So I was coming home from work today and decided to take one of my "traffic hacks". I can take one illegal left turn which will take me past it all of the congestion. I've done it for a long time, my roommate has done it for a long time and many others do it as well. Well today, as I'm mid turn, I notice a police car half way down the street. Since I live in Winnipeg, the murder capitol of Canada, I figured it was business as usual. Turns out, he's there to meet his quota. He walks into the street, pulls me over, and then pulls over the car behind me, who also made the turn.
"License and registration..."
As I'm waiting for what I can tell will be a ticket, due to the length of time he's sitting in his car, at least 20 other cars drive by after making the illegal turn.
Since the turn is only illegal between 3:30 and 5:30, I figured the fine wouldn't be that bad, especially since I obviously wasn't the only one doing it. My license and registration also says that I'm from well out of town (Rivers, MB), which also may give me some slack.

Nope. The ticket was for $190.80. For a left turn.

 

Ouch....time to find a differenet turn spot....

 

>Since the turn is only illegal between 3:30 and 5:30
This is a cause for the confusion. I say the town is partially to blame. If they make it illegal to make left turn, make it illegal for 24/7/365.

Next time I would make 360 and insist that I did not make a left turn.


JPN

 

That sucks. Cops are such butt holes. It's only illegal when you do it, but the other 20 drivers everyday that do it are making legal turns. I hate when they single people out. That is exactly why insurance rates are BS; it's an unfair representation.

 

That sucks man! Stupid cops!

 

You knew damn well you were doing something illegal. Not saying I would not have done the same thing. But when I saw the cop I would have tried to stop mid turn and go straight or somehow tried to get away from him.

Now that I am classified as an older guy and no longer middle age, I get a lot of warning tickets. Three or four in a row now. All for like 38 in a 25 or something like that.

The last one takes the cake though. In a construction zone (fines doubled) 60+ in a 45. All I did was whip around a real slow guy in the left lane and then cut in front of him very quickly. I guess you could say I cut him off. Then I just slowed down to the exact speed the other traffic was going. How I missed the fact that a cop was right behind me all the way through the ramp I will never know.

About a mile down the road he turns his lights on and I pull over to the right to let him go by. He comes over behind me and I really have no idea what I have done. Comes up and I hand him registration and driver's license. He says "you know how fast you were going?" I say "the same speed as everbody else". He says "how about when you cut that van off coming off the highway?". I say "the guy was being a jerk and would not get out of the left lane and all I did was pass him and then blended right in with traffic".

He says "you know how much the ticket will be if I ticket you?" I said "No Sir". He said "over $300 cause you were more than 15 mph over in a construction zone". Honestly the construction was totally done and they had not taken the signs down yet. I just said "wow that's quite a bit, sorry".

I said "where were you anyway?". He said "I was following you all the way off the highway". I just said "how the heck did I miss the fact that you were there?". He said "I was wondering the same thing". Then he just handed my paperwork back to me and started walking away. I couldn't believe it. I actually hung my head out the window and said "are you actually letting me go?". He just said "yep". I just said "wow, thank you".

It pays to get older and wiser I guess. I was driving the yellow T5R too so he wasn't letting me go cause I was driving an old man car. I was on my way home from work at the time.

 

Jim....Thanks for your wisdom.....I will take it to heart and cherish it so I can pass it on to my kids, when I have them, and hopefully they will wallow in my wisdom like I to yours....

There are some nice cops....you just need to make friends with them....fast.

 

Jim, I'm never that lucky.