People Who Will Not Sign

[SB 405]

Okay a small story followed by a question....A guy I work with was cited last week for driving in the HOV lane with only himself in the vehicle. He says the female CHP Officer was a "smart ass" from the moment she walked up to his car. He tried to explain his side of the story but she wasn't having any of it and wrote him up. He in turn refused to sign the ticket so the Officer just tore off his copy and placed it on the passenger seat,and both were back on the road. I always thought is was a major deal of someone refuses to sign but it appears I'm wrong. Here's my question....how often do come across people who will not sign and does it change anything in the processing of the citation?

[Your Mentor]

The officer likely filed a complaint through the DA's office, hopefully including the misdemeanor charge of refusing to sign. However; this doesn't sound like the whole story from your friend. In most cases, a supervisor gets involved and, if your friend continued to refuse, he'd have been arrested and hauled off to the hoosecow. We have a defined procedure for dealing with this and in my experience it has always resulted in the violator deciding to sign the citation. I've only had one refusal to sign one of my cites but the refusal lasted about 30 seconds. I've responded to assist maybe a dozen beat partners over the years and have successfully pursuaded all of those violators to sign. If it had been correctly explained to you, would you suffer a misdemeanor charge for failing to sign a ticket for a simple infraction? I think your friend is holding back some info and was probably just miffed he was being cited by a gal. If she was in fact a, "Smart Ass," it doesn't change the laws that require he sign a citation, thereby securing his own release.

[SB 405]

Thank's Mentor,I thought something sounded a little strange. I think you're right about him not giving me the whole story but he had a group of us around the coffee machine while he was telling his story and the whole time I'm thinking to myself something's not adding up but I didn't want to steal his thunder,if you know what I mean. Thing is I know he's driven in the HOV lane before because he's told me and each time he mentions it I try to tell him he's walking a fine line that is going to catch up with him one day and well,it just did.

[undertow999]

I always think its funny how people get really defensive and blame the officer when they are cited. SO let me get this straight, its the officers fault you ran that red light, huh? Anyways, today at work a buddy of mine said he got a ticket for running a stop sign because the cop was racist. So i asked, well did you run the stop sign. His response "Well I slowed down almost to a stop" :badgrin: :badgrin: C'mon people, take responsibility for your actions, it isnt the end of the world because you got caught doing something you do every day. Anyways, Im going to get off my soapbox. It just sounds like your friend is pissed he got caught in the HOV lane, and especially by a female officer.

[Mac]

...He in turn refused to sign the ticket so the Officer just tore off his copy and placed it on the passenger seat,and both were back on the road. I always thought is was a major deal of someone refuses to sign but it appears I'm wrong...
No, you've got it right - if you don't sign the ticket, you go to jail and your car gets towed....period. So yeah, it does change the processing of the citation, because you have to write an arrest report along with it.

Sounds to me like your friend is embellishing his story a little bit....especially since he was telling it to you at the coffee machine instead of from a phone at the local jail. :badgrin:

[Lucky Seven]

I always think its funny how people get really defensive and blame the officer when they are cited. SO let me get this straight, its the officers fault you ran that red light, huh? Anyways, today at work a buddy of mine said he got a ticket for running a stop sign because the cop was racist. So i asked, well did you run the stop sign. His response "Well I slowed down almost to a stop" :badgrin: :badgrin: C'mon people, take responsibility for your actions, it isnt the end of the world because you got caught doing something you do every day. Anyways, Im going to get off my soapbox. It just sounds like your friend is pissed he got caught in the HOV lane, and especially by a female officer.

I agree Undertow. It would be nice if folks would take responsibility for their actions.

[SB 405]

I'll share with you what this guy's M.O. is for driving solo in the HOV lane but I'm sure it's nothing you haven't heard or seen before. He drives an SUV with dark tinted windows and a DVD player mounted in the ceiling for the rear passangers. On his trip home (about 35 miles) he flips down the screen,pops in a DVD to give the impression someone is sitting in the rear seat. Gotta tell you guys it worked for over a year.

