"Furious over citation" update

Taylortractornut · May 7, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

I got a ticket on time from the local law for towing a ranger with my Jeep I had a long range pipe ovever my tow cable to keep the truck from meeting my bumper and stopped at the 4 way stop and pulled up this town cop whips in behind the ranger and starts asking my friend why he ran the stopsign Finally i ask him why we got pulled over he said your freind ran a stop sign, i pointed out the bright safety orange pipe between the cars Still gave my freind the ticket, and then the same week i was goin down the hiway with a WA250 Komatsu loader doing some work for the city. I got a ticket for expired liscense and having more the 4 forwad lighs on at once. On the court date i saw my friend and he and the judge had a talk because i was the witness, and then the judge dismissed him then it was my turn the officer didnt know that a liscense isnt needed to operate a peice of equipment and that th llights where legal. I felt bad for the officer after the judge got done with him.

BigDave · May 8, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

( $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. )

Hmmm...Driving over the speed limit is a bad thing, but driving visually impaired is O.K. Maybe you just got on the road at sunrise, but maybe the officer thought you could have been driving all night, and maybe your fellow defendee was speeding on an empty stretch of highway, or maybe her accelerator was sticking, but she had already scheduled an appointment to get it fixed.

Maybe, I'm being rude. I just don't understand your indignation and your lashing out at the officer. He observed you in violation of the law and gave you a citation, that's what the taxpayers collectively pay him to do.

If your son/daughter/wife/mother/father, God forbid, were seriously injured by someone driving an unsafe vehicle, would you take solice in knowing that it was someone like you behind the wheel? The driver could have had the necessary equipment for the repair, but it was inconvienent for him fix it before he got on the road. The reason we have laws like this is not for revenue generation; they are for public safety. Do you think the state legislature got together and said hey let's make some money, or did sit through testimony of grieving mothers who lost their children do to someone's unsafe yet fixable vehicle? Get in a car accident in an unsafe vehicle, and see if it is just an accident. The law may not think so.

I believe justice was served, instead of spending ten minutes replacing your bulb before you hit the road that morning you paid the price by spending a far greater amount of time trying to weasel out your your citation.

Back to tractoring - make sure your tractor lights/brakes/steering are all functioning correctly before you take it on a public road. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Jeff396 · May 8, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Dave,

I haven't lived here all that long but I think I heard we have red light cameras already. I am just curious....do you know if getting a ticket from your red light cameras results in more than just a fine? The big argument here, other than the Big Brother thing, is that without points going on your license and reported to your insurance company that it really is more of a revenue generator than something that will encourage safe driving. The people against it have even played the class envy card saying that rich people will speed all they like because $50 is nothing to them. Don't you just love these debates!!!! I don't know if I mentioned that, the fine is $50 no matter how fast you were going.

Jeff

PhilNH5 · May 8, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

( The reason we have laws like this
is not for revenue generation; they are for public safety. Do you think the state legislature got together and said hey let's
make some money, )

Big Dave, I have no comments on the traffic violation discussed in this thread. But concerning your comment about revenue generation - it seems that my state is attempting to do just what you describe.

This Union Leader Article describes exactly that. You may have to register to view it. If not the gist is the courts are raising fines to generate revenue. Courts deny this but legislators, police officers and highway safety are all against the proposed increases. The paper also had a scathing editorial against traffic fines as income.

Phil

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Big Dave,

I'm in aggreement with you.

However, I think the conditions under which the ticket is given play a large roll in how someone feels about it.

For example--about 2 months ago I was doing some work outside on a Saturday. My father-in-law came over and asked if he could start a fire. Without thinking about the fact that I didn't have the hose hooked up yet, I said sure. When he left, I dumped roughly 15 buckets of water on the fire. The next day I dumped some more water on as I saw a small amount of smoke. The wind picked up later in the afternoon, caught an ember and blew it outside the ring into dried grass. Before I could get the hose hooked up, the wind pushed the fire 10 feet and I knew I wasn't going to contain this myself so I called 911.

I stopped the fire from burning my neighbors shed (his house would have been next) by using a hose. The police and fire department came and put the fire out. I was ticketed for burning without a permit. This is a misdemeanor in MN so I had to go to court. I met with the prosecutor and he asked what I thought would be a fair fine (max is $1000 and 90 days in jail). I told him I was guilty and that I was not going to bargain my way out--I would agree with whatever he wanted me to pay. He settled on $300. The fine is going directly to the volunteer fire department that put out the fire.

My point is this. I would have paid $2000 if that is what they wanted. My guess is that if the ticket for the broken headlight would have come after the poster (sorry I didn't look up your name) had narrowly missed running down some kids by the side of the road, he would consider himself a lucky man.

I don't know if a major role of tickets is revenue generation and quite frankly I don't care. All I know is when I need a firefighter or police officer, they are there to help.

Bob

Anonymous Poster · May 9, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

( ...I told him I was guilty and that I was not going to bargain my way out--I would agree with whatever he wanted me to pay.)

Actually taking responsibility for one's own actions. Thanks. My faith in people is improved by one.

cowboydoc · May 9, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Well said Bob. I believe most people would certainly change how they view our boys in blue and red after they have helped you.

Anonymous Poster · May 9, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

Your right Richard,

As I was eating smoke and running around trying to contain the fire (I was failing miserably), the sweetest sound in the world was the sound of the sirens getting closer.

My application for the volunteer department is going in next week. These guys (and gals) really make a difference.

Bob

TedLynn · May 10, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

There has been a lot of character shown on this thread, especially between Richard (the original post), Big Dave and Bob-in-Mn. Two out of three is not too bad! Ted

Gary_in_Indiana · May 11, 2003

Re: \"Furious over citation\" update

While I was in my Tahoe going to a concert last night I noticed my left turn signal indicator flashing at double speed on my dash--an indication of some electrical problem on that side. I thought, "OK, I don't want to be late. I'll look at it tomorrow."

On the way there another motorist pulled alongside me and told me I had a tail light out. I thanked him and moved on, not wanting to admit I knew it and hadn't done anything about it.

On the way home (you guessed it), a city patrolman noticed it as well. He stopped me and asked if I knew my tail light was out. I told him someone else had just told me this evening and that I was heading home and would make sure to take care of it first thing in the morning.

I couldn't help but think of this thread when all this was going on. I was hoping he wouldn't ticket me at all, though a warning ticket might have been appropriate, actually. I'm guessing he looked at the two of us and the overall condition of the vehicle and took into consideration that everything else was as it should be and trusted I'd do what I said. Had he said he was going to ticket me I probably would have suggested a warning giving me time to effect the repair and provide proof it was done. Failing that, I'm sure I wouldn't have been happy with a citation but would have figured I would just go ahead and pay it and go on with my life. As it was, I was fortunate. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif