Worst Motor Vehicle Related Run-in with Law

[dazzleman]

What is the worst run-in with the law you've ever had related to operating a motor vehicle?  And what were the consequences of it?

Did it result in your being led off in 'cuffs instead of just getting a ticket?  Was the penalty worse than a fine, such as license suspension or community service?

My own worst run-in with the law was a speeding ticket for doing 83 mph in a 55 mph zone.  No 'cuffs, just a ticket, and a hefty fine ($340 that I didn't contest because it was far from home and didn't want to make the trip to court).

I also got a warning letter once about license suspension due to multiple tickets.  I never got my license suspended, though.

Pretty lame, but that's the best I have to offer.     Anybody else got more interesting stories?

[Champ]

Fortunately I have no tickets, and only one warning from when I was 16 (42 in a 30).

I've been pulled over twice, once with that previously mentioned warning, second for 29 in a 30.  yes, 29.  The officer said I was "swerving all over the road."  Obviously I wasn't.  That's a funny conversation...

Officer: License and registration please.
Me: ok, here.
Officer: Do you know how fast you were going?
Me: I might have hit 33 I think coming down the hill?
Officer: I have you at 29.
Me: 29?
Officer: yea, 29.
Me: ok....
Officer: But you were swerving all over the road, have you had anything to drink tonight?

haha it was funny. (wasn't drinking).

[J86]

Oooh I have many which will not be recounted here.

I have a good one from last night.  Does it count if the cops had motor vehicles but I was on foot?

[footoflead]

Havent had any...YET!! ***knocks on wood***

[Tom]

Nothing bad yet, just a warning.

[Raza]

I've been pulled over a few times.  Worst, besides the ticket, was being threatened with disturbing the peace.  

[280Z Turbo]

Havent had any...YET!! ***knocks on wood***

Ditto.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I haven't gotten too many tickets, but i have gotten a few heavy speeding tickets(3 major speeding, over 30, none were on a freeway).

The worst was when i was driving a friend to work(she was late). I was driving on a county road(55 limit) and i went to pass a semi going about 50. I stomped on it(i was in a white 93 240sx) and passed the semi and when i came around the front of it(going about 70) i see a old fart putting along in a caddie. So instead of hitting the brakes and riding behind him at 45-50 i punched it again and passed him(there was a row of cars coming alittle ways up, it was now or drive behind this guy for 12-15 miles. So i hit it and pass him(now going about 85-90), and right when i get in front of him and the other traffic starts to pass i see a county cop right behind the first vehicle. Since i was now in front of a large block of traffic coming off a light she had not place to turn around. But right when i passed her she hit the cherries. Knowing she was coming for me i pulled over and sat on the side of the road(not a good idea i guess). When she finally caught up to me, literally about a minute to a minute and a half after i stopped.

Instead of writing me a ticket(which in the end she did do), she called backup and 30 seconds later i had a trooper standing behind the car and on both sides(with hands on their pistols, which were unsnapped and ready to draw) while she approached the car. Who knows what she thought(probobly that i robbed a bank and had a loaded UZI waiting for her).

She asked me a couple times why i was in a rush, and what the problem was. I explained exactly what i did(passed a semi, then continued on to pass the geezer in the caddie), eventually she realized i was just some dumb kid(i was 17 or so) and just wrote me a ticket(92 in a 55, like 220 dollars).

I paid it, along with 2 other similar tickets in the next 2 years.

I drive alot better now than i used to.

[footoflead]

I haven't gotten too many tickets, but i have gotten a few heavy speeding tickets(3 major speeding, over 30, none were on a freeway).

The worst was when i was driving a friend to work(she was late). I was driving on a county road(55 limit) and i went to pass a semi going about 50. I stomped on it(i was in a white 93 240sx) and passed the semi and when i came around the front of it(going about 70) i see a old fart putting along in a caddie. So instead of hitting the brakes and riding behind him at 45-50 i punched it again and passed him(there was a row of cars coming alittle ways up, it was now or drive behind this guy for 12-15 miles. So i hit it and pass him(now going about 85-90), and right when i get in front of him and the other traffic starts to pass i see a county cop right behind the first vehicle. Since i was now in front of a large block of traffic coming off a light she had not place to turn around. But right when i passed her she hit the cherries. Knowing she was coming for me i pulled over and sat on the side of the road(not a good idea i guess). When she finally caught up to me, literally about a minute to a minute and a half after i stopped.

