Been trucking for 30 years now. All of these tips are spot on. Drawing attention to yourself in any way is never good. I keep my rig polished and detailed (weather permitting) at all times. I haven’t been pulled over or into a scale for a DOT inspection in YEARS. They see a shiny truck and they know you have your shit together.
I've seen a lot of clean trucks inspected but never a dirty bullwagon . Do you think an inspector wants to crawl under a trailer that's been hauling livestock and hasn't been washed out ? I've been pulled into an inspection bay with a shinny brand new truck already. I agree with most of what you said, but having a shinny truck is not a guarantee that you won't be inspected.
I received my first driver’s license in November, 1965, when I turned 16. Since that time I have never received a single moving traffic violation during my 59 years of driving in the United States of America😎 (including a 20-year career in the criminal justice system). There are several good tips in this video to help one avoid being pulled over by the police and receiving traffic tickets. I would add to those tips my “3 second rule”. When pulling up to a stop sign, actually come to a “complete” stop and stay stopped for 3 seconds before moving forward if it is safe to enter the intersection. Avoid the proverbial “California Stop” ticket because you didn’t actually come to a complete stop! So easy to do and 3 seconds is enough time for a police officer to see you are following that particular traffic law. And how about signaling in advance of turning or making a safe lane change in traffic?
Got pulled over while driving with the flow of traffic, doing 10 to 15 over the speed limit. When I told the officer we were all going the same speed, he asked me if I had ever been fishing. When i said sure, he responded "Ever catch them all?'
A counter response could be that driving the speed limit, which is irregular to the flow of traffic poses a safety hazard for those behind as they all have to move around you. It is safer to go with the flow of traffic then to be an obstruction to said traffic. But as always the cop won't listen.
I used to drive an early 70's Dodge van, and got pulled over numerous times. Never got a ticket, but the officer always asked if I had weapons inside my van. My vehicle now is a 2001 Chevy Tahoe and never been stopped. Thanks for the great advice, Sir. Mike
You never got a ticket? Then exactly what were the lawful legitimate reasons for those stops? So would you have told him/her, yeah I just picked up a shipment of illegal weapons and transporting them across state lines.😂
Here darkly tinted windows would get a lot of attention. I'd add: Get a dash camera that records front and rear and maybe stores immediately to the cloud. In some areas it's not uncommon for cops to pull up VERY close behind you and when you accelerate even a little ("suspicious avoidance") they have "probable cause". Never take a roadside sobriety test and never consent to a search and assert your 5th Amend. right early then remain silent. Keep exact track of the length of time you're detained.
@@therighthonourabletimothy5448 Wow, you sound like a cop. Maybe knowing one's rights is a good idea because cops abuse their power, and lie and misrepresent situations and innocent people get jacked up because of it.
@@therighthonourabletimothy5448 I hope you're being satirical because if not.. Do you not know about American civil liberties and responsibilities they bring with them? Ask any civil defense attorney and they'll say what he said. He said in some places, in some places there are police who generate more then 40% of a towns revenue, in some places police will find an excuse to search your car to seize your money under Civil Forfeiture. Anyone with common sense in 2024 understands the police are here to enforce the laws and if you know what those laws are everything WholeNwon said is spot on. What exactly is suspicious about wanting EVIDENCE? Wouldn't it be worse for a criminal to have a camera system that shows they didn't stop at a stop sign, or sped, etc? This person is helping people protect themselves, you're the suspicious one for thinking it's abnormal.
Cops around here are totally focused on speed. Find a spot where the speed limit suddenly goes down to a basically unreasonable number and hang out so you can hand out tickets. The only tip you need is pay attention to the speed limit signs.
there is a place that is worst of it all. norther nevada on tribal land. going south bound. from nixon to fernly. your on a high plato legal is 75 mph. then a steep down grade, signs very close together. 65, 55, 45, 35, 25, tribal cop.
@@larryjanson4011Right! Here in AZ (as well as OK) there are many reservations where tribal cops lurk and pounce on unwary speeders. Just 6 mph over earns a speeding ticket. Especially close to (ahem) casinos.
I've been driving for 53 years and a trick I figured out when I was 19 works really well for me. That is, if a cop ever shows up behind my car I immediately pull over into the first parking lot, driveway, etc. I force him to make a decision immediately. So far I've never been stopped by any cop when I did that. However, this assumes it's not because he's already going to pull me over for speeding or something. In other words it has to be in a situation where I'm simply driving along mining my own business and there is a cop behind me. As a friend's father, who is a cop, told him, if I follow you for 5 minutes and you don't do something illegal, you're Jesus Christ. I gave the same advice to my daughters when they were driving agent we've actually even talked about how they've used it and it works.
