Issued citation......

[TUalum0982]

I was doing meals on wheels this morning like I have done every Thursday for the past several years....I was in a neighborhood at 74th and sheridan when I came to a 3way stop....rolled through the stop sign and turned right.  I saw two tulsa police unmarked cars in the middle of the road and as I approached, one of them put his hand out of the window indicating me to stop.  I was expecting him to ask where I was going, thinking something had happened beyond them.  I was greeted with a "did you not see that stop sign you just rolled through." I answered and he proceeded to ask for DL and proof of insurance.  Since I work for a rental car company and take home whatever vehicle I choose, I explained that I did not see the liability insurance we carry on all our cars in the glovebox but it is insured.

I also told him, I have a loaded handgun in the vehicle and proceeded to hand him my license and CCL...he said thank you for letting him know about the weapon and went back to his car.  Several minutes later, he came to my window to inform me that he was issuing me a citation for "failure to cease all forward motion at a stop sign" and to sign here acknowledging that I promise to either pay the fine or appear in court.  He then went on to berate me saying that he was able to verify the vehicle did have insurance but that he could have the vehicle towed for not having a copy of it in the vehicle. 

I thought to myself, man, I am out here doing a good deed, giving back my time to the community and this is the flack I get?  Come on man.  I have my CLL which proves (atleast in my case, that I am an upstanding citizen" dont do this to me.

Do I have any recourse? its a 150 dollar fine.  Is it worth fighting, or going in front of the judge to plead my case? or should I just pay the 150 and move on.  It has left a sour taste in my mouth about TPD and this is coming from someone who always been pro law enforcement.

[dbacks fan]

rolled through the stop sign and turned right. 

You answered your own question, you "rolled through the stop sign", so you didn't stop. Guess that traffic laws shouldn't exist in neighborhoods when you are working for meals on wheels and carrying a concealed legally. So two rights cancel out a wrong?

[TUalum0982]

no, more along the lines that he has officer discretion and he can see that I am  pretty upstanding citizen and that none of us on here are perfect.  A warning of "next time, do me a favor and come to a complete stop" would have sufficed.  More pissed off at his attitude towards myself with my parents in the vehicle than anything.  When I say I rolled the stop sign, I slowed down, looked in both directions, maybe going 2-3 mph and proceeded to turn.  Just kind of busch league in my opinion.  Not saying the traffic laws dont apply to me, they most certainly do, but seriously? I hope he has a better day knowing he threatened to tow a vehicle of someone that was helping out the elderly who cant get out to get a hot meal and rely on people like me to help them. 

[patric]

more along the lines that he has officer discretion and he can see that I am  pretty upstanding citizen and that none of us on here are perfect.  A warning of "next time, do me a favor and come to a complete stop" would have sufficed.  More pissed off at his attitude towards myself with my parents in the vehicle than anything.  When I say I rolled the stop sign, I slowed down, looked in both directions, maybe going 2-3 mph and proceeded to turn.  Just kind of busch league in my opinion.  Not saying the traffic laws dont apply to me, they most certainly do, but seriously? I hope he has a better day knowing he threatened to tow a vehicle of someone that was helping out the elderly who cant get out to get a hot meal and rely on people like me to help them. 

A few years ago I was stopped after making a right turn on red, and told that I needed to come to a complete stop when doing so.
I actually didn't know that, and the officer seemed to think that the education alone was sufficient.
I did not disagree.   

Sorry your encounter had less to do with traffic safety than with exercising authority. 
Regardless of whether you were cited or not, it does sound like some of our city's ambassadors could work harder on that "regaining the public's respect" goal.
Speaking for myself, I respect what you are doing with Meals on Wheels.

[TUalum0982]

A few years ago I was stopped after making a right turn on red, and told that I needed to come to a complete stop when doing so.
I actually didn't know that, and the officer seemed to think that the education alone was sufficient.
I did not disagree.   

Sorry your encounter had less to do with traffic safety than with exercising authority. 
Regardless of whether you were cited or not, it does sound like some of our city's ambassadors could work harder on that "regaining the public's respect" goal.
Speaking for myself, I respect what you are doing with Meals on Wheels.

