When a cop pulls you over, what you do and say in the next few minutes may well determine whether you get pounded with a ticket for the maximum fee or skate like a celebrity. It’s not so much about being able to talk your way out of a ticket — because let’s face it, the cop has probably decided your fate before he asks for your license — but avoiding digging yourself any deeper.
MarketWatch doles out some advice on what not to say to a traffic cop who’s pulled you over.
The instructions are simple:
*Don’t lie. — You know what you did wrong. There’s no need to sandbag when a policeman asks you how fast you were going. Insist you were doing nothing wrong and you risk implying you were pulled over for no reason.
*Don’t argue. — The cop isn’t looking for a debate. If you want to fight a possible ticket, save your argument for the judge.
If you have any tips on how to get out of tickets, please share them.
What not to say when pulled over by a cop [MarketWatch]
More From Consumerist
-
Congressman: Maybe The Government Shouldn’t Propose New Internet Regulations For 2 Years
-
Would-Be Soda Thief Gets Arm Stuck In Machine, Freed By Firefighters
-
Maybe He Isn’t Answering Your Text Because 30 Million Americans Don’t Own A Cellphone
-
The Samsung Repairman, Like The Great Pumpkin, Never Came On Halloween
-
JCPenney Will Do Anything To Get Shoppers In Its Doors, Including Offer Free Kids' Haircuts
There is a YouTube video from a lawyer and former policeman that convinced me you should also not admit to the police any possible infraction, since your admission will be used against you, should you decide to fight the ticket. So if they ask “do you know how fast you were going?” you should not comment. You have the right to remain silent and I think you can do so without offending them or bringing into question their judgment.
i feel that if there’s not 0 % crime, then they have other important things to do.
a cop giving tickets for speeders, is one less patrolling the streets
they say that speeding kills, but fatalities occur regardless if there was an officer on the highway (if there was an accident and there was cop on the highway, should they get fired for not doing their job and keeping ppl safe, even if there was a single accident ?)
if the govt really wanted ppl to obey speed limit, why does the avg car go more than 2x the limit ? (shouldn’t it be illegal)
nascar drivers go 100+mph, and they don’t get into accidents (unless distance b/w vehicles are almost touching)
with my experiences with officers, they weren’t there when my house was burglurized, yet were conveniently there 2x when i has going slightly over the limit, pinched 11 and 12 mph, clear roads, clear skies……..saw my perfect record, raped it, then treated it like a business transaction …… i love NYS
I’ve always gotten out of tickets by being completely honest with the cop.
Going 80 in a 45 mph zone? “Yes, sir, I was pulled over for speeding. I was listening to the radio and got lead foot. The song? Authority Song. Really.” Turned up the radio, the song was just finishing. He laughed, said I made his day and let me off with a warning.
Ran a stop sign? “I’m sorry officer, I was in the middle of a sneezing fit-” I really was “-and blew right through the sign. Do you have a tissue? Oh, here’s my license and registration and insurance.” He asked if I was OK, told me pull over next time, apologized for not having a tissue and let me go.
Honesty is the best policy… Well, that and *trying* not to do something stupid.
Keys on the dash, drivers side windows rolled down, license and registration ready, and hands on or through the steering wheel.
Be polite, follow instructions, answer questions honestly and be civil.
And NEVER make an officer chase you.
I got out of a ticket simply by pulling over before the patrol car rounded the corner – I saw him hit the lights as I went by – 10 miles over the limit. There was a bend in the road and I just pulled over and waited for him. He had to lock up all four wheels to stop in time, and I think he was so amazed that I just stopped and waited that he gave me a warning and sent me on my way.
I just got a ticker this past week for the first time since 1995. Idiot local sherriff wrote me for 65 in a 55. But the hilarious and pathetic part was when he passed me going the opposite way he slammed on his brakes, executed a Dukes of Hazzardesqe 180 turn in front of traffic both behind him and going the opposite direction, speeds up to 80-90mph just to give me a ridiculous joke of a ticket. And they wonder why a large part of their communities don’t give them any respect? That clown might have killed or injured somebody with those antics and then he has the balls to lecture me on speeding!
Have you had hundreds of hours of training on emergency vehicle operations? Chances are based on your comment you would not have “respected” the profession anyway. Be an adult, don’t speed and pay your fine within 30 days or your license will get suspended.
Listen, I have actually had EVOC training but that is beside the point. The 8 other cars in the immediate vicinity of this fool DO NOT HAVE that training and that ridiculous manuever could have easily led to a serious accident. I was not driving recklessly, I was not a felon evading, there was simply no reason for that sort of reaction from that cowboy. Further I am regularly on the highway with these same cops that are also cruising along at 65+mph, and that is why cops get such little respect.
I had just completed chemotherapy so I was 100% hairless. Just started radiation therapy so i had these tattoos on my chest and permanent marker. I was driving my friends new used car up to Maine when we were pulled over. The officer wanted me to get out of my car and walk to his in the pouring rain. The officer took a glance at me my license and asked me about my tattoos for radiation. I told him the truth. Officer gave me back my license and gave me a warning.
Now I am sure it helped that it was raining, I was hairless, red chested from the radiation, and the tattoos. But I feel honesty helps. Although a little sympathy does not hurt.
Humor can work. IF you’re funny. A friend was driving me home one night, she had a busted tail light. We’re both over 30. Cop pulls us over, she rolls down the window and I say from the passenger seat “Officer, I swear to god I thought she was over 18!” He laughs, lets us off with warning.
Other than that, make no excuses. If you’re right, fight it in court.
Follow the tips here- and challenge the ticket. Don’t even hire a lawyer. Just challenge the ticket, get a court date. Costs you nothing; Officer who issued the ticket has to show up, or it gets thrown out of court. The officer would have to take the day off work to come and face your contest of the ticket, and people don’t like getting unpaid time off. Challenged tickets are usually safe way off.
This is based off Ontario Traffic laws, though. I may be wrong.
In MA the cop does NOT have to show up. The dept sends a rep for all the cases that day and the court magistrate treats that person like the cop.
In some states the ticket itself is classified as a witness against you, so it’s not going to work unless there are glaring errors like wrong make or color.
As for the cop not showing up, my father used to be a cop and at least here, he got overtime for testifying in court.
Here’s a novel approach: Obey the laws.
Now why didn’t we think of that before?
Obey archaic and arbitrary laws? I don’t think so.
Anybody who thinks that traffic safety laws are archaic and outdated doesn’t deserve to have a license. Period. Sure, they’re (ab)used for revenue in some places, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t needed.
My brother pretends he has diorrhea. It works every single time.
Call him sir, don’t argue, don’t offer any extra information but agree with whatever he says.
From the linked article:
“Don’t lie, either. Cops are trained to note the human characteristics of lying, including twitching and looking to the left, and they know the right questions to ask to suss out the truth. “
Um, not to be picky, but is you are sitting in the driver’s seat and the cop is talking to you through the rolled-down window, wouldn’t you HAVE to be “looking to the left” in order to have a polite conversation?
Last time I was pulled over on a busy main road I pulled onto a side street to stop. The cop asked me what business I had on the side street and I told him I didn’t want him to have to get out on the busy street.
He thanked me and didn’t give me a ticket even though he REALLY should have.
Being considerate helps too.
Your action/behavior prior to speaking to an officer in a traffic stop is just as, if not more important than, anything you say when you see the cop’s lights flash in your rear view mirror.
1. Pull over as soon as possible in safe area. Make sure to use your turn signals to let the officer know where you are headed.
2. Once you are stopped, put it park and take your foot off of the gas. No brake lights, lets the officer know that that the car is no longer in gear and that you aren’t waiting to take off as soon as he steps out of his vehicle.
3. Turn on your flashers/emergency lights.
4. Turn on your interior light, even if it’s the middle of the day. It may help the officer see inside your vehicle if your windows are tinted.
5. Roll down all of your windows, especially the rear ones (if you have automatic windows). Again, this helps the officer assess what/who is in the vehicle as he approaches on foot.
6. Turn your stereo off.
7. Turn off your engine.
8. If you are wearing sunglasses, take them off. More than anything, this is a sign of respect for anyone you having a conversation with (regardless if they are an officer).
7. Keep your hands on the wheel at 10 and 2 o’clock so he can see them as he approaches.
8. If you have a Concealed Handgun/Weapon License, inform the officer immediately after he requests to see your license/insurance/registration, even if you are not carrying a weapon. Not all states require you to inform the officer that you have a license if you are not carrying a weapon, but they will find out after they run your driver’s license (or maybe even your license plate), and you don’t want to make them feel like you are keeping anything back.
Clearly tell the officer about any movements you take inside the vehicle BEFORE you make them. If they ask for your insurance/registration, tell them where they are located and then slowly retrieve them. This is especially true when reaching for your wallet/drivers license that may be in your jacket or in your back pocket.
These simple steps help put the officer at ease and keep you safe if he is on edge about anything which may make your verbal personal defense strategy more effective.
I have followed these steps and have gotten many more warnings than tickets.
I got pulled over in my community for an expired tag. I got out of it because my 10 year old freaked out in the backseat and the cop became more concerned about his reaction than my expired tag.
He ended up giving my sons stickers that looked like badges and needless to say, I got my tag renewed as quickly as possible. Of course, it wasn’t as simple as paying $25 for an annual tag. The “check engine” light was on which is an automatic fail at the emissions testing center (required for tag renewal). $400 later and two new oxygen sensors……….I got my tag.
But the cop was nice enough to give me the second chance.
I’m a police officer in a major metropolitian area. For me personally, and for most officers (unless they’re traffic cops; traffic cops MUST write tickets, so they’re going to write you probably no matter what. The difference is, if you follow these rules, you’ll probably get by with a minor ticket instead of a major one), the following guidelines will more than likely keep you ticket free:
1. BE POLITE!!!!!!!!! Greeting your officer with “Why the bleepitybleepityblank did you pull me over??” is probably not going to make your experience very nice.
2. Have all your paperwork in your car (driver’s license, registration, proof of insurance if required).
3. When the officer inquires if you know why you were pulled over, be honest! I look for just 3 things on a traffic stop: Proper paperwork, a polite person, and a person who says “I know what I did wrong, I’m really sorry, it’s because…..” Admit to me you were wrong and apologize, and unless you just did something really dangerous, you’re going to drive away clean.
Lots of great advice in this article. Arguing is for court, not for on the street. Feel free to politely voice disagreement or ask for clarifications about the situation one time, but then let it drop. Admitting what you did wrong just shows that you don’t think you’re “too good” to follow traffic laws, it isn’t (and can’t legally be) held against you in court.
Oh yeah….Crying almost never works.
1 – Actually I don’t HAVE to write tickets… but if someone is doing 55 in a 30 and I give them a warning, I’d best have a good reason…
2 – No, I don’t have a quota. First off, quotas are definitely illegal. And I’ve never had a quota – my chief informed me that I can write as many as I want.
3 – Believe me, swearing at me will tend to ruin YOUR day.
4 – One of the most irritating things you can do during a traffic stop is to sort through 5-10 years of registrations and proof of insurance cards you have stuffed in that mess you call a glove box. And if you do have it in a container/folder, please take it out or I will ask you to. The first and last time I took one inside a container (State Farm gives them away), I found her mad money… a $100 dollar bill. I IMMEDIATELY handed it back to her and asked her to hand me the registration and insurance only.
5 – I don’t do roadside debates. As much as you may disagree with the concept, during a traffic stop or any other matter where I’m the cop, I am in charge by law.
6 – Yeah, we are human too and we do appreciate a funny situation – especially since we see so much that could never be funny.
