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How State Troopers Want You To Act During a Traffic Stop

caranddriver.com — We ask state troopers what they most want drivers to do during a traffic stop.

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  • rewinn, on 05/11/2008, -25/+234Very useful article. Unfortunately, it won't be read by the people who need it most ;-)
    • ufia, on 05/11/2008, -53/+88"Nobody tells me what to do. I do what I want! Get off my face you ***** pig. I know my constitution. Are you detaining me? Are you detaining me? Are you detaining me? Am I free to go? Am I free to go? Am I free to go? Am I free to go? Are you detaining me? Are you detaining me?"

      *ZZZAAAAAPP*

      "Ouch! Don't tase me bro! What have I done? HELP! HEEELP!! I've been tasered for no reason. Police brutality! Somebody help me!!"
      • bruce86, on 05/11/2008, -11/+81As much of a huge ass dick that guy was in that border patrol video, he was in his rights to do so. The officer would still be in the wrong by tazing him. You still have to up hold the.... i dunno what is it called???? the LAW!

        Tazing someone because he was mean to you or hurt your feelings is the most petty and ***** things a person can do. We should all be shaming these officers that use their position to be smug and commit their own personal vendetta.

        Boo f**king Hoo, someone you barely know is mad at you for giving them a ticket. Get over it or quit being a police officer.
      • Skooma714, on 05/11/2008, -9/+16Hey. You should be happy they are extorting money from you!
        • schuder, on 05/11/2008, -5/+10I'm pretty damn sick of the state at this point. First they make me sign up for health insurance with an "affordable" plan (aka $200+ a month) and then I get a $210 speeding ticket for going 86 in a 65 at 3AM after being passed by two staties going eaily 110 MPH+. I admitted my wrong immediately, "Know why I pulled you over." "Going a little fast sir." and still got the ticket, so being truthful and apologetic doesn't work. In Mass at least they have competitions of who can get the most tickets.
          Granted I was "wrong", but 86 is not terribly fast during a straight shot in the middle of the night with no one on the road.
          • Whaines, on 05/12/2008, -3/+7Twenty miles over the speed limit is a little hard to just issue a warning...
          • morguth, on 05/12/2008, -2/+6Depends on where the 20 miles over the speed limit is. Busy highway surrounded by sky scrapers? Sure. Desolate highway with nothing around? Not really.
          • schuder, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1Desolate highway, but I mean no break whatsoever. I didn't expect a warning, but didn't even knock down the speed at all.
      • misterhat, on 05/11/2008, -3/+28Do you understand the difference between being pulled over for a moving violation vs. being stopped at a random checkpoint? You really can't see why people would be upset at one but not the other?

        Anyways, I bet you many who willingly show their ID to a border patrol checkpoint will at the same time give a cop hell for pulling them over.
      • djlosch, on 05/11/2008, -34/+321) not rolling my window down all the way - only an inch
        2) not telling him about my lawfully carried gun
        3) not answering any questions at all. by law i only have to produce ID when asked.
        4) not handing him any of my papers/id. putting them flat against the glass.
        5) not pulling over anywhere except at a gas station where there are cameras. i'll put my blinkers on and drive 5 miles if i have to.
        6) i'm turning on my cell's recorder too, and reminding the cop that he's being recorded
        7) repeatedly asking "am i free to go". if he says yes, i leave, if he doesn't answer, i ask again until he answers. if he says no, i say "i want my lawyer", show him my wrists so he can handcuff me, and then sue him and the city for false imprisonment, assault, and filing for a restraining order.
        • 15thPD, on 05/11/2008, -18/+15Little douche.
        • slvrbullet87, on 05/11/2008, -4/+13A case you lose instantly, when you ask to talk to your lawyer, they take you "downtown" to wait for him. They do this so that everything can be recorded by both sides and to keep the cop from having to wait three hours on the side of the road. You would be laughed out of court
        • tech42er, on 05/11/2008, -9/+8Good, legal plan. But then he will brutalize you for being a douche. You can't win.
          • AKBryant54, on 05/11/2008, -3/+17Your Honor, I had no choice but to brutalize him, he was being a douche! He kept exercising his constitutional rights, what the hell else was I supposed to do? Stupid citizens need to learn some respect.
        • andrewthrice, on 05/11/2008, -4/+3I lol'd. Dugg up. Obviously a joke.
        • smitty22, on 05/11/2008, -3/+10False imprisonment only works against citizens who detain others, the police can arrest you for failure to obey an officer & I'm sure that you'll have failed to do something.. In this case, being a douche is just insuring you'll be getting arrested & laughed out of court when you try and bring your tort claims.
          • Inquisition, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Failing to answer questions that the officer asks is NOT against the law. Even before a ticket or arrest warrant is issued, you do have the right to remain silent. Of course that won't win you any points with the cop, but you do have that right. And I certainly don't believe that ADMITTING that you were speeding is smart in any situation. If you did want to take the ticket to court, the officer would happily volunteer that you CONFESSED to the crime-- case closed!
        • MellerTime, on 05/11/2008, -0/+6@smitty22 False imprisonment most certainly works against police officers.

          Of course you have to prove that he had no probable cause or reasonable suspicion to "detain" you, which is probably a losing battle in most cases.
        • asforme, on 05/11/2008, -2/+16Here's an excellent video on why you shouldn't even talk to the police: http://www.regent.edu/admin/media/schlaw/LawPrevie ...

          If I'm in a state where I am not required not to I will not tell you about my gun nor will I willingly allow you to take it, unless of course you put your own gun and tazer in your car.

          Secondly, no I will not tell you where I've been, where I'm going and I will not admit to speeding. That's just stupid.
          • etherreal, on 05/11/2008, -1/+2Excellent vid. A post that actually provides evidence, love it!
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1That was an incredible lecture. Facts from both sides of the law, lawyers and police officers. Both sides agree: do not talk to the police.
        • bearcat8543, on 05/11/2008, -7/+3no wonder black people always get arrested by the police with this kind of stupid ass mentality. no respect at all...
        • TheFinaleofSeem, on 05/11/2008, -2/+9Or here's an idea: Be courteous and polite and you may well just get off with a warning! Nah, be a mouthy ass, because that's sure to save you a lot of trouble down the road!
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+3Acting within your rights and being polite are not mutually exclusive.
        • Mononuclear, on 05/11/2008, -0/+2depends on your state laws. In my state if you conceal carry it is law that you must inform an officer that you are carrying if you are pulled over.
        • SolitarySoviet, on 05/12/2008, -7/+2@ 15thPD I don't see what your issue is... those are perfectly fine suggestions for protecting your rights and freedoms, so I don't know why you would be against it but then again...

          You STINK of cop.... and maybe you don't like the idea of needlessly hassling people to be any harder than it already is.... taken from profile:

          Robert J. Wilhelm (cop sounding name and even included the middle initial to sound superior
          and 15thPD (15th Police department?) but then I read this

          "I'm an ex-grunt construction worker with 2 kids, an ex-wife, and alimony. If I seem disgruntled, it's because I am. I have a ***** life and would welcome death."

          I HOPE TO GOD you really aren't a cop because the last thing we need is yet another mentally unstable American male with a gun...
    • EtherGnat, on 05/11/2008, -2/+19It helps too. I've seen this list or a similar one before, and I'm positive it's gotten me out of at least one ticket. I've been let go with a warning a few times times, and on one occasion the officer specifically thanked me for doing some of the things mentioned in this article.
      • NSMike, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I haven't seen this list or similar ones before, but the one time I have been pulled over, it probably did help... The guy issued a ticket for "failure to obey traffic control devices" rather than a speeding ticket, and it cut the fine in half, and I didn't get any points on my license.
    • source1984, on 05/11/2008, -23/+7bad comment. who are you to say who will or won't read it?? some of the stuff in there is pure crap, "the officer would APPRECIATE IT if you shut up and put your hands on the wheel like a little trick and took your ticket and cried home" OF COURSE HE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. an altogether bad article -- common sense.
      • scotticus, on 05/11/2008, -7/+13You're a jackass. Every time a cop pulls someone over, he/she runs the risk of being attacked or shot at. Doing the right thing by the trooper will likely lead to him cutting you a break on your violations.
        • mangusp57, on 05/11/2008, -3/+4Every time we pull over for someone we don't know we run the risk of being attacked or shot. So pray it's just a board government thug following his masters orders.
    • mike17032, on 05/11/2008, -18/+4I wouldnt do number 1 unless they ask you to, a lot of officers dont like having you turn your car off.

