RCMP ticket on the way to the hospital

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Hey, so I actually looked up the turn signal regulation.  Here’s what the motor vehicle act says:

“If traffic may be affected by turning a vehicle, a person must not turn it without giving the appropriate signal under sections 171 and 172.”

Contrary to what eccentric said, traffic is defined by a moving vehicle or pedestrians. 

So if they do spring the failure to signal ticket on you, make sure you have them explain to you how your turn affected traffic.  If there’s no traffic, or your turn doesn’t affect traffic, then there’s no legal obligation to signal.

Please don’t pay the McBride Street Toll if you don’t have to.

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Like you said, MiG, there’s no mention of the requirement to stop for x number of seconds at a stop sign.  I feel like an idiot counting off 5-6 seconds at stop signs.

Tickets and penalties

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@MiG

It’s when they set up an undercover operation to write tickets that aren’t for breaking a law (ie: 2 seconds stop instead of 5 seconds stop) that it doesn’t fit in with your view, Bonecracker.  That’s just a basic shakedown.  They’re banking on the fact that most people won’t know the law, or they won’t contest the ticket.

There’s nothing in the motor vehicle act about how long you should stop at a stop sign, by the way.  So it’s not a part of the legislation.

Nobody has an issue with writing of legitimate tickets.  It’s the toll booth and shakedowns that are the problem.

I’d like to hear an official statement from the RCMP on the matter.  I find it hard to believe that their members would be encouraged to penalize motorists for something that is not an illegal act.  There are two sides to every story and I’d like to hear the other side before I pass judgement on this one.

By the way, Merry Christmas MiG.  You always challenge me with your viewpoints on many things and I appreciate that.  Have a wonderful holiday.

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we can all say what we like and give an excuse for or against this officers actions, the facts are this he pulled them over,last I checked you have to have good eyesight, so had to of seen the obvious, that she was in oh lets say LABOUR!!! Now im not sure if he gave them an escort or not, but giving this man a ticket is not what a normal human being would do, this is just being, for lack of a better word, an ASS.I would like to also comment that we need law, and rules in our society, what we dont need are individuals or groups of same that who actions or lack of, put us or our familes in danger. Ex. hinderining a medical emergency, and if you think this wasnt an emergency just ask these people if they felt that it wasnt one.

[system]

[quote=“BoNeCrAcKeR”]
I’d like to hear an official statement from the RCMP on the matter.  I find it hard to believe that their members would be encouraged to penalize motorists for something that is not an illegal act.  There are two sides to every story and I’d like to hear the other side before I pass judgement on this one.[/quote]

Well, I know three people, including a member of HTMF, who got the “you stopped, but not for 5 seconds” ticket. 

I personally witnessed the undercover thing happening on two occasions.  Once at the 4-way stop on the way to the hospital, and another time on 3rd Avenue.

I know two people, including another member of HTMF, who got the “you failed to signal your turn onto McBride, even though there was no traffic” ticket.

Neither of those is illegal.

I don’t know what the other side of the story would be.  What do you think the justification would be from the officer?  What kind of explanations?  He didn’t know the law himself?  He was being a douchebag?  He made a mistake?  He knows his position is funded by ticket revenue, so wants to write a bunch of them?  Maybe a combination of all those reasons.

What do you think the explanation for bullshit tickets is?

I mean the guy who wrote the ticket to the new father still wrote the ticket, even after he escorted them to the hospital.  He didn’t charge him with failing to stop, by the way, which would net no money for the city.  Why did he change his mind?  Did some other cop tell him to stop being a shithead and go apologize? 

Most of the RCMP officers I know aren’t douchebags at all.  Most of them are decent guys who do a great job.  Some of them are even members of HTMF, and love to use the word ‘douchebag’ which is why I’m using it so much these days.  Every dealing I’ve had with the RCMP have been decent and positive.  I recently had a cop do a great job related to an issue with an HTMF member.

So maybe one of them told this cop to stop being a jerk?

By the way, Merry Christmas MiG.  You always challenge me with your viewpoints on many things and I appreciate that.  Have a wonderful holiday.

I won’t ever admit it, ok, I will, but you changed my opinion on a few things too.  Merry Christmas!

[system]

ok, her goes my rant. I too have had many positive dealings with members of our police force, the issue this brings to mind is when is it justifiable, what are the circumstances and last but not least does these actions put a member of our public whom we are to keep safe and free at risk, I say that this member failed to do just that and he should be held accountable for his actions, an apology, sure it helps but what about next time and there will be a next time im sure!!!

