When Being stopped by Police
 

A few good tips to maybe avoid angering someone who could very well RUIN your entire day, week, life and so forth...

When being stopped by a squad car...

1) If you can clearly see that you violated the law or ordinance of some sort, find a SAFE, public, and roomy place to stop, like a parking lot, or the LEFT shoulder of a multi lane highway (I-94, 694, etc). Stop on the RIGHT side of a regular road (snelling, university, central etc...)
***If you cannot pull over safely, point out the window or wave to acknowlege that you plan to stop, or point in the direction of which you plan to travel to find a place to stop. And do it in a safe, but VERY prompt manner.

*Always keep your ID with you. You can be booked into jail for failure to produce ID*


*****IF YOU DOUBT YOU ARE BEING STOPPED BY A REAL OFFICER******

Slow down and pull to the shoulder, keep your speed at around 5-10mph, put your 4 way flashers on, turn on your dome light, and call 911... Tell them you've been signaled to stop by an unmarked vehicle that does not look like a regular squad car. Tell them where you are, and what city you are in... If you're on a major state road or interstate, or US highway, ask immediately for the State Patrol. Give dispatch your license plate number and description of your vehicle. Dispatch will come over the "main" channel will ask all cars if they are stopping you. The dispatcher should be able to adivse you to stop at that time... If the dispatcher says that they don't know who is stopping you, DO NOT STOP. Continue at your slow pace, and if you must stop, do it in a VERY public place like a gas station, mall parking lot, etc... Tell dispatch EXACTLY where you are, and where you plan on stopping. "I'm on highway 36 just west of 35W... I'll get off on Rice Street, and stop at the Super America."

2) Pull over as FAR as you can, even if you're half in the ditch. Shut your car COMPETLEY off, place the keys on the dash at night. Turn on your dome lights, but NEVER let your hands drop below the line of sight of the officer. Keep your hands at 10 and 2 on the wheel. Do NOT pull out your ID or insurance YET... The officer may approach slowly, and knock on your trunk. Don't be alarmed. That's so no one pops outta the trunk with an AK47 like in the movies... Hey, it happens in LA, it could happen here ;)

The officer will most likely have their hand on their side arm... Don't be alarmed, this is Standard Operating Procedure as set forth by the POST (Police Officer Standards Testing) Board. Don't be alarmed by back up either... If you've done nothing wrong, then it's because there's nothing better to do...


If you're a pasenger, keep your hands, palms relaxed, laying on your lap. Look strait ahead. Answer ALL questions honestly, because once your seperated and you lie, your story will most likely not match those of others... Then you ALL go to jail.

3) Let the officer lead the way... They'll ask you for ID and insurance. Tell them where it is, and ask if you can reach for it... "It's in my jacket here sir/mam, can I get if for you?" "I keep it in my glove compartment, can I reach for it?" Follow their directions. They may ask you if you have any weapons or drugs in the car at that time. Tell them EVERYTHING, cause they'll probably find it anyway... It's just gonna lead to an additional obstruction charge. Pipes, roaches, bumpers, one'ies, blunts, baggies, scales, pen guns, deer hunting rifles in the trunk, BB guns, nunchucks, sais, hand gernades... EVERYTHING

4) BE BRUTALLY HONEST. If you were going 76 in a 55, tell him/her that you had the cruise at 80 or so... Don't try to be funny... Just be honest. "I ment no disrespect, I just didn't see that stop sign until it was too late"


5) Do NOT argue... Try your case in court. Arguing will not get you anywhere... Don't plead, beg, or belittle yourself by crying and peeing your pants (happens every week).

6) If the officer does not fine you, THANK THEM TOO MUCH. Don't take any more of their time telling them about your aunt's new boyfriend who knew a guy who dated a cop from some town in North Dakota. I, nor anyone else in this world gives a rat's ass...

7) If the officer DOES fine you, be VERY clear and ask questions. Again, do NOT argue. Listen to his directions, and if you have ANY doubt on anything they just said, ask them questions. Better to ask a redundant question than to miss a court date. State of Minnesota suspends your DL now for late tickets. Thank the officer anyway... Piss and moan about it here... not to the officer.

8) Wait for the officer to get back into their car before you start yours again, and SIGNAL when you leave...


