OHTA.ca

1. Follow the speed limit.

Within reason 10-15 km/h is tolerated to give drivers the benefit of minor inattentiveness and speedometer calibrations. Don't even think about being the driver moving faster than the flow of traffic. If you srand out, you'll be noticed.

2. Wear your seatbelt...Always.

It will save your life. A good friend of mine was killed when his Hummer H2 struck a Chevy Cavalier head-on. He thought his truck was a tank...unfortunately his chest and dash had a disagreement.

3. Keep your documents up to date.

Add their expiry dates to your iPhone / Calendar...the onus is strictly on you.

4. Check your vehicle regularly for lights, tires, validation, plates etc.

Simple stuff.

5. Don't tint your windows. They come from the factory with a slight tint, that's it. If police can't see in, must mean you are hiding something. I've found many suspended drivers skulking about hidden in plain view. There's a dozen other reason not to tint your windows...

6. Aftermarket mufflers. Loud Stereos.

Spend the money on therapy to address that need to be noticed instead. It disturbs others and the message is clear, you are more important than others...we can help with that. We'd rather you just didn't disturb everyone else.

7. Lights / Signs - If the light turns amber, it doesn't mean if I can get through I should try...unequivocally it requires all drivers to stop if safe to do so. Amber light...move to the brakes and assess...I often hear it was slippery...so I went...if it's slippery you shouldn't be driving so fast that you can't stop if required.

Stop, is not an acronym for SPIN TIRES ON PAVEMENT. And yes, believe everything you read.

8. Emergency Vehicles - When they are stopped at the roadside...on a multilane highway, get away from the lane they are in or adjacent too...it's $490 and I've never lost one in court...it's more than courtesy, it's safety. If you can't get out of the lane or it's a 2 lane road, slow down...a lot...arguing in court that you slowed down from 10 over to 10 under will not do you any good. Nothing kills more police officers that MVCs. Most take dying personally...

9. Cellphones - Ever follow someone on a cellphone? Wow, you'd swear they were drunk. Get an earpiece if you must talk on the phone. Find the Oprah video on cellphones in cars...shocking...

10. Use common sense...be courteous and cautious. My job has brought me into contact with the families of collision fatality victims...they never recover. Sadly neither do those who caused them. If you are spared your own life because a serious MVC you caused, you'll think about the person you killed every day of your life. You'll be shunned by insurance companies and worse could spend a good chunk of your life trying to get back to what you take for granted today. Won't happen to you? EVERYONE who was involved in a fatality thought exactly the way you do...

Driving can be a lot of fun for some, mundane to others...there are outlets for speed demons that don't include public roads. Be smart, be kind, if somebody cuts you off, let it go, we've all done it, it's seldom on purpose, even if it was, check your testosterone at the door...

Safe driving...

I have been following all of these either out of common sense (seat belts, no cell phones or even hands-free while driving) or to minimize the risk of legal exposure and number of value-added tickets (keeping the documents up to snuff for example).

A couple more tips:

1) Driving a neutral-colored family sedan without any obvious modifications decreases the risk of getting pulled over.

2) Keeping your vehicle properly maintained makes it safer, cheaper in the long run and less likely to draw negative attention.

3) Don't slam on your brakes when you see a trap. That looks suspicious. If you have a stick-shift car and your exhaust isn't louder than stock, you can always downshift.

4) Be extra-careful at the end-of-month and during long weekends. If you hear of a budget shortage, be extra-careful in the particular region (if it's in Toronto and municipal budget, then watch out on roads monitored by the TPS, if it's provincial, be careful in rural areas and on the major highways).

5) If you get pulled over anyway, be courteous, be cooperative, but try not to appear guilty or scared. Don't try to talk your way out of a ticket and don't apologize. Keep your big yap shut other than to answer the constable's questions. If you're pulled over for speeding, don't admit to violating the HTA (i.e. don't state you went over the limit).

Here's another innovative solution to avoid getting a ticket http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/26/devil_dog/

Appreciate the extra input and while I've heard the end of the month story, having worked for a GTA service and now onto another large service outside the GTA, I 100% disagree with the end of the month conspiracy concept. City government doesn't not have a write more tickets dialogue with the police service, that would be dumb, dangerous and political suicide, plus we do our thing seperate from them and they don't guide police policies on enforcement, that's a guarantee.

I suspect it prob happens in places in the US (but I don't know for sure) but I have good friends on MetroTPF, Ottawa, Peel, Hamilton, OPP...it usually starts a laugh cause we all know it's a perception that you can't disprove...but it ain't so...in general we have no use for city hall who makes us jump through hoops every contract negotiations so if anything, we'd do the opposite...they're not our buddies. Heck if I caught the mayor speeding...

People seldom agree with their tickets, if it's in the last 10 days of the month they justify by saying - quota!!! It just doesn't exist...it's merely a perception. I worked with guys who WOULD NEVER WRITE tickets, half of them got promoted and nobody ever been counseled...

I posted in another string I had an 02 Audi TT, 03 BMW M3, 05 Mustang (my ex was a surgeon) and a couple of hot sport bikes. I've never been stopped once driving them...flashy may draw the officer's attention, but flashy doesn't get stopped unless flashy is misbehavin'.

