Not trying to be funny, but dead serious. Where does it say that people have carte blanche to break a law that hasn't been changed yet? And I for one, don't believe cops have bad reps. Depends on how you look at it though. I could understand how one would be bitter if they get a ticket when they think officers have better things to do (not that you should be the one making that judgement anyway).
Oh, man... that's easy to understand. The law says that you have to keep your license plate registration sticker up-to-date (help me here with my vocabulary). I laugh at those that get caught breaking the law. If someone's getting robbed, mugged or even killed, I doubt his spidey sense goes off and he gets on his patrol car quickly to go stop it.
To be honest, I don't know what time of the month it was...for me. But why patrol a stretch of highway for speeders when the legislature has already agreed to change the limits but they haven't changed the signs yet? [fat b*stard] That's crap! [/fast b*stard]
The Constables that are on that area are on their game, 24/7. ONe of the worst areas to drive through if you are speeding, or don't have up to date tags. Not alot of crime out that way to take up their time, so they are going to enforce what they can. Speed limit on Cypresswood is 20-30 MPH almost all the way to 45 and the Constables office is just a few miles from 249 and Cypresswood.
C'mon codell. Do you see the rest of the world in such a black/white perspective? Things have context. In this context, every freeway in Houston now basically has 65 mph limits. They just have to certify that the road can take it, which is a technicallity because all Houston freeways were once 65mph, right? But they gotta do their paperwork. So fine. But don't bust people if they are still driving safely over the limit and wouldn't have been pulled over on any other freeway. Yes, I broke the law...on a technicallity ONLY. That's why I didn't fight it because I knew I'd lose. But it still pisses me off. I'd like to see cops just once ticket somebody cutting in on a line of traffic waiting to exit the freeway! Then I'm assuming you aren't a minority.
So was the posted speed limit 65 or 55? Back a few years ago, when the speed limit went from 70 to 60, would it have been fair for the police to ticket you for going 70, when both they and you knew the speed limit had already technically been changed to 60? And being a minority has nothing to do with whether you shoudl be ticketed if you broke a law.
Yes. Ill repeat myself again POACHING. Everyone knows it happens all the time. Cops are siting on their ass all month then they go nuts handing out whatever they can at the last second. Then you go to court and get your BS ticket thrown out because their case is weak and they know it. But its a huge pain in the ass. Yes some tickets are valid. But come on, I got a ticket for no front license plate on my classic vette in MY freaking neighborhood at the end of the month. In a driveway about 30ft away was a camaro without plates. Who the hell is benefiting from that ticket? And sometimes youll be 10 miles over and Mr Nice Cop lets you go. Next week Mr Mean Cop gives you a ticket for 5 miles over. Its a freaking lottery. That pisses me off too. Maybe if i grew some damn t*** theyd be nicer huh?
I live off of Cypresswood. Luckily me and the Captain over most constables out there went to school together, so that has gotten me out of tickets. But you are right, the cops over there are mainly looking for moving violations and out of date tags.
I can't believe I'm going to disagree with codell on something, but I guess there's a first time for everything. People who speed through construction zones should get tickets. Actually, people who speed through any high traffic area should. That's endangering lives. But going 72 on an empty Westpark Tollway? Hell, that thing is always empty on the weekends. Not to mention it being a completely straight shot from 610 to the Beltway. 72 on an empty WP T-way isn't exactly death-defying speed. 90, maybe. 72, no. I'm am usually very pro-cop, but these registration sticker stings? Come on. In the last few years, I've been busted by this silly 'sting' twice. Both times, there were at least 4 cop cars (each with 2 cops making it 8 cops total) hiding under a freeway U-turn. Once under Beltway 8 at Imperial Valley and once under 45 at West Rd. Whose lives are being endangered by people driving around with expired registration stickers? Who are they protecting? You want to tell me all of these cops didn't have something better to do? We're talking about Greenspoint here, ya savvy? Here's the funny part. Both times I had the ticket dismissed....without even updating my registration. The last time was just a few weeks ago. I sat in court for 4 1/2 hours (literally) just to have my ticket dismissed. How important is their little 'sting' if the judge is suggesting that he drops the ticket? Yeah, that's right, he suggested it! I was all ready to pay my fine. Seems like the sting was a colossal waste of time, and more importantly, MANPOWER, seeing as how they didn't even get a fine out of me. What was the point?
