Police pulled me over question

reply to post by Liquesence


Every time I've ever been in a vehicle pulled over (either passenger or driver), the first thing the officer says is "license, registration, and insurance".

1. When signaled to pull over, do so immediately.
2. Have your I.D. papers ready to be presented as the officer is approaching your vehicle.

I think your mistake was obvious. You weren't "prepared" to I.D. yourself as he approached you...you wanted a "reason" for being stopped 1st.

Since they have broad powers (sometimes fabricated, but still...)to stop you, you are supposed to I.D. yourself to officers when requested. 1st. (Motor vehicles Dept. in all areas...including your insurance company...tell drivers to immediately "surrender" you information upon request by law enforcement.)

Apparently...you didn't. You wanted a reason for the stop. That put him under question. 1st. Not a great way to assure the officer (hand on gun) that you were going to be an average citizen ...even with your kids and family obviously in the vehicle.

Heck, when we were driving from SC to PA several Christmases ago, husband driving, we got pulled over simply because it was late at night, about midnight, and we had out of state plates. His parents live on the main road through town, and he parallel parks in front of their house, but he does a loop around back through the alley so he's facing the opposite direction when he parks. The officer thought this was "odd" behavior, saw that we had SC plates, so stopped us to "investigate."

Pfft.

The cop was quite an a** at first, but then he saw we had two very young kids ( I think around 3 at the time) in the back and once he realized we were just visiting for the holidays and had been driving for 11 hours, he calmed down.

But he had no right whatsoever to pull us over. Not speeding at all, actually going slower because we were getting ready to park, no equipment malfunction, no erratic driving, nothing. He didn't care. At least you had a reason to get pulled over!

I think your mistake was obvious. You weren't "prepared" to I.D. yourself as he approached you...you wanted a "reason" for being stopped 1st.

reply to post by mysterioustranger
Irrespective if I was prepared or not to hand over my documents when he approached me I still feel I was in the right to ask why I was stopped. Obviously I not aware of any infractions on my part so it was very natural for me to be inquisitive on the nature of my stop.

I have many horror stories of cops stopping or pulling me over but I felt I handled this situation quite well, even though the cop was an ***hole.

reply to post by darkbake


Great post, Darkbake.

Additionally, as pointed out by later posters, it is also a good idea if someone else with you videotapes the entire event as well. Though police may try to claim it is illegal, the reality is that they are public officials, and as such have no expectation of privacy when performing the function that taxpayer money goes towards. This way you have two forms of evidence - your video, their audio - in the event that something is altered or fabricated.

~ Wandering Scribe

in Texas the registration and inspection is a sticker on the wind shield. So DL and insurance are what are ask to be provided. Could be some other states do the same.

CoherentlyConfused
Heck, when we were driving from SC to PA several Christmases ago, husband driving, we got pulled over simply because it was late at night, about midnight, and we had out of state plates. His parents live on the main road through town, and he parallel parks in front of their house, but he does a loop around back through the alley so he's facing the opposite direction when he parks. The officer thought this was "odd" behavior, saw that we had SC plates, so stopped us to "investigate."

Pfft.

The cop was quite an a** at first, but then he saw we had two very young kids ( I think around 3 at the time) in the back and once he realized we were just visiting for the holidays and had been driving for 11 hours, he calmed down.

But he had no right whatsoever to pull us over. Not speeding at all, actually going slower because we were getting ready to park, no equipment malfunction, no erratic driving, nothing. He didn't care. At least you had a reason to get pulled over!

I totally feel like that was the real reason we were pulled over, mainly because I apparently drove around Florida at night several times within the days before I left and there was never pulled over for the tag light which is a problem in Florida they usually pull you over quick for that. I just don't know why the heck I found it so amusing.