Absolutely i didnt start driving the way he describes until 2008 haven't had a ticket since. I used to have the loudest truck in my town the flashiest i would speed i did everything you shouldn't i was also 21 years old. He is 100 on everything he said. I wish more would listen and drive this way less accidents lower insurance cost.
In Georgia, < 10MPH over isn't even any points. You still get a ticket and fine, but no points. I passed a cop once, it was on a rural road, he was doing 40 in a 55. I increased my speed to 55 and did a legal pass. Didn't get pulled over. He may have been doing a "social experiment" to see if anyone would pass him.
that, or getting anyone who passes him speeding. If he's going 15 under, than there is zero excuses to speed in order to pass. I know I drive 60 in a 70 often. I thought of 55 but feels like increases risk to self and thought of 65 but feel like I'm being an asshole, especially to trucks since I'm barely under speed limit when they want to pass. I get over 60 miles per gallon
When the cop is significantly below the legal limit, like 40 in a 55, the cop is setting the following vehicle up for a stop. If someone don't legally pass, the cop believes there may a reason. Or else hiding a reason they don't want to be better observed by the cop. They will pull off to the roadside, let the vehicle pass, then pull in behind and make a stop. Also, if you drive noticeable slower than the speed limit, you usually will be pulled over to see if you are drinking or unfit to drive or need to be wearing glasses.
Years ago in Missouri on an interstate highway I caught up to a state patrol car . My speedometer was broken and I was running by my tach. I didn't know exactly how fast he was going but I was sure he was under the speed limit. After a line of cars was backing everything up, I flipped on the turn signal and swung out into the left lane. I slowly passed him and after a short while the cars saw I wasn't getting pulled over and they too began to pass. Nobody got stopped.
I hate it when cops pull that crap... Riding in the middle lane going the speed limit, just to see if anyone will pass. Surely, they must realize they are creating a traffic hazard, which is much more dangerous that going a bit over the speed limit. Everyone is stacked up behind the cop, afraid to go around him, very dangerous traffic condition for sure.
I pass slow moving police cars on the interstate with zero worry. I have even done this around Jacksonville, Florida in a car with New Jersey playes. I pass at 8 mph over the limit then get back into the travel lane.
My 911 is loud and tuned for the track but the color blends in with the other traffic. Radar and cameras front and back. No Speed yellow or Carmine red.
In my late 20s I had a Police officer tell me to drive 5 over. "If you're driving the speed limit you're either drunk, high, or doing something you're not supposed to and I'm going to pull you over to find out what you're up to".
I can definitely see how it might play out like that, especially in a place like Phoenix where is seems no one drives the speed limit. Someone driving the speed limit does stand out to some degree.
The speed limit is a minimum. When I was learning to drive (several decades ago), the rule was, take the number on the sign and either do that, or five mph above it. Add 10, you might be okay but it's less safe. Anything over 15, you're going to lose your license. And seriously, when everyone else is speeding, someone sticking to the speed limit is genuinely a hazard to navigation. You've got to at least keep up with traffic. I've been pulled over twice with expired plates, but I finally got my act together and put the renewal month on my google calendar to remind me every year. On the plus side, I'm also too disorganized to pay my ticket by mail, so both times I actually went to the court house, and they dropped the fee, so I didn't end up paying anything. As always, be very nice to the people working behind the counter (any counter). They may be able to help or hurt you in ways you can't even imagine :)
@@terrymofmich I would think that is against the law. I believe they need reasonable suspicion that you have broke the law to pull you over. They can't just pull over anyone they want. And if you weren't doing anything wrong they had no legal reason to pull you over.
@@ToddKing If a cop wants to pull you over, they will! All they have to say is that the driver seemed to be weaving in their lane, and they pulled them over to check for DUI. I had a cop follow me for a few miles on my way home late one night. I was driving exactly the speed limit, using turn signals, etc. When I turned left, the cop said that my back tire went over the center line. When he got up to my car he asked for my "papers". I handed him everything, then said, "I don't do drugs, and I haven't been drinking. I know that's why you pulled me over." That's when he said that he saw my back tire go over the center line. He ran my license and came back and handed my everything back and told me to have a safe drive home. Not even a written "warning".
