Why do cops make up "laws?"

[todd2000]

This has been getting on my nerves. I got my car inspected a few weeks ago, and it failed. The shop stuck a rejection sticker on the car, and told me I had 15 days to fix it and get it re-inspected. So everything is fine, until a few days later. Im driving down the road, and there are 2 cops standing on the side. They flagged me down to pull over, and asked me about the sticker. I told them it just failed and I haven't had a chance to fix it yet. They then told me "You know you can only drive to and from the shop to get it fixed with a rejection sticker?" This sounded strange to me, but I just played dumb and said I didn't know. They let me go, but said if I get pulled over again Im going to get a ticket.

So anyway I went home and immediately looked it up online. This is a direct link from the VA State Police web site. Section F. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+19VAC30-70-60


F. The operator of the rejected vehicle shall be informed of the following:
1. The rejection sticker is valid for 15 days in addition to the date of inspection.
2. The rejection sticker places no travel restriction on operation of the vehicle and is issued in lieu of an approval sticker.
3. The vehicle operator is legally responsible for any defect if operated on the highway and may be subject to a traffic summons for any existing equipment violation.


So Now Im just mad that they pulled me over for breaking a "law" that doesn't exist. So I printed out that page, stuck it in the glove box and kept driving.

So Im at work today and a Sheriff Officer comes through my line, and I said can I ask you something? I told him what happened and he agreed with the cops that pulled me over that I could only drive to the shop. He said "I've been doing this for 38 years and thats how it's always been."

Do they even bother to train these people as to what the laws ACTUALLY are? I mean the last time that section of the code was updated was March of 08, so even if they added section F then it has been a law for over a year. Sorry for the rant, but this just got on my nerves and I type a lot when I post late.

[niuniu]

Don't get me started on the state of today's police forces..

[steve knight]

mistakes happen. do you have every aspect of the place you work memorized? I doubt all cops have every law and all it's rules memorized.

[todd2000]

mistakes happen. do you have every aspect of the place you work memorized? I doubt all cops have every law and all it's rules memorized.

Yes, but this was 3 different cops, one of which has been doing it for 38 years. I don't expect them to memorize every little law, but they should know the laws for something as common as an inspection sticker.

[steve knight]

this just may have been info that was passed around. reminds me of me when I got a ticket for running a stop sign on my bicycle. H ad not ridden for years and I started again and everyone was running stop signs. I was told by at least two friends/drivers that said bikes only had to treat stop signs as yield signs. well they were wrong but there was a bill that did not quite make it all the way through. so mis information is easy to pass along and it becomes law till proven different.

[sdsvtdriver]

mistakes happen. do you have every aspect of the place you work memorized? I doubt all cops have every law and all it's rules memorized.

they damn well better if they are going to restrict people's freedoms and rights in the name of that law. This isn't the case of the Apple store employee not knowing what a toslink cable is and if an Airport Express can use one. One can't arrest someone for breaking a law then say, "Oops, MY bad!, I didn't know!"

[bruinsrme]

If you got your car inspected a few weeks ago, how are you still driving on a 15day reject sticker????:confused:

[Eraserhead]

this just may have been info that was passed around. reminds me of me when I got a ticket for running a stop sign on my bicycle. H ad not ridden for years and I started again and everyone was running stop signs. I was told by at least two friends/drivers that said bikes only had to treat stop signs as yield signs. well they were wrong but there was a bill that did not quite make it all the way through. so mis information is easy to pass along and it becomes law till proven different.

Many bike riders in the UK cycle through stop signs and red traffic lights without stopping - even though its illegal.

[todd2000]

If you got your car inspected a few weeks ago, how are you still driving on a 15day reject sticker????:confused:

It's fixed now. :) They pulled me over a few days after It got rejected.

[TheBonk]

I've had my share of cops making up laws. Once, a cop told me that they can't arrest a person who breaks into my home if they used to live in it. So under this made-up law, I'd be able to break into all previous homes I've lived in and get away with it. :rolleyes:

[Rodimus Prime]

It's fixed now. :) They pulled me over a few days after It got rejected.

well lets face some simple facts. Those reject stickers normally go on older cars and many people who get them do not bother fixing it and just keep driving with it on there car. Cops pull them over and check it.

I was pulled over years ago when a cop though my inspection sticker had expired. He looked at my sticker and saw that it was going to expire that month and just reminded me that I needed to take care of it in the next week and that was the end of it.

He did apologized for pulling me over and told me to have a nice day. Did not even ask for DL or anything else.

