Stopped at a light, make a last minute decision to turn and didn't signal.

Cop sees this, and pulls me over.
Asks for my license and registration, and reminds that I didn't use my signal. I give him what he asks for and wait for my summons.

A few minutes later, he comes back and says "This is 1998"? Hands me my paperwork, and starts admiring the car...lol
Tells me the car is stunning ..lol

Never gave me the summons, and gave me a warning..

Happy ending.

 

It pays to drive a classic supercar!

 

Surprised you didn't get a ticket for having good taste in a car. ha ha ha

 

Some LEO's get it, they are here to keep you safe not hassle you.

A few years ago I owned a custom Harley Sportster that I had built from the ground up, won trophies at every show I entered it in for several years. Anyway I had moved to Wrightsville Beach NC and was out on the bike, passed a local LEO going in the onsite direction while cruzin on the main drag, not speeding or doing anything wrong. A few minutes later the LEO has turned around and is behind me, just following and keeping pace with me as well as making every turn I made. I started to get a little nervous, I had a few issues that I did not want to explain the least of which was an expired state inspection decal on the bike, the other problem is I was holding a rather large amount of weed in my jacket. Well I kept my cool and headed up to the North end which is a dead end with a turn around circle, the LEO dropped back a little, I made the turn around and there he was stopped out of his car in the middle of the road waving me to pull over. Well when your busted, your busted and I mentally started to prepare for the worst.
Long story short the LEO just wanted to talk about my bike and what I had done to it, nice guy but he gave me one hell of a scare!

 

Not quite the same as a get-out-of-jail free card, but a hand car wash guy gave me a load of free loyalty stickers on my card because he liked my car

 

Years ago when I lived in TN I drove a white 94 Chevy Caprice. Looked just like the undercover units used in TN at the time. I got pulled over and he just talked about the car really, not anything speeding or otherwise. I had a plate that said LT1 9C1 which he asked what that meant. LT1 was the rpo code for the 5.7 motor at the time and 9C1 was the RPO code for Police car build. He was like cool and then as he walked away he said, oh yea slow down.

 

Same thing happened to me while making a turn from a turning lane at midnight and not a sole on the highway except the cop sitting in the side of the road. Also got a warning. I am convinced cops will stop us more frequently that any other car.

 

One of my favorite books was titled "The Speeder's Guide to Speeding." Well this caught my eye in a book store years ago so I picked it up and saw it was written by a retired NYState Trooper! The book was on the level, the author acknowleged how many times speed limits are just revenue machines for local towns, and how uncomfortable he was pulling over folks who just made a little mistake or something. He certainly was not providing a map on how to be reckless or unsafe.

Well I bought it and it has saved my *** many many times. One of the first things he stressed was to "humanize" yourself. The author commented on how many times he saw someone see him while they were speeding or somthing. Nearly always these folks did everything to pretend he wasn't there and acted like: If I just look straight ahead and ignore him like he isn't there, maybe he'll not see me. Nearly every one of them got a ticket. He was honest, they were breaking the law, he was out to catch them - They were "prey" and he was the hunter.

On the other hand, a person who saw him, looked him in the eye, gave him a friendly wave and maybe a shrug while gently correcting their action (speeding, whatever) went from "target" to "human" in the officer's mind. Now this doesn't get you out of a ticket right away but it is a giant leap in the right direction. These were the folks he might just let go and think to himself "it's your lucky day. . . ".

I remember one time I was cruising to the Hamptons in the summer. This was back in my converible Mustang days, but back to the story. I was doing 85 or 90mph, came up over a hilltop and stared right into a NY State tropper parked facing me in the middle median pointing his radar gun right at me (remember when we used to call it "taking pictures" back in the CB radio days?). I had read the book. I didn't slam on my brakes, I just raised my hand to say Hello, while I nodded my head and took my foot off the gas. I was by him by then, as you can imagine my eyes were glued to the rear view mirror. Nothing! He let me cruise right through!

When I got to the Hamptons I had a beer with a new friend of mine who was a Seargent with the Nassau County Police dept.. I told him the story and how I read the book. He corrected me imediately - I didn't get out of it by " humanizing myself" - the trooper probably thought I was an off duty officer. Turns out, this is exactly how another Police Officer would act in the same situation! Nearly every civilian will slam on the brakes, grimace, and look away.

Truth is it was right about then I remembered the author's point #1: Cops never ever give tickets to other cops, and they almost never give one to a cops spouse, son or daughter. The author made it clear: Never ever lie and pretend to be a cop, but if you act like one of the above folks without lieing, it has a subconcious effect on a policeman. These kinds of things all add up in the end. As the trooper said: every cop makes a decision in the first 10 seconds - is this guy getting a ticket or not.

Well, thought you might find interesting. Use it if you choose it. . .

John

 

Good advice, and what should be a natural reaction from a Jag driver. ^

 

Over the years I got stopped for speeding more than I liked. I agree that the first rule is don't lie to the officer. Also, be pleasant and have your paperwork ready when he gets to the car. He is going to run your license thru the Dept. of Motor Vehicles computer to see your driving history. If you are clean and have been nice; he is likely going to give you a warning.


Of course if you are out of state and hit a revenue trap, you are toast.

 

Sickrob, my comment on having your paperwork ready....never ever reach for anything while pulling over or after being stopped until the LEO asks and has clear view of what you are doing. Reaching in a glove box or other location might get a gun pointed at you.

 

Papers in my wallet not the glove box. Never had a problem in my life. Of course it may depend on where you are and what you look like. I think us old white guys driving late model Jags don't look too threatening.


Also here in N. J. carrying a gun in the passenger compartment is illegal. Obviously some do, and they usually fit the description of someone to be careful of when dealing with them on the side of the road. Again, I don't fit that description.

