Thursday, February 24, 2011

How To Get Out of Traffic Tickets

In my previous post, I wrote how you should not speak with the police in any circumstances. I don’t believe this applies to getting pulled over for a traffic violation. If you do get pulled over, and you don’t want to pay an often ludicrous fine, you should take one of two courses:

1. If you have a “get out of jail free card” from a police officer:

As soon as the cop comes up to your window, have your card, license and proof of insurance with your internal and external car lights on if it’s at night. Immediately admit guilt, say that your brother/father/uncle/cousin is an officer at [this precinct] and if they cut you a break, you’ll stop doing whatever it is you did when you got pulled over. Example of what to say below:

“Hi officer. Look, I know I was driving too fast, my brother is a cop at the two-six in Lincolnville. If you cut me a break, I’ll drive much slower.”

I have first hand experience with this and it will work on real police.

2. If you don’t have a get out of jail free card.

As soon as the cop comes up to your window, have your card, license and proof of insurance with your internal and external car lights on if it’s at night. The cop will ask if you know what you were doing wrong, say “no,” otherwise you’re admitting fault. If he says that you were speeding/didn’t use a turn signal/made a right on red in a no-right-on-red zone, ran a red light, etc. say “I understand, any chance you can cut me a break,” before the cop goes back to his car. Ask and you may receive.

If you get a ticket, check it for clerical errors, as these may get out off. If there aren’t any, go to court, plead not guilty, and get a continuance to your trial. They might not tell the cop and he might not show up. Before the trial if the cop is there, ask the officer to waive the ticket, and he might do so. If you have to go to trial, arrive in a suit/tie, look presentable, plead “Not Guilty” and bring with you pictures, diagrams, questions to ask the cop that might help exonerate you. Was it light out? Was there anyone else in the car? Where exactly did you pull me over? If they used a radar gun, when was it calibrated, do they have the proper certification to use it? Go online for more questions like these.

True Bosses don’t roll over and die when faced with a challenge. Fighting a traffic ticket is a challenge. Fight that ticket and win!
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14 comments:

  1. Thanks for the advice! In the UK its abit more tricky as the police rarely pull you over... Normally you get a ticket through the post with a fine on it! Thumbs up!

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  2. Hey-zeus, is that true? No wonder people in the states call Britain a police state.

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  3. i once got out of a parking fine by writing a polite letter the explained that i was busy eating watermellon, true story ;)

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  4. Yeah, I'm glad I have a "get out of jail free card" as you put it. But those do sometimes backfire if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time...

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  5. Usually I have been honest with cops and they let me go. The last time I got pulled over for speeding, I was on my way home from college. I had my car packed with stuff and in a rush. The cop pretty much took one look, asked where I went to school, told him and he said they didn't pretty good in basketball this year. He just let me go.

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  6. Well, my time is more valuable than that! I'd rather pay the ticket and get on with it.

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  7. Good post but yeah, in the UK you can't really negotiate with the system!

    Unrelated Randomness

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  8. I always fight my tickets. I was hit with a rolling stop. Fought that in court for an hour. Lost anyway because they had video but the Judge told me he was very impressed.

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  9. Yeah! Fuck da police! Like a boss! haha and talking to a police officer actually does help, i've gotten out of troube when I calmly speak to them and explain the situation, though when that doesn't work you can almost count on the fact that they will somehow fuck up the ticket or they did the procedure wrong

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  10. ha, good tips. i have a court date coming up soon though :(
    looks like i'll have to try out option 2 and see how it goes...

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