7 – And crying will NEVER get you anywhere with me – regardless of your gender.
My $0.02 and your mileage may vary…
Don’t lie, but don’t be a fool and let the cop write in his notes “Driver admitted he was going 120 km/h in an 80 km/h zone”. Instead, when they ask you why you were pulled over, respect the authority, but be only as evasive as required to NOT admit you did something wrong.
For me, that meant when I was asked “Do you know how fast you were going?”, I answered “Hmm, I’m not sure, but I’m sure it must not have been right–you must know what it is.” He then said “I followed you doing 125 km/h.” And I said “Wow, that’s too fast”.
You’ve given the cop the attitude he likes, but you’ve also not admitted to doing anything other than not monitoring your speed closely, which isn’t an offense (where I am). You did admit that 125 km/h is too fast (which in the zone I was in it would be) but you didn’t admit *you* did it.
This attitude saved me when I got a ticket for following too close after an accident (my fault). The officer wrote it up for me and asked if how the accident occurred. I claimed I was fooling with my radio. She put that in the notes. She hadn’t witnessed the accident. The crown said that because I never admitted to it, and the officer didn’t witness it, they couldn’t successfully prosecute and they dropped the charges. Perfect! Don’t worry, insurance still raped me, so all you that hate me now can stop licking your chops.
If you were stopped by a cop using radar, don’t argue with him about it during the stop. If you decide to fight the ticket in court you should ask:
1. Was the officer certified to operate radar/laser? Does he have the certification
card with him in court?
2. Is the radar gun licensed with the FCC?
3. Has the radar gun and tuning forks passed its yearly certification?
4. Is there an operator log of the use of the radar gun?
5. Is there a calibration log that each officer must use to log in their calibration
reports at the beginning and at the end of their shift?
6. Does the officer understand “target identification” and the Cosine Angle Effect?
7. Was the officer’s air conditioning fan, radio or other device interfering with your
car while he was targeting your speed?
8. Is the officer aware that that microwave tower, power pole transformer or other
electrical device in the area during your violation could interfere?
9. Was the audio turned on, on the radar gun to identify the Doppler radar and did
that audio signal match the display speed?
Not arguing is a very good idea – save it for court. That’s why the judges make all that money.
This list looks like one I saw on one of the ‘anti-speed limit’ sites. It’s interesting that they forgot to mention a few things:
1 – One of the first things I do when I have a new officer assigned to me is take him or her through my Radar/Lidar class. And I certify them if they pass the written and speed estimation test. And yes, I have my instructor certification.
2- If the radar/lidar gun wasn’t certified by the FCC, it would be illegal to sell it in the US. They’re not licensed – they are certified. Usually under Part 15. And almost all units are certified by the IACP labs – and must be if they are purchased with Federal grant funds. A state government can also certify units.
3 – The radar/lidar guns only need an initial certification. The tuning forks are tested once per year. Both of these are usually done by the state. Also, the units have a test mode that is performed when the calibration is verified (see below).
4 – Operator logs are also our duty logs. Each officer will document when he/she verifies the calibration of their unit. Radar – when going on shift and after EVERY traffic stop. Lidar – at the beginning and end of shift, since you need to stand at a fixed spot and illuminate a known object at a known and measured distance.
5 – See #4.
6 – They had better or they don’t pass the class. Number one is ‘If there is ANY doubt, do not cite them’. Also, the Error of Cosine ALWAYS works in the driver’s favor. Example: If I clock you at around 26 MPH (actually 25.98) at a 30 degree angle from the beam, you were actually going 30. Under 10 degrees, the error is negligible (less than 1/2 MPH). Target ID is actually easy. Speed enforcement officers must be able to visually estimate the speed of an oncoming vehicle to within an average of +/- 3 MPH. THAT is the probable cause for lighting up the radar. My officers must pass a documented exam doing exactly that – stationary AND moving. Those exam sheets go to the court.
