F%!#$ speeding ticket!
 

Well, it finally happened. After 26 yrs of driving , I finally got my first speeding ticket. Cop got me coming off a freeway ramp. 50 in a 35. Had no radar in his car, so I have no idea how he clocked me. The two things that really pissed me off where the fact that he ignored the SUV that blew by me like I was standing still. Plus the fact that he looked at my Fire dept badge and ID. So much for professional courtesy!:mad:

Timed you or aircraft.

Sorry to hear that. A typical case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time at the wrong speed. It all adds up.

Definately no aircraft. Maybe timed me? It was a regular NYPD cop not Highway

Boy, really surprised that he did not give you a freebie with your badge!

I just dont understand that, was Vinman responding to a fire call? Why would he or anyone get a break because of a badge?

It sucks to get a ticket, but if you were speeding you were speeding.

The last time the issue of crappy tickets came up I mentioned this. The actual highway is like "Deathrace 2000" with a 50 or 55MPH speed limit. Very little enforcement of any kind..

But now the NYPD is trolling the ramps. It is easier to get you on the ramp - that has the same limit as the street - 35MPH.

Quota filling, money raising, BS tickets.:mad:

If he had a radar/laser gun it will default to the largest and fastest moving object.

A similar thing happened to me but I paid the ticket before finding out this fact.

If the ramps are the same speed as the street, then how are you supposed to get up/down to speed of traffic?? I have never heard of this, but I will keep in the memory banks. I'm sure your bad luck will help others out.

Well it is coming up on april 15th. Time for you to pay your part!

don't think i've ever gone a year without a speeding ticket.

The government's insatiable lust for money knows no limits. Welcome to the world of revenue generation.

the only thing better than an off duty traffic cop is a retired traffic cop.

bastards.

While our illustrious Maryland governor is signing a bill to to allow speed cameras all over Maryland (and not just here in Montgomery County) it seems the Montgomery County police are actually giving the cameras the finger- and refusing to pay either the speeding or stoplight tickets. Of course their union is supporting them.

"Professional Courtesy" shouldn't get you off. You broke the law you should pay like the rest of us. I want to believe that these arcane revenue sucking laws would change if the politicians and cops had to pay like we commoners.

O.k., I have to be completely frank with you on this one. This kind of "professional courtesy" just flat pisses me off. So you think you get to speed, and that you should have gotten off because you are a fireman? Kudos to the cop for having the integrity to deny your request. You should be ashamed of yourself for even asking.

I would fight the ticket arguing, based on the information provided, that I was using the off-ramp in the manner it was intended and that the officer used poor judgement in failing to take this into consideration.
With respect to the other suggestions that ticketing is some sort of revenue generating device I'm not too sure. I say this because certain types of enforcement and proof thereof is needed to recieve certain federal highway funds and this, more often then not, is the culprit. Stepped-up enforcement on on/off ramps seems odd to me though. While it's been years since I took the written test doesn't the manual address using the on-ramp to merge onto the highway at highway speeds? And if so, an off-ramp is used in the same manner but to slow down to the collector speed limit?

First of all, I did not ASK. So I have nothing to be ashamed of. He saw my turnout gear on my seat., and my fire-fighters plate. HE ASKED to see my ID.
NOWHERE did I incinuate that I had a right to speed and expected to get off.

As far as integrity goes. Ive seen many, many, cops using their lights and sirens for no reason at all, just so they can drive through red lights so they dont have to sit there waiting.

CRH911S have you ever been to traffic court?


Jeff i can't believe you used the world 'integrity' in connection with a traffic cop.

Jeez, i didn't know this was coming already!

Maryland really is going down the *****ter led by a greedy gov't. Holding us hostage with slots and now speed cameras. ****ing dirtbags.

first ticket in 26 years of driving? wow, very impressive. your time was due.

now in regard to this professional courtesy thing. it isnt right, but damn it happens alot. i am stunned you didnt get a pass when he saw your gear and badge. in el paso, i got pulled over regularly. i look like my brother who is a very well known cop there. a quick look at the same last name, and i get let go everytime. they typically dont even say a thing. just had me back my card, and walk away. one time i did get written up by a very ethical cop. i wasnt pissed but he got a rash of **** at work. he didnt show up to court. i got a free walk. anyways, not a single one of you guys that find it hard to swallow will ever say, "no! i know i am a cop, but i was speeding,,,I DEMAND MY CITATION!". nobody would say it.

