Tres Wright

Excuse me, but.... ARE YOU INSANE?????? When there is a cop anywhere within eyeshot of me, I drive several MPH BELOW the speed limit. Why tempt them? It flat out doesn't matter whether you think it's fair or not, you do not put a cop in your mirror leaving a stop light, set your cruise for 5 mph OVER the speed limit and expect to ease on down the road without catching some heat. I'd venture to say that we ALL speed, but man, if I see a cop I drive like a grandma going to the dentist until he turns off or exits!

You really have nothing to lose in fighting it. If the cop shows, the worst that will happen is you'll be found guilty and have to pay the fine. Nothing lost there other than some personal time. If the cop doesn't show, the ticket will be dismissed (at least that's how it works here in Texas, I've done it before).

ArkAngelx3

No im not comparing weed to speeding im comparing the principle. You are basically saying your broke the law, but, not by much. It does't matter that you werent speeding that fast, its that you WERE. Principle my friend, principle.

drizztbob

That is what I have been trying to say, thank you.

And AA, the logic in your principle is skewed. You are comparing apples to oranges. There are varying degrees of law breaking and I hope you know this otherwise you would be out slaughtering your neighbor and comparing it driving over the speed limit...

05GT-O.C.D.

You should compare it. Smoking pot in your home, no big deal. (IMO) Smoking pot in front of a cop, not too bright. Now, I'm one of the biggest speeders around, but I still hit the brakes when I see a cop. That said, I have set my cruise at 5 over around a cop, most of us have, and it sounds like this cop did feel he had something to prove.

holderca1

Okay, so you broke two laws in front of a leo and are mad he ticketed you for it? I speed just like everyone else, but I don't when a leo is right next to me or right behind me, ect... He won't be there for too long before he turns off. Not to mention they are out in force with the click it or ticket campaign going on right now.

Danalor

Just cause this is a Mustang forum doesn't necessarily mean people will blindly agree with if you are in the wrong.

How can you say he had no reason to pull you over if you admitted to passing the posted speed limit, he has every right to pull you over. You even said you were pissed over this fact which probably had alot of influence on how you interacted with him and how he interacted with you. Asking for your (or demanding) license and registration is normal procedure in a traffic stop for a violation.

Yeah, everyone thinks cops are this and that, try to remember that if they ever have to put their life on the line to save yours.

05GT-O.C.D.

You're right holder, they take those click it/ticket campaigns seriously too. My neighbor, IN FLORIDA, got a ticket for window tint. He asked why... the cop said "We're participating in the Click it or Ticket program, I couldn't see your seatbelt through that dark tint." That's the only time I've heard of such a thing down here.

behindthebadge

I find this entire discussion quite amusing. This particular post is the most intelligent one I've read on the matter. Troopers may go "off duty", but they do not leave their badge and gun or the authority that goes with them locked away at the end of the shift. While I try to look the other way at minor traffic violations while off duty, I have had to take enforcement action while in plain clothes. On very rare occasions (I'm talking 2-3 times in 16 years) I've had to do this while in my personal vehicle. In those cases it was because lives were in danger due to a drunk person all over the road, etc.

Officers in general, and I think Troopers in particular do take their jobs and their oath of office very seriously. I always figured if someone was bold enough to speed right beside me, or do something else flagrant like dumping liter out right in my face, etc. then I'm just bold enough to pull you over and find out who you are and what you are doing. Most states have highly visible marked state police units. MD's is no exception. The person getting stopped might as well wave a big banner that says, "Hey, come stop me - I'm breaking the law".

In my years of doing my job, I've learned that most folks are pretty nice and most of them treat the officer with respect. It might be fake respect, hoping to get out of a ticket, but most, I think are genuine. I've always tried to be fair, honest and as respectful to the person as they will let me be. Unfortunately, some people are bound and determined to "talk their way into a ticket" when I had every intention of issuing a warning. These are the people who feel that the law applies to everyone except them.

Well, I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

drizztbob

I already explained that I was nothing but polite to him to the very end, hoping he could relax a bit on throwing the book at me. My point is this and then I will stop repeating myself:
1. He went overboard on ticketing me multiple ways, when a simple warning would have sufficed.
2. HE was the one being a jerk to me and overreacted to the situation.
3. Having a crappy day doesn't mean you can use your authority to ruin someone elses who is simply driving down the road.
4. Not all cops are jerks, I never said that. I have friends who are officers, but it's cops like this that give the good ones a bad rap.

Stangarang

As citizens, what are our rights when we get pulled over by an officer that is not in uniform or in an unmarked car? There have been several incidents when criminals have pulled over other cars to carjack them or whatnot, because they installed some flashing lights on their own vehicle. I don't want to get carjacked or robbed because some fool decides to impersonate a police officer, and I want to know if there are any laws to protect us from this.

2005muzzy

Bull crap. I got to laugh at the people saying breaking the law is breaking the law. Up here in NY state. a cop won't even look at you if you not going over 70 in a 55. Apperantly this cop was having a bad day and maybe some personal problems . A lot of cops do due to their egos. I would fight this one and demand the proof that you were even doing 63 mph. This will get thrown out. The guy seems jealous and it may seem that way to the judge also.

