Real Excuses People Have Given to Police When Stopped

There is no question the heart starts pounding faster when we see those flashing lights in our rearview mirrors when driving. Even we if haven’t done anything wrong, there is still a big sense of relief when a police car passes us with his lights on, apparently in search of bigger prey. If you do get stopped it might be helpful to know that any veteran officer will likely have your excuse for speeding before.
Here are some of the real excuses people have given for speeding. Let’s start in the U.K. where folks have an extraordinary sense of humor. With props to the Daily Mail, here are some excuses from U.K. drivers.

One British driver told police “I was trying to get away from the cops”. Perhaps honesty is not the best policy.
Another male driver said he was speeding “To try and scare my wife into shutting up.” His wife probably got the last laugh.

Yet another driver with a dog in his vehicle attempted to get out of a citation by stating the dog was a police dog. Then he changed his story to say it was a retired police dog. Ultimately he admitted it was just a dog. He was obviously barking up the wrong tree.

Bathroom emergencies are a common excuse for those attempting to get out of a ticket no matter where you drive. The Lincoln Nebraska Journal Star had asked their local police to share most used excuses and some form of bodily malfunction seemed to top the list.

Another excuse given was that the driver had just purchased new boots that were “heavier” than the driver thought. Yet another driver said his speeding was due to road rage and that he was “trying to get away from the other driver.” Some felt privileged by their familiarity with the area by stating “I always go this speed down this street.” One Lincoln driver said they were in a hurry to give blood at a blood bank. The irony is obvious.

If you are courteous and respectful and explain your situation truthfully you may have a better chance at reducing your infraction than if you are resentful, argumentative or if you get too creative. If you get stopped you are best served by rolling down your driver’s side window, placing your hands on the steering wheel (where the officer can see them), and listening to what the officer has to say. Take a breath and realize a ticket is far better than an accident that the officer may have stopped you from getting involved in.

Depending on where you live, a traffic ticket could be minimized by attending online traffic school or defensive driving course.