Always wear your seatbelt. Never use your phone without a hands-free device. Don't put a tinted plastic cover over you license plate. Don't blast your hip-hop at an 11 with all the windows down. So many more.
Tinted license plate covers are illegal in Canada, not sure about Yoosa. Seatbelts aren't just the law, they're a good idea--and an even better idea when you're actually in the process of crashing your car.
Those were ok and obvious. I would say: 11. Don't hang anything on your review mirror. That's an obstruction. 12. Don't place a license plate cover on your license plate front or back. 13. Place the registration sticker on the correct designated place on your plate.
I've had several cops tell me To go with the Flow of traffic. No matter the speed limit Or how fast traffic was going. They said Doing that makes me Invisible. For the record I am a truck driver for 37 years and I have always used that Concept. The only times I was ever pulled over for speeding Was when I was going faster than traffic. There have been times when traffic would be doing 15 over and I would be with them and we would be passing cops And They would never bother any of the Motorist. But just as soon as one Vehicle went passing by everybody It wouldn't be part of the road you would cheat and pull it over
I've seen that too. There's a stretch of I-80 in the Utah west-desert where the speed limit is 80 and I got fast coming down a hill, doing 93. The cop didn't even give me a ticket, he just checked the usual license, registration, and insurance. Since I wasn't riding dirty, he just told me to slow it down and watch it on the hills, it's easy to get fast coming down. Verbal warning, good to go. Locals at a nearby cafe told me that on that stretch, they're looking for the muscle-car crowd. Past 100 MPH (20 over the speed limit), that's where the fines get REALLY expensive. Keep it under 90 and they won't even give you a 2nd look. It helped that I was driving a Kia Sorento, a total mom-vehicle. I drive this stretch a lot now and put the cruise-control on 85, no worries. I usually see at least one sports car pulled over. There's been a good number of times that I've been doing my usual 85 with cruise-control on, get passed by a sports-car that leaves me standing still, and sure enough I pass him pulled over by a cop a few miles up the road.
That's the only time I ever got caught. Hwy 99 through central CA, I was passing other cars and stood out. These days I always let others go faster so they will get the ticket and not me. I call them "ticket bait".
Solid advice all around. Be safe, everyone. Also, be advised that some states - or at least mine - is a zero tolerance state when it comes to alcohol consumption. Be safe and be kind on the road. We all want to get to where we're going in one piece.
I guy I knew long ago who was in the police academy at the time said that showing unusual interest in a cop who is behind you by constantly checking your rear view mirror, or, if he is to the side of you and you're glancing over at him a lot may cause him to flag you as someone who has something to hide and is worried about being pulled over.
Had one pull me over,I was going 3 maybe 4 over. I keep going and he then waits and hauls tail after me... easily going 20-25 over.....he gets out and is going insane off the rip and asking very weird questions. Everything is up to date and my car is just older...dude was a complete weirdo. So e of them are literally just looking for random things not even in protocol. I got his badge number and reported that nut immediately.
5 месяцев назад
There are trivial things in addition to these, that were not mentioned. Example 1: when turning right at a intersection, turn into the right most lane. Swinging into another lane can get you pulled over. Example 2: driving on the line that is painted on the right side of the road, even for a few seconds..... can get you pulled over. Last time I was pulled over was due to #2 above. I drove perfect, except for 5 seconds (per dashcam review later), I drifted slightly & right tires drove on (BUT NOT PAST) the line that is painted on the right side of the residential road I was on. Officer simply gave me a verbal warning, no citation, then I was on my way. Personally I think he was just looking for a reason to pull me over to see if I was drunk (I had just departed the parking lot of a bar at 11pm.....but fortunately for me I saved the receipt from that bar (which I showed the officer) that showed I only ordered food & nonalcoholic beverages).
@@jameseverly8501 Gee, I hate to be the one to have to break the news to ya, but cops _frequently_ pull people over when when they haven't broken the law. It's a fishing expedition. Many times I myself have been pulled over for no reason -- usually late at night when I'm the only car on the road and the bored cop has nothing better to do. This has happened to many others as well, including well-known RU-vid lawyer Steve Lehto.