KUDOS to the police for pulling people over who have not committed a moving violation . i wish they would release the numbers of how many lifes are saved by the action of the police in stopping these maniacs whose plates are not illuminated . you have the right to know why they are impeding on your right to travel . you do not have to be a little kiss ass and have all your papers in hand before the police (policy) officer (office) reaches your door . you have the right to demand their i.d. , cameras are usually a good deterent to the whole bad cop syndrome , but not all cops are afraid to be filmed while acting as pirates. sometimes you take a few lumps for standing up for your rights , but knowing you stood up for your rights makes it better.

reply to post by Jaellma


I'm no expert yet, but I am studying policing, and here is what I think happened. What I think happened is that you were "detained."

In order to be detained, an LEO has to have what is called "Reasonable Suspicion." RS is what gives them the initial power to stop you, either in a car or on foot or wherever. RS is satisfied just by the officer feeling there is something "amiss."

RS differs from "Probable Cause." PC is satisfied if the LEO believes that a crime has taken place. RS only requires the officer to think something is out of place.

This part is important!>>> When you are "detained," the LEO has -no- obligation to TELL you you are detained. And the LEO also has -no- obligation to tell you when you are free to go.

IsawWHATtheyDID
KUDOS to the police for pulling people over who have not committed a moving violation . i wish they would release the numbers of how many lifes are saved by the action of the police in stopping these maniacs whose plates are not illuminated . you have the right to know why they are impeding on your right to travel . you do not have to be a little kiss ass and have all your papers in hand before the police (policy) officer (office) reaches your door . you have the right to demand their i.d. , cameras are usually a good deterent to the whole bad cop syndrome , but not all cops are afraid to be filmed while acting as pirates. sometimes you take a few lumps for standing up for your rights , but knowing you stood up for your rights makes it better.

Spot on post Isaw.

The LEO in question was on a fishing expedition, nothing more. Just fundraising for the municipality by searching motorists, looking for an excuse to fine any and everyone. The reason I think the OP only got a fix-it ticket was because the cop knew he made a mistake when he got loud and intimidating and then realized there were young children in the car. If the cop had issued a fine and the OP took it to court, the LEO's less than admirable conduct in front of children would have come out in front of a judge.

What really steams their clams is if you try to READ the fine print on the citation before you sign it.

I got into a pissing contest with a Highway Patrol over that one.

"Sign the citation"
"I'm sure I will, but there's a lot of text on here"
"It just says you'll appear at so and so"
"Well, I'm sure it does, but I'm sure you won't mind if I read what I'm signing and agreeing to first?"
"Are you refusing to sign"
"No, I'm reading it first"
"Are you refusing to sign"
"Is this a legal document?"
"Yes"
"Then you can't compel me to sign it by force under color of law, can you? I'm pretty sure that's a felony"
"You have to sign it"
"If it's a legal document, I want to see what I'm agreeing to first"
"if you don't sign it RIGHT NOW I will arrest you"
(signs it, 'under duress')
Cop scratches it out.
I file a complaint on him for altering a legal document after signature, and for compelling me to sign a legal document by force without reading it. sustained! Not that it means anything, I suppose, but it was fun doing it. Although I do recommend you taking the company lawyer along, it makes a BIG sudden step-change in attitude when they realize they just threatened you in front of an officer of the court.

For some reason, they become incensed if you try to read the thing. Then they become even more pissed if you don't immediately take their word for what it says. "If I handed YOU a document to sign, would you just sign it, and take my word for it?"

reply to post by Jaellma



You were a "bottle cap" This is in reference to old, retired guys doing beachcombing with a metal detector. When | worked patrol, | would pull folks over if someBody else (citizen) saw a violation but would always try and pull over the trash violator or the turd who would throw lit cigs. If the motorist seemed to give a dang |'d give them an option: a Sermon or citation. If they chose "Sermon" |'d discuss the violation and ways to combat it being done again. If the motorist had kids |'d get the driver out and reem them out of earshot of the kids. This would also preclude them calling the Watch Commander and complaining. Nobody ever chose "citation" and | never received a citizen complaint.

| was told by a Sgt. that not everyBody "needed" a citation and even just conducting a traffic stop would alert other driver's of a police presence, ergo, traffic enforcement w/out being "badge heavy". It would seem that it is becoming more of a division between doing the "right thing" and doing things that may be more of a financially motivated police action? |'ve been retired for 9 years now and it doesn't appear to be getting any better.

