Never had a ticket b'fore in my life. All the sudden one month goes by and, good gawd! I've got three all the sudden. This is ridonkulous! The last ticket I got was going through Richmond ('the mond' for the 'cool' and 'hep' cats). I tell the guy my hardluck story. It was like 1 AM, and I'd been driving all day (10+ hours). He looks at me smiling. And says. "Too bad."

He could've fined me. Just given me the ticket. But did he have to smile? Did he have to give me a sh*t-eating grin?? Come on.

awaiting other thoughts,

--guy whose next paycheck belongs entirely to the government.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

Answers

Im sure the cope was thinking, if you had just obeyed the law,he wouldnt have to write the ticket-Im sure they hear alltypes of reasons and can't let everyone go. If he didnt smile, you probably would have accused him of being rude,and not even listening to you. Im not exactly pro cop, but sometimes we need to look at ourselves before blaming others. Try living in New York City, where going for your wallet leaves you shot at 47 times, and Ill think you really dont have it too bad in Richmond with a cop that smiles.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

I have to agree with that one. The cop was doing his job, and you *were* doing something illegal. He's also only human - I know a lot of people who enjoy sticking it to someone who fucks up... particularly if they try to talk their way out of it.

He also could have been a lot meaner.

And as for your original question, asshole cops are definitely nurture and not nature. I know a few sweeties and a few who shouldn't be allowed around sharp pencils, never mind firearms. *shudder*

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

You should have started crying... One of my friends got pulled over, and she made sure to have the waterworks going just before the cop came over to ticket her... no problem... of course being a girl would help that...

Anyway, how fast were you going? It's really not cool to go 15+ over the speed limit anyway. The tickets are that much higher. And VA is not very expensive as far as tickets go (at least compared to SC and NC).

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

For all the millions of times I've been forced to deal with cops (ie. tickets, car accidents, complaints, and riots) I've always mimicked thier treatment of me back to them. For the most part I've been lucky, and had decent cops. One cop gave me a ticket in one breath, and directions in the next, after I explained that I had run the stopsign while reading a map. I've been thankful to get pulled over. Yes, THANKFUL. Twice, I was pulling an all-nighter through the Adirondacks, and I was snoozing at the wheel. Those sirens are a wonderful alarm. Not to mention the twenty minute nap while buddy was writing the ticket (sleeping makes your foot heavy). Twice, I got Robo-Prick. When I was rude and insinuating right back at him, he called me on it. I said, "I'm not being a bitch, I'm being a mirror. Shall we play nice now?" Both times they blushed, and the conversation went smoother after that. For the most part, I hate them. Especially woman cops. They carry guns to make up for penis- envy (I carry a vibrator instead, more fun!) and they all feel they have something to prove. But I've always taken my lashings like a man. None of the weepy waterworks for this girl. It gains you a lot more respect from the other person. Besides, only the rookies fall for that stuff anyway.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

The cops in Bismarck, ND will bust you for anything they can. They have a quota - they have to write 25 tickets a month, no matter what for. I know this because my husband's friend is the Sheriff for the Highway Patrol, and he says all the Bismarck Police are assholes and the PD is money-hungry. Plus they are WAY overstaffed, so that makes everything even worse.

My darling husband has gotten three tickets since we moved back here 6 months ago. Wanna know what they were for?

#1 - Speeding. Going 9 mph over the speed limit on the desolated riverside road out to my parents' house. OK, he deserved that one - the limit is 35, and the speedometer SAID 35, but our Scout's speedometer is ~10 mph off.

#2 - Improper display of front license plate. He's restifying a classic '77 Mustang (restifying is a combo between restoring and modifying) - he's making into a stock racing car. Hence, no place for a license plate on the front (how many classic rods do you see with front license plates? They weren't required back then). He was working on it in our garage, and he heard a funny noise when he started it, which magnified when he accelerated. He decided to take it out around the block and get a better listen. He stuck the front license plate in the front window and drove down the street. He then pulled over to listen to the noise (yes, he was IDLING). A cop-in- training pulled in behind him with her lights on (her supervisor was with her), and when he tried to explain himself, she didn't care. She didn't even write him a warning - she gave him a ticket.. right outside our house, license plate in the front window, with his car idling. He didn't tell her that when we lived in Fargo & he was just starting the project, he used to drive it around town without doors, bumpers, seatbelts, or a windshield, let alone a license plate ANYWHERE on the car. Anycrap - he fought it in court and won.

