A Whole Judicial Conspiricy!!!!
09-20-2002, 04:27 PM
#24
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Vern,
Thanks for your reply. What really irks me is when you try to be cordial and polite to some of these officers and they dis you. As a group, the performance powerboaters adhere to regulations and safety issues extremely well. We've got among the most to lose. I'm constantly amazed and irritated when I see pwc's, pontoon boats, bass boats, etc. racing through the no wakes, brandishing open containers. Yet the performance boaters are getting cited for petty stuff like excessive noise (with questionable, at best, legal justification).
I don't know about Michigan, but in Illinois there is some return on the $ to law enforcement for tickets issued. Until recently, local municipalities (neighborhoods with a PD) were issuing local violations for speeding. That is until the county courts became aware of this procedure. The locals got the entire fine to do with as they pleased, which meant a larger budget (raises) for the cops. County gov't. wasn't impressed so the judges started dismissing these cases. As fines are just another form of tax, you are indirectly the beneficiary of this money.
Regards,
Mark S.
Thanks for your reply. What really irks me is when you try to be cordial and polite to some of these officers and they dis you. As a group, the performance powerboaters adhere to regulations and safety issues extremely well. We've got among the most to lose. I'm constantly amazed and irritated when I see pwc's, pontoon boats, bass boats, etc. racing through the no wakes, brandishing open containers. Yet the performance boaters are getting cited for petty stuff like excessive noise (with questionable, at best, legal justification).
I don't know about Michigan, but in Illinois there is some return on the $ to law enforcement for tickets issued. Until recently, local municipalities (neighborhoods with a PD) were issuing local violations for speeding. That is until the county courts became aware of this procedure. The locals got the entire fine to do with as they pleased, which meant a larger budget (raises) for the cops. County gov't. wasn't impressed so the judges started dismissing these cases. As fines are just another form of tax, you are indirectly the beneficiary of this money.
Regards,
Mark S.
09-20-2002, 04:41 PM
#25
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Mark S.
Anybody would be P.O'd if they were dissed, fact of life. I don't blame you for being upset, I just don't like it when people use generalities to describe a whole group of people.
The same thing is done with powerboaters, we are portrayed as druken idiots that don't know port from starboard. This upsets me too! I think you can agree that it's the minority that causes this perception. It is the same with policework, the mistakes make headlines, the good things we do never make the headlines.
Vern
Anybody would be P.O'd if they were dissed, fact of life. I don't blame you for being upset, I just don't like it when people use generalities to describe a whole group of people.
The same thing is done with powerboaters, we are portrayed as druken idiots that don't know port from starboard. This upsets me too! I think you can agree that it's the minority that causes this perception. It is the same with policework, the mistakes make headlines, the good things we do never make the headlines.
Vern
09-20-2002, 04:55 PM
#26
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Vern, long time no talk! Did you say "ride along??" I'd LOVE to give it a go. A weekend would work best for me!!!! I know a LOT of officers (from family to neighbors to friends like you and Troutly) but have never had the opportunity to do anything other than sit at a speed trap with a buddies dad one afternoon (he was in plain sight as a deterent on a busy inner city street and didn't even write a ticket!!!!)
When and where is all I need to know!!!!!!!
When and where is all I need to know!!!!!!!
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09-20-2002, 05:17 PM
#27
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Hmmm....I think that perhaps there is a little more to consider than perhaps it simply being policemen who are heavy handed in issuing citations.
I've had opportunity to sit in courts and watch numerous cases where the presiding judge was obviously NEVER going to find in favor of the defendant.
One day, I watched as person after person came before the judge in traffic court, hardly got to speak their case, and the judge summarily found them guilty. You could have had the Pope as your witness and this judge wouldn't have given a rat's ass.
He was rude, demeaning, and plain insulting. I honestly think some judges forget that the taxpayers (the people who come before them) pay their salraries.
Police officers issue the citations, but it's judges that ultimately decide if the citation was issued fairly/correctly.