@@Milesco well i hate to be one to have to break news to ya but i have been driving for about 50 years and never had a major issues with the police and don't remember when was the last time i got pulled for anything and just like you I seen police everywhere but guess what that is their job police officer just don't go to their police department and stay there until they get a call they are on patrol because guess what that is what they are supposed to do wow now remember your responsible for your vehicle not the police so if you have tiniest bulb out guess what the the police have the right to pull over and guess what if you do have license plate light out and tell the officer ok i will get that fix as soon as possible and just cooperate with the police who knows you might just get a warning but cooperate with the police never comply with their instruction never all that over a license plate light out come on
If you drive noticeable slower than the speed limit, you usually will be pulled over to see if you are drinking or unfit to drive or need to be wearing glasses. Also don't drive in the fastest left-hand lane except to pass.
If I attempted to drive only 5 MPH over the speed limit - there would be an angry parade of road rage behind me. Welcome to the fast & furious Northeast.
Excellent video. I have thought about all of the points you made many times over the years and that’s the reason why I have good luck with not being stopped by the police when I’m out and about. 👍🏻🙏🏻
I agree with you generally. It would be a sad commentary that people couldn't drive the vehicles they liked, and I'm sorry you feel the need to turn to avoid encounting a patrol vehicle. As a retired officer your tips are very good. I was amazed. at first how many suspended drivers would drive about blatantly without fastened sest belts, license plates, and vehicles obviously in need of lawfully required maintenance
I had a dark blue CRV. I called it my invisible car because I could commit all kinds of traffic infractions and nobody noticed. On the other hand, people used to pull out in front of me all the time because they knew I probably had good brakes and didn't want to have a salvage title.
2:53 "If I see a police officer coming up behind me, I might even make a turn that I don't need to do, just because I don't need him behind me, scrutinizing me." The problem is that this is suspicious as hell. Cops know about this gambit, and will pay special attention to you if you turn off (especially if it's a right turn) while you're in front of them. Admittedly this is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" kind of situation, because if you _don't_ make a turn and keep driving straight, that gives the cop plenty of time to run your plates, run your driver's license, and basically do a full background check on you and your car. ☹ Unfortunately I don't really have an answer for this, other than just to avoid at all costs making a right turn when a cop is behind you. 🚔
@@Nsmithq99 1. It doesn't matter! Cops are naturally suspicious. It's in their DNA. 2. They know that when they get behind a driver who doesn't want to be scrutinized or pulled over, the first thing the driver will do is make a right turn at the earliest opportunity.
@@leslielundstrom6822 Nope! Unfortunately, that's one of the worst things you can do. Going below the speed limit is extremely suspicious -- it practically _screams_ "I don't want to be pulled over!" It's also a classic sign of drunk driving. Better to go about 5 mph _above_ the speed limit. Like what most people do. That's "normal".
Exactly. And don't have ANY fun driving. I didn't but a Mustang GT to "drive the speed limit". Here in SoCal, the normal flow of traffic (in non-traffic jam situations, which is actually pretty common), is 70 to 80 mph in the fast lane. People from an "Eastern Hemisphere" region usually drive 55, in a 65 zone. I get up to 100 mph for short bursts at times. I'm in my 60's, and have had only ONE traffic conviction in my entire life, for going about 45 in a 35 zone. You just have to pick your spots and be aware of your surroundings.
@bunsonhoneydew9099 Yes. I did a cross-country trip back in 2008. From Cali to Charleston and Savannah. I drove, and my wife flew to Charleston and back home from Savannah. I took I-40 all the way across, and I-10 coming back home. In Texas I-10 had a 80 mph speed limit when I was in the middle of nowhere. Good times.
Coming out of downtown Mpls in my wife’s Mazda M5 Miata! 70 degree spring day…I jumped on it! Cop! Pulled over! Police Officer walked up and I said “ you got me officer! I punched it”. He laughed and gave me an excessive acceleration ticket! No points on my license! I thanked him and all was well!
You might get off if you are playing " Highway Patrol " by Junior Brown. Years ago when that song came out , as I pulled on the scales at the Winterhaven , California weight station , they were playing that song over the loud speaker and were laughing . Cops do have a sense of humor.
I lasted about seven years (about 60,000 miles!) without getting pulled over. When I finally did get pulled over and ticketed for speeding at a very tricky speed trap (downhill slope, quick speed limit increase from a rural town when I was the only car on the road), I beat myself up about it pretty hard. The truth is that 99 people out of 100 probably would have made the same mistake given those unfortunate circumstances. Long story short: just remember not to be too angry at yourself if you do mess up! I turned a simple and modest speeding ticket into a heck of a lot of internal stress by not cutting myself slack.
