Be courteous to the judge
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I'm pretty sure they both have a chauffeur/bodyguard, so you wouldn't find either of them in traffic court.
~ Chance
Who's Malanie and Donald?
I thought Donald married Daisey? Mickey said so anyway, but what does he know he's a mouse....
I thought Donald married Daisey? Mickey said so anyway, but what does he know he's a mouse....
Well, I went to the court ordered Defensive Driving class yesterday. There's a flashlight moral in the story.
The website said 9:00. It started at 8. I arrived at 8:30. The class was full of the same type of people who'd been in the courtroom that day in August. Again I thought I was inside a real life episode of the Jerry Springer show. They were pissed off that I only had to be there 7-1/2 hours and they had to stay for 8. I looked at the most vocal young punk with a glare and said "what!?!"... he calmed down quickly. Maybe it was the Elzetta t-shirt with a gray American flag on the sleeve and the Punisher ball cap?
Anyway, one person stood out. This lady who was drunk from the night before, wearing a sling for her arm and announced she has pnuemonia so she may cough a lot, but "was not contagious"... The crowd was not pleased to hear that and made it known. The lady had parked in a handicap spot with no credentials and was asked to move her vehicle. After about 15 minutes someone asked what happened to the sick lady. Another said "she's outside laying on the ground"... about that time an ambulance arrived and rescue folks attended to her. Soon after that she came back inside with 2 head wounds bleeding. The crowd was really upset now as she coughed constantly....
The instructor gave her a "completion certificate" and got her outta there pronto. He was given a standing ovation as the lady left.
The instructor did his best to make the crowd understand that driving safely is a good thing. He kept hearing smart alick youngsters retort about how seatbelts are stupid, driving the speed limit is boring and the cops are out to get them for bonus money in their paychecks.
The instructor on a number of occasions mentioned bright lights in rain, or fog is a bad idea and why. At one point he said "if you don't believe me try it with a flashlight sometime" and whips out his 'as seen on tv' number. He said "next time it's raining take your flashlight outside and turn it on high, then low and see which setting allows you to see better"....
I smiled inside thinking "this non flashaholic gets it, now if only flashlight makers these days knew that".
The website said 9:00. It started at 8. I arrived at 8:30. The class was full of the same type of people who'd been in the courtroom that day in August. Again I thought I was inside a real life episode of the Jerry Springer show. They were pissed off that I only had to be there 7-1/2 hours and they had to stay for 8. I looked at the most vocal young punk with a glare and said "what!?!"... he calmed down quickly. Maybe it was the Elzetta t-shirt with a gray American flag on the sleeve and the Punisher ball cap?
Anyway, one person stood out. This lady who was drunk from the night before, wearing a sling for her arm and announced she has pnuemonia so she may cough a lot, but "was not contagious"... The crowd was not pleased to hear that and made it known. The lady had parked in a handicap spot with no credentials and was asked to move her vehicle. After about 15 minutes someone asked what happened to the sick lady. Another said "she's outside laying on the ground"... about that time an ambulance arrived and rescue folks attended to her. Soon after that she came back inside with 2 head wounds bleeding. The crowd was really upset now as she coughed constantly....
The instructor gave her a "completion certificate" and got her outta there pronto. He was given a standing ovation as the lady left.
The instructor did his best to make the crowd understand that driving safely is a good thing. He kept hearing smart alick youngsters retort about how seatbelts are stupid, driving the speed limit is boring and the cops are out to get them for bonus money in their paychecks.
The instructor on a number of occasions mentioned bright lights in rain, or fog is a bad idea and why. At one point he said "if you don't believe me try it with a flashlight sometime" and whips out his 'as seen on tv' number. He said "next time it's raining take your flashlight outside and turn it on high, then low and see which setting allows you to see better"....
I smiled inside thinking "this non flashaholic gets it, now if only flashlight makers these days knew that".
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moldyoldy
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have gone on 'ride-alongs' with suburban LEOs a few times, usually swing shift - _very_ educational rides. All of the LEOs are now safely retired. The local squad was a Crown Vic with the usual assortment of tools.
