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You should file a complaint with HPD against the jerk.

...After your case is disposed.

bdickens wrote:You should file a complaint with HPD against the jerk.

...After your case is disposed.

Except that most cities are required to keep their tapes for only 30 days. Disposition, unless he just pays it outright typically takes longer. Also there is the added issue of, was he convicted? He's just mad. At least while it is still pending you are demonstrating your concern is the behavior, not the citation.

I'm still trying to figure out how an illegal left turn is worth $200.

Dragonfighter wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how an illegal left turn is worth $200.

In a construction zone which doubles the price?

Dan20703 wrote:

Dragonfighter wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how an illegal left turn is worth $200.

In a construction zone which doubles the price?

I thought about that, but at night? Same for school zones, but at night? Just another reason to despise Houston I guess.

"I'm still trying to figure out how an illegal left turn is worth $200."

Yes, this seems like QUITE an outrageous price for an illegal left turn, but that's how much the attorney I spoke with said it would run for the ticket itself if convicted. Kinda weird when running a red light only runs about 80 bucks. Moving violations in the City of Houston are big income. I can see why there is little mercy. I'll bet a lot of the cops being so mad is that they feel disgusted with themselves for what they have to do when not dealing with a REAL crime. I think that based upon what you have all told me, I will lose the attorney and ask the prosecutor for deferment when I'm scheduled to show up. I know they want to get your through s quickly as possible to just get their money and get rid of you. I will have a defensive driving on my record from around Sept/Oct, but hopefully they will be reasonable when I show them the pictures and explain that I will just pay the fine before I have to take said pictures to court.....(of course in much nicer and more friendly terms.)

coog83 wrote:This is mainly a rant, but I wanted to see how many of your have felt as though an LEO was more inclined to give you a ticket upon finding out about your CHL. I was driving downtown Houston

This might be all you had to say. Am I wrong?

That office was a bonehead and your need to do your part by filing a complaint. He did not know the law and was probably in violation of HPD policy with his demeanor. It is your duty to file a complaint as this is how IA builds a case to rid the department of these bad apples. I have on occasion had an officer get kind of of nasty with me and usually when I ask them if I have done something to offend them, they often change their demeanor. In my experience, my CHL has, since 1995, probably gotten be out of tickets, not gotten me tickets. Even thouigh it is not still required to show the CHL, I usually do.

My last LEO experience resulted in a ticket, but the State Trooper was great about the CHL. I gave it to him, he asked where it was and I told him my right hip (as both hands were on the wheel). He said "I'm fine with law abiding people having them, I just don't want to see it!". I told him I thought that could be arranged, he wrote me ticket and we both went on with our days.

Sounds like your cop majorly overreacted. I tend to agree with others that there seems to be more bad leo reports out of houston then anywhere else, unfortunately.

I have asked for permission to take def driving within the disallowed time period and was given permission. I can't remember if it was supposed to be a year or supposed to be 6 months, but I was inside that and they gave permission anyway.

As to the deferred adjudication, read the fine print. It typically says that you cannot be convicted in the same jurisdiction during the probationary period. I know a guy who was doing two simultaneously (different jurisdictions) and did not have any problem. I don't think there's any statewide reporting system in place.

Mike1951 wrote:Wow! I've never had a ticket where the fine and court costs approached $200 combined!

The ticket I got in Denton a couple of months ago cost me $360.

Definitely do the defensive driving thing or deferred disposition if the court will allow it. Texas now has (and has since about 2003 I believe) a point system that assesses drivers not only fines for violations but "points" against your driving record. Long story short, if you accumulate too many points in a period of time, you pay a "surcharge" to keep your license each year until your record is reviewed and points removed. Surcharges start at $100/year for the first 6 points within a three year period. OUCH! Typically a speeding ticket is 2 points...Hmmm, one a year and you're toast. Violations such as yours may only be one point.

I know this is meant to be a deterrent to speeding, but paying the ridiculous fines in some of these podunk speed trap towns are bad enough. I don't agree with this system at all.

FWIW, I got a speeding ticket about 2 weeks ago in one of these little crevices of Texas...should have known better, did know better...wasn't paying attention, guilty as charged, so I'm not disputing the officer doing his job and issuing the ticket. What stinks is that I have CDL from when I was in another job. With a CDL, you can not take defensive driving or be granted deferred disposition, so I HAD to take my lumps with no recourse. My DL will renew in June and you can bet I will not be renewing the CDL portion due to this point system which by the way is even stricter for CDLs. A lot of people don't realize it, but with a CDL, you waive a lot of your rights.

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I would call his SGT and setup a meeting for both you and the Sarge to view the footage from in the In Car vid at the PD. Inconvenient...but if there is an issue, it will be shown to the right person.

As far as getting the officer to not show up for court, I know we have HUDGE disciplinary consequences if we no show for court. I can't speak for HPD but I wouldn't recommend that route.

I received a citation 6 mos ago for speeding and the judge cut the fine in half for a good driving record. Couldn't hurt to try that route. Most judges I've encountered appreciate an honest acceptance of wrong doing instead of playing the system.

gigag04 wrote:I would call his SGT and setup a meeting for both you and the Sarge to view the footage from in the In Car vid at the PD. Inconvenient...but if there is an issue, it will be shown to the right person.

As far as getting the officer to not show up for court, I know we have HUDGE disciplinary consequences if we no show for court. I can't speak for HPD but I wouldn't recommend that route.

I received a citation 6 mos ago for speeding and the judge cut the fine in half for a good driving record. Couldn't hurt to try that route. Most judges I've encountered appreciate an honest acceptance of wrong doing instead of playing the system.

Sure you can drag that LEO into his Sarges Office, then you should just never drive in or around Houston again

No...I mistyped...just the OP and the sarge. I would expect the SGT to be professional enough to not have the officer in there.

Good Luck however it goes down. For OP's sake I have the vid was recording.

Most officers are great people. Some are worth less than the firearm they carry.
I was a Deputy Constable once and only got mad twice. On the same night.
But I had a good reason. Two separate drivers 10 mins apart almost ran over me at 70MPH on FM1960. The speed limit was 35 and I was directing traffic at a High School football game letting the school buses out.
The first was a lady with children in the back seat come screeching to a halt when she couldn't understand why I was standing in the middle of the road waving my flashlite.
The next one locked up his brakes and slid through the section almost hitting my Sargent on the other side. Tire marks for 62 feet.
Yep, I was young and new..and I had a gun and badge. But that night I decided that directing traffic was a dangerous job! I was more scared than mad. OK, I was really scared!
But I didn't want my Sargent to know that I was. So I yelled at them. It was wrong, but it was the only way I could deal with it at that time.

Let it go. Show up at court and talk to the judge. That is the best way to handle it.