I know where you're coming from, and you know what I meant. I mean, it's true, some sit on their ass doing nothing, some are mean, and some are nice just because you have a "cute smile" or (yes) "have nice boobs." I am not saying it's fair, I am not saying it's good, all I am saying is that if you're a law-abiding citizen and--like you mention--keep yourself in line, including putting a license plate in the front of your StingRay, you have nothing to worry about. The bottom line is, if you're guilty of breaking the law, you will pay ONLY when you get caught, but please don't tell me you didn't break it when you did. I speed, too, I am no goody-two-shoes. I know what you mean. I just try to always stay away from breaking a law. I think everyone should.
The problem with cops busting people speeding is that they enforce it arbitrarily. Everyone speeds over the speed limit. When the speed limit is 65, everyone is going 70-75 and the cops don't bust anyone because it's safe. Yet, all of the sudden, at the end of the month, people get busted driving the same speed. It's one thing to enforce the law everytime, but it's another to say, "yea it's ok" on one occasion and then come back and bust you on another occasion. There is a majority consensus in the public that it is ok to drive over the speed limit when the traffic is ok and the cops recognize it by not busting people. It's almost a trap the way they make you feel secure driving above the speed limit and then turning around and bust you to make their cash and quota. Anyways, here's my story: I was driving downhill on a freeway and the car ahead of me pulled away from me. So I sped up a bit to match his speed. When the hill leveled out, I let go of the gas to just coast because when going downhill I was about 3-5 mph faster than traffic. So I leveled out to traffic speed. Then all of a sudden I see a cop cross a couple lanes with lights on and pull me over. By the time he got to my lane, I was going the traffic speed. So there's no way he could clock me or pace me. He pulled me over and gave me a ticket for going 80 in a 65 zone. But the thing is, traffic was traveling at 75mph. Wtf? He just makes up **** cuz when he pulled me over I was going 75 as well. My question is, what kind of arguments can I make? There's no proof I can use, and basically it's my testimony against his. And judges always favor cops, damn traffic cops.... Right now I'm fighting the ticket. I'm going to go to court in a couple of weeks. My only strategy right now is to show or prove the officer's memory is bad. Ask him what I was wearing and little bits of information he probably forgot. Without a good testimony, I'm home free...hopefully. Any other suggestions of what I can do?
i take back the 'thanks' wnes!!! that thread was useless. lol. "the cop didn't show up"???? Gee, great advice...
Here's one for you (in that same thread): There are some other useful advices from other posters too. You should first change the date for your court hearing. In my county it requires 72-hour advanced notice. Actually it may not be a bad idea to learn in advance when the cop will be off (e.g. on vacasion). I guess you can probably get that information from the sheriff's office (or the police station whatever).
LOL! Maybe some of these guys go through sympathy pains (and other symptoms)... I didn't have any problems with cops on my trip to and from Houston this past weekend... In fact, of my 400+ miles of driving in the past 5 days, I think I've seen only 2 cops - neither of which seemed to care that I was speeding. And it's been my experience that when it comes to having/showing boobs, it's just as much of a lottery as to whether or not you get a ticket as it is for being pulled over by a nice cop or an *******. The biggest ticket I ever got out of (30+ over) was by being honest and courteous, not by showing clevage. Although, it did help me this one time for not stopping completely behind the white line at a stop sign...
From what I read in your post, you don't seem to have a lot of chance to win if the cop shows up. Even if you can demonstrate that the cop has a bad long-term (sorta) memory, that doesn't mean he lacks a good judgement, particularly on the day he cited your for speeding, as the judge probably will tell you. Then again I am not a lawyer, so I really don't know. Try to think of other things, for instance, if you have a good driving record, that would be to your advantage. 80 in 65 zone is hard to argue, IMO, unless you can prove the cop's radar/laser gun was way off. Good luck anyway!
That is the point. He didn't radar me. He didn't even pace me. He just pulled me over and 'told' me how fast I was going.