      Because if it doesnt turn back on after you are done, now they have more work to do (happens more than you would think). Let them tell you to turn it off if they want you to.
      • ratsg, on 05/11/2008, -3/+24Let me get this straight. You've been pulled over, which is:

        * wasting your time
        * cost you $$$ in what ever ticket you are issued

        And now you want everyone to sit there and idle away US $3.50++ a gallon gas. Try again. Talk about adding insult to injury...
        • wolferz, on 05/12/2008, -3/+2For christ sakes I can leave my fricken MUSTANG running idle for 8 hours and not lose more than 3 gallons of gas... 15 minutes doing the same wouldn't even be a measurable amount. Perhaps you should change your air filter BEFORE the decade is up.
          • ratsg, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1Its the principal of the thing, gas prices aside. Law enforcement aside, we pay their salaries, and they are there for us, not the other way around.

            Unless your community is different from most, your local finest should have something like "to protect and server", or something similar painted on the side of their Crown Vic or Dodge Charger. Check it out.
    • TheDarkstarter, on 05/11/2008, -11/+128I think this article also assumes that all troopers are honest, civil, non-power-tripping-jerks.
      • PigGeneral, on 05/11/2008, -22/+15I would agree that most are honest, civil, and non-power-tripping when treated politely.
        • skinjester, on 05/11/2008, -6/+19character is defined by how someone behaves under pressure - when they are wearing a badge, especially so.
        • rockchops, on 05/11/2008, -5/+7what is your sample size for the basis of your belief?
        • nepalikakro, on 05/11/2008, -1/+4I saw your username and lold.
      • Kzoo, on 05/11/2008, -4/+6I have no other evidence, so I have to assume you assume they're not. I guess I just don't have enough experience with police officers, but I still find it hard to believe the majority are as they seem to be most often described. I will continue to believe most are civil until I have evidence that says otherwise (much like any other group that has members capable of acting in different ways, and generally a very vocal or outrageous few get all the attention for those groups).
        • MellerTime, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4In my personal (admittedly more extensive than I'd like) traffic-stop experience, they have not been the most civil. How much of this stems from the fact that they're potentially fearing for their lives or ready for a confrontation, I have no idea. I do know one instance where a cop was a total jerk and I later found out that several of my extended family members knew him and thought he was a great, funny, kind-hearted guy.

          Also, on the more recent experiences where I've wised up some and started doing many of these things (particularly turning on the overhead lights), the cops have seemed visibly more at ease.
        • smotpoker, on 05/12/2008, -3/+2You have to remember these police aren't just some random sample of the general population. Many have similar background/experiences/hobbies/training before joining the force. When half (or more) come from a military or were in high-school together and factor in how much time seeming like a prick can save when they've already decided your guilt, it becomes easier to see how/why they end up covering for each other or end up making bad situations worse once they start to perceive whoever they are dealing with as "the enemy" or someone who probably has done something bad recently anyway and deserves a lesson, despite legit doubt of guilt.
        • wolferz, on 05/12/2008, -2/+4A lot of people have it in their head that the cop is going to be rude before they even see his face. They set themselves up to be apprehensive and tense when the cop comes... things he has been trained to pick up on. Then they will often.. without even realizing it... be curt or even rude to the cop. Then end up jumping at little things he says like its some sort of proof that hes out to get them. They will take the fact that they get a ticket as a sign of how much of an asshole the cop is even while admitting that they broke the law (hey if he was such a nice guy he would have given me a warning!).

          In the end most cases of these "pigs ***** suck" assholes who end up getting treated poorly by cops are the root cause of how they were treated. They convince themselves that cops are bad people, then when confronted with one they treat them about the same as they might treat a child molester... then they wonder why they were treated so poorly in return.

          Also many people don't know how to handle it when a cop takes charge of the conversation... something they are trained to always do. For some people to have control of the situation taken from them equates to being mistreated... never mind that the cop does it both to ensure his safety and to create an environment for more serious criminals to hang themselves in.

          Put simply... most cops are good people... similar background or no. Their training teaches them to be direct and curt. Their training tells them to take charge at all times. Their training has them do many things that in a NORMAL social environment would be outright rude. Unfortunately allot of people don't understand that when they get pulled over it isn't the same as a party at the local pub.
          • smotpoker, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1"They convince themselves that cops are bad people, then when confronted with one they treat them about the same as they might treat a child molester... then they wonder why they were treated so poorly in return."
            Personally, I actually FEAR child molesters and in neither case would I intentionally treat them poorly. Being afraid of someone or not wanting to waste a lot of time, which are probably two of the most common catalysts of police harassment/abuse of authority, is not being rude or an excuse to be treated poorly "in return". Personally I've never mentioned haste except once when asked for permission to search, but I imagine haste/fear could be easily mistaken for anxiety-for-having-really horrible, even when the fear/worry is over having to pay an unaffordable ticket.



            "Also many people don't know how to handle it when a cop takes charge of the conversation"
            If by "take charge of the conversation" you mean "cuts them off when answering, refuses to accept answers and unnecessarily threatens them to get a different answer", then mistreatment is exactly what it is.


            "Put simply... most cops are good people" - Come back and tell me that once YOU'VE been physically abused on multiple occasions because they refuse to believe the truth and intentionally lied on police reports/tickets/witness chair in front of each other (*after* telling you to your face they were going to on one occasion)


            "Their training has them do many things that in a NORMAL social environment would be outright rude."
            Name a non-battlezone environment where it *wouldn't* be considered outright rude. In nearly *any* environment it is unacceptable and it always is without compelling and specific reasons to treat specific people otherwise. "Nervous" behavior, which could be the result of psych problems, disease, neurological condition, haste, stress, etc (and/or disdain some other completely unrelated matter) should not be a wholesale excuse to suspect, interrogate and search a person. Neither should requesting justification of their actions or civilly expressing disdain of them when you feel they are inappropriate/invasive etc.
      • MellerTime, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4I think even the power-tripping jerks would soften on several of these. You're demonstrating that you recognize their authority and bowing before it, to an extent. That's likely to appease them, whereas being a dick back is going to get them even more ***** off and send their power-trip even higher.
      • TheFinaleofSeem, on 05/11/2008, -2/+7And yet, if you're polite and civil to the power-tripping jerks, they will rarely harass you. Imagine that!
      • Vapor17, on 05/12/2008, -1/+6even if they are power tripping, your best bet is to follow the article's advice, why wouldn't you?
    • JerMe, on 05/11/2008, -1/+49Useful except for a couple things:

      1) Never give up your speed if you know you were speeding. If the officer was pacing you and didn't know your exact speed, guess what? The number you give up is the number that goes on the ticket. You'll only get a break if the officer is nice, but don't count on it.

      2) At night, do NOT turn on your interior lights. That signals to the officer that a door has been opened, and puts them on guard.

      I've heard that another thing you can do is to put your keys on the dash. This helps a bit but may look like you're fumbling around inside; the action itself may raise suspicion with the officer. It's one of those YMMV things.
      • superkendall, on 05/11/2008, -1/+11I've read the opposite about the lights, it makes them feel better if they can see everything in the car. I'd still turn on the lights, as long as my hands were also on the wheel...
        • chromerium, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3I think the thing to do is tell the officer when he comes over that you're turning on the lights.
      • badjoke, on 05/11/2008, -0/+16I prefer to turn on my interior lights and roll down my windows so the cops don't see how dark my window tint is. When it's backlit it's a lot harder to tell how dark it is.
      • pixelate, on 05/11/2008, -5/+7YMMV? Try YLOGTITFMV.

        (likelihood of getting tasered in the face may vary)
      • brad3378, on 05/11/2008, -2/+6How are you supposed to find your license / registration / handgun / proof of insurance without turning on a light?
        • badjoke, on 05/11/2008, -0/+3My glovebox light comes on when I open it.
        • ifirahse, on 05/12/2008, -0/+10I always keep my gun under my seat anyways. Right next to my lucky severed head.
      • smitty22, on 05/11/2008, -1/+2"1) Never give up your speed if you know you were speeding.'

        This is the only place where the article falls down, as officers love writing "admitted guilt" on the ticket. If the officer asks how fast you're going, just claim to have been spaced out and not paying attention.
        • WilliamDavis, on 05/11/2008, -3/+6"“Don’t assert your disgust about traffic laws,” suggests Trooper Coggins. “There’s nothing we can do about the laws, and the side of the highway is no place to argue your case. Save it for court.”

