Cops don't take a shine to crying - or hexes

For anyone who's ever wanted to get into a traffic cop's mind — that would be everyone with a driver's license — Seattle police Officer Steve Pomper obliges with his new book, "Is There a Problem, Officer? A Cop's Inside Scoop on Avoiding Traffic Tickets" (The Lyons Press).

Pomper, 46 and an active-duty cop since 1992, separates the ticket-avoiding myths (crying will get you out of it) from fact (arguing with the cop is dumb), and he divulges some officers' pet peeves.

So how can people get out of tickets?

"It's more a matter of people not talking themselves into tickets. Officers may just intend to give a warning, but folks by their actions and attitudes will end up [getting ticketed]."

How?

"The primary action is they don't stop. We give a fairly decent clue when we want you to pull over, and that's the big lights on our car. Folks will try to go to a better place [to pull over]. If you keep driving, the officer's thinking, 'Are you trying to stall? Are you trying to hide something?' "

And the attitude?

"Saying something like 'Oh no, I stopped [at the intersection].' Well if you want a warning, calling the officer a liar is probably not the best thing to do."

Can I talk my way out of a ticket?

"[That] implies you're manipulating the officer. And that's pretty difficult, because they're used to that kind of thing."

What about crying?

"No, that doesn't work with me. As soon as those tear ducts flow, I'm probably gonna write you a ticket at that point."

So what does work?

"If they're responsible and contrite and understand the nature of what they did there's no reason not to just give them a warning."

Do women have a better chance of avoiding a ticket than men?

"I've found that it's pretty even. It would be disrespectful to the person if I treated them differently because of gender."

What's the strangest thing a driver ever told you?

"A woman put a hex on me. She said, 'I hex you. I hope you have a terrible day.' It was a such a mild comment for a hex."

If you're gonna use a hex you might as well go big, huh?

"I was ruining her day and she wanted to ruin mine."

Have you ever gotten a ticket?

"I've never gotten a moving violation. I've gotten one equipment violation [from a state trooper] for wearing an unauthorized motorcycle helmet."

Seriously?

"He was one of those anomalies. ... We call them 'petty tyrants.' "

Pomper will sign books at 11 a.m., June 16, at Borders, 3000 184th St. S.W., Lynnwood.

Shirleen Holt, assistant features editor