9) And no, I can't get you out of your tickets. So stop asking.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Damn, who pissed you off? People that do not follow those rules are pretty stupid. I've gotten out of 2 tickets simply because I followed orders and waited for his command before doing anything.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

OH! No one pissed me off... I'm just trying to keep ALL of you from becoming that other guy on the news who got his ass kicked for not stopping in Saint Paul...

Just friendly words of advice! :)

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

All seems like common sense to me.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Any tips on how to run from the cops.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Good advice kyle, stuff I always follow when im engaged in such an activity.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

JDM is a reserve officer... He's just doing his part in helping us out.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

I hear ya! I have been let go on a couple occasions myself for being respectful and following orders. Saying "sir" after everything said also helps the cause.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Good thing it was posted, now Tom has it all spelled out for him. LOL

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Yeah, Don't get caught! ;)

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Being honest to the cops has gotten me a ticket before. I was traveling 80 on a deserted highway and told him the honest truth. He came back told me he didn't radar me and that if i told him I wasn't speeding he would have let me go. He said that I confessed to speeding and was basically screwed if I tryied to fight it. I just say as little as possible now. Like if they ask me how fast I'm going I say," sorry officer I was to busy watching the road to notice."

Also if you get a ticket overpaying it 5 dollar ACTUALLY works, well at least in Iowa.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

I overpaid by $1.37 about 1 1/2 years ago; the check was never cashed and never heard word about it again. We'll find out within a few weeks if it worked for Reid...

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Same thing happened to me with a snow emergency parking ticket I recieved. I over payed and the check was never cashed. It should work. I would be surprised if it DIDNT work.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

I was watching the SPEED channel yesturday and they had a show about tickets and getting out of them. They had the one where you pay to much and than you never have to pay. Baiscly they said it didn't work anymore and will get you in more trouble.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Trying to not get tickets?

Try not speeding.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

The state has done much to remedy the "overpaid" ticket thing...

If a system shows that you overpaid, and the ticket goes unresolved, or stays in "pending"... your DL status will go to "pending". It used to stay like that for a small undetermined amount of time...

NOW, the system waits 10 days, AND THEN YOU'RE SUSPENDED...

I know this from first hand actions. I had paid a fine, but thought I had two fines on the ticket, but it was only one, so I over paid double on one check. And two months later, UMPD stopped me for DAS (driving after suspension). No ticket was issued, and I was allowed to return home.

If failure to respond to a fine is kept for more than I THINK 6 months, then a petty warrant is issued for your arrest for failure to appear.


And although honesty may get you a ticket, he did pull you over anyway, so he had to have at least THOUGHT you were speeding... I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing that cop was full of it... You'd probably been issued a ticket anway.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

I already did most of the things you listed, except the dome lights. And as for how to avoid tickets, the whole not speeding thing works really well. And instead of being brutally honest, I leave my statements open ended so the officer can suggest what I was doing, and if I was doing it I admit to it. So far I only have one ticket that stuck, and that was almost 3 years ago.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

I overpayed because I knew I was paying late but didn't know if there was a added charge here in St. Louis Co. It said nothing of it on the ticket. If I get in more trouble for giving them too much money, no amount of their pain will make me happy. I've had enough of trying to do the right thing. It always costs more and screws me in the end. I can't wait to have some more jail time for doing the right thing, again.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Do all these tips work on Japanese cops too? Oh wait wait, that's right, they don't waste time on traffic here. Instead they stick to actual crime. Maybe that's why there is basically zero crime here.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

I'm sure that works. This is the only country where the bad people are running red arrows and the good guys are beating their kids.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Sorry you've had such a bad time with Police...

I tell EVERY person I cite...

"You need to call this number on the back of the ticket to find out how much you owe for this fine. Your response is required within 21 days of tomorrow. Failure to do so can result in the suspension or revokation of your DL, and a warrant for your arrest. Do you understand?"


Call the number on the back of the ticket where it says

"Questions? Call 612 XXX or whatever...

