So, I got pulled over the other day...

[MakoShark]

Its the Saturday morning after Christmas and I have my daughter home from college and some other family in town. I had noticed the night before that the new Dunkin Donuts by my house was now open. So, I got up early and went out to buy some donuts for breakfast (my daughter loves the maple ones!). Its a clear morning, a little cold, but at least its not raining and I grab my dozen donuts and head back to the house. I'm going down the main road road that takes me to my street when I notice this police cruiser closing fast from way back at the intersection where I turned left. Since its a 2 lane road I pick a good spot to pull over and let this guy by. To my surprise he pulls up behind me and stops! I have no clue what I've done; wasn't speeding, tag is valid, wearing my seatbelt. I'm thinking WTH does he want with me? He walks up to my window and asks for my license, which I provide and then he says (get this) "Mr Hill, the reason I pulled you over is because I was concerned for your safety. Did you know that you have a headlight out?"

Are you fucking kidding me? Its 7:15 in the morning! That burned out headlight might be an issue in about another 9 hours! I've seen cars in this state, on the road and they don't have any doors on them! There are no safety inspections in this state what-so-ever, people drive freakin John Deere tractors on the public roads.

Now I could've lied and played dumb, but I was straight and respectful with this officer. I told him I had noticed the headlight was out earlier in the week (which I had as I take maticulous care of my vehicles) and it was my plan to take care of it over the weekend. I had been a little busy with family in town and the holiday, but "I was planning on taking care of it by the end of that day." He "listens" to me and then says he's going to write me a "Fix it Ticket" and I will have to go downtown to the courthouse to provide evidence that I repaired the headlight! This is where my demeanor changed as I'm thinking "What an asshole!"

Well as luck would have it and after a long delay (during which 3 more cars went by with burned out headlights) he comes back to me and says his printer wouldn't work, so he was letting me off with a verbal warning. Maybe he pulled up my file and noticed I haven't had a citation of any kind in over a decade, or he decided to let me off for some other reason (veteran status?) and made up the thing about his printer, but I left the encounter still thinking he was asshole.

Just thought I'd vent a little.

[oneinchpunch]

Cop got me for 57 in a 40 with a headlight out last month. He let me go with a promise to fix the headlight after I told him that the pho on the passenger seat was for my wife who was home sick. I wasnt expecting to get out without a ticket but most times Im pulled over I dont get one.

[Mister Hoarse]

In before 30 pages

HOCKKKKKKK!!!11!!

[BlazingBolt]

Stupid fix it tickets.

I don't know why, maybe its her attitude, but my wife always gets the damn ticket.

She got a ticket driving half a block to pick up something at the store because she forgot to turn her headlights on. Now why can't the cop just flash the lights or something to remind her to turn them on, why the heck is the government fining people for something like that. Its a well lit street. Is people driving with headlights off some major problem that we need the government stepping in to force behavior modification on society?

I don't think I have ever had a traffic ticket other than the stupid fix it ones and one stupid freaking red light camera that I slowed down for a yellow on a right turn and then decided slamming on my brakes to stop at a yellow light was a bad idea and the fucker turned red right before I crossed the line.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Yeah, I think people should get tickets for not driving with their lights on at night.

[Screeme]

At the end of my street there is a private school that has a school zone beacon to indicate the school zone is active. The problem is that the times aren't consistent, and that the beacon for NB traffic is just south of my street, so I only have other signs to see if the school zone is active, other vehicles, kids present, etc. So, if its nearing the end of the time frame, no kids, no extra slow cars to see.. its nearly impossible to know.

