From: Mason Apostol on Friday, July 16, 1999
State: Pennsylvania
Story: I was driving home late one night in Malvern, a suburb of Philadelphia. I was in my new MG, which was virtually falling apart. I didn't want to stop, so I sort of rolled through a stop sign. I looked down the cross street, and about 40 yards down the road was a police car, doing his patrol.
My turn was about 70 yards down the street I was on, so i turned down it, hoping either he didn't notice me, or maybe I had given him the slip. He caught up with me right after the turn and put on his flashing lights. The officer was very polite, and cited me with a $93 ticket, which carried 3 points to it. I tried to explain the situation with my car, and he suggested i take the case to traffic court and maybe i could get the fine reduced. During the hearing, the officer told the story as if he were sitting at the intersection and he saw me roaring down the road, so he waited, in case i didn't stop. I was a little suprised by this, and so when i had the oppurtunity to question him, i asked him if he really was at the intersection, and if he was, how come he waited so long to pull me over (he put his flashers on after making two turns).
He was unable to explain why it took him so long to catch up to me, if he was right on the same turn. I stated to the judge that I was merely trying to get home before my car broke down and i had rolled through the stop sign so that i wouldn't stall. I didn't roar through it, and if I had seen another car's headlights, i would have allowed the car to stall. I then stated that either the intersection was empty, or the officer was at the intersection with no headlights on, therefore hard to see, and just as dangerous as someone rolling through a stopsign.
At this point, the officer suggested my ticket be reduced to not carry any points. The judge did not like this, since I did admit to rolling through the sign. He brought up the fact that there could have been pedestrians, who have the right of way, at the intersection. Again, pictures payed off here. I had pictures showing the absence of sidewalks or crosswalks at the intersection, and therefore did not have the right-of-way under PA law. I got off with a reduced fine and no points. Most important, I learned the power of planning and photographic evidence, especially of my 'reenactment' using headlights.
They have sworn to serve you
