$300 speeding ticket

[David Floyd]

No serious ones, just a couple of fender benders and a few dings from getting rear ended.

[David Floyd]

And I'm 20.

[NeOmega]

Lots of things:

Speed traps are actually when one officer hides in a spot, and then an eighth a mile down the road or so another hides in a spot. Via radio they time cars. Doing the math, if the car arrives too early at the second officers position, they cite the driver for speeding. Setting up a speed trap is illegal, but, since the use of radar, it isn't used anymore.

It was illegal because it was your word against the officers. And there was no definitive proof.

Speeding:

No, although I myself have been speeding both times I have been pulled over for the infraction, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE SPEEDING TO BE PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING.

I know this, because riding along with my friend one night at about 2 A.M. we were pulled over for speeding. WA state troopers have a quota system, and this was on the 29th. The officer approached the car and started yelling at us. She was trying to put us on the defensive, so we would not question her. But I did, I asked to see the radar reading, she refused 3 times. Citing, safety, I said she could handcuff me, (and another officer had shown up to back her up. I was quite polite, although I wouldn't stop staring at her because I was HOT!

Long story short, the officer didn't show up to court, and the commisioner (not judge) interrupted us so she could "tell us how it is".

To the original story, did you see those illegal road blocks in D.C. during the sniper hunt? Did you see the footage of those people being forced out of their van at gunpoint simply for driving a white mini-van. Personally talking to many people at our monthly mettings, it has been the mistakes and over-use of force by police that have driven them to be politically active.

I once used to be a conservative too. But after witnessing cases of police abuse of power, my view of the world began to change, and I went Libertarian. In fact, nothing prodded me more into becoming politically active than cops sneering, and telling me to "write my representative".

However, I now respect the police a whole lot more, they have a tough job, and they do it.

[ZoboZeWarrior]

In france the speed limit on motorway is ... 150 km/h ... uh ... maybe 130km/h, but only very few driver respect this last one.

When I was young I was not driving slower than 140 km/h, generally 150km/h on a motorway. On classical road, at least 100km/h, but more generaly 110km/h.

Well, it was driving at this speed when I was in a cool mind. If I was nerveous or excited (never drunk!) I was driving a few more faster (as fast as my tiny old car could run).

Now, I'm far more respectuous of the law (never had any problem with cops, only few warnings) and do not more drive so fast.

[Ming]

Originally posted by NeOmega
Speed traps are actually when one officer hides in a spot, and then an eighth a mile down the road or so another hides in a spot. Via radio they time cars. Doing the math, if the car arrives too early at the second officers position, they cite the driver for speeding. Setting up a speed trap is illegal, but, since the use of radar, it isn't used anymore.

It was illegal because it was your word against the officers. And there was no definitive proof.

First... what you describe is NOT illegal. And your reason why it was illegal is humorous, but not correct. A policemans word against yours is good enough to get you convicted in court. Unless you have a witness (and not just another passenger in your car), you lose. For offenses like illegal lane changes running red lights, and other such offenses, all the cop has to say is that he saw you do it... his/her word against yours... and you lose in court. Even today... Cops in airplanes and helicopters time the time it takes it you to travel between white lines that have been placed on the highway for just that purpose. No radar at all... but you are convicted based on their word of their timing.

And as far as your example goes... you have no proof of what you are saying... just because somebody told you "how it was"... doesn't make it true. Cops don't show up for traffic court for many different reasons, so that's not proof either.

Yes... quota systems are used in some places... but the cops I know laugh whenever anybody suggests that they need to pull over people that aren't speading to make their quota's... As they explain, many people speed, and they can make their quota anytime they want just by hanging out in the right places.

And last but not least... you don't sound like you were being "polite" in the example you give... If somebody like you was giving me that kind of crap if I was in the cops position, I would have treated you with the same lack of respect that you were showing them

[NeOmega]

With all that said and done Ming, this guy was not a good friend of mine, and I could've cared less about him paying the ticket, as he made quite a bit of money anyways, and WA state has no point system.

But, I did ask to see the radar gun. Why wouldn't she let me see it?

Also, I know for a fact he was not speeding. We were in the slow lane, with cars in front of us. We had no clue why she was even pulling us over. He drove like a grandpa. And I don't know which state you live in, but here the WSP's Union threw a fit when Washington began to implement the quota system.

BTW, after it was all said and done, she still "dropped" it from 57 to 54 in a 45..... that was nice of her..... except we weern't speeding save maybe 5 above!


Also, 11 states have laws against speed traps. Althoug I may have been wrong about what a speed trap is, (I read on it like four or five years ago.)

