anyone have any stories about getting a ticket, going to court and fight it? anyone win? i talked to a friend who said thats the way they were protesting against the seat belt law, and they let him go without paying anything...
any ideas? i dont believe in the seat belt law, i paid for my car, i should be able to decide if i want to save my life in a car crash or not.
and please dont just reply as just wear it.
Thanks
Jason

I don't know that it's a very winable case. If you take it to court, the officer will say you didn't wear your belt. Guilty. Case closed. Sure, you can protest and take up the court's time, but I doubt you'll beat it. There's nothing much to argue. It's your word against the cop's, and guess who the judge will believe?

Whether you agree with the seatbelt law or not, you did break the law. The seat belt law doesn't have much of a gray area, either you had it on, or you didn't.

Get a doctor to post date a prescription not to wear a seatbelt cause it causes you to have anxiety.

I'm against any law that tries to save people from their own free-willed choices, but regardless of my own feelngs, the law is the law.

Suck it up, pay the ticket, and point your efforts towards getting the law changed instead.

quote Originally posted by tomanyfieros: i talked to a friend who said thats the way they were protesting against the seat belt law, and they let him go without paying anything...

Your friend must have left something out...there's no way they would accept that as an excuse unless they were smoking something illegal. That's like telling the judge "I know I killed him, but that was my way of protesting against the murder law", Judge says "ok, you can go"

Dave

fighting it in court ....gives you a 50/50 chance.
Either the officer WILL show up and say no you were NOT wearing it and you still have to pay,

Or the officer will not show up and the charge will be dismissed!

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98 3800SC GTP motor,3.4 pulley, Getrag 5sp.
custom hood, trunk, side scoops, IRM front spoiler, 17" excel's , dk.Shadow Grey

I agree with Formula88.

I'm not saying you should wear your seatbelt because the law says you have to, however you should consider.

Even though I've always worn a seatbelt I learned firsthand how important it was to be wearing one one night when a drunk driver ran a stop sign and struck him going about 50mph. Two mangled totalled cars, few bruises, rub burn on my arm, and a lightly sprained ankle from the front wheel when it pushed the floorboard back, I managed to walk away.

I'm certain had I not been wearing a belt I would be dead or close to it, and/or I don't want to even think about it. In an instant with nothing else to stop me all my weight flew against the belt. I remember the very second like it was yesterday, everything, even the hood of the other car flying and a million pieces flying through the air... some of it was blurry, only because my glasses had flown off my face. Trying to get out of the hissing wreck, finding the door was smashed shut I unbuckled my belt and felt all around the floor for them. After feeling all around in the dark and not finding them I suddenly realized they just might be up on the dash and that is where I found them. I tell you what, the thought never hits you so hard.

Putting on a seatbelt is automatic for me, If I'm not thinking when moving cars around the driveway I'll put it on and not realize it. We have a seatbelt law here in MI too. It doesn't bother me we have it and in my experience I don't care to argue why or why not we should have seatbelt laws.

[This message has been edited by Tigger (edited 04-05-2004).]

have superman fly around the world really fast and go back in time

and tell you to wear your seatbelt or he will rip your head off

if you need help finding superman, Jerry Steinfeld is a close personal friend of his.

I wear my belt but not because it's a law.

As far as getting out of the ticket_GOODLUCK_They won't believe you over the the cop.Number 1 your lying and number 2 they don't care if your telling the truth.

I cant stand the idea of it being a law.

I can't stand any laws that tell me what i have to do.But then i am also one of those people that think everybody should carry a sidearm.

i was able to get out of several of my tickets for not wearing my seat belt. the reason i was able to get out of them was because i had "broken ribs" and the seatbelt made it uncomfortable to drive and made it a "distraction" to drive with it on. i was able to pull this off is because one of my close friends is a doctor. if you have a friend that is a doctor or if you know of a doctor that will write up a report for you then u should be able to get out of the ticket. good luck

What's so bad about wearing seatbelts? Just asking...not looking for a flame war.

