Stop Complaining About Minor Traffic Violations!!!
To all the people that come into this forum or other forums complaining about being stopped for what you consider minor traffic violations, you need to remember a few things.
1. You decided to break the law, not the officer!
2. The officer didnt write or vote for the law/statute, nor did he recommend its content!
3. The officer doesnt have better things to do than to enforce the law, even if you dont agree with that particular law.
4. Believe me when I say any L.E.O. would rather stop a rape, murder, burglary, etc. rather than listen to you complain about being stopped for no front plate, tinted windows, 7 mph over, failure to yield, speed not consistant with conditions, etc.!
Additionally, if you give an officer Probable Cause for a traffic stop you have invited the encounter. The officer is not picking on you or harassing you.
Traffic stops are where a lot of very bad criminals are caught. It is this encounter where warrants are discovered as well as drugs and weapons. The simple traffic stop often leads to arrests for serious felonies. So, the next time you are stopped because you invited the encounter and then let go with a warning, dont come here and complain about the officer, thank them and be done with it!!!
NOTE: Tickets can be amended. If your information is incorrect, but you and your vehicle are identifiable the ticket is still good.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Albert Einstein
The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
Oh, and routine traffic stops evolving into criminal activities... I'd have to say that this in no way equates to all drivers stopped in routine traffic stops being criminals.
Oh, and routine traffic stops evolving into criminal activities... I'd have to say that this in no way equates to all drivers stopped in routine traffic stops being criminals.
true, as far as "serious criminals(iemurder,rape ect) but...
if you brake the law, even if its just a traffic law, its a crime is it not? that makes the person behind that a criminal doesn't it?
true, as far as "serious criminals(iemurder,rape ect) but...
if you brake the law, even if its just a traffic law, its a crime is it not? that makes the person behind that a criminal doesn't it?
Comparing rapists, thieves, and the general thuggy criminal felony population to speeders is ridiculous, regardless of the context or outcome of the stop.
if you brake the law, even if its just a traffic law, its a crime is it not? that makes the person behind that a criminal doesn't it?
That depends on which State your in. Hawaii "decriminalized" the vast majority of its traffic laws in 94. Gone are the days of arresting the jerk who gave you a hard time about a seatbelt citation!
As for the States that still have all traffic offenses as criminal offenses, the I guess you're right. The minor traffic offenses makes you a quasi-criminal, a little baby criminal, the diet coke of a criminal!!
Oh, and routine traffic stops evolving into criminal activities... I'd have to say that this in no way equates to all drivers stopped in routine traffic stops being criminals.
No one said it did, well, except you in support of yet another off-target post.
Not true. Justifying stopping people because it "routinely" digs up felons is at the very heart of the matter.
That should be a byproduct of traffic enforcement, not a major reason to do it.
No one said that a routine traffic stop is justified by the chance of uncovering some other serious threat. All that was made mention, was that the average person does not realize how many felons are caught due to traffic stops, Ted Bundy was stopped because of an equipment violation(I think a tail light) so tell me, would you rather LEO's not stop these "minor" violations, and let some sick, twisted pyscho rape and kill YOUR mother/wife/sister/daughter? I think that whoever has the thoughts that LEO's just stop you, to harrass you need to take a second and think about how awkward/unnerving it is to approach a vehicle that you cant see inside of, or stop that car at ten o'clock at night for a out tag/brake/headlight and as you walk up to the vehicle, the only thing that goes through your head is "is this going to be a good citizen, or is this going to be the SOB that tries to take my life tonight?"
So I guess in summation what I'm trying to say is: for Adam, and don't you dare try to knock someone for doing a job that has to be done, that you arent willing to do!!!!!!!
Last edited by white ghost; 07-08-2006 at 10:51 AM.
If they didn't post here I would have to read all the drivel on Smackdown to listen to the complaining.
I understand and I feel your pain
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldmodman
You don't think that all the posts are going to be from people that really want factual information, do you?
I have a dream! That one day people will be able to read and follow the guidelines and rules for this particular forum, until then I will use my edit/delete button
Comparing rapists, thieves, and the general thuggy criminal felony population to speeders is ridiculous, regardless of the context or outcome of the stop.
Jeff you are missing the point, a traffic stop with P.C. is lawful and expected. If you create P.C. for a traffic stop, dont complain about the reason later, even if you or other consider it a minor violation.
If you and others dont like being stopped for minor violations, dont commit them. If you dont like the rules, get elected and change them.