One of the stories was that the LEO I was riding with was returning from a Phoenix trip in his relatively new pickup on a Sunday morning. He set the cruise control to about ~5 MPH above the speed limit on I-40 (GPS measured). All was fine until he crossed into Texas and was pulled over by a Texas State Patrol officer, speeding was the offense. very few vehicles were visible on the Interstate. My acquaintance had all the info requested, but evidently he sounded different to the S.P.officer. I do not recall what my LEO acquaintance said was the question asked by the Texas S.P. officer, but my LEO acquaintance commented that he had better things to do on a Sunday morning than to pull over speeders barely above the speed limit. The Texas S.P. officer gave him a long look. My LEO: 'Yes, I am a police officer', and displayed his badge which up to that point was not known. the S.P. officer hesitated, then commented that they were looking for some cross-border trucks and this truck sort of fit a description. The ticket was downgraded to a warning. Evidently NCIC info does not indicate if a vehicle owner is also a LEO.
Moral of the story: answer the questions asked and say nothing else until you better understand the situation.
One of the stories was that the LEO I was riding with was returning from a Phoenix trip in his relatively new pickup on a Sunday morning. He set the cruise control to about ~5 MPH above the speed limit on I-40 (GPS measured). All was fine until he crossed into Texas and was pulled over by a Texas State Patrol officer, speeding was the offense. very few vehicles were visible on the Interstate. My acquaintance had all the info requested, but evidently he sounded different to the S.P.officer. I do not recall what my LEO acquaintance said was the question asked by the Texas S.P. officer, but my LEO acquaintance commented that he had better things to do on a Sunday morning than to pull over speeders barely above the speed limit. The Texas S.P. officer gave him a long look. My LEO: 'Yes, I am a police officer', and displayed his badge which up to that point was not known. the S.P. officer hesitated, then commented that they were looking for some cross-border trucks and this truck sort of fit a description. The ticket was downgraded to a warning. Evidently NCIC info does not indicate if a vehicle owner is also a LEO.
Moral of the story: answer the questions asked and say nothing else until you better understand the situation.
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^^ the instructor must've said 50 times that cruise control is probably the best way to avoid a speeding ticket. Set slightly above the speed limit he showed a chart where running 80mph saved like 4 minutes over 63 at a given distance that takes about an hour.
But sometimes you get pulled for other reasons like you said. Be cool to the policeman and there's a 50/50 chance you get a warning. If not be cool to the judge and they'll lean as far in your favor as the law allows.
Your story makes me think I may have been pulled because I was in a newer construction truck with top light and all (and at 5:30pm on a Friday) a good chance I'd begun celebrating the weekend with some 12oz adult beverages. I hadn't considered the profiling thing.
But sometimes you get pulled for other reasons like you said. Be cool to the policeman and there's a 50/50 chance you get a warning. If not be cool to the judge and they'll lean as far in your favor as the law allows.
Your story makes me think I may have been pulled because I was in a newer construction truck with top light and all (and at 5:30pm on a Friday) a good chance I'd begun celebrating the weekend with some 12oz adult beverages. I hadn't considered the profiling thing.
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gadget_lover
Flashaholic
I've had a few dozen tickets over the last 50 years. Several every year was the norm, but I drove a lot and thought it was the law of averages. That and the fact that I was a long haired biker, so I figured that I was being profiled and persecuted.
I deserved all but two of them.
Amazingly, I stopped getting tickets 25 years ago. It's not a coincidence that it was about the same time that I realized that I was only saving a few minutes a day by driving faster than I should. I also realized that I was spending an awful lot of time earning money to pay the fines and the huge insurance bills. I was also wasting time going to court and traffic school.
So 25 years ago I simply stopped speeding. I set the cruise control and stay out of the fast lane. I slow down when I approach a speed limit sign instead of waiting to the last moment. The time I used to spend scanning the road for cops is now spent enjoying the ride.
But back on subject... It really does pay to be nice to the judge. My son turned a bad day into a good one when he respectfully explained to the judge the things that had changed since his infraction, and how those changes should help him avoid doing it again. The judge reduced the fine to the minimum and removed the penalties and interest that had been assessed. Turned out to be a really nice judge.