[todd2000]

well lets face some simple facts. Those reject stickers normally go on older cars and many people who get them do not bother fixing it and just keep driving with it on there car. Cops pull them over and check it.



Fine I have no problem with them checking the sticker, it's them telling me that I can't drive it with the sticker cause it's against the "law" when it isn't that I have a problem with.

[Xfujinon]

Last I recalled, there weren't a surplus of Rhodes scholars applying for jobs in the local law enforcement.

True, I've met about seven decent cops in my life. The rest are a combination of infuriating and depressing. These are the people are society entrusts with guns, authority, and judgment in regards to public safety and wellbeing. In the state I live in, my own right to use a firearm to protect myself or my family in my home is severely restricted, while in the very same law books it releases from liability any officer who does not protect my safety in an armed conflict. So, I have no right to take care of myself, but it is perfectly legal for the police to do nothing to come to a person's aid?

I don't understand it. Just swallow it and live with it, it isn't going to change.

[NT1440]

mistakes happen. do you have every aspect of the place you work memorized? I doubt all cops have every law and all it's rules memorized.

Are you saying you can see a cop enforcing a law he isn't even aware of?:rolleyes:

[ntrigue]

There relying on commonsense met with power trip. As a layman it makes sense that a rejection sticker would prevent a car from using state highways. But, the person has to make a living to pay for the part or labor to pass, so it has evolved into 'only to and from work.'

I commend you on educating yourself otherwise.

[stevegmu]

You are in Danville. Enough said.

[bruinsrme]

Become a cop, serve the community and prevent the injustices.

[todd2000]

You are in Danville. Enough said.

So your familiar with Danville huh? :) Im originally from NJ, and I want to go back.

[stevegmu]

So your familiar with Danville huh? :) Im originally from NJ, and I want to go back.

Been through there and ticketed several times.

[AP_piano295]

I cannot stand Virginia's inspection policy it is (in my experience) an excuse for mechanics to lie to you and force you to get bogus repairs, or refuse you a pass.

I believe my family and I have gotten at most 2-3 good honest inspections

[stevegmu]

I cannot stand Virginia's inspection policy it is (in my experience) an excuse for mechanics to lie to you and force you to get bogus repairs, or refuse you a pass.

I believe my family and I have gotten at most 2-3 good honest inspections

I went to a shady gas station inspection station once, because my mechanic was booked up and I kept putting off getting an inspection, and the guy tried to tell me I needed all new calipers. 2 days later, my mechanic said I may need new front pads in a couple months.

[AP_piano295]

I went to a shady gas station inspection station once, because my mechanic was booked up and I kept putting off getting an inspection, and the guy tried to tell me I needed all new calipers. 2 days later, my mechanic said I may need new front pads in a couple months.

I can beat that :)

My father and I were trying to sell one of our cars but it needed inspection so we took it to be inspected.

A few days latter we went back and he told us the parking break didnt work, so we asked him to show us. We tried to turn the wheels, told him they wouldnt turn to which he replied "oh the parking break is on" :eek:.

Then the "mechanic" proceeded to tell us that it was the breaks which werent working (we had just personally replaced the the pads and caliper assemblies). So we told him to show us. I started trying to turn the wheel and couldnt and then the man began lifting his foot off the break (My dad was watching). So we called him on it, the guy got pissed off and failed the car....:mad:

The problem with an inspection process is that IMHO many mechanics are borderline crooks and giving them jurisdiction over the road worthiness of a car is just ludicrous.

[todd2000]

I cannot stand Virginia's inspection policy it is (in my experience) an excuse for mechanics to lie to you and force you to get bogus repairs, or refuse you a pass.

I believe my family and I have gotten at most 2-3 good honest inspections

Yeah, I prefer NJ where you can bring it to a state inspection station at the DMV. They don't really have an incentive to reject you unless something is actually wrong.

In this case the car did need front brakes, and I knew it before I got it inspected, but it was over due, and I figured a rejection sticker was better then an expired sticker.

[Wotan31]

As a VA resident, I can certainly sympathize. The automotive laws in this state are asinine.

Like doing 20+ over the speed limit = "reckless driving" with mandatory court appearance. Attorney for a reckless driving ticket runs $750 - $1000 plus figure another $500 or so in fines and court costs. They post 55 mph speed limits on major interstates, just because they know they'll catch loads of folks doing 75. Total cash grab.