-FieroRumor

quote Originally posted by FieroRumor: What's so bad about wearing seatbelts? Just asking...not looking for a flame war. -FieroRumor

its nothing bad about wearing it..i just forget to put it on..
i had one seat belt ticket before this one.. i took it to court, the cop didnt show up, they said that it was my first offense and that it would be a waste of time for the court, and told me he would dismiss it.. then again, i am only 16... so i have to go to juvy court...
Thanks
Jason

Its a pretty small fine and a non moving violation. Win or not an its not too big a deal.

When I got pulled over for the first time (16 I think), I took my belt off when the cop came up to my window. He gave me a ticket for no seatbelt, and a few other things.
Went to court and cop didn't show up. It was all reduced to non moving violation.

Yeah, just roll over an play dead.

gooood boy. Now beg

Fight them tooth and nail and use every dirty trick you can to beat it.

The government HAS NO RIGHT to tell you to wear a seat belt.
Kids are the acception since they are not adults yet and do not have the were with all to know the benefits of wearing one.

[This message has been edited by 84Bill (edited 04-05-2004).]

You might be able to mount a case about how the law is written. Is it vague? Does it spell out what wearing means, these types of argument. You will need a lawyer & lots of money. This is an insurance industry sponsered law to limit their liability.

all i can say is = ur dumb. just wear the belt, you wont get a ticket, and you may survive your adolescence. otherwise, you'll just end up smearing yourself all over the front windsheild.

you can fight it, and you may even get away with it, but hey, fact of the matter is, you were in the wrong. BAMO, ticket time. perhaps your wallet will think twice about that belt.

anyways, GL with the whole court thing, hope you win.

:end rant:

sorry, ppl that dont wear their belts bother me.

quote Originally posted by ShaddowGt: sorry, ppl that dont wear their belts bother me.

people like you bother me.

I wear my seatbelt but I do not think it is right to FORCE my opinion right or wrong on another person.

FREEDOM is the right to decide what is right for you; NOT the right for me to decide what is right for you.

Get out of this mans life and let him choose, you may provide the information and GIVE HIM THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT to decide what is best for him and LEAVE HIM BE. Show some respect and don't go around insulting people.

He may be 16 but he demonstrated the ability to operate a complex machine with a passable level of competency and general knowledge.

If you get into my car you will wear your seatbelt or we will not move. If I get into your car I will wear my seatbelt, I could care less if you don't.

Nuff said

[This message has been edited by 84Bill (edited 04-05-2004).]

ive never actually seen a cop pull anyone over for not wearing a belt.. usually thats added on after stopping someone for something else.. but i guess thats me.. seatbelts are automatic for me, seen too many pictures of what happens to a human body when it slams against a steering column.. not to mention an airbag will break your neck if you arent wearing it. i also require all my passengers to wear one.. so meh, w/e.

quote Originally posted by webbee: You might be able to mount a case about how the law is written. Is it vague? Does it spell out what wearing means, these types of argument. You will need a lawyer & lots of money. This is an insurance industry sponsered law to limit their liability.

Yes, that's it!! The law says I must wear my seat belt, but really, what constitutes a "seat" or a "belt"? Really, what's the legal definition of "me"?? It all depends on what your definition of "is" is.

We got smashed while driving once. Kid was doing 60+ in a 30 zone. Local street. Plowed into the driver-side of our cavaliar. Had I not been wearing my belt, I would have smashed into my wife. if she wasn't wearing her seat, her head would have gone through her side window. I don't want to even imagine what would have happened. As it stood, We walked away with relatively minor injuries, me a broken rib, her, a sore eye. The car was totally twisted.

My wife would have gotten REALLY hurt if she wasn't wearing her belt.

It's an automatic thing. The only people I know who didn't use them started using them after the first time their head cracked the windshield when they got into an accident. I guess if you're not used to wearing them, they feel restrictive.

How much $$ is the ticket?

After reading your original post, I may disagree about you not wearing them, but I don't see why you should get TICKETED for not using them. it's not like you're driving drunk, or that NOT using a belt will make you a reckless driver. It's like cops giving you tickest for what you are eating, or wearing.

Sounds like it's just a way to get $$.