The guy who flew past you in the SUV must have been known as an off duty cop ...or his brother. Whereas you , Vin, are just a FD guy. :cool:

Seriously, the whole "speed limit" thing.. both the stated limit, and the enforcement of, are just a loose attempt at helping traffic flow w/o scaring gramp's off the road. ....and a big bit of revenue for some.

The guys w/ sirens do of course believe that they get special rights . ..because they do. It's that we all know that allowing cops to speed is the only way that that they don't become super anal about the "limit" that they "enforce" (as a tax). --they get to pick a random driver, give a ticket as evidence of "hey, let's slow it down to posted" and then they get to speed away to the next hit. --maybe fair in it's mostly randomness. ...different cops, with different chips on the shoulder.

Of course that all will go away soon, and we'll have the cop replaced by automated super-anal traffic ticket cam's. --enforcing with ease, all of the arbitrary low speed zones, as well as ticketing cops. (unless cops and FD's are above the law, they too will get ticketed for speeding ...even to an emergency. --After all, if above a certain "limit" is deemed unsafe, then we certainly can't have anyone exceeding that limit. ...for ANY reason.)

Well, that was said once - Washington State Patrol Lt. Col. Travis Bell said exactly that, back in about 1980 or so!!!!!!!!

I've seen Houston PD doing this same crap in the freeway ramps. I even saw one cop who opened his trunk so you couldn't tell it was cop car almost blocking an entrance ramp :mad:

Bad luck. You can fight it if you think you have a chance, or there's traffic school. Everyone should have a traffic school experience. I think they format some versions of these classes in lieu of corporal punishment.

Sherwood

Cops know that if there's a crash and burn most passing FD guys will risk everything to get passengers out.

I'm sorry; I missunderstood. Your initial post certainly indicates an expectation for a "professional courtesy", and dissapointment in not having received one. Maybe I read it wrong.

I have a Snohomish County Sheriff's car pass me several times a month on my way to work. I commute on I-5; he gets on the freeway a couple of miles north of where I do. He never fails to get out to the carpool lane and just fly right on by everyone. Traffic is doing 70+ (in a 60) as it is. He must be pushing 85-90. I'm sure if anyone complained, he would be "on a call". I've seen it often enough, and for long enough, to be pretty darn sure he is on his way to work. They drive their patrol cars home in that department. It's the same guy, in the same car, from the same on ramp every time I see him.

I've now followed State Patrol on the freeway at elevated speeds on two occasions. Once in the 911; once on my Harley. The one I followed in the 911touched 100 mph a couple of times on I-90, westbound from Snoqualmie Pass. I followed him for over ten miles, about half a mile behind him, until he got off in North Bend. For lunch. I walked right in and confronted him and another young trooper that were standing in line with who appeared to be a supervisor or something. Pretty tense few minutes...

The time on the bike I fell in behind a pair of them on their BMW's. Southbound I-5 from Everett to Seattle, in the carpool lane, in rush hour traffic. The only times we dropped below 80 mph were when they caught up to some poor citizen that couldn't get out of their way fast enough. Amazing. I was waving to the cars we were passing, pointing to the troopers ahead of me, and giving the car drivers that "what the hell..." shrug.

Nothing anyone can do about this, in all of its various forms. We've all seen it. Speeding, hitting the strobe to trip the traffic light, etc. One would think departments concerned with their public image would investigate citizen complaints about this behavior and take them seriously. They don't appear to do so.

You are my hero!

Jeff, maybe I worded it wrong. Now that I look at it. I was pretty peeved this morning. Like I said i didnt expect to get off, Especially with the relationship between police/fire around here. They basically hate eachother. The whole power trip thing and all. Although most cops would have let u off with a warning. This guy just had a crappy attitude. There is no reason to treat everyone like they just mugged an old lady.
Funny thing is , I see this guy almost every morning. He always sits in the same spot, so I know hes there. Hes usually bagging people at this one red light. But I still want to know how he "clocked me"??

