Erroneously charged while background check is conducted

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redferrari

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  1. Medical Student
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Okay, so I was driving on a state highway, with a posted speed of 70. As I enter a small town, I am immediately pulled over by a cop who was going in the opposite direction. He claimed that the speed limit was 55, but I was literally in the act of slowing, as the sign was about 50 yards ahead though. I explained that I was following the speed limit and that I had an open criminal background check for medical school and really didn't need the inconvenience, especially when I was following the posted limit. His quoted, straight-from-the-horse's (or should I say donkey's) mouth was 69. He comes back with a citation for 80 in a 40 and with a smirk says, "Good luck in medical school, doc."

Besides how infuriating this is, I refuse to admit guilt for something I'm not guilty of, but the judge won't give me the time of day, and has violated the Bill of Rights in regards to my rights against self-incrimination and right to a trial. He says if I don't want trouble I'll pay the fine. Not to mention the radar collection method is HIGHLY unreliable.

What should I do? I've worked way too hard to get here to have some rinky-dink backwoods little town of uneducated NASCAR loving, God-fearing inbreds take it all away from me. This is the South, where the law is not always the law and small towns have an inferiority complex for people who are more successful in life than them.

Is an attorney a wise investment, albeit unnecessary and wasteful?
 
While I do feel sorry for you, if your words with the officer matched your tone in this post I have a hunch that might have been why the uneducated donkey of a cop "inconvenienced" you more so than he needed to.

Still, best of luck. Swallow your pride and pay the fine. You'll be fine, although i feel sorry for any school that has to call you one of their own next fall.
 
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Well 2 things:

1. You absolutely acted snobby entitled brat saying you do not want an inconvenience because you have an open background check for medical school. If this is what you actually said, I would've done the same thing the officer did.

2. You got a speeding ticket. Unless this is a misdemeanor in the state it occurred, it will not come up on background checks. You understand that a significant portion of society has had a speeding ticket and that if people were to be rejected/had their acceptance rescinded for a speeding ticket, the doctor shortage would be much worse. I had a ticket in May of 2015, just had my background checks done and nothing came up.

Pay the fine, put it in the rear view mirror. Also, change the damn attitude. Those "rinky dinky, Nascar loving, god-fearing inbreds who have an inferiority complex for those who are successful" are going to be patients that you practice on. I can only imagine how you'll treat them.
 
some rinky-dink backwoods little town of uneducated NASCAR loving, God-fearing inbreds take it all away from me. This is the South, where the law is not always the law and small towns have an inferiority complex for people who are more successful in life than them.

I bet they at least know where to slow down on the highway
 
Well, you got a ticket known as "Contempt of Cop" for being an ass.

70 in a 55 is an infraction, in I believe basically every state. And ones that aren't, it's a minor misdemeanor that you have to report, but it's kind of laughed at, since every person on the Adcom committed the same crime on the way to work that day. You pay your fine, do traffic school, and pay more attention for the next 18 months till you can do traffic school again.

80 in a 40 is in the category of reckless, and is likely a misdemeanor. You might hire an attorney even if it's just for advice, you can probably get it down to a local ordinance violation (sounds like they judge is offering you that), where the podunk town collects all the money (instead of most going to the state) and it goes away. I'd make the sticking point what it's charged as, and ignore whatever fine they give you. Would you pay $1000 to make this go away? Yes. Any lawyer would tell you to do exactly that.
 
For everybody's information, I was 100% polite to the officer. I even informed him that I had a concealed and asked if I could place it on the dash in clear view and take the ammunition out. I also asked for permission to reach into my pocket to get my license. I was about as compliant as anybody could be, and he still felt the need to put ERRONEOUS information on the citation. I will not admit guilt when I am not only not guilty, but innocent.

The main reason for my sentiment is that I had to grow up in a town very similar to this one, and really hadn't been enlightened much until I went to college.

Again, I don't know why anybody has to smear me. I am just asking for advice.
 