You have to be carefull also not wearing your seatbelt, as if you do get into an accident, and you are injured your insurance company can deny payment for your healthcare as you were breaking the law, and it is for that reason that you are injured. You have to look at all the angles, when it comes to laws, they are there to protect you(in most cases), not to take away your rights to be a retard, should you choose to break the law, you are waiving more rights than you may think..

Just keep in mind all the things that can go wrong.

quote Originally posted by FieroRumor: We got smashed while driving once. Kid was doing 60+ in a 30 zone. Local street. Plowed into the driver-side of our cavaliar. Had I not been wearing my belt, I would have smashed into my wife. if she wasn't wearing her seat, her head would have gone through her side window. I don't want to even imagine what would have happened. As it stood, We walked away with relatively minor injuries, me a broken rib, her, a sore eye. The car was totally twisted. My wife would have gotten REALLY hurt if she wasn't wearing her belt. It's an automatic thing. The only people I know who didn't use them started using them after the first time their head cracked the windshield when they got into an accident. I guess if you're not used to wearing them, they feel restrictive. How much $$ is the ticket? After reading your original post, I may disagree about you not wearing them, but I don't see why you should get TICKETED for not using them. it's not like you're driving drunk, or that NOT using a belt will make you a reckless driver. It's like cops giving you tickest for what you are eating, or wearing. Sounds like it's just a way to get $$.

Very good response and a very responsible way of looking at this issue.
You demonstrated a very good reason for wearing a belt.
A very good interpritation of the freedom to decide what is best for you and you have shown a level of respect for him and his freedom to decide for himself.
+ for you.

It does raise the question of insurance.

I believe in natural selection, so if you don't want to wear your seatbelt so be it. I remember an add from the late sixties or early seventies, about a state trooper saying he never had to unbelt a dead body.

[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 04-05-2004).]

quote Originally posted by avengador1: I believe in natural selection, so if you don't want to wear your seatbelt so be it. I remember an add from the late sixties or early seventies, about a state trooper saying he never had to unbelt a dead body.

I'm sure he cannot say that now, more like he now sees fewer unbelted bodies but still sees bodies both belted and unbelted.

I've been a seat belt wearer for years. I have mixed feelings about the law requiring the use of belts, but I have to lean towards this one being a good thing. I'm not one for government intrusion, but this is one where I think it may really be a good idea.

If you wear a seat belt, you have a much greater chance of a vehicle crash causing you less injury, which keeps down insurance rates that *I* have to pay.

Wearing a seat belt keeps you in your seat so when you have to make a sudden maneuver to avoid that stupid ricer you will be able to stay in your seat and retain control of your car.

Wearing a seat belt keeps you from reaching over to the passenger side floor to retrieve your punk rock CD that fell off of the seat while you are driving.

Wearing a seat belt keeps you sitting in your seat properly.....not leaning towards the middle of the car and your seat reclined because it looks cool.

Wearing a seat belt may keep you alive if you do have an accident. Someone in your family may actually want you around for a while....

Mark

quote Originally posted by 84Bill: people like you bother me. I wear my seatbelt but I do not think it is right to FORCE my opinion right or wrong on another person. FREEDOM is the right to decide what is right for you; NOT the right for me to decide what is right for you. Get out of this mans life and let him choose, you may provide the information and GIVE HIM THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT to decide what is best for him and LEAVE HIM BE. Show some respect and don't go around insulting people. He may be 16 but he demonstrated the ability to operate a complex machine with a passable level of competency and general knowledge. If you get into my car you will wear your seatbelt or we will not move. If I get into your car I will wear my seatbelt, I could care less if you don't. Nuff said

dude, chill, dont be a dick

seriously, im not trying to "force" myself on him, duh, i just said he was dumb for not wearing the belt. seriously, can you say its a smart thing to do? if i caught myself not wearing it, id smack my forehead and say "Doh, u dumbass, think next time!" personally, id rather walk away from any accident i happen to find myelf in, than be zipped up in a black plastic bag. ziplock, seals in the freshness!

