Dekalb County Georgia. Speeding Ticket Abuse by Some Police
83Panola Road Dekalb County Dekalb Police
To put all Dekalb Police officers in the same bucket is an error on my part. The Police are a valued asset to our communities. We want the police to do what police do.
They keep us safe from the bad guys.
They help us when we are in trouble and or when we are scared.
Some catch those of us that speed and or drive reckless so that a young person or whomever may get hurt or worse than that killed.
Some are bad police. Yes they still protect us but they use wrong tactics to catch speeders. I am one that received a ticket for speeding and they were not right.
Dekalb County a county in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia the police gave me a ticket for speeding the other day and it was a trick on me. I was driving down a hill on Panola Road with a whole bunch of other cars and I happened to be the first one in the crowd.
I was doing 47 in a 45 when I spotted a motorcycle police man and a another policeman associated with his Police car standing in the center of the four lane road the other day.
Like a fearless warrior this one cop walked out into traffic with his hand in the air and everyone was watching him and the cars behind me as well as me slowed down. He pointed his black gloved hand at me and pointed to the center lane then blew his stupid little silver whistle. I drove across one lane of traffic and between the two yellow lanes "the turning lane."
I thought Okay whatever.
I stopped and rolled my window down.
Yes sir I asked him and he looked down at me and said drivers license and insurance card.
Why mine why not one of the other peoples why me? I asked him.
He repeated his request and I opened my wallet and handed it to him.
So what's up I asked him.
Speeding!
What? I asked him.
It is a 45 miles zone isn't it? I asked him.
Yes but the flashing light shows 25 MPH and you were doing 47.
What light? Where?
He wrote up the ticket and came back and handed it to me.
I told him that there wasn't any lights flashing anywhere that he was wrong.
He said have a nice day and I said I will be back.
I drove passed him slowly and within forty feet I put on my turning signal and turned into a side street. I then once again used turned on my blinker and turned around and returned to the edge of the street I was just on.
Once again my blinker on I turned and went passed the two policemen.
I drove up the hill at about 22 miles per hour looking for the flashing light.
At the top of the hill was a flashing light fixture hanging on the side of the road but it was not flashing. I missed the signal and turned my blinker on and turned left.
I then turned my blinker on and turned right.
I spun my car around and used my blinker again and I was now back at the signal.
Flipped my blinker on and took a right and the flashing light was still not flashing so I continued down the hill at 45MPH.
Can you believe it but the two Dekalb County police offices were gone.
It was eight minutes when I got back to the spot and they were gone.
What in the world was this all about?
So I got a speeding ticket for 47MPH in a 25MPH zone.
I hope they read this. It will not help me because I was clocked at 47MPH.
I will pay the ticket via mail and write a letter to them and that will be that.
I would like to say that Dekalb County police are well this is a public blog and I can't so i won't.
The two cops stated I was wrong and it cost me $219.00. I can appeal.
Thank you
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or
Thank you
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They had radar guns I saw the devices. The next day the lights were still not flashing at the same time. Then we were on spring break and I haven't been to the area since a week ago.
Thank you
The scheme has changed.
I work off Panola Road near I-20. As I drive from Tucker, I often pass a group of four or five motorcycle policemen somewhere in South Hairston Rd. giving speeding ticket to a lot motorists (four of five cars at a time). I often wondered why so many people would go so fast in a 40mph area. I also wonder why the motorcycle cops are always in that particular spot and not in the other school zones? Is this area more dangerous to the children (I never see any when I go by between 8:30 and 9 AM)?
Today I found out. I got a speeding ticket. The policeman told me I was doing 44mph in a school zone of 25mph. The time was 8:45am.
On the way back home I noticed that all other four school zones I pass going to Panola Rd. have the warning sign SCHOOL ZONE in large letter and a smaller sign underneath with the hours of enforcement, 7:15 to 8:15 AM and 2:00 to 3:00 PM , school days. The school zone in question had a time of 7:15 to 9:05 AM. So the policeman was right but I have some questions:
a) Why are the hours for this school different?
b) If so many motorists get ticketed, why not put a larger sign so that is clear that this is a different school zone from all the others in the area so they can slow down? Or a flashing light? Remember the objective is to protect the children…or is it?
c) How come the cops never go to the other areas?
I think it is clear to me now. The police have found the Holy Grail of easy money.
a) The only school with a different time of lower speed enforcement. Most drivers are used to drive the regular speed (40mph) after 8:05AM)
b) The motorists ticketed are going in the direction where the sun makes it very difficult to see the smaller sign (I have never seen a car being ticketed when going in the opposite direction, but it may happen).
If anyone reading this can tell my what DeKalb county government department decides what these school warning signs should say, I would appreciate it. Could the sign be wrong?
Thanks.
