Pulled on the way to work - Aargg!

[SEASNAKE]

I was driving to work this morning at 6:00 am. Cruising at about 4 mph over the speed limit. No other cars on the road - other than the **** tailgating me. After about 1 mile of this, on come the blue lights.

"Mr. Miller I paced your car at 45 in a 35 and 55 in a 45." After checking my license, the local jack boot comes back to tell me that I should slow down and let's me go with a warning. No harm done other than irritating me and making me late for work.

My it's hard to keep your mouth shut when you are a classicly trained smart a$$. Somehow I managed.

Why can't these guys get a life?

 

[NJVIPER]

Hummm...What are you driving and what do they drive as a personal car????
It's JEALOUSLY!!!!!
Hey, look at the positive side of it!
He could have given you a ticket..right????

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Hey, I just heard back from my attorney today that the local prosecutor won't do any reduced charge if you are ticketed for in excess of 20 mph over the posted speed limit. Three weeks ago I was pulled over (WRONGLY) for doing 86 in a 65. Yep, 21 mph over (no coincidence, I am sure). This guy pulled me TOTALLY over for jollies and to check out the Viper. It was a speed trap that we all saw from a mile away, including the minivan that was directly in front of me (and not speeding either). It was a single lane and I can't pass and wouldn't anyway with the cop lights flashing all over the place up ahead. I also have my teenage son with me and am trying to instill a LITTLE bit of common sense, like not going over the speed limit.

So I think nothing of the cop that falls in behind me and joke with my son about it. Until the blue lights come on. I am shocked, but figure he will say I was going 67 in a 65 or something stupid. When he said "86" I looked like I had been shot. My son immediately said (loudly), "Hey dad!..." and I shushed him, thinking this was an honest mistake by the cop and he would back off. Nope.

He even acknowledged the older minivan that was directly in front of me and said, "Well they were speeding too". I asked to see some record of calibration on the laser (which he said he shot at my license plate - and I didn't have one on this new car), and all he could do was snicker and show me the display with "86" flashing in the window. This was, of course, after he had already written me up.

I was as polite as Andy Griffith during the entire thing, including after the ticket. He said, "Well, I would have a REALLY tough time keeping it down in that car too. Be more careful next time." He was grinning during the entire stop like he had just bagged a trophy buck. Even had another cop stop and chat with him while he was writing the ticket and both laughing. Not fun, especially with my son trying to figure out what in the heck was happening while his dad just seethed next to him. Personally, I think the cop left the speed on the gun from a previous stop (he was the shooter with other cops pulling them over) and pulled me over just for the fun of it.

So, while your warning was a pain in the butt, try getting a ridiculous ticket that even a lawyer is baffled by. If I get stuck with this (first ticket in 17+ years) and my insurance goes up, that may mean a different car for me. I would settle for a warning ANY day!!!

Chris

 

[Birvini]

Chris,

That totally *****. This is the second post I've read where you have entertained the idea of getting rid of the car because of a speeding ticket. I sure hope that is not the case!!! I'd be ********** if I were in your shoes right now, but don't let 'em get to you. That jag dork pos cop is not worth it! Hopefully you will beat the ticket in court.

 

[NJVIPER]

It seems the best mod for a car would be video cameras mounted in a 360 degree pattern around the Viper.

It is a shame to hear these type of stories...

 

[jimandela]

Chris,
I will just say this about my "wrong" stop experience.
I was speeding 42 in a 30 gave me a ticket
the proceeded to yell and scream at me.
Went to driving school and paid a $75 fine no points no insurance increase.

But I had a "friend" "talk" to the officer. sure enough a week later
who stops me to apologize for 10 mins. the officer.
It is nice to have "friends".

good luck.
JIM

 

[Tomcat]

Many have gone to court and followed the advise of the "National Motorists Association" and had their tickets dismissed. This is an org. that has a mountain of information that you can get to protect your driving rights. Check it out @ www.motorists.org. I found out about this after a buddy went for a ride with me in my Viper. He purchased a 1 year membership for me. I guess he thought I would need it. Have not needed it yet.

Tom

 

[Qualitywires.com]

Cops are pigs

 

[Ulysses]

Video camera in the car.

I am getting one since I got pulled over for a BS ticket day before xmas. Cop said I blew thru a stop sign. No way!! I stopped and even looked both ways!! This crap has got to stop. Defend yourself with a Vid cam. They have one and use it as evidence in court, why can't you?

 

[Bonkers]

Anyone have any good suggestions on an on board video camera? I've wanted one for some time.

 

[SEASNAKE]

I was pulled in my first Viper and charge with a 88/55 when I was really going about 25 mph slower. I had to get a lawyer to get it down to 64/55. Amazingly, this all happens in the little beach town I live in.

 

[Bwright]

Go to page 113 of the March 2003 Car and Driver for an evaluation of Passport's SRX Laser Shifter. Add one to your V1 radar/laser detector. I am a bit surprised that the officer supposedly clocked you while moving. To the best of my knowledge police laser results are only valid if the officer's car was stationary.

I got a laser ticket for 77 in a 50. Six points. Lawyer got it reduced to a 2 point non-speeding with a small fine. Traffic school certificate then eliminated the remaining points. For taking the class I will ultimately end up with a discount on my insurance. I should thank the cop.

Got a radar ticket for 81 in a 50 last year. Finally got my court date. My attorney carved the pig up like a roast in about two minutes. Ticket dismissed no fine and no points. The only additional time spent was listening to the judge bawl the pig out for making so many mistakes in his sworn testimony. I had to shop around carefully for this attorney and she is fantastic. Unlike other rushed attorneys who could only tell me how serious a predicament I was in she listened patiently on the phone then asked to meet with me before agreeing to take the case. Choose wisely.

