While I love the off-topic diversion to prancercise; because who doesn't love prancercise?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy Old Man
My advice would be, roll down your window, turn off your music, put down your phone, and be polite. Admit to what you've done wrong because you probably know, say sorry and ask for a break. That usually goes a long way.
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I agree with everything except the "admit to what you've done" bit. I've got off a number of fines by following the #1 rule taught to me as a teenager: Never admit guilt.
There are tactics I use to be respectful:
Q: "Do you know what speed you were doing?"
A: "No, I was focusing on the road ahead and the traffic beside me. But I'd trust your judgement ..."
Q: "C'mon mate, you and I both know you were doing well in excess of the speed limit"
A: "Well, honestly, I was focused on the road ahead and behind. I check my speedo regularly, but I was really engaged in the pleasure of the drive. Last time I checked it I was under the limit, but if your radar says I was going over, then that's probably the speed I was doing."
".. I've really got no reason to doubt your judgement..."
... but (here at least) admitting to speeding is the best way to ensure you get a ticket. If you say "oh, I was doing about 130kph" the officer isn't going to write you a ticket for doing 112kph.
Police have seen it 100 times before, they know what you're doing - and what you're doing is keeping your lawyers options open to fight the ticket in court. And what police officer wants to waste a morning in court defending a minor speeding ticket.
... the other thing I love to do is grab my license as soon as I'm pulled over, then get out of the car and walk towards the police car with my license in hand.
It gets one of two reactions (and in the USA, I'd expect it'd get the first reaction only - so I wouldn't recommend that) - either you get told to get back in the car, or the officer walks up to you, in which case, I shake their hand, give them my license with the other, and suggest we stand off the road.
In the latter situation, I find a much greater chance of getting a fine knocked down or turned into a warning. You tend to have a much more relaxed conversation with the officer because you're on equal footing and his arse isn't in danger of being taken out by a passing truck.