Arghhh! I got a ticket!

[Travis2k7]

Was it speeding? Nope... my first violation in 4 years and it's for rolling thru a stop sign.

I'm so ticked off right now because I didn't roll thru it... 5:30 am on my way to work leaving the residential area where my girlfriend lives... pulled up to the stop sign, hit the brakes, stopped for a quick second, and then took off.

Cop was hiding 100 ft down the road in the bushes... This is a total crock.

3 points on my license and a $104 fine.

Conversation went like this:

"Good morning, do you know why I pulled you over?"

"Well, it wasn't for speeding."

"You rolled thru that stop sign."

"Ok"

"What year is this vehicle?"

"'2006"

"Where are you going this morning?"

"On my way to work."

"Okay, just a min."

Then he walked to his car, came back 15 mins later and issued the ticket.

Not much I can do, his word against mine and going to court would end up costing more in the long run with the court costs, etc...

It was the Port Wentworth, GA PD... them along with Bloomingdale and Pooler (3 little towns right outside of Savannah) have nothing better to do than camp out trying to reach their quota for the month to support their hole in the wall town.

These are the same cops that regularly camp I-95 that has like a 1/2 mile stretch that goes thru their "city limits."

I'm so mad right now... a total BS ticket.

[journalist1947]

I did that and a state patrol watch me do it. I though I am going to get this one. But lady luck is still on my side, he just gave me a warning.I also got stopped 6 times for speeding on the same HWY by the state patrol and got off all 6 times.I have been dam lucky, but that can not last for ever.

[mopar_man]

That sucks. Sounds like the cops around here. There's several unsolved murders but don't get yourself over the speed limit. There's also a strong overpolicing of this area. There's 6 SEPARATE police forces with 10 miles of here. 2 of them are over the border in Wisconsin but still....

[DragonCruiser]

I live in a country town of Illinois and our county cops are horribleee. Even saw them for the first time on the interstate -sort of- close and there were 4 camping out! Cops need to find better things to do with their time.

[Travis2k7]

What's ironic is I found out this morning a guy at work got a speeding ticket Friday on I-95 for doing 77 in a 65 on his way home from work... guess what? IT WAS THE SAME COP.

1) EVERYONE GOES 77 IN A 65 ON 95 TO AVOID GETTING RAN OVER

2) WHY IS THIS HOLE IN THE WALL CITY COP ON 95 ANYWAY?

I'm of the opinion that these city cops should stick to their cities and leave the interstate to the GSP.

The $104 fine doesn't bother me.. what ticks me off is the 3 points on my license which is right up there with a 25 mph over the limit speeding ticket... my insurance will probably go up $100 a year or so.

(Just a guess based on my last violation, a 2 point speeding ticket in 2005 that set me back $60 a year on my insurance)

Anyway, I'm done venting... it just amazes me at how these cops have nothing better to do then camp a residential area at 6am. I guess some of them just like being pricks.

[garyerrol]

Some LEO's are jerks, a lot would give you the shirt off their back if you really needed it. They are just like people in any business.

Maybe you got your ticket because it came up on his computer that you've had other violations so he saw no reason to cut you any slack. If your fellow employee got a ticket where everyone else around him was doing the same speed, their must have been a reason he was singled out such as weaving in and out of traffic or some other unsafe driving.

I drive a busy Interstate system to and from work where the speed limit is 50-55 depending on what part your on. Drivers routinely drive 70 plus during rush hour, and that's with an LEO in a marked car moving along with you in the next lane. The ones that get ticketed are the ones weaving in and out of lanes or making sudden lane changes across all four lanes.

[Travis2k7]

Originally Posted by garyerrol

Maybe you got your ticket because it came up on his computer that you've had other violations so he saw no reason to cut you any slack.

If your fellow employee got a ticket where everyone else around him was doing the same speed, their must have been a reason he was singled out such as weaving in and out of traffic or some other unsafe driving.

My only other violation was a speeding ticket in 2005. It was 42 in a 35 coasting down a bridge on Bay St. in downtown Savannah. Again, one of those cases where the cop had nothing better to do.

I'd be willing to bet that the reason my fellow employee got pulled over was being he still has New York plates on his car, having moved down here about 3 weeks ago and started this job.

Do cops go after people with out of state tags? Nahhhhh....

[CREWZIN]

Travis.

If as you say, he was 100 yards down the road, that's far enough that he might not have seen you do your "stop" and only saw you come into the road making it look like you didn't "stop". Were there any bushes or trees around you that might have blocked his view of your "stop"? If so, take a picture of the intersection and take it to court to explain your situation and why he might not have seen your "stop".

The judge should take everything into account and if there's anything that could have blocked his view, you might get off without a fine or points especially if your record only has that "8 over the limit" on it.

I've heard them all and that could be a viable defense.

[Mean Green]

Wow, why is it when a cop does their job they are an asshole? A quick "one second" stop is considered a stutter stop and not a complete one. So many people roll through stops here it is frustrating and dangerous. Glad to see there is a cop, at 6 am, doing his job. I'll bet you come to a complete stop now.

[Travis2k7]

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

Travis.

If as you say, he was 100 yards down the road, that's far enough that he might not have seen you do your "stop" and only saw you come into the road making it look like you didn't "stop". Were there any bushes or trees around you that might have blocked his view of your "stop"? If so, take a picture of the intersection and take it to court to explain your situation and why he might not have seen your "stop".

The judge should take everything into account and if there's anything that could have blocked his view, you might get off without a fine or points especially if your record only has that "8 over the limit" on it.

I've heard them all and that could be a viable defense.

I may just do that... but then again, by the time I take off work, pay court costs (assuming the judge doesn't agree) and whatever else I'd have to pay it would end up costing me more.

Like I said, I could give a rat's about the $100, it's the fact that it's a 3 point violation that's going to cost me in the long run.

I've got my MVR right here that I pulled a couple a few weeks back when I renewed my license. It just lists the date, place, and points (2) but doesn't say the actual mph but 2 points is 10 or less I believe.

Anyway... court date is Oct. 6th so I've got 2 months to decide.

Originally Posted by Mean Green

Wow, why is it when a cop does their job they are an asshole? A quick "one second" stop is considered a stutter stop and not a complete one. So many people roll through stops here it is frustrating and dangerous. Glad to see there is a cop, at 6 am, doing his job. I'll bet you come to a complete stop now.

Yep.. I'm gonna stop, turn off the car, walk to the front bumper and dance a jig while mooning the cop that is camping my residential area.

Doing his job? Sure he was... doesn't mean he's right. He says I didn't stop, I say I did... who's the judge gonna believe? The LEO or the habitual violator who has had 1 violation in 16 years of driving?

What's frustrating and dangerous is the people driving on the Interstate at 90 mph, not the guy pulling onto a deserted highway at 6am on his way to work.