Thank you....when I got a home, a part of me told myself "well if you didnt volunteer for MOW, you wouldnt have even been out driving, let alone in that neighborhood."  Hindsight is 20/20. The reason I volunteer my time more so then giving money, is just for that reason.  I deliver on my day off from work, and dont have much disposable income to donate or give away.

[nathanm]

Interesting. I had the opposite experience just the other day, but it was a sheriff's deputy. He stopped me for "going 60 in a 30" and didn't even bother to write a warning.

Do we get court dates with trials and a prosecutor and everything here in Oklahoma? If so, call up the prosecutor and plead it down to something that won't go on your record (and might possibly be cheaper). In my younger days in Arkansas, that's how I kept my record clean. I've never had to bother here in Oklahoma because so far I've only had verbal or written warnings. I got a 65 in a 35, which is automatic reckless driving in Arkansas, plead to a $100 equipment violation with a freakin' payment plan (I was poor then) in Fayetteville once. The point being not to do a blind guilty plea if you can help it. Your insurance company will not be pleased should that citation show up on your record.

P.S. I wasn't actually driving that fast (it was more like 45) and was prepared to defend myself before the judge if need be. It was physically impossible for the officer to clock me at that speed at that location. There simply was not enough time to get a visual estimate of speed, then use the radar and get its number as they always claim to have done.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Thank you....when I got a home, a part of me told myself "well if you didnt volunteer for MOW, you wouldnt have even been out driving, let alone in that neighborhood."  Hindsight is 20/20. The reason I volunteer my time more so then giving money, is just for that reason.  I deliver on my day off from work, and dont have much disposable income to donate or give away.

Whew!  Come on...you got caught doing what you do all the time - and what MOST people do all the time - and you are just being a little bit pissy about it.  Look at it from the other direction - you got away with it 3,276 times before, so are "beating" the system big time - multiply that out times $150 and you can see how much you have saved.

Like dbacks said...you answered your own question.  You know you messed up AND got caught.  Don't try to drag MOW into the discussion - they have nothing to do with your driving habits.  It could just have easily been on the way to WalMart or Bass Pro Shops.

[sgrizzle]

when I came to a 3way stop....rolled through the stop sign and turned right.

So you broke the law..

I thought to myself, man, I am out here doing a good deed, giving back my time to the community and this is the flack I get?  Come on man.  I have my CLL which proves (atleast in my case, that I am an upstanding citizen" dont do this to me.

Do I have any recourse? its a 150 dollar fine.  Is it worth fighting, or going in front of the judge to plead my case? or should I just pay the 150 and move on.  It has left a sour taste in my mouth about TPD and this is coming from someone who always been pro law enforcement.

You support the police as long as they don't require you to follow the law?

[TUalum0982]

Whew!  Come on...you got caught doing what you do all the time - and what MOST people do all the time - and you are just being a little bit pissy about it.  Look at it from the other direction - you got away with it 3,276 times before, so are "beating" the system big time - multiply that out times $150 and you can see how much you have saved.

Like dbacks said...you answered your own question.  You know you messed up AND got caught.  Don't try to drag MOW into the discussion - they have nothing to do with your driving habits.  It could just have easily been on the way to WalMart or Bass Pro Shops.

I have never seen traffic cops sitting side by side blocking the road entering Walmart or bass pro. What you mention above is exactly how I feel when getting a speeding ticket.  I feel differently over something so petty. Any major 4 way/3 way stop, I stop. This one in particular, I did not. Lesson learned. Will be calling prosecutor tomorrow and also if need be, going to court to plead my case. Hope it all ends well

[RecycleMichael]

Whenever I get pulled over, I ask the officer to not look in the trunk.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Whenever I get pulled over, I ask the officer to not look in the trunk.

I tell them the voices made me do it!

[dbacks fan]

'No officer, thats not blood, it's rusty coolant leaking from under there.'

[nathanm]

Whenever I get pulled over, I ask the officer to not look in the trunk.

Yeah, it's always more fun when you're riding dirty.

[Breadburner]

Are you a demo....nevermind.....

[Vashta Nerada]

Pay your fine, then publish his name.