I agree 100% on the "The police have found the Holy Grail of easy money". My ticket cost me $216.00.
I'm sorry but whether the sign was flashing or not is irrelevant. You were still speeding according to the non flashing sign......
The police should not have mentioned the flashing light.
"me" you must be a police officer to make a statement like that... the road signs are purposely ambiguous and Dekalb county has the busiest traffic court in the entire state. That should speak for something...
I know some schools have different hours of classes etc. I know they like to take our money. A Dekalb county officer once gave me a ticket after i passed him. We stopped within a 1/2 mile or so. He said I was doing 90, while passing a cop? i'm not that stupid. I watched him floor it to come up behind me. so he made it to 90 to catch me and we stopped within a 1/2 mile, ok government employee math here. so to court to plead not guilty I go. USGA survey in hand to prove this was insane. He told the judge he shadowed me for 2 miles(followed at 90), and she said my map was inadmissible in court! huh!! i'm not one to call an officer of the law a liar, but i'm not crazy. The judge told me to shut up, and I lost, paid the driving tax...AGAIN. He was sitting on 85 N half way between Chamblee Tucker rd exit and 285, we stopped before 285.
I drive with a carchip plugged in at all times now, So I can prove speed and that i came to a complete stop or not. Will it be submittable in court?
Dekalb police department is one of the worst in Georgia. They are always there to make money of people speeding but they are never there when somebody is in a real trouble. As the above posters suggest five cops on motorbikes doing nothing only writing traffic citations for people going 10 mph over the speed limit.Oh God! Everybody goes 10 mph over the limit. Now instead of assigning these motorbike parasites to other more useful duties CEO Burrel Ellis hires addition 15 cops for something like 2 million per year. This is very hypocritical.
The answer is here The Ticket terminator has gotten over 7500 tickets dimissed in the the last 6 months. first of all paying a ticket in Dekalb is just crazy.Dekalb County is in a Finacial crisis so my Technique is simle first flood the system with jury trials. The Dekalb Police loses at least 5 officers a month that at least 60 officers a year Atlanta is even worst. it takes Dekalb at least a year to get a traffic case to court and Atlanta is far more longer.with that being said the more people that are hearing about my system is making it even more easier to beat a ticket. remember this no officer no ticket in the state Georgia.This is just one of the tactic that I am using not to mention objecting to anything the officer says in court as to SMD or a Speed Limit. Remember the Burden Of proof is A pond the State. Even when the Pros. says I Represent the state ask him for proof and watch how quick the trial comes to a HAULT as soon as the Judge tries to save him you object and say Your Honor you can't use your person knowledge in this case only to rule on the evidence presented.
Most of the Dekalb County officers are nothing but uniformed tax collectors. Six or seven years ago, I was issued a ticket for failure to stop at a stop sign, even though the officer had no view of the intersection from where he was parked. When he pulled me over, he saw that I had a Walkman in my pocket and headphones around my neck (the car radio was on, so I had no reason to be listening to the Walkman). He cited me for wearing headphones while driving, which I clearly wasn't. Had my court date not coincided with a family reunion (I hadn't seen my sister in four years), I would have fought the tickets. Instead, I took photos documenting the officer's fraud and sent them with payment for the tickets. I'm sure the photos and explanation were tossed into the trash without analysis. Still, I felt better for having done something.
This morning, en route to work along the same Decatur street, guess who stepped into my car's path? The same bloated bastard who had ticketed me years ago. He claims I was driving 39mph in a 25mph zone. Rather odd, seeing that the car immediately in front of me had passed me a few yards earlier for driving too slowly. I suspect fighting this will be futile, but I'm going to court on principle. My best guess is that Officer Taxman couldn't risk his heroic hide by stepping in front of the large vehicle he snared in his laser, since it was traveling rather fast. But the little economy car behind it posed little threat. Never mind that there's no way to prove which car the laser actually sighted.
I used to donate regularly to police charities, since I genuinely respect good cops. Next time I hear from a police benevolent association, I'll tell them I'm paid up for the next three years.
I have a question regarding Dekalb County police officers too....is it really customary, when you get pulled over, to be asked for your phone number? This was a male officer asking a male driver. Has anyone had this happen to them?
All cops are dirty pigs
You got caught ya bitch.
Why are you sucking up and knuckling under? You should fight the ticket. Go down to the law library and read up on the law and go to court to watch procedure. Don't take this lying down.
I am retired and consider myself a safe driver, and I try to obey the laws. A day ago, I received a ticket for failure to stop at a right turn of N Druid Hills on Clairmont. North Druid Hills has a right hand lane for turners with a stop sign. No one entirely stops there unless traffic is coming thru the light, and I like the car in front, slowed, checked traffic and rolled thru. I (the second car thru was stopped by the police). True, my car was not completely stopped, but I obeyed the "intent" of the law. I have since sat at this intersection and observed traffic. Out of 20 cars making a right turn at the intersection NONE came to a complete stop at the intersection. Beware drivers. This is a place where Dekalb can make money off of some of the best drivers.
