Most people can tell you precisely where they were when certain major historical events occurred. The moon landing. The JFK assassination. The attacks of 9-11. When things that significant happen, where you are gets burned in your memory. But I bet if you asked around, people can also tell you with amazing detail, every time they got a speeding ticket.
In our day to day, average Joe lives, there are few things more memorable or frustrating than getting a speeding ticket. I've received four tickets for speeding in my 21-year driving career and I remember them all like they happened yesterday.
1.1990 Route 212 Litchfield, Conn. (I was racing back to the newspaper I was working at to get my article in before deadline)
2.1992 Route 44 Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (I was racing home to get my baseball uniform for a game).
3.1995 Route 44 Millbrook, N.Y.(Long story. Got a ticket for going 36 mph in a 35 mph zone)
4. 1998 I-20 Atlanta (Heading in to work at WSB. Still don't think I was speeding)
I can remember just about every detail about all four of these tickets. Four nerve-wracking experiences. After the fourth ticket I decided to find out if I was doing something wrong when I got pulled over to guarantee that I was getting a ticket.
I started asking police officers what I should do when I am pulled over. What's the protocol? What should we do as motorists to make things easier for the officer that is pulling us over? I'd imagine, the better we handle this situation, the greater chance we might not get a ticket.
After talking to dozens of policemen and women here's my advice to you when you get pulled over:
1. Find a safe, well lit place to stop your car. Safe for both you and the police officer. The last thing you want to do is put the officer at physical
risk by not giving him/her enough space. Don't drive for miles looking for a "perfect" place to pull over, but try and find an area where you and the officer are out of harms way and you are not impacting traffic flow.
2. Put your hands on the wheel or out the window. Police officers never know what is awaiting them when they approach a car. Put their minds at ease by letting them see your hands. If an officer sees your hands he can relax a little bit more when approaching your vehicle. This also shows the officer that you aren't trying to hide anything inside your car that you should not have.
3. Be polite and courteous. Even if you don't think you were speeding, getting mad at the officer will not help your cause. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar and you have a better chance of not getting a ticket if you treat the officer with respect. Imagine that the officer is a teacher or an elderly neighbor and act accordingly.
4. Turn your radio down. This is for your benefit. With a loud radio blaring in the background you might mishear what the officer is saying to you, or they might mishear what you are saying to them. Avoid any confusion by turning the volume down.
5. Keep your butt in the seat! Do not get out of your car. Let me repeat, do not get out of your car. Do you know who gets out of their car? Angry people, drunks and angry drunks. The last thing the police officer wants to see is you getting out of your car. I promise you, if you get out of your car, you are definitely getting a ticket. Stay seated and do what the officer instructs you to do. Obviously, if the officer asks you to exit your vehicle you do so. But until then keep your caboose in the car.
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