Back in my home state of Colorado. A lot has changed since I've lived here but some things haven't. The Colorado State Patrol still doesn't have a sense of humor and takes their job very seriously. In the middle of nowhere today south of Ft. Garland on Colorado 159 I was cited for 68mph in a 65mph zone, yes 3mph over. In the words of the officer, "Even 1mph over the limit is still a violation."

In high school I was involved with the Explorer program with the county sheriff's department. CSP was deservedly the butt of many jokes, I don't think anything has changed. The immediate thoughts that come to mind is that it's the end of the month and out of state plates make for an easy target. But honestly, I think the trooper was just that much of a Dudley Do Right.

IMO, being cited for driving 68mph in a posted 65mph zone is bullshit.

Trooper is hoping you won't fight the citation and just pay up thereby earning him some brownie points.

3mph is generally considered within the mechanical margin of error. It's a BS ticket.

Waiting to see if Maya had a quip for this one.

Yep, it's a humbug, but that area around Ft. Garland is a speed trap, out of state plates or not. I am heading down to Durango next week to fish for a week or so. I'll be sure to be careful and mind my speed. Thanks for the PSA, sorry about your ticket!

How was the interaction between you and the Officer during the stop?

If you were cordial then this Officer is in the wrong profession.

Maybe he migrated from VA. Was his name R. A. Taylor??...RAT

He was made fun of in high school, no doubt. Just gotta feel bad for guys like that -- he probably goes home to a cold house.

I'd be a bit surprised if their Rules & Regs allowed for that. Most Agencies have guidelines on speeding citations. 1-4 over is usually allowed.

95% of the guys I worked with, didn't write on the open road unless it was 10 or more over.

Contest it and demand a Jury trial. IF that is within Your rights in CO. NO Prosecutor or Judge will panel a jury for a +3 speeding violation.

I hate to read stuff like this. I always tried to be Fair to the Public. Always felt I was a bit of a PR guy for the Highway Patrol and LE in general.

What an asshole. If I was his supervisor I would tear into his ass. That is improper for multiple reasons, most already mentioned.

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
I'd be a bit surprised if their Rules & Regs allowed for that. Most Agencies have guidelines on speeding citations. 1-4 over is usually allowed.

95% of the guys I worked with, didn't write on the open road unless it was 10 or more over.

Contest it and demand a Jury trial. IF that is within Your rights in CO. NO Prosecutor or Judge will panel a jury for a +3 speeding violation.

I hate to read stuff like this. I always tried to be Fair to the Public. Always felt I was a bit of a PR guy for the Highway Patrol and LE in general.

And we appreciate you for that!!

So what your saying is, compared to VA state police or Rhode Island State police the Colorado guys are laid back and like to party. .

I got pulled in Rhode Island once and I swear it was Robocop only with more ribbons.

I told a friend of mine, who was third shift supervisor for the county road patrol for about 20 years, about this and he said, 'Douchebag! We didn't write up anyone for less than 9 over, and that was only on some streets!"

When I worked, we had a term for such an atrocity:
"A chickenshit pinch".
Which is exactly what it is.
It amazes me that given the often negative public perception of law enforcement these days, there are still idiots who pull this crap.

Yeah, that seems like chicken poop. I suppose the out of state plates may of been a factor. I'd still walk in to 'traffic court' or whatever they call it locally to protest, as your schedule allows.

Wow for three over.
Yeah, I have to throw a BS flag.
Maybe if he was a rookie just coming out of the gates.
I don't write unless it is significant, or they are driving unsafe.
(That is not saying much because I hate writing tickets)

Heck when I was traveling from Denver to Loveland, or out of Lander WY to Fort Collins on I-25 the troopers were letting individuals drive well above the posted speed limit.

If you have the time, I definitely would have to contest the citation.

It puts a burr in my seat because I go out of my way to be courteous and take care of the public and when Officers do stuff like this it gives other Officers a bad name.

Short story:
We had an Officer at my first agency writing for stuff like this. Heck even stopped and wrote an individual on a bicycle for bad brakes or having a cracked reflector. He wrote so many BS citations that the next time we were in traffic court the judge told him if he didn't quit tying up the docket with BS citations he would throw everyone of his tickets out from now on.

I got one for my left rear tire "touching" the double yellow while getting into the turn lane in a thunderstorm. Then the same shitbag nails me for my right wheels "touching the fog line" when I came out of my driveway as he was coming the opposite direction. My dash camera proved otherwise on that one, but he wrote it anyways.

Fought them both and lost. The judge didn't even want to hear it. Just another cog in the revenue stream.


Yeah, my perception of law enforcement is very low now.

quote:

Originally posted by zoom6zoom:
Waiting to see if Maya had a quip for this one.

To quote my daughter,

"Wow, even out in the middle of nowhere, rules matter."

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
Contest it and demand a Jury trial. IF that is within Your rights in CO. NO Prosecutor or Judge will panel a jury for a +3 speeding violation.

I'd love to contest it but it's not a realistic option. It would probably cost me 4-5 times the fine in gas and lodging to travel from Phoenix to show up for court in Colorado not to mention the time involved. Arizona is one of 6 states that is not in the driver's license compact, as long as I pay the fine, it does not go onto my record.

And I'm still reminded of the nickname we had for CSP back when I was an Explorer;

AAA with a gun

Boy Scouts of Colorado, Law Enforcement Division

That blows.

My last CSP interaction was the polar opposite:

I got pulled over in my little 4-banger Tacoma doing 83 in a 55 on 287, north of Fort Collins (you go over a bridge and it immediately drops to 55, which is where he popped me with instant-on radar). Yeah, I was going too fast, especially since I know how heavily that road is patrolled.

Trooper didn't turn his lights on, just gave me the old "pull it over" finger in the air, and pulled up behind me.

Give him my license, reg, etc. He, seeing a CIB sticker on my back window, asks if I was in the infantry. "Yes sarn't, just got out in February." Turns out he was Marine infantry for 20 years and decided to cut me a break even though I wasn't a Marine.

Written warning, slow it down, this is a dangerous stretch of road.

Gave him an enthusiastic "Thank you sergeant!" and got out of there thanking the traffic gods.

Have had many positive encounters with FCPD and Larimer County Sheriffs as well.

Loveland cops, however... fuck.