The NYPD are the biggest hypocritical traffic violators. You wouldnt believe the amount of complaints they get everyday. I have a lot of good friends and a few relatives that are cops in NJ and the NYPD. I see what they do. It burns my a$.

Hey Vin, the guys a prick. Plain and Simple.
You rock buddy, forget about it.

50 in a 35....... gimme a break! (or you in this case)
Yes you should get a courtesy; one for being a fireman and two for no infractions over 26 years. Where is this guys head at? Please tell me you're gonna fight it!

not sure about n.y., but in calif. the yellow speed signs for on/off ramps are suggested speeds and not speed limits.

And you would know they had no reason because? As a firefighter, I suppose you've never been in your firetruck responding to a call and had the call cancelled either. I guess next time I see a fire truck do that, I'll just assume they are playing around. :rolleyes: If Im responding to a back up call, which is different then an assistance request. it is routine to do that. If units gets there prior to my arrival, then I may quit responding and go routine. To the unknowing, it looks like I just went thru the intersection and then pulled into starbucks or whatever.

Hmm, since it isn't right, how come you didn't correct them and demand your ticket? Where are your ethics?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1207627716.jpg

Randy

Jeff, seriously not tring to get into a debate about this. I know when I'm riding at work, if I do the posted limit on the freeway, the traffic behind me comes to a complete halt. I generally have to go really under the limit before most cars will even pass me. I generally ride slightly faster then traffic for this reason and to somewhat control the environment around me. I do the same thing when riding my personal bike within reason. No excuse for 85-90 in a 60 though.

I've never heard of the hitting the strobe light thing to trip the traffic lights. Seriously I wish we had that, it would make going thru the intersections while rolling code alot safer.

I thought it was nearly LAW that he let you off in Jersey.

I lived there for 4 years and the cops, fire department and state troopers were always letting each other do what ever.

What has this world come to! Fooorget about it!!!:cool::cool:


(If you haven't got a ticket in 26 years, you ain't tryin') :D

Mike if you have ever read any of my previous police related posts, you'll see im probaby the biggest cop supporter on here. I'm the last person to bash cops.
But your last sentence is exactly what im talking about. I see it all the time. When patrol car is cruising along at 20 mph along with everyone else, then decides to drive around everyone stopped at the light. Then puts on its lights (or not put them on). to get through the red, only to proceed to turn into a store parking lot. Im sure anyone else that lives in NYC can attest to how common of an occurrence this is.

Leading by example goes a lot further than leading by an iron fist.

But then again, the latter seems to make more money, so there it is.

You should take this standup routine on the road!

That certainly is the safest way to get through traffic on a bike, Mike. I believe they even teach that technique in the MSF classes. I would much, much rather be the passer than the passee when I'm on a bike. It absolutely allows us to "control the environment" around us when we do that.

So you guys don't have the white strobe in the center of the light bar? On the cars, of course, not the bikes. Unless it could be on top of your helmet or something... Anyway, all emergency vehicles up here have one. Cop cars, fire trucks, aid cars; anyone that would respond to an emergency. Our traffic lights have a sensor that picks up the strobe flash to quickly change the light to green for them. Great idea, really. Except that some one also decided that metro buses need them, but that's another story...

I can see where a cop would have cause to hit the strobe without running lights and sirens. They might still be in an awful hurry to get to a crime scene, and just don't want to announce their approach. But when they do it and pull into a Denny's a block later, with several other cars waiting for them... hard to believe they were responding and a call got cancelled.

Oh, and yes, I hate following a cop who is doing the speed limit on the freeway. Everyone is afraid to even match their speed, much less pass them. Talk about a great way to jug up already bad traffic. I'm sure you wish you could tell everyone around you to just get on with it and drive normally. Problem is, most folks are scared to death of traffic cops.

Tax collectors have never been popular but when the darn tax collector declares himself exempt then people really get pissed.