Just my $.02
I've had opportunity to sit in courts and watch numerous cases where the presiding judge was obviously NEVER going to find in favor of the defendant.
One day, I watched as person after person came before the judge in traffic court, hardly got to speak their case, and the judge summarily found them guilty. You could have had the Pope as your witness and this judge wouldn't have given a rat's ass.
He was rude, demeaning, and plain insulting. I honestly think some judges forget that the taxpayers (the people who come before them) pay their salraries.
Police officers issue the citations, but it's judges that ultimately decide if the citation was issued fairly/correctly.
Just my $.02
09-20-2002, 05:20 PM
#28
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Originally posted by Waterfoul
Vern, long time no talk! Did you say "ride along??" I'd LOVE to have you give me a go. A long weekend in handcuffs would work best for me!!!! I know a LOT of officers (from family to neighbors to friends like you and Troutly) but have never had the opportunity to do anything other than sit at a speed trap with a buddies dad one afternoon (he was in plain sight as a deterent on a busy inner city street and didn't even write a ticket!!!!)
Maybe you could use your baton on me?
When and where is all I need to know!!!!!!!
Vern, long time no talk! Did you say "ride along??" I'd LOVE to have you give me a go. A long weekend in handcuffs would work best for me!!!! I know a LOT of officers (from family to neighbors to friends like you and Troutly) but have never had the opportunity to do anything other than sit at a speed trap with a buddies dad one afternoon (he was in plain sight as a deterent on a busy inner city street and didn't even write a ticket!!!!)
Maybe you could use your baton on me?
When and where is all I need to know!!!!!!!
09-20-2002, 05:21 PM
#29
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First for Panther- My boat is from NJ, motors were done origanally done @ Roger's Speed Shop, I forgot the old owners name I would have to look it up, the boat has been bullet proof.
Next- My boat is too loud, but the test was not done properly. Load or not, if you put the meter on top of the exaust exit, it will read loud. I was going in there to beat the ticket on how it was determined that I was loud. This A-Hole reads right from the training manual while in court as to how he did the test. Without the training manual in front of him, he would not have known a 42' boat from a jet-ski. I don't know what my boat reads because the test was REALLY TRULY done wrong. The guy was stumbling and bumbling through this whole thing. He didn't even know a fountain had a swim platform, but he has been on the water for 10 years as a Sheriff. Open your eyes and look around, he wasn't even sure the size of his own boat
. Oh but there is no way this genious could possibly have made a mistake. Based on where he was tied to me it was physically impossible for him to reach to the proper position. I showed scaled out boats, cleat locations, I researched this thing well. It would be impossible. Then I did address the court when it was over and said, " I own a 100k boat, I came out here to fight this not because of the cost of the ticket, because I fealt, and I still feel I am right!" I was nice and complimentary to the officer and his efforts, but said to him in this case he made a mistake. I dont need him chasing me all over the place next year. Midnight
Next- My boat is too loud, but the test was not done properly. Load or not, if you put the meter on top of the exaust exit, it will read loud. I was going in there to beat the ticket on how it was determined that I was loud. This A-Hole reads right from the training manual while in court as to how he did the test. Without the training manual in front of him, he would not have known a 42' boat from a jet-ski. I don't know what my boat reads because the test was REALLY TRULY done wrong. The guy was stumbling and bumbling through this whole thing. He didn't even know a fountain had a swim platform, but he has been on the water for 10 years as a Sheriff. Open your eyes and look around, he wasn't even sure the size of his own boat
. Oh but there is no way this genious could possibly have made a mistake. Based on where he was tied to me it was physically impossible for him to reach to the proper position. I showed scaled out boats, cleat locations, I researched this thing well. It would be impossible. Then I did address the court when it was over and said, " I own a 100k boat, I came out here to fight this not because of the cost of the ticket, because I fealt, and I still feel I am right!" I was nice and complimentary to the officer and his efforts, but said to him in this case he made a mistake. I dont need him chasing me all over the place next year. Midnight
Last edited by MIdnightRider; 09-23-2002 at 08:27 PM.
