See pingo, this is exactly what I am talking about when I say they take advantage of the everyday citizen's ignorance of the law. I am not trying to be offensive towards you, b/c before this case, I too didn't know too much about this either. Your statement, "Almost anything can be probable cause" is completely wrong. Like Steve stated, there are supposed to be guidelines as to what an officer is SUPPOSED to use as justify a traffic stop as well as an arrest. This doesn't mean he can't still arrest you and take you in. Fact of the matter is, his case will not hold up, and you will be cleared, BUT not before you loose a license, and fork out a few thousand dollars reguardless. Only thing you can do about that, is attempt a wrongful arrest civil suit in attempt to recover your losses. Good luck on that one though. But anyway, no, swerving from your lane ONE time is not probable cause. There are an infinite number of reasons why a completely sober person, can swerve from their lane. This is just circumstantial evidence. Also, one needs to determine what the officer considers a "swerve". Rolling up on the reflectors, or putting all 4 wheels in the median strip or shoulder??? In my case, I hit the reflectors on the road. See, it’s quite obvious that just about every member on this website (besides any lawyers or cops here), b/c of lack of knowledge, could just easily be in the same situation I am. So for those you who think there is no way it could happen to you, I don’t see what makes you any different them myself, or the rishug87.

 

Well.. considering your last 2 posts seemed alot more neutral Ill say you know.. I dont doubt there are some cops that are pissed off and look to ruin your day perhaps.. heck I got a ticket a couple years ago and the chippy was a total d#ck to me.. oh well..

Unfortunately there are soo many things that cops can use as probable cause if they have a desire to stop... all it takes is a little time or observation.. no front plate.. some fuzzy dice on rear view.. tinted windows.. dont use turn signal.. bad lights.. if you check out a copy of the vehicle code book at least for Cali its friggin huge..

As far as your thing about the refusal to do FST.. I still say its pretty much admission... look at it from a jury's point of view.. if you are asked to complete some tests to establish your intoxication and you refuse.. thats not gonna look good?

no doubt about it the system needs some serious overhauling. theres not much we can do.. the laws aren't going to be changing by and large anytime soon unfortunately so we just have to deal with it.. if anything the laws are probably just going to be getting stricter..

 

Hey the dude who gave me the website, ticketassassin.com, I AM IN CALI!! hah the site is awesome and just what i need. I believe, I am not accusing, but i believe the cop was a little decrimantory towards me because he couldn't see my mom in the front seat but saw me at his angle and saw that i was a teenager and thus equaling an easy ticket. However, the cop did not have any responses to what I was saying and said the same thign over, and thus i believe i can fight it. Plus, I just want some of you to know that i DID STOP at the stop sign, the cop even acknowledged it, i was just above the limit line where i stopped. However, the cop LIED about the placement of my car and steve, if a cop lies, then ur whole first argument sucks, so seirously don't get so offensive on one post. I can probably make some pictures to show my proof. Anyways, thank you for all your help and if you have any more comments please reply with more information. I want to try the written deal, why would a cop write a defense over a limit line case that he knew he lied in? Thank you Guys! BTW, has anybody did the shareware registration of the Ticket course? I want to know if its worth the 25 bux, thanks!

 

Here are my two stories. They happened very recently, and up until these two incidents I had a huge amount of respect for Police Officers (I still do, but not for the two involved here).

In early December I was going back to school in Newark, and I was pulled over a block from my school. The cop thought it looked like my inspection sticker was expired. I drive a 2004 Crossfire. 3 months old. WTF? He then asked me for my license, insurance and registration. I proceeded to get out my license and insurance and hand it to him. I told him I had to find my registration, and to give me a sec. Since my car was brand new, I still had the registration card attached to the 8.5x11 piece of paper it comes in, and missed it while I was looking for a little card. Wasn't more than a minute before I find it, and I go to give it to him, and hes already back in his car. He comes back to the car and tells me hes going to give me a ticket for "failure to exhibit documents". I then show him my registration, and he tells me "Sorry, you're a little too late," and then leaves. At this point I'm upset, because obviously I should have not received any ticket, and I knew I was being taken advantage of. I then looked at the fine and it was $173!! Now I'm really pissed. I knew I had to fight it.

