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wilson1
10-12-2008, 03:39 PM
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-frames27-2008sep27,0,4664486.story

Can a license plate frame get speeding drivers off the hook?
Some members of the 11-99 Foundation say they've gotten warnings from CHP officers instead of fines for violations. The foundation denies seeking undue influence but will stop issuing the frames.
By Christian Berthelsen, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
September 27, 2008
It was the kind of move that would usually mean a ticket for a young guy in a tricked-out BMW: unsafely zipping around a truck and another vehicle -- which happened to be a CHP cruiser -- while zooming down the road.

But rather than getting slapped with a fine last year on U.S. 101 south of San Francisco, Nick Palefsky was let go with a warning.


"He said, 'Next time, be a little bit more cautious,' " Palefsky recounted in a recent interview. It was one of four occasions in the last three years in which Palefsky, 22, said he was stopped by California Highway Patrol or local police officers; only once did he receive a ticket.

Palefsky believes a license plate frame proclaiming membership in the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation helped him avoid the tickets.

The foundation, based in Fullerton, draws its name from the emergency police radio code for "officer needs assistance." It has taken in millions of dollars in tax-free donations for more than 25 years and used the money to aid families of CHP employees.


For $5,000, donors have received the license plate frame as well as, until recently, a brass identification card bearing a small star similar to a CHP badge. The group says neither one was intended as a way to get out of tickets. But Palefsky is hardly the only one who believes they function that way.

The frame has been called "the ultimate speeding ticket solution in California" on an online Mercedes-Benz chat board. And recently, the frames have been popping up for sale on Craigslist and EBay, for $250 to $1,000. The resales have angered the foundation but it has so far been unable to stop them.

"There's definitely a perceived benefit, as well as a real benefit," said one online seller, who asked that his name not be used. "There's this real tangible benefit of possibly getting favorable treatment from a CHP officer."

In response to inquiries from The Times, CHP Commissioner J.A. Farrow looked into the matter and was "surprised" and "bothered" by what he found. Farrow, who took over the top spot at the agency this year, said he was concerned that the frames were creating a perception that 11-99 membership results in beneficial treatment from officers.

He issued an agency-wide memo this month reiterating the CHP's policy against giving anyone special consideration, and strengthened it by adding: "CHP personnel shall not honor nor recognize any form of communication which purports, infers or extends a privilege or immunity" from enforcement of the law.

He also took his concerns to the foundation, whose board voted last week to stop issuing the frames by January.

Farrow said he remains supportive of the foundation's work, and the CHP's website maintains a prominent link to the group's home page.

With the money it has raised, the 11-99 Foundation has helped thousands of children and spouses of CHP employees pay for college, provided immediate cash assistance to families of officers killed or injured in the line of duty, and offered all manner of support when agency employees or their families have suffered from prolonged illnesses or other misfortune.

The foundation's leaders say the license plate frames have been a vital marketing tool in raising money for those efforts. There are several thousands of the frames on cars cruising California's streets and highways, and they are often the most exotic autos on the road: Aston Martins, Lamborghinis, Land Rovers and top-of-the line BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes and Audis.

Edward Trickey, the foundation's president and chief executive, said the group has taken steps to reduce the risk of members expecting a break on the road, such as raising the minimum donation necessary to receive a frame, conducting background checks on potential members, terminating membership of donors who try to abuse their privileges and specifying on the application form that membership does not buy "leniency."

Trickey said he has received three tickets in the time he has worked for the charity. "It clearly has not gotten me out of tickets," he said. "And that's not why I put it on my car."

The brass identification cards were issued with wallet-style holders. The foundation's board voted in May to stop giving them out, after the state attorney general issued an opinion last year saying that issuing official-looking badges is a violation of state law.

The opinion was prompted by several incidents in which politicians such as county sheriffs gave honorary badges to campaign supporters.

There's no definitive way of telling how many people -- if any -- have been let off the hook because of their foundation membership. But several members said in interviews and Internet postings that they believed their 11-99 identification had gotten them out of what would otherwise have been an expensive lesson to slow down.

Carroll Shelby, the legendary race car driver and auto designer who has homes in Bel-Air and Las Vegas, told the Globe and Mail in 2006: "I'm a member of 11-99. I have a thing that gets you out of tickets. . . . Unless we run over a kid in a school zone doing 40 to 50 miles an hour, they usually let us go."

On an Internet chat board in 2005, a BMW enthusiast identifying himself as "mottati" said: "I've been a lifetime member for five years and have not gotten a ticket since. Been pulled over a couple times, but let off."

Parviz Firouzgar, a mortgage company owner from San Juan Capistrano, joined the 11-99 Foundation last year after learning of it through a club of Lamborghini drivers that he rides with.

