Most everyone has been pulled over at one time or another for a traffic violation and occasionally some of us are let go with nothing more than a warning. There is no guaranteed way ever to get the officer to cut you a break, but there are definite ways to improve your odds. I’ve acquired a list through my job and my personal experiences that I’m going to share.
1. Don’t break the law.
It’s like saying abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancy; it’s true, but sometimes things just happen.
2. Don’t make it worse than it is.
Many of us have seen this video of the man going a little crazy after receiving his traffic citation and it’s definitely the extreme, but you’re pretty much guaranteed a ticket, if not more, for behaving like that. Telling an officer you pay his salary or arguing with him is not going to help your situation and it will help him remember you if you go to court over the violation.
3. Be polite.
This may seem like common sense, but it’s sometimes difficult especially in the stress of the situation. No one wants to pay a ticket and deal with the embarrassment of sitting in a defensive driving class or traffic court, but if you’re courteous to the officer he may return the favor by giving you a warning or maybe cutting a few miles off your speed.
4. Recognize that the officer doesn’t know if you’re dangerous or not.
I recall seeing a statistic that next to domestic violence situations more officers are killed during traffic stops than in any other situation. An officer pulling you over doesn’t know who you are or if you are a potential danger. This is especially true during a stop at night. Recognizing this is a good way to get that ticket turned into a warning. Here are a few things you can do to assist the officer.
A. Pull over as far as possible or into a parking lot if possible, so the officer isn’t at risk from passing traffic.
B. Turn off your vehicle. Motorists have been known to speed off once the officer has left his vehicle.
C. Don’t get out of your vehicle unless the officer asks. This can be seen as an aggressive gesture and it can definitely increase the stress of the situation for the officer.
D. If you are pulled over at night turn on the overhead light. This lets the officer know you aren’t trying to hide anything or anyone in the vehicle.
E. Hands, Hands, Hands. The biggest threat to an officer is your hands and if the officer cannot see them then they are a potential threat. Keep your hands visible. The best way to do this is to roll down your window then place your hands on the steering wheel. Don’t go reaching for your insurance or license until he asks and when he does make nice slow movements. The officer doesn’t know if you have a weapon in the vehicle and quick or jerky movements might make them nervous of your intent.
5. Don’t flirt.
We have all heard stories of attractive women in particular getting out of tickets and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t happen, but you take the risk of offending or annoying the officer by doing so. If you think you can get away with a little harmless flirting feel free to try, but you have been warned.
Summary:
Most of this is really common sense. If you treat an officer with respect and acknowledge what he does is inherently dangerous you have a much better chance of obtaining a warning as opposed to a ticket. There are times when there is nothing you can do that is going to get you out of traffic court, but by offering the officer a little courtesy you can make sure the situation isn’t made worse than it needs to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment