why you volunteer nothing to the police when you get pulled over
 

Lesson for all those other big mouthed idiots like myself who insist on chatting with the police officer. :D

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...2/ticket-1.jpg

Had a short conversation with the cop about my 89 van when he whacked me in NY state. Circumstances were I was traveling with traffic, but I had out of state plates on a bright green work van, which draws the eye. Out of cars to pull over, he chose me because I wasn't likely to dispute the ticket 300 miles from my home state. (not that he needed any help, since I put my foot in my mouth)

Actual conversation went something like this- (relevant part)

"do you know why I pulled you over?"
"I was probably going to fast?"
"I have you traveling at 75 with a radar gun. Are you aware this is a 55 zone?"
"Are you sure I was going 75? top speed of this van is only 70 something, its not very fast."

As you can see, he made my smart a$$ question into a statement, and reaffirmed it with another non relevant part of my further stupid statements. This information is handed back to you as a signed document with your ticket, (which in NY state requires you plead guilty before knowing the fine or punishment. Clever of them)

Never make statements, I should have said "I don't know" for every question, and volunteered nothing while being courteous and polite. Now I can't send the ticket to my lawyer and try and dispute it for reduced points or lower fine. Oops. :rolleyes:

name, rank and serial number....

Does RI share points with NY (NY doesn't assess points for out of state violations, from personal experience - other states may be similar)? If it doesn't, pay the ticket, and privately hope a truck whacks the lying ass of a cop during a traffic stop. Karma can be a b*tch.

As far as pleading guilty, you can always plead not guilty. Though the judge is more likely to believe a cop than a citizen, sadly.

At least you weren't picked up for murder . . .

Another prospective member of the ACLU! Why say anything? Just show them the card!

Or the Steven Wright routine:

Officer: Why were you going so fast?

Me: See this thing my foot is on? It's called an accelerator. When you push down on it, it sends more gas to the engine. The whole car just takes right off. And see this thing? This steers it.

George Carlin, on showing up late to traffic court, "The judge said I should have been there on time, I said, 'Judge, it's that kind of thinking that got me here in the first place.'"

Let me tell you about the beauty that is the RI point system. There is none. :D

AH HAHAHAHA

This would be a 4pt ticket in NY, I pay the 300 plus dollars fine it will be, and won't make a single difference on my RI license.

FWIW, I have two other tickets pending from the last month in RI based off my stupid purchase of a powerful fast car (now selling).

All added up would be 10 pts in NY, which has a limit of 11 before taking your license, and severe punishments after 6 I think. I am very lucky at the moment, and should be able to pay myself out of this hole ive dug and be safe. I am not exceeding 65 from now on, ill be driving my 86 1.6 diesel VW as my personal car.

I am actually a very safe driver, but speeding is a chronic problem, and is the very reason I first bought a MB diesel. Plenty fast to get you there, but won't be creeping up to 80+ without work.

yes, now that would be bad. I was once picked up for leaving the scene of an accident mistakenly. I was walking home drunk, and limping (old knee injury), so you can imagine how guilty I looked.

Had nothing to do with it, but definitely ruined my pleasant dream like walk home. Had me down at the station in a lineup and everything.

Guy had been driving drunk and hit a phone pole, caused a bunch of property damage, smashed some cars, closed off a busy street, and ran for it. I was two blocks away limping. Cops were pretty angry

And the cop knows it!!! Which is why he gave you an outrageous ticket -- he's perfectly aware that you won't fight it too hard. Call it the out-of-state driving tax and move on.

I got a ticket in NJ last year. The cop actually had the nerve to say - "I see you have a NY license, just send the fine here, pretty sure you won't get points."

You are probably correct, a cynically enterprising cop. RI awards higher penalties I believe, and no points means they often throw the book at people for things that other states might add points instead.

In my cirumstance, two tickets were 20 over midmorning events on sparsely populated highways. The NY thing was actually a 65 limit, but apparently there is a single section of 55 as you pass under a bridge. Road was straight as an arrow. The last ticket was a 10 over, 35 in a 25 down a grade high in 3rd gear on my other car.

I have been very lucky over the years. That's all I'm saying about that.

Enterprising? Nah, just doing his job as a tax collector. Being an actual cop is merely a hobby on his part.

of course hindsight is 20/20. When traveling out of state, best to stay 5 MPH BELOW the posted speed limit because it is exactly as you say, out of staters are more likely to receive a ticket. they know most out of state drivers won't fight it and will simply pay the fine.

Another item of interest I have noticed is they will make rapid speed limit changes on the same stretch of road which makes it more difficult to keep up with. Also makes it more dangerous for the drivers who have one more thing to worry about.

the thing is I feel like I know this guy. I got a ticket a couple years ago in the same area of that county of NY, and his name rings a bell.

I have to check my files, I still have the other documentation.

It would be amusing to discover that the same cop got me twice with about 4 years separating the events