Tailgaiting ticket (New York, York: crime, gated, authority)

[dman72]

Originally Posted by moocat

There is no plea bargaining in NYC traffic courts. He's a highway cop; if you go to court he will most likely win even with a lawyer. The judge has the option of raising the fine but most likely you will just pay the same $100 it would cost if you plead guilty now.

Can anyone else confirm that there is no plea bargaining in NYC traffic courts? Is that information available online? That would make going to the hearing kind of pointless.

[pdcnret]

There are active campaigns all across the metro area to clamp down on aggressive driving. Tailgating is one of those offenses. Kudos to that cop for doing his job.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by pdcnret

There are active campaigns all across the metro area to clamp down on aggressive driving. Tailgating is one of those offenses. Kudos to that cop for doing his job.

Sorry that posts on other threads make you angry. I've defended and supported a raise of salary for NYC cops all along, by the way.

Anyway, what this cop did was inappropriate and unethical.

[NooYowkur81]

Originally Posted by dman72

Driving on the LI in Queens left lane. Maintaining a safe distance, doing around the speed limit (traffic is heavy).

Black Dodge Charger pulls up behind at a high rate of speed, tailgates me.

I put on my blinker to move over and get out of the way, when an opening appears, Charger guns it and moves over into the space, then tries to pass me on the right and cut me off, but slower traffic in the right land coming up on him causes him to have to slow down.

Charger pulls back behind me, lights me up and pulls me over. It's an unmarked cop car.

"I'm giving you a ticket for following too closely." No discussion. Takes my paperwork, back with a ticket in 2 minutes. About 2 miles down the road, he's got someone else pulled over already.

I believe this is 4 points on my license, I have a hearing set in October. Worth fighting? Obviously it's my word against the cops when it comes to my story. I have 2 points on there already for "failure to signal" violation I got in a village in Nassau.

The cop was clearly head-hunting for tickets. I would get a lawyer and fight it. Unfortunately from what I hear LI cops almost always show up to court.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by NooYowkur81

The cop was clearly head-hunting for tickets. I would get a lawyer and fight it. Unfortunately from what I hear LI cops almost always show up to court.

This is NYC. It happened in Queens.

[NooYowkur81]

Originally Posted by dman72

This is NYC. It happened in Queens.

Yeah I went back and read it and realized my mistake. I got tripped up by the Nassau thing, but then I remembered I was in an NYC forum.

But hey since its NYC even better. There's a good chance the cop won't bother showing up in court.

[jflores]

Originally Posted by dman72

No, I kept my distance and oncoming traffic in the right lane kept him from nudging in.

Either way, it's my word against his. Neither one of us has it on video tape.

Sorry to inform you its actually his word that counts. When I lived back home, not once did I ever get off from a ticket when an officer showed up.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by jflores

Sorry to inform you its actually his word that counts. When I lived back home, not once did I ever get off from a ticket when an officer showed up.

I know. The issue is whether they will plea it down or not.

[jflores]

Originally Posted by dman72

I know. The issue is whether they will plea it down or not.

eh

[mir_ny]

Postpone as long as possible. By then the cop won't show up or will forget what happen. They will either reduce the fine or even throw it out if they believe your story.