I never said it wasn't. You asked my preference; I gave it to you. It's not my fault that you don't like it.

 

There are some real dicks who post on CF. Some of you almost take the fun out of owning a vette.

NO it is not legal for a cop to speed when they are not on a call without lights. Obviously this cop was not on a call or he wouldn't have pulled you over.

he is a dick. period. Yes I would fight it just so I could tell him he's a dick.

 

 

Allow me to add a couple more.

4: He was on business that required him to speed. When he realized the car behind him was also speeding, he made a judgement call and decided which issue was more important to public safety, meaning he was doing his job very well.

Personally, I don't want cops out there that are incapable of (or forbidden from) making such judgement calls.

5: He was on business that required him to speed. He then got a call instructing him to stand down, whereupon he dealt with the issue at hand, meaning he was doing his job very well.

The point being, there are any number of scenarios that could have been in play, and they don't all have to mean he was doing his job poorly.

 

You do know you are under oath, right? Lying in court is not a good strategy. When the judge determines you are lying he will throw the book at you.

 

That depends on the city/state. Many departments have different rules regarding this. The rules that govern a police department change with the politics of the municipality and they are by no means universal.

 

I heard that enough times growing up that as I was reading the words I could hear my Dad saying them. He would have celebrated his 84th birthday today.

 

Some interesting viewpoints here that I would not have expected on a Corvette forum.

How is going 80 mph in a Corvette on an interstate dangerous?

Speed limits are set ridiculously low due to emissions concerns and appealing to the lowest common denominator: i.e. truck and trailer with old bald tires on a cold rainy day with a 15 year old semi-retarded semi-blind kid with 1 arm and 1 leg who just got his permit at the wheel.

A healthy experienced driver in a well maintained Corvette can safely drive 100+ on the vast majority of interstate highways all while talking on a cell phone and drinking a frappuccino.

80 is barely moving.

 

He didn't trick you or make you do it. If he shop lifted, would you do it and think it was ok?
It is like our parents used to say, "if Johnny jumped off a bridge, are you going to do it too?"

 

"Police are shot all the time at routine traffic stops" Huh? Where do you live, by the Mexican border?

 

Issuing a ticket is not always the answer. I agree speeding is dangerous. However i focus on drunk drivers and drugs. Im not a traffic cop so I dont focus on that. I usually write them a ticket for something else and issue a verbal warning on the speed. Last time I checked I have discretion whether I issue a ticket or not NO ONE can force me to write someone a ticket. There is no such thing as a quota. I make plenty of drug arrests and drunk drivers. The speed limit through my town is predominately 40 mph or less through the residential areas. So speeding isnt really a big issue compared to other things. I let the traffic division issue all the tickets they want. We have 1 officer who literally writes 30 tickets a day five days a week and that is just not me. And no I do not and will not consider doing any other line of work! I love my job and love going to work day in and day out. Im pretty sure not many people here can say that.

 

Totally agree!! Well said by a retired LEO!

 

I have been following this one... it has been quite a lively discussion.

 

Hey JR, are you one of those people that drive in the left lane, going the speed limit or less, just because you don't like people speeding? Why do I get the feeling you are one of those guys?

 

Sorry, but I didn't slog through all 7 pages of this post, just the first 3.

A couple of points here:

1. Here in my small town, if they want to stop you, they just say "You didn't come to a full and complete stop at that last stop sign, Son." Try to prove 'em wrong, go ahead!!

2. I only ever got one ticket I truly didn't deserve, but it was a big one. Was in my first car, a '69 Dodge Charger RT, cruising back to the base (USAF at the time) with a buddy after a significantly misfortunate double date. An L88 'Vette pulled up beside us and tried to get us to go. We just laughed at him and he got pissed and took off at very high speed, slid sideways in the road and shot down a side street. We were still laughing about it (Yeah, like we're gonna try with an L88, ha ha) when a few blocks later the lights went off in my mirror. The first thing the cop said was "Who won?" I was so taken off guard that I really didn't know what he meant at first. Then it dawned on me and I told him what exactly had happened. Of course he didn't believe me and I ended up with a drag racing ticket and lost my license for six months!!!!!! Words cannot describe how pissed off I was!!!!!!!! Nothing an eighteen year old kid could do about it but lay there and take it. Talk about feeling raped!!!!!!!!

3. Maybe it's charma, but in all of the time since then, I have never gotten a ticket I didn't deserve and have been given a warning and/or benefit of the doubt way more times than that.

It is my firm opinion that most cops are fair and reasonable people with a very hard job to do and that they try very hard to do it to the best of their capabilities. Face it, nobody is going to be happy about getting a ticket and human nature is to try to rationalize it away so we don't have to feel bad about ourselves. That does not change the facts of the situation.

I am always polite and respectful to the officer and explain my side non-confrontationally and take the results at the time however they may fall. If I feel I am right, I might go to court later, but you cannot win the case on the roadside so why even try?!?!? It just upsets all involved and makes matters worse!!!!!

On the overall score board, I'm probably way ahead anyway after all this time.

They're just trying to do their job people, cut 'em some slack!! How do you feel when someone comes to your workplace and jumps in your ****?

DSTURBD

 

No, I was just stating a fact that speed is the second leading cause of traffic fatalities. 15000 people die every year. It is kind of important. Unless you are fool, I guess.
When I do speed and get a ticket I don't whine about it and blame the cop. I take responsibility and realize the cop is just doing his job..

