Got My First Ticket in the LGT... Guess what for?

You guys are gonna love this one...I got my first ticket in the 2008 LGT tonight. Guess what for??

 

And I Quote: "Failure to use caution in starting" $50-

 

So I'm driving home from work and I hit a red light where the 1 lane breaks into 2 at the light, and back into 1 about 1500ft after the light. So I pull up in the left lane next to the Camry or whatever it is, and wait for the light to turn green.

 

Now I didn't even expect this car to move once the light turned green, cuz it was an older guy driving it. So I didn't boost-launch, redline, or anything like that. I just took off at the green light, giving it a little oomph to get the car rolling, now I look to my right and the guy is still pretty much next to me. So I give it some more gas (not a ton, just enough to make boost) and get about a car length or so in front of his car and resume driving.

 

Well nextthing I know I see blues coming from behind, so I pulled over thinking he would pass me on his way to a call (this is in Fitchburg, MA - the crack cocaine capital of Mass). Nope... this SOB pulls in behind me, so I'm thinking: "WTF does this jerk-off want".

 

Well the ROOKIE PIG (yes he is, I know and am friends with many police officers, and respect them, but this asshole was on a power trip misusing his authority, and that IS a PIG) comes up to my window, doesn't even have a chin pube, and the guy says: "Do you know why I stopped you?"

 

Well me, having no clue WTF he was talking about said: "Actually I have no idea sir?"

 

(note: this guy is almost screaming at me when he talks)

PIG: Do you know how fast you took off from there?

ME: Took off from where Sir? (still dumbfounded)

PIG: From that stop light back there?

ME: Ummm.... I'm not sure? Fast enough to not crash into the car next to me?

PIG: Fast enough for me to pull you over! (And walks away with my license and registration)

 

So I think to myself: WTF!?!? Is this guy serious?!? Was I speeding? NO WAY!!! Is this a practical joke? WTF!?!?

 

So I sit for like 5-10 minutes cuz the PIG is being a dick taking his sweet ass time. Finally he comes back to my car.

 

PIG: So, I wrote you a $50 citation for taking off too fast from the stop light.

ME: Was I speeding sir?

PIG: No, but you accelerated waaay too quickly at that stop light!

ME: Well what about the car that was next to me going through the light, did he accelerate too fast?

PIG: What Car?

ME: The car that was sitting next to me at the stop light!?!? The one I had to speed up to avoid hitting?!?!

PIG: Ha! You just admitted fault! (After moments ago, declaring having no knowledge of any car next to me)

ME: What!?!?! :confused: :confused:

PIG: You have 4 days to appeal, 20 days to pay have a nice night. (And walks away, without letting me say anything)

 

So basically, cliff notes for those who tire from my enraged banter:

I got a $50 ticket for accelerating too fast, although in admission by the cop, I was never speeding, and the car next to me was going just as fast.

 

Needless to say I will be fighting this POS ticket.

 

 

Here's the kicker too:

On the ticket, the officer is supposed to check a box for either CIVIL INFRACTION/CRIMINAL/ARREST/WARNING (no action required by offender)

 

This ROOKIE checked WARNING (requires no action by offender)... so I don't even know if I have to fight it!?! I'm going to call the courts tomorrow and ask them "If he checked warning, do I have to do anything".

 

We'll see how it plays out... but seriously, what a dick! I could understand if I was speeding, or really did goose it, but I DIDN'T!! If I had goosed it, I would have been going 80 MPH by the time his slow ass got behind me!

 

Thanks for checking out my rant... I'll keep you guys filled in.

 

Oh, and I just want to emphasize, that I am not insulting police officers. It was directed at one person for abusing his power as a police officer and not a generalization on law enforcement as a whole.

had a friend whos dad was a cop told me once(this is in CO) that it does matter how fast you take off as long as you dont lose traction. how much of that is true i dont know . but that cop was a dick towards you^^^^^^^^^

I could almost understand that!! If my tires squealed or something, but obviously with the AWD they didn't (that and that I didn't take off! ).

