A fine for failure to dim headlights? I need some advice, please.

[Freedom_Fighter]

i was just coming into town off the highway the other night as i met a police car. the officer immediaely turned around and pulled me over. he told me the reason was because i left my brights on as i met him, which i did. i explained that the display light in my dash that indicates that the brights are on must have went out, and i didn't realize i was bright lighting him as we passed, which is 100% true. since that night it had been going out from time to time. he goes back to his car for a while, comes back and hands me a $150 ticket for "failure to dim headlights"!

now, $150 is a steep fine for just forgetting to dim your headlights. it seems a little obsurd to me that they'd expect someone to pay that much for such a trivial mistake. is there any possibility i could have the ticket dropped?

i appreciate any advice.

[darrell]

now, $150 is a steep fine for just forgetting to dim your headlights. it seems a little obsurd to me that they'd expect someone to pay that much for such a trivial mistake. is there any possibility i could have the ticket dropped?

Maybe obsurd but thats the fine and it was set that way for a reason. Take it to court and take your chances with the judge. It's possible that it can be dropped or just taken down to the next lower level and fine. I recomend that you get the switch fixed before you go to court and see if that will sway the judge's mind a little bit.

BTW was the officer wearing his hat?

[Freedom_Fighter]

the switch is not the problem. the indicater light is.
it was a city cop, not a highway patrol.

[michiganstud]

i was just coming into town off the highway the other night as i met a police car. the officer immediaely turned around and pulled me over. he told me the reason was because i left my brights on as i met him, which i did. i explained that the display light in my dash that indicates that the brights are on must have went out, and i didn't realize i was bright lighting him as we passed, which is 100% true. since that night it had been going out from time to time. he goes back to his car for a while, comes back and hands me a $150 ticket for "failure to dim headlights"!

now, $150 is a steep fine for just forgetting to dim your headlights. it seems a little obsurd to me that they'd expect someone to pay that much for such a trivial mistake. is there any possibility i could have the ticket dropped?

i appreciate any advice.

OK, you'd even lose in court. Is it that the indicator light was not functioning or did you "forget to dim?"

*gavel noise*

Pay the desk on the way out. Thank you.

[Metallic4]

I have to say I'm surprised you didn't get a warning, but that is officer discretion. Get the dash indicator fixed, keep the receipt from the dealer, and take it to traffic court. If you show the judge it's fixed, you have a good chance of having it thrown out.

[Freedom_Fighter]

yes, i am sure i the indicator light went out...it's done it several times since then. i have stated this already

thanks for the advise, Metallic4

[TheLivingJuliet]

OK, you'd even lose in court. Is it that the indicator light was not functioning or did you "forget to dim?"

*gavel noise*

Pay the desk on the way out. Thank you.

Ouch! :eek: Judge Judy rules hard and fast! ;)

[michiganstud]

yes, i am sure i the indicator light went out...it's done it several times since then. i have stated this already

thanks for the advise, Metallic4

You don't know the difference between your bright lights and your driving lights?

Trivial? Not so trivial if granny were passing you and got blinded and swerved off the road, hitting a tree, killing her and ejecting her knitting all over the road.

[TheLivingJuliet]

Unless if granny were knitting while operating this moving vehicle. Then its granny's own fault for not putting the knitting down.

[Freedom_Fighter]

You don't know the difference between your bright lights and your driving lights?

ofcourse i do. but my brights are kinda dim, and it's hard to tell the difference between them when there are street lights everywhere, you know?

[sbrad]

Bright lights get my attention because it's a pretty good DUI indicator. I like Metallic4's suggestion.
I would also point out that you said it's been a problem in the past, so it's nothing new to you...shoulda gotten it fixed before.

[Freedom_Fighter]

My bet is that you ignored a similar suggestion from the oncoming police car.

i assure you that was not the case. he in no way warned me my lights were on bright. he just busted a u and gave me a ticket.

i think the cops here get their rocks off by pullling people over and giving them tickets.

i was going out of town, home another night when i was given a bogus speeding ticket. on this road , as you leave the town the speed limit goes from 35 to 45, to 55, and then to 65. as i was exiting town i saw a police car parked right under the 35 mph sign. obviously i was not going to speed. so i keep it under 35 till i get past the sign and start to speed up a little. the cop pulls out behind me as i pass him and continue on into the 45 mph zone. he then follows all the way into the 55 zone before pulling me over. he says he clocked me going 49 in a 35. i ask to see his radar and sure enough it reads "49". so it ell him that i saw him as i was approaching, and i was wtching my speed the whole way..there's no way i was doing 49 in the 35 zone. the only time i was going over 45 was in the 55 mph zone. he then gets very angry and tells me take it up with the judge. i ended up having to pay $120 for a bogus fine, and the cop loved it.

so when you pay a traffic fine, all of the money goes to the us treasury? or to that police department? i know a part of the fines are for court costs, right?

[michiganstud]

i assure you that was not the case. he in no way warned me my lights were on bright. he just busted a u and gave me a ticket.

i think the cops here get their rocks off by pullling people over and giving them tickets.

OK darrell.....................................do your thang. :D

[Freedom_Fighter]

I would also point out that you said it's been a problem in the past

no i didn't. i said:

yes, i am sure i the indicator light went out...it's done it several times since then

that was the first time i had noticed that the light had went out.

[Metallic4]

i assure you that was not the case. he in no way warned me my lights were on bright. he just busted a u and gave me a ticket.

i think the cops here get their rocks off by pullling people over and giving them tickets.

i was going out of town, home another night when i was given a bogus speeding ticket. on this road , as you leave the town the speed limit goes from 35 to 45, to 55, and then to 65. as i was exiting town i saw a police car parked right under the 35 mph sign. obviously i was not going to speed. so i keep it under 35 till i get past the sign and start to speed up a little. the cop pulls out behind me as i pass him and continue on into the 45 mph zone. he then follows all the way into the 55 zone before pulling me over. he says he clocked me going 49 in a 35. i ask to see his radar and sure enough it reads "49". so it ell him that i saw him as i was approaching, and i was wtching my speed the whole way..there's no way i was doing 49 in the 35 zone. the only time i was going over 45 was in the 55 mph zone. he then gets very angry and tells me take it up with the judge. i ended up having to pay $120 for a bogus fine, and the cop loved it.

so when you pay a traffic fine, all of the money goes to the us treasury? or to that police department? i know a part of the fines are for court costs, right?

Gosh man, you were doing so well until you had to pull the "cops get off on tickets" and "bogus fine" crap. I thought you were given good advice, you should have quit.
1. The cop is not "getting his rock off" by giving you a ticket. You had your high beams on, which presents a danger to oncoming traffic.
2. Radar doesn't lie. Sorry. My guess is if you were polite to the cop and didn't ask to see the radar and argue, you might have gotten off. (BTW, I call B.S. Most cops would laugh at you for asking to see the radar readout).
3. Go away. You had a polite response to your question and then started acting like an @$$.