munis

I usually always drive my can in Sports+ in downtown. I am extremely careful to not speed though. I usually shift 2 gears around 4500rpm to get to 60 and let the gas go.

So I was getting out of this University cultural show, and shifted two gears from the intersection shown and wala red and blue lights behind me. I pull over and two officers comes over to my window and asks for all my documents. I gave them all my documents and then tell them, I wasn't speeding, I know I wasn't speeding. And the first officer goes like, "I didn't say you were speeding". Apparently a blue mercedes was reported revving its engine in that intersection and my car meets that description. I told him I was just shifting through the gears. He then asked me if my car had any exhaust modifications, I told him no and that it was totally stock. Tells me that he doesn't think so. Goes back to his car and comes back with this ticket in his hand. Last thing he says: "Feel free to take it to court, Drive Safe" and then walks off.

So what am I supposed to do with this? The ticket says, that the sound was from Namely racing, but under HTA's definition of racing, I do not meet a single criteria. Called up my service manager, he agreed to give me a letter stating my car is stock and should meet all the noise regulations in all driving mode.

Did any of you guys get any ticket like this? If so what was your defence? I mean what am I supposed to do with this car? Drive it in eco all the time?

gabe.m

I would fight the **** out of it! Go to court and plead your case! And tell him EXACTLY what the officer said about mods "he doesn't think so". And especially "feel free to go to court", like this is an assumption that you will not win. This should not be right in the justice system. He is basically assuming that he has all the power and the rights to do and say whatever he wants. That should weigh something in front of a judge. If not, go public with the event... go to newspapers, forums, letters, depends on how far you want to go. You did not race, and your car is stock. Whenever you rev over 4500 rpm you will get fined? Can he prove you are the one reported to be revving up in that intersection? He needs to prove that you were not stock.

Give us the name of the officer or police section, and we will fill their emails with the true story until they get sick of it. Trust me, they will listen.

Another thing, make a complaint in writing against the officer... it all depends how far you want to go. I would definitely go to court. Been there, done that (different time, place reasons) and won the case. The judge got sick of the police representative incompetence in justifying their reasoning.

NYCSoiL

He was just jealous. Hate how cops are working this days. Quick to give tickets for loud exhaust, tint and 10-15mph speeding while not paying attention for red light, double and triple parking, reckless driving and etc... Go to court!

1 SIC DR

File a complaint against the officer....

sean1.8t

Wow, what a douche. It's no wonder everyone hates cops. ****ing dickless *****!

Does the c43 even rev to redline in P or N?

My 450 only revs to 4krpm. Pisses me off.

Dthquazi

File a complaint for what? Hurt feelings? Go to court. It is on them to prove that your exhaust is modified. You've done your part to prove it isn't. They'll throw it out.

1 SIC DR

File a complaint against the officer. Supervisor investigates the complaint, if the officer gets numerous complaints.. well you know what happens.

Take it to court too..

From personal experience for an officer giving me a ticket for a dirty license plate, that was totally legiable. Pictures taken at site of ticket issue and witness accounts. The ticket was thrown out before I even had to go to court. Why should you waste your personal time and a morning or afternoon. Just my 2 cents.... Do as you wish....

Just remember like every profession, their are good ones and bad ones....

Dthquazi

So this is a bad cop because he gave a modified exhaust ticket and made a comment that he could feel free to take it to court. All relayed to you without much context over the Internet....

sean1.8t

I don't think anyone called him a bad cop. We are calling him a douche, though. A douche because he did what seems to be ZERO investigative work on his part. He offered no inquires and seems to have had made up his mind on the matter before he even got out of his cruiser.

I'd like to know everything that was exchanged verbally between the two. Maybe OP was a douche to the officer, which would make sense when you take into account the officers attitude. But in my experience, the cop was probably just angry about other happenings in his life/job and was taking it out on OP.

The world may never know

Mr. J

This^

People think it makes no difference but it does. It will land in his personnel file regardless if it is substantiated or not. He'll ignore it until his next performance review. After that, the smug ****er will think twice about being anything but professional at traffic stops.

Mr. J

Yes if this was relayed correctly he is not performing to the expectations we should expect for police officers.

Handing out a BS citation and then walking away with a smug wise-crack without fully explaining all the details of the citation to the citizen is almost certainly out of policy and is also unprofessional.

Being a cop is a tough and stressful job. There are many opportunities to screw up badly. If this guy can't maintain a high degree of professionalism in such a low stress low risk encounter just imagine how badly he may screw up in an emotionally charged interaction.

To be clear...I have friends and family that are police. It can be a very difficult and demanding job. Most people are not cut out for this kind of work. To be a good cop you need to have patience worthy of a saint and you always have to remain cool, composed, professional and pleasant in ALL of your interactions with the public. A cop on duty is not just representing himself, he's representing his agency and to some extent all the other police out there.

sean1.8t

I have a family member that is a cop as well. After talking with him and a few other officers over my life, I've realized that this is NOT a low risk/low stress situation.

Walking up to the window of a completely unknown car is terribly stressful. And I can imagine how it would be. The odds are slim, but many officers have perished in this frequently necessary and routine situation. All the time officers walk up to a window and BAM, blasted out of no where.