I don't know you, but as a 30 year old man seeing this, I'm so proud of you. You keep making smart decisions. Learning more than what you need to know with anything is an intelligent decision. I have never been pulled over, I've never had a ticket but I also have a great time.
There's one thing you haven't mentioned. How to possibly avoid a ticket when caught. Scenario. Driving down a winding country road. This is a very real one from experience. Blasting past a county police officer who is perpendicular to the road taking pictures. Before he can get his vehicle moving can you pass the turn in the bend pull over. Put your emergency lights on. Get your driving documents out. Roll your window down and just sit there and wait. If it wasn't over 10 miles an hour there's a good chance the officer will give a warning. They do this once in awhile. When they're in a good mood. This is very real and encountered by experience😅😅😅.
The equipment/lights are big ones. In Florida, we have a lot of small beach communities with their own police departments. They are literally so bored, they look for ANY petty thing to stop you for. I had a vehicle that had two tag lamps, one on each side of the plate. Every month, one of them would burn out. I still had illumination but the dog and pony show I went through one night because of one burned out bulb was unbelievable. I literally began carrying extra bulbs and a phillips head screwdriver and checked those bulbs EVERY evening; replacing as needed. You can't make this up!!! Good luck to all.
I did get pulled over in Iowa for dark tint. Told the trooper my tint is legal in Colorado, where I live and where the vehicle was registered. He told me that all vehicles traveling in Iowa must comply with Iowa's laws. Wrote me a fix-it ticket, which I tossed in the trash at the next rest stop.
RalphIrvine, An exception to every rule: When traveling, i go to pains to standout at stops. "Accidentally " hitting emergency flashers for 2-4flashes, fueling in direct line of sight of the cashier, exaggerated stretching moves when getting out, etcetera. If i turn up missing, there's a video / witness trail bright enough for Stevie Wonder to follow... ☆
Didn't put the new tag on my license plate for almost four years. Never got pulled over. Also, in Colorado, I know so many people with window tint darker than the "legal" limit who never get pulled over or ticketed for it.
I was pulled over by a lady cop bec I allegedly cut her off...when I was just trying to catch the exit.😭 I got charged $105, when my ticket states only $100. Then On top of that, she asked for my SSN even when I already gave her all my paperwork. Some officers are NOT nice. #prejudice
@@adstaton8461 No shit! If a cop asks you for your SSN, ask him if his wife/daughter prefers it in the cooch or up the ass. After all, if he's a cop, he should KNOW these things.
OK, had a RED '88 Fiero.... had it about 3 years....probably had 20 or so stops. Switched to a BLACK '88 Fiero, same model....about 4 years and I recall ONE stop.
@@r90fan1 correct, but i agree with Alyssma7rin, They can say Distracting driving, took the hand of the wheel to flip them the finger. Ill keep doing it from the side walk. LOL!
All great tips for any driver. I noticed that you mentioned that you might make a turn that you didn't need to if you have a cop behind you.... Might be okay in theory but you don't want to attract attention. If the cop wants to pull you over he is already running your plate or has a plate reader doing it for them. Like most of your comments "Don't attract attention" making turns to stay off the cops radar is just going to do the opposite. Any movement or noise out of the norm for the traffic that you are in will attract unwanted attention. How do I know these things? I have had my share of tickets (LOTS) back in the day!
I think the way that the average person is most likely to get in trouble with the police is by violating traffic regulations. Just think about it. You DONT want to get caught up in the US criminal justice system at any level. It is a meat grinder that is hard to get of. I have got pulled over the most when speeds suddenly go down due to a business or residential section. So, be vigilant with the speed limit signs. -Life advice from an old dude.
So much very simple common sense. Already do every one where possible, but… Never thought about the tinting! Nice. But, if pulled over with the tinting I would absolutely roll down all the windows if I did get pulled over. I like the LEO’s to feel very safe when approaching my car.
On multilane interstate roads most all states have a law that states either slower traffic keep right or keep right except to pass. It is rarely enforced but it is sometimes. Why give the officer a good excuse to stop you? Besides, if you are in the right lane and a cop is in the middle running radar and there are cars in the lanes to your left , that radar will hit the closet car to him. It can't jump over those cars and hit you and then send the signal back up over those cars. Another lie a cop once told me is that it always hits the largest object. I laughed and told him then it must have clocked the Baptist church on the hill on the other side of me. He told me he clocked me passing a car on the right and I asked him if it was the one way down the road that passed me because it was the only other vehicle out there. The truck I was driving was licensed out of state. When he saw my drivers license he said " Oh, you're local. I don't like to stop locals". Then he turned me loose. When I told another cop about it he said he knew of the state cop and said he was crooked.
