2 sides of a speeding ticket

[TheeBadOne]

Editor's Note:

Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls recently received the following e-mail from a woman stopped for speeding in his county. He chose to share the e-mail with the media in an effort to educate drivers on safe driving habits. The following is the text of the e-mail sent to Nehls followed by his response to the woman. The woman’s name was not included with the press release from Nehls.


(Dear) Sheriff Nehls:

Hi, I am just writing because I received a speeding ticket tonight on my way home from Madison. I just finished exams, and I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning in west bend so I can finish up getting some immunizations in order to get my nursing license.

I have not gotten a ticket in 4 years, and honestly had my cruise control set for under 65. I NEVER drive 10 or more over on back roads or freeways, and never over 5 over on main roads because now being 22, I learned my lesson back when I was 17 years old.

There was a car in front of me who I had been following for at least ten minutes before I was pulled over, and truthfully I am really upset because that car had progressively gotten farther and farther away from me, which only means they were going much faster than me.

My mom called me to make sure I was getting home safe because it was getting so late, and we came up to a hill and for literally 30 seconds it slipped my mind to brake because there was no one anywhere close to me, and I coasted down the hill for honestly 30 seconds. The officer said I was clocked at 71 in a 55, which I still do not believe because my cruise control was set much lower than that.

I know how the law works because I have family that was involved with law enforcement, and other family that are lawyers. I understand that cops think they can do whatever they want because they are cops and no matter what I say, it is their word over mine, but in this case I'm honestly disappointed because as soon as I got to the bottom of the hill I put on my breaks as well as did the car in front of me who had been going much faster than me. She didn’t get pulled over.

The cop asked me if I had any questions, and I asked why she wasn’t pulled over and he said she was only going about 64. At this point she was only a few yards ahead of me, and if I was going 7 miles per hour faster than this car I would have literally crashed into them.

Nothing the cop said makes sense, and I think it is shameful and cowardly that he had nothing better to say or explain to me when it didn’t make any sense at all. It would not have been possible for me to be going 7 miles faster than her without hitting her.

I was asking the cop questions and all he could say to me was “I'm not here to argue, drive safe.” And walked away. I don’t know exactly how law enforcement likes to deal with things, or thinks they are allowed to deal with things, but in most areas of profession, you deal with situations in a mature, professional manner rather than responding in a very uninterested, uncaring, tone.

Regardless of him being a cop, I am a citizen, and that does not make me any less of a person just because he is issuing me a ticket for one of the most pointless things, when no one else was around for me to even harm, and when I wasn’t going at any absurd speed, not to mention I was coasting down a hill for 30 seconds because I was distracted by someone making sure I was alright.

I slowed down within 30 seconds of being down the hill and realizing that I was going too fast. I just feel that his time could have been spent better by dealing with actual problems rather than an innocent person who has been studying for days and hours on end to finish up a nursing degree, is worn to the bone tired, and trying to make it home to take care of one more responsibility.

Not to mention I am disgusted by the way I was treated. I really am sick and tired of being treated like dirt by police officials just because they win any battle their word over mine. It really puts a bad impression on your county law enforcement, and police in general.

I am the first to admit when I do something wrong, and in this situation I feel victimized, and treated very unfairly. If there is anything I can do or anyone I can talk to about this, even if not I would really appreciate someone calling me back or writing me back..


Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls responds:

Dear .…., first and foremost the tone of your email and lack of respect for law enforcement may be one reason you received a citation. We do not pick on anybody nor are we in the business of knowing every citizens personal background to determine whom we ticket and who we do not. I appreciate you sharing your family’s ties to law enforcement and lawyers but that has no real bearing on your issue or our decisions.

We have no quotas. My staff receives no pressure to write citations, there is no motivation to just go write bogus citations.

Cruise control is a very common defense in court, one that does not hold water. Let me explain why I think you were speeding. In your email you stated you set your cruise at 65, you are already 10 mph over the posted limit and I would recommend you slow that speed down. Secondly, the way cruise controls work, they allow the car to coast only when it is exceeding the speed the cruise is set at. So by your own admission, you were going faster than 65 when you were coasting otherwise the cruise would kick on to accelerate the vehicle to 65.

As far as your perception that the officer did not care I would say that we are not in the business of debating the merits of citation on the road side. We issue citation we feel are appropriate and we allow the courts to determine the validity of the citations. The area in which you were cited has several driveway entrances and is hilly so I see the merit in the citation. The deputy that cited you has a great deal of respect from me and the entire department. He is smart, professional, and fair. It would be most interesting if drivers would put themselves in our shoes and experience our feelings when we must give a young woman such as yourself a $200.00 citation, it provides no sense of satisfaction I assure you. You state you felt disgusted and were treated like dirt but I read no verbiage that explains those allegations

I am sorry you feel so strongly and negative about law enforcement, that is of course until you call 911 and need one that is. I would recommend you go to court and I will ensure this email and your admittance of going 65 in a 55 zone will provide the judge the option of reducing the cited speed to ten over.

Good luck in your nursing career, it is a career that will require you to interact often with law enforcement. I hope by the time you find your dream job you understand the job we have to do and respect us as much as we respect and appreciate those in the nursing profession. Like you, we are out to help others as well.


Sheriff Todd Nehls

http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/FON0101/80528141

[121Traffic]

That Sheriff is to be commended.

[MacLean]

We need a few more Sheriff's like that, methinks.

[gozling]

LMAO
I loved this part of her letter, "I slowed down within 30 seconds of being down the hill and realizing that I was going too fast."
full of contradictions... and gotta love how he picked her apart

[gopherpuckfan]

I liked how she was following a car for 10 miles that kept getting further and further ahead of her, yet later she said the vehicle was only a few yards ahead of her while going down the hill.

[countybear]

Give that man a ceegar!

[Xiphos]

I liked how she was following a car for 10 miles that kept getting further and further ahead of her, yet later she said the vehicle was only a few yards ahead of her while going down the hill.

That's because she accelerated while coasting down the hill and caught up to the car in front of her. Funny how that cruise control lets you coast huh? Why is it somehow we aren't allowed to ticket people coasting down hills? Like gravity somehow overrides your ability to drive and we just have to let it ride.

I like that sheriff! He's a smart guy and brave to stick up for one of his guys.

[baumshoe]

He is the Sheriff in the county Next to us..Never met the guy, but have heard good things about him..

[Ducky]

I can't believe the cop didn't call a waaaaaambulance for that poor idiot!

[mack]

I would love to see her trying to explain all that in court, ha ha ha ha

[jcsdscott]

I can't believe the cop didn't call a waaaaaambulance for that poor idiot!

Ha! that's funny!

Seriously, you know she expected to get a break because she's a nurse, oh wait, that's right, she's still a student who mommy and daddy are probably still paying tuition....

[Probation13-901]

She is just plain and simple an idiot!!! trying debate on the side of the road.

[jcsdscott]

She is just plain and simple an idiot!!! trying debate on the side of the road.

It's more common than you think, everyone believes their excuse is good enough to avoid a ticket.

[jmur5074]

Bone tired.
Talking on a cell phone.
Coasting down a hill with the cruise set.
Wasn't watching her speed.
The vehicle in front of her was only a "few yards" away (9 feet?)


She's lucky she got a ticket and not an ambulance ride due to her tired/distracted driving, speeding, and following too closely.

[Standard Dave]

So she is driving tired and talking to her mom on the phone while driving

[Cool Breeze]

I can't believe the cop didn't call a waaaaaambulance for that poor idiot!

Remain calm. Help is on the way!

[op246]

What an idiot! I wish people would take a step back and listen to themselves sometimes....

[keith720]

It's good to see an Sheriff stick up for his troops! Oh, and she's an idiot.

[Pudge]

Kudos to the Sheriff!

And of course to the officer, I have a gut feeling she was quite the peach to deal with on the stop.

[Star Man]

Kudos to the Sheriff!

And of course to the officer, I have a gut feeling she was quite the peach to deal with on the stop.

+1 to that. She was undoubtedly a pain in the ass. Anyone who sits down and types an e-mail like that (simply one sided as all get out) clearly has a bone to pick. She was nasty at the stop and when it didn't get her anywhere she chose to try and discredit the officer to his boss. Cudos for the Sheriff seeing through the useless BS.