And don't get me started on the annual "personal property tax" you have to pay on your cars. And the mandatory $28 county tax sticker you have to buy each year, even if your tax liability is $0. So you have to pay $28 for a sticker to prove that you've met your $0 tax liability for the year. Asinine.

At least VA has an annual safety inspection. MD doesn't. In MD, a vehicle only gets inspected when the title changes hands. So you've got tons of poor folks driving around in 20+ year old cars that they've owned for 20 years. That means they haven't been inspected in 20 years. All the tail lights and brake lights are burnt out, the thing is making terrible noises, smoke coming out the back, it's not even road-worthy. But it's perfectly legal in MD. :mad:

[QuantumLo0p]

Perhaps they do it for the same reasons activist judges do it.
:D

[yg17]

I can beat that :)

My father and I were trying to sell one of our cars but it needed inspection so we took it to be inspected.

A few days latter we went back and he told us the parking break didnt work, so we asked him to show us. We tried to turn the wheels, told him they wouldnt turn to which he replied "oh the parking break is on" :eek:.

Then the "mechanic" proceeded to tell us that it was the breaks which werent working (we had just personally replaced the the pads and caliper assemblies). So we told him to show us. I started trying to turn the wheel and couldnt and then the man began lifting his foot off the break (My dad was watching). So we called him on it, the guy got pissed off and failed the car....:mad:

The problem with an inspection process is that IMHO many mechanics are borderline crooks and giving them jurisdiction over the road worthiness of a car is just ludicrous.

I can possibly beat that, well, at least my parents can.

10 or so years ago, they bought a new car from a Pontiac dealer, but one of the finance guys screwed up something on the paperwork and they got the car for $500 less than the originally agreed to price. A few months later, the dealership realizes their mistake, and tries to collect. A lawyer in the family looks over everything for my parents, says that's complete BS, it was a signed contract and the dealer's mistake and they don't owe a dime, and sent them a letter, etc. The dealership gives up trying to collect since they don't have a leg to stand on.

A couple years later, they take their car to the same dealer for some recall work, and while they're there, they have the state inspection done since it was due. The car fails inspection, needing $500 in repairs. Coincidence, huh? My parents pass on the repairs and take their car to the mechanic they usually go to for the inspection, and he finds that the car has absolutely nothing wrong with it and passes inspection.

[todd2000]

And don't get me started on the annual "personal property tax" you have to pay on your cars. And the mandatory $28 county tax sticker you have to buy each year, even if your tax liability is $0. So you have to pay $28 for a sticker to prove that you've met your $0 tax liability for the year. Asinine.


Well I live in the "city" so I don't have to pay the $28 but I agree that the "Personal property tax" is stupid. I want to move back to NJ :)

[bobber205]

As a VA resident, I can certainly sympathize. The automotive laws in this state are asinine.

Like doing 20+ over the speed limit = "reckless driving" with mandatory court appearance. Attorney for a reckless driving ticket runs $750 - $1000 plus figure another $500 or so in fines and court costs. They post 55 mph speed limits on major interstates, just because they know they'll catch loads of folks doing 75. Total cash grab.

And don't get me started on the annual "personal property tax" you have to pay on your cars. And the mandatory $28 county tax sticker you have to buy each year, even if your tax liability is $0. So you have to pay $28 for a sticker to prove that you've met your $0 tax liability for the year. Asinine.

At least VA has an annual safety inspection. MD doesn't. In MD, a vehicle only gets inspected when the title changes hands. So you've got tons of poor folks driving around in 20+ year old cars that they've owned for 20 years. That means they haven't been inspected in 20 years. All the tail lights and brake lights are burnt out, the thing is making terrible noises, smoke coming out the back, it's not even road-worthy. But it's perfectly legal in MD. :mad:

:eek:

[Eraserhead]

:eek:

Quite, 5 or maybe 10mph isn't reckless, but 20 over the limit certainly is.

[stubeeef]

Yes it is a problem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzmBTrEfCTQ

[Zombie Acorn]

I got into a bit of a verbal with one of the cops this recent weekend. I was having a couple drinks on my porch and apparently the neighbors got a disturbance called in for being too loud, 3 cops show up and walk up their porch, I can see them just standing there looking in on the girls through the door. They are standing there for almost 5 minutes and I am like :confused:. So I blurt out "Why don't you guys stop being such creepy bastards?". They reply telling me they will take me in for public disturbance. I reply that I am not near anywhere that would be considered a public location. They finally knock on the door and give a warning like they are required by law. :rolleyes:

[Wotan31]

Quite, 5 or maybe 10mph isn't reckless, but 20 over the limit certainly is.
Not when the limit is artificially low, like 45 mph on a divided multi-lane highway. More than a few places in Arlington county at least where the already too-low limit of 55 mph drops arbitrarily to 45, then goes back up to 55 just one mile later. There's also a conveniently paved speed trap area right in the middle there, to catch those evil criminal bastards who are going 65 in 45.

