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Have you ever watched the Chris Rock "educational video" where he instructs us on how to avoid a ticket after getting pulled over? While that video is hilarious, it’s also very true, according to police officers across the country. As it turns out, citizens who are generally law-abiding and respectful when they do get pulled over are more likely to get a friendly warning than they are to get a hefty ticket. Police officers suggest that drivers handle getting pulled over for a traffic violation in the following ways:

  1. Play nice and don’t argue. If you act rude and arrogant, you’re more likely to get a ticket. It’s the fact of the matter that police are the law and they don’t want to be made out to be an idiot by having you argue with them about why you got pulled over.
  2. Keep it honest. Don’t lie to police either since this is also an insult to their intelligence. Police are trained to know the tell-tale signs of lying, including twitching and looking to the left. In addition, never use pejoratives to address an officer, especially a female officer who probably won’t appreciate being called "sweetheart" or "honey" when they’re trying to do their job.
  3. Stay calm. When you see flashing lights behind you, it is best to pull over to the right, stay in the car, keep your hands on the steering wheel, and turn the interior lights on if it’s dark outside. Also, don’t make any quick movements, such as reaching for your purse, putting your hands in your pocket, or opening the glove box to retrieve you license. It’s better for you to wait until you’re instructed to get your license.
  4. Don’t boast about who you know in town that could get you out of a ticket or get the officer in trouble. This move can infuriate cops, especially since there are laws that can protect an officer from getting reprimanded for giving a ticket to the mayor’s daughter, for example.
  5. Never try to buy off a cop. It’s illegal and will get you arrested.

And if you want a laugh, check out Chris Rock’s hilarious take on these tips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8

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