[carcop]

Sure it works, so does having a doll in a car seat in the back. BUT as you stated, it catches up to you. He'll get his $271 fine or more depending on actual cite. He'll learn from it ..... for a while, he'll do it again then eventually he'll be caught again and pay more.

Some people you just have to beat over the head!

[Your Mentor]

That sounds like fun. I've never dealt with an HOV lane. An HOV out here is a minivan full of strawberry plant pickers. Usually good for reg and expired DL. The HOV lane sounds like a kick. I imagine Mac has his camera ready.

SB 405, your friend sounds like the type of person who's always looking for an angle to skirt the law. As carcop pointed out, he's going to end up paying for it. And I'm sure the issuing officer was way more low-key than he described. But who knows. We weren't there.

Undertow99,
Isn't it sad how the race card is thrown out there so often. It makes being a white male cop very difficult sometimes. Stereotypes abound. Did you ever see the movie "Crash." I'm sick to death with this stuff. The minute I go 10-8 I'm automatically labeled. Never mind I'm in a racially mixed relationship. It kills me when the violator tries to control the stop by attempting to turn the focus not on their actions but anything about the person in uniform they can see. Ever been called a slick college boy by some trashed tweeker? Funny, I never went to college.

[SB 405]

I hate to admit it Mentor because he's a really nice guy and I think you'll agree when people are cited many times another side of one's personality can surface (meaning his) He's got a court date in March,so stayed tuned.

[Chippysgt]

You believe it if I said this was a true story of a violator that did not want to sign a ticket????:lol:


Speeding??


An older lady gets pulled over for speeding...

Older Woman: "Is there a problem, Officer?"

Officer: "Ma'am, you were speeding."



Older Woman: "Oh, I see."

Officer: "Can I see your license please?"

Older Woman: "I'd give it to you but I don't have one."

Officer: "Don't have one? "

Older Woman: "Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving. "

Officer: "I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please. "

Older Woman: "I can't do that. "

Officer: "Why not? "

Older Woman: "I stole this car. "

Officer: "Stole it? "

Older Woman: "Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner."

Officer: "You what? "

Older Woman: "His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see."

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A Sergeant slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun.



Officer 2: "Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please!" The woman steps out of her vehicle.



Older woman: "Is there a problem sir?"

Officer 2: "One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner."

Older Woman: "Murdered the owner? "

Officer 2: "Yes, would you open the trunk of your car, please."

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: "Is this your car, ma'am?"

Older Woman: "Yes, here are the registration papers." The officer is quite stunned.

Officer 2: "One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license."

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a driver's license and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: "Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner."

Older Woman: "Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too."



MORAL:

Don't Mess With Little Old Ladies

[pupdog]

Heehee...reminds me of something played on the radio occasionally. It's a guy in Texas calling in late to a meeting at work, and ahppened to be recorded on the conference room loudspeaker. While on the phone, he witnesses a guy in a pickup hit a car full of little old ladies. The pickup driver gets out and starts yelling at them, so all 4 of them get out and start beating him up! The guy on the phone, through lots of laughter, describes how one is hitting him over the head with her little black purse like a tomahawk, and another who looks just like Mother Goose is jabbing him with her umbrella!

[Chippysgt]

Heehee...reminds me of something played on the radio occasionally. It's a guy in Texas calling in late to a meeting at work, and ahppened to be recorded on the conference room loudspeaker. While on the phone, he witnesses a guy in a pickup hit a car full of little old ladies. The pickup driver gets out and starts yelling at them, so all 4 of them get out and start beating him up! The guy on the phone, through lots of laughter, describes how one is hitting him over the head with her little black purse like a tomahawk, and another who looks just like Mother Goose is jabbing him with her umbrella!

I heard that radio station broadcast and darn near got a hernia laughing. The guy laughing got me going and I almost croaked I was laughing so hard..................
:biggrin:

[Tom]

I stopped an HOV violator a couple of years ago. He was cordial and said, "Hey, no big deal I've been using this lane for years and this is the first time I've ever been caught." He wasn't so cordial when I got him the following week and the then the following week after that.

Karma - baby.