Dan
I deserved all but two of them.
Amazingly, I stopped getting tickets 25 years ago. It's not a coincidence that it was about the same time that I realized that I was only saving a few minutes a day by driving faster than I should. I also realized that I was spending an awful lot of time earning money to pay the fines and the huge insurance bills. I was also wasting time going to court and traffic school.
So 25 years ago I simply stopped speeding. I set the cruise control and stay out of the fast lane. I slow down when I approach a speed limit sign instead of waiting to the last moment. The time I used to spend scanning the road for cops is now spent enjoying the ride.
But back on subject... It really does pay to be nice to the judge. My son turned a bad day into a good one when he respectfully explained to the judge the things that had changed since his infraction, and how those changes should help him avoid doing it again. The judge reduced the fine to the minimum and removed the penalties and interest that had been assessed. Turned out to be a really nice judge.
Dan
Hi there,
I never argue with police officers. Just try to make it a habit, for my own sake. But it often turns out that law representatives are better than we thought. And most driving instructors are supporting the idea to know your rights when stopped by police - https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/stopped-by-police/. A friend of mine once contacted American Civil Liberties Union to protect his rights and they found him a good lawyer.
However, it's never too late to improve your driving skills as well. I'm planning to take a refresher driving test - looking for the driving schools in Corpus Christi, TX - just found Drivers Ed Courses on https://drivingschoolnear.me but I'm not sure, maybe I could find something nearer. Any experience with any local driving school?
I never argue with police officers. Just try to make it a habit, for my own sake. But it often turns out that law representatives are better than we thought. And most driving instructors are supporting the idea to know your rights when stopped by police - https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/stopped-by-police/. A friend of mine once contacted American Civil Liberties Union to protect his rights and they found him a good lawyer.
However, it's never too late to improve your driving skills as well. I'm planning to take a refresher driving test - looking for the driving schools in Corpus Christi, TX - just found Drivers Ed Courses on https://drivingschoolnear.me but I'm not sure, maybe I could find something nearer. Any experience with any local driving school?
DUQ
Flashlight Enthusiast
First time I've ever read someone use "pyrrhic victory" other than myself :rock:
alpg88
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2005
- Messages
- 5,370
like many said, do not argue, do not even respond, you do not have to by law, they are often trying to escalate situation on purpose.
I've never been to traffic court. I got a speeding ticket in 1996, but it was only a 2-point ticket and never even showed up on my record. Cost me $23.
I'm not a bad driver, but I doubt that I'm a particularly good driver. I'm probably just lucky.
--flatline
I'm not a bad driver, but I doubt that I'm a particularly good driver. I'm probably just lucky.
--flatline
I attended traffic court once. The guy before me yelled F U at the judge as he walked out of the courtroom. Guess who was next to stand before the judge. 
Lucky me. :sigh:
Lucky me. :sigh:
Lumen83
Enlightened
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2017
- Messages
- 551
I you really couldn't pull over, its best to state this in court and not take it on the chin. Those who enforce these laws and the judges that preside over those cases need to know that the law is either unjust or not accounting for situations like that which you described. The only way for the populace to demonstrate this and get a fair shake is to stick up for whats right and tell your side of the story. I'm not sure why anyone thinks it is a good thing that you signed up for driving school on account of a cop that is lapsing in judgement and punishing you for doing nothing wrong, but its not a good thing.
alpg88
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2005
- Messages
- 5,370
do not just tell a judge , show him, it is 2019, even thou a judge will most likely NOT allow video evidence, in courtroom, i had heard of that happen on numerous occasions, you can print several screen shots. will be better than your word alone, these days i think a dash cam is a must. especially when a decent one cost about as much as full tank of gas. just make sure date and time is correct. it may not matter for insurance company to investigate an accident, but for a judge it could be a reason to reject it.