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

JDM That list works, the majority of the time, but the thing about gettinq pulled over and going to a parking lot has gotten me told not to do that.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

The ticket was mailed in...before i knew about the whole "we think we can take your DL away" thing.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Ok i should comment because i have more expirence with the Police then JDM and i havent lived there in 6 months.
Being honest will NEVER work. If you were speeding, say Im sorry officer i was paying attention to the traffic around me and wasnt looking at my speed. Anytime you admit that you were doing something wrong that is admitting your guilty and thats all the proof they need. whether or not you were clocked doesnt matter if you admit it. I have had many many tickets in my life, but ive been let go more times then i can count. JDM you were there for one of them when i was coming back from that race at warner rd going about 110, and the cop only gave me a Expired tabs ticket because he didnt clock me (was going too fast.) i didnt admit i was guilty, i acted as if i didnt know why he pulled me over.
Thanks for the tips, but im no longer gonna get pulled over, im just gonna be for the most part, law obiding. but at least i dont get picked on out here by the police like i did in MN.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Tom, you get pulled over and picked on cause you're an idiot.

You're driving a Red Car with a big wing and a body kit. You didn't have to admit you were speeding, you passed a COP doing 110... You said it yourself.

GO AHEAD everyone, follow Tom's instructions.

Fuck Cops, Fuck Me, Fuck Everyone.

You'll all grow up someday and realize how fuckin' retarded you are...

Til then, I'll enjoy telling my stories over donuts and coffee on how I pulled you over, and then you denied you were speeding, so I wrote you a ticket for the original speed, AND those stupid LED washer lights, AND your "NOS" licesne plate frame that covers your tabs, and make fun of you for it FOREVER...

I might suck, but I don't get tickets like guys like Tom.

I'm done trying to help you retards.

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Nice post! That sounds like a fun job :)

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

It is... Sorry I went on a rant there... But for the love of Pete, it really burns my cookies when people bite the hand that feeds them. If you don't wanna take my advice, then don't. But don't bad mouth me and tell me I don't know how to do my job.

I've had more hours training than some of you have in all of your other jobs combined. I don't expect you to like cops anymore. In fact, I posted this so that those of you who hate cops will know how to BEAT them at their own game. But that's fine, take the dumb approach and be an ass to the next cop that stops you. I was young and stupid, and I've been stopped more times than you would believe. Joe Harvieux has been with me about 7 of those times. I play Mr. Nice Guy when I'm stopped. I've been stopped about 25 times since I've turned 16 (I'll sit here and cite the time and place), and I only have 3 tickets on my record.


How many do you have Tom?

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

So that's his name you cheating bastard!

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

JDM,

I agree with the things you say about being stopped by the police and how to act.

BUT, I have also been pulled over by the police recently for having Xenon headlamps in my car. The "real deal" Xenon (ballast, igniters, etc) and was given a ticket for it. I was polite, tried to explain to the officer that the Xenon headlamps are D.O.T. approved, come on all kinds of luxury vehicles and are not the "blue bulb" halogen bulbs the "ricers" put in their cars because a blue light is cool. My headlamps aren't even really blue, just a "cleaner looking" white light. If you have seen a car with real Xenons on it, you know what I'm talking about. I even have my headlamps pointed down slightly lower than normal so I know they are not shining up into anybody's eyes. I wasn't speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road or running a stop sign. Just driving to my fiance's house. The officer saw me coming, pulled over onto the side of the road to wait for me to pass, and then followed me to pull me over. I had all of my required paperwork (registration, insurance, driver's license, etc.), current and up to date with me. I was being totally polite and "yes sir" the whole time. Once I explained what type of headlamps they were, I was told by the officer that "Louisiana is going to force all of the car manufacturers that have Xenon headlamps installed at the factory recall them for downgrading back to the basic halogen headlamps." Remember that I work for a BMW service dept. We have thousands of Xenon headlamps on the road and this is not going to happen. I guess my laughing in his face when he said that didn't help either, but by that time he was almost finished writing the ticket anyway, so it didn't matter.

My point is that if an officer has already decided you're getting the ticket, you're getting the ticket. No matter how nice you are, what you say or do, even if you are right and he is wrong. I got the ticket tossed out, but it was still something I shouldn't have had to do.

Hell, I was even older than the officer writing the ticket, he should have given me some kind of senior's discount or something. :p

Things like this are what give police a bad "wrap" at times and a loss of respect.

How many people have died because somebody had L.E.D. washer nozzles? :confused:

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

You should have just said that H.I.D. headlamps were a factory option for the 98-99 Eclipses :)

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

He didn't want to hear anything I had to say, period. It was all about writing the ticket. :cool:

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Oh well, did you get out of it?

Re: When Being stopped by Police
 

Yes ;)