#3 - Exhibition Driving. He was not speeding, did not break any laws.. he shifted loud, and the cop heard him, assumed it was the bright yellow classic Mustang, and nabbed him.. for shifting loud. He's debating court for this one too, but he isn't too excited about going to court twice in a month's time.

Whenever we take the Mustang out, we are followed by at least one cop the whole time, just WAITING for us to not stop completely, not signal soon enough, drive a mile or two over the speed limit. I'm not exaggerating - they really do follow us around. IMO, they have a LITTLE too much time on their hands, n'est-ce pas?

By the way, since we're expecting a baby next month, he's selling his beloved Mustang, into which he has put tons of money and 5+ years of hard work. We had our first kiss in that car 8 years ago August, and it will break my heart to see it go, but he's sick of getting tickets.. what's the use of having a really fun stock car if you have to 'drive nice' wherever you go? There are no drag strips here, either. I think it's great that he is sucking it up and selling his most prized possession, all so he can be a better dad and avoid tickets.. but I sure will miss that car.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Cops for the most part are doing their jobs. I've only had 2 speeding tickets since I got my license. First one was funny, he pulled out and CHASED ME. I was young and didn't know what to do. Just keep repeating ' there's a cop chasing me' My mum suggested I pull over lol. Only got a ticket then cuz the school vacation had just begun lol. Second ticket was a speed camera lol

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

You should have started crying... One of my friends got pulled over, and she made sure to have the waterworks going just before the cop came over to ticket her... no problem... of course being a girl would help that...

One (of many) the traffic school classes I attended was taught by a former highway patrolman. He told us that a crying woman would not prevent him from issuing the citation... but a crying man would would get him speeding away without issuing a ticket!

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

so, we moved into a rehearsal space on sunday and spent the entire day painting and grunting and sweating and hanging things and then went through the misery of a cue-to-cue and finally, at the end of this forever day...i'm pulling out of the place and apparently (i honestly don't remember) i didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign. it wasn't like i ran it though. i had to wait for cars to pass, so i was drifting very slowly at the this stop sign for like ten minutes and then the fucking oinkers pull me over and give me this crap...blah, blah, blah, your license is suspended (which it isn't or shouldn't be) and if you wanna get tough with us, we'll impound your car right now blah, blah, blah

fuck you policeman. fucking cancerous waste of taxpayer money.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

i mean, ten seconds

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

It's okay, Jesse.

After a cue to cue, ten seconds always seems like ten minutes to me.

I doubt the cop would understand that, though.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Helpful tip: If you don't want a ticket, don't break the law. Helpful tip part two: The officer has heard your hard luck story before. Cooperate and apologize. You probably won't get the attitude.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Both of my Aunts are cops. Both of them do their jobs, put their lives on the line each and every single day of their lives to serve and protect the citizens of their districts from people who speed (and deserve tickets), who break the law and try to hurt people (and deserve to be arrested).

I think that takes a pretty damn generous person to do that sort of thing all the time.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

It has always been my theory that they have a course at the police academy called "Asshole 101," in which the cops learn how to be the most obnoxious assholes possible. I'm not talking about speeding tickets, though, for the most part those are no big deal. I'm talking about crowd control, or when they hassle you while you're walking down the street, etc. There has got to be some reason they are the biggest pricks possible...

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I understand that police officers have a tough job, and I wouldn't want to do it. I really wish they didn't teach them to be racist assholes at the academy. Driving while black is dangerous, not to mention embarassing. It would be refreshing to leave our driveway without being pulled over and harrassed. We've been followed for miles, pulled over for no reason, it scares my kids to death. And they are supposed to have respect for police? Right.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Jen: I think it's great that he is sucking it up and selling his most prized possession, all so he can be a better dad and avoid tickets.. but I sure will miss that car.

no way! don't sell your car! my dad used to get tickets all the time - i never though the worst of him for it. i understand that your husband's sick of getting tickets, but c'mon... if it has that much sentimental value to it, you should re-think your descision.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

For the exact reason the cops should't be pulling you over just because you are black, cops shouldn't be stereotyped because there is a minority that tarnishes the image for the good ones out there.

I have had my fair share of tickets, and even one that was wholly unjust by a cop that flat out lied when I went to court (the same cop was convicted of perjury a year later in a different case). But that has yet to overshadow the tremendous amount of patience I have seen from many others.