Tom

[bcjack]

Shooting fish in a barrel...eh Tom????:badgrin:

How many times did you get the fool before he figured it out????:lol:

[Tom]

3 total. He went to court on all three.....he lost all three.......over $1000 in fines. Amazing.

Tom

[bcjack]

Tom...Have you seen him lately???:badgrin:

[Tom]

I haven't seen him in years....he probably bought a motorcycle:sad:

Tom

[pupdog]

Out of curiosity, what do officers think of that lane? Being pro-enviornment, I used to think they were a fantastic way to encourage and reward carpoolers. But now I see it as something that needs re-thinking. I myself have never had a schedule that would allow carpooling, and I know I'm not alone. What I see now if an empty lane, and several backed up lanes of idling engines, adding to pollution. And what's the logic behind the additional overpass in south SJ at 85 & 101, took all that time & money to build, and when it was opened, it turns out to be carpool only, and while it's empty, everyone is still sitting in traffic?
But I LOVE them during non-restricted hours, because people are used to not using them, and I just sail on by! :cool:
I'd love some officer opinions on this. We need to encourage carpooling & mass transit use, but how to use diamond lanes needs re-thinking, in my book.

[SB 405]

We have the same thing here in LA where y e a r s were spent building an upper level on the 110 leading into downtown only to find out later it's carpool only acess.

[SB 405]

Heres my issue with carpooling....Who in the business world starts and stops working at the same time? I can honestly say ANY place I've every worked people start arriving at 6:00am up to 8:00am. And the same holds true for the end of the day. Carpool lanes may work fine for factory workers and other blue collar jobs but for most people in the business world they don't fit.

[redhead]

I myself have never had a schedule that would allow carpooling, and I know I'm not alone.You are not alone at all. My roommate and I work about 1/4 mile away as the crow flies, yes since she leaves work at 3 and I am here till 5, we sit on the metering ramps right behind each other almost everyday.
But I LOVE them during non-restricted hours, because people are used to not using them, and I just sail on by! What's the law on this? I have heard that lanes marked as carpool on on-ramps are carpool 24/7. True?

[bcjack]

A lot of businesses in the areas where carpool lanes are have altered their employee's work schedule to help beat the traffic jams and "Reduce Pollution". In many cases, that makes carpooling kind of tough.

[dw]

Out of curiosity, what do officers think of that lane? Being pro-enviornment, I used to think they were a fantastic way to encourage and reward carpoolers. But now I see it as something that needs re-thinking. I myself have never had a schedule that would allow carpooling, and I know I'm not alone. What I see now if an empty lane, and several backed up lanes of idling engines, adding to pollution. And what's the logic behind the additional overpass in south SJ at 85 & 101, took all that time & money to build, and when it was opened, it turns out to be carpool only, and while it's empty, everyone is still sitting in traffic?
But I LOVE them during non-restricted hours, because people are used to not using them, and I just sail on by! :cool:
I'd love some officer opinions on this. We need to encourage carpooling & mass transit use, but how to use diamond lanes needs re-thinking, in my book.

There is an argument to be made that by eliminating the carpool restrictions, overall traffic flows more smoothly and reduces emissions. I believe New Jersey eliminated all their carpool lanes a few years back, not sure how it worked out.

[propeller26]

Here is a quick story. While working in Oakland, we received a call from a caltrans worker who related that a vehicle was using the carpool lane and came by everyday at approximately the same time. The only problem was that he had a mannequin in the front seat. The whole office started looking for the guy and I just happened to pull the guy over. He had the thing seatbelted in and dressed with a ball cap and black leather jacket. He stated the same thing as the other guy, he had been using the HOV lane for years and this was the first time he had been stopped. I took some polaroid pics and took the dummy for evidence. He didn't have the guts to take it to court.

[SB 405]

Hey prop,they find those jokers down here in LA every once in a while and when they do the media gets ahold of the story and makes a major deal of it.

[redhead]

Hey prop,they find those jokers down here in LA every once in a while and when they do the media gets ahold of the story and makes a major deal of it.

Media in LA making a story out of nothing? Surely you jest!!!;) :smile: