Guest Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 And 75% of stop signs in the U.S. completely out of place and just cause frustration and decrease law compliance (like nonsensical underposted speed limits). These intersections would be better served with Yield signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSaladino Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 ouch man... that's definitely a bad situation to be in. however, i do think you should fight it. you never know, you might just get the judge to ream the officer a new orifice. also, like unclemat referred to, the speed limits in this country are ridiculous. there are several roads here in Tennessee, as well as several other states that i have visited recently, that have wide, beautiful, median divided roads that can accommodate two lanes of traffic in each direction. these roads are grossly underposted (35-40 mph) when even the average great great grandmother in her 1985 chrysler lebaron could do 70 at least. anyway /rant seriously though, from the information you provided, it is, IMHO, a very very good opportunity for you to take it to traffic court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oppamen Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I read somewhere that that states and local cities are running low on money and depending on the cops to give out more tickets so they can have more money. I think that was at Detroit. It went up by 50% since previous year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cman7 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 The whole idea of cities/municipalities/states being funded by traffic ticket revenue is flawed. Actually corrupt by definition. Ideally there would be a national fund to improve road safety and driver education where the money would go. The point would be to remove direct financial incentive for cops to hand out tickets, and yet do something material to increase safety on the roads. Perhaps we could see them go after tailgaters, lack of signaling and left lane blockers instead of "evil speeders". Likewise insurance companies should be banned from determining premiums based on driver record, at least for minor violations (DUI and accidents would be a different story). That would remove the incetive for them to "sponsor" cops with radars/lidars. Furthermore speed limits should be set by road engineers not by "lawmakers". I can dream on, since the sheeple is brainwashed here to blindly obey (and love/respect "hardworking") police instead of seeing them what they are - legalized roadside thugs. I agree! They should go after drunk drivers more also. Out of the 10 times I've been pulled over only about 2 of the officers were respectful and not power stricken. Mind you, I respect them and use my manners but only because i have to (If you're a douche their more apt to ticket you). I also agree with speed limits being set by the engineers. Most roads around here are set way too low. But on the other side I know of a few roads that have speed limits too high for trucks and SUV's to accomplish without feeling like you're going to roll. It really doesn't matter anyway I always get stuck behind slow drivers who won't even go the speed limit. That's what you get for living in rural NH/VT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_J Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 They already do go after drunk drivers more...checkpoints everywhere, electric display signs to tell people to report suspected drunks, expensive multi-million dollar tv advertising campaigns (despite the budget problems?). Even just for the first DUI you get drawn and quartered...stays on your record for 10 years for insurance and DMV, $2000 fines including all the school/class enrollment, then paying the DMV a boatload of $ just to reinstate your license after you already paid fines to the courts. That's why DUI's are such a big deal...is raises a huge amount of revenue and the government closely monitors/reports convictions and money collected by the courts. It's by far is the most profitable citation for tickets by a landslide. Yet the repeat DUI's offenders just get into a car they pay cash for, never register, and don't bother to even try to get their license back, so it makes no difference. The hardcore drunks just ignore the laws, spend time in the already full jails rather than pay any fines, etc. So the average Joe has to suffer for the hardcore alcoholic idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cman7 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 They already do go after drunk drivers more...checkpoints everywhere, electric display signs to tell people to report suspected drunks, expensive multi-million dollar tv advertising campaigns (despite the budget problems?). Even just for the first DUI you get drawn and quartered...stays on your record for 10 years for insurance and DMV, $2000 fines including all the school/class enrollment, then paying the DMV a boatload of $ just to reinstate your license after you already paid fines to the courts. That's why DUI's are such a big deal...is raises a huge amount of revenue and the government closely monitors/reports convictions and money collected by the courts. It's by far is the most profitable citation for tickets by a landslide. Yet the repeat DUI's offenders just get into a car they pay cash for, never register, and don't bother to even try to get their license back, so it makes no difference. The hardcore drunks just ignore the laws, spend time in the already full jails rather than pay any fines, etc. So the average Joe has to suffer for the hardcore alcoholic idiots. It must be where I am I guess. We only have the stupid TV ads which aren't going to do Jack anyway. It just sucks when someone gets killed because of a drunk driver in another car. Or when a cop pulls you over on the side of the road and the town drunk drives by you swerving about. But in the OP's case of the stop sign incident, I would try to fight it if you have evidence. It might ruin your insurance otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4dm4x Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 We both know I did stop (had passenger). The thing is the guy said "your wheels didn't completely stop" what kinds of pathetic analysis is this. Even if I didn't stop the wheel slightly rolling vs fully stopped