83...I DON'T THINK SO!

It's Memorial Day and of course the cops are out to watch the vast amount of drivers speeding to their destinations. But when you get pulled over for a speed that you weren't even close to, well, it makes you boil!!!

We were driving home from the lake and on the road we always take, we passed a cop going the opposite direction on the other side of the highway. Pat asked me how fast I was going. I was going 70 in a 60 zone. No big deal, I slowed down and continued on. Several minutes later I'm driving in a pack of cars, still doing under 70 and the cop pulls up behind me and pulls me over. I should of known, the orange Xterra always sticks out. Mind you a car had just passed me going faster!

Mr. Small Town Cop comes up to my window and says "What's the hurry?" From a friend who is a cop I have learned that it is always good to repeat what the cop just said to make sure you understand clearly what they are asking and it shows a sign of respect. So I did this and said "What's the hurry???" asking to make sure that's what he said. And his remark was "I asked you that first." Umm...okay I wasn't being rude.

Then he proceeds to tell me that I was going 83. Interesting since my speed never topped 72 since I was on the highway. I kept my cool, to Pat's surprise, and told him sternly that there was no way he "clocked" me doing that speed. I told him yes I was speeding but not by 23! He takes my info and spends his sweet ole time in his car. Can't he see I have a sleeping baby in the backseat who needs to get home before it's time to eat again? And, oh wait, he's not asleep anymore because Mr. Small Town Cop is taking forever to look up nothing because I don't have a record.

He comes back to the car and tells me that he was "easy" on me because I seemed to adamant about not going 83. I wouldn't have argued with him if he gave me a ticket for what I was speeding, not way over that. I told him again, I was not going that fast. He then explained that he saw me pull away from a pack of cars, again interesting, because I was in the middle of them. Could he have clocked the guy that sped past? Hmmm...

So he was "easy on me" and only wrote me down for 75. Since I wasn't even going that fast either! I have to show up in court an hour and half away to argue it and on a Tuesday. He saw where I lived...think he did that on purpose?

He then explained how I can get it deferred. I can call THEIR county's prosecutor, pay him/her a fee, plus pay the ticket and not have to show up to court. So basically their county makes a ton of money off of me. But then I don't get points on my license and my insurance won't be notified. But if I go to argue I could end up paying the gas to get there, plus lost work time, and still end up with a ticket for a speed I wasn't even doing. Plus the points plus possible higher car insurance. Think they purposely put you in the bind? Not hard to figure out!

After he explained this to me he said again how fast he clocked me. I again said I am not trying to be disrespectful but there is no way I was going that fast. He then had the nerve to tell me that maybe my speedometer was broken, long pause, and then he said or my radar, but I just had mine fixed so that's not possible. Or is it possible that it isn't fixed? HELLO!

Pat and I pulled away and Pat kept saying how sorry he was and that was such BS! We both analyzed the situation the hour and a half home and just got more upset. And then looked closer at the ticket write up to see he has a ton of information wrong it, including my address, license date, etc.

So...great way to end the weekend. Guess I'll call this prosecutor to see what the heck I can do. How do I prove a cop wrong? Thanks Mr. Small Town Cop...get your radar looked at again!!!