Best excuse to say to Officer

[novaks47]

This was ages ago, in car, when I was 19. It was a Saturday morning, around 7:30AM, near Los Gatos. I had decided to go a bit early to pick up some things and avoid the crowds. Back then at that time of morning, other people were a rare sight, I usually had the streets to myself. I was on a long straight on a surface street, speed limit was 40 if memory serves, and not a soul in sight. I decided to romp on it, and right as I hit 60, I see out of the corner of my eye, a black and white cruiser just pulling up at the end of a side street to my left. I knew I was caught, here comes a fat ticket. I immediately slow down, and in my mirror I see the cop peel outta that street, getting totally sideways, and he fought it a bit to get straightened out, and guns it towards me. By then I was almost pulled over to the side, getting ready for quite the lecture and a fat ticket, .

Cop walks up, and asks me "Do you know why I pulled you over?". I look him dead in the eyes, and say, "Yes, I was speeding". There was a long, akward pause as he just stares at me. He then gets a surprised look on his face, and says "Wow, honest! I like that". Then followed the usual handing over of the paperwork, questions about if I've been pulled over recently, blah blah the usual routine. He goes back to his car, runs my info. Of course the whole time I'm thinking how badly I just screwed myself, and how bad this ticket was going to be. He comes back, hands me my paperwork, and tells me to slow down and not to do it again, because he never forgets a face or a car, and how he appreciated my honesty, and sends me on my way. :wow

To this day I still can't believe it. He 100% caught me, and probably could've given me more than a speeding ticket for that. And no, I never sped on that street again, or anywhere in a 10 mile radius for that matter, haha!

 

[Starpower]

Best ticket ever witnessed -
At a stop light, 'Vette in front of me in L. lane, cop next to me in R. lane. In front of him is a Supra, kid in it is revving with grinning glances at the 'vette driver, too intent on a race to notice the cop right behind him, I'm cracking up in my helmet, waiting for this to unfold. Light goes green, kid dumps the clutch, peppers the crap out of the cop with gravel I can clearly hear. Well, the 'vette was making a L. eases out to for his turn as the cop lights up the kid. I can't stop laughing for blocks.

 

[The Smokester]

"Officer! I've been framed!!"

 

[dravnx]

I can't breathe.
Have someone record it.
Post it on social media.
The populace riots.
The LEO is indicted on civil rights violations.
You don't get cited for the infraction you've committed a gazillion times but finally got caught.

 

[bojangle]

This was ages ago, in car, when I was 19. It was a Saturday morning, around 7:30AM, near Los Gatos. I had decided to go a bit early to pick up some things and avoid the crowds. Back then at that time of morning, other people were a rare sight, I usually had the streets to myself. I was on a long straight on a surface street, speed limit was 40 if memory serves, and not a soul in sight. I decided to romp on it, and right as I hit 60, I see out of the corner of my eye, a black and white cruiser just pulling up at the end of a side street to my left. I knew I was caught, here comes a fat ticket. I immediately slow down, and in my mirror I see the cop peel outta that street, getting totally sideways, and he fought it a bit to get straightened out, and guns it towards me. By then I was almost pulled over to the side, getting ready for quite the lecture and a fat ticket, .

Cop walks up, and asks me "Do you know why I pulled you over?". I look him dead in the eyes, and say, "Yes, I was speeding". There was a long, akward pause as he just stares at me. He then gets a surprised look on his face, and says "Wow, honest! I like that". Then followed the usual handing over of the paperwork, questions about if I've been pulled over recently, blah blah the usual routine. He goes back to his car, runs my info. Of course the whole time I'm thinking how badly I just screwed myself, and how bad this ticket was going to be. He comes back, hands me my paperwork, and tells me to slow down and not to do it again, because he never forgets a face or a car, and how he appreciated my honesty, and sends me on my way. :wow

To this day I still can't believe it. He 100% caught me, and probably could've given me more than a speeding ticket for that. And no, I never sped on that street again, or anywhere in a 10 mile radius for that matter, haha!

So many people lie to police so often, it's sometimes refreshing just to get honesty right from the start. I can only speak for myself, but I'm much more likely to give warnings to those who are honest about what they did. Depending on the violation, it's no guarantee, but definitely more likely to warn.

 

[novaks47]

So many people lie to police so often, it's sometimes refreshing just to get honesty right from the start. I can only speak for myself, but I'm much more likely to give warnings to those who are honest about what they did. Depending on the violation, it's no guarantee, but definitely more likely to warn.

I believe it. I always thought it was kind of dumb myself. I view at as insulting the person's intelligence. Using my experience, if I had lied to the cop, and if I were in his shoes, that would be insulting. We both knew what I did, we both witnessed it, what is lying going to accomplish? Whether or not I get a ticket, I'll just take that L and move on.

I also never understood people who get in long arguments with police over traffic stops. The roadside is not the place to argue your case, that is what court is for. Even if the cop is, for whatever reason, 100% in the wrong, just be polite, take your ticket, and fight it in court. I'm starting to think I'm a dying breed, and I'm not even 40 yet, haha! :afm199

 

[bojangle]

I believe it. I always thought it was kind of dumb myself. I view at as insulting the person's intelligence. Using my experience, if I had lied to the cop, and if I were in his shoes, that would be insulting. We both knew what I did, we both witnessed it, what is lying going to accomplish? Whether or not I get a ticket, I'll just take that L and move on.

I also never understood people who get in long arguments with police over traffic stops. The roadside is not the place to argue your case, that is what court is for. Even if the cop is, for whatever reason, 100% in the wrong, just be polite, take your ticket, and fight it in court. I'm starting to think I'm a dying breed, and I'm not even 40 yet, haha! :afm199

Yup.

And that's the flip side. When people blatantly lie and argue about a traffic stop, my opinion is that a warning will not correct the behavior, so I'm more likely to give a cite.

 

[wheel_muse]

As a 16 yo kid in my parents big block Olds with 3 two barrels, after laying a little scratch in downtown Walnut Creek: "Gee, sorry officer. My dad's car and he just had it tuned up." It was truthy.

Worked for me! :thumbup

 

[TheRiddler]

"I apologize, I was going way too fast. I'm in a hurry."

The truth combined with an acknowledgement of wrongdoing dramatically increases the odds I'll give a warning or a break.

 

[NorCalAthlete]

One time on my bike I was cruising, not really paying attention to my speed but not really going more than maybe 5-10 over traffic which was in slinky mode alternating between 50-65 or so. This was up near Sacramento. Passed through an underpass and out of the corner of my eye caught the nose of a chipper hiding on the other side. Looked down at my mirror, saw him starting to pull out, so I (safely) merged straight across 3 lanes over to the shoulder and stopped. He started to get into a lane then saw me on the shoulder, got back on the shoulder and drove up to me. Asked the usual license, registration, what's up what's going on. I just told him I was zoning out a bit and not really paying attention to my speed, sorry, and he replied with "Well, you were clearly paying attention enough to both spot me and not make me chase you so thanks for that. Keep it safe and slow down." That was it.

Don't try to bullshit a bullshitter, any cop pulling you over has heard every excuse a hundred times before.

 

[Whodat]

My friend is a retired CHP. He told me that he would get bs excuses and lied to everyday and that honesty gave the best chance of getting a warning vs a ticket. I've used his advice to my advantage many times. I've also never gotten a ticket I didn't deserve.

 

[storm]

I'm not sure if I hate to admit this or not, but I think I've skated away ticket free from more stops than not simply being a female rider. And displaying the requisite good manners.

This aside, best stop for seriously egregious freeway speeding was on the way home with a [real live] guinea pig I'd gotten for my kid off craigslist stuffed in my tank bag. Earnestly explained I was rushing a bit to minimize the trauma of the ride to the poor critter...."see, look - here he is, ins't he cute?' lol. sheesh....

 

[ejv]

So this has me wondering what is the ratio of total stops to tickets. I thought about it. Stopped 10 times. 3 tickets. 4 states. CA is at 6-1. AZ 1-1. NM 1-1. TX 1-0.

The bike subset is 2-0, both here in the Santa Cruz mountains.

The AZ and NM tickets were within about 2 weeks of each other. The two times on a bike I was in a real or perceived group and everyone was stopped. But apparently I wasn't the target so I was sent on my way.

I don't know if 30% ticket rate is normal, high, or low.

 

[ScottRNelson]

So this has me wondering what is the ratio of total stops to tickets.

Three tickets since January of 2000, two of them in national parks. Dozens of warnings since then. I still seem to get stopped too often - about once a year. I think my license plates and grey hair have helped set the proper tone to get the LEO thinking about a warning instead of a ticket. :afm199

 

[byke]

Four pages and no "bees!!"..??

 

[JHicks]

You can always ask for a verbal warning but make sure you ask before they start writing the ticket. Once they start writing the ticket itself, they have to continue.

No guarantee of leniency but it never hurts to ask. I'm batting 50/50 when I remember to ask but admittedly the nerves get jacked up so it's easy to forget to ask as soon as they stop you.

Best solution is try and keep your speeds down below 10+ the speed limit...at least on the freeways. Around town, sometimes even 5+ the speed limit is enough to get you a ticket.

Last time I was in Pittsburg to testify in a small claims case (small claims and traffic court were one and the same magistrate) the magistrate was suspending licenses for folks going 5 over the limit in town.

Fake news. I have had a ticket rescinded after it was fully written and signed by me.

 

[bojangle]

Fake news. I have had a ticket rescinded after it was fully written and signed by me.

This would be very rare.

In my department it would require a memo form sorta thing that goes all the way up to the chief. There'd have to be a really good reason.

 

[bigpoppa]

Fake news. I have had a ticket rescinded after it was fully written and signed by me.

What exactly is "fake news"? You yourself indicated that your ticket was written and rescinded after the fact.

Since I've spoke with numerous law enforcement officers over the years in a casual, social context they've all indicated pretty much the same thing...once they start writing a ticket they have to continue.

I never said a written ticket couldn't be rescinded...just that if you're going to ask for a verbal warning, you need to do so before they start writing the actual ticket...then they can't give you a warning even if they wanted to.

 

[gixxerjeff]

What exactly is "fake news"? You yourself indicated that your ticket was written and rescinded after the fact.

**self edited/deleted due to inappropriate political content**
(not aimed at you, bigpoppa....it was aimed at "Fake news")

 

[rob linders]

Have a commercial drivers license. You'll be held to a higher standard in certain aspects while driving for work or not. But for me at least the CDL seemed to be the deciding factor for not being given a ticket, more than a few times. "Do you drive for a living?" Yes I do. "Please slow down."

That's interesting. I own a forklift company, repair, sales, rentals. We have a roll back tow truck for transport and you only need a regular license to use it. A few friendly competitors run Diesel trucks with a trailer and spoke how well that works for them. So I bought a used truck and then called one to ask which of his trailers he liked best. He said he got popped and learned you need a commercial license.

I decided not to move forward, since I didn't want a CDL as I figured my luck with getting popped on a motorcycle every 2-4 years would really mess me up with a commercial license.