[Zombie Acorn]

Not when the limit is artificially low, like 45 mph on a divided multi-lane highway. More than a few places in Arlington county at least where the already too-low limit of 55 mph drops arbitrarily to 45, then goes back up to 55 just one mile later. There's also a conveniently paved speed trap area right in the middle there, to catch those evil criminal bastards who are going 65 in 45.

Don't go anywhere near Nebraska if you don't like these tactics. 70 > 55 > 70 > 65 > 45 > 70

all within 40 miles it seems.

[Dmac77]

Don't go anywhere near Nebraska if you don't like these tactics. 70 > 55 > 70 > 65 > 45 > 70

all within 40 miles it seems.

That's horrible. I hate cops with every fiber of my being. You can probably tell that I've had a few bad experiences with cops. I especially hate traffic cops.

I'm driving on a permit, and I got pulled over for going 1 mph over the speed limit on the highway. I'm not lying, I got pulled over for going 71mph in a 70mph zone.

The cop wrote me $50 ticket, worth 2 points. Now it wouldn't affect my record, it would go on my Mom's record because she was the adult in the car with me. I said "You've got to be kidding me" to the cop when he wrote the ticket, and his response was "Kids need to be taught lessons."

We fought the ticket, and it got thrown out in traffic court, and the judge made a remark about the cop being a greedy idiot.

Needless to say, we've invested in a radar detector for our car since then.

But anyways, speed traps like that are absolutely ridiculous. I personally think cops shouldn't be allowed to sit in a spot and wait for someone to speed past them.

Don

[Eraserhead]

Not when the limit is artificially low, like 45 mph on a divided multi-lane highway. More than a few places in Arlington county at least where the already too-low limit of 55 mph drops arbitrarily to 45, then goes back up to 55 just one mile later. There's also a conveniently paved speed trap area right in the middle there, to catch those evil criminal bastards who are going 65 in 45.

OK, that's pretty bad - something like that would never occur in the UK.

[swiftaw]

Don't go anywhere near Nebraska if you don't like these tactics. 70 > 55 > 70 > 65 > 45 > 70

all within 40 miles it seems.

Oh come on, I think you're exaggerating, plus you missed the 60 in there :D

[LumbermanSVO]

Even if the speed limit is artificially low 20 over is still way too fast. I do a lot of driving and the biggest problems I see with most other drivers is that they are just in too much of a hurry. Take it easy, if you NEED to be going 20 over then you probably should have called 911 to have then handle you emergency for you.

There is a LOT of traffic on the VA highways. 55 doesn't seem unreasonable for the volume of traffic the VA interstates support.

Twice this week I have seen the interstate shut down due to serious wrecks caused by people going way too fast. At least one of those wrecks was a fataity.

[yg17]

That's horrible. I hate cops with every fiber of my being. You can probably tell that I've had a few bad experiences with cops. I especially hate traffic cops.

I'm driving on a permit, and I got pulled over for going 1 mph over the speed limit on the highway. I'm not lying, I got pulled over for going 71mph in a 70mph zone.

The cop wrote me $50 ticket, worth 2 points. Now it wouldn't affect my record, it would go on my Mom's record because she was the adult in the car with me. I said "You've got to be kidding me" to the cop when he wrote the ticket, and his response was "Kids need to be taught lessons."

We fought the ticket, and it got thrown out in traffic court, and the judge made a remark about the cop being a greedy idiot.

Needless to say, we've invested in a radar detector for our car since then.

But anyways, speed traps like that are absolutely ridiculous. I personally think cops shouldn't be allowed to sit in a spot and wait for someone to speed past them.

Don

That's just effing ridiculous. Neither speedometers or radar guns are 100% accurate, so that's why cops will almost never pull you over for 5 over or less, and if they do, any reasonable judge will toss it out.

I can't say I hate cops though, I've been pulled over and ticketed twice, and deserved it both times (17 and 15 over). I've never had any bad run ins with them, most of them are just trying to do their job, but there's always one on a power trip.