Instead of writing me a ticket(which in the end she did do), she called backup and 30 seconds later i had a trooper standing behind the car and on both sides(with hands on their pistols, which were unsnapped and ready to draw) while she approached the car. Who knows what she thought(probobly that i robbed a bank and had a loaded UZI waiting for her).

She asked me a couple times why i was in a rush, and what the problem was. I explained exactly what i did(passed a semi, then continued on to pass the geezer in the caddie), eventually she realized i was just some dumb kid(i was 17 or so) and just wrote me a ticket(92 in a 55, like 220 dollars).

I paid it, along with 2 other similar tickets in the next 2 years.

I drive alot better now than i used to.

My mom said the first ticket i get will be the last of my driving days (so she thinks )

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I just got tired of giving the state money(which i hate to do even if its 20 bucks).

Once you land a couple $200+ speeding tickets(and the possibility of losing insurance coverage) you tend to take it easy, since really its not worth the risk.

[giant_mtb]

Fortunately I have no tickets, and only one warning from when I was 16 (42 in a 30).

I've been pulled over twice, once with that previously mentioned warning, second for 29 in a 30.  yes, 29.  The officer said I was "swerving all over the road."  Obviously I wasn't.  That's a funny conversation...

Officer: License and registration please.
Me: ok, here.
Officer: Do you know how fast you were going?
Me: I might have hit 33 I think coming down the hill?
Officer: I have you at 29.
Me: 29?
Officer: yea, 29.
Me: ok....
Officer: But you were swerving all over the road, have you had anything to drink tonight?

haha it was funny. (wasn't drinking).

That's pretty lame...  <_<  

[850CSi]

I got pulled over for 50 in a 20. Cop was right behind me the whole time [didn't see him], I was late for school and wasn't paying attention to my speed and shot through the school zone.

He was pissed off when he pulled me over, and when I begged for a warning (knowing I wasn't gonna get it) he told me I was lucky I wasn't getting arrested.


I threw a tantrum in my car when he went back to his car to write the ticket (Bad times back then). He called for backup because he thought I might have been crazy enough to go all-out on him. Two local squad cars show up, he comes out, they ask me if I needed an ambulance (they must have thought I was crazy), and made sure my sister was alright. He gave me the ticket for 50 in a 35 in the end. He tells me to calm down and leave home earlier so I'm not late and to take it easy.

I still laugh whenever I try to think about what he must have said over the radio... "I need backup, got a guy going crazy in his car..."


That ticket hurt me because I was under supervision and I had to go to traffic court. The Judge gave me 3-month supervision again, but as a result my previous court supervision was revoked and a conviction (For not properly signalling) was placed on my record. I think the speeding ticket is clear, though.... It's been more than 3 months.

Supervision laws are rarely enforced. If they were, I would have both convictions on my record and wouldn't be eligible for supervision for another year.

I thought I was nearly screwed the other day when I was driving along and a local PD Crown Vic ZOOOMS up behind me and rides my bumper. I turned into a gas station to see what he'd do, and he turns in behind me to go fill his car up. Relieved, I confronted the officer... "Were you the guy tailing me on Route 83?"
"Probably Was"



I got both my tickets AFTER I stopped driving like a fool with a death wish.
I drive even more like a gentleman now because of gas prices. I'm trying to see what kind of fuel economy I can achieve with the Audi (It's rated at 21/29).

[MX793]

I got a parking ticket once.  Cost me $10.

[Raghavan]

I got a parking ticket once.  Cost me $10.

 

[Speed_Racer]

Here's my sorta long story:

So, I was riding my 4wheeler down my road (a dirt, side road in NH) from the end of the trail to my house. It was so close, it wasn't worth it to trailer the quad from my house to the trail.

Anyways, I was way off the road, going about 5 mph, and there's a cop sitting in my neighbor's driveway just chatting about something. Well, I couldn't get away from this one. So, I pull even further off the road, shut off the quad, and await my impending license revokation. Funny thing is that I know this cop quite well (I've been pulled over by him before, and he is a friend of my girlfriend's family).

THEN...as he is asking for my license, a car comes barreling down the road at about 70 mph. As the driver comes around the corner, he locks up the brakes, nearly losing control! The officer sees the whole thing, and says "Don't you move!" He motions the kid to pull over, and starts talking to him.

