Everyone knows that something that can surely ruin your day is getting a speeding ticket or any kind of fine on the road. Some of these tickets can even be worth over $100 dollars, without mentioning that you need to pay them right away and often end up going to court to negotiate your fee. Even just getting pulled over is a waste of time, and it might deviate you from your day and wherever you were going, after getting pulled over you know that you are going to be late wherever it is that you were going.
Although not every ticket can be avoided, there are a couple of tips and tricks you should know in order to get away with any speeding ticket. When things are said right and in the correct timing, you can often be saved from getting a ticket.
1. Always Greet Them
Always say Hello, and be polite whenever they first approach you. They are going to want to see that you have a nice attitude and a calm approach to them. You will obviously be mad and even in a hurry, but showing signs of this attitude will only slow things down, and the process might become even more tedious. Always show a positive attitude and greet them.
2. Don’t try to avoid the obvious
You are getting pulled over for a reason and half of the time you are very well aware of the reason. Don’t try to get out of it by saying that you “weren’t speeding” or that you “didn’t run over the red light”, policemen are aware of what you did and denying it will only make the process more tedious. Often people are driving their new car and enjoying the breeze without noticing that they might be going over the speed limit. Instead, apologize and ask what you did wrong, but don’t deny it. Try to approach this in a civilized manner, apologize for your mistakes or say that you didn’t know you committed an infraction, these are all better ways for approaching the problem rather than lying about it.
3. Always ask what you can do
Be helpful with the process and with what the policemen are asking from you. If they need to see your papers, collaborate with the process, ask if it’s okay that you take out your wallet, don’t do anything spontaneous that might cause an altercation. If you are indeed in a hurry, ask the police men nicely if you can take out your phone and make a quick phone call to let people know you will arrive late. Always comply with their instructions and show yourself helpful to the situation.
4. You will need an excuse to get out of it
Surely, you will need an excuse to get out of the situation and avoid getting a ticket. If you were speeding, explain calmly to the officer where you were going and what urgency you had for driving at that speed. You can often ‘make up’ small excuses for the officer to understand your situation and let you go.
5. Ask politely for a warning
After having a calm discussion with the police officer, ask politely if they can consider giving you a warning instead of a ticket. Do apologize and admit your errors, but also say that it was an honest mistake and that you weren’t trying to cause it. Try your best to explain your situation, without sounding persistent or authoritarian, talk gently with the officer and ask for a warning this time.