LEO's Exhaust Ticket Question

[LILJohnSVT]

The other day my wife took my truck to bring the kids to school. After dropping them off she noticed they left something in the truck so she turns around and brings it to them. When she's leaving the school the LEO is sitting across the road looking at her. As soon as she hits the road he turns on his lights ans stops her. He said he clocked her doing 35mph in a 25mph zone. And then he stated to her "I'm tired of yall running around here in that loud ass truck". So my wife says whatever and asked for her ticket he was writing. The LEO then just walks around the entire truck and starts writing more on the ticket. Well she was cited for speeding and "modification of a exhaust system". My truck has been this way for over a year and a half and is currently legally inspected. But this is what gets me, there is no other Lightnings around here so how does he know the exhaust is louder than stock. Plus he did not look under the truck to see if it was modified from stock, all he said was that the magnaflow exhaust tips was proof that i had an illeagal muffler on it. I've been stopped several times in my truck and he was the only one to say something about it. He threatened to tow the truck off if we drove it again. And after looking at the ticket he wrot e the wrong R.S. number on it. Any suggestions pay it or try to fight it? Thanks Lil John

 

[mongo57988]

Well here is my take on the whole thing:
Just because no one had ever issued you a ticket for modifed exhaust that doesnt mean your truck is legal, it is the responsibility of the owner to prove the vehicle is not in violation.... most times it is left to the officer to determine if the vehicle has a violation not an inspection facility. So thats the Police Side for me

NOW for the regular Joe side:
Now it also sounds like your wife got a little pissy with the officer and a contest of sorts was started (weather she ment to or not, and weather is was right of him to do so or not) he walked around and found other violations to "tack on")

If you want to fight the ticket you have that right, but to me fight would be the wrong approach.

Try to call the court and see if you can bring the truck down and have the exaust violation explained so you can have it fixed before the actual court date (they should want to help you with that as the goal of any citation is a change of behavior or modification of the vehicle to coform to the law)

On the speeding thing most states do offer a traffic school of sorts that will take care of the speeding ticket if you choose the less aggressive approach. I mean was she actually speeding? its very easy to go 10 mph over and not pay attention

The other option is to come to court (with the vehicle) and have the judge make a decision on both the speeding and the exhaust, but be prepared to pay both citations as you have a smaller chance of winning out right and walking away. just remember if you loose your cool with the judge you've lost the case.

you can always get a lawyer but that wont be cost effective.

Either way you should do your home work and call the court (knowledge is power) and remember the people at the court didn't write the tickets they are not the bad guy being polite is your only chance.

I hope this helps

 

[FordSVTFan]

^^Agreed^^

OP what is this R.S. number you are referring to? Most likely it can be amended if it is not material.