$300 speeding ticket

[1]

I just got pulled over today, and the officer gave me a THREE HUNDRED DOLLAR speeding ticket. He clocked me while I was passing someone, while going downhill, just as I missed my exit..... of course I was speeding! I did try to explain reason with him, that I just missed my exit, and I had to get in front of the group of cars so I could make the next one. He didn't care at all or even empathize! THEN, after he pulls me over, he starts looking in my car, asks me if a bottle I had in the back seat was alcohol, of which I explained to him in tiny words that my cologne bottle didn't pose a threat to my driving abilities. I was like "dewd, you can even smell if you want." Then he asks me if I have any other illegal substances in the car... So I'm thinking... who the hell in the right mind would answer.. "YES OFFICER, I have 20 lbs of crack in my trunk!" I really didn't have anything in my car though anyway. Then he asks if I've "been in trouble with the law before" like he thinks I'm some sort of lesser human being than him because I sped. I've never been arrested in my life, so I'm like no, I never have. Then he goes back to his car for about 10 minutes, comes back and gives me the infamous ticket with the most **** eating grin I've ever seen, telling me in the most possible condescending voice possible that I need to "slow waaaay down." It was a speed trap, 3 other cars were already pulled over (it was a group of cops). And in the car behind me, they had the poor woman (who was heavily crying) take out everything from her purse, spread it across the hood, search it, then they searched her trunk... while officers surrounded the car.

Incidents like this with the police power, push me further and further to the left.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

I am glad that I don't live in US, and for that matter, this is one of the things that are BRILLIANT in UK. , and perhaps that civil police (at least for me coming from Croatia ) is great, great, great!.... of course when some youth gangs break your car of some theft is done, and they tell you that there is nothing they can do, well that sucks. But for being polite and not stopping you without a reason ...

I Croatia... remembering things are much more like the above when police is concerned.

edit: with the exception that you could more times than not politely bribe the cop so you give him some money and he doesn't charge you , not sure if this persisted...

[DanS]

"Incidents like this with the police power, push me further and further to the left."

Shouldn't that push you to the right?

[RGBVideo]

(Sorry for the quality, converted to a *.gif via paint... )

[SpencerH]

You could move to Alabama where the tickets are $20 (but the court costs on top are $80 ). The other good point is that anything less than 15mph over the limit is pretty much OK except in a few 'high-risk' spots.

[chequita guevara]

You must have been going well over the speed limit to get a $300 ticket.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

What's the limit on motorways in the States?

[Boris Godunov]

Rough... State troopers are often the biggest *******s around. The very reason they become troopers is because they enjoy abusing their power. I worked with a woman whose husband was a trooper, and he constantly ranted on how most everyone else in his barracks was a total jerk.

Go to court, you may at least get the fine reduced some. If you got any points on your license, you will likely get those reduced as well. That's the worse thing, because it can jack up your insurance rates quickly.

[Faboba]

They're trying to encourage you not to speed. From the sounds of it, I'd say it was working.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by DanS
"Incidents like this with the police power, push me further and further to the left."

Shouldn't that push you to the right?

The left is far more against a fascistic police style than the right is, until you get to the extreme right (the extreme left and extreme right probably view the police the same way, actually).

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by OneFootInTheGrave
What's the limit on motorways in the States?

It depends on where you are. Around these h'yar parts its 70(85) on the interstates and 30-50 (45-65) on the roads and through the gas stations while turning right.

[chequita guevara]

For a brief time, there was no upper limit on speed on Montana interstates during daylight.

[The Mad Monk]

Don't do the crime if you can't spend the dime.

[SpencerH]

I remember that there was no speed limit in montana and wyoming in the mid 70's, just little white crosses by the sides of the roads (and off them).

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Oh you need a state to drive to the full, EU has Germany. (or is it that the world has Germany )


Anyway 70... like in UK