          It falls down there, too. Police officers have all sorts of discretion. That's why police officers are supposed to be civilian like they used to be, and not military. (as they're becoming.) Police are supposed to be neighbors who wouldn't enforce unjust laws. That was an intentional part of the system that has disappeared over the last many years.
          • se1zure, on 05/12/2008, -5/+3no. the police are paid with our tax money to enforce the laws that the majority have added to that area. If the police refuses to enforce a law, he is stealing from tax payers by not doing his job. His job isn't to ignore unjust laws, because not everyone thinks they are unjust, and those who think these laws are just are obviously or were obviously the majority when they hired /voted/ enacted such law. And even so, if everyone thought it was unjust then it is everyones responsibility to perform a peaceful protest, not the cops responsibility to essentially steal my taxes.
        • asforme, on 05/11/2008, -0/+2No, that admits that you were distracted. Just respectfully say "I'd like you to tell me officer". Or say nothing at all.
      • MellerTime, on 05/11/2008, -0/+1I totally disagree about the lights thing. Whether he thinks the door has been opened or not, he can now see what's going on. Even if you plan to take off running, he can at least see that you're not pulling a gun on him as he walks up to your window.
      • MaxPayne3476, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I disagree about both of them.

        1) No don't tell what speed YOU thought you were going, that only admits that you knew you were speeding. Apologize, and maybe say I should have slowed it down officer. In many instances, a cop is more likely to give you a less penalty since a higher penalty can actually mean lesser fine which means lesser income for the local officer.

        2) The first three things you always do is roll down the window, put your lights on, and then put your hands on the steering wheel. At night it's difficult to see if maybe there is booze in the car, if you're drunk, or if maybe theres a gun somewhere.

        I was actually pulled over last night at around midnight for speeding and running a red light. I did these three things, wholeheartedly apologized since I knew I was in the wrong, and the cop not only let me off with a warning but actually commemorated with be for following a standard procedure.
    • azbmr, on 05/11/2008, -3/+25However, what the cops like from this article and what you should do aren't always the same thing.
      http://www.flexyourrights.org/traffic_stop_scenari ...
      • fanclerks, on 05/11/2008, -1/+14Yep, that was the first thing I thought of when the comment about rolling the window down all the way down. The officer might like that, but doesn't mean I'll do it. They're going to pull you out of the car anyways if they suspect you of being intoxicated or anything. Don't give them any extra reasons to search your car.
        • Gerfervonbob, on 05/11/2008, -14/+11What If you have nothing to hide?
          • azbmr, on 05/11/2008, -1/+8You have rights in this country. You have the freedom to consent to a search, however, those that don't wish to for ANY reason have the freedom not to. It isn't about having something/nothing to hide, it is about having freedom.
          • mangusp57, on 05/11/2008, -1/+8You always have your privacy to hide. Officer: Do you mind if I take a look around in your car? Civilian: Do you mind if I look around in yours?
          • asforme, on 05/11/2008, -1/+2No one can know all the thousands of laws, if the officer is fishing they'll find something.
            http://www.regent.edu/admin/media/schlaw/LawPrevie ...
          • smotpoker, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2What if you don't have hrs to waste waiting on his backup to arrive and letting them all search your car 2-3x each and breaking half of your *****? You've obviously never been searched before...
          • FKnight, on 05/12/2008, -4/+1@smotpoker: Love the screenname. Do you have a pot leaf sticker on the back of your car too? Gee, I can't imagine why the cops would pick on you.
          • smotpoker, on 05/12/2008, -2/+2@FK - Back when I still had one... 4:20, amongst others. I wound up losing my car entirely and abandoning hope of getting a decent/steady job in the area rather than forfeit my right to free expression - go figure.

            Maybe you're right... I guess I deserved the thousands of dollars in trumped up tickets/fines, court costs and repairs. It's what I get for trying to challenge/change the status quo and hoping to inspire others with the same beliefs to do the same. Who am I to openly advocate my causes? Free expression is for suckers, I should just be scurrying around like a good little corporate drone, hiding or abandoning beliefs without regard for fact based solely on popular opinion. You win.
          • smotpoker, on 05/12/2008, -2/+1Oh, how could I forget to mention the lost job when my car was impounded the last time and the jailtime for some of the unpaid mostly-unjust tickets as a result. That's cool though, I probably deserved it for being dumb enough to express my beliefs/interests and all...
        • azbmr, on 05/11/2008, -3/+2Sorry, wrong reply button.
      • MellerTime, on 05/11/2008, -1/+3Hey, that's a great site. Thanks for the link.
        • bbendele, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Ive read this exact article about a year ago out of the magazine. Did anyone else?
    • Harbinger67, on 05/11/2008, -3/+8Actually, I may have been one of those people who "needed it most". I have always been curious about what to do if I was pulled over on my motorcycle. I didn't know if it would be better to get off and take off my seat and get my registration out before the cop walked up to make things faster and easier for him/her, but after reading this, I now know that they would rather me sit still until told what to do.
      • mcquitty, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4I usually get off my motorcycle after cutting the ignition. I also remove my helmet so they can see me (as my shield is dark).
        • macbwizard, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4How many times have you been pulled over?
          • mcquitty, on 05/11/2008, -0/+2Overall, I am not sure. A lot over 19 years.

            On the motorcycle, 3 in the course of 11 years.
    • SpookyET, on 05/11/2008, -2/+13I've read it.

      "Do not lie. If you were speeding, admit it. If you honestly have no clue why you were stopped, wait for the officer to tell you. "

      Bollocks. DO NOT ADMIT TO ANYTHING. You give up your 5th amendment right. Though, don't lie.
      • MellerTime, on 05/11/2008, -0/+1Yeah, we've all seen the movie / TV show where the guy gets pulled over and admits to something totally unrelated to why he was actually being pulled over. Go with a classic non-committal answer and just be sincere in the rest of your "transaction" and I don't think you'll come out any different in the end.
      • ConceptJunkie, on 05/11/2008, -0/+5You put it better. There's a huge difference between not admitting anything and lying. You can be perfectly civil and compliant, everything the officer can and should expect, without admitting any guilt.
        • NSMike, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1He may have put it better, but this article is about how STATE TROOPERS want you to act, not, entirely, how you SHOULD act.
      • xaeon, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2While I don't eactly know how things work in the states, sometimes admitting that you were speeding (although, I would only do this if the officer asked me directly if I thought I was speeding), is probably more likely to see you end up with just a bit of a ticking off rather than a ticket. After all, the police are just there doing their job, and the last thing they want every time they pull someone over is some smartarse who thinks he knows the law better than them. Be polite, be courtioues, admit and apoligise for your offence, and you'll probably get off. Be a jerk, ask to talk to your lawyer, and generally make things harder for them, and you're going to get fined.
        • MaxPayne3476, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1It works the same exact way in the states. Generally, the best policy is to assess the situation. Don't initially admit you were speeding but if the officer tells you how fast you're going - be sincere and apologize. More often then not, they'll let you off.

          ... of course, I'm positive I know the law better then any traffic cop.
    • mickrussom, on 05/11/2008, -19/+11Pure gestapo crap.
      1)" 4. Do not lie. If you were speeding, admit it."
      Crap. this is asking your to forgo your 5th amendment rights.

      Uniformed cpos are scum. They prevent nothing, harass the taxpayers and do nothing to change death rates due to anything.

      Scum. Detectives - good. Cops - waste of time.

      These losers say, like the jack booted gestapo minions "THese are the laws, I cant do anything about them." Just like the SS thugs who were shuffling people off to the crematoriums. Cut from the same Waffen SS cloth.

      No more murders, rapes, robberies, child abusers molestors and predatory dug dealing or predatory prostitution left? Thats what I thought. While the citizens suffer, and supreme court rules the Police have no legal obligation to protect you, See SCOTUS Castle Rock v. Gonzales. Not only that , they act like we shouldnt have firearms? Jerkoffs. Second Amendment, ever read it? The cops never step in front of fire to save the citizens, and we should be disarmed.

      This article reaffirms the constant violation of the 14th amendment equal protection of laws clause. These uniformed police are "better" than us, they have more rights, they should have guns and we shouldnt, and they can stop you for non criminal things and if you rightfully resist and question the illegal laws they enforce it can turn into a felony for resiting arrest, endagering a cop, etc.