I explained that I was following the speed limit and that I had an open criminal background check for medical school and really didn't need the inconvenience, especially when I was following the posted limit.

That's your problem. They know they've got you. And if you have a red ferrari, they know you can afford it 😛
 
For everybody's information, I was 100% polite to the officer. I even informed him that I had a concealed and asked if I could place it on the dash in clear view and take the ammunition out. I also asked for permission to reach into my pocket to get my license. I was about as compliant as anybody could be, and he still felt the need to put ERRONEOUS information on the citation. I will not admit guilt when I am not only not guilty, but innocent.

The main reason for my sentiment is that I had to grow up in a town very similar to this one, and really hadn't been enlightened much until I went to college.

Again, I don't know why anybody has to smear me. I am just asking for advice.

I mean being polite and being a snobby brat are two completely different things. A cop can pull me over and I can be nice and the whole 9 yards, but saying that him giving me a ticket is an inconvenience to me will naturally piss the guy off. Hell it'd piss any adult off.
 
For everybody's information, I was 100% polite to the officer. I even informed him that I had a concealed and asked if I could place it on the dash in clear view and take the ammunition out. I also asked for permission to reach into my pocket to get my license. I was about as compliant as anybody could be, and he still felt the need to put ERRONEOUS information on the citation. I will not admit guilt when I am not only not guilty, but innocent.

The main reason for my sentiment is that I had to grow up in a town very similar to this one, and really hadn't been enlightened much until I went to college.

Again, I don't know why anybody has to smear me. I am just asking for advice.

At the end of the day, were you charged with a misdemeanor? Or just a traffic violation?
 
I most definitely do not have a red Ferrari hahaha

Most importantly, I cannot afford it. Which is why I follow the speed limit, but that's apparently not for me to decide.

And for everybody ripping on me for what I called the people, I don't appreciate it. Not only did I grow up in a town like that, my family fits that description as well, so I can criticize my own kind. And as much as I was bullied for being smart and different as a kid, I deserve any right to have those opinions of that type of people.
 
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I most definitely do not have a red Ferrari hahaha

Most importantly, I cannot afford it. Which is why I follow the speed limit, but that's apparently not for me to decide.

And for everybody ripping on me for what I called the people, I don't appreciate it. Not only did I grow up in a town like that, my family fits that description as well, so I can criticize my own kind. And as much as I was bullied for being smart and different as a kid, I deserve any right to have those opinions of that type of people.

lel, kids these days
 
At the end of the day, were you charged with a misdemeanor? Or just a traffic violation?
I'm unsure, due to the fact that the ticket as written is in a different category than the one I was told I was being busted for.

It's really frustrating. I always follow the speed limit, I always go out of my way to help others, and I always do my best to do the right thing. However, the one time I have the slightest slip up, even though I didn't really even slip up, it might bite me to the point I lose everything.

I refuse to have this go on my insurance. So as screwed up as it is, I guess I pay the fine and do defensive driving so it gets expunged. So much for due process, which I almost feel like pursuing, because the time and effort of the court is more than they'd ever recoup in a ticket and I like to ruin people's day when they go out of the way to ruin somebody else's...

For those who gave advice without attitude or rush to judgment, thank you. For everybody else who had to slam my character, are you really any better than me?
 
And for everybody ripping on me for what I called the people, I don't appreciate it. Not only did I grow up in a town like that, my family fits that description as well, so I can criticize my own kind. And as much as I was bullied for being smart and different as a kid, I deserve any right to have those opinions of that type of people.

So you are allowed to rip on others and criticize your "own kind", but we aren't allowed to form our own opinions based on your choice of language and do the same to you?

Without any kind of evidence to back up your side of the story, it's going to come down to your word vs the officer's. I would just pay the fine and move on.
 
2. You got a speeding ticket. Unless this is a misdemeanor in the state it occurred, it will not come up on background checks. You understand that a significant portion of society has had a speeding ticket and that if people were to be rejected/had their acceptance rescinded for a speeding ticket, the doctor shortage would be much worse. I had a ticket in May of 2015, just had my background checks done and nothing came up.

