Say Nothing to the police

WWHBD?

Watch the show cops. Notice how the idiot cops tell the camera man: "we're in an area/aprtment complex/neighborhood known for illegal narcotics activity". "That car doesnt look like it's from around here so I'm gonna (ILLEGALLY) pull them over". Now, if the dum ass dope fiends had read this thread they'd say nothing to the cop. When the cop says "I saw you come out of nI_gga central project back there what are you doing in there?"

say nothing but "here's my license, registration and proof of insurance". You have all that right? Don't you think getting insirance and yer license is cheaper than bail, attorneys, lost wages and the hassle of jail? Yes. It is. Alot cheaper as a matter of fact.. If you look and sound like you can defend yourself, intelectually and financially cops are gonnna look for easier prey. They are predators, and predators are universally cowardly. They always go after the weak.

Here's a couple real world incidents I've experienced:

Late one summer friday afternoon in California, I'm traveling home after leaving a stupid Corporate meeting that went on til after 5 o'clock, during heavy rush hour traffic (this was before the depression started a couple years ago when there was still alot of traffic on friday afternoons). CHP pulls me over, even though I am one of the few people doing the speed limit, minding my own business, not passing on the right on onramps like alot maniacs do. Just cruising in my new Dodge diesel truck. Anyway, a little hispanic rookie, shaped like a fireplug, suffering from "little mejican" syndrome I guess. Pulls me over. Tells me he pulled me over for not wearing my seatbelt. I tell him that I am exempt from the seatbelt law.CA Vehicle code 27315.3a defines vehicles subject to the the unconstitutional seatbelt law (aka we need more excuses to pull people over law). In that section it says the law applys to "motortruck up to 6001 lbs unladen". Motortruck is what the CA vehicle code calls pickup trucks. Anyway, he then says, "How much have you had to drink this afternoon" I tell him, "Oh about a six pack, of EVIAN". He says "sit tight" and goes back to his car. As I'm monitoring CHP mobile extender freqs. on my scanner at all times, I hear him call back for backup for a "beligerant subject". He then comes back to the window and says "mind if i have a look around in the car?" I say "Sure as long as the Sargeant pulling up behind there has a warrant". He goes back to the Sarge that pulled up and the sarge comes up to the window. "What's the problem? "I have no problem Sargeant, senor Rodriguez however does. "Apparently he's not aware of vehicle code or the 4th amendment to the constitution" By no FirePlug rodriguez is about to pop a vein, I know he wants to arrest me and fuck me up. I remain cool. "What, are you some kind of attorney?" If you do answer cops questions, it's best to answer them with questions so I say "Why do you ask, would it change your behaviour if i was?" Sarge chuckles, fireplug visibly restrains himself. Sarge tells him to write me for the 27315. He does, I sign and say "see ya in court"

So I take it to court. Coulda paid the $22.00 fine, but fuck that, I'm right and i know it. I had recently convinced another CHP in Alpine COunty CA (WAAAy up in the mountains) that 27315.3 exempted heavy pickups with commercial plates, he told me at the time that that "was true" but that the legislature had changed it to include heavy trucks. He did not write me a ticket.
Anyway, I plead not guilty and get a court date. Court date comes around, I show up on time. The bailiff gets up there and says, those of you here for trial come out in the lobby, I have info for you. We go out there, about 7-8 people fighting tickets. Bailiff says "we need you to sign off and accept temporary judge. we're very busy, so we have a temp judge sworn in to hear your case. He's an attorney and is acting as a real jusge". Sign here to accept. WTF? I say, just like this "Fuck that I want a real judge, and I think everyone here should demand their right to a trial heard by a sitting judge" Bailif starts tellin me I'm in contempt of court and he makes move like he's gonna put hands on me. I say "BULLSHIT" contempt of court for foul language can onlly be charged INSIDE the court or in case of a gag order, we ARE not in the court, therefore we are NOT subject to contempt of court for profanity out HERE IN THE LOBBY!" Lotta people watchin us now. Other deputies start comin over hearing the loud altercation. I proceed to tell the other people fighting their tickets to NOT accept a "fake" judge. I KNOW why they're doin' this- they don't have a judge available. In spite of my attempts to win all 8 over only two others demand a "real" judge. Still, the bailiff is flustered. he tells us to go back in and be seated. He goes the the judge. Mind you there are over a hundred people and about a dozen cops in the courtroom. After talking to the judge, the bailiff tells us that the two refusing the temp judge must go up to another court upstairs. We go. I sit sit down, in an almost empty court, just the family members of some tweaker who's pre-trial hearing was in progress. Bailiff has to INTERUPT! goes up to the judge and whispers to here, then jesturing at ME. She look PISSED!. She has to recess the tweaker, to hear my $22.00 seatbelt ticket!

So the cop gets up there to the new court room, she calls him up, he does his usual bit of cop lieing. "I was westbound, saw mr B here in the number 4 lane not wearing his seatbelt, I could see the metal flash of the seatbelt buckle glinting in the sun, thats how I could tell from 400 feet away that he wasnt using it." Blah blah blah. Mr b stated that he was exempt from the seatbelt law, but your honor it's the CHP's interpetation that there ARE NO exemptions to the seatbelt law"

Judge's eyebrow goes up, "Officer, since when was the CHP empowered to INTERPET the law as opposed to enforce it?" Cops starts sputtering about semantics, decision making processes and othe incherent cop babble.

My turn!

Your honor, the officer shows blatant ignorance of the law in this case. for indeed the CA vehicle code has MANY exemptions to the seatbelt law. In fact, as a LEO, he should know that POLICE are exempt from the seat belt law. There are many other exemptions too! Limosuines, school buses, RV's! TAXI's! OLD CARS never built with seatbelts! AND the exemption that I'm claiming, "MOTORTRUCKS EXCEEDING 6001 lbs UNLADEN". I hand the bailiff my printout from the CA.gov veh. code site and my registration with the current weight fees for a commercial tagged truck with unladen weight 6026lbs!. She looks at it. Then asks for a current vehicle code book be sent up. Silence. we wait. Cops starts to popoff about how the seat belt law is universal now, she tells him to STFU. He stews. He stares at me. We wait. Been there at least an hour now. She finally gets the code book. She starts readin it. She's thumbing back and fourth between several sections for what seemed like 15 minutes. She finally asks me "How many passengers can your vehicle legally seat?" I tell her "6". She say's "What is the primary purpose for which you use this vehicle?" I say "hauling stuff, sometimes across state lines" (I'm thinking I throw interstate commerce in there cuz there really lookin fer a reason NOT to dismiss this. Now, they're ALL pissed at me.

She finally says "DISMISSED get out of here!" Cop sighs very loud. On the way out the doors the cop tells me "I don't care what she said, If I see you with no seatbelt I'm pullin you over" I tell him "well, suit yerself ASSHOLE, but listen, I'm goin right out there in the parking lot, I have the same truck as last time an I'm NOT gonna wear my seatbelt you DO what you gotta DO". I really thought he was gonna bump me again but he left me alone!

tomorrow I'll post how i handled and WON my FOURTH seatbelt ticket trial in Lincoln, CA.

And how I lost my case for my THIRD seatbelt ticket at trial. (subsequently won on written appeal)
And how I lost at trial. (If anyone's interested)