Sometimes, getting to your destination as fast as possible becomes your priority, to the point when you forget that you’ve already gone past the brink of violating traffic rules and on your way to a speeding ticket. Speeding, in particular, is a common offense that you’ve most likely experienced already – even though you haven’t yet, it still pays to understand that it’s a very easy rule to violate. Unsavory confrontations with police officers catching you speeding can be very stressful for the most part, but they can be dealt with accordingly if you’re calm and composed in practicing some of these tips even police officers consider as effective:
Tip # 1: Greet, but don’t apologize
In the event, a police officer tries to pull you over as he spots you going over the speed limit, make sure to keep yourself in a relaxed mood as you greet him. Acknowledge the police officer’s existence by simultaneously letting out a subtle wave and a hello spoken in a gleeful manner. More often than not, that will certainly lead the police officer to approach you in a more gleeful manner, which in turn would lead him to think that you’re actually making the effort to slow down. In some cases, waving your hand can give the police officer the idea that you may actually know one another, which further reduces your chances of being issued a speeding ticket.
However, keep in mind that it’s also important not to keep the idea of speeding over your head if the police officer insists on pulling you over. By saying “I’m sorry for overspeeding,” you’re actually giving the police officer the idea that you’re acknowledging the very offense he’s pulling you over for. Instead, let the police officer tell you first about speeding, then be sure to respond innocently, as if to say you’re not aware that you’ve actually gone over the speed limit. Be sure lay off with the aggression as well – you wouldn’t want to fall on the police officer’s bad side and increase your chances of being ticketed.
Tip # 2: Make the police officer as comfortable as possible
Of course, it’s entirely possible that a police officer pulling you over for speeding may trigger you into an unwanted fit of hysteria – that is surely not a proper way of trying to ease him over getting away from a speeding ticket. To make sure that the police officer doesn’t treat you harshly as you discussing your speeding, make sure to interact with him as a regular human being – treat him with respect and dignity. Aside from not looking too bad in front of the police officer, you’d be able to engage with him in a more mellow and reasonable conversation that might just lead him to consider to let you go for the meantime.
Also, it’s important for you to consider what it feels to be doing the job of a police officer. Violent instances arising from traffic confrontations between police officers and violators are a real possibility. Being on the side of the law doesn’t exactly guarantee safety given the aggression of violators. Keeping that in mind, make sure that your body language can’t be interpreted as anything suspicious by police officers. As you’re pulled over, make sure that both of your hands are visible while negotiating, and make it a point to turn on your car’s indoor lights when it’s dark outside. Make it a point to ask permission to the police officer as well when getting your driver’s license for inspection – that would give him the confidence that you’re not one who’d resort to violence.
Tip # 3: Lay off on the arrogance
When speaking to a police officer, it really tends to be easy for you to be triggered by anger when the conversation gets heated. Add to that the fact that you simply want to get away from that situation, and you’d certainly find yourself in a far more precarious position mouthing off expletives the police officer might take as veiled threats. Thus, apart from simply keeping your cool when talking to the police officer, make sure to be mellower in your approach and desire to be let off the hook. Consider telling the police officer if he’d consider your speeding offense as a preliminary warning for the meantime, and assure him that you’ll never repeat the offense again.
However, if it happens that the police officer becomes seemingly inconsiderate in his intonation, make sure never to fall into the trap of asserting yourself in the situation. Saying arrogant expressions such as “Do you know who I am?” or “You’re simply living off from my taxes!” might just aggravate the already troublesome situation that you’re in. Indeed, if you want to win over the police officer and get away with a speeding ticket, stick to being the calmer party and don’t be aggressive under any circumstances. That will surely prevent any form of provocation that might just earn you another offense when it worsens.
Tip # 4: Come clean and take your time
One advice that may prove useful to you in the event you’re caught for speeding is to keep your car clean at all times. More likely than never, the police officer who’ll pull you over will keep a judging eye on the way you maintain your car. While keeping an untidy car isn’t exactly a traffic offense in itself, it gives out the impression that your behavior is just as messy, prompting the police officer to interrogate you further.
If you did try to receive your speeding ticket at the time you got pulled over, make sure to ask the court to secure an appropriate amount of continuances to allow you to gather evidence to support your defense. More often than not, the police officer involved may come to forget the specific circumstances of your speeding prior to the set court date, and that in turn would lead to the dropping of charges against you.
Tip # 5: Keep a close eye on the particulars
To avoid getting issued a speeding ticket, make sure to keep on the peculiarities off the areas where you’re caught speeding – you may always claim that signs for speeding were not visible enough for you to consider lowering your speed, for instance. You may also be exonerated quickly if your police officer gives you a speeding ticket that doesn’t indicate your court date. That, in itself, is a ground for the police officer’s negligence, leaving you free to go.