For the warning, I was simply honest. When the trooper came up, I asked “was I speeding?”
Trooper: “Yep. 51 in a 35 zone” (It was a highway off-ramp in MA)
Me: “Aw, crap. Sorry about that.”
He walked back to his car and I resigned myself to a ticket (though I’d probably already done that when he first waved at me to pull over), but instead he just told me to be more careful and sent me on my way.
The ticket was in Connecticut, which I think is obligatory whenever you enter the state.
Lying does not work. Arguing does not work. Basically, if you are nailed for speeding, admit it. Yes, this does not help you in court - but we are trying to avoid court, right?
Reread what Bricker said about pulling over. Find a safe spot, no furtive movements, hands on wheel, paperwork readily available, hazards on. Cops do this all day. People who risk their lives don’t get breaks.
If you are going really fast, forget it. You are screwed. Socially responsible speeding is usually less than 15 over. If you are going 75 in a 45 your chances of getting let go drop exponentially.
The “deputy, patrolman, officer” thing may help. Sometimes they don’t like being called the wrong one.
The only times I ever did not get a ticket after being pulled over I just said something like “I was speeding, that was stupid, sorry.” Sincerity counts. I did feel stupid.
I used the bathroom excuse, didn’t get me out of the ticket but it got my speed reduced from 80 to 70. The officer asked me if I had a medical emergency, I told him not exactly, but I had apparently eaten some bad Mexican food last night and I was trying to get to the next place I could go to the bathroom. The officer was sympathetic, and escorted me to the nearest gas station and let me go to the bathroom, gave me my ticket when I got out.
Lyra, I knew you must be from Louisiana after I read your first post.
I never even considered the fact that people in other states actually have to pay tickets until about a year ago. A friend from New York started teasing me about it. I had one of those “Oh, wow. That’s so weird,” moments.
BTW, I got my very first ticket a yesterday. 77 in a 60. That damn radar plane right where you get off the bridge on I-55… Three troopers were just standing on side of the road flagging down people like crazy. I didn’t even try to get out of it. Made sure I remembered his name, face, and rank and asked what troop he was in. I also made note of the fact that he was wearing a Marine Corps pin. Turns out I know his Leiutenant and just about everyone in his USMC unit. And I’ve been dating his friend who is in his unit and is also a parish corporal for over two years. It really shouldn’t be so easy to get out of tickets here. But I definitely have to agree with you about the insurance.
Got pulled over once, doing about 160kph in a 100kph zone (I think this is close to automatic loss of license territory), and I can honestly say that crying works. I wasn’t faking it to get out of the ticket and I don’t know that it would have worked if I had.
Other times I’ve been pulled over, I’ve never argued - there’s no point - I’ve always been polite, produced my license when requested. I’ve generally gotten the fine reduced, but there’s no guarantee.
I get written up about half the times I get stopped (8-10 total stops in ~30 years of driving; not too bad), but usually for a lower speed. I tend to follow the no sudden movements, be polite but not brownnose school. One thing I do: when the cop is close enough to see what I’m doing, I turn the engine off and put the keys on top the dash.
One time I didn’t get a ticket was special circumstances. I was making a speed trip to Texas to watch the Orioles play. (baseball, for the non-US) I had all the Orioles paraphenalia I was going to wear to the game laying on the back seat. Flying through western Texas at about 20 over, I got stopped. I told him I was in a hurry to make the game. He looked the car over, gave me a warning, and told me I had plenty of time to make it and that the Orioles were going to lose. They didn’t. Needless to say, on the way home next day, I followed the limit precisely when I hit that county.
77 in a 60. That damn radar plane right where you get off the bridge on I-55… Three troopers were just standing on side of the road flagging down people like crazy. I didn’t even try to get out of it. Made sure I remembered his name, face, and rank and asked what troop he was in. I also made note of the fact that he was wearing a Marine Corps pin. Turns out I know his Leiutenant and just about everyone in his USMC unit. And I’ve been dating his friend who is in his unit and is also a parish corporal for over two years. It really shouldn’t be so easy to get out of tickets here. But I definitely have to agree with you about the insurance.