Plus driving a beige family sedan would make me want to give up driving! LOL! There's a fella in town with a flashy right hand drive Nissan Skyline, I see him all the time, but it's stock and he drives sensibly, hence I have no desire or need to stop him...he far from blends in, but when he's sticking out, it's not detrimental.

But you are right, police will notice you if you make yourself noticeable...

Would it be hard to see a guy walking down the street in a pink bunny suit? Easier than somebody in jeans and ball cap? Same concept.

Bright yellow paint draws attention. Not a problem if you aren't breaking the law, but you can't blame anybody for noticing, police or otherwise...thing is police are always looking for violators...so if you are breakin the law and get their attention...well it's only natural for them to notice you.

Be courteous and cooperative is good advice for every day life let alone interaction with police. Some officers gives breaks if you show remorse, others will note it to use later in court. Scared? not sure about that one.

Stick to polite, don't be afraid to ask for a break (ask and ye shall receive sometimes works), don't make up silly stories or tell police you were late for something, they really don't care about your lack of time management skills.

FiReSTaRT wrote:Here's another innovative solution to avoid getting a ticket http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/26/devil_dog/

That's hilarious!!

Thanks, my eyes are still watering from laughing!

Well, in my case, I have zero issues with driving a boring family sedan. Actually I'd find Ford Transit Connect if it came with a diesel powerplant very sexxxay

After riding a supersport on the street, I knew I'd never get excited over a car ever again, so I look at cars in terms of utility value. Having ridden on the track, I'm not even all that excited about street riding, so I'll probably go 100% track next season. It'll also minimize my legal exposure.

By the way, I don't really practice what I preach. I ride a supersport with one of a kind color scheme that's very loud and easily identifiable.. Ironically that keeps me out of trouble on the streets

I've seen the aftermarket "too loud" muffler charge beaten in court no less than 4 times within the last year because of issues relating to officer discretion and no measurement of decibel.

How is it that you are in court 4 times a year?

We don't have to measure decibels cause the law doesn't require us too.

75. (1) Every motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle shall be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and excessive smoke, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, straight exhaust, gutted muffler, hollywood muffler, by-pass or similar device upon a motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 75 (1).

Unnecessary noise

(4) A person having the control or charge of a motor vehicle shall not sound any bell, horn or other signalling device so as to make an unreasonable noise, and a driver of any motor vehicle shall not permit any unreasonable amount of smoke to escape from the motor vehicle, nor shall the driver at any time cause the motor vehicle to make any unnecessary noise, but this subsection does not apply to a motor vehicle of a municipal fire department while proceeding to a fire or answering a fire alarm call. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 75 (4).

We rely on case law, physical examinations of the mufflers etc...

Haven't lost many over my career.

The HTA is apparently being amended to possibly include decibels levels, we'll get meters, and seizure authorities already to exist to prevent the continuation of the offences.

Plus the obvious...

1. Pay attention when driving. Inattentiveness is the #1 cause of collisions. A collision is an easy way to get a ticket.

People are so zoned out and not watching the road, I've seen at least a dozen people in the past year blow past me, rocket on ahead, and then blow past a marked police car. I don't know how it could be more obvious: The word POLICE written in big block letters plus a big light deck on a Ford Crown Victoria...

2. Look before you turn. So many start turning without looking where they're going and nail pedestrians.

3. Check mirrors and blindspot before changing lanes.

4. Maintain an adequate following distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead.

I am a paralegal by trade (real estate) and finishing up my licensing process for advocacy. Additionally, I have ticket I am fighting and have been spending time observing court to get an idea on arguments, decorum, etc. because I am defending myself AND I wish to work in prosecution (thus the court hours, for experience).

Any other questions, Officer?

Nope.

Just curious.

Well then, glad to have obliged, Sir!

It looks like curiosity's a highly desired trait in a police constable. On one occasion 2 constables were highly interested in entering my house even though the person they wanted to interview wasn't in. I politely declined and explained that I value my privacy, but offered to answer any other questions that they had regarding the person or the incident in question. Since they stated that they had no other questions for me (which also indicates no legitimate reason to enter my dwelling other than personal curiosity), I bade them a good night and left the porch-light on in case they needed to take a few additional notes

Edit: Just a curiosity-satisfying note, none of the residents here has a criminal record, they weren't there over a criminal matter and the whole thing was a misunderstanding that has been cleared up with the police between that visit and this point in time

You had the right to deny them entry. They cannot come in just because they want to. Good job.

Let's put it this way.. I've never been a big fan of fishin' Actually it's my firm belief that if we don't exercise our constitutional rights (ESPECIALLY if we haven't done anything wrong) then we allow for them to get eroded and we lose them when we really need them. Here's an example that happened to an acquaintance of mine (and one I strongly dislike)...

There was an accidental death in his house. Peel treated it as a suspicious death and detained him for about 6-7 hours until he could prove that he was 400km away when the incident happened. He wasn't given anything to eat or drink, wasn't allowed to use the bathroom and was left alone in the room for long periods of time even though he was getting claustrophobic. That's not something you do to an elderly man with a bad prostate, squeaky clean record and a perfectly sound explanation for the incident. Now, had I been in his shoes, I would have just asked for a lawyer and I would have cleared up the incident with someone at hand who will make sure I am relatively comfortable and that my rights aren't violated.

As for me.. I have nothing to hide, but I value my current and future privacy and charter rights, even though section 1 scares the living [censored] outta me.