I also don't see your problem with speed traps either, they do serve a purpose and there are many areas around here where the cops hide and get people who are speeding in areas where they shouldn't, such as residential areas and surface streets. I have no problem with that. The speed traps I do have a problem with are the poorly placed ones, like at the bottom of a hill. There's one hill by my house that I go down when coming home from just about anywhere, and there's sometimes a cop hiding out at the bottom with the radar out. It's a steep hill in a 40 mph zone, and a fairly empty road. I'm not going to burn up my brakes every single time I'm coming home from somewhere to keep my speed at 40. I just downshift to 3rd and engine braking can keep my speed at right around 45 and once I hit the bottom of the hill, I don't give it any gas and am back down to 40 in no time. But I always worry there will be a cop down there waiting to get me for 5 over.

My annoyance with speed limits is this...my 15 over ticket I have no excuse for. I'm an idiot. But the 17 over was a Saturday morning at around 8:00. I was in the far left lane of a 4 lane (in each direction) interstate doing 77 in a 60. Weather conditions are perfect and the road is dry. There is no one out on the road, and the only thing I could possibly hit is the median, and if I hit that at 60 or 77, I'm ********* either way. So yes, I was speeding, but no one was in danger and I don't see the harm in going a bit faster.

[Dmac77]

That's just effing ridiculous. Neither speedometers or radar guns are 100% accurate, so that's why cops will almost never pull you over for 5 over or less, and if they do, any reasonable judge will toss it out.

I can't say I hate cops though, I've been pulled over and ticketed twice, and deserved it both times (17 and 15 over). I've never had any bad run ins with them, most of them are just trying to do their job, but there's always one on a power trip.

I also don't see your problem with speed traps either, they do serve a purpose and there are many areas around here where the cops hide and get people who are speeding in areas where they shouldn't, such as residential areas and surface streets. I have no problem with that. The speed traps I do have a problem with are the poorly placed ones, like at the bottom of a hill. There's one hill by my house that I go down when coming home from just about anywhere, and there's sometimes a cop hiding out at the bottom with the radar out. It's a steep hill in a 40 mph zone, and a fairly empty road. I'm not going to burn up my brakes every single time I'm coming home from somewhere to keep my speed at 40. I just downshift to 3rd and engine braking can keep my speed at right around 45 and once I hit the bottom of the hill, I don't give it any gas and am back down to 40 in no time. But I always worry there will be a cop down there waiting to get me for 5 over.

My annoyance with speed limits is this...my 15 over ticket I have no excuse for. I'm an idiot. But the 17 over was a Saturday morning at around 8:00. I was in the far left lane of a 4 lane (in each direction) interstate doing 77 in a 60. Weather conditions are perfect and the road is dry. There is no one out on the road, and the only thing I could possibly hit is the median, and if I hit that at 60 or 77, I'm ********* either way. So yes, I was speeding, but no one was in danger and I don't see the harm in going a bit faster.

Tell the cop that it was ridiculous. He was pissed that the judge threw it out.

Anyways, I just have an issue with a cop sitting in one spot for 8 hours and waiting for someone to go by doing five over.

We also have a few speed traps like that here in my town. There's one spot where it goes from 55mph to 25mph, and it switches to 25 while you're going downhill. There are normally 3-5 police cars sitting with in 50 yards of that sign. It's really bad.

I also have the same opinion of speed limits. I think that we shouldn't have speed limits. I think the law should say that you can go as fast as you want as long as it is reasonable and safe.

Don

[bobber205]

Tell the cop that it was ridiculous. He was pissed that the judge threw it out.

Anyways, I just have an issue with a cop sitting in one spot for 8 hours and waiting for someone to go by doing five over.

We also have a few speed traps like that here in my town. There's one spot where it goes from 55mph to 25mph, and it switches to 25 while you're going downhill. There are normally 3-5 police cars sitting with in 50 yards of that sign. It's really bad.

I also have the same opinion of speed limits. I think that we shouldn't have speed limits. I think the law should say that you can go as fast as you want as long as it is reasonable and safe.

Don

That's exactly what speed limits are. ;)

But that speed trap you described seems almost illegal it's so unethical.

[Dmac77]

That's exactly what speed limits are. ;)

But that speed trap you described seems almost illegal it's so unethical.

Some speed limits, like 25mph in a residential area, are reasonable. But then there are speed limits that are completely unreasonable, like 70mph on the highway are completely asinine IMO. I'm able to do 80-85mph on the highway without endangering anyone. In fact, the majority of people who don't drive in the far right lane on the highway, are going 80mph+ normally.

