I have trouble with the cops out here, they litterally have nothing to do, and no real crime other than some domestic disputes ever happen here. So they litterally have to find reason - hard - to pull someone over and hope they can get something on them.
There is a question here in a bit btw, for the most RECENT stop.
Some examples of BS stops in the past that we have had.
Wife was stopped for a dirty license plate and had to have her plates and license run until we got out and pointed out in a - polite - way, that we had infact just WASHED the car so what was he getting at. So we looked and there was some grit from our home road on it. Still clearly visible, etc. And the officer changed his tone from, "I stopped you for this" to "Yes, I just wanted to let you know before it got too dirty, because it has to be visible from 50 yards or you'll get a ticket."
Turning through a yellow light... Yes, I got pulled over for making a turn while the traffic light was yellow, and the stopping officer litterally told me in his words that "When the light turns yellow you have to stop" and let me off with a - warning- ... Ummm, what?
Wife was stopped because one of her headlights wasn't as bright as the other, and was - warned - for it, after having to sit through having her card, license, etc ran. Light works fine, but it's just slightly dimmer than the other. (Verified with another officer than this is a complete BS reason to stop someone, and showed him the headlights.)
Similar to the "Dirty Licence Plate" we were stopped for the light over the license not working. This would actually be valid if it was true. Unfortunately for the cop, who it was obvious didn't expect a woman to get out and verify and take his word for it, he was proved wrong much to his embarrassment. His cover up consisted of "Well, yes, but it is a bit dim you need to replace it - 50 yards explaination again" it isn't dim, he was just tailing us with his brights on.
There are several more along these lines, like "You seemed suspcious, like you were trying to avoid town" (Took the highway, instead of Main Street) - You can sneeze and miss my town... We usually get pulled over on BS at least once or twice a month. So the question is two-part.
First, is thier place for a grievance on what basically amounts to constant harrassment on BS claims which have been easily disproven (Except the most recent which I will get too)?
And second... I was stopped again tonight for "Failing to Signal a Turn". Now this one is technically correct because I did not use my turn signal (Even though I usually do there out of habit), in fact no one ever does at that intersection... for a reason. The Road dead ends. You cannot turn right, and you cannot go strait, you can only go left from the lane. Does anyone remember the technicallities behind that... I seem to recall the signalling rules being on lane changes or "when required". I can see the reason if it was just a turn only lane on a road and forgetting to signal, even though that still seems assinine to me, but this road actually end you can only turn left. Anyone know the legallity of this? 'Sage, anyone? Faelynn LeAndris fucked around with this message on 01-14-2007 at 03:27 AM.
quote:
Mr. Parcelan painfully thought these words up:
Considering that you don't think walking around your kids in the nude all the time is weird or wrong, I'm going to suggest you don't have a particularly good grasp of law or ethics, or at least, not one strong enough to go challenging the police.
Not that I'd expect anything less than idiotic trolling from Parcelan anyway.
ERSTWHILE PEASANTS!
HOW DARE YOU BLASPHEME IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GREAT FAELYNN!
Learn to take it in stride, you penniless hick.
Though judging from past posts you have made about verious.. legal issues... I'd say the cops have you tagged.
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Skawing:
I never signal in turn only lanes
Yeah, me neither.
Also
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"When the light turns yellow you have to stop"
Then what the fuck is the difference between a yellow light and a red light? If they mean the same thing, then why doesn't the light just go straight to red?
As far as the turn signal issue goes, I'm pretty sure they've got you there. The logical construction of the road doesn't matter, the technicalities do.
There is no place for common sense in law - in fact, law is by design the deliberate omission of common sense. When common sense can't be trusted, you make a law.
A yellow light, as far as the law is concerned, means "Stop unless you physically cannot do so in time. If you physically cannot do so in time, proceeed through with caution." Since you turned, you obviously were physically capable of stopping in time, but chose not to. You broke the law.
When turning, regardless of whether you are in a turn-only lane or turning at a dead-end or whatever, the law says that you must signal. There is no leeway here. Just because, "nobody signals here for a reason..." doesn't mean that the law overlooks it. You broke the law.
