I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

[buzz1941]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

The guy who cut me off was just past the crosswalk, so he didn't change lanes while in the intersection. He was stopped behind the bus and just gunned it one lane over when the bus in front him did the same thing. I pointed out to the police person that I had been blocked from completely crossing the intersection, and she responded, yes, but it's YOU who is blocking it.

The irony is, because the bus and the car had moved over from the right lane, it was clear, and I was in the process of pulling into that lane to clear the intersection when the police person appeared at my window and said, pull into the other lane. I said, that's what I'm doing ma'am, and and pulled into it, clearing the intersection. She reappeared and said, no, not that lane, go onto King Street. But I'm not going in that direction, I said. We'll get you going in the right direction, she said.

So she had me reverse BACK into the intersection and pull over onto King. And then she asked for my ID and paperwork. It wasn't until that moment that I realized I was being ticketed. I honestly thought the police person was making an effort to help clear up the traffic problem and was directing traffic. I wasn't giving her lip, but from that moment on I started asking a lot of questions. That's how I found out that the police have no responsibility for keeping traffic moving safely, only for ticketing scofflaws.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

From the similar-but-different department: I got pulled over in Kahala by a cop because... he wanted to offer me a cold beer from a cooler in his car! Turns out he recognized me from a TV appearance and wanted to give me a beer as a thanks.
We live in strange times, my friends.


Burl, sorry about your day, man. It must've been a return-of-karma deal for all those bad sheep jokes.

let me guess...you appeared in a HPD/MADD commercial? Watch out that offer of a beer could have been entrapment.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

Sorry to hear about this, Burl. There's a couple intersections near my home where that scenario occurs regularly; I do my best to avoid getting caught in the situation you described, but you can't always adjust for the other idjit's actions. It realy stinks that YOU get burned for it. If you choose to fight it, I hope you get a judge with a sympathetic ear (since the cop didn't have one.)

[buzz1941]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

I'm looking for the receipt so I can go down and PROVE that I paid the ticket. Not my fault if you didn't take it to the bank.

You're on the Big Island? My brother had his check cashed by the traffic court but not credited against the ticket. He had to bring the cancelled check in to prove he had paid it.

I once had an arrest warrant out for me for a parking citation in Hilo. Which was interesting because I hadn't been there in years. After trying to sort it out with the Hilo court clerk, I found out it was for a car that I had sold a year before, but I had proof the title had been transferred, which I faxed to them. It turned out that Oahu title transfer records were shared by the neighbor island only once a year -- that was the explanation.

But then she argued with me that I should just pay the ticket and the fine, it wasn't that much money, like $60. But, says I, I didn't commit the offense. Then she said the situation happened all the time and people on Oahu simply pay the fine to the Hilo Court.

I responded that I would rather fly to Hilo, surrender to the authorities and serve $60 worth of jail time, and right behind me would be a lawyer.

Half an hour later I got a call from the court clerk who said she had conferred with the judge and he had decided to drop the case "due to a lack of evidence."

[oceanpacific]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

An arrest warrant? You mean like a BENCH WARRANTY? For a PARKING TICKET? That sounds like overkill!

I had my own problem here in Honolulu with a car I sold to a friend who got a moving violation citation within a few days after the sale just prior to the transfer being filed. He was also ticketed for an expired driver's license and other violations for arguing with the cop. Then, I got a ticket for "letting an unlicensed driver operate the car." With an offer for a $45 "bail forfeiture" and THREE points in lieu of going to court.

Hell, no! I fought it because that citatiion is almost as bad as DUI for insurance rating purposes. The judge threw the case out.

[buzz1941]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

Sorry, yes, a bench warrant. I only found out when I tried to renew my drivers license. Naturally, nothing was mailed to me.

[oceanpacific]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

Sorry, yes, a bench warrant. I only found out when I tried to renew my drivers license. Naturally, nothing was mailed to me.

Isn't a deputy from the Sheriff's department supposed to personally serve you with the bench warranty? After all, they must have had your address.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

You're on the Big Island? My brother had his check cashed by the traffic court but not credited against the ticket. He had to bring the cancelled check in to prove he had paid it.

I once had an arrest warrant out for me for a parking citation in Hilo. Which was interesting because I hadn't been there in years. After trying to sort it out with the Hilo court clerk, I found out it was for a car that I had sold a year before, but I had proof the title had been transferred, which I faxed to them. It turned out that Oahu title transfer records were shared by the neighbor island only once a year -- that was the explanation.

But then she argued with me that I should just pay the ticket and the fine, it wasn't that much money, like $60. But, says I, I didn't commit the offense. Then she said the situation happened all the time and people on Oahu simply pay the fine to the Hilo Court.

I responded that I would rather fly to Hilo, surrender to the authorities and serve $60 worth of jail time, and right behind me would be a lawyer.

Half an hour later I got a call from the court clerk who said she had conferred with the judge and he had decided to drop the case "due to a lack of evidence."

Well ya know Burl...Hilo's a mighty small town and we don't take kindly to you city slickers talking that fancy trash talk like that. See my hand? It look lonely without old Benjamin laying right in there, ya get the picture! Just pay the fine and just keep passing thru these neck of the woods and everything's all fine and dandy

[cezanne]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

buzz:
... He told me to go to court and it would be thrown out. So why write it in the first place?

I got ticketed for not wearing my seat belt. I was surprised the cop coaching me on what I could say in court to get the case thrown out. So I'm thinking the same as LG... "well why don't we just save ourselves some time and don't write the ticket."

But he checked some box on the ticket so that the violation wouldn't reflect as "points". I never heard of that before, but to my surprise I never got any dings on my abstract... btw, I never contested the $92 ticket, dunno if that mattered.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

The cop was going thru the process of writing up the violation. He was doing you a favor by telling you how to get it thrown out.

He had to write you up, he's doing his job.

Funny how we get all bent out of shape when we see somebody else getting away with a traffic infraction and we mumble, "where's a cop when you need one". But when it's us that is committing the infraction, we mutter, "isn't there something better this cop can be doing like catching criminals?" Well you broke the law which makes you a... And you just got caught.

Be careful what you wish for cuz it may come true

[cezanne]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

Naw I'm not complaining that I got busted...just found it ironic that the guy giving me the ticket was telling me how to get away with it.

[buzz1941]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

I just looked at the ticket and there's no date written in the court date section.

[Hellbent]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

this means never right?
maybe you have to call in?

[oceanpacific]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

Sporty two-door cars, bright red cars, lowered or raised vehicles, loud mufflers, "flames" graphics, spoilers, oversized rims/tires =====> POLICE MAGNETS!

[joshuatree]

Re: I'm a magnet for stupid traffic tickets

Does that mean the case gets thrown out since there is no court date? Maybe the cop was trying to be nice after all?