Stopped for speeding

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Mike and Cha

No it's not bait and switch......it's called discretion(read my earlier post)....a dirty license plate is not a "bogus ticket"....Had the poor Cop have written him a speeding ticket, then everyone of you who think the Cop was crooked or unethical because he did this, would be saying the speeding ticket was BS because it wasn't an unsafe speed. These are the same guys that will put their life on the line for you in a heartbeat, but for some reason when they give someone a break they are up to no good????

Writing someone for 18 mph over the speed limit is a costly ticket. How do you know that he didn't have it on radar, even the OP admits he was speeding. So the Cop gives him a break and now he's still the bad guy just giving people a hard time with no "proof"....And you wonder why there are Cops out there that just do their job by the Letter of the Law and use no discretion.... Can't have your cake and eat it too....I learned that in kindergarten.

Actually Mike, I agree with you too. it's either a a speeding violation or it isn't, especially at that much over the limit. I have 2 cousins retired from the state police, they operated like that, it's either a violation or it isn't.

[timjet]

This incident seems very strange to me. If the cop wanted to give the OP a break, just give him a warning. If the cop wanted some cash for the city, then give him a speeding ticket.

If he couldn't prove the speed, then give him a warning ticket or a speeding ticket and let the speeder sort it out in court, which the cop likely knew would never happen with an out of state tag.

18 mph is a lot over the speed limit. I can't figure out what the cop was thinking.

Question for the OP, was your tag dirty to the point it was hard to read?

Something funny here. If the cop was trying to relay a message the OP certainly didn't get it, nor do I. And the Cops' question to the DW, .....something strange here.

[Franka548]

Mike,
I see your point and I don't think that the Officer in this case was trying anything underhanded. The OP evidently was very courteous and respectful, which will help in the outcome of the stop. One of the biggest problems is that a few bad apples will spoil the whole barrel. I have a lot of respect for the job that you do, but have a bad taste in my mouth that a couple of those bad apples have left. One of the biggest problems is that the average law abiding citizen doesn't see the hard and dangerous job most of the Officers do.
Frank

[twinboat]

My plate was not dirty. The car was covered in tree pollen and sap from the CG but not on the plate.

My feeling is that he should have ticketed me for the speed I was doing, for a lesser speed, or handed me the dirty plate ticket, telling me I got a break. In the last 2 examples, I would have been very gratefull.

I would not have argued with what ever he decided to do. That's what courts and judges are for.

What I didn't expect, was to be sitting on the sholder of the road, discussing if a lesser, unfounded offence would be acceptable to me, or my wife. In the moment, it wasn't acceptable.

I'm not trying to make cops out as a bad guys. I also don't need the "Cops have dangerous jobs" speech. My son is a retired NY City detective. I lived with that for 21 years.

Funny thing is, I have a signed "NYC Detectives Endowment Association" card in my wallet that my son said to present if stopped. Could it have helped, I don't know, I forgot about it.

[Indy Glenn]

Originally Posted by twinboat

The DW and I were in the toad, heading to town from the CG, here in upstate NY.

Zipping along, I see a trooper in the mirror. That's when I notice the 35 MPH sign on the other side of the road in my rear view mirror.

OK, they got me. I pull over and the trooper takes my papers and runs them.

When he comes back, he says he doesn't want to write me for 53 in a 35 zone and goes on about the neighbors complaning and his boss wanting him to write something to justifie the stop.

That's when it gets weird. He offers to write me a "dirty plate" ticket.

I hesitate a few seconds and he leans in and asks my DW what she thinks. "Oh, don't ask me", was her response.

I told him I didn't feel comfortable with that. After a long pause, he handed me my license and snapped "Get your car washed" and let me go.

I was willing to take the speeding ticket, what would others do, in this situation ?

I read this post several times...........

The "Dirty Plate" charge throws me.

Yes - the "Trooper" did seem like a nice person to offer a "lesser" charge.

But what gets me is this - I lived in NY State a large part of my life - - worked as a military recruiter in Upstate NY a good portion of it.

There were times in the winter I had to wipe off my headlights and tail lights in order for them to be useful. I never wiped off my license plate - - which was non-readable from all the road salt and sand - - a beautiful "white" color it was.

It has been my experience, Troopers don't play! It's black & white. Stop you for speeding - you get a speeding ticket or if they didn't want to cite you, you got a warning not a "deal".

