To get out of a ticket.....

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Its the worst feeling… looking in the rearview mirror to see the flashing blue lights and knowing that they are for you. The heart starts pumping, mind races. The cop takes his time to let you sit and stew. All the time you have to be thinking of what you can say or how to act to get out of it.
Me. I was caught doing 57 in a 30 (3 miles away from double the limit which as i understand it is an automatic reckless driving charge). The cop approached asked for license and registration. Then asked if there was a reason i was driving 57 in a 30. I just looked at him and said “stupidity.” He yelled sarcastically to his partner “says the reason he was going 57 in a 30 was stupidity.” At this point i thought i was screwed. But he smiled and said he had never heard that one before, and that he was going to give me a written warning, then told me not to do anything stupid. I might just have an innocent face though… pulled over 5 times for speeding and not one ticket.

So how do you get out of tickets, “yes sir/no sir”? bat your eyes and flirt?

2

Cry and cry and cry…

they never give me a ticket either. and it isn’t on purpose I cry, just an honest reaction.

Once I was going through a university street, cut off a pedestrian and a bike cop trying to get my then-fiance to class on time. He had just had double carpal tunnel surgury and was bandaged up pretty bad. He started yelling at me when the bike cop pulled me over. Teling me that we couldn’t afford to pay a ticket. I screamed at him to get out of the car and go to class. The cop witnessed all of this. I was crying hysterically by this time.

but hey no ticket. pity is the key. I’m such a wus.

3

first of all, I assume that when I DO actually get a ticket, it’s really the cumulation of all the prior tickets I earned and didn’t get. So, I never try to “get out” of a ticket.

I’ve been stopped 3 times:

  1. missing taillight (it was 1 am I’d just gotten out of work, he assumed, I think, that I 'd just left the bar). I fixed the taillight on the spot, left w/o ticket.

1.5 was speeding on the highway, saw, too late, the policeman and his car lurch forward, I started slowing down and pulling over, looked up to see that the officer had jumped out of his car and opened his hood 'cause the car was on fire. :smiley:

  1. Semi- stopped at a stop sign. I told him (truthfully) that I’d put the brake down to the floor. He checked my record, gave me a warning.

  2. stopped for speeding outright. Again, it was late, around midnight on a Sunday night, I had my (then) 14 year old son with me. I told him the truth. We were in the final stages of moving, had one more load to pick up and take home, kid had to start school in the morning, wasn’t looking at the speed limit signs. He again, looked up my record and let me go. I believe this one, too stopped me because it was late and he thought I was leaving a bar (had just passed one or two).

first one happened in 1978, most recent in 1998.

4

Not a tactic you can count on…

I got out of a hitchhiking ticket once. When the cop had finished writing it out and was making a little x by the signature line his pen ran out of ink. He searched me and when he discovered I didn’t have a pen he told me I had 60 seconds to disappear (took me about 15).

5

I’ve only received a warning once, for speeding, anyway. I’ve received about 8 speeding tickets, along with various other violations (no seatbelt, broken headlight or tail light, no plates, no Minnesota license, and failure to yield). I’ve only been driving for 7 years…oh yeah, and about 2 of those were spent with a suspended license.

I don’t think I speed any more than your average person…I just have really, really bad luck. The one time I did get a warning for speeding I nearly passed out, and it was the one and only time I didn’t break into tears.

Then, there was a couple of weeks ago, when I was pulled over for the lack of registration charge. The officer walked up, and I’m all nonchalant, because I figure all I have to do is inform him I just bought the car two days ago, and my father told me I had two weeks to get the plates. What he neglected to tell me is that I need a temporary registration in the back window and I can’t take the car out of state. When I found out that I was misinformed, I broke into tears. Then, the officer asked to see my drivers license. Like a fool, I had told him I live in Minnesota. He sees my Iowa license and asks how long I’ve lived in Minnesota. Like an idiot, I tell the truth, since December. Then, he informs me that he’s going to have to impound my car. He goes back to his car to do his thing, and I’m just sobbing.

