Police Use IPAQ PDAs to Issue Speeding Tickets Faster

[Bob Russell]

Police are using IPAQ Pocket PCs to write speeding tickets in Richland Hills, TX. The unfortunate motorist signs on the touch screen, and the ticket is printed in a separate small printer. Turns out that it saves 10 mins on each stop over the old method.

Read all about it at the Star-Telegram article, where they say "Within minutes, drivers are on their way and officers are back on patrol."

Just what we need... more time to hand out more tickets for everyone. I hope I'm not using one of those things myself anytime soon!

[hacker]

Its VERY important to know what you're signing when an officer gives you a ticket or a warning, and asks you to sign it.

I've been pulled over MANY times in my life (57 total, to be exact, only 4 of which ended up in a fine paid by me, the rest I fought and won in court).

One of the times I was pulled over, the officer said to sign the ticket on the bottom, and send it in. I asked him what I was signing, and he said:

"You're signing that you were guilty, and confirming you will mail in the fine by the specified date."

I flipped the ticket over, and on the back was another place for a signature, the back for "Not Guilty", and confirming that you would be able to appear in court to defend your plea.

I asked the officer for his pen, and signed the back of the ticket, gave it back to him, and said "See you in court, asshole." (yes, you can call them names (at least in the US), as long as you don't directly threaten their life. I was already pissed off.)

Just be VERY aware of what you're signing when you sign anything, ANYTHING at all. Just because someone says it "requires" your signature, doesn't really mean that it does.

Check the law, brush up on it, and make sure you know exactly what you can, and cannot do. When an officer knows you're very familiar with the law at the time they pull you over, it can diffuse a situation from a ticket to a verbal warning.

They just don't want the trouble if you're going to fight the ticket.

Another tip: ALWAYS plead "Not Guilty" on EVERY ticket you get, even if you are clearly guilty. Why? Because if you plead "Guilty", you give up your right to a trial, and to appear in court to plead down your fines or penalties. If you plead "Not Guilty", and ARE guilty, you can at least explain to the judge any circumstances that the officer refused to listen to at ticketing time, and he might give you a break or throw the ticket out entirely. Its worth your time in court for a day, to save hundreds of dollars in fines, or possible points on your license and insurance.