I'm 100% certain that i wouldn't have gotten my ticket if it had been Wednesday night instead of the 28th. If the cop wanted to give me a break, he would've let me off with a warning. Instead i got slapped with a bullshit failure to obey a highway sign ticket that I'm still gonna have to spend hundreds of dollars on to get dismissed. Dude is probably concerned about making those monthly numbers

11/29/2010 9:38:55 AM

Quote :

"now i have a car that has lights that are always on so not going to be an issue "

Wrong. Your tail-lights only come on when you switch them on (or when you brake).

I-40 is scary in heavy rain. So many dumbshits with no tail-lights.

11/29/2010 9:40:06 AM

Quote :

" love how its supposedly up to the officer to be "polite" and let him off."

Polite and letting someone off are two different things. But yeah, I agree.

Quote :

"He was driving less than a mile, forgot to turn on his lights, and got pulled and got a citation."

This falls under the same thing as the "I slowed down for the stop sign" defense. Were the lights on? No. Did he violate the law? Yes. Does he legally deserve a ticket? Yes. Could the cop have handled it any number of ways? Yes. Was he wrong in handing out the ticket? No.

I suspect there is more to the story than this though. Have we even defined if he has to go to court for this or if he has the option of paying the fine?

Quote :

"the cop gave me a ticket for failure to obey a highway sign or some shit instead of a speeding ticket, probably because i told him i'm new to the area. i wondered why he even bothered giving me a ticket like that. probably needed to meet his quota for the month or some shit."

Because he was being nice to you fuck-face. Say thank you and go on your way. It is your responsibility to pay attention to posted speed limits and obey them.

Quote :

"Everyone who is posting in this thread has done this at some point, regardless of distance and is no better than ArcBoyeee's roommate."

Yes we are, simply because we're not online bitching about getting tickets for breaking the law.

Quote :

"I hate that "the city needs money" crap."

Meh. Its true. But we elected the officials who enacted the laws that set up the fines that are charged for these violations to pay for the services that the officials we elected voted for.

There are plenty of things the state does that deserve far more attention than selectively enforcing duly constituted statutes when funds are low.

11/29/2010 9:49:57 AM

Quote :

"I am pretty sure anyone with a license has done it at some point, either for 10 yards or 10 miles (which is of course a bit worse)... but yeah, this is an example where the cop could of just been polite and notified the driver, then let him go."

Quote :

"they just cannot cut every person a break, and today he drew the short straw. "

this pretty much sums it up.

11/29/2010 9:51:54 AM

RAWR RAWR RAWR.

I've made this mistake inadvertently once or twice, and was amazed that I didn't get a ticket after I realized what I had done. That shit's dangerous as hell, even for short distances...if not for other cars, then absolutely for walkers/pets/bikers/runners.


I'd tell him to go to the courthouse before his court date. On the first floor, there's a small bullpen with 2 or 3 ADA's who handle all sorts of shit ahead of the court date. The hours are a little wonky and limited, but it beats sitting in the courtroom all day waiting to be called.

I'd explain what happened, and that it was a mistake that won't be repeated, and they should give him some leniency. Then tell him to turn his fucking lights on when he leaves the house after it's dark out.

11/29/2010 9:54:53 AM

Quote :

"Because he was being nice to you fuck-face. Say thank you and go on your way. It is your responsibility to pay attention to posted speed limits and obey them"

You're right. He was being nice to me by essentially saying 'im gonna let you off the hook. Kinda. Here's a huge inconvenience for you, new guy. Welcome to the neighborhood. Oh, and get a Virginia license while you're at it.' I'm definitely the fuck face here.

11/29/2010 9:57:35 AM

Quote :

"the cop gave me a ticket for failure to obey a highway sign or some shit instead of a speeding ticket, probably because i told him i'm new to the area. i wondered why he even bothered giving me a ticket like that. probably needed to meet his quota for the month or some shit.""

Has it occurred to you that the ticket he gave you probably carried a lesser insurance penalty than the speeding ticket would have? I've had a similar situation--got pulled by a State Trooper for 80 in a 65 when I was on my way back to NCSU freshman year. He saw that I didn't have any previous violations so he wrote it up as a seat belt ticket (even though I was wearing the belt) since that didn't carry any insurance points, and he told me that was what he was doing. I had to pay the fine, but I could mail it in rather than having to stand in line waiting for the DA and my insurance didn't go up. Pretty sweet deal in my opinion--out $125, a relatively minor inconvenience, rather than having to go to a court date and have my insurance increase by probably $1K/year.