 

And you know, I've heard of misuse of power tickets:

 

In High School I knew a kid (kind of a dumbass), we were all down at Hampton Beach (it's got a boardwalk), and he was driving down it pumping the gas on his POS V-6 Camaro bucking it up and down trying to show off for chick or something. The police pulled him over and ticketed him for "Misuse of power". Completely understandable... I 100% agree.

 

I mean, it's $50... so that's nothing. Hell, it's gonna cost me more to take the day off work to fight it. What urks me is that I just didn't see anything wrong in this case.

I'd contest. Not sure how MA. works, but in CT minor moving violations are normally dismissed. I'd consider that pretty minor!

 

Very similar thing happened to me before. Although, I only got a warning. Traveling unreasonably fast was the reason that was written on my warning.

I took off from a stop sign on a residential road too fast he told me. When he came to the car he said I was obviously going fast because he had to speed up to catch me. . Granted it was in a much faster car, but I wasn't driving fast at the time at all.

 

Good luck!

That is just silly. If you are not doing a burn out or hard launch I don't see how it's against the law. Is not like you are racing the Camry next to you. As long as you are not going above the speed limit I don't understand why it's illegal...

^^ My thoughts exactly.

 

Hey, when I DOO go a few miles over the speed limit on the highway, I do so knowing that if I do pass a police officer I am going to get a ticket. I get it... that's fine with me. You pay to play, that's just how the game goes. But if I wasn't playing.... that's just not fair!

Your problem is dat YeR cAR Is dA FaSteST PRUDucKTiON cAr EvAR!!! It makes cops shiver wid FEAR.

 

BTW, cop was a prick.

Ok next time you need the "PIG" for someone kicking your arse. Call someone else.

Contest it, you don't want any crap on your record in MA.

 

You will be paying for it for six years otherwise, seriously.

KartBoy: Yes he was... very much so.

 

Legacy Dispatcher: I am truly sorry if you feel offended by this, and if you are an officer of the law (which I expect). I explicitly stated that I DO PERSONALLY KNOW AND RESPECT POLICE OFFICERS. This is not a bash on police officers in general, just this one A-hole. Just the same I would call a rude girl a bitch without it being an insult to all women, I use the word PIG.

 

#1: This guy was obviously on a power trip and misusing his power... and that is a PIG in my book. Even my police officer friends will attest to that.

 

#2: Like I have also stated... if I was in the wrong, I would accept FULL responsibility. I am a 25 year old, blue collar worker, not some punk ass kid. I have no problem paying to play, when I do.

 

Again, I apologize to any officers who get offended by that, but it is not my intent as I have explained, and plus: tell me the guy wasn't just being an A-Hole?

Contest it, you don't want any crap on your record in MA.

 

You will be paying for it for six years otherwise, seriously.

 

100%... it's still a moving violation in any case. I'll lose my $125 daily wage to fight this stupid ticket, just so it doesn't follow me around for 6 years.

 

 

BTW: FWIW - my driving record is basically FLAWLESS! I haven't had a ticket (before this one) since I was in high-school (1999)! It's not like I'm some overly aggressive driver who's out racing everyone.

Ok next time you need the "PIG" for someone kicking your arse. Call someone else.

 

And if it's that PIG that's going to show up... I'd rather not have the help! With friends like that who needs enemies?

 

 

And that would actually be doing their job... not harassing people to meet quotas

Ok next time you need the "PIG" for someone kicking your arse. Call someone else.

 

"when seconds count, they're only minutes away."

So Dispatcher....

 

I hope you realize now I'm not disrespecting police, that I do appreciate what they do on a daily basis, that it is tough work, and that we can still talk like normal people.

 

If you are a police officer (which I have a feeling you are) what's your take on the situation?

He's probably the one that pulled you over! :lol:

I'd have thought that too, but Columbus OH!

 

Seriously though, if he is a police officer, I'd love his take on the situation. (ie: did he think the cop was being a A-Hole? Is there even such a law? etc.)

