Why talking your way out of a ticket doesn’t work anymore and what you should do when you are pulled over
Your story may work, but, more likely, it won’t. “I need to go to the bathroom!” “I’m late for…” “My wife’s having a baby!” Police have heard it all before.
More people talk themselves into a ticket than out of one. While, the feeling to tell your story to police officer may seem like a good idea, anything that you say will be noted and can be used against you. Any excuse you give now may seem like an admission later.
With younger officers and officers devoted to the traffic unit, it is a numbers game. There is more pressure now for officers to write tickets because of its revenue for the municipality.
Really, there is no formula that people use to get out of a ticket. (Although, this study by University of Waterloo says saying “I’m sorry” helped the most when being pulled over.) But you can do a few things to ease the process.
5 things to do when you are pulled over:
- Be courteous. Passing the “personality test” is probably the only way to help you.
- Provide the necessary documents.
- Be honest, but remember that anything that you say will be used against you. (Saying you were only doing 65 max in a 50 zone will not get you off the ticket.)
- Make note immediately after the stop to keep the memory fresh when you speak to someone or need to recall information later in a trial.
- Call a legal representative.
Have you ever talked your way out of a ticket or tried and failed to? Leave a comment!
