of shock and he looked at me again only this time he pulled off his sunglasses and then asked for registration and insurance papers and went back to his squad car. A few minutes later he returned and said, “Do you realize that there are speeding tickets and then there is doing over 100 miles per hour. Did you also realize that in the state of California that can be considered a felony?” Jokingly I replied, “Did I say 100?” then I just said, “In all seriousness officer, I am very sorry and I just got caught up in the moment with the car and all of a sudden there you were. You caught me.”
Then he surprised me and he said, “I have to say I am surprised. Do you know how many times someone tells the truth? Almost every time I get some #$*&@% excuse or lie and they actually think we are so stupid that we are going to believe them. Since you have been so forthcoming with me let me tell you what I’m going to do… The law requires that I issue you a speeding ticket. However, the law does not tell me what speed I have to write on the ticket therefore I am going to write you up for doing 75 in a 65. How’s that?” I thanked the officer and he began witting the ticket and as I was signing it he said, “Such a small speeding ticket could even be tossed out depending what judge you get should you plead innocent but then again you could sign up for driving class and get it removed.” The bottom line is he never expected to be treated with respect and this is by far not the only time this ha worked in my favor. In the last two years I have been let off with a warning on three separate occasions for speeding. Another thing to remember is most officers like cars and should you treat them right you will be surprised.
Richard
Sep 24, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Always enjoy your posts, Jen.
I have been pulled over probably half a dozen times in the last two years. And still no tickets.
I simply have told the troopers I have no good reason for speeding and that I have a lead foot.
But I bet it helps a ton that I have numerous bumper stickers that say how proud I am of my Boy Scouts of America Son(s). GO figure. Keep up the great work JEN.