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richbuff
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Be courteous to the judge
I have a solid platinum diamond encrusted driving record. For four years, I commuted 25 miles per day, six days a week from Prescott to Mingus Mountain Acadamy, and I got pulled over a few times for going three miles under the speed limit. All local law enforcement knew me, because MMA had a few retired police officers working there, which is an Arizona Department of Juvenal Corrections community services facility. But my 8,000 mile 3.5 year pedestrian record is not so hot.
After never ever being convicted of any crime, I got arrested and jailed overnight and I got dragged to court for disorderly conduct, for informing the notorious neighborhood at large dog offender of my right to defend my ankles if I knew that they were under immediate threat of immediate harm. Nothing physical occurred during the incident, it was all verbal. I represented myself, even though the city prosecutor was requesting jail time for me. The judge, the prosecutor, my friends and family told me that I could not go to trial without hiring an attorney. I ignored all of their advice. My friends and family begged me to make every effort to completely conceal my anger while at trial; because if I let it show during the trial, I would get convicted. I made no motion to suppress any of the fabricated evidence, and during the trial, I raised no objections.
I cross examined the 13 year police sergeant and the lying azz dog owner, all by my self. The city prosecutor cross examined me. The hate-filled trial lasted over an hour. They hated on me, and I hated on them back. I could not conceal my anger towards the at large dog owner-police-prosecutor tripartite axis of evil.
Several times during the trial, when I was testifying, the judge ordered me to calm down, and I also took a mid-stand prayer break to recite "Hail Holy Queen And Mother", to get some modicum of self-calm.
The prosecutor argued that I could not shoot a small dog that was actually biting my ankles, and I could not shoot a small dog that was immediately threatening to immediately bite my ankles, therefore, I could not tell people that I could and would, being openly ready and willing.
The judge directly and concretely disagreed and directly corrected the prosecutor. The trial ended when the judge said: "Mr. Buffalin does have the right to shoot any dog that is actually biting his ankles, and he has the right to shoot any dog that is immediately threatening to bite his ankles, and he has the right to inform people of this right. Judgement for the defendant."
I thank God that He put the words for the judge to say in his mouth.
I have a solid platinum diamond encrusted driving record. For four years, I commuted 25 miles per day, six days a week from Prescott to Mingus Mountain Acadamy, and I got pulled over a few times for going three miles under the speed limit. All local law enforcement knew me, because MMA had a few retired police officers working there, which is an Arizona Department of Juvenal Corrections community services facility. But my 8,000 mile 3.5 year pedestrian record is not so hot.
After never ever being convicted of any crime, I got arrested and jailed overnight and I got dragged to court for disorderly conduct, for informing the notorious neighborhood at large dog offender of my right to defend my ankles if I knew that they were under immediate threat of immediate harm. Nothing physical occurred during the incident, it was all verbal. I represented myself, even though the city prosecutor was requesting jail time for me. The judge, the prosecutor, my friends and family told me that I could not go to trial without hiring an attorney. I ignored all of their advice. My friends and family begged me to make every effort to completely conceal my anger while at trial; because if I let it show during the trial, I would get convicted. I made no motion to suppress any of the fabricated evidence, and during the trial, I raised no objections.
I cross examined the 13 year police sergeant and the lying azz dog owner, all by my self. The city prosecutor cross examined me. The hate-filled trial lasted over an hour. They hated on me, and I hated on them back. I could not conceal my anger towards the at large dog owner-police-prosecutor tripartite axis of evil.
Several times during the trial, when I was testifying, the judge ordered me to calm down, and I also took a mid-stand prayer break to recite "Hail Holy Queen And Mother", to get some modicum of self-calm.
The prosecutor argued that I could not shoot a small dog that was actually biting my ankles, and I could not shoot a small dog that was immediately threatening to immediately bite my ankles, therefore, I could not tell people that I could and would, being openly ready and willing.
The judge directly and concretely disagreed and directly corrected the prosecutor. The trial ended when the judge said: "Mr. Buffalin does have the right to shoot any dog that is actually biting his ankles, and he has the right to shoot any dog that is immediately threatening to bite his ankles, and he has the right to inform people of this right. Judgement for the defendant."
I thank God that He put the words for the judge to say in his mouth.
Amen!!