[Rogan Josh]

Originally posted by 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.

Don't you believe it! I was once fined in the UK and given 3 points on my licence for no good reason. There were two villages about half a mile apart. The limit was 40mph in the villages and the road in between them. Since there was absolutely nothing in between the villages (just fields), I didn't realise the speed limit was still 40. I was stopped by a speed trap which marked me down at 48mph. There was nothing else on the road.

I was really respectful to the cop - very polite - and the **** still gave me a ticket. Looking back, I wish I had shouted abuse at the little turd. At least it would have made me feel better.

[SpencerH]

Speeding is a crime. If you're speeding and you're caught just collect your ticket and move on. I've only had one occasion where the cop had a dickhead attitude(in Sweden). Every other time the cops have been professional and I can respect that. Sometimes the've given me the ticket and sometimes I've got a warning.

I dont like the idea of being 'nice' to get out of a ticket though.

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by Ming

And as far as your example goes... you have no proof of what you are saying... just because somebody told you "how it was"... doesn't make it true. Cops don't show up for traffic court for many different reasons, so that's not proof either.

Yes, but when a cop doesn't show up, there is no chance for cross examination. For instance, she stated in her report that she had clocked the car in front of us. We told the commisioner she said the car in front of us was clocked at 49 mph.......

How ever, she was not there to refute that is what she said, even though I am sure she would.

I also worked with an ex-cop at the time, and she still hung out with a few, but she confirmed that there are quite a few known crooked WSP's. In fact, meet any honest cop from any state or metropolitan area, and they will tell you there are such a thing as crooked cops, even int heir own department. I know, you must know this to be so, and it is something you cannot refute.

[Ming]

Originally posted by NeOmega BTW, after it was all said and done, she still "dropped" it from 57 to 54 in a 45..... that was nice of her..... except we weern't speeding save maybe 5 above!

Five above is still speeding Granted, most cops will not pull you over until you are more than 5 miles above the speed limit, but it is still speeding ...

Oh and by the way... cops don't have to show you the radar gun results...

I live in Illinois... and if you have any links discussing the 11 states that have "laws against speed traps" I would be interested in checking them out. Since I have been pulled over many times for speeding, I've talked to my lawyer friends on this subject, and they have never mentioned anything like that before... but then again, maybe Illinois isn't one of the states with such a law

[rah]

What do crooked cops have to do with speed traps and speeding tickets?

[Ming]

And I don't refute that there "aren't some crooked cops"... Heck, I lived in Chicago for many years, and a 20 dollar bill stuffed behind your license when you were pulled over meant that you would get a pass in the old days... Every profession has their share of jerks and crooked offenders.

But, I also have many friends who were/are cops... and they all agree that quotas have never forced them to pull over people for speeding that aren't speeding. They all know the places where people speed, (which is just about everywhere).

In Illinois, if the cop doesn't show up for court, you get a pass if there are no other witnesses... And there are many reasons why they don't show up. So it's not proof. I've had cops tell me when being pulled over (after I have been nice to them) to just show up for court because they have assigned me a day that they don't plan on being there... I'm sure if I had been a jerk, they would have assigned me a day that they would be there

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by ZoboZeWarrior
In france the speed limit on motorway is ... 150 km/h ... uh ... maybe 130km/h, but only very few driver respect this last one.

When I was young I was not driving slower than 140 km/h, generally 150km/h on a motorway. On classical road, at least 100km/h, but more generaly 110km/h.

Well, it was driving at this speed when I was in a cool mind. If I was nerveous or excited (never drunk!) I was driving a few more faster (as fast as my tiny old car could run).

Now, I'm far more respectuous of the law (never had any problem with cops, only few warnings) and do not more drive so fast.

France also has the most horrendous road death toll in Europe

[Rogan Josh]

Originally posted by ZoboZeWarrior
In france the speed limit on motorway is ... 150 km/h ... uh ... maybe 130km/h, but only very few driver respect this last one.

Where I live in France it is 120mph. And the strange thing is that the French drivers do respect it. They drive at recklessly high speeds on the small roads and then turn into pussycats when they get onto a good one. Very wierd.

[Alexander's Horse]

Speeding isn't as common as it used to be here - mainly because you will get caught and the fines are heavy. Going to Sydney from Canberra I'll go through at least 3 speed traps and maybe spot 1 or 2. There's no point speeding.

We had a terrible road toll here a few years ago and we've got it right down so if you speed people are more likely to think you are d*ckhead and a risk to them than clever. There's been huge advertising campaigns to change people's driving habits. Attitudes have changed a lot, for the better.