Need some help

[jeremywffrd]

What is the name of your state? Georgia

So I live in Gwinnett, it is just a little North of Atlanta, Ga.. It was 7:44 in the morning and I was taking my g/f to school (college). I was traveling down a road headed to the school, she was running late so I WAS speeding, I do not object to that. So I swapped lanes to go around someone, using my blinker. I am very anal about people not using a blinker. It comes on the car for a reason use it people. Anyhow, I get to the red light and see a police car behind me. As soon as the light turns green he blue lights me. I pull over and he comes up to my car.

He ask for my license and I handed them to him. He told me "Sir, I clocked you, with laser, going 67 in a 45 back there. Riding in between two lanes and not using a blinker. Is there a reason you are driving like this?" I know for a fact that I was doing 60 in a 45. I can explain if you want me to. I told the officer "No, Sir" He said " So there is no reason at all for you driving this reckless?" I told the officer "No, Sir. No Reason" The reason for this is I have told the officer the reason and it usually turns out worse. So I was being respectful to him, I thought. He then ask me " Is there a reason you do not have your seatbelt on?" I told him " No, Sir" I had taken it off when I pulled over so I could get my wallet out of my back pocket, but I was not going to argue with him. He then as me " Is this was my current address" talking about my liscense. I told him "No, Sir I just moved" He said " Okay, I will be right back"

About 20 mins later he returns. He then told me " Since how you want to play the game of no, no, no, no, no, then I am issuing you a citation for Speeding 67 in a 45, Failure to maintain lane, Seat Belt, and Failure to change my address on my license." So he handed me the clip board for me to sign them and I signed them. He told me " Sir, if that signature does not match your license then it is not acceptable." I told the officer " I never sign my name the same way twice" Which is the god honest truth. So he then preceded to tell me if I refused to sign them he would take me in. So I signed them again, does not match my license, and he gave me back my license and told me to "Have a good day."

Now before you guys say anything I want to say this.... I have NO problem paying my seatbelt ticket and A speeding ticket. I have No problem telling the judge that I was doing 60 and I would pay for that. But the rest of the stuff is a joke. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Jeremy

 

[jeremywffrd]

No one has any suggestions for me? Other than get a lawyer?

 

[HighwayMan]

How is "Failure to maintain lane" the same as not signaling? You got charged with the former.

You are probably required to file an address change with the DMV within a specific time period after you move. Check on what the time period is and maybe you were okay with that one.

The other two you can just plead guilty to since you have no problem with that.

Also, it doesn't hurt and is not disrespectful to truthfully answer the officer's questions, which you did not do.

 

[jeremywffrd]

Everytime I truefuly answer the officer's question it never helps me out. They end up pulling me out of the car saying that I have been drinking. No lie, this has happened 3 times. I have had my g/f in the car all three times. You know what the funny thing is? I never drink. I can't stand it for personal reasons. So I figure it is easier to just say yes sir no sir then tell the officer why.

 

[HighwayMan]

Sounds like you get stopped alot. What do you get stopped for?

 

[jeremywffrd]

My car I drive. It is a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T. This is the first time that I have been pulled over and given a ticket for anything. I was in my g/f's car this time. It is a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire burnt orange. They keep saying they smell alcohol, then search me and my car then let me go.

 

[HighwayMan]

Come on. I have a red 99 Eclipse GST and have been stopped in it once in 9 years.

There has to be something more that draws attention to yourself.

The feeling that cops stop certain cars because of their appearance is a bit silly. There is probably alot more to it than that.

 

[I_Got_Banned]

They keep saying they smell alcohol

Antifreeze!!!

 

[Adalaide78]

Every time I've ever been pulled over (with one exception) it's been because I was doing something illegal. I ran a light because "I thought I could make it" or I was speeding, etc... The one exception is the time I had just gotten my new registration the day before but didn't have my inspection yet. I saw the cop in oncoming traffic, watched him do a U-turn and knew he was pulling me over. I provided paperwork showing I was legal and went on my way. (This was in PA where you register and get a window sticker for inspection.) I have simply always been kind and honest with the officer who pulled me over and have only ever left with one ticket.

 

[jeremywffrd]

I have had my g/f in the car with me everytime. I have not done anything illgeal. With the exception of one time and I pulled out of WalMart with my light off and a state boy pulled me over. Again went with the story of he smells alcohol. Ended up searching me and letting me go. No warning no ticket no nothing.

I do not know about your Eclipse my is not stock. Lowered, rims, pillar gauges (I think that is what gets there attention) In Gwinnett it is what you drive will get u pulled over. The cops around here profile like crazy. If I have done something Illgeal tell my how come this is the first time I have gotten tickets while being pulled over. That they search me/ my car then let me go. I do not have to do anything my license can take all of this but that is not the point. The failure to maintain lanes, the speeding was grounds for reckless driving also. How come I did not get that?

Also in Gwinnett they have a quota to meet each month like state boys. I have spoken with a lawyer on this matter and she told me not to worry about anything other than the speeding, everything else he has to prove, he also has to prove the speeding but if he clocked me then that shouldnt be hard , I am not worried about my license just pissed for it all. After I am done I will every cop in Gwinnett pissed at me.

 

[jeremywffrd]

Every time I've ever been pulled over (with one exception) it's been because I was doing something illegal. I ran a light because "I thought I could make it" or I was speeding, etc... The one exception is the time I had just gotten my new registration the day before but didn't have my inspection yet. I saw the cop in oncoming traffic, watched him do a U-turn and knew he was pulling me over. I provided paperwork showing I was legal and went on my way. (This was in PA where you register and get a window sticker for inspection.) I have simply always been kind and honest with the officer who pulled me over and have only ever left with one ticket.

I know you have heard this before but you do not know the cops around here. They will pull you over for the way your car looks, search you/your car to find something then use it against you saying they had reason to pull you over. I get an email every morning of the people that were pulled over the night before and arrested you should hear some of the reasons they were pulled over.

 

[I_Got_Banned]

Explain to me how this:

I a state boy pulled me over. ….. No warning no ticket no nothing.

… and this:

this is the first time I have gotten tickets while being pulled over. That they search me/ my car then let me go.

isn't a total contradiction to this:

Also in Gwinnett they have a quota to meet each month like state boys.

If the state and local “boys” have a quota to meet every month, don't you think you'd get cited for everything under the sun?

I have spoken with a lawyer on this matter and she told me not to worry about anything other than the speeding, everything else he has to prove, he also has to prove the speeding but if he clocked me then that shouldnt be hard

Yes, he has to prove everything (including the speeding)... But usually, his testimony that he witnessed you committing the alleged violations is sufficient. The un- thing is that then, you'll get your turn to discredit his version of the events. Problem is, you haven't posted anything that would suggest that the violations did not occur. And while your description of the events might suggest a “milder” version of the violations that you got cited for, those descriptions are only one side of the story. The judge will hear the “other” version and decide who's telling the truth.

That is assuming this matter even gets that far. Your best bet would be to either talk to the prosecutor before the trial, or to hire an attorney to do that on your behalf.

The failure to maintain lanes, the speeding was grounds for reckless driving also. How come I did not get that?

I wouldn't go into court arguing "I may have committed a more serious violation than what I was cited for, but instead, I only got 'speeding' and 'failure to maintain lanes'"... That, will never work in your favor.

 

[jeremywffrd]

Maybe what I said you didn t understand. Gwinnett cops will pull you over for anything. Did you not read where I said I get emails every morning on who was arrested and the dumb charges that they were charged for? I can give you the links and you can look for yourself. Ill keep you guys posted. My court date is Dec. 14 at 8 3o.

As far as what you said about contradicting myself. What I meant to say was that Gwinnett cops have a quota just like state boys do

 

[DRTDEVL]

I do not know about your Eclipse my is not stock. Lowered, rims, pillar gauges (I think that is what gets there attention)

So, you're a ricer! Probably a flatbiller, too.

Here's a tip: The street is for passenger vehicles, the race cars belong on the track. I have seen your kind many times before, swearing you aren't doing anything wrong, but you own a wannabe race car and try to prove it's worth on the street. Also, try bending the bill of your hat in a nice comfortable arch. That's how it's supposed to be worn.

You'd be surprised how dressing respectably and driving normally will keep you out of the officer's spotlight.

Oh, yeah... Lose the fart can. It only draws attention.

 

[Adalaide78]

I know you have heard this before but you do not know the cops around here. They will pull you over for the way your car looks, search you/your car to find something then use it against you saying they had reason to pull you over. I get an email every morning of the people that were pulled over the night before and arrested you should hear some of the reasons they were pulled over.

No no, I get it. I grew up near a small town in PA. Our small town has a downside though, a college. I'm quite familiar with the fact that police will pull you over "for the way your car looks." The kids in the cute little eclipses or suv's with too loud radios were what I saw most frequently sitting by the side of the road pulled over. I was driving a baretta GT, low profile tires, amazing sounds system, glass pack muffler. A car all the boys in town drooled over. My lack of speeding or violating other traffic laws is what prevented me from being pulled over, every time I saw the lights behind me I was driving an old beater car.

You ADMIT you were speeding in a car that looks like something some disrespectful little snot with an attitude problem drives and/or races. Ditch the car for something more mainstream and you'll blend in when you speed. I've never been pulled over in my little teal SL1, because there are a billion of them and they don't look like racecars. When I'm doing 45 in a 40 the cops eyes are on the eclipse doing 55.