I went to court this week in Newark to fight the ticket. As soon as I talked to the Prosecutor, he told me he would give me a plea deal and dismiss the charges. Awesome. All I had to do was wait for my turn in front of the judge and verify the plea. Judge calls my name, I go up, and asks me if I agreed to the plea deal, and I say yes. He says ok, the charges are dismissed, court costs are $50. . Awesome. I was innocent of any wrongdoing, but still get reamed in the *** by the courts. Not to mention the $6.00 it cost me to park in the municipal lot. Great justice.

That very same day, on my way back from the gym with my friend, I was driving by my old highschool, which is right next to our police station. I have lived in the same town for my whole life, and attended that highschool, so if there is one place I know not to speed it is in that area. I was not speeding, I was actually going under the speed limit, driving by and looking at the student parking lot, where an M3 and a STi parked next to each other caught my eye. I continue on and see a police SUV coming towards me the opposite direction, so I immediately look at my spedo, even though I knew I wasn't speeding. A hair under 35, which is the speed limit. Continue another 100 feet and notice flashing lights in my rearview mirror from a crown vic police cruiser. There is one car behind me, and he pulls off the road to let him pass, and so do I, figuring hes going out on a call. He pulls up behind me, and comes to my window. "I am giving you a ticket for speeding, 52 in a 35." Me and my passenger just sit there in shock. I said "that's impossible, where did you clock me?". "I paced you from the schools parking lot." He then goes back to the cruiser and comes back with the ticket. Great. I was pissed, so I thought it wise not to talk to the cop anymore after this and went home.

I was not speeding. Not in any shape or form of the word. I wasn't "not speeding" by going 40, I was actually under the limit. The cop gave me a fabricated ticket plain and simple. It is a 4 point ticket, and I'm 20 and I have no points on my license, so it's going make my insurance go up big time. I can't believe that a police officer, a public servant, can just abuse his powers like that. Since I was "paced" it is just my word against the cops. We all know what side the court favors.

I am frustrated and feel taken advantage of. Sorry for the long post, but I had to get it out. Not looking for any pity, just upset over the abuse of power displayed by both officers. Really sucks.

http://www.crossfireforum.org

 

no problem! glad I could help.

I actually have 2 friends that fought tickets by mail. They end up not having to pay anything. I have another friend that just kept appealing the ticket by mail to buy time. I think he did that about 3 times till he finally went into court and the ticket was dismissed.

If anything always at least go to court for a ticket. The tickets are usually always reduced. If you get a really nice judge he might just dismiss it right away.

One time I got a speeding ticket (doing 35 in a 35mph zone, but 25 during school hours). I didn't realize it was a school, it was actually the back side and class was in session so there were no kids. Then that same week I got a $500 fix it. This is another incident were the cop came running through red lights just to get me. While I was going the speed limit and obeying all laws. He hit me for a CARB legal Weapon R intake, "modified lights" (they aren't modified I bought them that way), car ride height, and head light lamp height (which is the same as car ride height), plus I had to go see the State referee. The car passed the referee smog.

I was very lucky and got a nice judge. He called up my case and read off everything. He said "what did you do to **** off the cops"? Everyone started laughing. I did't kow how to respond and ended up saying "I guess they just really like my car". He ended up dismissing the speeding ticket and just charging me $10 for the fix it.


Later on that same year the same cop gets me 2 more times. Thanks to him I know how to get to the local traffic court by heart and learned to carry a recorder.

 

I was in law enforcemnet for eight years and did have DUI detection classes. Just drifting in the lane without crossing a line is a sign to stop you...the biggy is driving with no lights...guess the auto lights in the G help that!! Hell I've seen the police here stop bicycles for no reflectors just to run the subject for wants and give him a ticket...Pingo

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by pingo on 01/10/04 07:44 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

Yeah I was doing 57 in a 55 in my old car -a Civic- (on no *2*mph over!). I cross into a 40 zone that was poorly marked and RIGHT where the sign says 40mph a cop is sitting there with laser and tickets me for 57 in a 40 (nevermind the fact EVERYONE was going the same speed...but yeah that never matters does it).

You'd think traffic cops have better things to do..but my point is since they like to do shady stuff like this...this is why I vow to fight every legimate ticket I get. F traffic cops. Besides they're only doing it for revenue for the city, and not for unsafe drivers. (maybe they could have ticketed the bit--- err...woman on her cell phone that ran the red causing me to nail her doing 50 and almost kill my g/f and I. Oh well at least I get a G35 out of it).

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