      These people are scum, and they should focus on violent crime or maybe they should get the balls to arrest the criminal politicians stealing TRILLIONS of US taxpayer money to prosecute wars and to keep taking our money and criminally spending it on corrupt lobbied eforts.

      COPS. American well armed idiot with a chip on the shoulder and the right to enforce illegal unconstitutional laws without questioning them.

      They also illegally call the insurance company in an illegal insurance racket to jack your rates.

      ***** of copper. You get paid with my tax money and now you point guns at me you freedom stealing traitor treasonist.
      • TheFinaleofSeem, on 05/11/2008, -6/+8Oh, go ***** yourself, you arrogant little prick. Yep, all cops = scum! Waste of taxpayer money! They don't do anything! Gestapo! Nazis!

        You have no ***** CLUE what those words really mean. Go crack a history book sometime.
        • JoshReflek, on 05/11/2008, -2/+4@mickrussom : you seem to be on to some concepts that are true, but your coherence and completeness in your writing makes it very difficult to follow.
          you.
          should.
          use more.
          complete sentences.
    • condylomalata, on 05/11/2008, -14/+8buried because i don't want to live in a "police state" where private citizens are conditioned to act a certain way and forced to "respect" the state. ***** that. and ***** pigs.
      • TheFinaleofSeem, on 05/11/2008, -4/+14So having police that enforce laws makes it a "police state"? You have no ***** clue what that means. Maybe you'll come around after graduating from junior high school.
        • condylomalata, on 05/12/2008, -6/+1the laws are bad
          • JohnReb, on 05/12/2008, -0/+5You'll just have to deal with it, we aren't lowering the driving age just so you can get a license
    • MeetHouston, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3Oh the irony of having this front paging a few hours after I get my first speeding ticket. Good call rewinn.
    • mraustin1337, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4“Roll down your window completely,”
      I was always told not to do this until presented with credentials. Cops aren't the only ones who need to be careful when being pulled over.
      • choopie911, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2Even then, thats just what the cops prefer. You don't need to roll it down at all if you don't want to. If they ask for your license, you could hold it against the glass, or slip it through a crack if you want.
        • darkciti2, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Technically, yes. However, if it's just a ticket and if we're not in a government revolt, just respect the officer as you'd respect him if he was answering a call to your home. The two are not exclusive.
          If you ever need an Officer (and his team), you'll be much better off by being diplomatic in any situation.
    • KidFlash2, on 05/12/2008, -16/+5Police are scum. They all must die. Digg is brainwashed, story is buried.
      • shadovvman, on 05/12/2008, -1/+4Comment buried, reported.
        • KidFlash2, on 05/12/2008, -4/+2Profile scoured, picture saved, all your comments buried, calling your place of work.
      • arcticblue, on 05/12/2008, -1/+4I just took a look at your comment history. What the hell is wrong with you?
        • KidFlash2, on 05/12/2008, -5/+1America is a police state where war has been declared on the people. The people must declare war on the police state. If you wear a badge, you are part of a criminal gang. The constitution guarantees my right to bear arms while vanquishing fascists, and we must step up to do this.

          You likely live in some pansy country where they make wooden shoes all day and don't care one lick about freedom and liberty. Sorry, but we have the second amendment for profiteering swine like the ones that incessantly pull over motorists to generate revenue.

          That is what's wrong. Offing the swine is how it's fixed. Anything else I can help you with?
    • swrostmore, on 05/12/2008, -2/+9 Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a Highway Traffic Cop. Your normal speeder will panic and immediately pull over to the side. This is wrong. It arouses contempt in the cop heart. Make the bastard chase you. He will follow. But he won't know what to make of your blinker signal that says you're about to turn right. This is to let him know you're looking for a proper place to pull off and talk. It will take him a moment to realize that he is about to make a 180 degree turn at speed... but you will be ready for it, braced for the G's and the fast heel toe work.
  • Divals, on 05/11/2008, -4/+332I was pulled over one time for driving too long in the left-hand lane and then blasting past an unmarked cop at 90 when he waved me over. When he walked up to the window he asked what I had been doing. I responded "I'm an idiot. I thought you were flipping me off." He let me go with a warning.
    • sodade, on 05/11/2008, -7/+56I'm in the fast lane at night, going 74 in a 65. A car gets up close behind me and flashes brights. I pull into the next lane and flip the dick off. Then I realize it was a cop. He pulled my ass over instantly and gave me a ticket. The worst part was, I couldn't say anything back to my bitch of an ex wife who called me an idiot. ***** I hate making dumb mistakes like that.
      • Chompy, on 05/11/2008, -1/+120Yeah if you're not passing, get the hell out of the fast lane.
        • solid12345, on 05/11/2008, -20/+3Depends, here in Oklahoma the general unwritten rules of the road is everyone is driving ***** slow in the right lanes and those of us who are impatient to get to work drive in the left.
        • acetv, on 05/11/2008, -0/+16In southern California people drive in all (4 to 6) lanes of the freeway. Average speed decreases gradually as you move from the fast lane toward the entrance/exit lane. I don't really see a problem with this.
          • solid12345, on 05/11/2008, -8/+2I was joking about the unwritten rule thing in OK and got dugg down but seriously I don't see a problem with that, if you want to drive like grandma, get out of the fast lane, let us all have a lane where we can go 65 without worrying about running into the back of someone's car.
          • Chompy, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4I lived in SoCal for three years and most folks respected the fast lane. I'm in Vegas now and these people don't know what the hell they're doing.
          • yacks, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2What I hate most around here are people who switch lanes for no reason. There's no one in front of them, no one behind him. They just decide.. mmm.. lets just change lanes for the heck of it.. and these people normally drive 60 in a 65.
        • barius, on 05/11/2008, -8/+21It's only a passing lane in Canada and Europe. The U.S. considers the left hand lane to be just another through-lane. I can't tell you how annoying this is living near the border in Ontario...
          • ConceptJunkie, on 05/11/2008, -0/+15Mostly this is because most drivers are idiots. _I_ consider the left lane a passing lane, but most people don't seem to.
          • solid12345, on 05/11/2008, -1/+7What good is a "passing lane" when you have a row of 5-8 cars going 45-50 mph on a 65 mph highway? People make such a big fuss about speeders but what about the danger of people who are going too slow?
          • compulsive1, on 05/11/2008, -0/+8In Pennsylvania there are plenty of signs that read "Drive in the right lane pass in the left", so at least there left lane is not considered just another through-lane.
          • tehbishop, on 05/11/2008, -0/+1On I35 here in Texas it says "Left late for passing only" - dunno if its enforced though.
          • ccheath, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1in NY state it is a law to only pass in the left lane (at least on the NY state thruway)
          • MaxPayne3476, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1NJ the law is the same way, I just justify it that I'm passing everyone in the lane next to me :p