does not cause any form of danger when you have checked the road is completely clear. They should be out stopping worthless criminals instead of lying about pathetic little details. What annoys me is how often I call the cops because of drunk drivers and I never see an arrest and they probably get away, but I end up with a ticket for nothing. I know theres a quota a friend of a friend cop has cleared this up. It's just plain wrong. It's not hard to get into the force in this country (theres a frigging 0800 number 0800 new cops and you can call it 24/7 if you want to become one, furthermore they have adverts going on about how much better your work stories would be if you were a cop). Pathetic. I think their lack of evidence and the misspelling will really help so will keep you posted on progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerboa113 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 rolling stop is a technicality charge, but its valid. You may not have been in any excess danger because of it but.. in some states with no leeway on speeding violations they can actually at least harass you for 1mph over the limit. I've seen people get tickets for 3mph before in SC. That state sucks. "The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeislord Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I've seen people get tickets for 3mph before in SC. That state sucks. Amen to that. If you have out of state plates in SC, you'd better drive the exact speed limit. They will target/follow you, especially if you are from the northern half of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
062.5iwagon Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Yeah..it is well known that all police forces only hire idiots who lie at every chance....it is impossible that a police officer ever knows what he is doing. But it is also true that every driver who was ever stopped by the police is completely innocent of all offenses, no matter what. Another little know "Fact" is that every driver ever ticketed is a "Victim" of a quota system....wake up and take a little responsibility for yourself and your driving!! I'll admit I've had several tickets in 19 years of driving and I deserved every one of them... except my last one, and the prosecutor agreed. Bad cop. It does happen. I hope your luck continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_J Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Yep I feel the pain. Just because you didn't come to a 100% complete stop should NOT mean that you deserve a ticket and have to pay a huge fine. In reality...yes, the cops do have to issue a certain # of tickets each day to justify their payroll, attempt for promotion (so they can get better shifts, better pay, elite positions). Which reminds me to now stop and double stop at that just to make sure and try to stay only 5 - 7 mph over the speed limit. In CA, 10 mph over the limit is a maybe...over 20 mph is a definite ticket. The rolling stop is just a numbers game. Everyone does it...I just don't want to be that guy to get the cop another tally for the day. I had to pay $120 fine for just drinking a can of beer in the parking lot at a baseball stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatvol Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Spelled your Surname wrong? I got a ticket dismissed when I liven in S.Africa for the same reason. Go to court and wait in line it will be dismissed since thats not you on the ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmillard Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Don't get me started on the whole cop thing... but since this post is all about it I have to post. Today I watched a VT state trooper sitting at a stop sign waiting to pull someone over. I watched a school bus motor past in excess of the 30mph speed limit, 2 18-wheelers and 3 cars not come to a complete stop. Some poor sap in a pick up did not come to a complete stop and for some reason the cop pulled him over. I honestly do not know why. I was thinking I should interfere but I didn't want to get involved. I could see the cop getting an attitude and giving me a ticked for hindering police activity or some such BS. These cops are the same douches that blast past me at 90+ mph on the highway for no reason. I am fine with it if they are running their liights but just because their shift is over is no excuse. I think everyone should fight every little ticket whether you deserved it or not. Clog up the courts and burn up municipal money. It is BS I got bagged doing 64 in a 40 on a bike. I used a technique that works really well and that is plead not guilty and keep delaying the court date. The further you push it out the less likely the pi.. er... cop is to show up. Even if he does show up chances are he will forget what happened. My ticket was NOT thrown out because I messed up (I don't think I did but I must have). I had not been to court in a long time and for some reason the court I was in in Claremont NH had traffic violations with violent offenders. I went on after some guy who was fully shackled and some other guy who had beaten someone else silly. The cop got on the stand and then told some BS story about how he had observed me traveling at a high rate of speed and pass a car. This did not happen. i got bagged over a hill and on a corner and the cop was there, he was traveling in the other direction and just lucked out on me going to fast. I asked him if what he just said had really happened and to think hard. He then recanted the story and told a different one. The judge should have dismissed it right then and there but he did not. YOU HAVE TO ASK THE JUDGE TO DISMISS IT. I f-ed up by not asking the judge. I had a whole other defense planned out about the speed limit being illegal because it had not been reviewed and set by a traffic engineer (I did a ton of research on this). The point is that the judge should have dismissed it when it was obvious the cop didn't know what he was talking about and recanted his story. For soem reason the cop could submit something into evidence but I could not submit a letter that I had from the DOT saying that the speed limit had not been reviewed in the mandatory 5 year period. The judges and cops work together, so you have to be aware of your rights. Delay, delay, delay and then when the cop messes up the story cal him out on it and ask the judge to throw it out. I have a lot of venom for BS speed limits and the cops who enforce them. I believe that police should be handling the people who are true menaces on the roadways but on a perfectly clear, dry day with very little traffic in todays modern cars 85mph is not too fast. Write your congressman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Write your congressman. I think most belong to the same mafia, unfortunately... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmillard Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 You are right sadly. Plus I can't imagine an elected official putting their neck out like that to have themselves smeared as the cop-hater who wants to raise the speed limit so more people can die on our roads while we burn more oil and further our dependence. f 'em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_J Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 One trick is to appear in court wearing a suit and tie...just plead guilty so you don't have to post the $ up front...then give a convincing argument as a justification. I did this one time and instead of a $250 fine, the judge only charged me $75. Then I kept going back to the clerk for extensions. If you go to court in T-shirts and jeans they'll fine you the max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imboden Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 99% of these complaints and police hate come from either someone who wont accept responsibility or don't understand how law enforcement works ('shouldnt they be out arresting rapists' or 'they drive over 100 mph but give me a ticket for only going 15 over') Grow a pair, pay your dues, and learn from your mistakes (cop haters in general) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmillard Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 99% of these complaints and police hate come from either someone who wont accept responsibility or don't understand how law enforcement works ('shouldnt they be out arresting rapists' or 'they drive over 100 mph but give me a ticket for only going 15 over') Grow a pair, pay your dues, and learn from your mistakes (cop haters in general) What about cops breaking the law? Speeding, rolling stop signs, etc.? They are supposed to be setting an example for the rest of us, yet they operate 'above the law'. In addition tho that most of the speed limits in the US are artificially low. I am willing to accept responsibility and pay my fines but that doesn't mean I am going to forgo my right to plead 'not guilty', nor does it mean that I can't point out BS enforcement (like the cop I watched yesterday selectively pull over stop sign rollers.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerboa113 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 traffic police still have a purpose, I dont think anyone can disagree with that, but it seems by in large the majority of laws created for traffic and safety purposes, speed limits, and the way this stuff is enforced, today is largely simply used as a source of govt jobs and govt revenue. I personally dont believe in speed limits so much as I believe in the enforcement of reckless driving... that doesn't mean I'd try to do 120 on a 35 or anything.. I'm just saying.. it seems a bit interventionist and obsolete in this day n age imo. "The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmillard Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 traffic police still have a purpose, I dont think anyone can disagree with that, but it seems by in large the majority of laws created for traffic and safety purposes, speed limits, and the way this stuff is enforced, today is largely simply used as a source of govt jobs and govt revenue. I personally dont believe in speed limits so much as I believe in the enforcement of reckless driving... that doesn't mean I'd try to do 120 on a 35 or anything.. I'm just saying.. it seems a bit interventionist and obsolete in this day n age imo. I agree and I would say that there should be an overhaul of the US road systems. This guy makes a lot of sense. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/dn071308staddon.5000d66f.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljay794 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 wtf? in the states theoretically they can throw out a ticket if anything is wrong on it, model year of the car, color, type of car, name spelled wrong etc. I dunno how it is there. Someone else said photo radar.. sounds like a locked down oppresive police state to me. The cop was probably following you waiting on you to do something they could construe as illegal. IMO that type of behavior should be illegal. If you follow someone/monitor them long enough they will break SOME law eventually. liljay.. do you look like a criminal or something? I understand if they followed you and you were doing like 120 in a 50.. They dropped it to "improper passing" yet you didnt pass anyone? How is that even legal? Hahahaha no, I don't look like a criminal at all. And I'm not sure how fast I was going, although I do know that my friends car was not capable of 120 at all I think they dropped it to improper passing because it was 4 points and I get to keep my license whereas reckless and street racing is 5 points each, and at 17 years old in Jersey, I can lose my license or get it suspended at that point. So I have no idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljay794 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Amen to that. If you have out of state plates in SC, you'd better drive the exact speed limit. They will target/follow you, especially if you are from the northern half of the country. Very true my friend. VERY true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmillard Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 ^ Anyone know if this is true in Louisiana? I am going to be moving there for business schools with NH plates. I am guessing it probably is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_J Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 The best thing they ever did for people was to raise the speed limit from 55 to 65 mph on the interstate freeways. 55 was a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 65 is stil a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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