Fortunately (for me), the kid had no license, a criminal record, and other good stuff like that. Basically for me, the cop "impounded" my quad by taking the keys and told me to push the quad home (about 600 feet down hill).

After taking care of the other kid, he visited me at my house, complimented me on being careful (despite still breaking the law), and for being polite (I wasn't sucking up, I was just raised well). So, he let me off with a written warning, and I got the keys to the quad no more than one hour after being pulled over (no fees, either.)

It was a real pleasant experience. Thankfully, that stupid kid came around the corner at just the right time.

The End

[Run Away]

You'll lose your license for ridding on a dirt road for a bit? :blink:

[Speed_Racer]

I believe that when you are under 18, and recieve a ticket, you lose your license for either 20 days or a month, I can't remember exactly. First offense. Unless they've changed it since I was there. Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

In NH, you are only allowed to travel on the road for no more than 300 feet (from trail to trail...usually).

[Run Away]

Ah right, we have a rule like that, I forgot about it.

[L. ed foote]

Pulled over in a small town (Brockport, NY).  Big guy like me, smaller white cop.  Despite me being extremely compliant (quiet/quick traffic stops are good stops, IMO), cop complained I was making him nervous.  This is after I'm told that my license is suspended, which I thought was BS (what happened was a clerical error; fine was paid, but records weren't updated with NYSDMV)

Coming from NYC, this triggers my fight or flight response.  Since I'm too far from home, I'm thinking "fight."  Have to make 100% sure this is the way it's going, tho.  So, in the back of my mind, I'm looking for an out (being in a small town, this is the LAST thing I need).  But I play it cool, nothing escalates.  Car gets impounded, I get a ride home.  I get cited for worn tires, driving with a suspended license, and washer lights.  After I get dropped off, I call & ask a friend for bolt cutters, and the location of the impound yard.  I get neither.  At this point, I'm angry, scared and pissed.  

Receipt for the fine I paid three months earlier gets faxed to Brockport PD.  Car gets released.  Don't get a "our bad" or anything.  It's too late to get the tires looked at (they were fine, BTW), and I ripped the wires out in front of the officer at the impound lot, disabling the washer lights.

Show up in court, judge is willing to drop the AUO 3rd (thanks, but my license was already clear, moron), but I pay the "tire fine."

[dazzleman]

Pulled over in a small town (Brockport, NY).  Big guy like me, smaller white cop.  Despite me being extremely compliant (quiet/quick traffic stops are good stops, IMO), cop complained I was making him nervous.  This is after I'm told that my license is suspended, which I thought was BS (what happened was a clerical error; fine was paid, but records weren't updated with NYSDMV)

Coming from NYC, this triggers my fight or flight response.  Since I'm too far from home, I'm thinking "fight."  Have to make 100% sure this is the way it's going, tho.  So, in the back of my mind, I'm looking for an out (being in a small town, this is the LAST thing I need).  But I play it cool, nothing escalates.  Car gets impounded, I get a ride home.  I get cited for worn tires, driving with a suspended license, and washer lights.  After I get dropped off, I call & ask a friend for bolt cutters, and the location of the impound yard.  I get neither.  At this point, I'm angry, scared and pissed.  

Receipt for the fine I paid three months earlier gets faxed to Brockport PD.  Car gets released.  Don't get a "our bad" or anything.  It's too late to get the tires looked at (they were fine, BTW), and I ripped the wires out in front of the officer at the impound lot, disabling the washer lights.

Show up in court, judge is willing to drop the AUO 3rd (thanks, but my license was already clear, moron), but I pay the "tire fine."

Foote, were you ever able to elude a cop who was trying to pull you over?

[J86]

Pulled over in a small town (Brockport, NY).  Big guy like me, smaller white cop.  Despite me being extremely compliant (quiet/quick traffic stops are good stops, IMO), cop complained I was making him nervous.  This is after I'm told that my license is suspended, which I thought was BS (what happened was a clerical error; fine was paid, but records weren't updated with NYSDMV)

Coming from NYC, this triggers my fight or flight response.  Since I'm too far from home, I'm thinking "fight."  Have to make 100% sure this is the way it's going, tho.  So, in the back of my mind, I'm looking for an out (being in a small town, this is the LAST thing I need).  But I play it cool, nothing escalates.  Car gets impounded, I get a ride home.  I get cited for worn tires, driving with a suspended license, and washer lights.  After I get dropped off, I call & ask a friend for bolt cutters, and the location of the impound yard.  I get neither.  At this point, I'm angry, scared and pissed. 