He comes back and asks me, “so, do you have insurance?” I sigh, and reply that no, I had not yet gotten insurance. The officer blows a gasket at this point. He lectures me on how I am going to have my license revoked now, I’m irresponsible, what would happen if I hit someone, etc. So, naturally, I’m having a hysterical crying fit. Then, a miracle occurs: The officer says to me, “Okay, here’s what I’ll do, drive up to the Amoco in Racine, park the car, and have someone pick you up. DO NOT drive it until you’ve taken care of the registration, insurance, and your drivers license.” He then tickets me for the plates and license, and does nothing about the insurance. I was in complete and utter shock…and I don’t hate cops anymore. :slight_smile: Anyway, I ended up having to go to court and getting a $100 fine, plus court costs. Not too shabby…

Oddly enough, the kind officer didn’t even mention that I wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

6

Mishell, I sending you a roll of quarters so that you can call me when leaving to drive. I don’t want to have a freak accident and die!!!

7

I never get out of tickets.

I used to believe that the way to just get a warning was to act civil, nonconfrontational, and a teeny bit contrite. But it never worked… I always get the ticket. So now I have a new theory: you GET the ticket if you make it easy on the cop, like I did.

I arrived at this new theory reading the SDMB. I’ve learned about all the bullsh*t – real and contrived – drivers throw at cops to get out of a ticket: tears, kids in the back seat, sob stories, acting dumb, flirting, and on and on and on. And some of it works – because the cop believes/sympathizes with the driver, or because he does not want to be bothered with the whole rigamarole (sp?). So, I figure, when a cop comes across a guy (read: SUCKER) like me – single, white, male, 41 years old with no big song-&-dance routine – he figures it’s Christmas morning; finally, he says to himself, someone who isn’t going to give me a hard time. Then he starts writing away in the ticket book like I’m gonna lean over and say “Please sir, may I have another?”

Will my new theory matter? Probably not. I’m too spineless (and proud) to make up lies and excuses like I wish I could. And because I’m single with no kids, there’s no sympathy factor there. And because I’m a guy, the whole flirting/weeping thing is not an option. So I’ll just keep getting screwed so that the rest of you liars/youngsters/parents/women can benefit.

8

Whatever time of day or night it is, I jump out of the door before his door is even open. Then I say Im deaf & ask him what it’s all about…no more tickets.

I have a lady friend she said she bent in to get her license & the cop said ‘I likeyour dress’ & let her go.

9

I have gotten stopped three times. Twice for speeding about 10 miles over and once for a missing brake light. I have never gotten a ticket.

I don’t have a specific “get out of a ticket” plan. I just act a little stupid, a little scared, a little bit helpless and really really sweet and sorry. So far it has worked. If I were ever pulled over by a female officer I would probably be SOL.

I think that the stupid/helpless thing is the best.

“My brake light is out? What do I do? Is it safe to drive home? Does it take a regular lightblub?”

“The speed limit is 45? I thought I saw a sign that said 55. I would have driven slower if I had know.”

10

Ive been driving for six years and 4 of 5 times I have been stopped in the same town… twice in the same speed trap. I think I lucked out because I was going to or coming from work on three of the occasions and was wearing a shirt and tie, so I looked more respectable.

Other than that I just yessir/nosir, looked scared which I genuinely am because I can’t afford to pay a ticket right now, and act like I know I screwed up… hey its worked so far…

Mishell… how did you ever get your license in the first place??? I think I will be staying away from racine for awhile…

11

Ten years of driving and I’ve never been stopped for any reason.

Closest I’ve come was on a trip from Seattle to Vancouver (WA). I must have averaged 90 all the way down. Just north of Vancouver (right before the fairgrounds) the speed limit drops from 75 to 55, but I ignored it and just kept flying. Next thing I know there is a highway patrol cruiser right next to me on my left.

I looked over, realizing that I was caught and he mouthed the words “slow down”. I did and he kept going at 90. Must have had more important things to do.

12

I have been pulled over between 26 and 30 times since I got my license back at age 21. I have gotten 2 moving violations. I read this book --> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380807580/qid=966913226/sr=1-1/104-1275454-7723914

good shit to know. It’s writtn by a NY state trooper (retired)
pardon my posting style, I have a mean guiness buzz.

That above link has some -wacky- reccomendations.
heh heh.