My ex-roommate volunteers as a county reserve officer. He is an accountant by day, but at least 20 hours a month he is out patroling the streets. How he keeps a good attitude about it, I have no idea. About half of his calls are for domestic violence, and most of those, are repeat calls. The same people over and over and over. The women seldom, if ever, press charges. I couldn't do a job like that. The rest of the time is spent trying to keep drunk drivers off the road. Because I have a tendency to drive fast, I asked him what I can do to get out of the tickets. His answer: 1) Immediately pull over and roll your window down. Be sure to pull far enough off the road that they can walk up to the window without getting creamed by oncoming cars. Place both your hands on the window edge so the officer can see them before they ever get out of their vehicle. This immediately relaxes them. Relaxed cop = good! 2) Be fucking nice! They are doing a job, but they can be friendly and humorous while they are doing it. If you don't act like you hate them from the start, you would be surprised with how lenient they might be.

If they still give you a ticket.. well, still be nice! Tell them to be careful and have a good night. In most states, you can go to court and request probation. If you do this, you may have to go before the judge. By law, the officer has to be there for the judge to uphold the citation. You might catch a break and the officer not show up. But if he does, he will most likely remember you as the one that was nice and make a recommendation to the judge that he grant the probation.

Most cops are just ordinary people just like us that have a very difficult job. Show them a bit of respect. Some day you may need them.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Last car: white Geo convertible, looked like a speedbump, and top speed was 110 mph. I know this for a fact. Two tickets, three stops. First one: in Indiana, where I thought I was in a 65 zone and was in a 55. Cop was nice, and I was in the wrong. He politely overlooked passenger in non-existent rear seat area. Second: did 43 in a 35. Was avoiding a guy on a bike piddling aimlessly into and out of the road, sped up on a hill to go around, got popped. Wasn't happy about that. Cop was smug, obviously making a quota. Was told later that since it was on an incline, etc., etc., I should have gotten the ticket excused. Whatever. Third stop: speeding home (from my parent's house) at 10PM the day after Christmas. Escaping. Cop pulls me over, dead to rights, and if he'd stopped me a half hour earlier, I'd have been doing 15 mph more. Comes over, starts to issue ticket. I confess, explain that I was not watching my speed, etc., and my cat, riding on a towel in the passengfer seat, sits up and fixes the cop with a cute expression and starts talking. He coos and goons and lets me go, adding that I didn't want to risk getting into an accident and hurting my cute kitty or anything, now DID I? I agreed and kept it under the limit (mostly) the rest of the trip.

Now I have a red Mustang convertible (sounds much more exciting that the reality, which got slashed into & vandalized in December by a thief). I had expected to be popped left and right for tickets, and so far I haven't--knock wood--gotten a single one. I got pulled for an expired tag, but I had already taken care of it and had documentation--the sticker just hadn't arrived in the mail yet--so I got sent on my way with a cheery comment or two and a smile.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Meghan - he's already decided to sell it. Yes, there's a lot of sentimental value in it, but truth be told, he's really looking forward to selling it now. The money from the car will get us almost completely out of debt, which is a good thing, since I won't be working after the baby's born! He's already looking forward to restoring another car - he likes to buy repairables for a couple thousand bucks, fix them up, and sell them for an awesome profit. If it were a stable business, he'd do that for a living, but the bills have to be paid, so he's the CIS manager at our company. If selling the car makes him feel better about himself, I'm not going to stop him!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

my brother's a cop. once he pulled someone over for speeding, and asked for the license and registration and stuff. so the guy hands over the papers to my brother, and my brother looks through it, and there's this card stuck in there. it was a monopoly card.. "get out of jail free"

my brother was so humored that he had to let the guy go.. but he kept the card.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I've been on both sides (i.e., I've been a cop and I have received tickets *grin*)

Let's face it, a certain percentage of the human race (of whatever gender) are just plain pricks. One night, when I was a cop, I was walking a beat, miserable rainy night, one of the patrol cars stopped and picked me up, give me a chance to be out of the rain for a few minutes... call them Officer Bob and Officer Bill... as we cruised around, a motor cycle rolled through a stop sign a block or so in front of us and proceeded along this road, railroad tracks on the left, industrial buildings on the right, around two a.m., mid-week, no sign of another vehicle anywhere around... the guy is doing 35 in a 25 zone... on with the flashers... pull the motorcycle over... Officer Bob goes and gets the guy's license and registration, gets back in the patrol car and says Poor guy, middle of the night, in the rain, just wants to get home... hmmm, speeding, failure to stop at a stop sign... so, what do you want to write him, Bill? Bob had a reputation for writing more tickets than anyone else in the department so I was struck by the fact that, although it would have been nice just to let the guy go with a warning, at least he was going to give the guy a little break... Bill replied Stop sign and Bob said Okay, you write up the stop sign and I'll write the speeding ticket Like I said, some are just plain pricks.