 

Jandreu
Rob,

FWIW, the Trooper did discuss this situation. You are correct, it warrants special attention.

Like you said, never ever reach before you explain what you are doing.


Here's the interesting point the trooper made. He mentioned that maybe your registration or something is in the glove compartment, that's OK but treat it carefully.

Say "my license is in the glove compartment", then (this is the most important point): break eye contact before you reach for it.

Apparently someone who is going for a weapon is unlikely to break eye contact - the author said that they are trained about this fact.

Thought you might find it interesting.

John

 

Trained in martial arts, I'd tell you that keeping eye contact while moving, is a sign of aggression.
I can almost guarantee that someone moving a limp, or (in this case) moving for the glove box while keeping eye contact, is hoping to keep the officer's attention on the eyes, and not his actions.

 

Thanks Anthony, I love to hear the science behind it. Lord knows my sensei never did explain that one, but it sure does make sense when you think about it that way.

John

 

Some of you may have seen my story posted elsewhere on this forum, but here it is again:

The last time I was pulled over (many years ago, for inoperative tail lights), in central Indiana, after pulling off the highway I put the car in park and leaned over to open my glove compartment, and started looking for my papers.

After several seconds of looking I heard a very serious-sounding man yell "FREEZE!". I turned my head to look out of my driver's window to see a service revolver pointed at my face. "WHAT ARE YOU GOING FOR?" he yelled, and I told him. He quizzed me about any guns or other weapons in my glove box or elsewhere in the car, and told him I had nothing of the kind.

Before we parted (no ticket, but I was forced to park my car in a nearby parking lot until I could fix the tail lights), he gave me this advice:

If you're pulled over, after putting the car in park, KEEP BOTH HANDS AT THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE THEY CAN BE SEEN, STAY CALM AND SIT STILL, AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RETRIEVE ANY PAPERS (or do anything else) UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO. Any unrequested movement in the car signals possible danger and maybe a firefight, so they will be quick to go for their revolver; I don't blame them at all.

I haven't been pulled over since then (that was a few decades ago), but if it happens again, you know exactly what I'm going to do (and not do). Don't want to get shot because the cop thinks I'm going for a gun in the glove compartment (which is what he thought).

 

That is so strange that different States have different laws and attitudes toward firearms.

Here in rural Texas (maybe in the cities also) almost everyone I know carries a firearm in the car. Rifles and Shotguns can be openly carried but handguns must be concealed unless you have a License-to-carry (LTC) then it must be in a holster.

Lately I have heard that LEOs ask if you are carrying a firearm and ask that you don't reach for it.

I keep the firearm COMPLETELY separate from the insurance/registration paperwork so that NOTHING gets the officer nervous.

Being an older white guy in Jag might help?????? I don't know.

bob

 

Neither the policeman nor the citizen can be too careful. IMO, both have reason to be scared.

If a cop pulls me over he has *no idea* who I am or what I might do. I'm among the vast majority who are law abiding and non-violent....but the cop doesn't know that.

If I get pulled over I have *no idea* who the cop is or what he might do. He's probably among the vast majority who do a good job and are not trigger-happy....but I don't know that.

Cheers
DD

 

2 years ago, a month before my wedding, my fiance and i were having dinner at my parents in my old neighborhood and then left to go see some friends. That night i was driving a blue BMW.

As we were heading to see our friends, i was driving a little faster than the city speed limit....i see the blue and red lights behind me "crap...they got me". So i pull over, turn off the car, turn on interior lights, open the window and put my hands on the steering wheel. a few minutes go by and no one approaches my window, but they are still behind me. i turn around to see what is going on and as soon as i do, i see the end of a pistol in my face.

...let me just remind you about the time period, this happened right after a FEW well known incidents about LEO shooting unarmed civilians that "might have been" dangerous.....

so, seeing this gun in my face, the officer is screaming "hands out the window". my wife is sitting next to me, she sees this and starts laughing "this has to be a joke, this cant be real, where are the cameras? who's running this prank"...she looks out her window the the officers partner has HIS gun in her face. a little excessive for a speeding ticket right? well, i wasnt going to **** anyone off...the last thing i needed was a bullet hole in my head 1 month before my wedding.

the officers pull us out, cuff my wife (who is an attourney) and start asking us "where's the gun?" immediately i know there is a little confusion here, so i remain cool and collected (with gun still in my face) and try to get to the bottom of this. My wife on the other hand is being all lawyerish asking for probable cause, asking the officers what grounds do they have? The officer just kept responding "we know it was you, we tagged your plate, we know you have a gun".

a few minutes later, we're swarmed by 5 other cop cars, the street is closed, people are watching....it was a show. they search through my car....find NOTHING. the chief comes up to me apologizing. basically what happened was there was a reported shooting and the suspect sped away in a white bmw. he said a WHITE bmw......my car....blue. not light blue, not sky blue....BRIGHT ELECTRIC BLUE.

never the less, everyone packed up and left....we were on our way. didnt get a speeding ticket haha

 

I understand above situation. Wife & I returning from a long week-end in Townsend Tn. and almost home. Observing 35MPH limit and had the flashing speed sign indicating 34 MPH. Blue Lights flashing and we pulled over into a Church P.L. 2 more cars pulled in and blocked me. Officer comes up and I lower window and he asks me to exit car. I use a cane so I raised both hands and asked to get my cane from the passenger side. He OKs and after I step out , he advises there is a report of domestic abuse. The driver and participant are in a Jag in that area. This is a small southern Tn. town and not too many Jaguars?? He then proceeds to walk to other side and wife opens her window, and he asks if there are any problems. She advised NO and he was satisfied. Walked back around my car ,then advised "Nice Looking Automobile", OK to go, sorry for stop. :-)