question about fighting a traffic ticket

[BlackHrtStang]

the other day i was pulled over. i pull over and the officer asks for my licence and proof of insurance. i let him know i would have to go into my glove box to get ins card and licence was in my back pocket. so i unbuckle my seat belt and give him my ins card. he hands me back my ins card and goes to his car to run my licence. when he was through he told me the reason for being stopped was that i was not wearing a seat belt. i let him finish his ticket schpeal and then pointed out to him that i had to unbuckle my belt to go to my glove box and hand him my ins card. i asked where he saw me with out a belt and he said about a block back (he did give a specific street location). not wanting to push my luck or piss him off i let that be that. my car is black with black interior with black belts and i was wearing a black t-shirt with my tinted (legal @35%) rolled up. i was actually wearing my belt the whole time. i have only had 1 ticket before this for speeding so i dont know how this whole fighting a ticket thing goes. my guess is im pretty much screwed because its my word against the officers. what can i do to try and fight this?

 

[fiveohpoepoe]

You said it, it is your word against his. If you fight it I would give the explanation you posted, "my car is black with black interior with black belts and i was wearing a black t-shirt with my tinted (legal @35%) rolled up. i was actually wearing my belt the whole time."

 

[cplwalker]

seat belts tickets are hard to fight because there is no way to prove you was or was not wearing it

 

[Teethy]

Your description is basically the best you can do. Assuming all that actually happened you probably have a decent chance of it getting tossed.

However- its more than likely a non moving violation with a relatively low fine (~$30) and it might cost you more to fight it than to pay it. Good luck, crappy situation when you're in the right and the officer made an honest mistake.

 

[Outlaw99]

i always got a kick out of coming up behind someone and seeing them very slowly reach up and pull the seatbelt down like they were being sneeky...then claim to me they had it on the whole time.

 

[svtcop]

i always got a kick out of coming up behind someone and seeing them very slowly reach up and pull the seatbelt down like they were being sneeky...then claim to me they had it on the whole time.

+1 :lol1:

 

[Outlaw99]

as LEO's...we know what we see. if you drive by and dont have it on...and we pull you and its on...it doesnt take a rocket scientist to deduct what happened. you arent convincing one officer here that it was on. everyone hears it a million times...but the officers know what they see. its not hard. its either there or it isnt. driving by doesnt obscure anything.

let it be a lesson learned. wear the seatbelt and move on.

 

[BlackHrtStang]

teethy- its a $150 ticket, so id rather not pay it if possible sense i was wearing it the whole time.

outlaw- are all traffic stops recorded on dash cams? if so when do they turn on once the lights are hit or when the vehicle is stopped. i was wearing my belt the whole time and only ever reached to take it off. either way if we can watch it it wont ever show me trying to be sneaky to try and put it on. i understand your doubt but it actually was on the whole time.

 

[brendan.9]

The cars i've been in its either manual on or once the lights are turned on the camera turns on. If its only a fine no points on license or anything i'd just pay fine quicker and easier.

 

[Lt. ZO6]

teethy- its a $150 ticket, so id rather not pay it if possible sense i was wearing it the whole time.

outlaw- are all traffic stops recorded on dash cams? if so when do they turn on once the lights are hit or when the vehicle is stopped. i was wearing my belt the whole time and only ever reached to take it off. either way if we can watch it it wont ever show me trying to be sneaky to try and put it on. i understand your doubt but it actually was on the whole time.

Some agencies have video cameras, some don't. For the ones that do, there are numerous types. The ones my agency utilize always record in 30 second (programmable) increments. It will write over the old portion unless the officer activates or the lights are engaged. That way, in many cases, the violation itself can be captured.