But consider a traffic stop from the cop's point of view. He doesn't know if you are a fugitive, if you are drugged up, if you are reaching in the glovebox for your registration or a gun... a traffic stop is very dangerous for a cop (although not as bad as armed robbery in progress or domestic quarrel)... and a lot of cops are killed each year (My grandfather was a cop; he was killed in the line of duty, died of stab wounds from a guy he was arresting.)

Have your license and registration ready, put your flashers on, turn your engine off, keep your hands in sight (on the steering wheel or visible in the open window), do not mouth off, do not tell about your influential friends, do not get out of the vehicle unless he/she requests that you do so.

I have had cops let me go with a warning even though I had actually done something wrong (like make a left turn despite a couple signs clearly saying No Left Turn) and I have had cops write me tickets when I had hoped for a warning and I have had cops write me totally unjustified tickets for things I had not done. Like I said, there's a certain percentage of pricks in every group.

Jim

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Cops are people. Some people are assholes. Some cops are assholes. People become cops. So it stands to reason that some assholes become cops. It only seems worse because a cop has a little more sway over the quality of your life than the kid at the drive-thru window at Burger King.

Does anyone else say "thank you" by force of habit when the cop hands you your ticket? I do it every time, no matter how hard I try to stop myself. Curse my southern upbringing...

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Yep..I say thank You too. Grrrrr. But the last time, I said, "thank You, thank You, thank You." See, it was like this. I came to a T intersection at a busy road from the leg of the T. No cars visible upon approaching the intersection..so, seeing as how You can sit at this intersection forever...I never even came close to stopping. The slowest I got was probably 30 mph before careening around the corner through the stopsign...heading northbound. Unbeknownst to me, there was a fine lady officer heading northbound as well...from the south of the intersection. She must have been about a half mile back or so. She pulled me over about three miles later. *sigh* Yes, it took her that distance to catch up with me because I was going, probably, around 90 mph. Yes, 90 Miles Per Hour. I was late for class. She was very pleasant though. She asked me if I was running late somewhere (yes) and stated my offenses as she saw them. She said, "I'm not sure, but I think You ran that stopsign back there(uh-huh) and I would have pulled You over sooner, but You kept pulling away from me. (meeep..er) And You don't seem to have your seatbelt on, Sir." *sigh* She only ticketed me for no seatbelt. My god, I fell all over myself thanking that kind lady.

On the other hand, my brother and I used to both have pretty long hair (middle of back), and we used to drive around in his yellow Firebird (no speeding or other various illegalities taking place) and bet each other on how long it would take to get pulled over. The shorter time usually won.

And finally...just last year. It apparently took three, three mind You, cops to pull me over in my Oldsmobile Delta '88 to ticket me for a gimpy headlight. Quite the dangerous fugitive I was. I was the toast of the Wal-Mart parking lot. Grrrrr. I asked the officer(the closest one) if I might get out and inspect the light. He said yes. I got out..yep it was out. I hit it..Fonzie style(god, I'm old) and it came on. I looked at him, he looked at me. I said, "Well?" He said, "I am sorry sir. You still have to pay the ticket." Insert lots of appropriate expletives right here.

Damn, I need to start drinking less Dr Pepper and Mt.Dew..maybe then I'll shut up.

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2000

I do think that some cops are total assholes and that power goes to their heads, but of course, it's not all cops. I live in a very small town in Massachusetts and the cops tend to be pretty nice. They know all the kids from doing DARE n'stuff at the schools or chaparoing dances, sports games, etc. Maybe it's just in the big cities, who knows. Once I was waiting outside a club in Washington, DC and this kid who got kicked out was so pissed off, he kicked a trash can into the street, where it hit (oops) a cop car. Not only was the cop *extremely* pissed, he started yelling at the kid, calling him jerk and asshole and a whole other variety of not-so-nice names. To his credit, he didn't arrest the kid or anything, just made him pick up the trash. I thought the swearing bit was a little bit much. Understandably the cop was extremely pissed off, but I didn't think he had to be so rude to the kid. I dunno.

Luckily I don't have much interaction w/cops, but when I do, I'm as nice as possible. There's no harm in getting on their good side.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000