7 and 8 – Yes, vehicle and external electronics can interfere with the reading. Units now are shielded and filtered to reject almost all spurious signals. But it does rarely happen. And I’ve measured rain at 41 MPH – snow at 27. Not too much interferes with 10.525, 24.150 or 33.4 to 36 gigahertz (X, K and Ka radar bands). Lidar is different (pulse detection and ranging versus Doppler used by radar).
9 – All our officers are trained to have the audio ON and to listen to the output. They have to state that in their report, or the ticket gets tossed.
In addition, one of my favorites is the ‘engineering study’ that ‘requires’ the speed limit be set at the 80th percentile of the speed measurement of all traffic traversing the target road during a given time period. Sounds good – but here in my state, it is specifically permitted by state statute for any municipality to set the speed limits in their jurisdiction to whatever they deem proper.
I just find that it is a lot easier and quicker not to speed, drink and drive, use my cellphone when driving, etc. You’ll find that when using these tactics, you won’t get tickets nor will you waste 15-30 minutes that can be used more effectively elsewhere.
Works 100% of the time. Try it sometime!
If you’re willing to invest some time and effort, getting a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) can help you get out of most tickets….especially if you’re wiling to lie about your job.
My mom has been a school bus driver for 26 years, which requires a CDL (at least in Georgia). She has been pulled over for traffic violations (speeding, taillight/headlight out, running a red light, rolling thru a STOP sign, illegal lane change and other ‘minor infractions’) at least 8 times in the last 15 years. She has NEVER been issued a ticket. As soon as they see the CDL, they usually ask her why she has one. She tells them she’s a bus driver and most of them let her go at that point with a verbal warning. If they don’t let it go at that point, she asks them to please let her go with a warning because she could lose her job if she gets a ticket. It always works….
I finally got my CDL about five years ago (although I’ve never driven anything larger than an SUV and have no plans to do so). I’ve lied a few times by saying that I’m a bus driver, but my conscience can handle that better than the price of a ticket PLUS the residual increased insurance premiums for three to five years!!!
I always show my chest, but since I’m guy that usually just gets me tased.
OK, good story opportunity.
So I was 17, already a half-hour past curfew, and booking it home from my girlfriends (she lived about an hour away at the time). I was halfway home, at about 12:30 in the morning, when I hit this nice long straightaway that goes on for a few miles. So I decide to go a bit quicker, and then a bit quicker. I end up barreling down the roads at speeds roughly double the posted speed limit, with my little Corolla shaking and rattling as a sign that perhaps I was going too fast. So then, some jerk in a white SUV pulls out in front of me, doing the speed limit. He’s probably a quarter-mile off, but I’m coming up on him quick, so I pop out in to the fast lane, and then glance over. Yeah, there’s a giant Sheriff’s shield on the door. I slowed down and started to pull over before he even put his lights on.
Anyway, being 17 and never having been pulled over before, I start to freak out. “What do I need?” I ask myself. “License and registration!” So I get out my license… and then the cops see me reach into the glove box and grab *something* (my registration). Apparently they presume it’s something unsavory, which TBH I would too, given the gun ownership rate, time of day, and speed I was going. They approached my car from the passenger side, both of them with weapons unclipped, the one in back with his hand already on his service pistol. They opened my door and shined a light in my eyes… and saw a scared, tired 17-year-old. I think they were so relieved I wasn’t some crazy hick with a drug problem to hide that they decided to give me a warning and tell me that I should slow down, or I was liable to hit a deer.
And that’s how I got out of my first ticket: by scaring the cops. Definitely not recommended, BTW.
Keep in mind that, after the ticket is issued, cops make notes of what you said so it can be used in court if it comes to that. So if you think you might be fighting the ticket, do not admit to having gone above the speed limit or having done whatever else you’re being ticketed for. Let’s say you’re pulled over for doing 80 in a 55 zone. When asked “do you know how fast you were going?”, your first instinct is to compromise with the cop and say something like “Maybe 60, 63.” You’re hoping that if you admit to going a little fast, the cop will compromise and let you off. But if you say that, you’ve just admitted to speeding, and now it’s only a question of how much you were speeding. There’s no way you’ll win that in court.
