just got a 210 ticket part2

kdawg · Outlaw Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 130 City: knoxville

some of u might remember me posting about a ticket i got for my girlfriend laying on the sundeck of my boat( if not do a search. it got all kinds of people stirred up) well i went to court yesterday with photos of my boat in hand determined to prove that she wasnt in any danger.i never even got a chance to argue my case. i sat in the court room and witnessed someone with a domestic assault charge get off with a 150 fine and anger management classes, someone with a illegal possesion charge get off with a 100 fine. then the d.a. calls my name and procedes to tell me i have 2 choices. either plead not guilty , hire a lawyer and try to fight it it out. in which case if i lose i could see jail time. or plead guilty and pay 216 dollars, 6 months probation and go to boating classes . ?????/ WTF? I WAS OUTRAGED all this because a passenger on my boat wasnt laying in a proper place on my boat? she proceeded to tell me that the local twra didnt cut deals with anyone. and usually pulled for the maximum fines. i didnt know what to do so i pleaded no contest and paid the fines. now i have a misdemenor on my record and still have to do the boating classes(god only know what that will cost) not to mention the 216 dollar fine. this is just another case of big government, whats next? seatbelts on boats?i am so discusted i am thinking of selling my boat. sorry about the long post hopefully it might keep u guys from getting ass raped by your local authoritys

valhalla05 · Newbie Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 12 City: noblesville

wow man that's just outrageous. I've had my fair share of fines on the lake, totalling about $350, but that's been over 5 years. The DNR on my lake have really started to buckle down on anything and everything. I absolutely despise them. good luck with all that stuff.

J-Ro · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 10:00 am Post subject:

Thats how they get ya. Happened to my buddy here in CA. They make the fine big enough to make it worth the courts time but they know you won't fight it because it will cost you much much more.

patoloco · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 10:28 am Post subject:

Thats outrageous that it was a misdemeanor charge. Let the druggie go, but watch out for the dangerous sunbathers! Sorry to hear about that...completely bogus.

Basically, anything over a traffic ticket...and sometimes for traffic tickets, call a lawyer bring them to court with you on the first visit, if they are any good they can usualy get it worked out on the first try...and will do exceptionally better than you would have on your own....at least thats been my experience.

If you want it off your record, just keep it clean for a couple of years and the hire a lawyer to get it expunged.

Wow....that just ticks me off...

Cary K. · Outlaw Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 225 City: Wilson, NC

But the lawyer probably would have cost more than $216. That is the catch 22, and the part that really sucks about fighting bogus tickets.

patoloco · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 12:20 pm Post subject:

Of course it depends on what his primary concern is.....if its the $$ only, then drop the $216 and be done.

If its having a misdemeanor AND paying $216 AND attending boating classes(more$$)...I would gamble on paying the lawyer $250 for one trip to court and get one, two or all of those things dropped.

They certainly have the advantage anytime you are charged with anything...costs them nothing to write you up, but plenty to get out of it.

I get checked a couple times a year in TN by the TWRA, but never realized they would be so strict....I'll have to me more aware this weekend.

LFADAM · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject:

That is insanely gay. The police are out to get everyone nowadays. I have seen about 3 X more cops in the last 6 months. Its getting out of hand. Its like a 1:3 cop to civilian ratio. They need to take care of real problems instead of handing out speeding tickets for 4 over or for lying on a sundeck. Maybe they should work on preventing drug deals in schools, catch the robbers and murderers, and protect against terrorism....

patoloco · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 12:47 pm Post subject:

Not too sound to cynical here, but the reason is simple math and personal motivation.

Its a lot less dangerous and a lot more profitable to write 20 tickets in an hour than to catch 1 dangerous criminal in a day.

Mike · Addict Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 536 City: Orlando

When I got pulled over for my buddy sitting on the sundeck, he was the one that got the ticket. He had to go to court for it and got 6 months probabtion, that's it. That sucks about your situation.

Mitchell · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 12:53 pm Post subject:

lol are lakes small and the police come out like once a week and everytime we see them we bolt off the lake cause we are usally breaking 3-6 rules everytime we go out. then we sit on the dock and do circles in front of are dock cause they cant do anything cause we are off the lake lol, jerks

midwesty · Posted: Sep 13, 2005 6:57 pm Post subject:

probation? do you get drug tested with that?!! Laughing

pooser · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 4738

you take a chance when you dont follow the rules. good thing i have connections and know when the lake patrol will be out.

malibu_inverted · Outlaw Joined: 27 Jan 2004 Posts: 110 City: Schofield

Being a criminal justice guy myself, I'd have to agree with the law. Ha...alright, just kidding. That whole story is stuff..on the part of the law. If you could have found a lawyer willing to go to court just for the price of the ticket, it would have been so much more worth it to pay him/her, then to give the local law enforcement your cash.

I'm kinda confused as to how anyone can get probation for sitting on a sundeck?? Like seriously, idiots sitting in the back of a pick-up truck wouldn't get probation. And the county i'm from has pretty strict 'no alcohol' rules on ALL people on probation. That'd be so gay if you couldn't drink for 6 months and have to pay PO payments each month just for sitting on the back of the boat. Lame

LoudonTN · Posted: Sep 14, 2005 6:35 am Post subject:

That sucks man, TWRA are usually pretty cool peoples. I've never had any problems with them so this is sort of discouraging. Where were you riding at?

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

porkchop the Police!!!!!!!! Evil or Very Mad

Man that sucks, I hate cops, I mean hate'em. They are the most friggin corrupt, power tripping losers in this country. At least lawyers and politicians make money. These jerks just get a rise from being ass hats!

I have to agree with some of the group, pay some for a lawyer to come with you on your first visit.

