OHTA.ca

When pulled over by an Ontario Canada police officer for a speeding violation, the first thing people tend to do is want to talk their way out of it. This is the worst thing a person can do because they often say something like "I was only going a mile or two over the speed limit" and this in fact is an admission of guilt, something a person does not want to do because it will come up later in court when trying to defend yourself.

By admitting you were going a certain speed limit which was above the posted speed limit you are incriminating yourself, you are admitting to guilt and this will not help you if you are trying to defend yourself through the courts once the ticket has been written.

The majority of police officers pull people over for speeding with the intent to write them a ticket unless the reason for the speeding is a life or death emergency. The police officers have heard every "sob story" known to mankind as reasons for speeding. It is best to keep your answers to a short yes or no when asked such questions as "do you know how fast you were going?" or "do you know the posted speed limits in this area?" Any information you volunteer to the police officer can be construed as an admission of guilt which is hard to reverse if you plan on taking your case to court.

Do not indicate to the police officer that you wish to fight your ticket at the time of the officer issuing you the ticket. It is best to keep quiet and do not try to fight your way out of the ticket at that time. Police officers had never been known to tear up a ticket because someone is crying or explained they are having a bad day or trying to reach their destination at a certain time.

By remaining calm and answering questions with as little information as possible, you will be better equipped to fight your ticket in court when the time comes.

Some other generic tips during a traffic stop:

- Upon stopping, shut the engine off and set the parking brake

- Get your paperwork ready (licence, insurance, registration) and place it on the dashboard before the cop approaches your car

- Leave your glovebox open so the officer can see inside it

- Keep both hands on the steering wheel in a visible position when the officer approaches

- Tell your passengers to keep their hands visible, e.g. place them on the dashboard

- Turn on an interior light at night

- Roll down your front windows when stopped (officer may approach from either the left or right side)

Most of this is to demonstrate to the officer that you are not a threat and intend to be cooperative. Traffic stops are a huge "unknown" for police officers as they cannot positively identify who is in the vehicle as they approach it. These particular tactics sometimes help get a ticket reduced... they've worked for me, anyway.

Radar Identified wrote:

- Get your paperwork ready (licence, insurance, registration) and place it on the dashboard before the cop approaches your car.

Do NOT reach into anywhere, do not place your stuff out in the open. Police do not know what the movement in the car is for (documents or weapon)

- keep hands visible for all occupants

- tell officer where your documents are

- ask to retrieve said documents

- roll down windows completely

- turn interior light on at night

- have the "back seat" drivers be quiet

hwybear wrote:do not place your stuff out in the open

Why is that?

This topic recently came up with a friend of mine. The procedure I came up for her was:

1: Car in Park, foot off brake

2: Both windows down, rears also if tinted or have more than 1 rear passenger

3: Keys on dash, interior lights on

4: Tell passengers not to talk to each other and to keep hands on knees with open palms

5: Depending on where the officer is at this point, either

- Get all the documents out

- Glove box open, wallet or purse on dash

- Leave things where they are, and put wrists on steering wheel, greet the officer

[Basically do not move things around and get hands visible once the officer gets to the rear of your car]

6: Be pleasant, but don't look smug like this happens to you all the time; never argue with an officer as that's what the courts are for. Excuses are almost never good enough. Don't make broad or quick movements (e.g., point with fingers, not with arms).

Is the documents/purse on dash the wrong move? My thought was that the moving around beforehand is suspicious, but as long as everything and everyone is visible as the officer comes up, you shouldn't be viewed as any more of a threat.

- have the "back seat

" drivers be quiet

Easier said then done, *hic*, in some cases......

Squishy wrote:

hwybear wrote:do not place your stuff out in the open

Why is that?

Is the documents/purse on dash the wrong move? .

I would not say the wrong move. In my time, I have never ever seen that done thou

My personal preference is just stop, let me ask for documents, then tell me they are reaching here or there to the ownership, insurance or licence.

oops forgot a items

- turn off the music

So what is best answer to the question "do you know how fast you were going"?

burgersgirl wrote:So what is best answer to the question "do you know how fast you were going"?

The truth.

Squishy wrote:

burgersgirl wrote:So what is best answer to the question "do you know how fast you were going"?

The truth.

BINGO, better chance of a break if one is honest.

hwybear wrote:Do NOT reach into anywhere, do not place your stuff out in the open.

Is that something that all ODOTS would rather see? Or does it depend on the officer?

I can see the old lady emptying her purse all over the passenger seat......Oh the humanity.......

Especially if her "personal handheld massager" falls out...

Radar Identified wrote:

hwybear wrote:Do NOT reach into anywhere, do not place your stuff out in the open.

Is that something that all ODOTS would rather see? Or does it depend on the officer?

Not sure, might be more officer thoughts, area patrolled, how many stops they typically do etc....so many variables. Each stop is different.

As i said I have never ever seen anything placed on a dash in over a decade of working. An open wallet in centre console/ on lap or laying in an open hand yes.

hwybear wrote:Not sure, might be more officer thoughts, area patrolled, how many stops they typically do etc....so many variables. Each stop is different.

Roger.

I tried the remain silent thing when it got to how fast I was going. Cop asked 3 times then accused me of "playing games". The exchange went downhill from there at a rather quick pace. I had the car off, 4 ways on and everything ready except driver's license which I would have had to remove my seatbelt for so I waited for him to get there. Next time I'm going to keep the car running, foot on the brake and make all kinds of sudden movements all the while staring right at him/her without blinking. How bad can a taser hurt anyway?

All joking aside, do officers have to fill out any kind of "use of force form" when a taser or stun gun, pepper spray is used? If a person does get shocked/sprayed because they made a sudden or unexpected move are they automatically under arrest?