Tres Wright

==I already explained that I was nothing but polite to him to the very end==

Did you explain that? Here's what I read:

"I am already pissed because he had no reason to pull me over so at this point I am in disbelief."

"He comes up to my window and is a total jerk demanding my license and registration while I ask why he was pulling me over."

"Arrogant jerks"

"Officer XXX, I wish the worst upon you."

It can be inferred from these comments that you were anything but polite. Even if you tried to be polite, I doubt it came off as being sincere.

05GT-O.C.D.

You are 100% right and hopefully you read my previous rant. Your best bet is to either drive to a safe area, or call 911 to verify you're being pulled over by a legit cop. One thing's for sure, if you don't pull over and it is a real LEO, there will be several other sets of flashing lights behind you soon.
As far as out of uniform, it's unexcuseable in my opinion, unless someone's life is in jeopardy, like a drunk as stated above by behindthebadge. Cops dressing in dirty jeans with long hair, etc... then surprising people for 'minor' things like prostitution stings and drugs is unnecessary, and puts both the cops and public's lives in jeopardy. Many states have legislation allowing qualified citizens to carry a weapon. If some guy dressed in a football uniform were to run up to my car pointing a gun in my face... bad, unnecessary, preventable things may happen. That's why I do everything I can to make sure a cop has no reason to bother me... but citizens, as well as cops make mistakes.

Tres Wright

==I would fight this one and demand the proof that you were even doing 63 mph. This will get thrown out.==

This is a woefully inadequate defense. As I mentioned before, I've fought tickets here in Texas (successfully). I've gotten to sit and listen to lots of ticket dismissal attempts (nothing else to do while waiting for my name to come up on the docket). You don't go in and "demand" anything, that'll get you nowhere with a judge. You're free to argue, but ask yourself who a judge is going to believe, some joe blow that wants to get out of a ticket or an officer of the law executing his job? I sat and listened to a case where this man swore up and down that he didn't run a red light, because his kids were with him and he would NEVER do anything to endanger them. The cop whipped out his notebook and said "well, my notes say he ran the red light at such and such time and date". He was found guilty (but given a reduced fine). When it's your word against an officer's, there's no contest.

drizztbob

That's where I said it.

Imatk

There are ways to get out of a speeding ticket. Going to court and trying to argue that the cop was wrong and you are right is not one of them.

Did you deserve the ticket?

Well you were speeding and you did do it right by him. Which, as others have said, is probably why he pulled you over in the first place.

If you hadn't done it right by him and hypothetically he was driving by you in the opposite lane... I would suspect he would not have pulled you over, but I'm just guessing.

I know a lot of cops here in LA and ALL of them have told me what has been mentioned here... that many people almost ask for a ticket, which in this case sounds like it.

You're driving a highly-visible new Mustang... right next to a cop at a red light... and you speed = Please give me a ticket

I would simply chalk this up to a learning experience and move on.

Next time you're next to a cop at a red light... let him pull ahead of you first... don't speed next to him... and obey the speed limit.

Don't get me wrong I think it stinks that you got a ticket... and I would suggest you either hire a lawyer or visit some sites on the internet that instruct you on beating a ticket... but next time.. don't do it

bpmurr

Um well I don't know what to say about the situation. I thought you were doing 63 in a 60 Bob when I talked to you on the phone. IF the guy was in plain clothes I would have requested a uniformed officer. Most likely the hiney wouldn't want to have to deal with that and tell you to slow down and have a nice day.

You might want to go to the dealer as see if your speedo is calibrated properly. If you walk into court and it’s off they will most likely drop the ticket for speeding. The tint is a whole other problem. The time I got caught I ripped it off and paid to put it right back on after I got the ok. Cop said he couldn't see in the car even though I was waving my hand right in front of the window and I could see it just fine.

I will say the police in Carroll County are running crazy radar. I was coming down Rt. 30 from Hanover, PA tonight and hit four cars running radar.

Don't hire a lawyer its a waste of money for a ticket like this. You can beat it yourself just buy saying I f'd up. You'll most likely get a PBJ if you haven't had a ticket in a few years.

65gtfastback

How many times have you previously been stopped? How many tickets have you gotten and how recently? How dark was your window tint? Have you been stopped or cited for tint before? Have you been stopped or cited for a front tag before (he looked)?
My guess is that when you passed him, it was like thumbing your nose at him, he ran your tag and saw that you had been stopped before...
Just a hunch, I'm not a cop.
Paul

bpmurr

I've seen his tint and while it's dark you can see in the car. The cop would have to be looking to get him. I don't think the license plate has anything to do with past history. It is a known fact that Vette and Camaro owners tend not to sport their plates. Hence why the cops took a look. He was going to hit Bob for whatever he could. Heck my buddy with a 2004 Accord Coupe has a chrome H on his plate instead of a MD tag.

drizztbob

I have not had a ticket in MD for 4 years. One in NJ that I paid and didnt transfer. The tint is dark, but not black and is visible. And I have always had my front plate on from day one.