 

Yes...however it is a different age today. I personally would not issue a ticket to someone of i was not 100% sure that person made a traffic violation. If there is any doubt I do NOT issue a ticket. When I turn in a ticket I have to raise my right hand and swear that all facts are true and correct same goes when I make an arrest. I take this seriously and NEVER lie or stretch the truth. When it comes to my job my word is my job and if I lose credibility then I have ruined my job and no longer deserve to wear a badge. Also we all(myself included) speed do rolling stops turn without signaling and other various "minor" traffic offenses. I dare say 99% of the time you get away with it, but that 1% you get caught and get a ticket you blame everyone else or attempt to "lie/deceive" your way out of it. Grow up and take it for what it is. However I have personally witnessed fellow officers/co-workers issue tickets that should not have been issued..yes those should be lost in court. Its mostly newer officers and I ALWAYS pull them to the side later and correct them in a respectful professional way. But that 1% of the time when you get caught take it like a man learn from it and get over it. Thats my .02.

 

Please don't take this the wrong way as I don't think you took mine the wrong way either. As to the rolling stop thing, I have only been stopped once for it and the officer even told me that he wasn't looking to give me a ticket, they were just looking for drunk drivers. This is hard for them in our town as the highest speed limit in town is 35 mph. Kinda hard to look for the tell-tale signs of weaving, etc. at such low speeds. The reason I know about the stop sign thing is because of the sheer number of others who have said that is the reason they were given for being stopped. Kind of a stand-pat catch all.

Also, I think that the vast majority of cops are like you and use the same methods you are talking about. I also do not lie to the officer either when stopped. As a matter of fact there have been a couple of occasions when I told him that yes, he was right. I only realized how fast I was going when I saw his lights and as a reaction, looked down at my speedo. Did not try to get out of anything and was straight up honest. This has resulted in a warning as often as a ticket, but was not a strategy of avoiding a ticket, it was just the truth and like you say, they usually appreciate being dealt with in a truthful and honest manner as do I.

But to put this in context, other than the "Stop sign thing", I have not been stopped or ticketed in many, many years. Which just evidences the fact that if you do what you know you are supposed to do, there is no trouble.........usually!!

I am a teacher, and our school motto (which we take very seriously) is "Character is how you act when no-one is watching." If the only time you have the right behavior is in front of witnesses, then what does that say about your character????? (Please do not look to CEO's for examples of this correct behavior!!!!!!!! )

DSTURBD

 

Son, he set you up and you fell for it. Pay up and drive the limit or at least the speed of traffic around you.

 

Ferg03, I like the way you think, and I wish they were all like you but truth is theyre not. Also as you said New officers you have witnessed issue tickets that shouldnt have. Of course all states are different, and smaller or non-big city states dont have as much pressure. Maybe in Alabama there is no Quota, but guarantee you in NY and NJ there are, I have many law enforcement friends and I hear all the stories from roll call all the way down to the Sgt and Capt and what they want.

I have gotten 5 tickets in my 30 years, of the 5 only 2 tickets I should not have gotten, of the other 3, 2 of them I was given a reduced ticket. Just a quick example:

1st Ticket(NY): 3 months after getting my license: A car in front of me stops short cause the car in front of him tries to make a left, to avoid an accident and ramming him I quickly swerve out of the way to the middle lane and pass a red light (I was doing the speed limit) Cop pulls me over, explain to him what happened, he agrees he saw it, writes me a ticket for blowing the light knowing what he saw. (Not my fault)

2nd Ticket(NY) Its 4;30am coming home, not a single car on the road, its a major road way with 6 lanes divided by a barrier (Express and local) I was in the express, speed limit is 35, 2 mins from home, I got caught doing 51. (Fault)

3rd Ticket(NJ) going to the diner to pick up dinner, using my FIL's Car 12:30am No car in sight clear sight, make a right on red (Allowed) came to a full stop made my turn, cop behind me, said I didnt stop, didnt argue (Most likely stopped me cause of NY tags) (Not my Fault)

4th Ticket(NJ) Going to see my son @my ex-idiots house, road is 25mph, get pulled over clocked at 45, I apologize and told him I didnt realize I was going that fast (Dreading having to deal with the crazy Ex in my mind), Give me a ticket for non-resident driver (I hold a ny license) which I fought and had dismissed. (Fault but got a break)

5th Ticket(NJ): Same week get clocked doing 45 in a 25, again didnt realize cause I was talking on the phone, get pulled over, tell him I didnt realize cause I was talking on the phone, doesnt want to give me a speeding ticket, so I say can you write me a seat belt ticket and we'll both be happy? Cuts me a break and does just that (Fault, but got a break).

All the time I've never argued with a cop, but the point is they all have a job to do, and yes its their discretion at the time on what to write, but sometimes they dont care if they are wrong about giving you the ticket because the brass is on them to write more.

I once saw a cop flying and I mean flying probably close to 100 and I was doing 70 and blew past me like I was standing still, only to get to the divider between the highway to position himself for the next person he's going to pull over for who knows what.

Also here in NJ (Not in NY) you on the highway these cops while your driving the speed limit and its the middle part of the day and its busy, your in the left lane, they come up fast behind you and ride your ***, all cause they want you to move to the right so they can get past the traffic, with no lights.

There are good cops and there are not so good cops that do take advantage of the power they have. The truth is you never know which one your going to get.