I concur strongly with the above. It is highly unlikely to be a misdemeanor but rather a violation. If you were charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense, which is a crime, requires significant due process procedures by the cop. Formal arrest, rights, court, etc. Seriously, take a breath, pain the fine, and move on. It wont come up in background and by the incredibly small chance it does, simple explanation to dean will be sufficient. Everyone will have had an experience or know someone who has of a near bogus speeding ticket or contempt of cop situation.
 
So you are allowed to rip on others and criticize your "own kind", but we aren't allowed to form our own opinions based on your choice of language and do the same to you?

Without any kind of evidence to back up your side of the story, it's going to come down to your word vs the officer's. I would just pay the fine and move on.
Officer has NO evidence to suggest I was going 80. I have evidence that it was a "55" and not a 40. Therefore, I am not guilty of the charge I am accused. So sad that so many people are so willing to get played by the system and are unwilling to fight for their honor...

Judge me all you want then. I haven't used profanity. I know who I am as a person. I know where my values are. I might be guilty of judgment, but I guess we all are. At the end of the day, we are all equal in the eyes of the Creator. Maybe this ticket somehow had to be a reaffirmation of this for me.

I just talked to my attorney and he says they will probably end up dismissing it based on my clean history and the fact that the cop's chest camera doesn't correlate with his citation. Yay truth!!

Never thought a thread on SDN would turn into a spiritual revelation for me, but I guess stranger things have happened.
 
I've worked way too hard to get here to have some rinky-dink backwoods little town of uneducated NASCAR loving, God-fearing inbreds take it all away from me. This is the South, where the law is not always the law and small towns have an inferiority complex for people who are more successful in life than them.

really felt bad for you until I read this.

edit: I didn't read the rest of the post before typing this but I am happy I am not the only one that feels that you are being a child about it. I hope you learned your lesson.

In the ways of advice, I got a ticket once (different state), but when I went to court and had the privelege to hear everyone else's case in front of me, a lot of which were speeding, literally Zero, 0, Cero, zilch, nada, none won their case. Unfortunately in the ways of traffic court, it is guilty until you can damn well prove the cop was being malicious/made an error. Him lying and saying you were running 80? Guess what the judge is going to believe? you were running 80. My advice... pay the fine, move on with your medical school life. you will not be held back from med school over this, complain more about it and get more charges added on? yea, maybe that will be a problem.

anyways, good luck.
 
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6/10

Fair enough troll job that you got an ADCOM to respond. Had me until the "god fearings inbred" quote.
Not a troll. This is a real situation, unfortunately enough for everyone involved.
 
Why are you discussing your case here? If you really want to fight it, you'll have to lawyer up. Our opinions don't matter and as such, will play no role in the outcome of your case. Sometimes you just end up on the wrong side of the law and you just have to accept punishment. Recently I pulled over to a gas station because I noticed my friends keys were still in my car. I usually use auto, but turned my lights off because I was sitting in the lot trying to call him. As expected, it was a well lit gas station at evening hours and I forgot to turn my lights back on. I pulled out onto the road and within 5 seconds, noticed and put back on my lights. Too late. Pulled over and given a citation. Cop wasn't having any of it. Sometimes were just unlucky. Hopefully your case turns out well!
 
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Lol Op rattles off every stereotype he can think of about people from small towns and then can't figure out why people are "slamming him." In fact, he "doesn't appreciate it." I'm sure the Adcoms at your medical school will appreciate your language in this thread once they piece together who you are.
 
What should I do? I've worked way too hard to get here to have some rinky-dink backwoods little town of uneducated NASCAR loving, God-fearing inbreds take it all away from me. This is the South, where the law is not always the law and small towns have an inferiority complex for people who are more successful in life than them.

First of all, no medical school could possible care less about a speeding ticket. Second of all, why would you become a doctor if you have such disdain for certain people? These might be the same people that you're treating in ten years.
 