One time i got pulled over for a burned out head light. It had JUST gone out while i was on the TP and he pulled me over half a mile after i got off. Even tho i had one in the glove box he still gave me the ticket. Since i still had a few miles until i was out of NJ i stopped and replaced it, then he pulled up and asked me to jump some ladies car. What a dick.
The best advice I can give anyone to get out of tickets is not to be a resident of Detroit, MI or anywhere in southeast Michigan.
If you are pulled over, you WILL get ticketed.
http://detnews.com/article/20081118/METRO/811180402/Cops–jobs-tied-to-ticket-totals#ixzz0zzcmjl5N
This article from Car and Driver is the best I have ever seen on the topic: I believe it has saved me at least 2 speeding tickets:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/08q2/busted!_what_should_i_do_now_-feature
There is a line not to cross but one that needs to be walked to if you want to get out of a ticket
Simply admitting guilt and not saying anything else rarely will get you out of a ticket
Striking up a small conversation is always best….but be careful not to say TOO much as it can be obvious what you are doing
NEVER tell a cop what speed you were doing when he/she asks “Know what speed you were doing?”. They’re waiting for your admission of guilt.
DON’T TALK TO POLICE! FULL STOP.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/6wXkI4t7nuc
Be polite but why admit to anything?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik
Good video on why you should not talk to cops.
In most cases tickets are not a real safety issue. They’re revenue generators and essentially a tax. I just don’t believe when I’m told that cops are not required to meet a quota.
When the cop gives you your court date, call the court and ask for a different date. I was lucky twice (10 over speed limit) getting a different date where the cop didn’t show up (because it wasn’t worth to just show up for me?) I still had to pay court fees, but no fines, points or anything.
And the other two times I went to court and the cop was there. First time driving school, second time fine was lowered to one over limit… but again, they always get me for 10 over the limit.
Ok. I am a police officer. Here is how to get out of a ticket.
1. Do not commit traffic violations
2. If you do get pulled over, do not argue with the officer. We are WAY too busy to trump up traffic charges. There is zero incentive at all to randomly pull you over and accuse you of a traffic violation. Many drivers are NOT informed on traffic laws and may not know that they have committed a violation, nor know that what they have been doing since they started driving is a violation. A great example of this is turning right on red. That IS running a red light, there is no distinction. Officers attend formal training to learn to use equipment such as LASER and RADAR and are trained on the minutia of traffic laws.
3. ALWAYS FOLLOW ANY AND ALL DIRECTIONS FROM THE OFFICER WHEN THEY APPROACH YOUR CAR. Traffic stops are THE most deadly situation that the police face. If he tells you to roll down your back window, keep your hands visible etc…just do it.
4. Do not interrupt the officer. Many of us have a planned scripted approach to when we pull you over. This prevents problems down the road in traffic court because I know exactly what I said if I say it every time. I say “I am officer X from the X Police Department. The reason why I pulled you over is because you failed to come to a complete stop at the stop sign at the intersection of X Ave and Y St. Do you have a lawful reason for not coming to a complete stop?” The very next words out of your mouth will often determine whether or not there will be a ticket at all, or a ticket for a lesser (less expensive) offense. Remember, there is no incentive whatsoever for an officer to pull you over and trump up traffic charges. You ran the stop sign, deal with it. None of us is perfect. I have received a ticket for the same offense several years ago and I paid the ticket. It is very irritating to have someone call into question your integrity (which is how I look at it) when they tell you that what you just observed did not occur. Just take responsibility.
That is the second best way to get out of a ticket, after not committing the violation in the first place.