We have something similar to that up here. I forget what they call it, but it's basically showing off how fast your car can accelerate. I think it's stupid really, You weren't racing, you're not squealing your tires, you're simply moving and had to gun it a little to get passed the other guy. however, having said that, he could have gotten you on a failure to yield since you had to merge into the other lane.

 

Fight the ticket, even though it's $50, that $50 ticket will cost you a lot more on your insurance over the next 3-6 yrs!

Go to court, be humble, play nice with others and hope the officer doesn't show up. Judge's like police officers (generally) - and they tend to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

And, whatever you do, don't call him "Pig" in court, that would not be wise.

 

I got out of a $500 (as in five hundred dollar) ticket for having a clear plastic license plate cover on my last car. I just returned from Iraq - was out of the country for 8 months (when, incidentally the fabulous Dist of Columbia implemented the law), coming onto base when the DC police officer working the gate had me pull over and gave me a ticket. DC has a law that says prohibits any license plate cover whatsoever from being used on any vehicle. My car is registered in Illinois (yes, that's legal), I live in Virginia, I don't even work in DC (no substantial contacts), and yes am active duty. I was absolutely livid with what happened. The officer had me sit in my car for almost an hour to ensure I would be late to my appointment, gave me a ticket that would not survive a court challenge, and not to mention was just plain stupid.

 

The good news is the police officer didn't show up for court. Case dismissed. Morale of the story - hope the officer doesn't show up.

Big, sorry to hear about your problems with the 5-0... It reminds me of a good Abraham Lincoln quote, 'Almost any man can suffer through adversity, but to truely judge a man's character, give him power'.

 

You see, that young cock copper was probably fresh out of training, and unfortunately, the domain seems to attract all kinds of hollier-than-thou arrogant jocks. Mind you, some of the finest human beings I ever met were officers, but most let it go to their heads because now they feel they're part of the 'elite', that they're above the law...

 

But then, years down the road they usually realize that they're just public servants. They've probably seen attrocities that they will never forget... accidents with kids torn appart, brutal slayings that will give them nightmares and the need for psychiatric help because they deal with the dregs of society all the time... Of course, most will never want to appear vulneralbe or human, after all, a pumped out chest is so much more macho that a teary eye...

what a load of crap! fight it, complain to his PD, get that fool fired!

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys.

 

And no, I won't call him a 'pig' in court! I really only stated it like that to make a point as to how much of an ass the cop was being. I mean, the guy was practically screaming at me when he was asking these questions... it almost made me think I had done something wrong!

 

+1 some of the finest people I know are police officers. More guts and integrity than 90% of the people on this planet. And some do get a little crazed on the power. Like you said, I guess it just comes with the territory.

 

You know, he really could have ticketed me for not having stuck my '08' sticker on my rear license plate, and I would have completely bought into it! Hey, it would have been my fault for not remembering to put it on after new years, and I would have paid my fine and lived with it.

 

I just don't think I did anything wrong here... I can't stress it enough!

Basically, I got a $50 ticket because my car is quicker than a Camry.

 

That's the lesson I take from this.

 

The kicker is, he checked WARNING-NO ACTION REQUIRED BY OFFENDER on the ticket, but wrote $50 in the amount box. He did say I have 4 days to fight it and 20 days to pay. What do you all take from that?

I dont know, but I would call the court/PD and see what they have to say about that box being checked off. Rediculous though, seriously. seriously...

This sounds like a complete joke to me. Let me also say i do respect law enforcement, but that respect comes with great responsibility. What i did when i received a odd-ball ticket was look up the state statute (usually written on the ticket) and see what it says. If that is actually a law its just up to the discretion of the police officer.

 

I am currently waiting to go fight my ticket for "following closely" that i got back in July '07. My court date isn't until March!

 

Good luck!

Were you in the lane that had to merge into the traffic lane? If so, you were probably pulled for not merging into the other traffic lane...here in FL accelerating past traffic to overtake at a merge is considered aggressive driving...4 point offense.