pinkyrabbit
Junior Member
"Improper Method of Giving Hand Signal" or "giving a cop the middle finger"
On my way to school almost every morning there is a cop who sits in a parking lot watching a 4 way stop. After coming to a complete stop at the sign, I noticed him lurking back in his normal spot so I stuck my arm out the window and gave him the middle finger as I drove by. He followed me for about 2 minutes until I got to my school but instead of parking because he was still right behind me I decided to go ahead and drive around to lose him. Just before I could make it "off campus" (a road goes "through" our campus) he pulled me over and asked me the basic questions. I informed him that I was going to be late for my physics test, and he proceeded to do a COMPLETE inspection of my car. After finding no problems with my car, he started writing me a ticket for "improper method of giving hand signal(FL Statute 316.157)" as its only citation, referring to the original indecent. He requested that the Dean suspend me too because I told him that I was not in fact signaling a turn, but giving him the middle finger which means "f*ck you" at the location of the stop ("on campus")when he handed me the $113 ticket. I am also on my parents insurance and will be seeing many consequences of that due to points on my license.
My question is: Should I fight this ticket and expect to win? Can any extended arm out a window count as an "improper hand signal"? e.g. waving at someone could appear to be a "right turn" and simply dangling your arm out could be considered "slow down/stop"
And just to clarify, I'm not some punk doing it just to look cool or just to be a xxxxx. I only gave him the bird because I disagree with him sitting there every morning essentially "preying" on students (who cant afford a ticket anyway) for petty infractions that are practically harmless. As an American I like to express my opinion and I felt this was a decent way of doing so AND I knew there was nothing ELSE he could cite me for.
I literally got a ticket for flipping off a cop.
On my way to school almost every morning there is a cop who sits in a parking lot watching a 4 way stop. After coming to a complete stop at the sign, I noticed him lurking back in his normal spot so I stuck my arm out the window and gave him the middle finger as I drove by. He followed me for about 2 minutes until I got to my school but instead of parking because he was still right behind me I decided to go ahead and drive around to lose him. Just before I could make it "off campus" (a road goes "through" our campus) he pulled me over and asked me the basic questions. I informed him that I was going to be late for my physics test, and he proceeded to do a COMPLETE inspection of my car. After finding no problems with my car, he started writing me a ticket for "improper method of giving hand signal(FL Statute 316.157)" as its only citation, referring to the original indecent. He requested that the Dean suspend me too because I told him that I was not in fact signaling a turn, but giving him the middle finger which means "f*ck you" at the location of the stop ("on campus")when he handed me the $113 ticket. I am also on my parents insurance and will be seeing many consequences of that due to points on my license.
My question is: Should I fight this ticket and expect to win? Can any extended arm out a window count as an "improper hand signal"? e.g. waving at someone could appear to be a "right turn" and simply dangling your arm out could be considered "slow down/stop"
And just to clarify, I'm not some punk doing it just to look cool or just to be a xxxxx. I only gave him the bird because I disagree with him sitting there every morning essentially "preying" on students (who cant afford a ticket anyway) for petty infractions that are practically harmless. As an American I like to express my opinion and I felt this was a decent way of doing so AND I knew there was nothing ELSE he could cite me for.
I literally got a ticket for flipping off a cop.
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