According to Actual Cops, This is How You Get Out of a Ticket

When you see those red and blue lights flashing in your rearview mirror you're probably about to get a ticket, but according to police officers there are a few things you can say, and do, that might soften the blow.

If you get pulled over there's a pretty good chance that you deserve it. For the most part, every time I've gotten pulled over I knew what I was doing wrong. But, even when I know I shouldn't be going 10 miles over the speed limit, a ticket still sucks. According to Thrillist.com, and actual police officers, there are a few things you can do and say to sway the odds in your favor when you get pulled over. Thrillst's Aaron Miller states, "Law enforcement is not to be taken lightly, but for minor speeding (typically less than 20mph over), an officer will use his discretion as to whether to issue a citation or let you go with a warning".

We all silently pray to the ticket Gods as a police officer makes his way to our vehicle, but here's what we really should be doing:

• Put your turn signal on as soon as possible, even if there's nowhere to pull over.  That way they know you're at least trying.
• Writing a ticket and then ripping it up only happens in movies, once they write one, they can't take it back. So, kiss up to them before they go to their car to run your info.
• Don't be short with them, but don't talk too much either.  They might get suspicious if you give a one-word answer to every question.  But they might just get annoyed if you start rambling too much.
• Try to make them laugh.  Which sounds a little risky, but apparently it works.
• Mentioning that you know a cop does work sometimes.  So if you can work it into the conversation, go for it.

Those five "get out of a ticket" tips are just a few of the ways to get let go with a warning. Now, I'm not saying these are a fool proof method, you should probably just drive safely and follow all traffic laws. But, if you do find yourself in sitting on the side of the road, fumbling for your license and registration, these tips are worth a try.

You can check out a few more do's and don'ts from Thrillist's "How to Get Out of a Speeding Ticket" list, and next time you're face to face with a possible ticket you'll know how to handle it like a champ.

[via Thrillist.com] [h/t wise brother media]