            I
          • danomagnum, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1I think the left lane being passing only applies to 2 lane highways.
          • nhprm, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3dano, you mean 4 lane highways?
          • Chompy, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2You're wrong, it's any highway, 2 lanes or 20.
          • danomagnum, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1Yeah, sorry.
      • SkippyDoorknob, on 05/11/2008, -1/+53And don't ever flip anyone off, it's only going to make things worse.
        • novenator, on 05/11/2008, -6/+6it sure makes me feel good to do it though (only to *really* bad drivers)
        • Digitalfilm43, on 05/11/2008, -0/+38I stopped flipping the bird at motorists years ago. Since you never know what will set some crazy nut-bag off. Now I just give 'em a thumbs up to congratulate them on being an idiot.
          • WilliamDavis, on 05/11/2008, -2/+25Us crazy idiots have been onto that one for awhile, and thumbs up will get the same response as flipping us off. I just thought you'd wanna know.
          • knight666, on 05/11/2008, -0/+23Don't try that ***** in Greece, sticking out your thumb in an upward motion means "***** you" there.
        • Lunarbunny, on 05/11/2008, -2/+1I reserve flipping people off for people who nearly run me over on my bicycle. Otherwise I just mutter something to myself about their ineptitude.
      • tyywebb, on 05/11/2008, -1/+11Lol, that just happened to my friend when I was in the car with her. Some asshole Jersey unmarked cop was tailgating her so she pulls into the next lane and flips him off. Stupid thing to do but I thought it was hilarious. Luckily she is a chick and got off with getting yelled at.
      • Carl306, on 05/11/2008, -2/+11Perhaps I'm the idiot, but what would be on the ticket if you flipped off a cop and he wrote you up for it? I realize it's disrespectful and all, but is it actually illegal?
        • drafhk, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4Nope. Perfectly protected expression unless it's "sexual harassment" and not an angry obscenity.
          http://www.chiprowe.com/articles/legal-history-fin ...
          The First Amendment is wonderful.
        • ConceptJunkie, on 05/11/2008, -0/+8The ticket? Going 74 in a 65 perhaps?
        • orph3us, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4cops are human too, if you make them mad and you are breaking a law in a small way you will be busted. Something they might usually let you off for :p
        • SillyRabbits, on 05/11/2008, -0/+6Nope, the gesture is perfectly legal. However, it will likely annoy them enough that they write you a ticket for every other possible thing.
          • PlagueOfMorons, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4Motorist: Why'd you pull me over?
            Cop: You gave me the finger, you're wearing a popped collar, and there's a Rick Astley CD on the seat.
            Judge: The defendant is clearly a douchebag. I sentence you to 30 years, hard labor, no parole.
            Motorist: But I LIKE Rick Astley.
            Judge: Life sentence.
        • CyclonusRIP, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1It doesn't really matter what the ticket if for it's either gonna cost you a chunk of change or a day of your life regardless.
      • jzh1554, on 05/11/2008, -3/+3If they don't have emergency lights on how are you supposed to know its a cop and not some random crazy psycho killer? If someone was tailgating me I would flip them off too...
        • Timmaay, on 05/12/2008, -0/+6That makes no sense at all, you're saying you would flip off some crazy psycho killer? You're nuts!
      • thelif, on 05/11/2008, -5/+1My friend got a ticket for aiming a fake gun at a cop. Pretty stupid I'd say.
        • umbepo, on 05/11/2008, -2/+8Yeah, I agree. That's a pretty stupid thing your friend did.
      • gamer31, on 05/11/2008, -0/+5What the hell is a cop doing speeding though? Kinda hypocritical for all the times he pulled people over for speeding.
        • streetr8cer13, on 05/12/2008, -0/+6i live in north NJ they do it all the time on the highway, left lane going at least 80-85 they just push all the cars out of the lane and their way, kinda gotta say who's gonna stop them really
          • MCMLXXXII, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1The other thing I have noticed is that they never signal to change lanes. I find that to be the most annoying thing in the world. They then come behind you and tailgate you and make you feel uncomfortable until you get out of their way. If we decided to do the same it would be 2 or 3 tickets. If they really need to get past you, they should turn their emergency lights on.
        • absentmindedjwc, on 05/12/2008, -1/+3just ***** them off... and stay in the lane doing exactly the speed limit, lol
      • newsound6, on 05/12/2008, -1/+7Everyone knows all you have to do is roll your window down and say "These are not the droids you are looking for" and more along.
    • Lionhart, on 05/12/2008, -5/+8I did the EXACT same thing as you only I WASN'T SPEEDING. I was going 65 in a 65 that was about to become a 55 but hadn't yet, and someone comes up behind me and puts his brights on. So naturally I give the 1 finger salute, and bam red and blue lights come on and he gives me a ticket for doing 75...asshole.
      • absentmindedjwc, on 05/12/2008, -1/+11did you ask to see the speed gun...?
        • nhprm, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1You don't have to be shown the gun. Ever. This is very clear in at least my state's law.
        • groberts1980, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3They don't need a speed gun. A cop can match your speed, and write the ticket for whatever his speedometer reads when he matches. It's happened to me before.
          • Divals, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1Though those usually don't hold up in court.
        • Lionhart, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1Actually I did ask to see the speed gun. His answer was "I was matching my speed with yours, my speedometer is calibrated."
          Basically, ***** you I'm giving you a ticket for your middle finger.

          Also the plot thickens. I paid an attorney to represent me but the attorney didn't show up for my court date, so I got slapped with a $200 extra fine or a suspended license. Then the attorney's office went out of business. That was fun.
      • Timmaay, on 05/12/2008, -1/+9I hope you fought that, considering you were doing 65...
    • Flashman, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3I had a female friend who was tailgated at night, so she pulled over instead of accelerating over the limit. Yep, cop car behind her.
      • Divals, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1Usually when people tailgate me I drive about ten or fifteen below the speed limit just to ***** them off.
  • FizzanoMatrix, on 05/11/2008, -75/+11Most state troopers are unfamiliar with most Linux commands anyways though I think..
  • mediaphile, on 05/11/2008, -17/+154You do not have to roll your window all the way down. It may be true that the officer will want to continue the investigation outside your car, but if you roll that window down and the cop sticks his head inside your window to look around and take a whiff, you might just get your car searched as well. If you're not intoxicated, it's probably best for the police officer to conduct his investigation outside the car so there's no legal right for them to search your car.
    • KillerFuzzball, on 05/11/2008, -54/+22Why would you want to go through all the trouble? Just roll down your window, you've got nothing to hide, right?
      • svetty, on 05/11/2008, -5/+38Wrong.
      • discofreak, on 05/11/2008, -12/+20this is entirely true, you should have nothing to hid and no reason to give the officer a hard time. it's just going to make him want to search you more.
        • mangusp57, on 05/11/2008, -3/+18Mind if I give you a rectal exam? You've got nothing to hide, right?
          • TheSabre, on 05/11/2008, -3/+2Are you a doctor trained in giving rectal exams? May I see your credentials first?
        • KidFlash2, on 05/12/2008, -1/+3You're a ***** idiot.
        • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1The officer can "want" to search me all he wants. The problem is that without a warrant or probable cause, he has no right to search my car. Merely refusing a search is not enough for probable cause. Whether or not I actually have something to hide isn't the issue; the reason these rights were put into place were to prevent a police state in which the government has full access to the private lives of its citizens.

          There are tons of stories crying foul over the government wiretapping, or various other intrusions of privacy, and everyone's on board for that. What makes this any different?
      • MoofTheStoof, on 05/11/2008, -3/+45Wrong. Whether or not we have something to hide is irrelevant. The interior of that car is my personal property and there are sharply defined limits to the state's access to it. I'm not rude to cops when I get pulled over, but I'm also not afraid to make sure my rights are respected.
        • AsSubtleAsABrik, on 05/11/2008, -1/+13I worry about my rights too, but one time I got pulled over for allegedly doing 75 in a 65. He wanted to search my car (probably because of my long curly hair and beard) and even though I didn't really want to II did because I knew there was nothing in my car and didn't want to give him a hard time which might lead to getting a speeding ticket. He searched, found nothing, and gave me a warning. I know my rights, I know I did not need to let him search, but I did anyway and I think it worked out for the better. I am 100% sure if I didn't let him he would have given me a ticket.
          • WilliamDavis, on 05/11/2008, -2/+8Maybe he only pulled you over because he figured you'd consent to a search. Or maybe he only pulled you over because of how you look. Not getting a ticket doesn't mean your submissive behavior (and that of others) is working out for you. In fact, the submissive behavior of others may have contributed to you being stopped in the first place.
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1You broke the law, and should have received a ticket. Whether or not the cop was allowed to search your car should have nothing to do with whether or not you got a ticket. It may be true that in this case it _did_ have an effect on your not getting a ticket, but it's this subjective muddying of the waters that creates so many problems.
      • fef560, on 05/11/2008, -5/+5Are you all really so stupid that you can't tell sarcasm without some dickweed putting /sarcasm at the end of his comment?
        • Kontra8, on 05/11/2008, -0/+1But thats the beauty of it.
        • IllBeBack, on 05/11/2008, -1/+6Sarcasm does not translate well in written form. Get over it.
        • acebrickman, on 05/11/2008, -0/+4well, that's the problem.... How do we know he's being sarcastic? What if KillerFuzzball still actually trusts his guv'ment? Never assume anymore. We assumed a lot in the last 7 1/2 years and look where that got us?
    • methos75, on 05/11/2008, -6/+32You do not have to roll it down competely when your pulled over, but if the responding cop ask that you roll it down competely, then under most states applied consent rules you must comply.
      • biotch, on 05/11/2008, -2/+11uh no ... he can talk through the crack and keep his taser away from my face thank you very much
        • jjustice, on 05/14/2008, -0/+1OK, but your opinion and the law could very well be two different things in this case ;-)
    • mike17032, on 05/11/2008, -10/+80If you dont have anything to hide, put the window all the way down. It is a HUGE red flag when people try to be slick and only put it down a little bit. Your chances of getting a warning evaporate if he thinks you are playing games or hiding something.
      • Kas70, on 05/11/2008, -1/+46Women alone really ought to make the officer show his credentials before she rolls the window all the way down. You can even insist on calling his department to make sure he's legit. There have been too many incidents of rapists impersonating officers - right down to flashing lights, fake badge and all.
        • linagee, on 05/11/2008, -1/+11Cryptographic signatures. It's what all govt people need to prove their identity. Everything else can be faked. Wake me once they all have this.
      • smotpoker, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4That's why we should encourage more people to do it (to set a better precedent and those of us who are legitimately worried will not be singled out)
    • theorn, on 05/11/2008, -29/+12Actually, this is wrong. When the cop pulls you over, he has the right to search your "immediate environs." This means the entire passenger compartment. If it's a station wagon or a van, then that means the entire vehicle. This is ostensibly for safety - checking to see if you have weapons that could endanger the cop. But anything they find is fair game.
      • antonio97b, on 05/11/2008, -0/+24No. _You're_ wrong. He has the right to look inside the vehicle from the outside. This means he can't touch the inside (I know, I've had my car searched like this). If you leave the door open when asks you to step out, he can't even open the door a little more to get a better view. If he steps inside, he has conducted an unauthorized search without a search warrant.
        • TheSabre, on 05/11/2008, -1/+4In many states, a cop can search with probable cause and then retroactively file the paperwork for a warrant.
        • thezone, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1You are right. However, refusing to allow a search is not probable cause. Of course in many states the officer can arrest you for the ticket. At this point the state would have the right to search the vehicle.
          • TheSabre, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2I'm not sure if your reply was meant for me or not, so I'll reply as if it was. I wasn't referring to refusing to allow a search being probable cause. But if a cop sees you go over the yellow lines, he can use that as probable cause that you may be drinking or have alcohol in your vehicle.
        • danomagnum, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2Usually, They'll have you wait till the k9 comes and then they'll walk around and if the dog goes off, then they have probable cause.
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1This is true. Police are only allowed to search from the outside of your car until they have a warrant or probable cause. Anything illegal in plain view from the outside is subject for investigation. Canine units can get around this because their sense of smell is strong enough to permeate through to the inside of the car from the outside. But refusing an internal search of the car is your right, at least until the cop has a warrant, or until you're under arrest.
      • antonio97b, on 05/11/2008, -0/+12Comment editing ***** up.