In short, there is a "letter of the law" and "spirit of the law" NOT everyBody needs a ticket and NOT everyBody needs to go to jail, but KNOW this, each time a "badge heavy broke dick" steps on His dick, there is a "good cop" that is cringing, KNOWing that He/She will have to extend their own Self even further due to other cop's actions...

Maybe w/ALL the anti-bullying education, that "future cop" that would've gotten beat up in High School, won't get beaten up therefore won't go into the police services?

To put it simply. You have no rights. If the cop wants probable cause they just have to smell something that makes them suspicious. They have no need to prove it later. If a cop wants to pull you over, you're driving erratically. If they do something wrong when they pull you over, and you make a case out of it, the dash cam will malfunction. Then it's just your word against the cops, and a cops word is worth more than yours in court.

Just be glad you weren't pulled out of your car and beaten.

reply to post by Aazadan


I really get a kick out of all the butt hurt cop-hater comments flying in this op.

He asked me if I still lived at the address on my d-license and then said my tag light was out and tag sticker was improperly placed on my tag. When pressed for more information, he said my sticker was in the middle of the tag instead of the top right. Since I knew he didn't see that when he initially turned his lights on and chased me down, he must have invented this after walking up when we pulled over. I told him my sticker had been in that spot for years without any complaints. He said Maryland laws "required them to be placed at the top corners on the tag".

When I got home I found out my tag lights (2) were out but tapped on them and they came back on.

I think it is obvious he pulled you over because your tag light was out. He didn't see the misplaced sticker when he chased you down, but he didn't need to in order to tell you it was in the wrong spot. (Didn't you say he was a young cop?) Doesn't sound like he invented the sticker issue to me. Maybe he was the first cop to notice it after all this time or maybe other cops noticed but decided not to pull you over for it, which they often do at their own discretion.

On more than one occasion I didn't learn why I was being pulled over prior to submitting my license to the officer. They are probably permitted to do it either before or after, but I can't say that for sure.

While officers enforce the law, they are also allowed a great deal of discretion in their interactions with the public. I think this contributes to our hatred of getting pulled over all together — we never know exactly what will happen, what we will say, what the officer will say and the mood he will be in.

1. When signaled to pull over, do so immediately.
2. Have your I.D. papers ready to be presented as the officer is approaching your vehicle.

reply to post by mysterioustranger


Horrible advice. Signal that you are going to pull over (turn signal) then do so where it is safe for both you and the cop (within reason don't drive for a mile). If it's night time turn on the dome light. Keep both hands on the wheel until asked for license, registration and insurance. If you start fiddling around out of sight it makes them nervous.

If they ask how you are doing say you're doing well, no sob stories. They've heard it all. Be positive and ask how their day or evening is going. If they ask if you know why you got pulled over be honest. Pepper in something about how you felt like it was safe to speed since no one else was on the road. But be honest if you know. I've been pulled over more times than I can count (yes, over 10 times, don't mock me ATS) and only have a few tickets.

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OP you have no argument here unfortunately. The cop sounds like he was a dick, but you are required to hand over license, registration and insurance. Doesn't matter if they don't initially tell you why. It's part of the contract you agree to when you get your license. If he had searched your car, that's a different story. You are required to identify yourself to a police officer and provide proof of insurance (this may not be every state) and the vehicle registration.

OP you said the guy was young. I've noticed a lot of newer cops and female cops seem to be a little, uh, overbearing (I have stronger words). I think because they want to be taken seriously and worry people will give them a hard time.

I hope you replace those lights. Headlights on older cars will do the same thing. Stop working until you smack them around a little. They'll be burned out in no time though.

This shouldn't matter, but is your car a little rough? It's wrong, but cops will target junky cars and certain types of cars expecting a certain type to be driving them. *Cough* old Dodge Caravans *cough*.

This kind of encounter really chaps my ass. It's why so many people start to dislike cops. The idiot did himself and his profession a disservice by being rude.