I just took defensive driving to get a ticket dismissed, so all this stuff is fresh on my mind still. 
Densetsu fucked around with this message on 01-14-2007 at 07:24 AM.
Did you know that 70% of all fatal crashes happen at speeds of under 60MPH? 
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Densetsuing:
The yellow light and turn signal stops were correct and justified.A yellow light, as far as the law is concerned, means "Stop unless you physically cannot do so in time."
So then why doesn't the light just turn straight to red?
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Bent over the coffee table, Trillee squealed:
Mnn... Try your county's manicipal building. I believe they have a department you can go to about the cops. That or if these are actualy town cops then there should be a "cop shop" er.. or presinct(sp) headquarters that you can go to.Though judging from past posts you have made about verious.. legal issues... I'd say the cops have you tagged.
This is incredibly bad advice. Complain if you'd like, but unless you've got incontrovertible evidence that they are violating your rights--and are willing to go to court and prove it--you'd just be sticking another "kick me" sign on your back. You have, in short, zero recourse.
Bottom line: sucks to be you.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
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Densetsu had this to say about Reading Rainbow:
The yellow light and turn signal stops were correct and justified.A yellow light, as far as the law is concerned, means "Stop unless you physically cannot do so in time. If you physically cannot do so in time, proceeed through with caution." Since you turned, you obviously were physically capable of stopping in time, but chose not to. You broke the law.
When turning, regardless of whether you are in a turn-only lane or turning at a dead-end or whatever, the law says that you must signal. There is no leeway here. Just because, "nobody signals here for a reason..." doesn't mean that the law overlooks it. You broke the law.
I just took defensive driving to get a ticket dismissed, so all this stuff is fresh on my mind still.
Did you know that 70% of all fatal crashes happen at speeds of under 60MPH?
I have never heard it be a ticketable offence, or lawbreaking, to proceed through a yellow light. Ever. Until I got pulled over for that. That doesn't even fall under the "Common Sense" category Maradon mentioned.
As far as I have ever known, Green is go, Yellow is Caution, Red is you better fucking stop.
And for the record there is really no defineable way to determine when "Unless you physically cannot do so" comes into play, even with turning. Which is why they should be, and as far as I knew, definitively assigned Go, Caution, and Stop. That's just wrong. 
Like Maradon said, why is there even a yellow then?
The light turned yellow right as I reached the intersection btw, there was no way to "Stop on Yellow". The cop had been basically tailgating me from 751 as it was. So he was just waiting, hoping to get lucky.
As far as the signal thing... That's why I asked, because it was grey area to me and I dont recall the specific rule, and went on common sense. You are both correct though, I had it verified for me tonight by a cop buddy who came in on a disturbance call here at work. Even he said it was retarded but legit. So fuck it, gotta defer or pay. Still lame as shit to give someone a ticket for not using a turn signal on a road where they can ONLY turn left since the road ends and they cant go right or strait. Thats like getting a ticket for turning into your own driveway at the end of a dead end road, and getting a ticket!
I have also, as of tonight, had it clarified for me why we get so much shit and pulled over on a regular basis... It's our car. As described by the night officer out here. "We can't profile people, but we can profile cars. And your car is a hot one on our list. Especially when you are driving alone at 12am in the morning." It turns out our car, which is an Old Cutlass (92) is concidered a hot, cheap, throw away car for drug traffic and robberies. Especially given the fact Im am always basically on the road alone out here in the middle of the night coming to work. He said I was basically a beacon for every bored officer out working.
So yeah, basically we've been getting harrassed, but it's unproveable. Which brings up another question.
If they both end in the same result, ie: The person being stopped and/or questioned. Why is it illegal to profile a person, but not thier car.
Edit: I shoulda it pointed out to that cop if he wanted to use the strictest of the signal rules to get me, that he didn't turn on his signal at least 100' before the turn or at all for that matter ( He didn't flash me until I went through it). Faelynn LeAndris fucked around with this message on 01-14-2007 at 08:16 AM.