        He can't step inside or poke his head in, or turn over any objects to check underneath. That would require a search warrant.
        • ClunkClunk, on 05/11/2008, -0/+7Or consent from the driver. That's why cops always ask "Will you open your trunk for me?" instead of "Open your trunk."
          • antonio97b, on 05/11/2008, -0/+9I had that exact question asked when I got searched. I had nothing to hide but since I was being searched for being suspected of being high (before they asked my name they said "what drugs are you doing?") because I was in my college parking lot eating a taco bell buritto around 2AM, they decided they wanted to conduct a search.
            I politely said not without a search warrent. I was cuffed (but told I wasn't being arrested) and had to sit outside my car for 2 hours while they tried to convince me to search my car. It was 40 degrees outside and I had shorts on because I didn't expect to be sitting outside my car for that long with the cop spotlight in my eyes.
            They look with their maglights all around but couldn't pass the invisible boundry of the door.
      • itsthebrod, on 05/11/2008, -2/+1Cite?
      • ohmysac, on 05/11/2008, -0/+8The problem with these arguments on what police have a right to do is that laws vary from state to state. It's your responsibility to know the state in which you resides' laws. What's a lawful order by a police officer in one state may be an unlawful order in another.
        • edmcguirk, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3It really doesn't matter if the order is lawful or not as far as the immediate consequences go.
          You must comply with all orders made by an officer of the law. You may win a later court battle that the order was unlawful but at the time of the order any failure to comply will quickly become resisting arrest.
          If an officer asks you to take any action, you may refuse. If an officer tells you to take any action, you do it and fight about it later.
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1I disagree with this to a certain extent. It's important to make clear that you don't consent to a search, and that you act within your rights. Otherwise, you may not have a case in court. It's never wise to resist arrest, but refusing a search is well within your rights. If you don't refuse, and the cop searches your car and finds something, then how do you defend that in court after the fact? Without refusal, the search is legal.
          • edmcguirk, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1If they ASK, it's for a reason. That reason is that they need your permission.

            If they TELL you, you really have no choice but to comply and argue later.
    • methos75, on 05/11/2008, -10/+7Yes, that is all covered under Applied Consent laws. Anything within the immediate control or reach of the driver or his passengers is searchable.
      • choopie911, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2No....that's completely false. If they even move a cd on your dash, thats illegal. They need cause and a warrant.
      • mrjhmm, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3If they see or smell drugs in your car, they can search it. If they don't then they don't have probable cause and can't search it without a warrant. It is best to keep the window open only a crack. If the cop asks you to step out of the vehicle, lock the doors when you get out. If he asks why, just say it is a habit.

        It is all covered in this excellent video made by the ACLU called: "BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters":

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA
    • mightycbu, on 05/11/2008, -17/+3it's this kind of arguing that gets you shot. don't be a smart-ass, just cooperate!
      • thezone, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1There is a difference between cooperation and submission. Many police officers are great and when they pull you over are respectful. But others make judgments about the people they are pulling over based on their stupid profiling. I for one will not allow anyone to trample on the my rights when those rights have been paid for in blood.
    • BlueStreak69, on 05/11/2008, -8/+1Yeah, http://youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA. I learned a lot from it also.
    • wolferz, on 05/11/2008, -1/+21you stopped making sense at "have to"

      No one said you HAVE to do any of these things. They are just what an officer would PREFER you do.
      • aetherboy, on 05/11/2008, -2/+7And remember, what makes their life easier does not necessarily make yours easier. If you've been smoking pot/drinking and think they'll smell it, only open the window a little (but roll it down all the way if they ask you to). Have your hands on the wheel, engine off, tell your friends to shut the hell up and for the love of god do not give them consent to search. They'll throw the whole "if you have nothing to hide why don't you let me look?" line at you and you can say you're in a hurry to get wherever you're going and ask if you're free to go. If they continue w/ the badgering questions, ask if you are being detained (politely). If you have something to hide and act this way it is possible you will get a ticket for your attitude but its a helluva lot better than getting tossed in jail.
        • repick3, on 05/12/2008, -1/+3AM I BEING DETAINED?
        • Dantetheinferno, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1You can't get a ticket for having a bad attitude towards a cop. If you're doing everything legally, they can't give you a ticket or arrest you [legally]. They can sure make your life hell though.
        • mesasone, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Dante, the assumption is that you were pulled over a reason (speeding, headlight, whatever). He is saying that you're better off getting the cop a little flustered and receiving a ticket for whatever you were pulled over for than being arrested for OWI or possession,etc.
      • Typhoon2009, on 05/12/2008, -1/+5Oh please. I love it when people on Digg act all anti-establishment. If the government suddenly created a police state, you guys would be the first to fall into complacency, lest they send you to the gulag where you can't check Digg.
        • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1What does browsing Digg have to do with someone's social fortitude? I would think someone aware of their rights would be less likely to submit to a police state than someone who doesn't know any better.
    • feliks2, on 05/11/2008, -14/+4You don't have to, and I know that its total ***** to do so, but dong little things like this to please piggys has gotten me out of two tickets, and lowered the speed on two other tickets. All this in a nine month timeframe. Next time I get a ticket, I'll likely get my license taken away, so between that and giving up some of my freedoms to the pigs, ill keep my license.
      • Szandor, on 05/11/2008, -4/+14How about slowing the ***** down so the rest of us don't become a part of your problem?
        • feliks2, on 05/11/2008, -14/+4How about speeding the ***** up so you don't become part of my problem. My only problem by the way is receiving tickets.
          • ucg1, on 05/11/2008, -3/+7Drive the speed limit and maybe you won't lose your license you ***** dumbass.
          • mesasone, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2How about leaving for work or where ever you are going on time or a few minutes earlier so you don't have to speed?
      • tehbored, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2You might want to look into obeying the speed limit.
    • buckrogers1965, on 05/11/2008, -2/+35I could never figure out why any moron would actually smoke dope or drink in a car. Save it for home, buttercup, where it's about a million times harder for the cops to justify searching.
      • ucg1, on 05/11/2008, -0/+8I agree that its stupid and an easy way to get busted. A lot of people who do this are teenagers who live with their parents and don't have a place to do it, though.
      • ConceptJunkie, on 05/11/2008, -10/+9There's a high correlation between smoking dope and being a complete moron...
        • esilverski, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1I don't smoke dope! I smoke morons like you on the b-ball court.
      • BabyWookie, on 05/11/2008, -2/+6What wrong with having a beer while driving?
        • Focher, on 05/11/2008, -1/+10You shouldn't drink and drive. It might spill.
    • Chrispyc1211, on 05/11/2008, -4/+14If you do things that arouse their suspicions and suggest that you DO have something to hide, they have probable cause. I hate this literalist "IT'S IN MY RIGHTS NOT TO!" *****. Try not to speed if you have ***** in your car.
      • asforme, on 05/11/2008, -3/+14I hate this bend over "YES OFFICER, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GIVE SQUEAL LIKE A PIG TOO?" *****. I do not have to be inconvenienced and prove my innocence.