Look at Germany, they don't have set speed limits on most of their highway system. And the areas that have don't have speed limits are actually safer then those that do have speed limits. We should have a system like this in the US. If my car is capable of doing 120mph, and it's safe to do 120mph, I should be able to go 120mph. That's what I'm saying. Until this happens, I'll have a radar detector mounted on my windshield. Not that I'll go 120mph, because that's not safe unless the rest of the traffic is driving at a similar speed.

As to that speed trap, people have tried to fight it, but it's been around for 20 years according to my Mom. Once I saw five people pulled over in less then a 1/4 mile. It's horrible.

There's another spot that the cops in my area are going to be sitting at soon. Over by the high school. See our high school is the size of a small community college. You have to follow a road that leads to the campus of the school, and only the campus of the school that is about a mile long. The cops will sit along this road in the morning and the afternoon so they can pull kids over. It's horrible. The school has even tried to stop them, but year after year, they sit there.

Don

[bobber205]

Some speed limits, like 25mph in a residential area, are reasonable. But then there are speed limits that are completely unreasonable, like 70mph on the highway are completely asinine IMO. I'm able to do 80-85mph on the highway without endangering anyone. In fact, the majority of people who don't drive in the far right lane on the highway, are going 80mph+ normally.

Look at Germany, they don't have set speed limits on most of their highway system. And the areas that have don't have speed limits are actually safer then those that do have speed limits. We should have a system like this in the US. If my car is capable of doing 120mph, and it's safe to do 120mph, I should be able to go 120mph. That's what I'm saying. Until this happens, I'll have a radar detector mounted on my windshield. Not that I'll go 120mph, because that's not safe unless the rest of the traffic is driving at a similar speed.

As to that speed trap, people have tried to fight it, but it's been around for 20 years according to my Mom. Once I saw five people pulled over in less then a 1/4 mile. It's horrible.

There's another spot that the cops in my area are going to be sitting at soon. Over by the high school. See our high school is the size of a small community college. You have to follow a road that leads to the campus of the school, and only the campus of the school that is about a mile long. The cops will sit along this road in the morning and the afternoon so they can pull kids over. It's horrible. The school has even tried to stop them, but year after year, they sit there.

Don

By you and others going 120 mph, aren't you forcing others to go as nearly as fast in order to be safe on the roads? That's not quite fair to them.

However, I agree that on long stretches of flat road speed limits should be higher than they are, though they are increasing them over time (or so I've heard).

[Rodimus Prime]

Some speed limits, like 25mph in a residential area, are reasonable. But then there are speed limits that are completely unreasonable, like 70mph on the highway are completely asinine IMO. I'm able to do 80-85mph on the highway without endangering anyone. In fact, the majority of people who don't drive in the far right lane on the highway, are going 80mph+ normally.

Look at Germany, they don't have set speed limits on most of their highway system. And the areas that have don't have speed limits are actually safer then those that do have speed limits. We should have a system like this in the US. If my car is capable of doing 120mph, and it's safe to do 120mph, I should be able to go 120mph. That's what I'm saying. Until this happens, I'll have a radar detector mounted on my windshield. Not that I'll go 120mph, because that's not safe unless the rest of the traffic is driving at a similar speed.

As to that speed trap, people have tried to fight it, but it's been around for 20 years according to my Mom. Once I saw five people pulled over in less then a 1/4 mile. It's horrible.

There's another spot that the cops in my area are going to be sitting at soon. Over by the high school. See our high school is the size of a small community college. You have to follow a road that leads to the campus of the school, and only the campus of the school that is about a mile long. The cops will sit along this road in the morning and the afternoon so they can pull kids over. It's horrible. The school has even tried to stop them, but year after year, they sit there.

Don


Enjoy that radar detector. It is not going to save you. Wait until you run into a lidar because then all the detector does is tell you that you have been clocked. Those detectors only work on lidar when youa re the one being targeted.

Yes I am speaking from experince here I have got a ticket to provide it. I saw the cop, about the same time the detector when off. I knew I was SOL pulled over and waited for the cop and got a ticket.

As for speed you have a lot to learn. You are 15 years old clearly know nothing about the road or why speed limits are there. Hell some times the speed limits do not save you.
Let me tell you one thing that scared the crap out of me was when my car when into a fish tail and I spun out off the road. I was doing 60-65 mph when I back end came out behind me. I was doing nothing wreckless or stupid just a freak acceident that the back end got loose and I spun out. If I was doing a 100 at the time that happen I would be dead instead I was doing I was doing 60.

