So I'm doing my X-mas errands today. Stopped to visit a friend for a few hours and while driving out of the residential street I see a barage of Police pulling select (read: not wearing seat belts) over into a public school parking lot. Holy Crap! I get pulled over and ticketed. While writing me up the kind officer realizes that I have indirect LE ties and tells me I should have said so earlier because he NOW doesn't want to ticket me. But because he already started the ticket he had to finish. He said he wouldn't write any notes and encouraged me to contest it if I wished, saying he wouldn't show up in court.

What should I do?

FYI, I ALWAYS wear my seat belt but sometimes don't put it on immediately, especially if in a rush. I had not been driving more than a few seconds before being pulled over.

Hypothetically speaking, if I did decide to contest the ticket what would be a justifiable defense if I had to explain myself to the judge? Could I get away with the truth?: "I always wear my seat belt, but sometimes forget to put it on right away--I was just pulling out of a friend's residential street before being ticketed."

Any help appreciated. $65 ain't exactly pocket change for me and I will be off on the scheduled court date.

Much Thanks,

jsr75

Your Honor, I was definitely wearing my seatbelt. In fact, I took off my seatbelt when I attempted to exit my vehicle when I was first stopped. The officer told me to stay in the vehicle so I got back in and closed my car door and didn't refasten my belt. I tried to explain this to the officer and he told me I could tell it to the judge. That's why I'm here.
As long as your already lying you might as well explain that you had to take off a day from work to fight this ticket because you didn't think it was justified and how you are actually loosing more money by missing work than the ticket is for. You know, its a principle thing.

Good Luck and practice covertly slipping your seatbelt on. It doesn't have to be clipped just held in place until the police officer is in view and act like your unclipping it to get at your ID.

Thanks for the help, fellas. I'd really like to just tell the truth, hoping that the judge can relate, but your responses seem to indicate that it will not fly.

Tattoo-
Yup, $65 friggin' bucks!!! This was my first ever and I swear I'd rather masturbate with a cheesegrater than receive such an outrageous ticket! You're lucky--at $10 I wouldn't be seeking such help.

Edited to add: Please keep any suggestions coming!!!

Much Thanks

Unfortunately,
there is, what is Right,
there is, what is Wrong and
there is, what is legal.

SSD [:(]

In my country they don't allow illeagal searches such as described above.

Thanks to all for the great advice. As an obedient citizen, I think I should do what the officer suggested.[;)]

Just pay the stinking ticket!  If only for a few seconds, or a few hours, you were still driving w/o your seatbelt, an obvious violation of your state's laws.

Sure, lets tie up the court system and a officer's time for a petty 65 dollar seatbelt ticket.  I'm sure the people of your state would rather the officer be tied up in court instead of being out on the street and available when the 12 year old girl being gang assualted call goes out.

Take responsibility for your actions! Pay the fine!

Let the flames begin.

Bazzy

I am still amazed that people who claim to be patriots don't read and comprehend the written law. I get pissed because I'd like to think that all gun owners/ patriots are a "cut" above the masses.
First, what business is it of the government to tell you to wear a seat belt. It is your body and you should be able to do with it what you want. Just be prepared to pay the consequences  if your head is turned to mush.
Second the cop said he wouldn't post, but in some Judge's court rooms the Constitution doesn't mean spit. So if the case isn't dismissed, if the LEO doesn't post, then just say you had it on. Who is there to counter your claim.
Finally, warning ! I've seen allot of weird crap go down in the court room. Nothing is 100% so take the $65 just in case.

I find it hard to belive the officer openly told you to fight the ticket since he would not show up in court. Where I am from if an officer did not show up in court he may have alot to answer for to the prosicutors office and his superiors. And despite what you may think in the state I am from if an officer fails to appear they could have a warrant issued for failure to appear after reciveing a summons, this does not hapen very often but has. This is also a good incentive for the officer to appear in court.
I also know for a fact most officers in my state can dismiss a ticket prior to finishing the ticket.

I think you should go to the judge, admit your role in the conspiracy to defraud the county out of their legitimately-earned $65 fine, and turn state's evidence against the corrupt cop.

If you do anything other than this, you are a weasel.

Seatbelt tickets are bullshit anyways. I hardly ever wear my seatbelt and could care less about getting a ticket for it. I don't know about the other states, but in Texas when they were first trying to get the law passed they claimed that it would only be used as an "add on" offense, for when somebody was pulled over for something else. What a load of bullshit.

The last thing I need is the government trying to keep me "safe" in my own damn car. This whole discussion pisses me off to even think about it.....

The LEO is willing to "let you off" because you have indrect ties to law enforcement?
But you admit you weren't wearing a seat belt.

Sounds like a double standard to me.
I thought the laws were for EVERYBODY.

Pay the $65, Quite snivelin
Next time the stupid law (or any stupid law) comes up for a vote get out and vote against it.

I have ties to law enforcement.  I'm required to know & obey every law ever written.  After all, "ignorance of the law is no excuse"  except for cops, lawyers & judges.  

Think that'll get me out of any tickets?

Tell the judge that while driving down the road, you observed several marked patrol vehicles operating in a manner consistent with a DUI checkpoint, and wearing your "factory installed restraint device" was preventing you from hiding your beer/drugs/illegal weapons/contraband from the plain view of the officers.

Not a jury in the world would convict you.

Other option would be to look at the applicable statutes to see if there is an excemption to the law.  For example, in AZ you won't get cited if there is a bonna fide medical condition that prevents you from wearing your seat belt (you aren't 9 months pregnant, are you?).

Did you have some type of "surgery" recently?  Are you allergic to seat belts?  Maybe you have an unknown fobia, or a claustrophobic(sp) related phobia that is aggrevated when wearing a seat bealt.

No doubt about it, your'e the victim here.