This will work out.

 

[RX VIPER]

Chris,

I would fight it in court and since the cop had '86 on his radar gun maybe you could see if the previous stop and ticket he wrote was '86. That's total BS! Just reading these stories infuriates me. I've been the victim of this type 'crime' myself all because of a nice car.

 

[NJVIPER]

Anyone have any good suggestions on an on board video camera? I've wanted one for some time.

This may sound sarcastic, but the advice is genuine...Speak with a police person or someone who is friendly with one. They have them mounted in their squad cars.

Only other suggestion is an electonics shop.

 

[slaughterj]

Go to page 113 of the March 2003 Car and Driver for an evaluation of Passport's SRX Laser Shifter. Add one to your V1 radar/laser detector.

That won't help when you get pulled over and they make up a speed. My only speeding ticket thus far in the viper was pure fabrication. I was approaching an intersection and my Valentine1 detected radar ahead - all well and good as I was slowing down to take a left at this 4 way intersection. After making the left, I saw the officer (who was coming from the opposite direction on the previous road) turn onto the road I turned on, and "paced" me, running his radar the entire time. I clearly knew he was there, and maintained my speed at the limit, yet shortly thereafter, he pulled me and said I was going ~15MPH over the limit. I knew the real deal though, but still had to pay to get the ticket taken care of.

 

[jimandela]

here is a thread from a coupe of weeks ago about mounting a camera.
maybe a good idea. but.... here maybe the downside.
what if he takes the tape as evidence?
will it show perhaps some high speed driving on it from a few weeks ago?
on say a nice deserted highway when no one was around.. and if so can they
then hang you for that?
is there a lawyer in the house?
here is the thread:
http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=238259&Forum=UBB14&Words=rt%2F10%20camera%20mount&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=3months&Main=238259&Search=true#Post238259

good luck
JIM

 

[Miles B]

I am currently making a 4 camera vehicle mounted digital video recorder for the company I work for.. it's probably not exactly what you guys are looking for, with the total lack of space in the Viper, but I am putting one in my daily driver for exactly these reasons. Too often get pulled over and given either a BS ticket, or just a few "extra" tickets. They get me for 5 over, and proceed to say I did 5 other things I didn't do. From what I hear, if you can prove one was BS, they will drop them all. Otherwise the cop looks real bad in court.

Another thing I am sick of is smart [******] cops using filthy language to me, or saying things like "I can do whatever I want, it's my word against yours and I have been on the job for 10 years" (have actually had this). Got pulled over yesterday and as the cop walks away he said to his buddy "What a stupid f***head" because I wouldn't confess. Get that on tape, and I bet I get the whole lot dropped.

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Well, I am doing a little online research right now and found this little tidbit about laser that could do all Viper owners some good:

"In order to work properly, light must reflect off the surface of the vehicle and the license plate is designed to be highly reflective for that purpose. If you have a low vehicle with little or no chrome, it is difficult for a laser to detect you."

This is from Speeding Tickets - Laser. I also read that anything over 1000 feet is suspect. The cop showed me clocked at 1400+ feet. So combine that with a VERY low car, NO chrome, and NO license plate (new car) and maybe I have a chance after all. Still researching...

Chris

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

It might just be easier to follow the posted speed limit signs???

 

[slaughterj]

It might just be easier to follow the posted speed limit signs???

No.

 

[slaughterj]

here is a thread from a coupe of weeks ago about mounting a camera.
maybe a good idea. but.... here maybe the downside.
what if he takes the tape as evidence?
will it show perhaps some high speed driving on it from a few weeks ago?
on say a nice deserted highway when no one was around.. and if so can they
then hang you for that?
is there a lawyer in the house?
here is the thread:
http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=238259&Forum=UBB14&Words=rt%2F10%20camera%20mount&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=3months&Main=238259&Search=true#Post238259

good luck
JIM

Just because you've got a camera setup doesn't mean that he knows it was on or off at the time - I'd simply not discuss it until court, giving me time to review it for value, unless I was ABSOLUTELY sure there was nothing bad on it, then I *might* bring it up at the time of the stop, though that might lead to a Rodney King situation... Also, if the camera(s) is set up in a hidden fashion, even better.

On a related note, I've been thinking about having my hand-held dictation machine in the car so I could flick it on to record when a cop approached, in case he said something inappropriate - I don't know what the laws are on that, some states have issues on recording but that may just be over the phone, but maybe in person as well - I'd worry about that afterward.

 

[ewave]

It might just be easier to follow the posted speed limit signs???

Yeah. Right. About as easy as driving a Geo Metro.

 

[Toby]

I was pulled over last year because the cop told me one of my tires hit (not crossed) a double yellow line when I was turning into a left turn lane at about 5 miles an hour with no other cars around. He gave me the riot act about never touching yellow lines. I never said a word to him the whole time. I just looked at him as he went off. He gave me a warning and I went home. What a total loser.

 

[SUN RA KAT]

TobyT -

Another advantage of <font color="yellow">YELLOW </font> Vipers other than being faster than other Vipers - they are almost the same color as the yellow lines in the middle of the road so Mr.Donut Policeman can't tell is you touchy-feelied the sacred yellow line. However, <font color="yellow">YELLOW </font> Vipers are not the same shade of yellow as yellow snow, so Mr.Donut Policeman might pull you over for running over his yellow snow cone filling.

 

[Toby]

Kenny..that's funny...buy the way it was a Centerville cop. They never change. I got harassed all the time in HS/College with my 69 Camaro.