...do you do it because it helps make people better drivers without fining them, or because you don't feel like writing the ticket, or what?

I'm not an LEO, but I have recieved several warnings instead of tickets over the years, I believe because I have a polite and respectful manner, valid DL, insurance, etc.  Of course, I've also paid my share of tickets like anyone else.

Curious what the logic is for most officers, though.

Thanks.

Often it boils down to the attitude of the person stopped.  When I worked the road I wasn't a big ticket writter, maybe one a day, and it was usually for an equipment violation, something that once the person had fixed the ticket would only cost them the court administrative fee (usually $5-11).  I prefered to use traffic as a tool to get bigger fish so to speak. My favorite tickets were criminal violations like suspended/revoked licenses or DUI's.  Then they got as many as I could write them, plus their car towed, and often a trip to jail.  I also didn't give written warnings; waste of paper.  If I didn't write a ticket, I just told the person to slow down, get what ever it was fixed or to stop driving like a fool.  

Well, I must be a nice guy! I get warnings all the time. Lets see, I got pulled over in Atascadero CA. in a junky old van for expired registration, I also had no proof of insurance, BUT I did show current when she ran the plates & I recited my insurance guys name, address and phone number, I got off with a warning. Got pulled into a north bound scale house on I-5 at Castaic (IIRC) CA. for over lenght trailer, CA law says 40' max from king pin to center of rear axle. She  was a real nice she-bear, she had me hold one end of the tape on a chalk line she drew on my trailer, while she marked the other end 40' away, I asked "am I OK", she said "any more and I'd have to give you a ticket, get out of here", I pulled over later and the mark she made showed I was about a foot to long. I rolled a flat bed trailer on HWY 101 in CA., it landed at the bottum of an enbankment, two cute CHP ladys showed up, they said since no one was hurt, no reason to write it up.
Yada, yada, yada....the story of my life, I'm one lucky SOB, huh?

I've got three tickets in my life: 1; parking ticket from San Diego, CA. mailed to me, I hadn't been there in about 5 years, a quick phone call cleared that up ( they got my plate #, but MY rig was brown and the one the ticket was for was white). 2; Parking ticket in VA. (St. George, IIRC), the cop was a nice rooky and I probably would have B.S.ed my way out, but my co-driver was such a dick to him. I sat in the front seat of the patrol car while he wrote me up, he asked me how long I'd been driving with the nut, we talked awhile, then he told me how to keep the ticket from going on my record. 3; expired registration in CA. I had payed it but just lost the tag, so it was a fix it.

I get paid by the hour and don't get a bonus for writing tickets.   I'm not lazy so it makes me no difference whether I write one or not.   Every officer has something that they always write tickets for, no matter what.   I know one who writes for not signaling lane change.   For me it's failing to stop before leaving a private drive.  ie  pulling onto busy street from C-Store without even slowing down. Or running stop signs.   Park in hadicap zones without a placard or plate.

Speeding,  be reasonable.  Don't blow by me when I'm going the speed limit.   Everyone around me will expect me to stop and write you.    If I don't I will have several complaints waiting for me when I see my boss.

I know of a few local LEOs, some have said if your smiling on your DMV photo they will let you go if they are on the fence to write you or not. I rarely get tickets because I dont give lame ass excuses, I just admitt my guilt and be respectful. Works for me

from my experience LEOs are only dicks when someone disrespects them.

Just remember.....you can't talk your way out of a ticket but you can sure talk your way into them!!


I've had a quite a few people who I've stopped who were just going to get a warning but then they opened their mouths.......................

Well, Im an MP, so probably a little different. I only give an actual ticket if the violation was flagrant and dangerous to bystanders, otherwise Im just looking for an excuse to get in there and sniff for alcohol/drugs or spot other contraband, and if I dont see any, its a "Dont do <blah blah blah> again, your free to go. Have a good one <sgt, sir, etc>."

Only complete assholes and folks getting arrested getting citations.

Everyone else get's a "pay attention and have a nice day".

Dayshift guys (unless they are newly minted rookie traffic-bunnies) will write warnings just to meet their "contact quota", where 5 warnings counts as  one citation.  Some of our Dayshift guys will burn up a book of warnings in a week.


Sheep

Whatever is necessary to correct the offending behavior.  If a warning stops you speeding/littering/etc.  That's the route I take.  Pulling an attitude, playing stupid, or flat out lying (When I WATCHED you do it) Guarantees a cite.  Outstanding examples guarantee  a trip to booking.

You'd be amazed how many people put themselves in jail

Pretty much the person's attitude---those who know they messed up, and admit it, almost never get anything more than a warning from me.  Heck those who messed up without knowing it don't usually get one from me either.  (A serious possibility in some places here, given our city's standard speed limits for divided and undivided streets, for instance, coupled with the scarcity of actual signs advising this fact.)

Or it could be like the idiot today who went 55 in a 35, then made an illegal left turn across streetcar tracks, then behaved like an idiot when I pulled him over.  He got a warning because I forgot to put my ticket book back in my car when it came back from the shop, and no one was clear to bring me a ticket.

We are under orders to not ask them if they know what they did wrong, just tell them. "Morning sir, Im PVT Steensen, with the 630th MP Co. Reason why I stopped you this morning is blah blah blah, could i please see your registration, license, proof of insurance, and (military) ID card. Please stay right here and don't get out of your vehicle. Thank you, I'll be right back." If they get out of their vehicle, I can apprehend them and charge them with a Art. 92, Failure to Obey a lawful order. Although, I will admit, we try to charge people as little as humanly possible. Bout the only two ways your gonna get charged is if someone was victimized, or your a dumbass and admit to it in the PMO where everything is recorded.

Unfortuantely we dont have any computers in our patrol vehicles. So we have to call everything in to the desk. But...we have some pretty kick ass explorers as patrol vehicles...only thing that sucks is trying to run code through town - tiny ass european streets with cars parked on both sides of the road. Oh, and no strobe system on German lights...gotta clear the intersection manually and pull through the red light. Kinda scary sometimes.

I would give written warnings for speeding that was not quite were we would normally write tickets. The Chief only wanted us to cite for 15 or over.

I give a lot of warning. Some to people that deseve it, some who didn't.
I agree about people who talk themselves into tickets.
Had one yesterday, stopped a guy for no front lic plate(he's driving a dune buggie)
The guy wants to argue with me and finally says just give me the ticket and we'll see who's right in court. I said ok then I'll be back with you in a minute. As I'm walking away he starts to realize what he said and tried to stop me but by this time I was a little to quick to want to write this one.

The quickest way to get me to write a summons is to start arguing......that's what court is for, so I oblige them with a summons.
Unless the person is driving in an unexcusible manner or acts like an ass when I make contact with them, after I get their lic. and reg. in hand I tell them that  they will get a warning if everyithing comes back good.
For some reason though, on almost every stop I make for driving with a light out or no lights at all they come back as either revoked or suspended.  Then they definitaly get stroked.

Quoted: Oh, and no strobe system on German lights...gotta clear the intersection manually and pull through the red light. Kinda scary sometimes.

I still slow/stop when I'm going to bust an intersection.  I got nailed once trusting a strobe activated light.  Never again.


Sheep

I love the guys with a page plus of priors who reply to being give a ticket with:


"What if I promise never to do it again"?

Quoted: Just remember.....you can't talk your way out of a ticket but you can sure talk your way into them!! I've had a quite a few people who I've stopped who were just going to get a warning but then they opened their mouths.......................

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!! I had one guy that went from what would have been a VERBAL warning for improper passing (I was sick and trying to get home to take some meds) to a trip to jail and about 5 cases against him.  

GR