First of all, no medical school could possible care less about a speeding ticket. Second of all, why would you become a doctor if you have such disdain for certain people? These might be the same people that you're treating in ten years.

You might hate people but you still have respect for their right to life.
 
What should I do? I've worked way too hard to get here to have some rinky-dink backwoods little town of uneducated NASCAR loving, God-fearing inbreds take it all away from me. This is the South, where the law is not always the law and small towns have an inferiority complex for people who are more successful in life than them.

Some cops are less than polite, but this reads as "I have a superiority complex for anyone in a small town and perceive myself to be more successful in life than them." This is why people are taking issue. Also, coming from a small town doesn't mean you're allowed to be that judgmental.


On your question: if you have proof that the location in which he pulled you over is a 55mph zone (don't the tickets need to say the location on them?), just dispute the ticket. That's what that option is for. What do you mean the judge won't give you the time of day? Go to traffic court.
 
If the speed limit was 55, why go 70? Will you give the patient 70 mg of medicine instead of 55? Because that is very reckless!!!
 
I realize this is a serious thread but I cant help but pass on my favorite small-town cop story.

In the mid-1980s, a black friend of mine was driving a car with New York plates through a semi-rural area outside of Atlanta and was speeding. He got pulled over and out steps an officer who looks like he came from central casting for a southern, small town cop with mirrored sunglasses, big hat, slight paunch. He goes over to the car, asks for the license and registration, then rips off the sunglasses and, my friend swears to this, says : "Boy, no one goes through my county that fast." Without batting an eye, my buddy responds, "Sherman did."

He spent 12 hours in jail
 
If the speed limit was 55, why go 70? Will you give the patient 70 mg of medicine instead of 55? Because that is very reckless!!!
That's a ridiculous comparison. Nearly everyone I known has been guilty of speeding, and I'd be surprised if you haven't been at some point. None of that indicates OP nor I nor anyone else for that matter would give a patient an inappropriate amount of medication. Let's drop the sanctimony and approach the situation for what it is.

OP, your options are:
1) fight the ticket, probably lose, maybe win
2) pay the fine

Either way, your acceptance is safe. Nobody cares.
 
You remind me of a doctor I used to volunteer with. Incredibly intelligent person, but he was the most condescending SOB I have ever met. He talked down on everyone who he perceived was not as smart as him, which was pretty much all of us. In his mind, intelligence and academic achievement was the only worthwhile caliber in life, and nothing else mattered. He's a successful doc and all that, but I wouldn't want to talk to him if he was my classmate.
 
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Don't bother fighting a speeding ticket in court. You won't win. Just suck it up man. It happens to almost everyone. You don't always have to get even with people in life. Although I'd be a bit pissed off too if I were in your shoes, it's not worth the hassle. Move on.
 
I realize this is a serious thread but I cant help but pass on my favorite small-town cop story.

In the mid-1980s, a black friend of mine was driving a car with New York plates through a semi-rural area outside of Atlanta and was speeding. He got pulled over and out steps an officer who looks like he came from central casting for a southern, small town cop with mirrored sunglasses, big hat, slight paunch. He goes over to the car, asks for the license and registration, then rips off the sunglasses and, my friend swears to this, says : "Boy, no one goes through my county that fast." Without batting an eye, my buddy responds, "Sherman did."

He spent 12 hours in jail
Oh my God, you just made my day. You have no idea. I really needed a good laugh.
 
Anyone who knows me knows how seriously I take ethics. If it was Hitler who needed CPR for me to save him, I wouldn't hesitate. So that can put to rest the concern for if those people were ever my patients. I'm just upset because I have never received a ticket and I'm 24, and it's a source of great pride. I have a hard time coming to terms that small-town USA corruption will end my streak.

I do not look down on people less intelligent than myself. Neither of my parents graduated high school, so it is something I still take pride in. Putting phony information on a stranger's ticket after he was courteous enough to inform you of a LOADED WEAPON in his lawful possession shows lack of intelligence, or at least respect. Again, I never said anything condescending to him, because I have taken to the Southern charm of "not saying anything if I don't have something nice to say."

