Can a policemean refuse a PBA card?

Question

I mean, obviously if you hit someone a PBA card isn't going to make it all better, but say if you get pulled over for going, I don't know, 75 in a 55. Can he refuse the PBA card and give you a ticket?

Answer 1

It would be his duty to do so. Only the most corrupt cop would let you off for 20 over.

An honest cop will let something unintentional slide for a card but 20 over is clearly a deliberate defiance of the law and shows that your attitude, like that of many cops, is that you are above the law.

Honest cops don't give out cards to people who NEED them, only to people who deserve them based on years of responsible and safe driving.

Answer 2

Of course, the card is not a "get out of jail free" card.

Answer 3

Oh yes, if you hand me an PBA card, I will politely say thanks and still write you a ticket.

Answer 4

Are you serious???  

What the he// does a pba card have to do with getting out of a citation?

The PBA card is useless and if you donated to the PBA for that purpose, you're a moron.

In fact, people who try that with me will ASSURE themselves of a ticket.

Answer 5

Yes, of course he can.

Answer 6

This is long, but I have time to burn right now and I am going to give out some serious traffic advice. So read on and you might benefit.

PBA cards, State Trooper stickers and other LE related organizations - yes even FOP or FLEOA - are worth very little. I've seen cops even get upset at seeing them on cars as they believe some people buy them just to get a free pass to speed, etc. Just because you paid $50 for some paper, a membership card or a sticker with cute little bear in a Smokey Bear trooper hat does not entitle you to anything from a LE Officer. Ask my wife, I was a cop and had a SC LEO sticker on my car and he still wrote her a ticket.

Being polite courteous, respectful and yes honest goes a lot farther. I had a standing rule when I was in the Traffic Patrol – if you were honest. I let you go. I once let a guy go for 85 in a 55 because he said, “I am sorry officer, that was stupid of me. I am late.” I ran his license and he never had a ticket before so I let him go with a warning. Some cops say never admit to speeding or just say, “No officer, I don’t know why you pulled me over.” That to me says A) you’re lying and B) if not you’re driving poorly (i.e. Speeding, running red light) and you don’t even realize it. What you do when you’re pulled over and how you act is critical.

The best tactic – pull your head out of your butt, and drive defensively. Keep you radio down to a normal level, adjust your mirrors properly and stay off the cell phone. Try to not go over 10mph from the posted speed limit. That way you melt in with traffic and you’re not worth my time to pull over. If you have a red or bright yellow car and you speed, accept the fact that you will be pulled over more often than others. You’ll probably get more tickets too. If you are pulled over, go on the offensive. Roll your window down before he/she gets to you. Put both hands on the steering wheel where he can see them. Get off your cell phone, turn your radio off, not down, off! Be the first to speak, “Hello officer, can you please tell me why you pulled me over?” Don’t say you know the Chief or officer so and so. Have your license out already and hand it over without being asked. If he doesn’t tell you, say, I am really concerned as I have a very good driving record (hopefully you do). At that point, even the most jaded and hardcore traffic cop should be softening up and tell you what he observed you doing. Politely apologize, don’t say you didn’t realize it, just apologize. Again don’t make excuses, “I’m sorry, is it too late to ask for a warning or maybe a reduced offense?” You have only seconds to make a connection. Say “My husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, Dad/mom, is going to kill me.” Odds are he’s been in a situation where he’s done something that he didn’t want his spouse/parents/etc to know. If you have a family member who is a cop, not a friend, a family member then now is the time to say instead of the wife/husband thing above, “My brother/cousin/other close relative is a cop and he/she is going to kill me”. Don’t drop any names, if he’s interested or curious, he will ask. The “kill” comment hits a cop nerve. You both know that no one is going to “kill” you over a traffic offense but he’ll likely respond in some way that will try to minimize that statement. Women, this is a good time to insert tears, not earlier and not after the ticket is written, if you wind up eventually getting one. Having been on the receiving end of this several times, I usually found myself just writing a warning or even nothing at all. “There you go sir/madam, you get to live another day. Drive safe and have a nice day.” Otherwise you bombed out and the cop was going to write you a ticket anyway. You did your best.

The fastest way to get a ticket is to do everything opposite of what I stated above. Be rude, demand to know why you’ve stopped. Drop the Chief of Police’s name, Talk on the cell phone, don’t roll your window down until he taps on the glass. Keep your radio up loud, fumble for a long time with finding your driver’s license and 10 years worth of old expired registrations. Play dumb and act annoyed. If you make it easy for him/her to write a ticket by being an ******. Guess what, you’re going to get a ticket.

Most traffic stops are recorded. If the officer is rude or nasty, call the PD and ask to speak to the Patrol Officer’s supervisor. Ask to see the tape or recording. The recording devices are locked and the supervisor has the key. They may say you can vie it in court, but htat’s BS. Ask to see the next in command, eventually, you’ll see it. If it’s bad enough, they may drop the ticket on the spot. At the very least go to court and ask that the video be played for the judge. If the tape/recording “disappears”, then you have a witness in the other police officer whom you can call up. If that officer fails to appear, the Judge will most likely side with you.  If you’re exaggerating or lying. Don’t even go to court, pay the fine as Judges are usually sympathetic to Police Officers who are wrongly accused.

Answer 7

Yes he would be technically excepting a bribe if he let you off.