The point is even though they appear minor to the average "law abiding" citizen, to the L.E.O. it is an opportunity to see if more serious offenses are being committed or stopped.
Last edited by FordSVTFan; 07-08-2006 at 12:40 PM.
I am not sure where you law enforcment officers live but I really wish more of you were here in the "lovely" Mojave Desert. You wouldn't know what to do, I am not being a smart a**. You would have people to pull over all the time, I live 150 south of Las Vegas now we get LA traffic you know the people who think just because they buy a high end car they car go to the high end of the gauge in the dash. NOT ALL people before I get hate mail and stuff. But people I live here in CA and been to Vegas of course and I am here to tell you VEGAS DOES NOT CLOSE!! I know your afraid of this as I am going 75 and you are passing me at 100 EASY!! but, it is OPEN 24/7 365 I PROMISE YOU!! I just don't get it. People complain about getting pulled over because THEY did NOTHING wrong and they wonder why officers take such precaution when they do pull someone over. HELLO THINK PEOPLE!! They like their lives and so do the families they go home to. I in all honesty don't think they in 90% of thier cases are protected enough and the public who complains are the ones who most likely have wrap sheets now or one point in time bigger than Webster's. I think if the public spent one day with an officer they would change their minds. My husband was SGT in the Army in Iraq and for the people who don't know they are the ones who don't care and complain about anyone who is enforcing law and will enforce the law. Keep up the good works fellas I as well as my family thank you.
I think people complain about minor traffic violations because of their frequency of enforcement. It seems awfully disproportionate in comparison to what we presume officers COULD be doing instead of enforcing laws that are admittedly LESSER than others.
Going by the same logic, it seems as though officers in California should have an easy time catching people smoking cigarettes where they shouldn't be. Right?
If officers don't "like" enforcing these laws any more than the public likes getting cited for these "lesser" laws, but officers enforce them with a startling regularity, then there must be a motivation for the officers to enforce these laws.
Is there a coincidence that these minor violations and the frequency that they are enforced? You bet. I am not allowed to say it though...though everyone knows what I am hinting at.
On a side note, I believe that an officer CAN choose which laws to enforce. Every single day officers let people go for violations all the time. They have the discretion. No one will change my mind of that. What it comes down to is who is motivating the officer and why.
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Toyota Defector
Helping friend with 2000 F-150 with installing a 2001 Lightining motor.
Timothy McVeigh was arrested during a routine traffic stop and he killed 168 people and injured over 500. To me, thats worth getting "harassed" when I'm caught breaking the law.
I think people complain about minor traffic violations because of their frequency of enforcement. It seems awfully disproportionate in comparison to what we presume officers COULD be doing instead of enforcing laws that are admittedly LESSER than others.
And what scale are you using to judge the proportion? Everyone has laws they dont like and consider minor. The car guys dont like traffic laws and consider them minor. The guys who smoke weed, dont like the possession laws and consider them minor. The taggers, who vandalize and paint graffiti on buildings and private property dont like the vandalism laws and consider them minor. It is all in your perspective. Like I said before, there isnt an officer I know that wouldnt prefer to stop a rape, murder, burglary, etc over a traffic stop. But looking for those crimes while ignoring the so called "minor" ones isnt the answer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by svt32v99
Going by the same logic, it seems as though officers in California should have an easy time catching people smoking cigarettes where they shouldn't be. Right?
I dont gather your reasoning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by svt32v99
If officers don't "like" enforcing these laws any more than the public likes getting cited for these "lesser" laws, but officers enforce them with a startling regularity, then there must be a motivation for the officers to enforce these laws.
Yes the motivation is called doing your job. L.E.O.s arent hired to enforce only the laws they agree with and support wholeheartedly, they enforce all the laws regardless of personal belief.
Quote:
Originally Posted by svt32v99
Is there a coincidence that these minor violations and the frequency that they are enforced? You bet. I am not allowed to say it though...though everyone knows what I am hinting at.
I dont know what you are hinting at! I can assume you are making reference to the so called "ticket quota". If that is the case, you are barking up the wrong tree. Because if you follow the threads most people bitch about being stopped for minor violations and then let go. If there was such a quota, then why would an officer let anyone who is in violation go? They wouldnt. Because if they did, they wouldnt get a new toaster.
