Stupid Cops
Site Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,374
Likes: 28
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Just pay it and be done with it. This particular officer may have been a jerk, but there is nothing you can do about it except accelerate more slowly next time, just in case he's still around.
Last edited by jasonw; Jul 21, 2011 at 05:25 PM.
Professional
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Downingtown, PA
Well there is a possibility that he pulled you over to make sure your trailer wasnt overloaded especially a 30 ft with stone. Saw big trailer lots of smoke figured he might me able to make a big dent in his quota. Probable cause was the smoke but he most likely was looking at the trailer hard. Just a theory. Im apologize if someone already stated something similiar. I would read all 4 pages if I were on my computer If I were you I would fight it.
Champion
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 3
From: Cape Carteret NC
I don't know how things operate elsewhere in the country, but around here I could tell you countless stories of how the county and state do business:
If you are to be found NOT in any violation, you won't have to pay a penny- and you will walk away.. and that is the way it should be.. but it isn't..
the way it is, the Judge determines that you will get 'prayer for judgment', which basically is as Hammer described: it goes in court records, and you will NOT be prosecuted or fined, but if it happens again within a specified time, yuo get charged with both. It can get dropped for a lessor charge, OR, it can get dropped provided you PAY court fees.. At this point, it should be painfully obvious that they are after the $$ and not trying to right a wrong..
A guy who works for me got a ticket for the bumper of his car being in an intersection after the light turned red.. He was at fault, no doubt about it.. The circumstances, though, was that he was directly behind a semi w/trailer, and couldn't SEE the light at all, and was cuing off the truck as to whether the light was red/green.. This was morning traffic rush going into the main gate of the base.. There was no pardon, but the charges were dropped provided he pay the $140 in court costs.. The fine was but $10.. big whoop- he saved $10 by fighting it.
Another: Vertical mounting of license plates on motorcycles is apparently illegal in the city of Jacksonville, NC.. If it is illegal elsewhere it is never mentioned- but you will get a ticket quick like if yours isn't mounted horizontal while traversing through this floggin' particular city.. fine? $10.. Court fee's? $140.. How do you get out of it? Take a picture of your plate mounted horizontal and show it to the judge.. I've known of one person who fought this, and the law was pointed out: any attempt to try to deface a license plate will result in citation, or something to that effect.. Nobody can explain why mounting vertical is defacing.. but they really want that $140.. I knew another guy who took a picture of one of the area's highway patrol motorcycles, which was a BMW, which had a vertical mounted plate.. The judge said, in effect "don't worry about others, worry about yours.. and yours was mounted improperly in an effort to deface, was it not?.. You pay $140+ the $10 fine"..
Again, I can't speak for the way things are done in your local, but I wager it is much the same.. if you fight it, the charges will be reduced but you will still be liable for the court costs, which is what they are after anyway..
when I went to court with the guy who works for me, the officer wasn't present.. the floggin' judge sent for him and continued the case until later in the afternoon.. we sat there counting cases until 'his' cop showed up.. there were something like 40 cases heard.. each netting $140.. you do the math.. it's a helluva racket.. furthermore, without the cop present, the case would have been dismissed.. if my buddy, on the other hand, were to have not been there, do you think the judge would have 'sent' for him? Nope.. but he would have issued a Failure to Appear in a heartbeat, which could result in a bench warrant.. which means more $$ for them..
If you fight it, you better have cash on hand with you, because you're going to pay SOMETHING, you can bet.
If you are to be found NOT in any violation, you won't have to pay a penny- and you will walk away.. and that is the way it should be.. but it isn't..
the way it is, the Judge determines that you will get 'prayer for judgment', which basically is as Hammer described: it goes in court records, and you will NOT be prosecuted or fined, but if it happens again within a specified time, yuo get charged with both. It can get dropped for a lessor charge, OR, it can get dropped provided you PAY court fees.. At this point, it should be painfully obvious that they are after the $$ and not trying to right a wrong..
A guy who works for me got a ticket for the bumper of his car being in an intersection after the light turned red.. He was at fault, no doubt about it.. The circumstances, though, was that he was directly behind a semi w/trailer, and couldn't SEE the light at all, and was cuing off the truck as to whether the light was red/green.. This was morning traffic rush going into the main gate of the base.. There was no pardon, but the charges were dropped provided he pay the $140 in court costs.. The fine was but $10.. big whoop- he saved $10 by fighting it.
Another: Vertical mounting of license plates on motorcycles is apparently illegal in the city of Jacksonville, NC.. If it is illegal elsewhere it is never mentioned- but you will get a ticket quick like if yours isn't mounted horizontal while traversing through this floggin' particular city.. fine? $10.. Court fee's? $140.. How do you get out of it? Take a picture of your plate mounted horizontal and show it to the judge.. I've known of one person who fought this, and the law was pointed out: any attempt to try to deface a license plate will result in citation, or something to that effect.. Nobody can explain why mounting vertical is defacing.. but they really want that $140.. I knew another guy who took a picture of one of the area's highway patrol motorcycles, which was a BMW, which had a vertical mounted plate.. The judge said, in effect "don't worry about others, worry about yours.. and yours was mounted improperly in an effort to deface, was it not?.. You pay $140+ the $10 fine"..
Again, I can't speak for the way things are done in your local, but I wager it is much the same.. if you fight it, the charges will be reduced but you will still be liable for the court costs, which is what they are after anyway..
when I went to court with the guy who works for me, the officer wasn't present.. the floggin' judge sent for him and continued the case until later in the afternoon.. we sat there counting cases until 'his' cop showed up.. there were something like 40 cases heard.. each netting $140.. you do the math.. it's a helluva racket.. furthermore, without the cop present, the case would have been dismissed.. if my buddy, on the other hand, were to have not been there, do you think the judge would have 'sent' for him? Nope.. but he would have issued a Failure to Appear in a heartbeat, which could result in a bench warrant.. which means more $$ for them..
If you fight it, you better have cash on hand with you, because you're going to pay SOMETHING, you can bet.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,686
Likes: 21
From: South Georgia/East Florida
when I went to court with the guy who works for me, the officer wasn't present.. the floggin' judge sent for him and continued the case until later in the afternoon.. we sat there counting cases until 'his' cop showed up.. there were something like 40 cases heard.. each netting $140.. you do the math.. it's a helluva racket.. furthermore, without the cop present, the case would have been dismissed.. if my buddy, on the other hand, were to have not been there, do you think the judge would have 'sent' for him? Nope.. but he would have issued a Failure to Appear in a heartbeat, which could result in a bench warrant.. which means more $$ for them..
If you fight it, you better have cash on hand with you, because you're going to pay SOMETHING, you can bet.
If you fight it, you better have cash on hand with you, because you're going to pay SOMETHING, you can bet.
Again in my state, you cannot be charged anything if you are found innocent, BUT what most people don't understand is there are a LOT more rulings a judge can make besides just "innocent" or "guilty" and you don't have to be found guilty to have to pay the court...
Last edited by HammerZ71; Jul 22, 2011 at 10:29 AM.
Legend
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8,663
Likes: 8
From: Central Oklahoma
Next time a cop pulls you over for something stupid, wait until he walks up to the car and pretend you have a hearing problem. When he leans forward, punch him really hard in the face and then drive off.
Use caution with motorcycle cops as catching the edges of the with one's knuckles hurts like hell.
Use caution with motorcycle cops as catching the edges of the with one's knuckles hurts like hell.
Professional
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Downingtown, PA
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Were you blowing smoke like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYaU1v1VIAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYaU1v1VIAc
WOW.
What a waste.
Do people really need that much attention?