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Thread: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

  1. #21

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    Jul 2008
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    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Originally Posted by Kirk Gittings
    In every state, to gain more revenue, the interstate police (State Police in our state) are enforcing laws they never bothered to before to raise additional revenue.

    Originally Posted by Allen in Montreal
    Very true,
    in Montreal they are ticketing for tires that touch the curb and have put measuring tapes in squad cars to check the distance to fire hydrants and corners.
    Motorists are seen as cash cows, nothing more.

    Quote Originally Posted by AFSmithphoto View Post
    Disgusting. Is tourism revenue not considered? I gotta say I'd think twice about visiting a place that's that extreme.

    Disgusting?

    I understand this is a public forum and you want to maintain a certain level of manners and that is polite of you :-), so I will agree on disgusting (but I would say much worse or that to the 100th power!)
    Tourists are welcomed with open arms while paying their hotel room, eating in a nice resto, shopping along the boulevard, riding a Bixi public bicycle, but get in your car are you are easy meat!
    The signs are very poor here, you are an easy target for the traffic cops.
    Our mayor hates cars! Park it and walk or they will ticket you for something, anything!

    As Kirk says, these hard times mean digging up every possible ticket revenue generating thing and hammer away at the people.

    That said, stopping on the inter state was asking for it.
    You would be ticketed for that here too, but you would never be asked to pay cash on the spot.
    Last edited by Allen in Montreal; 5-May-2010 at 18:32.

  2. #22

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    Dec 1997
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    Baraboo, Wisconsin
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    7,697

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Quote Originally Posted by GSX4 View Post
    Wisconsin is VERY draconian on their trooper laws. I live in MN and carry my c/card when I venture into 'Sconny' If you are ticketed, you are expected to pay on the spot with cash or credit card. Failure to do so means you GO TO JAIL until funds are secured to pay the fine right then and there. . . .
    Where do you get that from? That's certainly not what the Wisconsin Motorists Handbook says. The Handbook says

    "If you have received a traffic ticket and simply wish to pay the fine, you may do so by sending a check or money order for the amount of the bond (the fine) to the address that is printed on the ticket. Be sure to include your driver's license number and the citation number on the check or money order." Nothing about paying on the spot or going to jail.

    Also note the absence of any reference to paying by cash or credit card, those aren't even options in Wisconsin, and note the absence of any reference to paying the police on the spot. I don't see any distinction between residents and non-residents.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  3. #23

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    Dec 1997
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    7,697

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Quote Originally Posted by Allen in Montreal View Post
    Very true,
    in Montreal they are ticketing for tires that touch the curb and have put measuring tapes in squad cars to check the distance to fire hydrants and corners.

    Motorists are seen as cash cows, nothing more.

    But in Montreal, you only pay once you enter a guilty plea or loose while contesting it in traffic court.
    To be told you must pay in cash on the spot is a fishing expedition hoping for increased fees and court costs.

    The fact he was ticketed for stopping is not at all shocking, but his cash now or straight to jail is barbaric.
    I'm not an expert on Wisconsin traffic laws, far from it. But as far as I can tell from some quick reading, Wisconsin doesn't require anything like payment on the spot or go to jail, contrary to what somebody here said. Instead, Wisconsin appears to be like every other State - get a traffic citation, pay the fine later or show up in court. From the Wisconsin Motorist's Handbook:

    "If you have received a traffic ticket and simply wish to pay the fine, you may do so by sending a check or money order for the amount of the bond (the fine) to the address that is printed on the ticket. Be sure to include your driver's license number and the citation number on the check or money order."

    Nothing about paying on the spot, nothing about going to jail if you don't pay on the spot, nothing about paying in cash, nothing about paying by credit card. I don't see any distinction drawn here between collecting from residents or non-residents.

    If someone can cite a Wisconsin statute that establishes a procedure for handling traffic violations under which the police collect a fine on the spot or send the motorist to jail I'll gladly change my mind. But as of now I think the person who said that's what Wisconsin requires was wrong.

    It's a shame that the OP violated a law and got caught. He could have chosen to not pay the ticket and gone to trial. However, a defense of "but your honor, it was an emergency stop, if I hadn't stopped I would have missed the photograph" likely wouldn't have worked.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  4. #24
    Has Been LF Photographer
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    Sep 2007
    Location
    Omaha, Nebraska
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    182

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    But just because a law is on the books does not mean you should expect it be enforced.
    I didn't know we could pick and choose which laws we wanted to obey. I learn something new every day on this forum.

  5. #25

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    Mar 2009
    Location
    Colorado / California
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    83

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Did he give you the option of paying in Dairy Products.

  6. #26

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Midwest US
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    97

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    As a born and raised Chicagoian, my family used to always vacation in Wisconsin (of course Door County). We were always warned to be cautious of the Wisconsin State Police they were known to prey heavily on out of state plates (Illinois Residents in particular).

    Sorry to hear about your troubles, though the demand for instant payment does indeed seem somewhat contrary to the law. Even if you already paid I would certainly contact the WSP with a copy of the law and file a complaint against the officer. It may not due any good, but its worth a try.

    Blumine
    Last edited by Blumine; 5-May-2010 at 18:32. Reason: Typo

  7. #27
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    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Quote Originally Posted by bobwysiwyg View Post
    The fact that he was fined on-the-spot is most likely because he was not a resident. This is common practice.
    Please list the places where it is common practice, so I can avoid going there. It is NOT common practice anywhere I have lived, or anywhere near where I have lived, and that includes at least a third of U.S. states.

    Rick "whose relatively few citations have all been no more than a summons to appear, and specifically in writing not a plea of guilty" Denney

  8. #28

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    Montreal
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    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Ellis View Post
    .....I'm not an expert on Wisconsin traffic laws, far from it. But as far as I can tell from some quick reading, Wisconsin doesn't require anything like payment on the spot or go to jail, contrary to what somebody here said.
    .......
    I can't help but wonder,
    possible scenario?

    Cop stops photog,
    photog gets lippy,
    Cop invokes rarely used article allowing a demand for instant payment due to potential high flight risk.

    Possible?

  9. #29

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Sydney Australia
    Posts
    151

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    How can 52 states have 52 different laws for road use, or am I miss reading this, In Australia we have the same rules in each, all though some have slight variations, and if an out of state motorist breaks the rule, he is advised of it and cautioned, this excluded interstate truck drivers who must know the road rules in each state, but one certain rule is the police cannot ask a driver to pay a fine on the spot, that is deemed corruption, surley that would apply in the U.S.A as well.

    David

  10. #30

    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    644

    Re: Citation for stopping to "take pictures"

    Quote Originally Posted by BetterSense View Post
    Wow. He was obviously looking to pocket the money. Was he in a real car, with an apparently real badge?

    n







    no











    noooooo :/

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