I distinctly remember the time I was pulled over for speeding and got out of it by sounding like a confused but apologetic idiot.
In the realm of worse, someone I served with the National Guard was a State Police officer. His rule of thumb was that any car older than a year or two (I forget which is was) probably had a violation of the extensive motor vehicle code. He rarely bothered paying attention to most aside from obvious safety concerns like a headlight being out. Even then he rarely wrote a ticket for them.
If you were a dick, the fine tooth comb came out to find an extra violation to ticket you for.
As I’ve mentioned before, a friend of mine got let off a speeding ticket by turning off the main road and coming to a safe stop. (In vic.aus most police officer fatalities are traffic accidents). The officer told him that he was the only traffic stop he’d had that night where he hadn’t had to walk out in traffic, and in return for not putting his life in danger, there would be no speeding ticket.
I myself was let off a speeding ticket and and un-roadworth notice by stopping to give a hand to a guy that was stalled in traffic. They’d been following me, and pulled over when I pulled over. The junior officer was going to book me, but the senior officer waved him off.
I think something similar worked in my favor. I didn’t get let off, but the cop explicitly told me he was reducing the ticket significantly (I think into the 1-4mph over range). This was on the Seward Highway south of Anchorage, Alaska. I put my indicator on and slowed down significantly, but kept going until I could turn into one of those picturesque overlook parking lots they have. I’m guessing they prefer not having to be at risk of getting hit by other cars, although at the time I wasn’t sure if I was pushing it (I had to drive for a minute or two before reaching the turn off).
Got out of being arrested, (but not the ticket) in Utah once. Came over the top of a hill going just under 100mph, only to see a trooper sitting in the median facing my direction at the bottom of the hill in his car. I was the only car around aside from him. I eased off the gas and slowed it down and pulled over and waited for him to catch up. (he lit up his party lights almost as soon as I crested the hill). I was polite, somewhat self deprecating, and honest…and I didn’t make him chase me. Got a $40 mail in warning coupon that had the words “not a citation, this is a warning only” printed on it. Sent it back to the clerk of the court the next day when I got to my destination. in the Reason for issue line he wrote 90mph in 65mph zone while I was actually driving 98mph (or at least that’s where the cruise control was set)