WTF with the San Mateo Chips?

[Limeyboy]

OK, so im heading up 280, in the middle of about 5 or 6 cars traveling in a line at about 80ish. Its an airport run as I am heading home to england for a bit. Out of nowhere, a CHP just blast up along side our little convoy, cuts in behind me and pulls me over. Ignored the 3 cars in front of me, ignored the 3 cars behind. Talk about targeting.

He told me he "paced" me doing 85. I said I was keeping up with the traffic, why did he pick me out instead of the guy at the front or the back. He told me that was because he picked me, eg his personal preference. Im not sure how a cop can pace me with people behind me, but another show of mental superiority for those classic geniuses that patrol the San Mateo 280.

So he proceeds to write me a ticket. Great, the specified court date and time i'm in the UK (visa renewal time) so I wont be in the USA and cannot legally enter the US at that time. I told him this. His response? "not my problem." He said I would have to sign the ticket or we would not ever leave the side of 280 and i would, in his words "miss the flight home and be able to make that court date after all"

So now I have signed a ticket for a court date I have no hope of making. Im going to do trail by written declaration and include all the immigration papers, highlight the duress used by the officer to make me sign the ticket (signing ticket says "I promise to appear in court on date xyz")

Sounds like duress to me. Also, I repeat my stance. Cops are bastards and profilers.

[awdaddict]

Just use his words against him in the written declaration.
Leave all the other garbage that he said to you.

You do have to sign the ticket though.
Otherwise something bad could happen to you :(

[earlyapex aka jack ass]

Never tell a person in a position of power in USA that you are not a US Citizen. ;)

Sucks that happened, hope it's not too much of a pita

[ZK]

Sounds like you have quite a case against him on your hands. Should have tape recorded that conversation. :lol:

You can call the court and have them move your trial date.

[mtsevovii]

yeah, youll just have call the courthouse and push the date back. or just pay the fine.

[awdaddict]

yeah, youll just have call the courthouse and push the date back. or just pay the fine.


Well he has to pay it regardless, it's just if you win, you'll get the money back.
Fight it first, last thing to do is to pay for it straight-up.

[Limeyboy]

yeah ill probly pay it. I may not and just see what happens ;) ;) Cheers guys!

[fiaevo.com]

San Mateo county is the worse of them all. I fucking hate driving through that damn place. Anyways Simon if you need help let me know I can appear for you and get an extension if you want. I wont worry much becuase it is 99% of the time a sure thing to be able to get an extension. Have fun back home, may be you can test drive my brother's skyline, I keep hearing about it. Have a safe trip and let me know if you need help with this.

[Liquid-R1]

You can try extending it online... I've done that for Fremont... Otherwise, sit on the phone and have them extend it... They usually give you one month...

[Offender]

I've never done it, but with all the friends I have overseas and hearing the shit they have had to deal with, I have one recommendation:
If the cop wants to play hard ball, then call your embassy in the states and tell them what happened. Nothing with stop BS local cop bravado faster than getting international relations involved. You can absolutely play this as a case of discrimination due to nationality, which is illegal to do, since you were in the country on a proper visa when you got pulled over (and he strong armed you about missing your flight home to renew the visa). If the embassy takes action on it call the newspaper and tell them what happened. It's worth a shot, and hopefully it turns into him getting into trouble. If they never get a slap on the wrist then it sends the message to all the other guys in their force that they can get away with it too.

[turbotiger]

You should be able to get an extension without a problem.
You will get pulled over doing 80mph. Keep the speeds closer to 70mph, and they SHOULD ignore you.

[gbpkr]

That is lame but...

You admitted you were speeding (80) and how was that duress? He was not polite, but he did not tell you anything that was not true. You fail to sign the ticket ( Just a promise to appear) he can take you to jail and you would have to go in front of a judge to be released....but once people get to jail they usually change their mind about signing the ticket.

"Discrimination due to nationality"? C'mon man, it is a speeding ticket....ease up. People get speeding tickets everyday....It sucks but it will happen sooner or later to most of us.

The advice about keeping it closer to 70...that will usually work.

[willitas34]

Cops are bastards and profilers.


Yes they are :lol:

San Mateo 280 is bad and CHP love it there :(