I was driving down Covington Hwy and the motorcycle cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket saying I was speeding doing 60 in a 45 zone, but it was a lie, I was not speeding, I was doing 50 cause you are allowed 5 miles over the limit, but I was not speeding, so I will fight this ticket.
Ok guys here is the deal. You can complain all you like but the school zone signs are just that- signs, they don't change. Therefore the speed limit is posted 24/7, if you travel on a road it is your job to pay attention. It is not required that a speed zone (like a school) be lited. Signs are all over the roads I will dare any of you to show me a sign that is flashing, aside from the school zones. You still have to obey the posted speed. In the case JR ATLANTA said that the sign was there when he went back and looked so maybe he should pay more attention when he is driving. As far as why cops are sitting at certain areas, finding a Holy Grail and so on- It is there job to sit in any area they want and enforce any of the posted laws--it's our job to pay attention and slow down.
By the way cops can write 7 or 700 tickets they don't get anymore money than their salary dictates.
I agree a posted speed limit as well as a stop sign is something to be obeyed. A speed limit sign is there for a reason and the reason is typically a sad one. In my case however the speed limit sign is a flashing one and states in these hours it is this and otherwise it is that. The sign was not flashing when I got to the sign and when I returned they had left. I guess their shift had ended or it was just time for them to move on. Oh well so it goes.
MTM, the signs may be posted 24/7, but they say ON THE SIGN "Speed Limit: 25 When flashing."
Dekalb police are crooks all they care for is money money money , America is corrupt the judges see u as numbers not persons
I was on buford hwy in the turning lane trying to approach the middle lane, there were 2 school buses maybe 2yds in the far right lane, by the time i got over the buses takes off and as soon as caught up to the 2nd bus pull out the stop sign as if maybe someone was flagging down the bus so immediately when i saw the stop sign i stop just even with the bus and police put the light on me to tell me I ran thru bus stop which clearly I did not should I plead not guilty.
MTM is totally wrong! I went thru this with Clarkston PD. The signs where incorrect and according to the codes for Dekalb County(you can go to local library to view them in detail) They can ticket you, but they can't fine you. It was a pain in the butt, but I walk away with not having to pay the ticket.
A lot of cops, lawyers and some judges don't know the law in detail so it best to bring the codes with you to court. The assistant to the prosecutor actually had to nerve to tell me speeding is speeding. I had to explain to her no it not. That's why they change the amount of ticket three times. They want you pay for them. Like for instance, a cop(local, city, campus) can write you a ticket for speeding to under 10 miles, but over the speed limit, but here's the catch he can't fight it in court the only law enforcement agency with that authority is a state troop.
Here's a another example of a speed trap. My neighbor and I were both coming home at the same time and turn on to the same street. The cop stated I was going 42 in 25. Gave my neighbor a ticket for going 48 in 25. Here's the problem I had which I told the judge. I'm in a I have V4 and my neighbor has a V8 and she was a car space behind me. If we were going the speed the officer I stated she should have hit me in the back of my car. I also explained and showed him how that peculiar street is impossible to speed on because of the cars that usually blocking(there are only lanes) and there's a big hump when you enter that street I would have damage my undercarriage had I sped over that hump. I had not damage. I also explained I request to see the radar gun, but he would not provide it. I noted on my ticket when I signed for it. Mind you, his partner did say one word except that fact that hump did exist which the cop who wrote the ticket did not know. Once again a pain in my butt the judge dropped the ticket.
I'm taking Ticket terminator advice and giving it to a thousand of others......Dekalb County has changed and it's not about protect and serve, its more like issue bogus tickets and take the citizen money!
I was recently pulled over on panola rd. I was coming out of my sub-division and I made a quick stop at the stop sign and proceeded to turn onto panola rd before any traffic came. The offier issued me a ticket for failure to yield at a stop sign. I did stop but apparently not long enough for the officer. Maybe I have to count mississipi's before proceeding. In recent months there have been break ins in my neighborhood and I have yet to see a police in the area. They are focused more on making money than on fighting crime...
Wow! In my 30 years of driving I received 4 tickets. And not one I said I wasnt speeding..and I didntbecome an expert over the officer on speeding.
bgpappa Level 2 Commenter 3 years ago
You can fight this. Take pictures of the non flashing light. Show the Court that the police were mistaken. Besides, how did they know you were going forty five. Did they have a radar, are they qualified to use the radar, did they personally witness it? Most of the time people do not fight tickets. The ones that do have a good chance of getting out of it.