Radar very much locks on to the largest reflective surface. Churches aren't moving. Many years ago I was riding my Honda about 90 east bound on I-70 in Utah. Suddenly my radar detector went bonkers. SHIT! I quickly slowed down of course, passed the cop sitting under the overpass............and nothing happened. Pondering on this, I remembered that when the radar detector went off, I was alongside a big old U-Haul truck going around the speed limit of 70. That saved me a very expensive ticket.
@@frequentlycynical642 If you drop a rock in the water it will send out waves. When it hits the first object, it will stop sending that part of the wave any farther. So, if there is a taller object beyond the one that first got hit and stopped that part of the wave, how is it going to hit the farther object ? When radar hits an object it will send an immediate signal back. If radar only hits the largest surface, the I guess it will only catch the bombers in the distance and miss the fighters that are up close and are about to strafe them.
To sum it up, don’t be a turd. Put in other words, do everything legally, don’t drive recklessly, and be squared away, so cops have no reason to pull you over. Really kinda crazy someone needed to put this out there. There is some humor here to work with.
Just because you are obeying the law, doesn't mean you won't get pulled over. Cops have been known to make up stuff, like your tag light is out, or that you you were "left of center" in the lane, which isn't even a real thing.
I had to watch this whole video to see if you forgot something, and you did. Do not roll through a stop sign. Most people do and get away with it, but you are taking a big chance.
Impossible advice to follow. American vehicle code is so complex and so big, it would be impossible to follow all the laws. It isn't possible. And we all know Pigs use pretextual stops, lie through their corrupt teeth to get an unsuspecting motorist to incriminate themselves and bam, all hell breaks loose. Pigs love it.
You forgot #13 - Buy a radar detector. Even a cheap one will give you at least a little heads up. Yes they are not perfect and offer limited protection but it’s still another layer you could add to your daily commute. Mine has paid for its self many times over.
They don't work. Once you receive the signal on the detector and then react, you're already locked in. Plus, cops don't like seeing those. They exercise a lot of discretion with traffic enforcement, but expect to get a ticket if one is seen at a traffic stop for speed.
Waze works too. I drove cross country and every single cop parked on the side of the freeway had been marked by Waze. I'd recommend both Waze and a radar detector.
Obeying the posted speed limit is guaranteed to not get you a speeding ticket, saves gas and possibly reduces your insurance premiums. Can't tell you how many times drivers have gone flying past me and then I see them a little while later at a light or a gas station. This is true in town and on the highway. Trying to outfox the cops is not a winning strategy.
They're illegal in most countries, including Canada. They are legal in some states but if the police catch you with one expect a VERY hard time (unless the cop owns one too--many of them do, cops know better than to drive a car without a radar detector.)
You know, one thing he didn’t say. There are places and times when you’ll get bagged for the smallest violations, and the only way to be kinda safe is to drive near perfectly. And you gotta have a sense for it. Like,… driving through VA with NY plates. Like some suburbs, basically anywhere. Just the other day here in Ithaca, NY I heard they were doing a show of force on a main route, half the force there bagging anyone for the slightest. It happens many places. Bottom line, be awake and notice things. And, you know , a ticket is just a ticket if it’s not too bad. It’s life.
