Now, before people start posting stupid nonsense. Yes, I deserve both of them (technically speaking), but I didn’t deserve either one in THIS INSTANCE.
I wasn’t even pissed the entire time because I plan to go into the DA’s room armed with knowledge and explanation as to how this law works and what the cop was doing, etc. My supporting disposition has NOTHING to do with tint in the initial traffic stop. I think I can talk my way out of both of these.
So I’m driving on I-87 North and I had my phone in my hand in front of my face changing the song (I play it to my radio via bluetooth). Now, in NY as we know, you can’t be pulled over JUST for texting (and I wasn’t even texting). You have to be pulled over for something like speeding, etc. and then they can tack the texting on. That law was put into effect on Dec. 1st, 2009. So anyway…I stop, cop comes up:
“Do you know why I pulled you over?”
“My phone?”
“Yes, and then you put it to your ea…” I cut him off
“No I did not sir. It is a secondary offense and you can’t stop me for it.”
“We’ll let the judge decide that.”
“Fine by me.” 20 minutes goes by
“Hi, can you roll your window up a little bit? I’m going to measure your tint.” rolls eyes “Fine, feel free.”
“Your tint is 32%. Only 70% is allowed.”
“I know that.” goes back to car to write more tickets
“Okay, so here’s the tickets for the tint.”
“Did you give me one for texting too?”
“Yes”
“Is that why you tested my tint? So you’d have a primary offense to tack the texting one onto?”
“No” (at this point he’s kind of stuttering because he knows I know what he’s doing)
“Okay well whatever.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“Nope, it’s just kind of funny what you did. Have a good night.”
“You too. Thank you for knowing the law” (eluding to the fact that I corrected him and called him on the texting law)
I was actually kind of smiling the entire time. He kept me there for almost 40 minutes. Loser.
I shouldn’t have been pulled over in the first place, but he didn’t know the law to it’s full extent. And then he tacked on the tint or whatever so he could still write a ticket(s). Loser.
I don’t care. I’m bound to get more than one tint ticket in my life. Every car I own for the rest of my life WILL be tinted. I accepted that when I got my car tinted.
However, I don’t like it when cops feel they can ticket for the hell of it and try to get away with it. So I simply called him out on his lack of knowledge pertaining to the NYS/Albany County texting laws.
Better start working on your game now, because a ticket for soliciting a hooker in a tinted car while texting is MUCH worse, at least that’s what PJB said.
If you didn’t say anything about the texting ticket and just showed up to court with just that ticket, it most likely would’ve been thrown out.
NOW, since you brought it up and how it’s a secondary offense, you will most likely get stuck with one ticket or the other.
Speak all you want of saving your pride and being smart, but I’d rather walk out of a courtroom with no convictions with a smile on my face than at least one conviction and still pissed off for what happened, albeit a small conviction.
Even if I don’t beat them, it’s no big deal. Just some money out of my pocket for things I was probably going to legitimately get ticketed for anyone at some point. That’s why I couldn’t let it slide. So I agree and see what you’re saying Cossey. I probably woulda just had one. But I don’t care. At least he knows the law now :rofl.
I’m not worried. I just find it funny how a cop is trying to uphold a law he doesn’t even know 100%. :rofl
maybe he was letting you dig your own grave by letting you admit your own guilt? cops are sneaky. self conviction makes his job easier and omits your case.
I don’t care who you are or how much money you have, we all still hate paying for tickets and such. If you kept your mouth shut, you would’ve gotten one ticket which would’ve been thrown out. Because you talked, you now got two tickets you might have to pay for. Instead of talking your way out of tickets, you now talked your way into tickets lol.
You don’t see the humor in this? I certainly do (hence why I posted the thread). A cop trying to uphold a law he doesn’t know 100%? If he was doing his JOB, he’d have known that he can’t pull me over to begin with (since I wasn’t swerving, speeding, going to slow, or otherwise causing any problems for any other drivers), and then wouldn’t have to try to save face by issuing me other tickets. lol. If I don’t do my job correctly, I get laughed at/ridiculed/or fired by my peers, etc. He’s no different.
I find it quite amusing. Especially the part where he stuttered about the primary offense and secondary offense.
I shall report back in a few months with what I ended up getting as far as fines/tickets goes.