Why Brakes Were Invented

Recall a time that an officer of the law attempted to bamboozle you into paying an unjust parking ticket or moving violation. Following an unpleasant experience with the cops, most people just suck up their pride and take the ticket. But what happens when an officer goes to far, and tries to ticket you for something you didn’t even know was a law?

This very experience happened to a few unlucky teenagers in Fort Worth, Texas last week. These unfortunate juveniles were attending a party when law enforcement officers went on a ticketing rampage, targeting a good percentage of attendees vehicles. The violation? Not having their parking brake on.

How outrageous is that?

As ridiculous as it sounds, it is actually a punishable crime in the state of Texas for parking on a street without first activating your parking brake. Fort Worth Police Cpl. Tracey Knight says it may be an obscure law, but officers can and will enforce all laws.

Luckily, after fighting the ticket in traffic court, the ticket was dropped due to a lack of evidence during the instance of the violation. These teens were lucky to get away with it, but definitely learned a powerful lesson about Texan laws and its law enforcement.