Ridiculous Traffic Ticket Stories...

[cindysteve]

OK- When I was 18 I was riding with a gal pal on a major street on the Gold Coast area of Chicago. Some of the left turns have islands dividing the left turn lane from the rest of the lanes. This was a left turn from left side of island only. While we were sitting in the turn lane on the "left side" of the island, we were pulled over and ticketed for making an improper left hand turn. The irony is we were pulled over BEFORE she made a turn! (I think it was because we were teenagers)

Another friend I had in my early twenties got pulled over for driving on a shoulder where there was no shoulder. He was on the on ramp. Brought photos of the area to court, and still lost!

And now for my big confession.. I am driving on a ticket- actually 2 tickets. I was pulled over because my plates were expired. This happened two weeks ago. I had no idea that they were expired. I thought my DH had taken care of it back in MAY 2003 when they expired (thats right they were expired for 8 months). I was so embarassed. I kept saying "are you sure? check your computer..." Then, to add to my probelms, my insurance card was not in the glove box- so I now have two tickets. (every other card from previous years was still in there, just not the JAN 2004 card.)

 

[philaround]

My DW received a ticket a few years ago for passing illegally. She was in the right hand lane of a 4 lane road, 2 lanes heading north and 2 lanes headung south, The car in the left lane slowed down and stopped to make a left turn across on coming traffic. My DW continued on past the car , remaining in her own driving lane, and got pulled over. The officer who stopped her claimed that since the car in the left lane had stopped to make a turn that she was not allowed to pass it on the right. He claimed that she was supposed to stop to the rear of the turning car, even with an empty lane in front of her, and wait until the other car had completed it's turn before proceeding. I tried to convince her to fight it but she didn't want to take time off from work.

 

[vhoffman]

I happen to be one of those "lucky" people with a handicapped permit. However, I'm often challenged (but never ticketed) for parking in the Handicapped spaces. However, there's about eight handicapped spaces in front of my children's school. I have the nerve to park there, often on a regular basis. Others park there with no permit and the school turns a blind eye. I think our city could make a mint by just ticketing those parked there illegally for just one day. I was going to make that suggestion until I was warned not to by another mother. Seems the handicapped spaces are really allowed as "perks" to teachers, volunteers, or whoever's in favor with the administration. It really p---- them off that I park there without their approval, but legally. I only wish them the best life has to offer--may they have their very own handicapped permit that will allow them primo spaces wherever they go. Oh, there's one little difficulty--they do have to suffer a handicapping condition. Some of us have all the luck!

 

[vhoffman]

I happen to be one of those "lucky" people with a handicapped permit. However, I'm often challenged (but never ticketed) for parking in the Handicapped spaces. However, there's about eight handicapped spaces in front of my children's school. I have the nerve to park there, often on a regular basis. Others park there with no permit and the school turns a blind eye. I think our city could make a mint by just ticketing those parked there illegally for just one day. I was going to make that suggestion until I was warned not to by another mother. Seems the handicapped spaces are really allowed as "perks" to teachers, volunteers, or whoever's in favor with the administration. It really p---- them off that I park there without their approval, but legally. I only wish them the best life has to offer--may they have their very own handicapped permit that will allow them primo spaces wherever they go. Oh, there's one little difficulty--they do have to suffer a handicapping condition. Some of us have all the luck!

 

[vhoffman]

I happen to be one of those "lucky" people with a handicapped permit. However, I'm often challenged (but never ticketed) for parking in the Handicapped spaces. However, there's about eight handicapped spaces in front of my children's school. I have the nerve to park there, often on a regular basis. Others park there with no permit and the school turns a blind eye. I think our city could make a mint by just ticketing those parked there illegally for just one day. I was going to make that suggestion until I was warned not to by another mother. Seems the handicapped spaces are really allowed as "perks" to teachers, volunteers, or whoever's in favor with the administration. It really p---- them off that I park there without their approval, but legally. I only wish them the best life has to offer--may they have their very own handicapped permit that will allow them primo spaces wherever they go. Oh, there's one little difficulty--they do have to suffer a handicapping condition. Some of us have all the luck!

 

[Mickey527]

I have only gotten one ticket but it was a doozy.
My car was one day old. In the state of CT the law states that you must have two liscence plates on the car, one on the front and one on the back. The auto dealer that I bought the car from didn't have the right screws to put the plate on the front of the car and told me about it.
I went to 3 stores, bought screws and returned them because they didn't fit. I was on my way to an auto Zone to try again when I got pulled over.
The officer asked where my front plate was and I told him it was on my front seat because I was having trouble getting the correct screws to put it on my car. He asked if it was a new car and I told him yes, I picked it up the day before. I showed him the receipts from the stores where I had tried to buy the screws and then took them back.He then walked all around my car and kicked all 4 tires. I don't know why he did, but he was in a foul mood and I wasn't about to ask.
He gave me a ticket for $150 for not having the plate on. I told him I was trying to put it on and would have it done by the end of the day. He said "You were speeding too so if you want to make a big deal of this I can just write you another ticket" No thannk you officer, I will get the plate on right away.
I brought the receipts to court to show the judge, I showed him the receipt with the time and date of when I did get the plate on (15 minutes after the ticket) and he tossed it out, no fine, not points.
But this one is really bad................
Last month my boys were driving down to Orlando to meet me for a week. I spent two weeks there but they couldn't get two weeks off.
They were in South Carolina doing 70 in a 70 MPH zone in the right lane. A state car pulled along side of them in the left lane and looked at my son who was driving. The officer slowed down so my son did too, to 60 MPH. The officer dropped down to about 50 and went behind my son into the right lane. My son sped back up to the speed limit and set his cruise control again. The officer put his lights on and pulled my son over.
He asked what he did and the officer said he pulled him over for suspicious behavior, going 60 in a 70 MPH zone. The officer then asked what they were doing out of state. They said they were going to meet me in Orlando. The officer asked them how much money they had and my naive boys told him, between them they had $350.
The officer told them that since they were out of state they could either pay him the fine now or have their car towed and pay the court tomorrow including the court fees. They asked what the fine was and of course it was $350.
My naive (dumb) boys instead of calling me gave the officer their $350. The officer gave them a hand written paper with a phone number on it and said "you can call this number tomorrow to check and make sure I have checked in this money" Of course the number was not for the police station, some woman answered. I called the state police and they said they couldn't do anything because my boys didn't get the name of the officer. We knew the time (6 am) and the location but they wouldn't pursue this.
I know it sounds crazy, but my boys are 24 and 20 and I don't doubt their story. They have always been taoght to respect police and do what they are told. I only wish they had called me because I would have driven from my resort up to South Carolina and fought this.
Peggie