I'm a genius!!

VRM · #1 (**permalink**) 09-18-2009, 09:39 AM

I met a guy at a car show this last May (I think) and he told me that he had gotten a ticket for a tire chirp, and that the ticket was listed as a 'display of speed'. I do not know what state he was from, but I'm pretty sure it was a show that was right on the NH/MA border, and a short distance away from ME.

Anyway, I had never heard of such a ticket, and he said he was going to fight it. I told him (more than half jokingly) that he should ask the cop two questions:
1. Have you or have you ever heard anybody squeak their sneaker?

2. How fast would you estimate that you or they were going when it happened?

We had a good laugh over it, and talked about some other things, and then I just put the whole event out of my mind. Every so often I would remember that I wanted to look up tickets like that, but I was never near a computer.

Well, he left a message on my answering machine yesterday saying that was exactly what he did - and that the whole room started laughing, the cop was beet-red, and the ticket was dismissed.

I imagine that a ticket like this would be easy to beat in most cases anyway. Has anybody ever really had one of these tickets?

Steve

trularin · #2 (**permalink**) 09-18-2009, 10:39 AM

Well done.

I'd say he at least owes you a pint.

Joe Wicked · #3 (**permalink**) 09-18-2009, 11:54 AM

I got that ticket in San Diego. I had an 85 Trans Am at the time and was turning into the south Mission Beach parking lot. My tires squeaked and slid across the painted crosswalk lines. Cop pulled me over as I parked and gave me the ticket. He also gave me a ticket for bald tires which were actually brand new, less than a week. I fought it and showed the judge the receipt for purchase and installation of the tires, and well as contested the speed and excelleration ticket as he wrote the speed as 0-25 MPH. I told the judge that as an untrained amature I can tell the difference between 15 and 25, and I would expect that every officer out there could do a much better job than 0-25. Judge threw it out and the cop actually looked at me and said, "don't worry, you will get yours." Judge heard him and let him know that any ticket I get from any member of his dept will be thrown out of his court room because of that comment. He finished it with way to go, you just gave him free license to do whatever.

I chose to stay out of Mission Beach for a while. Best to let tempers cool than to push it.

rustyBob · #4 (**permalink**) 09-18-2009, 08:46 PM

I got a ticket one time for "exibition of acceleration" in my GMC pickup....I was at the city swimming pool and the parking lot was wet and i wound the old "jimmy" up and dumped the clutch and got a "chirp" out of it and the cop was sitting down the street (i didn't even see him there) and got a ticket.

blykins · #5 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 05:16 PM

I had one. Here in KY, it's called an "improper start." It's a bunch of junk.

VRM · #6 (**permalink**) 09-23-2009, 11:41 AM

Well, you guys are welcome to fight it using my method.

Maybe I should do one of those late night programs and talk about my secret method of getting out of chirp tickets. If I could get the whole country to buy me pints I'd be set for a month or two!

Seriously though - this just amazes me that this would even be an offense. and I really hope everyone fights it and wins.

Steve