He said that he joined because he supports law enforcement and that he never would use his membership status to try to get out of a ticket.

"The only thing you're entitled to is good feelings," Firouzgar said in a recent interview.

After he joined the foundation, Firouzgar said, he was pulled over by the CHP on the 101 Freeway in Hollywood while driving his Mercedes 10 mph over the speed limit. The officer ultimately decided not to issue Firouzgar a ticket. The car did not have an 11-99 frame on it, but afterward Firouzgar told the officer about his membership in the foundation. " 'Now I feel doubly good about giving you a break today,' " Firouzgar recalls the officer saying.

christian.berthelsen@ latimes.com

wzcx
10-12-2008, 05:18 PM
I'm sure we all have stories about either being let off or seeing someone get let off. For me, it was being with a ex-gf's boss in his new 360 convertible, running a stop sign at 110 in a 25 and getting a warning. Absolute BS. Later, in the same car, his wife accidentally put on the highly-illegal strobes and got another warning. Should have been an impounding for having those things in the car.

Ben
10-12-2008, 05:33 PM
Yeah all those times I've posted about getting out of some speeding tickets were 'cause I had this license plate frame.













JK

Susp3nc3
10-14-2008, 10:38 PM
everyone that i know (that has the membership) has gotten off...city police and CHP...some don't have the same stories but seems good to me. I was thinking of buying one off craigslist lol

noypiC50
10-14-2008, 10:43 PM
ive seen one on socal evo for sale for $500!

chuynh207
12-28-2008, 02:47 AM
I've been let off multiple times by the cops. I'm in the Army and my uniform/ID card have gotten me out of every ticket since I joined. I got one speeding ticket back when I was 17, and that was because I was stupid enough to race my friend down a 35mph street.

Ever since I joined the Army, I've never gotten a speeding ticket. They either see me in uniform and don't even bother pulling me over, or let me go after pulling me over. I tend to slip in my military ID when I show them my license and registration, and that usually does the trick.

The way I see it, unless I'm going like 100mph or was doing something REALLY stupid, why should I get a ticket? I'm willing to lay down my life for this country, c'mon now!!!!

steevo8
12-28-2008, 09:07 AM
The thing that really sucks out o all this is the loss in revenue the foundation will most likely see now.




The way I see it, unless I'm going like 100mph or was doing something REALLY stupid, why should I get a ticket? I'm willing to lay down my life for this country, c'mon now!!!!


I agree 100%

chrisw
12-28-2008, 09:18 AM
everyone that i know (that has the membership) has gotten off...city police and CHP...some don't have the same stories but seems good to me. I was thinking of buying one off craigslist lol


FWIW, that's one of the primary reasons they got rid of the plate...

sprytsi
12-28-2008, 09:39 AM
How do I get a knock-off 11-99 foundation plate?

I wouldn't mind supporting them but I'm poor :(

Daniel
12-28-2008, 10:56 AM
I've been let off multiple times by the cops. I'm in the Army and my uniform/ID card have gotten me out of every ticket since I joined. I got one speeding ticket back when I was 17, and that was because I was stupid enough to race my friend down a 35mph street.

Ever since I joined the Army, I've never gotten a speeding ticket. They either see me in uniform and don't even bother pulling me over, or let me go after pulling me over. I tend to slip in my military ID when I show them my license and registration, and that usually does the trick.

The way I see it, unless I'm going like 100mph or was doing something REALLY stupid, why should I get a ticket? I'm willing to lay down my life for this country, c'mon now!!!!


while i appreciate you serving our country by fighting to protect our way of life, you need to lose your sense of entitlement.

whtrice
12-28-2008, 11:42 AM
:werd:


while i appreciate you serving our country by fighting to protect our way of life, you need to lose your sense of entitlement.

ddubdb3
12-28-2008, 02:55 PM
How do I get a knock-off 11-99 foundation plate?

I wouldn't mind supporting them but I'm poor :(

haha im with you! i googled pics of the frame they dont look super special i would think goin to one of those license frame places in the mall and getting a decent looking one made would work..


what about those KA 99xx (whatever number) frames?? arent those chp related?

bayareaEVO
12-28-2008, 03:31 PM
did you mean KMA-367? the people with those license plate are associated with the LAPD.

steevo8
12-28-2008, 04:23 PM
while i appreciate you serving our country by fighting to protect our way of life, you need to lose your sense of entitlement.


Considering the chp give out so many tickets that are far from called for, I think the least they can do is cut a little slack to the guys who make it possible for us all to live in this country. Im not saying let them slide for dui, or crazy speeds, but if it was me, and it was a few miles over the limit and he was just cruising. I would with out a doubt be more then happy to show my gratitude by giving out a warning.