I worked with the RCMP as a civilian contractor for four or five years. The advice they gave included: Do not buy yellow, red or orange cars. They are the most attractive to the eye. The more aggressive the car looks, the more it draws eyes (so my mustang GT of that time was pacific green, did not have an air dam, spoiler or anything - it was a hardtop coup). If you can, get a police ball cap and put it in the back deck of your car. Won't stop you getting a ticket if you are being dangerous or speeding like mad, but they might recognize a guy with a police hat displayed in his car is less likely to be reaching for a gun to shoot cops so they might come up just a notch less wired which is good. Also, when the cops come up behind you, turn off your car, put your hands visible on the steering wheel. DO NOT get out of your car unless instructed to and if so, get out slowly with hands visible and high and go slow. Wait until the offer comes up, shines his flashlight around and then gives you instructions. At that point, if he wants to see your license/registration, and it is in the glove compartment or mid-seat storage, ask if you may open said storage slowly and get out the documents he wants to see. If he says so, do so slowly and don't panic. The less wound up you are,the more calm the officer will be. Fast moves or reaching into coats or storage could be a move for a gun so be aware those moves need to be discussed, permitted, and done at slow speed with the other hand not interfering. And even if the cop is cranky (could be having a sh*t day or having dealt with some jerks or a horrific scene), just be polite, answer his questions, and don't give him any reason to want to do more than whatever he feels appropriate. If you do have anything in your pockets, coat or the car that coudl be a weapon, advise the officer and if you have a firearm legally aboard or on your person, indicate where it is and where your licenses/documentation are. I have been nailed by the valtag thing (I was across the country, came back 5 weeks after my birthday, went across the road and a cop saw my expired valtag). I didn't fight the ticket or give the cop static - he said if it had still been in the same month, he'd have let me go with a warning and I should have been paying attention to the date, so I said thank you and I would go immediately to get it fixed. And I did. Another time, I got a ticket for 120 kph on an 80 kph country road. I had left home, was 20 minutes at 80 kph from any town, and was out of cell coverage, and my car was making 'whunk' noises that felt like the drive train was about to explode. It was out of the blue. I figured I had to try to make it to the small town to get it identified, but unlike any hundreds of other days, there was a cop on our never-sees-a-cop road. I was doing 120 kph because it was the only speed that didn't make the car feel like it would blow up. I accepted his ticket after a bit more drama (only day I've EVER forgotten my wallet at home with license and insurance, but I could give him my DL number which I memorized and I could tell him my agent in Ottawa for insurance so he called it in and they checked so he didn't give me the 'no insurance' ticket, just th speeding. I didn't mention the mechanical issue because I didn't want a tow on top of it. When I got to town to a dealer, I needed to immediately replace the main driveshaft universal joint. I had not heard it before that trip. It just got loose and only 120 kph seemed to have it in the right balance to be low noise. Be nice, respectful and don't fuss the cop and they're a bit easier (also having no priors helps). I put my mustang into the missing 4th leg of the T intersection in fog. I called the cops. They came out, saw the fog, saw the bent stop sign (which I didn't see until I was about 10 feet from the intersection because a plow or something had bent it off angle)... the cop observed the skid marks were about 6' (in the intersection) and yet only the nose was in the ditch, nothign was damaged (just couldn't back up a gravel embankment with rear wheel drive engine downwards), and the airbags did not engage, so he recognized I wasn't speeding and it was just a quirky scenario. He just called me a tow truck. Again, cooperative and reasonable. Don't give the cop a reason to go to town on you. Don't give him attitude even if he is giving it to you. Cooperate. Be honest. You might get hammered or given slack, depending on the cop's day before you came along. But giving guff won't help. And don't make the officers feel you might be combative because you don't want to escalate to pepperspray, asps, tasers, or sidearms.
Also: If you ever see a police dog off the lead, do not approach. Also do not run. The dog will chase you even if you aren't guilty and they bite and hold on. They are not family pets. One was loose in the car and bored and he chewed the antenna on the police laptop workstation installed in the car. And at least in Canada, a police dog is issued a police member ID which means injuring or killing a police dog is the same sort of crime as the same actions vs. a human police officer. Last tip: If you do happen to be going a bit quick on a back road and a cop comes into view: Foot off the gas, slowly slow down. The minute you hit the brakes, the officer gets interested. If they pass you and you nail the breaks as they pass you, they'll probably turn around. Stay off the brakes, just slow down as best as you can. Often enough the radar is off until they need it so you can sometimes slow down enough without breaks to not be interesting. And if they do turn and head back your way, don't nail the gas. Just keep driving. I've had them get a call, spin around, then pass me headed back the way they came and leaving me alone. If he wants you to pull over, he'll trigger his alternatiing headlights (wigwags) and if he must, his cherries on top. As soon as you see that, pull over on the side of the road, turn off the car, put your hands on the steering wheel (or if passenger, on the dash).
I've gotten pulled over many times for going 5 below the limit. No ticket, but annoying investigation. I keep no stuff visible in my car, as it's less for them to investigate.
When it comes to speed always try to be aware of the enforcement speed in any jurisdiction. In Texas for example many road speeds are hi but enforcement is strict. In Washington DC street speeds are low but enforcement starts at 11mph over and is mostly cameras. Many small towns in US are 25 but very strict enforcement. Observe other drivers in a new location. If everyone going slow it could be a speed trap. Being speed aware has saved me from many tickets while still being able to drive at a reasonable pace.
