{"id":178711546,"date":"2010-08-31T10:05:46","date_gmt":"2010-08-31T10:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=178711546"},"modified":"2010-08-31T10:05:46","modified_gmt":"2010-08-31T10:05:46","slug":"how-to-handle-an-encounter-when-youre-unjustly-pulled-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=178711546","title":{"rendered":"How to handle an encounter when you\u2019re unjustly pulled over"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Bob Mionske
\nMost people don\u2019t follow traffic laws. Motorists speed. Cyclists roll stops. Pedestrians jaywalk. And that is where the police come in\u2013to enforce the laws. It\u2019s good that they do, because when people on the road obey the law, we are able to predict with some measure of accuracy what will happen, allowing us to avoid most collisions. But what about when the officer is just plain wrong on the law? There are three things to keep in mind during any such encounter.
\nIf you\u2019re ordered to stop, then stop. The officer is not going to let you ignore an order, and the situation will become worse if you attempt to do so, even if you\u2019re in the right.
\nLet the officer be in charge. Police officers are trained to maintain control of encounters. If you attempt to take control, you will find the tension escalating very quickly. So keep your interactions polite. Besides, nobody likes dealing with unpleasant people.
\nBe absolutely certain you are right. This means that you must not only know your state\u2019s laws, but also any relevant local laws. Unless you\u2019re sure, do not assume that the officer is wrong.
\nBeyond these rules, how you handle the encounter will depend on your goal. If you simply want to continue on your way with minimal hassle, then you should politely comply with the officer\u2019s interpretation of the law. If you want to assert your rights under the law, then ultimately you must be willing to be ticketed, go to court and fight the citation.
\nHowever, when you were first stopped, the officer may not yet have decided to ticket you; he may have merely intended to have a talk with you. In this case you have an opportunity to discuss why you believe you were in the right. If you want to try to convince the officer that you were riding lawfully, keep in mind that your greatest chance for success is in not demeaning the officer. For example, it might be useful to have a copy of your local traffic laws on hand as a reference source, but suggesting that the officer should read the laws probably isn\u2019t such a good idea.
\nOften an officer will relent, particularly when he knows that you\u2019re right but stopped you for your own good, because he thinks that where you were riding is unsafe. But if the officer continues to insist that you are violating the law, your only recourse will be to ask the officer to cite you, which means your fate ultimately will be decided by a potentially disinterested traffic court judge burdened by a heavy docket. Still, that\u2019s the place to use all your evidence and powers of persuasion\u2013far better than having an interaction with an officer go south and decide your fate for you.
\n[B’ Spokes: I disagree with the above paragraph. We have had a lot of success writing to the Chief of Police after the fact, no citation needed.]
\n…
\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.bicyclelaw.com\/road-rights\/a.cfm\/road-rights-keep-your-cool<\/a>oldId.20100831100546826<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Bob Mionske Most people don\u2019t follow traffic laws. Motorists speed. Cyclists roll stops. Pedestrians jaywalk. And that is where the police come in\u2013to enforce the laws. It\u2019s good that they do, because when people on the road obey the law, we are able to predict with some measure of accuracy what will happen, allowing … <\/p>\n

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