As for the time you got a ticket you also were a smart ass to the cop. Dumb DUMB idea. When you get pulled over it should ALWAYS be "yes sir/No sir" to everything he says. You show them respect weather or not you think they deserved.

Oh and yes I am speaking from experience. I have gotten 5 or 6 tickets and well over 10 warnings in my over 11 years I have been driving so yes I know how to deal with cops. I also know when I am screwed when I get pulled over still not stupid enough to piss off a cop.

[Zombie Acorn]

As for the time you got a ticket you also were a smart ass to the cop. Dumb DUMB idea. When you get pulled over it should ALWAYS be "yes sir/No sir" to everything he says. You show them respect weather or not you think they deserved.

Oh and yes I am speaking from experience. I have gotten 5 or 6 tickets and well over 10 warnings in my over 11 years I have been driving so yes I know how to deal with cops. I also know when I am screwed when I get pulled over still not stupid enough to piss off a cop.

Best advice I ever got was from another cop: turn your car off, roll your windows all the way down, put your hands at the correct position on the steering wheel and keep them there. Also the yes sir stuff works well also as you pointed out. I have got out of my fair share of tickets (no speeding tickets issued on me, have about 4 warnings though).

[Rodimus Prime]

Best advice I ever got was from another cop: turn your car off, roll your windows all the way down, put your hands at the correct position on the steering wheel and keep them there. Also the yes sir stuff works well also as you pointed out. I have got out of my fair share of tickets (no speeding tickets issued on me, have about 4 warnings though).

very true. In my car when I get pulled over I pull over as far as possible and if I can I try to pull off the road into a parking lot because it is safer for both the cop and me. Then I proceed to role down my driver window and at least 1 of my back windows because of how dark the tinting is on my windows.

As for something else to remember is by the time a cop has gotten out of his car they have already decided if you are going to get a ticket or not. If they have decided that they are going to give you a ticket it is VERY rare for to get out of it. Now it is easy to go from warning to ticket by being an ass to the cop or rude. Do everything right and odds off they will still give you a warning.

[Dmac77]

@ Rodimus Prime

I didn't have an attitude with the cop until he gave me the ticket. I was saying "yes sir" "no sir" until he gave me the ticket. He like most cops is just a d-bag.

As for the speed issue, like I pointed out earlier, the autobahn is a safe road system, and most of the autobahn does not have a speed limit. I'm just saying that we should have a system like that in the US. I won't drive with the pedal pushed all the way down until it is legal, but I will do 75-80 on the highway. Which is the norm.

As for the lidar, yeah I know I'm screwed if a cop has a lidar gun and not a radar gun. That's a risk I'm willing to take, but I have a feeling the cop will be more concerned about the guy who's doing 85-90 on his motorcycle, which I see almost everyday.

Don

Don

[Rodimus Prime]

@ Rodimus Prime

I didn't have an attitude with the cop until he gave me the ticket. I was saying "yes sir" "no sir" until he gave me the ticket. He like most cops is just a d-bag.

As for the speed issue, like I pointed out earlier, the autobahn is a safe road system, and most of the autobahn does not have a speed limit. I'm just saying that we should have a system like that in the US. I won't drive with the pedal pushed all the way down until it is legal, but I will do 75-80 on the highway. Which is the norm.

As for the lidar, yeah I know I'm screwed if a cop has a lidar gun and not a radar gun. That's a risk I'm willing to take, but I have a feeling the cop will be more concerned about the guy who's doing 85-90 on his motorcycle, which I see almost everyday.

Don

Don

Lets see you lost your cool and became an ass after he gave you a ticket. Again huge mistake. You accept it and deal with it after wards. never argue when you are getting a ticket.

As for your Lidar thing. The cop is going to have a some number he is using the he will pull you over. Normally that is 7-10+ over the limit. First car that gets nailed at that speed is going to be his target. Yes you might see some motorcycle going 85-90 but cop might of not been there at the time or had some one else pulled over already so they get off. It be the first guy they see at the threash hold.

If you have a detector in your car well consider you chances of getting a warning gone.


As for the US yes it would be nice to have a high limit in some areas but take that up with US DOT. They are the ones that require states to keep the 70-75mph max limit going over that means funding gets pulled. Same reason why drinking age is 21 in the US. It is not the states but the US DOT that puts that pressure on the states. I would enjoy having a higher limit but you still have to deal with the fact many roads are not set up for those limits that high.