it bothers me, because i dont want to see anyone hurt like that. my grandpa doesnt wear a seatbelt, and it bothers the hell outta me. id hate to walk away from an accident that he didnt. theres something we have, its called common sense. if you dont want to pay a fine, or haveto goto court, dont break the law. btw, im only 19. and every day i show a "passable level of competency and general knowledge" of wearing my seatbelt.

there are certain aspects to this complex machine that dont work unless you operate it correctly. like the seatbelt? the part that keeps you from pouring yourself through your steering wheel while at the same time keeping you alive? its not decorative ya know...

to summarize, just wear the seatbelt, its a smart thing to do for any number of reasons, from insurance, to ticketing, to saving your life.

like i said though, i hope he wins his court date. loosing money to a ticket like that would suck.

quote Originally posted by ShaddowGt:

dumb? as in the lack of education?

Kind of insulting don't you think....dick... Or are your intuitive skills a tad dull?

If Adrianna wasn't wearing her seatbelt, Chrissy wouldn't believe she wasn't "servicing" Tony at the time of the accident. ( Not that Chris-tuh-fer believes what that doctor said anyway...)

Good luck with the ticket...

-FieroRumor

[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 04-06-2004).]

I sometimes wear it, sometimes dont. If i driving a block away to lunch or up to the corner store I dont bother. If its snowing and raining or otherwise high risk, I wear it. In Ohio, they cant pull you over for seatbelts (yet), they have to pull you over for another violation first. I know lots of people that got pulled over for like speeding and the cop saw them not wearing a belt, gave them a warning on the speed and ticket for the belt. Its cheaper, no points. Trick for me not to get a belt ticket is not to give them a reason to pull me over in the first place. What violation did you get pulled over for and did he let that off with a warning ?

I have no problem with anyone who decides they don't want to wear a seatbelt. As long as they also agree that they will be totally responsible for any medical bills they incurr because they made that choice. No insurance money or taxpayer money for them!! Otherwise, it's time to buckle up.

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Rod Schneider, Woodstock, Ga.
White 88 GT

I believe the Government has every right to monitor our seat belt use. They fine you if your not insured, fines for no plates, have to register your car with the state ect...

If you are driving on your own land you are free to do what you want but once you pull onto any PUBLIC road / land / or whatever your ass is theirs for the taking.

I was in a car accident at 16 in a brand new caprice and we took a telephone pole at 100+ all 5 of us hobbled away with no major injuries. Seat belts saved us all that night.

You can back up anything with facts. NOT wearing a belt once saved my butt. I got spun by a car racing down the entrance ramp and plowing into me. I hit a overpass median at 70 mph nearly head on. I knew it was out of control and going to hit and I dove down into the floorboards. Hood went thru the windshield on my 71 lincoln and into the back seat. Know where my head would have been in a seatbelt ? I was out picking up car parts off the road before the police or squad got there. All I got was really sore for next few days.

Tell the officer that your dads a police officer at the same station that guys working at, and that he's also at a higher rank than him. Come up with a fake badge # (165, 170) and the officer may just let you go. Of course, I've never have had to use that one, but hey...who knows? :P -Ben

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Fiero: Get in, sit down, shut up, hold on!!

Getting out of the ticket will be difficult unless the officer does not go to court. As stated it is the law.

As for to use seatbelts or not, Seatbelts do save lives. I wear my seatbelts, But there are a few things I don't like about seatbelts. These "problems" can cause injury and death as well. There is no "standard" for passenger car seatbelts aside from the fact that they need to restrain up to a 350 lbs person. Each manufacturer has their own style of latches and features. This alone can cause problems. Especially now that air bags are so widely used. As an example, You drive your vehicle every day, You know how it works, where the switches and knobs are and how the seatbelt works. Now suppose for a moment you take your car to a shop for work and it requires you to get a loaner. On driving home another car hits you. The airbag goes off. You smell smoke and feel the heat of a fire caused by the accident. Now you have the powder from the airbag in your eyes so you are temporaily blinded, (common event with airbags) In a car that is not yours. Which way was the release button on the seatbelt? Top? side? front? Or is it one attached to the door (which is now jammed from the accident) which requires the door to be opened to remove it?
Lets assume in the accident, you saw it coming, So naturally you tensed up, The airbag goes off and your wrists get fractured. (This is also a common event with air bags, especially if you follow the "10 and 2" rule) How would you release the seatbelt?
You do know that airlines back in the 40's standardized seatbelts on airplanes so that all operated the same on every aircraft in the world. All new airplanes still use the original 1940's design latch. The reason for the large center latch is because in early plane crashes one common injury was broken hands and wrists due to the passengers bracing their hands on the seat in front of them just before the crash.
The large face buckle provide excellent strength fo holding the belt, but the buckle is very easy to disengage. Even with your elbow! (give it a try next time you fly) Race car belts are required to have a release in the center that can be removed/loosened without the use of hands.

