We are told in numerous scriptures that Christians are to obey and respect government authority over them and that to disobey or disrespect them is rebelling against God, who put those people in their positions of authority. That's a serious matter to God, obviously. That being the case, I suppose it would be wise to know what constitutes "disrespecting authority," would it not? Say I get pulled over by a police officer who is hard pressed to meet their speeding ticket quota (don't debate this point. I've heard from actual police officers that these do exist) and they claim I was going faster than I actually was so they can write me a ticket. However, I watch my speedometer like a hawk and I know I was going the speed limit. When they come up to my window to ask me if I know why I was stopped and I reply I don't, am I being "disrespectful" to their authority when they claim I was speeding and I tell them I'm not sure how that's possible since I look at my speedometer often and it said I was going within the speed limit? And I mean saying that in a tone of voice that is devoid of sounding snotty, snippy, etc? If I am "disrespecting" them, explain EXACTLY why that is the case. Are we not allowed to debate somebody in authority when we know they are not correct in their claims against us?
I think to some degree. Hat in hand. Often better asking as a question. Handling out tickets to someone going the speed limit? He's just gotta wait 30 seconds and a real speed limit breaker will come a long. They're a dime a dozen. Tim? You're a cop. Help us out. Back to the point. Maybe say "Really? Wow. I had cruise control on to keep me from speeding. I didn't realize it. Speed limit must have changed and I missed it. I couldn't have been speeding by much, could I? 5 mph?" I use cruise control anytime I'm going 25 mph or more. I'm always speed limit.
Yeah, anytime I'm on the freeway I use cruise control to prevent speeding and it's better for your gas mileage, too. Can't use it in town much, as traffic is too "stop and go." I think most police officers wouldn't try to claim you're speeding if you really aren't, but, like with any profession, there's always the dishonest few here and there that would. I don't know that police departments have an official ticket writing quota, but I've heard officers describe getting pressure by supervisors to write so many tickets a month to justify their jobs. Just like with any job, bosses want to know their employees are actually doing their jobs. With pressure put on them, some undoubtedly have to find means to meet the quota and that may include claiming somebody was speeding when they weren't. Let's face it, most people figure it's their word against a cop's and who is a judge more likely to believe in court should somebody contest their ticket in court? I personally think if one can keep their calm and not sound all irritated and accusatory, they aren't disrespecting the police officer by standing their ground and indicating they believed they were doing the speed limit. Of course, it likely won't matter as the officer will still probably write the ticket, but, for me, it would be the principle of things and I don't like to look weak and like I'll just whimper and roll over. If I can't convince the officer they are wrong, and they still write the ticket, I will at least have a clear conscience knowing I did nothing wrong and I will have had my say about the matter.
Gentle, respectful pushback and mentioning cruise control might get a ticket downgraded to a warning.
If you really dispute the matter, you can challenge it in court, although that is not necessarily the most convenient thing to do.
God taught us in the scriptures to obey. That's without question until the powers that be tell us to disobey. God and Peter covered that deal. Acts 5:29 As far as tickets, I haven't written a speeding ticket in 7 years. Sheriff's Office has more important things to do. Even though there's the occasional ticket or two, we have a generous threshold. Not going to tell you what that is, but you gotta be doing 20 or over if we catch you and then you get what you deserve. Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
I once got a ticket once (the only ticket I've ever gotten) for going through a red light -- it wasn't red. Paid the ticket anyway because I didn't want to argue with the cop, spend time going to court, etc. If he genuinely thought I did, then whatever; if he didn't, then I have some Davidic Psalms for him.
Shouldn't we stick up for what's right, or should we allow an injustice like that to go unanswered? What do you think the scriptures say about such situations?
20 isn't our threshold for pulling you over, but the 20 is the golden ticket to be cited to the max of the law or even worse.
God hates injustice, and I would categorise my situation under abuse of authority. Could I have fought it? Sure, if I felt it was worth it. I could have further argued with the cop, and could have gone to court, but the circumstances of my life at the time wouldn't have allowed for the latter. It was a sucky situation, so just as it's true that such injustices should be fought, it's also true that authority shouldn't abuse its power. It happened a long time ago now anyway, so it's little more than an object lesson.
The only time I got a ticket, my main thought was, "thank goodness they did not see me about 15 minutes earlier when I was really speeding."
No horse, no buggy. Just an '88 Dodge Daytona. Beautiful summer day, perfect driving weather, and heading down the Trans-Canada highway passing lines of slower moving RV's.
No horse? I thought your horse was amazing. With a touch of his mane he turns into a plane and then he turns back again when....
Now that it seems like confession time then. I remember the day in my 1969 Ford Thunderbird and my unfailing habit of trying to bust the speedometer. This isn't it, but it's identical to it except the wheels. Restored it from the ground up. 429, a Carter 4 barrel carb that was the size of a water barrel, leather seats, Emron paint job, baby moon caps, etc., etc., etc.
Sounds like my uncle. Once rode with him to pick up my grandfather from the airport. We made a 3 hour trip in 30 minutes.
If you're truly trying to follow the speed limit and you're in a margin of a few mph, I can't imagine any cop trying to pull you over for speeding. There's usually a bit of a buffer anyway because an analog speedometer isn't always accurate and so we have to eyeball things. Having said that, the speedometer on my current car is digital so I'm able to set my cruise control pretty reliably. I've never been pulled over, ever, for going a couple miles over the speed limit. I try to stay under a % overage if the road is clear and the road conditions are good. I usually set my cruise control if I think I might get a bit leadfooted, just to keep myself in check if there's not a lot of traffic. Other than that I just go with the flow of traffic and stay within allowable parameters. I mean if you have a driver's license you should know what a safe speed is, yes? You should know why speed limits exist, yes? There have been kids killed around here because of reckless speeding in residential and school zones, so I'm always going to side with a cop, even if they are trying to get quotas. I don't care, honestly. As far as I'm concerned, the officers around here are working hard to keep us safe and functioning as a community, and speed limits and stop signs and such are all part of that. It's better for me to be inconvenienced by having to keep a low speed limit or stop at a random stop sign, than it is for someone to die. Just don't speed, or just stay within allowable parameters, and no cop that I personally know is going to come after you, at least not around here. The cops around here are usually parked in areas that people are tempted to speed in and often deliberately majorly break any reasonable speed limits. They're not trying to catch anybody who's going a couple miles over. Not when there's so many major fish in the sea who are brazenly speeding, and know it. And those are the ones who need to be pulled over, because they're being reckless. Last time I was pulled over for speeding, which was well over a decade ago, I had lost track because I got distracted by a conversation with my kid. I explained that to the officer and was profusely apologetic, and he was kind enough to give me a warning. He understood that parents can sometimes lose track when they're fussing at their kids in the vehicle. Cops are just people too, yanno? If you approach them with respect and treat them like human beings, they'll usually respond in kind, at least that's been my experience.