Now local police and sheriffs are a different thing.

When I moved here as a recruiter to the beautiful "Hoosier" state, in my first year I was stopped 8 times - - yup - - you got it - - speeding.

7 times by local sheriffs and once by a state trooper.

Out of those 8 times, I got one ticket. Can you guess who gave me the ticket? If you said the trooper, you'd be right.......

The other 7 times, the sheriff deputy would generally pat me on my shoulder and say, "Slow it down sarg!!" "Yes sir", I responded.

I came away with the idea, between states, troopers and sheriffs are from the same mold.........

Glad he let you go...........gotta watch those small "Burgs" wherever you go.

Now that I am considered "elderly" by the feds (Forced on Medicare), I'm the schmuck in the right lane doing the speed limit - - - I love it!!!! Hahahahaha

Be safe........

g

[timjet]

Originally Posted by twinboat

What I didn't expect, was to be sitting on the sholder of the road, discussing if a lesser, unfounded offence would be acceptable to me, or my wife. In the moment, it wasn't acceptable.

I agree! It's almost like he's trying to suggest something without actually saying it. You didn't get it nor do I.

In retrospect, it's almost like he's trying to blackmail you into something.

But, all's well that ends well.

[Lisablue85]

Originally Posted by letmgrow

you bet i would! However you got away unblemished. That is a real bonus imo.
Mr. Officer sir, "please have a good day". Thank you!
Lynn.

👍👍👍

[Lisablue85]

Originally Posted by mike and cha

no it's not bait and switch......it's called discretion(read my earlier post)....a dirty license plate is not a "bogus ticket"....had the poor cop have written him a speeding ticket, then everyone of you who think the cop was crooked or unethical because he did this, would be saying the speeding ticket was bs because it wasn't an unsafe speed. These are the same guys that will put their life on the line for you in a heartbeat, but for some reason when they give someone a break they are up to no good????

Writing someone for 18 mph over the speed limit is a costly ticket. How do you know that he didn't have it on radar, even the op admits he was speeding. So the cop gives him a break and now he's still the bad guy just giving people a hard time with no "proof"....and you wonder why there are cops out there that just do their job by the letter of the law and use no discretion.... Can't have your cake and eat it too....i learned that in kindergarten.

👍👍👍

[Lisablue85]

The difference in a speeding ticket & a dirty plate, obstructed view, etc-one puts points on your license, causes your insurance to go up, & is on your "record" for 2 years with the insurance company & results in fines & court costs & the other is only a mail in fine with zero repercussions.

[CNPH]

You do know that if the area is a no tolerance zone my guess is his Sgt. reads his unit log for the day to be sure he cited every car he stopped. I would bet in the few seconds he had contact with you he decided you didn't need a "mover".

"Blackmail"!! Really...Big stretch...a cop is going to risk his career and possible jail time to blackmail someone over a traffic cite.

In this day and age everyone is being filmed either by the cop himself, the person contacted, or some bystander. Looks better in a no tolerance zone if everyone he stops is signing.

[Pete1985]

I think you were very lucky and maybe he was very lucky with the little women last night.

[timjet]

There is no doubt the OP was lucky to get away without a fine or points on his license. No argument here, but that's not the point of this thread.

What Twinboat said: "What I didn't expect, was to be sitting on the sholder of the road, discussing if a lesser, unfounded offence would be acceptable to me, or my wife. In the moment, it wasn't acceptable.

That is the point of this thread. I agree blackmail is a stretch, but can anyone explain the cops actions.

[okcnewbie]

Originally Posted by twinboat

I was willing to take the speeding ticket, what would others do, in this situation ?

Are you trying to "punk" me?

[okcnewbie]

Originally Posted by timjet

........ I agree blackmail is a stretch, but can anyone explain the cops actions.

I'll try.....

The policeman doesn't make the laws. He also pays auto insurance. He knows that a ticket for going 20 miles over the posted speed limit could end up resulting in hundreds if not thousands in fines and extra insurance cost. He made the decision that maybe those cost were more than it should be. Warning doesn't cause people to slow down. An actually ticket of some type might send a message to "slow" down?

p.s. #1 thing to say to get out of a speeding ticket.

" I'm not really comfortable with the non-moving violation. " NOT!