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@MiG

I don’t know what the other side of the story would be.  What do you think the justification would be from the officer?  What kind of explanations?  He didn’t know the law himself?  He was being a douchebag?  He made a mistake?  He knows his position is funded by ticket revenue, so wants to write a bunch of them?  Maybe a combination of all those reasons.

What do you think the explanation for bullshit tickets is?[/quote]

I’d be interested to know if the officer was asked to penailize people for something which is not punishable under the Motor Vehicle Act by a superior officer.  I’d be intersted to know if it was a rookie cop who may not have known the Act as well as someone more experienced.  Perhaps the driver did a rolling stop but the officer incorrectly stated that he/she should have stopped for 5 or 6 seconds.  I’ve personally seen a cop lie through his teeth on the witness stand to protect his own ass, so I know that there are douchebag cops as well as anyone.  I’m not really trying to defend them but it doesn’t make any sense to me that the entire Integrated Road Safety Unit would would be conspiring to create revenue by penalizing motorists for things which aren’t illegal.  There has to be a reasonable explanation.

Let me be clear that I don’t agree with the recent incident where the father whose wife was in labour was given a ticket.  He was wrong for not stopping and I don’t blame the cop for blocking his vehicle but poor judgement was used in issuing him a ticket.
 

[quote]I won’t ever admit it, ok, I will, but you changed my opinion on a few things too.  Merry Christmas!

There is a Santa after all!  You just made my holiday.  Thanks for that. 

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@BoNeCrAcKeR

I’m not really trying to defend them but it doesn’t make any sense to me that the entire Integrated Road Safety Unit would would be conspiring to create revenue by penalizing motorists for things which aren’t illegal.  There has to be a reasonable explanation.

I was previously unaware that the “3 second rule at stop signs” is actually a fictitious construct.
Yes.  I’m curious to hear an explanation as well.

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@MiG

Well, they’re both.  The high volume of tickets is directly related to the fact that the position handing out the tickets is funded by the tickets!

They might be on an hourly wage–but I’m going to say “salary” just because it’s faster to type. My new question remains the same.

Thinking about what you said, and making the logical conclusion, it’s pretty screwy if the amount of tickets the traffic officers write directly influences the size of their salary. So there’s my question.

Do the traffic cops in Rupert work on what is, essentially, commission based on tickets written, or do the tickets help pay their salary? If the tickets are merely used to help pay a salary that would remain the same regardless of ticket volume, then it doesn’t matter–at all. If they work on ticket commission, then damn.

[system]

[quote=“eccentric”]
Thinking about what you said, and making the logical conclusion, it’s pretty screwy if the amount of tickets the traffic officers write directly influences the size of their salary.[/quote]

I don’t think I said that anywhere.  The traffic fine revenue is used to fund the traffic division.  If you look around HTMF, you’ll even find the PDF file where it explains how the revenue is used, and a comparison to the Terrace revenue.

Still, I don’t have a satisfactory explanation for why the Rupert RCMP write so many more tickets than the Terrace RCMP.

[system]

@MiG

I don’t think I said that anywhere.  The traffic fine revenue is used to fund the traffic division.  If you look around HTMF, you’ll even find the PDF file where it explains how the revenue is used, and a comparison to the Terrace revenue.

Still, I don’t have a satisfactory explanation for why the Rupert RCMP write so many more tickets than the Terrace RCMP.

Maybe they finished at the top of their class in Ticketology 101

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A new way of thinking on the issue

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Hi everyone, I am the mother who was in labour on the way to the hospital.  I just wanted to say that it was a crummy situation for all who was involved, yes we should have pulled over for the officer, but when your panicking and have a baby who really wants to come out into the world like NOW, than you lack proper judgement.  My own father is a member of the RCMP, and I just want people to know that we have the up most respect for the RCMP, and I know the officer was just doing his job.  All that matters is our little girl was born happy and healthy, and we are all doing great .

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@Abbysmom

Hi everyone, I am the mother who was in labour on the way to the hospital.  I just wanted to say that it was a crummy situation for all who was involved, yes we should have pulled over for the officer, but when your panicking and have a baby who really wants to come out into the world like NOW, than you lack proper judgement.  My own father is a member of the RCMP, and I just want people to know that we have the up most respect for the RCMP, and I know the officer was just doing his job.  All that matters is our little girl was born happy and healthy, and we are all doing great .

Welcome to HTMF, Abbysmom.   I’m happy to hear that your child is happy and healthy.

[system]

Hi AbbysMom

Well said and Congrats on the safe arrival of Abby.  You are so right, babies arrive on their schedule and panic happens ( been there done that!)  I am glad you posted in here and that you are all doing well which is the main thing.
Happy New Year!

[system]

who is this guy I woild like to contact him and give him the info on that person that drives with out a drivers license maybe he will do somthing about it