All this BS about flexing your rights and all that…good luck with that because you are going to have a very expensive and time consuming ticket(s) on your hands. It is a traffic violation and the officer is doing his or her job. There is nothing that the public complains about more than what they perceive as lax traffic enforcement (that is until they are the one who is stopped).
Remember, the goal of traffic enforcement is to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities. If that can be accomplished through verbal warnings that result in voluntary compliance with traffic laws that is great…those people get warnings. The ones who have a bad attitude, accuse the officer of making up the violation or who are otherwise not able to convince the officer that they intend to follow traffic laws will be issued financial incentive to improve their driving through a traffic citation.
Drive safe.
There’s a lot of bad advice on here. Here’s some good advice: being honest does not mean that you should admit that you committed some offense. If you get a real asshole cop, that can be used against you as a confession of guilt. I guess there’s an off chance that admitting guilt to an officer would get you out of a ticket, but I wouldn’t count on it. In most cases around here, the cops practically have the ticket half written before they even get to your window.
Last time I was pulled over for speeding I was asked why I was going so fast. My reply – stupidity? The cop laughed and let me go with a warning.
If you accept that you did something wrong, there’s no way you can fight the ticket in court. Don’t argue, but tell him that you didn’t know how fast you were going.
As was said above, politeness is very important. My brother (who isn’t the brightest bulb in the box) lives in a private condo community across the street from a junior high school (this is in the L.A. area). One day, he was pulling into his parking lot and saw a cop sitting in the parking lot while the junior h.s. was letting out. My brother, being the anti-cop guy that he is, says to me “This is private property, he can’t be here! I’m going to say something.” He was seriously pissed. So he pulls up to the cop and says, real snotty, “This is private property and as a resident, I want to know why you are on private property.” (I’m looking for a hole to crawl in to…..) The cop points over his shoulder to a sign that says “Traffic laws enforced” and says “See that sign? That sign says that the owner has given me the legal right to be on this property to enforce the traffic laws.” That happened exactly one year ago this past Friday. Since then, he has gotten three tickets in his direct neighborhood. He calls me up, whining about it. I just laugh at him. It’s one those “I told you don’t mess with the cops Billy!” situations.
If your breaking the law, you are breaking the law. That right there is admission to your own guilt.
I will respond to a cop, as they act towards me. I am not scared of any cop, i do not give respect or show respect unless its given to me as well. I have many times, reminded them that they are a “Public servant”..” that i am the public”.. that they should remember that.. it’s my money that feeds & houses their families.
“MarketWatch doles out some advice on what not to say to a traffic cop who’s pulled you over.”
My first choice would actually be:
“What’s the matter, officer? Dunkin Donuts closed today?”
I actually broke this advice, but I didn’t get ticketed. The officer stopped me for “running a red light” and it was likely one of those borderline yellow lights that turned red right as I was entering. Now I wasn’t doing it because I was trying to speed through it. I was close enough to the intersection when it went yellow (Baltimore has short yellow lights) that even if I stomped the brakes, I still would have been partway into the intersection and blocking traffic.
So when the officer told me that I had run the red light, without even thinking about it I said “I did not think I could stop safely in time.” Otherwise I was my very polite self. I got a written warning and was informed by the officer that he keeps track of these so I had better be on good behavior.
Please, there is no talking your way out of a stop today with the small towns trying to fill budgets. I was stopped in a hilly area of a highway Sunday. 12 over. I knew I had my cruise set at 65 and told him so. He was taken aback when he saw that my inspection was current (he wrongly thought it expired). I had also renewed my plates and license. I guess I was lucky on those. But 72 in a 60 on the highway in the middle of nowhere is a bit sad. No one was on the road at all. Nobody. I never saw the guy anywhere until I saw him doing 90+ to catch us. Yes 90 as if I was doing 65 he would have to exceed the hell out of the limit to catch up that fast from a stop.