Daniel
12-28-2008, 05:41 PM
Considering the chp give out so many tickets that are far from called for, I think the least they can do is cut a little slack to the guys who make it possible for us all to live in this country. Im not saying let them slide for dui, or crazy speeds, but if it was me, and it was a few miles over the limit and he was just cruising. I would with out a doubt be more then happy to show my gratitude by giving out a warning.

i totally agree with you and i think that what you say should be the standard for all traffic stops by the chp.

what i don't agree with however is his attitude that he is entitled to special treatment. A little humility goes a long way.

ChuckP
12-28-2008, 05:43 PM
FYI....A good freind has a 11-99 replica plate and got pulled over the other day while we were out some back roads. The copper said the reason he stopped him was for no front plate. But the first thing the cop questioned him on was the license plate frame.
i don't remember how much you need to donate to get the frame, but it's a good chunk of money. And it's hard to see a 24 year old in a turbocharged VW GTI gifting that kinda money, lol.

ddubdb3
12-28-2008, 06:41 PM
^^whatd your friend say about the plate when the copper asked??

ChuckP
12-28-2008, 06:50 PM
The cop was telling him how a lot of people are putting on replicas to try to get out of tickets, and it is disrespectful to fallen officers' families, ect.

The cop never straight up asked if it was legit or not, i didn't think he would. Because you never really can tell, and it is a wealthy area, so who knows if the kid made a donation.

My buddy just played along and acted stupid. Ended up leaving with a verbal warning for a front plate and limo tint.

blackeva7
12-29-2008, 11:27 AM
The cop was telling him how a lot of people are putting on replicas to try to get out of tickets, and it is disrespectful to fallen officers' families, ect.

The cop never straight up asked if it was legit or not, i didn't think he would. Because you never really can tell, and it is a wealthy area, so who knows if the kid made a donation.

My buddy just played along and acted stupid. Ended up leaving with a verbal warning for a front plate and limo tint.



True, But can you just imagine over 90% of CHP's will not hesitate to issue tix, legit or not because they have the convenient prerogative to do so. Just so they can raise revenues for the state. Making statements like " this tix is not an admission of guilt and you can contest it" but the inconvenience and cost to us is just so ridiculous! Most of us just end up paying the cost. That is why peeps out there will use even a knock off license plate frame like the 11-99 to get away with tix or just to avoid getting profiled and pulled over period. I know I would.

sprytsi
12-29-2008, 11:36 AM
I think paying $5,000 to fallen officers' families with the sole purpose of obtaining a "get out of ticket free" license plate is disrespectful to officers.

I think police use their judgment too much when it comes to fellow officers, government workers, military, and etc regarding tickets. Just the fact that a license plate frame could reduce your likelyhood of receiving a ticket is rediculous.

A cop should have their mind made up about whether or not a person gets a ticket based on violation and area, not based on the driver's "connections".

mtsevovii
12-29-2008, 11:41 AM
I think paying $5,000 to fallen officers' families with the sole purpose of obtaining a "get out of ticket free" license plate is disrespectful to officers.

I think police use their judgment too much when it comes to fellow officers, government workers, military, and etc regarding tickets. Just the fact that a license plate frame could reduce your likelyhood of receiving a ticket is rediculous.

A cop should have their mind made up about whether or not a person gets a ticket based on violation and area, not based on the driver's "connections".


i agree. 100% just donate money without the plate frame.

bayareaEVO
12-29-2008, 03:07 PM
FYI....A good freind has a 11-99 replica plate

wow, didnt even know they made replica 11-99 plates... :icon_eek:

awdaddict
12-29-2008, 03:11 PM
I think paying $5,000 to fallen officers' families with the sole purpose of obtaining a "get out of ticket free" license plate is disrespectful to officers.

I think police use their judgment too much when it comes to fellow officers, government workers, military, and etc regarding tickets. Just the fact that a license plate frame could reduce your likelyhood of receiving a ticket is rediculous.

A cop should have their mind made up about whether or not a person gets a ticket based on violation and area, not based on the driver's "connections".

Unfortunately, the real world is all about connections eh.


i agree. 100% just donate money without the plate frame.

perks man, perks.

sprytsi
12-29-2008, 03:34 PM
Unfortunately, the real world is all about connections eh.

I know, that's why I'm pushing my wife to go into law enforcement and get me a "get out of jail friendship card".

i was just saying that this "shouldn't" be the case since it is unfair and unjust. It is the case though and I try to fight all the tickets that I get because i can.

ramen
01-16-2009, 09:04 PM
Yeah, I have my 11-99 plate on my car and the highway patrol will pull you over, but once they see the plate they just talk to you a little bit and then let you go with a warning. It's an unfair reality but it does work though.