But that woulda just made things worse, and I was already pissed enough as it was.
1) your town has people running drugs though it
2) they use old cars
3) you have an old car
4) and possibly some priors?
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From the book of Blindy., chapter 3, verse 16:
[QB]Sounds like
1) your town has people running drugs though it
2) they use old cars
3) you have an old car
4) and possibly some priors?
[QB]
1) Not really our town, but 3 of the towns within 45 miles of here (Most noteably where I work, we made frontpage news Friday for it actually) so it comes through, but as far as I know not really out of it. Although highly possible to some degree. (Read Yes, some, I'm sure)
2) Supposedly so, they are supposedly more popular for it.
3) Yes, supposedly mine is of the favorites...
4) Nope, never even had a ticket... Until last night. Never been arrested, done drugs, taken a piss in public. Nada. I WAS perfectly clean, and proud of it actually
Generally speaking, the law offers a multitude of frivolous traffic violations (again, state laws differ, YMMV), giving an officer probable cause to stop you just about anytime if they want to.
Not signaling, driving over or under the speed limit, dirty plates, frames over your license plate (even those frames the dealerships give you), things hanging from your rear view mirror, and many, many more are likely illegal where you live. The latter few are so minor the only situations you'll likely get a ticket for them are if you REALLY piss off the officer, but they do give the officer full legal rights to pull you over, which they may if they suspect something else they don't have probable cause for yet. Once they've done the traffic stop, then they can check to see if you're wanted/drunk/trafficking drugs/whatever.
They're not harassing you, they are likely completely within their rights. Everyone who gets pulled over by the popo thinks they're being violated somehow though.
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A sleep deprived Sakkra stammered:
Stuff.
Sakkra's right, it's not really harassment. Some times they just want to have a word with the driver and see if they are competent, although they have a reason (albeit lame sometimes) to pull you over.
I've been pulled over because my head lights are very bright. I bought those new metal halogen dealies that give you a better view of the road, but I guess they are not to pretty to look at. I thought it was strange at first but then thinking about it, late at night with bright lights in your face can make it hard to focus on the road if you're coming in the opposite direction.
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Over the mountain, in between the ups and downs, I ran into Lechium who doth quote:
I've been pulled over because my head lights are very bright. I bought those new metal halogen dealies that give you a better view of the road, but I guess they are not to pretty to look at. I thought it was strange at first but then thinking about it, late at night with bright lights in your face can make it hard to focus on the road if you're coming in the opposite direction.
Yeah, it's my personal opinion that those represent a fairly significant hazard and should probably be illegal. And for me to say that anything should be illegal, you know it's got to be really fucking bad.
High beams alone are enough to totally blind someone and cause a collision, but adding a headlight that has four or five times the lumens of a standard headlight is just dumb.
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Faelynn LeAndris had this to say about Punky Brewster:
Sage
couldn't have put it better myself
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Maradon! had this to say about the Spice Girls:
Yeah, it's my personal opinion that those represent a fairly significant hazard and should probably be illegal. And for me to say that anything should be illegal, you know it's got to be really fucking bad.High beams alone are enough to totally blind someone and cause a collision, but adding a headlight that has four or five times the lumens of a standard headlight is just dumb.
But if HE can't see...! 
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Peanut butter ass Shaq Greenlit booooze lime pole over bench lick:
But if HE can't see...!
That's just another argument against them - they don't help you see all that much better.
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Faelynn LeAndris said this about your mom:
2) Supposedly so, they are supposedly more popular for it.
3) Yes, supposedly mine is of the favorites...
Sell beater car, get different beater car that drug runners aren't fond of.
Profit!
Edit: Also, it is 100% illegal to accelerate through a yellow light, even if you were already in the intersection. It is illegal to change lanes within 20 feet of an intersection. Lots of things you may think are innocuous are actually illegal.
Edit2: I just went back and read you latest post. Sorry for the ticket! 
Densetsu fucked around with this message on 01-14-2007 at 04:21 PM.