        I legally carry a gun, that arouses their suspicions, but I have nothing to hide. But I will never consent to any search or seizure, including the temporary seizure of my weapon, the only thing that insures me against police brutality. (that does not mean I will physically resist, but I will never consent)
        • tamuengineer, on 05/12/2008, -0/+5You carry a gun to protect yourself from police brutality? Consider yourself dead if any such situation arises.
        • wolferz, on 05/12/2008, -1/+3Wow.. so inconvenient place your hands leisurely on your steering wheel till the cop tells you to. So incredibly inconvenient to roll the window all the way down. So incredibly inconvenient to announce when you plan to reach for something out of his view.

          Actually... none of that is inconvenient at all. Your just arrogant and childish. You'd rather let your pride get you in twenty times as much trouble than admit that doing everything a cop doesn't want you to is guaranteed to get you treated the exact way you claim they always do. Too arrogant admit that you just want to have your way like a that spoiled bitch that cursed her mother out in front of friends and family for buying her a brand new car simply cause it wasn't the car same brand and model she wanted. "The evil pig wants ... but doesn't require me to do a handful of things and I'll be damned if i give him even an inch even though in the process that makes me look like I'm hiding something and thus makes my life more difficult. WHAA WHAA WHAA.... I can't have my way and it's not fair!"

          ***** grow the ***** up.
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1You have no idea what you're talking about. Refusing an illegal search is not mutually exclusive to complying with a police officer.

            The couple times I've been pulled over, I've turned off my engine, put the keys on top of the dash, and rested my hands on the steering wheel. Then I wait for the officer to come to my window before rolling it down darn part way, enough to conduct any normal traffic stop business. I don't have anything to hide, but there's no need for the window to be completely down unless the officer is going to put his head or body inside my car through the window, which would be illegal on his part without a warrant or probable cause. Both times I've done this, there was no trouble. The officer didn't ask me to roll the window all the way down, and didn't even ask to search my car. Even though I had nothing to hide, I still would have refused a search of my car. It's not being immature; cops have legal procedures, citizens have legal procedures. The ones for the citizens are to protect against when a police officer disregards his legal procedures.
    • sparsely, on 05/11/2008, -4/+6http://www.flexyourrights.org/traffic_stop_scenari ...
    • ecidnac, on 05/11/2008, -1/+9I'm reluctant to roll my window all the way down because I've lived in places where there have been repeated reports of people attaching flashing lights to their cars, impersonating officers, and robbing drivers... I want a chance to get a look at their uniform / ID / better look at the colour of their lights first.
      • gl77, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1when that happens,. dont pull over until you reach a well lit area that is populated (if possible), but make sure to call the police first and tell them what is going on and what you are planning on doing and why so that you dont get arrested for evading. they will radio the patrol unit and let the cop know as well and it should be no big deal.
    • gl77, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3anything they can see in their field of vision inside your car is enough for probable cause.
      • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -0/+2This is true. And canine units can legally search by smell from outside the car. But without seeing anything or without a positive response from a canine, there's no legal right for them to search without a warrant or unless you're under arrest.
        • gl77, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1in which case, the officer would probably not want to search your car anyway. they want to get on their merry way just as much as you do. but if some dumbass breaking the law gets in their way, they have to stop them.
    • Zuljin, on 05/12/2008, -2/+5I don't get why everyone on Digg is so paranoid about letting a police officer do a search unless it's absolutely legally necessary, as opposed to just letting them take a quick glance.
      Unless, of course, every dude on Digg is dealing THE DRUGS.

      • burnedtubes, on 05/12/2008, -1/+4You should not give up your right so easily. Be courteous to the officer, but why give up a right that is Constitutionally yours? I don't use drugs, but I do value my rights.
        • gl77, on 05/12/2008, -2/+3i value my ***** rights too, but i also am not a dick and know that every cop in the world is not out to get me. he (or she) are just doing their job. i have nothing to hide, so why should i get in the way of letting them do their job without giving them a hard time? now if a cop comes up to my porch and wants to snoop around inside my house, thats a different story. but just glancing around inside my car is no big deal and is pretty much routine. if they spot something questionable and ask about it, chances are very good that i have a reasonable explanation as to why it is there. i dont do drugs, dont drink and dont own a gun, so there shouldnt be anything questionable in my car anyway.
          • mediaphile, on 05/13/2008, -1/+2Actually, you do seem like a dick, given your exceedingly hostile response to a valid question.

            Let's go point by point:

            "i value my ***** rights too, but i also am not a dick and know that every cop in the world is not out to get me."

            I believe in legal searches, and I don't agree with illegal searches. That does not mean that I believe "every cop in the world" is out to get me. Our rights are there to protect us from the police officers who step outside their own rights. Diggers are quick to pounce on officers who are video'd breaking the law; it's not about defending yourself from the many, it's about defending yourself against the few.

            "he (or she) are just doing their job."

            If they are just doing their job, then they will not perform an illegal search. Cops _ask_ if they can search your car for a reason: they are legally required to do so. This is part of their job.

            "i have nothing to hide, so why should i get in the way of letting them do their job without giving them a hard time?"

            Refusing a search is not giving them a hard time. It's giving them a hard time from doing something they don't have the right to do in the first place.

            "now if a cop comes up to my porch and wants to snoop around inside my house, thats a different story. but just glancing around inside my car is no big deal and is pretty much routine."

            Legally, your car and house are considered exactly the same. If it's not okay for them to snoop in your house, it's not okay for them to snoop in your car. Glancing around the car _is_ routine, but only from the outside. They are not legally allowed to go inside the car without consent, probably cause, a warrant, or arrest. Same goes for your house.

            "if they spot something questionable and ask about it, chances are very good that i have a reasonable explanation as to why it is there."

            If they spot something questionable, they've already got probable cause, and this becomes irrelevant. But spotting something from an exterior visual inspection is far different from them rummaging around in your property.

            "i dont do drugs, dont drink and dont own a gun, so there shouldnt be anything questionable in my car anyway."

            This is true, but also irrelevant. You wouldn't want them snooping around the inside of your house, even though you say you have nothing to hide, and yet you think it's fine for them to snoop around inside your car. What's the distinction there? In the eyes of the law, there is none.
          • gl77, on 05/13/2008, -0/+1im just using common sense, if ive got nothing to hide, there's absolutely no reason in the world why i wouldnt let the cop search my car. im sure many will agree with me. im almost positive that 99% of the people on here saying they would stand up to a cop and defend their rights would actually submit when put into that situation. including you. im willing to bet money on it, skippy. care to indulge me?
    • mrjhmm, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3If they see or smell drugs in your car, they can search it. If they don't then they don't have probable cause and can't search it without a warrant. It is best to keep the window open only a crack. If the cop asks you to step out of the vehicle, lock the doors when you get out. If he asks why, just say it is a habit.

      It is all covered in this video made by the ACLU called: "BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters":

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA

  • Soldierboi, on 05/11/2008, -24/+330Honesty really does work. I've been let off the hook for my only two speeding tickets for doing such. In one of them, I was doing over 90.