Short story:

Halloween party at a bar, and everyone is dancing and partying in a dark club. I bump into a cop inside, and accidentally spill my beer on him. He gets furious and drags me out of the bar, and throws me out. Well since I am dressed as a scotsman( I am in a kilt) no phone or anything. I ask the cop can I come inside to call a taxi? He tells me no. I ask him one last time stating I can't drive home, and I have no ride (they are all in inside, unaware of my situation). Can I please call a taxi? He says "Say one more word, and you're going to jail" I wait about 5 minutes sitting on my butt. And he tells me to leave....... um hello? I tell him I can't leave without calling a taxi, he gets furious and grabs me, cuffs me, and off we go to jail (no rights read) for Disorderly Conduct. A misdemeanor w/big fines.

I get a lawyer, explain this, and on the first visit, he talks to the DA, tells him why I kept asking to call a taxi, and how my rights were not read to me. When my name was called, the judge hears my lawyer explain, and the DA agrees and the charges are dropped. Cost me $190.

So if it's gonna be more than just a speeding ticket or something that carries Misdemeanor, take a lawyer at the first punch, unless you're guilty as hell Mr. Green

justsomeguy · Guest

RufioSwashbuckle · Posted: Sep 14, 2005 8:40 am Post subject:

kdawg, TWRA sucks. So does TVA.

DJew Jake · Posted: Sep 14, 2005 8:40 am Post subject:

Fight garbage like this.

patoloco · Posted: Sep 14, 2005 6:10 pm Post subject:

I certainly wouldn't characterize all cops, DNR, TWRA, etc as jerks, but I must say I have, on average. ran into more being jerks than not. Yes..I know, it's definately one of the more difficult jobs out there, but some common courtesy for the people NOT being a$$hole's would be nice.

Ironically enough, most of the guys I knew that eventually became cops were the last ones in the world that should have went into that profession.

Entrust Clothing · Soul Rider Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 279 City: Portland

how the hell do you get 6 months probation for sitting on the sundeck? were you beating someone up while back there? that is insane, i'm sorry to all your guys that have dealt with that BS.

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

Kdawg - sounds like you broke the law and were in fact guilty. Now you may disagree with the law....personally I see why the law exists and think you would have a tough time convincing law makers why it should be revoked. There was a teenage girl in GA on lake Allatoona who lost a limb when she was ejected from a wakeboard boat on a double up earlier this year who apparently was not seated correctly on the boat.

I do not think your punishment fit the crime, however, and you got dealt an overly harsh fine and record...espcecially when compared to other court cases you witnessed. So you got a pretty good reason to be p.o.'d. but not much you can do from here. You got your venting on the internet out and hopefully you feel a little better....lots of people are siding with you. Just look at this as a cost of boating, learn something from it and move on. In AR you can take boating classes online so that might not be too bid a deal.

djustice · Criminal Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 77

I got a $162 fine from twra for not having enough life jackets in boat, went to court on the advice of a friend who works for twra. Judge asked the agent what he recomended, he said $10 fine for life jacket plus court cost. Thought I was getting off cheap, turned out court cost was $152. So I wasted a morning and it still cost me $162. It was my fault for not having enough life jackets, but I thought I might get it reduced. What pisses me off though is, twra should get all the money, I know they can be a pain in the arse sometimes, but they also do a lot of good things as far as wildlife and habitat restoration. It was almost worth going to court though to listen to the cases, cant believe how dumb some people are.

DJew Jake · Posted: Sep 15, 2005 8:10 am Post subject:

bmartin, We livein a society where it is our job to question laws.

Everytime someone gets hurt doing anything, should they make a law?

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

Jibsta - Yes we can and should question laws but that does not mean individuals are free to break them. I would hate to live in a society where individuals could break any law becasue they disagreed or questioned it.

Kewlboarder27r · Soul Rider Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 497 City: Mound

Thats horroable then the PPLs on my boat should of had many fines

kdawg · Outlaw Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 130 City: knoxville

more people were k9illed by vending machines falling on them last year than by boat props last year. why dont we oulaw vending machines.? cuz there is no money in it. the thing that pissed me off the most is he drove off doing about 70mph in a boat he has to stand up in. wheres the justice?

J_DOGG · Posted: Sep 16, 2005 12:22 pm Post subject:

So let me get this straight?? The DA said that stuff to you and you never went in front of a judge?

If so "You got hosed", the DA pulled law school rule number one on you. Do everything possible to make sure the case never even gets inside a court room.

They do the same thing in NH for traffic violations it's like a preliminary trial so you don't waste the judges time. Say nothing!!! they are fishing for information on how you will try to fight the ticket when and if you ever do get in front of a judge. This is their fact finding mission and you are only helping them. Some times the court magistrate is in the room with you, don't be fooled they have almost no power either and are there to document what goes down in case you do request a hearing. At most they pretend to help you by sayn "We will reduce the fine to X if you plead now." some times you might want to take that but most of the time, say F that I want to see a judge.

jason2454 · Outlaw Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 240 City: austin

i was ticketed because my wakeboarder jumped and fell about 100 feet away from a patroller. (yes i was pissed at my friend for being stupid enough to fall by a cop but oh well) So of course he had to come over and mess with us. He pulled me over while my skier was still down in the water and proceeded to ticket me while the skier was just back floating around. He said a skier cannot fall 50 ft within another boat. He was well over 50 feet away from him anyways. He then did a boat inspection and suprise my fire extinguisher which was brand new said it didnt have any charge in it. So another fine. So i went to court and I made the DA find this "50 ft rule" and he couldnt so it was dropped. I asked him if the lake patrollers were allowed to make up fines like this and waste my time??? I still ended up paying a $120 fine for the fire extinguisher.