this8384
Jul 18, 2008, 05:47 AM
I received a speeding ticket in Big Cabin, OK approximately 3 weeks ago. The officer said he clocked me traveling 65 in a 45; I know this is untrue because when my radar detector went off, I was already in a 55 zone with my cruise set at 60. The officer took my license, ran it, and came back to my vehicle. Before explaining anything, the officer asked me to step out of the vehicle and come to the back with him(My husband was in the vehicle and is a witness to this). When I went to the back of my vehicle, the officer said he had issued me a citation for speeding. He then told me that because of an interstate compact that my state had not joined, I needed to pay my citation right there on the spot in cash. I told him I didn't have $145 in cash but that I could write him a check. He told me he couldn't accept a check because I might stop payment, and repeated that I needed to pay my ticket in cash or I was going to go to jail.
At this point, my husband opened his door at this point and asked me what was going on. I went back to our vehicle and explained to him what the officer was telling me, then returned to the officer. My husband immediately contacted Oklahoma State Patrol who transferred him to that county's department. When he explained the situation to the person at the county, they told my husband that an officer is not allowed to take cash for a ticket. They also asked for the officer's name and said they had actually fired an officer recently for accepting cash for tickets.
Eventually, the officer allowed me to sign a document stating I would be present in court for my ticket in August(which he never gave me a copy of) and let me continue on the road.
I was just going to pay the ticket and leave it alone, but I learned this morning that Big Cabin was prohibited from issuing traffic citations for 6 months back in 2005 because they had earned over 72% of their revenue from those citations. I also learned that every speeding ticket issued by Big Cabin averages about 18 mph over the "posted" speed limit. Considering that I know I wasn't speeding and that this officer spent half an hour demanding cash from me, what steps should I take next? I am going to contact the OK Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner and talk to him about this. Any advice on who else to contact?
At this point, my husband opened his door at this point and asked me what was going on. I went back to our vehicle and explained to him what the officer was telling me, then returned to the officer. My husband immediately contacted Oklahoma State Patrol who transferred him to that county's department. When he explained the situation to the person at the county, they told my husband that an officer is not allowed to take cash for a ticket. They also asked for the officer's name and said they had actually fired an officer recently for accepting cash for tickets.
Eventually, the officer allowed me to sign a document stating I would be present in court for my ticket in August(which he never gave me a copy of) and let me continue on the road.
I was just going to pay the ticket and leave it alone, but I learned this morning that Big Cabin was prohibited from issuing traffic citations for 6 months back in 2005 because they had earned over 72% of their revenue from those citations. I also learned that every speeding ticket issued by Big Cabin averages about 18 mph over the "posted" speed limit. Considering that I know I wasn't speeding and that this officer spent half an hour demanding cash from me, what steps should I take next? I am going to contact the OK Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner and talk to him about this. Any advice on who else to contact?