A ticket is a new experience for me. If I was certain of my guilt, I wouldn't have asked for advice here. To those who have given it, thank you. Too bad you can't enter a plea of no contest with an "under duress" attached to it.
 
And as much as I was bullied for being smart and different as a kid, I deserve any right to have those opinions of that type of people.

You sound like a giant tool my friend.

That's coming from a rural SES as well, so that gives me permission to criticize I guess.
 
I realize this is a serious thread but I cant help but pass on my favorite small-town cop story.

In the mid-1980s, a black friend of mine was driving a car with New York plates through a semi-rural area outside of Atlanta and was speeding. He got pulled over and out steps an officer who looks like he came from central casting for a southern, small town cop with mirrored sunglasses, big hat, slight paunch. He goes over to the car, asks for the license and registration, then rips off the sunglasses and, my friend swears to this, says : "Boy, no one goes through my county that fast." Without batting an eye, my buddy responds, "Sherman did."

He spent 12 hours in jail

That's a good one.

My dad used to run a group of ER's out in rural California. Rural areas which, if you aren't familiar with California, are pretty much the same as Oklahoma, especially in the 80's. One time he's driving along, cruising with traffic, and sees a police car ahead. Not even going much over the limit, just normal "reasonable and prudent" traffic speed. (think 73 in a 65.) Everyone else steps on their brakes, he just keeps going. A minute later the cop pulls him over (exact same casting, funny how that works). "Why did you stop me, I was going the same speed as everyone else." The cop says: "They slowed down when they saw me." He takes his ticket and leaves.

Later that day, the same officer is in the ER, he needs an accident report. My dad sees him from another room, and tells the desk "He doesn't get it till 8. Just keep him waiting" And so he just has to sit there, in the waiting room. For hours.

Best part, the cop never found out why they were busy and it took so long to get the report. Just some cosmic bureaucratic karma acting out in a little ER in a one traffic light cow town.
 
If this is all 100% true -- I'm normally skeptical that people, despite anonymity, tend to exaggerate the extent to which they were wronged in these types of situations -- then you should speak to an attorney. I don't know much at all about traffic law or how likely it is that a cop would have his dashcam on for this kind of traffic stop, but this would be worth asking about both to prevent potential miscarriages of justice and to save yourself a possible misdemeanor.

As for advice on what to do about this, first determine if speeding is a misdemeanor in the state in which it occurred. States are inconsistent about this so the above posters speculating that it's probably just an infraction are not helpful -- look up the actual law. If it is a misdemeanor, contact your school(s) and explain you've been charged with a traffic misdemeanor. They almost certainly wont care, but you could easily explain that you believe it to be wrong, that you are fighting it, but that you wanted them to know right away.

Oh, and when you do contact schools? You're gonna need to work really hard to not come across as a dick. Because you clearly come off that way to everyone here.
 
OP the mistake you made was telling the officer that you have a medical school background check ongoing. NEVER give someone leverage over you for no reason.

You're acting all superior to this police officer when you made the most basic of mistakes.

That said, your mistake probably won't come back to bite you. It's a speeding ticket.
 
Anyone who knows me knows how seriously I take ethics. If it was Hitler who needed CPR for me to save him, I wouldn't hesitate. So that can put to rest the concern for if those people were ever my patients. I'm just upset because I have never received a ticket and I'm 24, and it's a source of great pride. I have a hard time coming to terms that small-town USA corruption will end my streak.

I do not look down on people less intelligent than myself. Neither of my parents graduated high school, so it is something I still take pride in. Putting phony information on a stranger's ticket after he was courteous enough to inform you of a LOADED WEAPON in his lawful possession shows lack of intelligence, or at least respect. Again, I never said anything condescending to him, because I have taken to the Southern charm of "not saying anything if I don't have something nice to say."