A lot of this varies by state. Here in NC, they aren't pissy about a lot of stuff. I rarely update my registration sticker and have had many cops behind me. They run the tag and see it's current; no need for the new sticker. Got rear-ended a few years back, and the state trooper suggested I put the new one on. In NY or Cali, I'd be under the jail.
I drive 75 to 80 mph on the freeways every day. Faster sometimes. That's what the flow of traffic is here. I have had only ONE ticket in my entire lifetime, for going around 45 in a 35 zone. I'm in my 60's. The key being aware of your surroundings, and picking your spots. I see cars going over 100 in the carpool lane QUITE OFTEN, and they seem to NOT get pulled over. On vacation, driving through little no-name podunk towns. I go 25 in the 25 zones. I know they are speed traps. Situational awareness.
It's against the law for cops to run plates without having a reason to do so first. It's called 'probable cause'. Running license plates is akin to 'checking your papers' without you knowing it. It is considered to be an unlawful use of confidential state databases.
I'm guessing that varies by state. In many states, cop cars are running automatic license plate readers that are doing a live check for stolen vehicles and other issues. Some states the that do allow it regulate what can be checked for on regular patrol vs a pull over, etc. Heck, some HOAs have license plate readers at the community entrance. Those are more scanners and recorders rather than having a link to a law enforcement database, though.
No, that's not the case. The plates belong to the state. Not you. They're in plain view. Also, it's a privelege, not a right to operate a vehicle on a taxpayer funded roadway.
SO: A Quite Hybrid/ EV Gray Station Wagon. In Dash cassette tape deck, legal limit tinted glass NO AFTERMARKET STUFF,,, that grandma only drives to the supermarket and church on Sundays. GOTTCHA!!!!!!!
Just 1 more: don’t be a jackass. Behave like a considerate, polite mature adult, treat others the way you would want t be treated. Even if you are not, fake it.
They get pulled over even when you're up.Some story about I stopped you because of the length of your nails Or other bogus excuses which have nothing to do with a pole in the law
Believe it or not, Mercedes still makes a real station wagon. About 69k stripped, but it's got that backward third street for your weird stepchildren to sit in.
I rarely get pulled over. The last time I was pulled over with several years ago and it wasn't even my car although there was a problem with the inspection through no fault of my own. Don't give them a reason to pull you over.
Yeah, people think I'm nuts for sticking around the speed limit. Well, having a 15% discount on my registration for a clean record every year more than makes up for your opinion.
I didn't buy a Mustang GT to "drive the speed limit". The normal flow of traffic where I live is 70 to 80 mph. I get up to 100 for short bursts. I am in my 60's, and have had a grand total of ONE traffic conviction in my ENTIRE LIFE. It was for going around 45 in a 35 zone! I have ALL the "good driver" discounts on my insurance, etc. The key, is picking your spots, and be aware of your surroundings. When I was on vacation once, I had a tire damaged, and while at the shop waiting for the repair, I was talking to the owner. (This was before my one and only ticket). His jaw literally dropped open when I told him about my clean driving record.
And your insurance company thinks they know how you drive. What if someone cuts in front of you and you have to slam on the brakes to avoid a wreck? Your insurance company doesn't know why you had to do it, they just assume you are a bad driver and your rates go up. Modern technology tells them everything , they just don't tell the true story and you pay for it.
I routinely encounter police officers while driving on the wrong side of the road, not wearing a seatbelt and sometimes sliding through stop signs. Yep, delivering papers in my retirement, LOL. Now, if driving on the wrong side of the road and slowing down in front of houses at 2:00 AM isn't suspicious behavior... LOL.
@@jameseverly8501 Exactly. However, one may not be breaking the law and still get pulled. As I said, I routinely encounter other officers; didn't say I was getting pulled over.
@@devilsoffspring5519 Haha! One time, it was raining so hard I could barely see (so yes, coming in the window). I blew through a stop sign as I saw a black car rounding another corner. Rain was so hard I didn't see POLICE on the side. He knew what I was doing, and just waved as we passed. Dry day; ticket.
@@devilsoffspring5519 Yes, it's a Long EZ, a wonderful traveling machine. A 1,600 mile range at 200 MPH which I demonstrated once. Hood River, OR to Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 7.5 hours , 1,610 miles nonstop with some tailwind at 17,500' for 6.5 hours. I've built two and have flown them over 2,000 hours.