Alas its the end of the month no chance of a warning and the town is a sad small bump in the road. I seriously have little respect for the officers in these areas. Too many run ins with ‘revenuers’. Should I bring up the wife’s ticket for speeding in a school zone in July? Yes no school in session and she was inside the zone and had no idea the lights were flashing. Officer enforcement knew though he nailed her for 45 (the limit) in a 25 (when flashing). Judge laughed and said she should watch it over there they look for reasons to ticket!
Once I was obviously speeding, at 3AM, in a small college town. The officer said “Do you know how fast you were going!” I said “No”. I got off with a stern lecture, because he didn’t have his radar turned on.
It’s true about the police sometimes being scared. Once I got pulled over, a few days after a local officer was shot and killed. I had to get my wallet out of my briefcase, in the back of my van. While I was getting my wallet, the officer was visibly nervous. It really creeped me out.
“When those headlights go on, it’s best to pull the car to the right, stay in the car, turn the interior lights on if it’s dark and put your hands on the steering wheel.
Don’t make any quick movements, and don’t turn to grab your purse or put your hands in your pocket or under your seat to retrieve your license — until the officer instructs you to. Then, do it slowly.
Don’t move to open the glove box either, until directed. And do that slowly, too. Let the police shine a light inside the box before you reach in. Many criminals hide guns in glove boxes. “
Yes, because many criminals hide guns in glove boxes, EVERYONE must act like a criminal with a gun in the glove box.
Only been pulled over 3 times in my life (2 speeding, 1 rolling stop) and have used the exact same line every time: “Sorry officer, I had my head up my ass.”
I have always kept the hands on the wheel, moved slowly and told the officer my insurance card and registration are in the glove box and offer him to shine the light in so he can see what I’m doing. I work at a university that turns out lots of police officers, so I know a lot of them, and they react well to politeness and honesty, and their B.S. meters work. Very well.
Another couple of tips:
If you have tint on your windows, lower ALL windows (weather permitting). If the officer has a clear view into your car, his threat level drops dramatically.
If you’re a smoker, put out your cigarette, but do NOT throw the butt out the window.
Hands at 10 & 2, engine off, keys on the dash, hazards on and DON’T MOVE until you’re told to do so.
Doing those things have helped me during the ‘Side of the Road Disco Light Show’ many times. One cop asked why I had all my windows open in sheeting rain, to which I replied: “My windows are tinted, and if I were in your shoes, I’d be nervous walking up to a car I couldn’t see into.” That alone got me off the ticket.
Purchase a driver’s ed car with two steering wheels. Always drive with a passenger in the other seat. If you ever get pulled over for speeding, each of you say to the officer that the other was driving. It is impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that either of you was operating the vehicle.
Anything you say can be used AGAINST you.
There’s nothing in there that says they may use something you say for your benefit…your words are meant to be used against you and only against you.
Always be on guard when talking to a cop…they have quotas to meet and donuts to eat.
I’ve found that pulling myself over after i blow by a cop is a courteous touch that the pigs appreciates. been pulled over probably 50 times in my life and have only received 10-15 tickets.
“i beleive I was driving at a speed and in a manner that was safe for the conditions of the road.”
That is the only response to “do you know how fast you were going?” Maybe you look like a smart ass, but it does not build his case against you.
#1 Pull over right away in a safe place; don’t make the cop follow you 200 yards but also don’t stop on a dangerous curve or on blocking traffic.
#2 Get all of your documentation out and ready for the officer.
#3 Roll down the window before he gets there so he can easily smell inside the car. You have nothing to hide so make eye contact, and talk directly to him so he can smell your breath.
#4 Keep your hands in sight; up on the wheel or out the window is good, particularly at night. Sets their mind at ease and they are more likely to feel relaxed.
#5 Be pleasant, smile, act mature.
#6 If invited back to the cruiser, keep an eye out for paperwork or computers laying around and try to work in your amazement at how much paper work they have. The following line has gotten me out of at least 2 tickets that I know of: “Man, my buddy is a cop with and he says that 75% of his time is filled with filling out forms and shuffling paperwork… is that really true???”