This is when I try to put myself in their shoes; I relinquish all preconceived notions about the officer and give them the full benefit of the doubt. When I get pulled over: I turn the car off. Put the keys on the top of the roof, roll down all windows, turn the interior lights on(at night), and put my hands either on the top of the steering wheel or hang them slightly out of the window. I've found this puts them very much at ease and makes for a very polite and respectful encounter for both of us. I can't say for sure, but I'm sure it's helped me go from citation to warning a couple of times.... Anyways, just some friendly advise for OP or anyone that appreciates it.

munis

Sean, I realize that very thing as well. So I always take the exact same steps as well whenever I get pulled over. Put all my windows down. Well I didn't put the key on the roof considering it is a key fob. Put both my hands on the steering wheel. But I always show the intention to comply the moment I see the lights. I put my blinkers on immediately and pull over. I talk with officers very respectfully as well. This guy in particular though looked very much like he was decided on giving me atleast some sort of a ticket the moment he got off his car. I wouldn't say he was talking like the douchiest cop out there, I have had worse. But in terms of being unreasonable, right up there in my list. He didn't even listen to my side. Just expected me to take it to court as if it is no big deal. Even after he saw my address and noticed that I live 250km away from GTA.

By the sounds of it and doing some research, looks like I will win the cross examination for sure as I do not meet a singe criteria for racing a car to create noise that was not permitted. So looks like an easy win, does not change the fact that I have to take a day off work for this stupid **** though.

Also I do think, that he does deserve a complaint report if that is possible to submit for the incompetence of his judgment. As I haven't done it before, how does one go about filling complaint against a cop. Also can it be done anonymously?

Ilfr

From my personal experience and advice from cops I'm friends with the rule of thumb is any time you get pulled over be nice and respectful to the officers don't ask them why you pulled me over or start by telling them I wasn't speeding once you do that is 100% guarantee you will get a ticket instead say I'm sorry officer and all other BS to show how sorry you are and chances are you on your way or get a warning.

MTV10

Contest the ticket. It's a drag you have to waste a day doing so, but I would fight that 100%.

cenzo86

I thought Canada was supposed to be super safe. Michael Moore told me you could just walk into homes without a key up there. Now I hear all this about street racing? Surely Canadia doesn't permit such sounds whilst driving. I just saw an episode of 19-2 where there were gangs, drugs, and a school shooting. I don't know about this Canada place anymore. I mean, what do we really know aboot these people anyway? Everything Michael Moore told me was a LIE!

I hope you beat the ticket. Good luck.

5ilver-5urfer

Call one of those X-Copper services and they can give you a free consultation whether you choose to go with their service or not. I also suggest you take up your dealership on getting documentation proving your car is stock and then go fight it in court yourself because it seems like a pretty clear cut case. I don't think it's matter of the money for you, I'm pretty sure you're doing this out of principle.

Truth be told, when a cop sees a young guy in a nice car, it automatically sets off a red flag for a lot of them. I got pulled over once in Waterloo because a cop wanted to check if I had a light illuminating my rear license plate (legal requirement in Ontario?). I did. He also took the opportunity to grill me for no reason. What a waste of 20 minutes.

munis

To be honest I am always respectful and talk to them respectfully. Even when I told him I wasn't speeding officer, I said that in the most respectful tone. But saying sorry is a BIG BIG no no if you want to have a good chance of winning any kind of tickets. The moment you say sorry you self incriminate yourself. Saying sorry will work if you drive a Civic for example, but for our cars it is never going to work. The pity factor is non existent for us because we are driving a nice car. Be respectful but do not say sorry and things like it would not happen again, saying that means it happened.

Specially do not say sorry when you know for sure you did nothing wrong. Why should I have been sorry? Like sorry officer that my car is a performance sedan and meets all the legal requirements of Ontario?

1Gunner

I thought "sorry" was a normal Canadian's response to just about anything. Culturally ingrained into every Canadian from birth.

I would contest this on principle, if nothing else.

CT-AMG

I got the answer for you and I fight a lot of tickets..

Get your car over to any MB dealer and have them pull a brand new exact model car up next to yours. Get out and start recording on your iPhone as someone starts the stock car, turns it off and then starts your car. If they sound the same then the car is stock and no exhaust modifications exist. If you still lose then you need to appeal it in order to bring it out of the local kangaroo BS court and into a real court. You should win this..

CarHopper

Wat?

Complacency kills. There is no such thing as a "low risk encounter" so idk what cops you know... But all it takes is the cop walking up to the car, saying one word, and a person sticks a gun out the window, in their face, and rips on the trigger in <1sec.

At the end of the day was this cop a *****? Absolutely. And OP, you should 100% report the cop. Furthermore, get that letter from MB saying the car is not modified and just explain the situation in court.

Bueller178

While I agree that you should fight this ticket full stop, I have to giggle a bit at all of the "report this cop" advice.


My brother is a cop in the same organization. People file complaints against the cops ALL THE TIME, I suspect in the Toronto Police service you'd be hard pressed to find a copper with more than a year on the force that hasn't had a complaint filed. Most of it is standard BS, cop being a racist or whatnot.


I don't know about in America, but around here, once a cop is off probation, they are essentially untouchable in these scenarios.


Just fight the ticket and get on with your life.