A ticket is a new experience for me. If I was certain of my guilt, I wouldn't have asked for advice here. To those who have given it, thank you. Too bad you can't enter a plea of no contest with an "under duress" attached to it.

OP is pro-Hitler, everyone! Let's get him!
 
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As everyone has pointed out, you face an uphill battle in court given that it will be your word against the cop's. Unless you have some proof that the violation didn't take place in a 40 zone, since that would be pretty substantial evidence for your case. Nonetheless, your best bet is to find a traffic lawyer who practices locally -- that way they may have a relationship with or at least know the judge.
 
@Goro, in no way have I intended to express any lack of ownership of transgressions. With that being said, I do not intend to own transgressions that are truly not mine. After more research, it seems the officer wrote the ticket in a manner to get a maximum fine. This, I am not okay with, and I hope you wouldn't be either.

And I don't mean to sound overly conceited either. As I said, I come from a low socioeconomic background. I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. I bounced around from home to home as a child. Being able to raise my family outside those circumstances are part of my motivation in life. I do not think it has led to a level of entitlement worthy of a rejection when I otherwise wouldn't warrant such action, but then again, I guess you're in more of a position to judge that than me.
 
@redferrari, one of the most important things in this life is to know how to concede defeat and admit a mistake, even if that mistake wasn't completely yours. Take the hit, say, you're right, my bad, and you'll earn back some respect. When you get angry you lose. A lot of professional people on these forums so they expect real questions, not rants.
 
In terms of practical advice, is there any way to for you to protest the ticket? Do you know if it will turn up as a misdemeanor in your state? If so, I would just let the school know "I received a speeding ticket. I apologize." They won't drop you for that.
 
Okay, so I was driving on a state highway, with a posted speed of 70. As I enter a small town, I am immediately pulled over by a cop who was going in the opposite direction. He claimed that the speed limit was 55, but I was literally in the act of slowing, as the sign was about 50 yards ahead though. I explained that I was following the speed limit and that I had an open criminal background check for medical school and really didn't need the inconvenience, especially when I was following the posted limit. His quoted, straight-from-the-horse's (or should I say donkey's) mouth was 69. He comes back with a citation for 80 in a 40 and with a smirk says, "Good luck in medical school, doc."

Besides how infuriating this is, I refuse to admit guilt for something I'm not guilty of, but the judge won't give me the time of day, and has violated the Bill of Rights in regards to my rights against self-incrimination and right to a trial. He says if I don't want trouble I'll pay the fine. Not to mention the radar collection method is HIGHLY unreliable.

What should I do? I've worked way too hard to get here to have some rinky-dink backwoods little town of uneducated NASCAR loving, God-fearing inbreds take it all away from me. This is the South, where the law is not always the law and small towns have an inferiority complex for people who are more successful in life than them.

Is an attorney a wise investment, albeit unnecessary and wasteful?
Wow! Talk about a bad attitude. Have you ever heard about respecting authority? Too bad traffic (speeding) tickets don't show up on background checks. It would serve you right. Spend the next few months practicing some humility and respect for others.


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Honestly you sound like a d*ck. The way you talk about people is disgusting and you want to be a doctor? Is this how you will feel about your patients?


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It is a valid question I had. For turning it into a personal rant, I apologize. I received another acceptance moments ago, and it really has put things in perspective. I have it pretty darn good.

My attorney is helping me. I'll accept the results, no matter what. I just wanted to be sure this wouldn't hurt my plans to matriculate this summer. As I've had people trying to break me down at seemingly every turn and achievement in life, I get a bit defensive. I did not mean to hurt any feelings.

I apologize for my immature manner, and thank those who have offered their advice.
 
Honestly you sound like a d*ck. The way you talk about people is disgusting and you want to be a doctor? Is this how you will feel about your patients?


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Read what I wrote about how I will approach patients...

Again, I have learned my lesson about asking for advice on the Internet. I felt I had a valid concern, and asked for advice. Never did I expect to open a commentary on my character from people who have never even met me, and cannot understand my life experiences.
 
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