Receipt for the fine I paid three months earlier gets faxed to Brockport PD.  Car gets released.  Don't get a "our bad" or anything.  It's too late to get the tires looked at (they were fine, BTW), and I ripped the wires out in front of the officer at the impound lot, disabling the washer lights.

Show up in court, judge is willing to drop the AUO 3rd (thanks, but my license was already clear, moron), but I pay the "tire fine."

Foote, were you ever able to elude a cop who was trying to pull you over?

I have, but I dont really think Id be doing that again.  One of those highway deals where you take an exit and sit at the gas station and watch him drive on by... I guess if the timing was right...  Youd hafta be pretty dumb to try anything serious on city streets though.


My worst actual ticket aint bad at all, 85 in a 65.  Id say worse run ins have happened, but none with real bad results.

[dazzleman]

Foote, were you ever able to elude a cop who was trying to pull you over?

I have, but I dont really think Id be doing that again.  One of those highway deals where you take an exit and sit at the gas station and watch him drive on by... I guess if the timing was right...  Youd hafta be pretty dumb to try anything serious on city streets though.


My worst actual ticket aint bad at all, 85 in a 65.  Id say worse run ins have happened, but none with real bad results.

I did something similar to elude a cop who was trying to pull me over for speeding.

It was on a highway, and I went around a curve and saw an exit.  In a split second decision, I took the exit and lost myself in the residential streets around the highway until I thought enough time had passed.  That was many years ago, and that would have been my first speeding ticket.

85 in a 65 isn't too bad most places, but in some places they really slam you for going in the 85 mph range, regardless of the speed limit.  How much did you get fined?

[J86]

I cant remember the fine oddly enuff....its on C/D somewhere.....  I tihnk I pled it down to an 86 dollar fine and i think the points got lost in teh system (NH ticket RI tags).  I dont know w aht he actually pinned me for cause I was doign anywhere from mid 80s to mid 90s at the time.  really dumb place to speed to 95 thru NH its a speedtrap i was almsot tothe Maine border...  gotta run sorry about the lack of punctuation....

[El Barto]

60 in a 40 + an unsafe lane change

both were BS.

The I was going the speed of traffic, I got pulled over cause I just happened to be the last car in the line.   :angry:

I have no f***ing idea where the unsafe lane change came from.  The only lane change I did withing a mile of that shithead cop was when I pulled to the side of the road.  But when I did that I forgot to use my turn signal. Instead of reminding the kid who had never been pulled over before to use his trun signal he wrote me a f***ing ticket for it.  

I had both reduced.  60 in a 40 down to failure to obey a traffic control device (2 points) and the lane change to a parking ticket.

That town was out to make money that day.  about 2 miles earlier there was another cop camped out just after the speed limit dropped from 55 to 45.

[giant_mtb]

Boy, cops sure do make a huge difference in our communities by just sitting there and waiting for the huge "crime" of speeding to come to them...

[L. ed foote]

Foote, were you ever able to elude a cop who was trying to pull you over?

Yes.  

NYPD, at the Bruckner Interchange (I was on the Hutch).  Pulled off and a couple of turns later, re-entered.

Westchester County Police, I was on the Hutch again (this time near New Rochelle, where the cross county & the Hutch split).  I pulled into that lot on the NB side, and hid there until the cop passed.

MVPD, Fulton & Sanford Blvd.  Traveling on Fulton, I saw the cop turn around and hit the lights.  I turned down a couple of side streets, and doubled back.

There were a handful of other times where I'd try to run, but b/c of unfamiliarity with an area, or because I was on a limited access highway, or because I entered a town and had to slow down, I couldn't do anything.

Much of it's luck, and timing.  If you haven't lost him in the first 30 seconds (start counting as soon as you see the car), don't waste your or his time running; you'll just piss the officer off.

[dazzleman]

Boy, cops sure do make a huge difference in our communities by just sitting there and waiting for the huge "crime" of speeding to come to them...

Actually, there is a positive correlation between strict traffic enforcement and lower crime rates.  The theory is that strict traffic enforcement results in a more visible and active police force, and that this has some deterrent effect on criminal activity, as compared with a community that has a more passive and invisible police force.