Quote:
Originally Posted by svt32v99
On a side note, I believe that an officer CAN choose which laws to enforce. Every single day officers let people go for violations all the time. They have the discretion. No one will change my mind of that. What it comes down to is who is motivating the officer and why.
Officers like anyone else can make their own choices, but then again they will be the ones paying for those choices. We have checks and balances in place. There are "tests" done all the time of officers by I.A. to make sure they are doing what they are hired and sworn to do. There is an old saying in L.E. "do whatever your career can handle".
Discretion for certain violations is granted by each individual agency. As quickly as it is granted it can be taken away. For instance, if there is a rise in accidents being caused by not using a blinker, the powers that be will start a strict enforcement detail for turn signal use, and discretion for that violation is not within the officers purview.
As long as no one will change your mind of anything, then there is no reason to have a cogent and constructive conversation with you. Have a nice day. No reply this is necessary as it will lead nowhere, according to you.
And what scale are you using to judge the proportion? Everyone has laws they dont like and consider minor. The car guys dont like traffic laws and consider them minor. The guys who smoke weed, dont like the possession laws and consider them minor. The taggers, who vandalize and paint graffiti on buildings and private property dont like the vandalism laws and consider them minor. It is all in your perspective. Like I said before, there isnt an officer I know that wouldnt prefer to stop a rape, murder, burglary, etc over a traffic stop. But looking for those crimes while ignoring the so called "minor" ones isnt the answer.
I dont gather your reasoning.
Yes the motivation is called doing your job. L.E.O.s arent hired to enforce only the laws they agree with and support wholeheartedly, they enforce all the laws regardless of personal belief.
I dont know what you are hinting at! I can assume you are making reference to the so called "ticket quota". If that is the case, you are barking up the wrong tree. Because if you follow the threads most people bitch about being stopped for minor violations and then let go. If there was such a quota, then why would an officer let anyone who is in violation go? They wouldnt. Because if they did, they wouldnt get a new toaster.
Officers like anyone else can make their own choices, but then again they will be the ones paying for those choices. We have checks and balances in place. There are "tests" done all the time of officers by I.A. to make sure they are doing what they are hired and sworn to do. There is an old saying in L.E. "do whatever your career can handle".
Discretion for certain violations is granted by each individual agency. As quickly as it is granted it can be taken away. For instance, if there is a rise in accidents being caused by not using a blinker, the powers that be will start a strict enforcement detail for turn signal use, and discretion for that violation is not within the officers purview.
As long as no one will change your mind of anything, then there is no reason to have a cogent and constructive conversation with you. Have a nice day. No reply this is necessary as it will lead nowhere, according to you.
Well, I disagree with you final conclusion. That came from nowhere.
But your second to last paragraph speaks volumes and to what I believe is the problem. There are too many people who are over the police agencies dictating what those agencies should or should not do. Specifically, ticket revenue (not quotas) and junk science/statistics.
Ticket revenue is the ONLY reason why intersection cameras exist. They are not there to prevent anything. They have been accused to have caused more accidents than they have prevented. Just another arm of the local IRS.
Junk science is used to manipulate police departments to enforce different laws with varying degrees of emphasis.
I am not blaming the LEO for ANY of this. It is clear to me that LEOs are victims of their employers who more often than not no absolutely ZERO about fighting crime or protecting people; legislators or other elected fools.
LEOs are pawns in this game and often I feel they have to legitimize their jobs because the truth is so ****ing hard to swallow: They are NOT in control of protecting citizens or fighting crime, rather their jobs are dictated to them by someone who doesn't have a clue.
I am on your side LEOs. I promise. But where you have discretion, I feel you should use it wisely. Not all do. Is that not fair to say? Not all doctors are good at being a doctor either. I am not always good at being a banker. We are all human and LEOs are humans in uniform charged with the duty of protecting and serving. But they are still humans.
The only way to stop unfair ticketing for minor traffic violations is to legislate it OR have LEOs develop their own system of being fair. Why not write an electronic note recording a first time traffic violation within a category of similar violations (ie. Speeding) and broadcast it across the entire PD database? The second time it happens, THEN you write the ticket. Two strikes you are out.
If you implement that type of system, then you will still weed out the criminals with outstanding records AND stop the habbitual violator. NOT the first timer.
BTW, there is no moral equivalence to doing drugs versus not using your blinker. They are entirely different in severity, regardless of what the law says. YOU, the LEO has discretion to see the difference and enforce accordingly.
These threads in here are getting a bit too much.
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