From a technical aspect, the seatbelt law is a bad thing. Only because there is no real standard. I think if the auto manufacturers standarized the seatbelts then the law would be fine to have. I also think they should get rid of the airbags in cars. These are a danger to the driver. If I could I would have the airbags removed from my other vehicles.

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Happiness isn't around the corner...
Happiness IS the corner.

I can't speak for your state, but here in Texas, there are exceptions for the seatbelt law. They usually are in reference to the type vehicle you are driving. For instance-we have what are called 'farm trucks'. Drivers and passengers are exempt from the seatbelt law, but you lic plate must say 'farm truck' on it. Commercial drivers are also exempt, over a certain gvw. Personally, I support the law, and wear them always. The fine for failure to buckle up in Texas is now $200 I think-don't want to find out the hard way either.

quote Originally posted by sc3800ttops: I believe the Government has every right to monitor our seat belt use. They fine you if your not insured, fines for no plates, have to register your car with the state ect...

I believe it is a violation of the right to choose what is best for you and only you.

Insurance is a totally different problem and IT is responsible for the restriction of "FREEdom".

Freedom is the RIGHT to choose.

Apparently you and many others do not realize the importance of freedom and therefor think it is OK to restrict it and IMPOSE your rule(ing) on another. You are not my master or anyone elses master and ruler, neither is the government supposed to be.

AGAIN
I agree wearing a seatbelt IS A GOOD IDEA but I do not feel it is right to IMPOSE MY WILL on another man.

Read it if you dare, it is not hard to understand at all unless you think freedom is not a right then YOU ARE NOT FREE and freedom as we know it does not exist in America.

Of Slavery.

Sec. 22. THE natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule. The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to the trust put in it. Freedom then is not what Sir Robert Filmer tells us, Observations, A. 55. a liberty for every one to do what he lists, to live as he pleases, and not to be tied by any laws: but freedom of men under government is, to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power erected in it; a liberty to follow my own will in all things, where the rule prescribes not; and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man: as freedom of nature is, to be under no other restraint but the law of nature.

Of the State of Nature.

Sec. 4. TO understand political power right, and derive it from its original, we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man

A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another; there being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should also be equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection, unless the lord and master of them all should, by any manifest declaration of his will, set one above another, and confer on him, by an evident and clear appointment, an undoubted right to dominion and sovereignty.

[This message has been edited by 84Bill (edited 04-06-2004).]

I agree with Bill completely as long as we're talking adults here. Anybody not from the moon the last 20 years knows the risks of seat belts, smoking, motorcycle helmets, etc., and can make their own choices.

Besides, there's a shortage of organ donors.

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by 84Bill: people like you bother me. I wear my seatbelt but I do not think it is right to FORCE my opinion right or wrong on another person. FREEDOM is the right to decide what is right for you; NOT the right for me to decide what is right for you. Get out of this mans life and let him choose, you may provide the information and GIVE HIM THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT to decide what is best for him and LEAVE HIM BE. Show some respect and don't go around insulting people. He may be 16 but he demonstrated the ability to operate a complex machine with a passable level of competency and general knowledge. If you get into my car you will wear your seatbelt or we will not move. If I get into your car I will wear my seatbelt, I could care less if you don't. Nuff said

quote Originally posted by jstricker: I agree with Bill completely as long as we're talking adults here. Besides, there's a shortage of organ donors. John Stricker

Yes & Yes

How much could the ticket be, $25? Just pay it and be done with it.