And finally, edit3: BTW, AFTER you get permission to take defensive driving to get the ticket dismissed, I reccommend defensivedriving.com. It's only $40 and you can take it at your own pace. However, try not to wait until the last minute(you'll have 90 days) or you'll have to get your certificate overnighted to you, and that's $25. Sucked to be me. Also, use the form the court gives you to order your driving record, as it's cheaper than DD.com's service.
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Maradon! thought about the meaning of life:
Yeah, it's my personal opinion that those represent a fairly significant hazard and should probably be illegal. And for me to say that anything should be illegal, you know it's got to be really fucking bad.High beams alone are enough to totally blind someone and cause a collision, but adding a headlight that has four or five times the lumens of a standard headlight is just dumb.
Those really bright lights aren't so bad if they're aimed correctly... the problem is that most people don't even know that you can aim your headlights, much less how they should be aimed.
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Bloodsage wrote, obviously thinking too hard:
This is incredibly bad advice. Complain if you'd like, but unless you've got incontrovertible evidence that they are violating your rights--and are willing to go to court and prove it--you'd just be sticking another "kick me" sign on your back. You have, in short, zero recourse.Bottom line: sucks to be you.
Oh what's one more! (I kid ;P)
But yeah.. it is bad advice, and as it was 3am when I made it, then turned off my computer I thought about it and said.. "Meh.. to late to change it to "get a lawer to ask for good advice" and figured someone would point it out.
What can you do aside getting all the badge numbers and then going to internal affair to see if they'll keep an eye on them.. which is probaly going to get him tagged yet again. *shrugs* So really there isn't much he can do, as you said.. zero recourse.
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Check out the big brain on Densetsu!
words!
It is illegal to change lanes within 20 feet of an intersection. Lots of things you may think are innocuous are actually illegal.
MORE WORDS!
Heres a fun one I think that everyone will WTF at.
I was driving to work at like 8:30 am back in November and I got pulled over for this. I didn't get a ticket or a warning, just a "Watch yourself there" From the officer that was out of his district(Frankfort Cop in New Lenox).
Heres the annoying part. I have to turn right out of a semi-sub division onto Route 30(aka busy 4 lane road) and do so into the right lane as usual. Drive down the street at usual and pull into the left lane AS THE RIGHT LANE ENDS. Flashing lights go on and I pull into the next side street and pull over as route 30 when its one lane is really crazy busy and by the Highschool the Waiszlings went to.
The problem is that the right lane of Route 30 ends right after a sidestreet so unless your hugging the right line until it forcibly merges you into the left lane(at 45mph) your technicaly merging within 20 ft of the intersection since you have maby 50-60 ft total to get left. (No I haven't acutaly measured this, I never got a ticket when he pulled me over so I never bothered)
I'm basicaly just finding it funny that I got pulled over for having to merge because a lane ended. Seriously wtf moment...
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Maradon! had this to say about Matthew Broderick:
Yeah, it's my personal opinion that those represent a fairly significant hazard and should probably be illegal. And for me to say that anything should be illegal, you know it's got to be really fucking bad.High beams alone are enough to totally blind someone and cause a collision, but adding a headlight that has four or five times the lumens of a standard headlight is just dumb.
I have to agree that these are hazardous. Nothing like driving down the nice interstate with these blaring in your mirrors for 20 miles or coming around a curve on a nondivided road to get a face full of ultrabrights. It's enough to make you want to smack the hell outta the people using them.
Anything that makes me temporarily unable to see the road, dividing lines, edge of the road, those damn cement barriers and finally the other cars is not something I want placed on other cars. Taylen fucked around with this message on 01-15-2007 at 10:43 AM.
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Over the mountain, in between the ups and downs, I ran into Peter who doth quote:
In NJ yellow is supposed to mean stop if possible. Means you only go through if you are moveing to fast to brake normally in time. if you can slow down to turn, you can stop at the light.
As opposed to red lights in which case you're supposed to stop even when it's impossible.
Of course there's also the classic quip for the NYC area, "Green means go. Yellow means floor it. Red means only three more cars."