Well, sure enough, I turned north, and got a photoradar ticket, basically for going 31 in a 35.. except since it was school zone hours, it was only 20. Well, I decided to fight this, because its stupid that I get a ticket when I have no way to know if the school zone is there. A month later, I get pulled over for the exact same god damn thing. So, now I have two tickets for speeding in a school zone. (The second time 35 in a 35)

I go to court to fight the first one, and who should walk in, and turns out was operating the radar van for my first ticket but the same guy who pulled me over the second time. Well.. I'm dead, I think to myself. My only hope is if he just pulls over so many people he has no idea who I am. So, I talk to him, and explain my defense.. and luckily he doesn't remember me AT ALL. He decides my defense makes sense, and offers me a deal that if I take a class, he would waive the ticket. I was more than happy! I went right away and paid for the second ticket, figuring I wasn't going to get away with it a second time. The lady at the window automatically reduced it in half due to my "clean driving record". I figured I did pretty well.. paying a total of 1/4 of my fees for 2 tickets and 1 of them completely excused!

[BlazingBolt]

Yeah, I think people should get tickets for not driving with their lights on at night.

So, would you call the cops and report it? Or would you just remind someone to turn them on?

Yes I agree there should be a law that you have to drive with them on at night, but I think any cop that enforces it by writing someone a ticket for it is just being a dickhead.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Yes I agree there should be a law that you have to drive with them on at night, but I think any cop that enforces it by writing someone a ticket for it is just being a dickhead.

Then why have a law?

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

At the end of my street there is a private school that has a school zone beacon to indicate the school zone is active. The problem is that the times aren't consistent, and that the beacon for NB traffic is just south of my street, so I only have other signs to see if the school zone is active, other vehicles, kids present, etc. So, if its nearing the end of the time frame, no kids, no extra slow cars to see.. its nearly impossible to know.

Well, sure enough, I turned north, and got a photoradar ticket, basically for going 31 in a 35.. except since it was school zone hours, it was only 20. Well, I decided to fight this, because its stupid that I get a ticket when I have no way to know if the school zone is there. A month later, I get pulled over for the exact same god damn thing. So, now I have two tickets for speeding in a school zone. (The second time 35 in a 35)

I go to court to fight the first one, and who should walk in, and turns out was operating the radar van for my first ticket but the same guy who pulled me over the second time. Well.. I'm dead, I think to myself. My only hope is if he just pulls over so many people he has no idea who I am. So, I talk to him, and explain my defense.. and luckily he doesn't remember me AT ALL. He decides my defense makes sense, and offers me a deal that if I take a class, he would waive the ticket. I was more than happy! I went right away and paid for the second ticket, figuring I wasn't going to get away with it a second time. The lady at the window automatically reduced it in half due to my "clean driving record". I figured I did pretty well.. paying a total of 1/4 of my fees for 2 tickets and 1 of them completely excused!

In my area of Houston there are an ungodly number of school zones. Often, there might be only one block between the end of one and the beginning of another and then another. It's ridiculous. Interestingly, however, they don't turn the beacons off during holidays or over the summer. So at 3:30 in July, the beacon is flashing even though school is not in session. 98% of my compadres don't slow down. I do, because I don't know what the scenario is--perhaps there is a summer school in session or whatever. Just to be on the safe side, I just slow down. No harm. But my belief is that because they don't shut them off in down times, the overall incidence of people not observing them is higher. Stupid.

/vent

I feel better now.

[BlazingBolt]

Then why have a law?

So people know they have to drive with their head lights on at night.

Why write someone a ticket for forgetting to turn them on on a short trip on a well lit street instead of just reminding them to turn them on?

[Mister Hoarse]

Because cities all over America are going broke and they need to pull shit like this to help fund themselves. Welcome to the world of tomorrow.

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beer Holder

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

So people know they have to drive with their head lights on at night.

Why write someone a ticket for forgetting to turn them on on a short trip on a well lit street instead of just reminding them to turn them on?

Oh, I'm sorry. As the offending dickhead officer I know it's a "short trip" and "short trips" aren't ever dangerous. No visibility issues on well-lit streets, ever. Why don't we just properly illuminate all streets and do away with headlights altogether?

Not enforcing laws sort of removes the point of having them. If my kid strikes another child and I simply remind him every time that it is inappropriate there's a decent chance he continues hitting the other kid. Why not just "remind" people that running a red light is illegal? Or that being in this country without proper documentation is illegal? Or that killing someone else is illegal?

Good stuff, buddy.