What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
So I live in East Palo Alto California (San Mateo County). I was recently pulled over for what at the time immediately struck me as a BS reason. The officer comes to my window asks me if I knew why he pull me over, I said "No, actually I do not" he tells me that I failed to stop at a stop sign. This was bewildering to me because I never fail to stop at stop signs. Then a bunch of other officers showed up and they searched my car and detained me for a good amount of time.
I believe I was profiled because I am young, tattooed, have piercings, drive a beat up old Honda and live in a rough part of town. I think the officer just wanted an excuse to search my car. Thing is I am an upstanding citizen, I have a bachelor's and master's degree, I am an employed computer engineer and I do not do drugs. Other than my appearance there is no reason for me to be harassed by the police.
Anyway, of course they don't find anything but he still writes me a ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign. On the ticket he listed the intersection and direction of travel. Turns out he put the wrong time on the ticket which I got a "ticket addendum" for in the mail a few days later. But that is not enough to fight the ticket... But I think the following is, I went back to the intersection on the ticket and there is absolutely no stop sign going that direction in that intersection. It simply does not exist, it isn't behind a tree or a trash can or something, IT IS NOT THERE, theres not even a pole for one, it never existed, this stop sign is a pure fabrication of the officer. I took pictures of the intersection to use as evidence when I go to court but I would like to have a bit more to give to the judge.
Does anyone know if there is like an official record of all the traffic control devices in a city or county? and if so where can I find it? (google hasn't turned much up). If I could present official documents to the judge showing there is no stop sign on record for that location, I think the judge will throw the ticket out.
Also any other advice you could give me?
So I live in East Palo Alto California (San Mateo County). I was recently pulled over for what at the time immediately struck me as a BS reason. The officer comes to my window asks me if I knew why he pull me over, I said "No, actually I do not" he tells me that I failed to stop at a stop sign. This was bewildering to me because I never fail to stop at stop signs. Then a bunch of other officers showed up and they searched my car and detained me for a good amount of time.
I believe I was profiled because I am young, tattooed, have piercings, drive a beat up old Honda and live in a rough part of town. I think the officer just wanted an excuse to search my car. Thing is I am an upstanding citizen, I have a bachelor's and master's degree, I am an employed computer engineer and I do not do drugs. Other than my appearance there is no reason for me to be harassed by the police.
Anyway, of course they don't find anything but he still writes me a ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign. On the ticket he listed the intersection and direction of travel. Turns out he put the wrong time on the ticket which I got a "ticket addendum" for in the mail a few days later. But that is not enough to fight the ticket... But I think the following is, I went back to the intersection on the ticket and there is absolutely no stop sign going that direction in that intersection. It simply does not exist, it isn't behind a tree or a trash can or something, IT IS NOT THERE, theres not even a pole for one, it never existed, this stop sign is a pure fabrication of the officer. I took pictures of the intersection to use as evidence when I go to court but I would like to have a bit more to give to the judge.
Does anyone know if there is like an official record of all the traffic control devices in a city or county? and if so where can I find it? (google hasn't turned much up). If I could present official documents to the judge showing there is no stop sign on record for that location, I think the judge will throw the ticket out.
Also any other advice you could give me?