"Furious over citation" update

[Richard]

\"Furious over citation\" update

Tried to add this to that thread, but the "reply" buttons didn't work for me..

Went to court yesterday, recall, I'd been cited for a burn out headlight... and my fine was $121.00

Sat next to a girl that had been cited for wreckless driving, she was admittedly doing more than 20 over posted limit... just as an underscore to make my above point (title), HER fine was $150... and THAT is the crux of my issue...

$121 for a burnt bulb (after sunrise at that) verses $150 for someone dropping the hammer and driving more than 20 over limit .. seems a bit out of line to me.

That said, my pal Todd the attorney showed up, ran me outside the courtroom...(session not started yet, seems judge was at least 20 minutes late). He asked me for rundown of facts, I gave them to him verbally, showed paperwork where bulb had been purchased...

Long story short, he went in, spoke with district attorney and she reviewed paperwork & dismissed the case.

No passing go for "the state", no collecting $121 (or any portion of for court costs) for the state. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now what got me also about this court thing, when the officer gave me the ticket, I asked him "HOW am I going to prove the bulb is fixed... are they going to come outside & look? (after all, a receipt only "proves" I have a receipt).. he said, they DO sometimes go look... lol yeah right, cant park in this building any more, had to park 6 blocks away and walk back in the rain... like the Judge is going to have someone go check my light?

With how quickly the DA dismissed the case, I really wanted to call that cop and let him know what a moron I thought he was to make me drive 40 miles one way to this thing, ostensibly knowing that the case would be dropped if I showed up in court. Why did he waste my time, why did he waste the courts time?

I think I just happened to find a (blank) of a cop who had to show "some punk" who the boss was... maybe his wife had just shown him ?? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Anyway... "this punk" is a happy camper now.

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif


Ps.. no offense to any current, past or future cops that may be reading this. I have some lifelong friends that are on a police force. I'm just venting and going "na na nana na" to the cop behind his back /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[gerard]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Sounds like what was supposed to happen did - you got the light fixed. As far as the "cop" feeling bad cause you got it dismissed I wouldn't count on it. Lets see, cost you time and lawyer unless that was a freebie?? Most police I know could care less what happens to a ticket after they write it, not their job, up to the DA and judge to see what happens then. If every cop cared about every ticket they wrote they'd have more ulcers than they do. Still seems like you took the most offense that the officer didn't believe that you were the type of person who would take care of the problem without a little motivation. I would chalk that up to being in a profession where you often deal with people who tend to flat out lie to your face. Hard not to get a little cyincal at times!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Richard]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

cost you time and lawyer unless that was a freebie

Lawyer was a freebie, other than me buying him a bacon/egg biscuit & coffee afterwards /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I would chalk that up to being in a profession where you often deal with people who tend to flat out lie to your face

Not to belabor this whole thread, but the irony was, I was honest enough to admat that I DID know the light was out!! lol.... My wife just rolls her eyes and says, "why didnt you lie and tell him you did NOT know???"

I told her I just cant do that, I'm just not a good liar (as she is well aware) /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Inspector507]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Admitting the truth sometimes gets you in hotter water, but I'd probably have done the same thing. Sometimes they do check to see if you've fixed it.
Glad to hear that it was dismissed.

 

[RobertN]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

My opinion is this. They will write the ticket; that is thier job, and they are simply enforcing the law. I don't always like it, but...

I think the "system" gives tickets for some things that seem unjustified, but that is where revenue comes from. How many people can take time off work and drive a bazzilion miles to court? Most people just pay the fine and be done with it. So, the court, the state, and the country get revenue.

I got a speeding ticket one time, for ten over. I explained the spedometer was broken, and the part was on order. He was "Ok, that's nice; in the state of Ca, you have to go the spped limit wether you have a speedometer or not". I went to court, showed the judge the parts order, and final reciept. He asked me if it was fixed; I told him two days after the ticket. He siad ok, dismissed. If I would have just sent in the money, and taken the point on my record, the state would have just made revenue.

I think they like out of towners(not just police, but the "system"). Most people can't take the time to come back and fight the ticket. Revenue...

And, like others, I know police officers. They are not out to get people. They just do thier job.

 

[bgott]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

He doesn't care if you beat it or not, he made his quota that day. Or his "performance review" or what ever other euphemism they use in your area.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Officer discretion/options in Florida (Faulty Headlight)
1. Non moving violation, 49$ /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
2. Faulty Equipment Violation, 9$ (has to be repaired/observed/signed off by any Officer)
3. Written warning/No fine
4. Verbal Warning /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My jurisdiction does not have quotas (I swear) and I don't know who does. Most supervisors encourage traffic stops/citizen encounters, but are perfectly happy with verbal or written warnings.

 

[Bird]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think they like out of towners )</font>

Robert, There have been some little towns who have raised revenue that way, but when I started on the police department it was written departmental orders to NOT issue citations to anyone who lived more than 50 miles from Dallas. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The reasoning was that they were probably lost, the violation was probably unintentional, and it was too far for them to have to come back to court. But after an IACP survey in the late '60s, Dallas was told that the policy was discriminatory and had to be changed to treat everyone alike. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Jeff396]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

My brother in law works for a company that puts miles on cars for most of the major auto companies. Usually they get in a caravan of five or six and just drive. During one trip he was driving through a town with a cop behind him. When he got to the end of the town and the speed limit jumped he started to accelerate (before he got to the actual sign as I think most of us do). Cop pulled him over and gave him a ticket and told him that "The speed does not actually change until you pass the sign". This, IMO, is a town that is only out to raise revenue and really has very little interest in traffic safety.

Here in Charlotte, NC they are argueing hot and heavy about a proposal to put in speed cameras. Radar gun catches you speeding and snaps a few pictures and boom, you get a $50.00 tickit in the mail. There will be signs warning that there are speed cameras wherever they are installed. The ticket will add no points to your license and will not be reported to your insurance company. I'ts all about money in this case too. Does anyone remember the red light cameras that were installed in some town which I can't remember at the moment. It turned out that they deliberately shortened the length of the yellow light so they could get more revenue from the increased amount of tickets. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Jeff

 

[BigDave]

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

We have plenty of red light cameras around these parts. I've seen them go off plenty of times, but I only seen them go off when the light has been red for a couple of seconds. I've gone through plenty of yellow lights around here and no pictures have been taken of my car. I believe fewer people run lights now, but I'm amazed how many still do. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif