Been SCREWED? Post here

**RadarWarrior** · 01-10-2005, 07:55 PM

Post your war stories about how you were screwed on this page.
In all the years of driving and all the tickets I’ve received and can honestly say I was screwed twice. I got a ticket for something I DID NOT DO! The worst case of the two by far happened on a hot summer night in 1991.

I received a call that I had to report to work about 10 pm. The plant I worked at was about 10 miles south of town on a state highway. As I drove south toward the plant at the posted speed limit (55 mph) my BEL Vector alerted K band. About 1 mile up the road I saw an OHP trooper with some poor sucker pulled over. I’m sure he was collecting his weekly quota of taxes.

Anyway I went to work and was only there about 30 minutes. I got the problem at work corrected and headed back north on the highway. I set my cruise at 55 mph knowing the trooper would be working the highway that night. There was NO reason to speed because it was only 5 or 6 miles back into town and I would gain nothing by speeding.

I drove about 3-4 miles and saw approaching lights about ½ mile away. My Vector screamed a K band burst and I smiled seeing my speedo was locked firmly at 55 mph. If I had been speeding he would have nailed my ass to the pavement. But I wasn’t and had no worries.

About 10 seconds later his lights came on and he wheeled around in behind me. I had no doubt he was not after me. He must have received a call elsewhere. He raced up behind me and I pulled to the side to let him pass but he didn’t pass. He pulled up behind me got out of his unit and walked up to my window. At this point I was thinking I had a tail light out or something. He then informed me he had clocked me at 72 mph. I was SHOCKED! I couldn’t believe my ears.

I protested. I told him the story of how I knew he was working the road and how I had set my cruise on 55. He started acting real funny, looking down at his feet and not looking me in the eye. He said I’m sorry sir but I need to see your D.L. and insurance and all that bull****.

The S.O.B. wrote me a ticket knowing damned good and well I was not speeding. There were no other cars on the road that night within one mile of me at the time he clcoked my speed so I know he didn’t score another car and get me confused with them. Either he intentionally screwed me or his equipment was defective. In either case I GOT SCREWED. No matter the case (intentional or equipment failure) this experience convinced me there was something radically wrong with the radar based speed enforcement system in this nation.

**RadarWarrior** · 01-11-2005, 05:46 AM

I'm not so sure. I heard to many stories about houses and trees clcoked at 70 mph!

**Suddenlee** · 01-11-2005, 03:53 PM

Getting Screwed happens RW, all over the world.
10 years or so ago, I was headed West out of Sydney. Approaching a crest, I got a KBand warning, so I got myself legal.
Over the hill was not what I expected. On the other side of the road a HWP cop was finishing booking a car and walking back to his cruiser where the KR11 was in CW mode.
Knowing this cop was going to do a U turn and be close behind me, I was very careful to make sure I was legal and had drawn no attention to myself.
A mile or two up the road, I was in a tight curve under an embankment when an unmarked cruiser popped up coming the other way, I got a brief K alert and blue lights! ??
Firstly, I was legal, and secondly there was no tracking history. I also figured I was at least 40 degrees off axis to him when he shot me, so I wasn't concerned at that stage. Mistake.
The Cops opening remark was 'Not payin' attention' hey'? He explained that I must have been daydreaming and let my speed slip up to the 134Kph (110 limit) he had clocked me at!
I explained the situation, including the presence of another HWP car behind us keeping me legal. (That car drove past a few seconds later with no acknowledgement).
The cop could not show me a speed lockup, but proceeded to ticket me anyway.
I was so pi**ed I actually took pictures of the car and cop (Which didn't help my case any, but I was being booked anyway).
Of course, I eventually beat the bum rap, but not before I had three visits to court.
I thought one was supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty?
That issue certainly coloured the way I felt about Radar speed enforcement.
I have never been booked since, but neither have I changed my driving style :wink:
Suddenlee

**RadarWarrior** · 01-11-2005, 06:46 PM

Suddenlee,

That definitely fits the bill of getting screwed. Too bad ya hadda go to court 3 times to get it taken off.

Last month a buddy got nailed on I-40 east in Arkansas. His RD never went off. The trooper informed him he was clocked at 83 mph (70 mph limit). My friend asked to see the display but the trooper claimed he didn't have to show it to him. My buddy confronted the officer and accused him of "Popping" but not locking in a tracking history. The cop acted dumb and made him sign the summons.

The judge heard what happened and threw the citation out.

What pisses me off is the asshole intentionally tried to screw him. The only reason he got off is because I convinced him they didn't have a case and a judge would side with him. I don't get it. What do these creeps gain by cheating on a freekin traffic fine? Do they get their cookies by screwing people and not following proceedure? It's not like they are prosecuting a murderer. But if they'll cheat on prosecution of speeding then they'll do same on more serious offenses.

**Suddenlee** · 01-11-2005, 08:45 PM

Sometimes you get to screw back :wink:
Not that long after the above incident I was coming from Canberra back to Sydney. Passing McDonalds there was a chorous from kids in the back to stop for burgers.
Whilst waiting, a big slob HWP cop blundered in, up to the counter, got two free Big Macs and proceeded to scoff them down like a pig (how appropriate)
I looked at him and realised "Thats the bastard that shafted me a couple of months ago! (I hadn't been to court at this stage)
When we went back to the car, this slob had driven in the out lane and was parked crooked right beside me. I could hardly get in through the drivers door.
When I finally sat in the drivers seat, I was eyeball to eyeball with the KR11 antenna clipped on the rear door glass of the cruiser.
I swear I had no malice aforethought, but when I realised I had a side cutter pliers in the glovebox ...well, whats a man to do?? My wife was paranoid, sure we would all go to jail.....but dammit, I cut the cable anyway :wink: In fact I cut it twice, and I still have the 3 inch piece as a souvineer, and headed off home.
When out on the highway, I called a trucker on CB to let him know what had happened, and then enjoyed the trucker chat up and down the highway at the slobcop's expense.
Gee, I felt good!
Suddenlee