You are 15 so that means most of the roads you are thinking of sorry are going to have a limit. The areas that you think that should have it drop (middle of no where) you will be surpised at how much room cops give you to play out there. I got a warning for doing 85mph in a 70. I was told to slow down a little.


Lastly no matter what you say you need to remember you are a crappy driver. You do not have the ability to judgment calls an experience driver does. Nor do you have the ability to know what to filter out while driving. That takes about 5 years of experience to get up to par with everyone else. Ever wonder why the first rate drop comes at 21 years of age. It is the magic 5 years of experience and accidents rates drop a lot.

[yg17]

Enjoy that radar detector. It is not going to save you. Wait until you run into a lidar because then all the detector does is tell you that you have been clocked. Those detectors only work on lidar when youa re the one being targeted.

Ditto, radar detectors are useless for laser, and I have the tickets to prove it.

Laser detection is good for two things:
1) Tell you when there's an airport nearby (airport radar systems sometimes set off laser detectors)
2) Tell you that you're going to get pulled over in about 4 seconds

I also have a feeling that having a radar detector is going to make your chances of getting out of a ticket even worse, because that tells the cop that you speed all the time and get away with it most of the time, and deserve the ticket.

[abijnk]

Ya know, if you don't like the speed limits and/or obeying them you don't have to drive...

[Zombie Acorn]

Ya know, if you don't like the speed limits and/or obeying them you don't have to drive...

Or you could get ahold of lockheeds radar scrambling panel positioning system, and then outfit your car. Stealth bomber on wheels.

[brbubba]

I cannot stand Virginia's inspection policy it is (in my experience) an excuse for mechanics to lie to you and force you to get bogus repairs, or refuse you a pass.

I believe my family and I have gotten at most 2-3 good honest inspections

New York too! Inspection is such a damn joke. Any car that wouldn't pass would be a pretty obvious site for sore eyes on the road. I always try to get my inspection done if I have other legitimate work to be done on my car. That way I know they won't be tempted to make **** up and up that fee.

I went to pep boys once for inspection and the guy said my rotors were pitting for which his remedy was, replace them! Once I probed him on the exact problem he had no clue what he was talking about. I replaced my rotors about 8 months later with performance ones and the old ones were still perfect. Total scumbag.

[LumbermanSVO]

As for the speed issue, like I pointed out earlier, the autobahn is a safe road system, and most of the autobahn does not have a speed limit. I'm just saying that we should have a system like that in the US. I won't drive with the pedal pushed all the way down until it is legal, but I will do 75-80 on the highway. Which is the norm.

There are few reasons the Autobahn work for them. The main thing is that they take driving MUCH more serious over there. The majority of drivers over here don't take driving seriously enough to be handed the responsibility of choosing a safe speed.

Just a few hours ago I drove past a wreck (I don't call them "accidents") before any emergency help could arrive. As I was passing by someone was pulling a driver from a car that was laying on it's side. This was on an off-ramp of a major highway. How much worse would that wreck had been if the participants weren't coming from a road that has a speed limit of 55? The ramp hadn't even turned yet!

When you were just a wee young lad Montana tried the whole no speed limit thing. It lasted only a few years before a maximum of 75 was put into place. Utah has a couple of test sections where the speed limit is 80mph. Just two days ago there was a bad truck wreck on that section of road where speed played a major factor. The wreck did NOT look pretty as I drove by. A couple days before that I was stuck in a 15-mile long backup on I-17 due to two bad wrecks in a place I'm sure you'd think the speed limit was too low. I could go on. The stuff I see everyday from people driving fast would blow your mind. If I got out to VA regularly I would offer for you to ride with me for a week, your driving would change forever and your opinion of the speed limits would drastically change.

I believe the only way we can ever get our own Autobahn is to make driving something that people in this county take seriously. Right now, they don't take it serious enough. Professional drivers have lower accident rate than your typical driver and I believe that is because they are forced to take that privilege more seriously. Too many tickets(more than one per year) and you lose your job and the ability to get another just for at LEAST a year. One DUI/DWI charge and you our out of the game for a MINIMUM of five years, some companies wont take you if you have ever had an alcohol charge. More than one accident in three years and you won't find a job, even if they weren't your fault.

I believe we need to make it a lot harder to get a license, easier to lose it and driving infractions need to be a lot worse before people will start to straighten up.

I do agree that some places take advantage of writing traffic tickets too. We need to change where the money from infractions go. NONE of it should go to any law enforcement agency or even the city. I should go into the state general fund and the law enforcement agency funds need to not be tied to how many traffic tickets they write.