As to the OP's friend's lights issue, I've definitely done the same thing when driving an unfamiliar car. My current and previous cars both have lamps that automatically come on when it gets dark, so I'm not accustomed to turning the lights on manually, so I have found myself driving down the street in the dark with no lights on in friends' or parents' cars. Of course I eventually realize it, but everyone makes mistakes and sometimes you get caught. I don't know all the specifics of the situation, but was it illegal and stupid? Yes. Could the cop have sent him on his way with a warning? Of course he could have. However I don't think it's going to be the same situation as an expired tag or burned out bulb, which is essentially a fix-it ticket and gets dropped--he will be at the mercy of the DA.

11/29/2010 10:08:23 AM

PJC

11/29/2010 10:16:14 AM

federal prison

11/29/2010 10:20:00 AM

federal prison

11/29/2010 10:20:33 AM

or I am sure that any halfway decent lawyer could get it dropped for <$100

11/29/2010 10:22:43 AM

Cops don't need probable cause to pull you over, but they do need reasonable suspicion. That being said, they can make up whatever bull-shit they want to pull you over and can get away with it 99.9% of the time.

11/29/2010 10:27:32 AM

Quote :

"or I am sure that any halfway decent lawyer could get it dropped for <$100"

I am one, and I'm telling you that it's a lot cheaper to just take a couple hours one afternoon this week and go talk to the ADAs manning the bullpen outside the disposition courtroom on the first floor.

If he doesn't have the time to do that, then a lawyer can easily handle it for ~$50-100.

11/29/2010 10:35:31 AM

^ my point exactly. It's cheaper than actually paying the ticket, especially if the points will cause your insurance to go up.

11/29/2010 10:37:37 AM

Quote :

"He was being nice to me by essentially saying 'im gonna let you off the hook. Kinda. Here's a huge inconvenience for you, new guy. Welcome to the neighborhood."

Fuck, you're right man. I forgot that you're not responsible for knowing the speed limit in places you've only been a couple of times.


Or. On the other hand. In Virginia, he could have given you a ticket for reckless driving in excess of 15mph over the speed limit. I doubt you were going exactly 70mph in what you thought was a 65 mph.


So really, shut your goddamned cock-holster and quit bitching about cops who don't legitimately fuck you with the long dick of the law.

11/29/2010 10:45:21 AM

JUSTICE FOR SALE!!!

WE GOT YOUR JUSTICE FOR SALE!

BUY YOUR INNOCENCE HERE!

WHY BE FOUND GUILTY WHEN YOU CAN SIMPLY PAY FOR A DISMISSAL OR CHARGE REDUCTION!


(sorry, poor people. you have to be convicted.)

11/29/2010 10:48:16 AM

Quote :

"i got a ticket last night driving back from NC within 10 minutes of getting back to my place in virginia. i was going 70 and thought the speed limit was 65. apparently it was 55. i generally never come from the direction i was driving from, so i didn't really know. the cop gave me a ticket for failure to obey a highway sign or some shit instead of a speeding ticket, probably because i told him i'm new to the area. i wondered why he even bothered giving me a ticket like that. probably needed to meet his quota for the month or some shit. "

if it was on 85 i know right where this is and the speed limit goes 65 - 60 - 55 right in a row

11/29/2010 12:23:38 PM

Quote :

"JUSTICE FOR SALE!!! WE GOT YOUR JUSTICE FOR SALE! BUY YOUR INNOCENCE HERE! WHY BE FOUND GUILTY WHEN YOU CAN SIMPLY PAY FOR A DISMISSAL OR CHARGE REDUCTION!"

Mostly what people pay for is the convenience of not having to show up for court on the appointed day and time, and in many instances the avoidance of insurance costs.

If you pay an attorney, and then end up paying court costs, that's punishment enough for most minor traffic offenses (the same as if you mail in your guilty plea and check). The things you avoid by "paying" in situations like this one have absolutely nothing to do with justice, innocence, or guilt.

11/29/2010 12:27:01 PM

Quote :

"if it was on 85 i know right where this is and the speed limit goes 65 - 60 - 55 right in a row "

They also have spinny reflectors on the speed limit signs and caution signs informing you that the speed limit will be changing between each of them.

11/29/2010 1:05:43 PM

thought this was appropriate for the op

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKhlpIEdvQw

11/29/2010 10:37:55 PM

(sorry, poor people. you have to be convicted.)

11/29/2010 10:51:20 PM

AMERICA

LAND OF THE FREE

SEND US YOUR POOR, YOUR TIRED, YOUR HUNGRY..

AND WE'LL ARREST THEM.

11/30/2010 1:42:05 AM