    "Do you know why I've pulled you over?"
    "Speeding."
    "Do you know how fast you were going?"
    "About ninety-three."
    "Slow it down."
    "Will do. Thank you."
    "Have a nice day."
    If you deviate from that in the slightest, get ready for a ticket. They've heard your lame-ass excuse hundreds of times.
    • ralphthemagi, on 05/11/2008, -21/+253It doesn't really matter what you say. Odds are the officer has already made up his mind if he's going to give you a ticket before he even talks to you.
      • EtherGnat, on 05/11/2008, -3/+154He may be intent on giving you a ticket no matter what you do, but if he's inclined to let you off I guarantee you can change his mind.
      • KibibyteBrain, on 05/11/2008, -17/+52Sometimes he really needs to meet a quota, and of course in all professions, mercy is secondary to employment status.
        • Lyph5, on 05/11/2008, -31/+36My father was a cop. My bosses boyfriend is a cop. Another woman I work with, her niece is a cop and so is her boyfriend. There are no quotas.
        • scotticus, on 05/11/2008, -3/+4Right, but he might fill that quota with 10-over violations instead of 20-over reckless endangerment.
        • crzdmn, on 05/11/2008, -22/+4no quotas, that's just mythical *****
        • RomeyRome, on 05/11/2008, -3/+9I believe they have a quota for stops, not tickets.
        • theshizzler, on 05/11/2008, -1/+22Some police departments do have quotas. They might not have a quota for traffic tickets, but where I used to work in MD they had a point system for the squads. They tallied up points for a number of things but traffic stops were worth multiple points with DWI arrests worth the most. And they get away with saying there is no quota because its unwritten. Quotas are bad for public perception, but if any of those squads had far fewer points than the other squads, you'd better believe that the squad chief would hear about it from the Captain.
          Quotas can and do still exist in some form in many police departments.
      • da_bradler, on 05/11/2008, -1/+20Normally you can't convince a police officer to not give you a ticket, but you sure as hell can convince him to give you one if he wasn't planning on it.
      • veloscaper, on 05/11/2008, -0/+3Depends if he is behind on his quota.
      • TitanX13, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2if your polite and admit you did something wrong or just polite even if you don't know what you did wrong there is a good chance that they will give you a warning. Also they don't have quotas. Your more likely to get a ticket from a motorcycle cops for that is pretty much their jobs unlike normal police cars who might just pull you over if you match a car describtion
      • expo1001, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2I dunno. I've been pulled over 4 times, and each time got away with no ticket. The first two times were during my first week of driving solo after getting my license, I bought a new car and it drove much differently then the one I learned on. The offices who pulled me over those times thought I was drunk. The third time I had a tail light out, and couldn't find my insurance card. I still got off with a warning, due to my politeness, I think. The fourth time I was driving a moving truck I rented, and ran a yellow light. I didn't try to argue with the office for pulling me over on a yellow, I just explained to her that the thousand pounds of stuff in the back of the truck wouldn't have allowed me to break in time. She let me off as well. Maybe I'm just lucky, though.
      • ikkefc3, on 05/12/2008, -1/+293 MPH or 93KM/H ?
        • stalefries, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Probably mph. 93km/h is roughly 60mph, right?
    • Rev0lver, on 05/11/2008, -26/+16It could go either way just as easily. You basically incriminated yourself by saying what you did. The best thing I've heard to do is to politely ask why you were pulled over.
      • ufia, on 05/11/2008, -9/+35You incriminated yourself by driving over the speed limit. Denying it after the fact, you are just being a dick.
        • KibibyteBrain, on 05/11/2008, -3/+5It depends on the circumstances. On some major freeways around cities, it would be pretty hard to drive the speed limit without getting run over, at least in certain circumstances. It seem the officers literally just pick a car at random to pull over. In such circumstances, while you may be guilty under the strict letter of the law, its not always a dick move as well, and the officer may be in a position to let you go if he sees you have a clean record and are polite. However, no officer will really let you go if you basically confess strongly at the scene.
        • crzdmn, on 05/11/2008, -3/+7Actually no you aren't nor have I seen this happen. If all traffic is moving at 90 miles an hour and I mean ALL not 3 cars in the left lane. Then going 60 is actually impeding the flow of traffic and that person would be the one to get the ticket.

          I've seen it happen were granny gets a ticket instead of everyone else who's speeding, not the other way around.
        • Rev0lver, on 05/11/2008, -1/+2Asking politely why you were pulled over =/= being a dick and outright denying that anything happened.
        • linagee, on 05/11/2008, -3/+3To KibibiyteBrain: Are you saying you can't control the speed of your car?
      • Sp0rAdiC, on 05/11/2008, -9/+13Dick or not, incriminating yourself doesn't do any good.
        • shodanx, on 05/11/2008, -0/+2you are ludicrous if you think you are EVER not commiting a crime
          wherever you go, whatever you do you are always doing something against some law
          I once got pulled over, but after I had explained to the cop he had the wrong car and he did believe me, he still gave me a ticket because of music volume

          that is with a stock lumina van radio not some crazy aftermarket sound system
          he said the law says he you can hear the radio within 3 feet out of the vehicule that's against regulation, bam 20$
          he just wanted to get me for something
      • PoopOnPaul, on 05/11/2008, -11/+16Oh right, like the cop didn't see you speeding or whatever before he pulled you over? He KNOWS you were speeding or whatever, but if you cooperate, he'll be more tolerant of you.

        You sound like someone who would just give the cop a hard time on principle, and probably end up with a good amount of tickets.
        • Lyph5, on 05/11/2008, -0/+9Except if you end up getting the ticket and taking it to court, you have no defense, since you admitted you were going the speed on the ticket.
        • crzdmn, on 05/11/2008, -5/+3Verbal admittance doesn't mean anything in traffic court. I was pulled over for doing speeds in excess of 90 one day when my license was suspended. Cop was going to let me off until that came back then he HAD to do something. We went to court and the officer told the judge that I admitted that I knew my license was suspended (and I had), but that I was extremely corporative about the situation. The judge let me off for behaving "respectably" as he put it.

          Sometimes an office has to write the ticket because he's already reported it and it's on the books, certain items he can't ignore. You would be surprised how many of those officers if your corporative will actually help you in the end and not screw you hard.
        • theskyisblue, on 05/11/2008, -0/+3except tons of cops pull people over w/o having a radar/laser reading. they also "pace" people incorrectly. if you know how they are supposed to gauge speed, then you can successfully get out of a ticket. just because the cop assumes you were going fast by looking at your car, doesn't mean he has any evidence to prove it or even the right to give you a ticket. Sorry, but cops don't just KNOW if you're speeding.
      • FireStrife, on 05/11/2008, -4/+14Sometimes officers do not clock you but will stop you for suspicion of speeding and during the whole conversation exchange by self incriminating yourself he now has the evidence he needs to give you the ticket.
        • KibibyteBrain, on 05/11/2008, -1/+6Actually, this happens more than you'd think. It happened to me, and what bothered me is that the speed he was estimating me at was obviously faster than the amount I was speeding, and by an amount that just inched me to a higher fine bracket and one that I couldn't get out of. So I was faced with a catch 22 of being willing to admit my wrongs, but challenging what was obviously an estimate(I heard no radar or laser), and a wrong one at that. Sometimes you can't win.
        • theskyisblue, on 05/11/2008, -0/+1yep, plenty of cops pulled me over and openly have said they didn't clock me. i simply said ok, so you don't know whether i was speeding or not. w/o being rude, the situation can be alleviated and no ticket. just keep it slow when the cop recommends you do so.
      • Goodanswer, on 05/11/2008, -0/+2If you really think that then you need to watch this video..so you stop spreading misinformation. I know its not your fault, no one has ever shown you what they are but this little vid will help us all.
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA&feature ...
    • kelmaster1, on 05/11/2008, -4/+49Yes, not lying is a big thing, cops automatically label you as a lawbreaker if you lie (in their mind). If you're honest and respectful, 90% of cops out there will do the same.

      Be careful though, it can sometimes screw you as you ARE admitting guilt and therefore is not disputable in court.
      • d03boy, on 05/11/2008, -0/+9Plead insanity!
      • tyywebb, on 05/11/2008, -1/+5Yeah my friend's dad is a lawyer and in certain situations the best thing to do is deny, deny, deny. If the cop asks you if you did something wrong never ever admit it. He is simply trying to get you to admit guilt so he doesn't have to go through all the procedure that would be necessary if you didn't.
      • groberts1980, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I have been honest and respectful each and every time I've been pulled over. And I've still gotten a ticket each and every time. My personal experience is that warnings are a myth.
    • rmxz, on 05/11/2008, -1/+16Knowing the routine "too" well can make them assume you're a repeat offender.

      I had good luck getting a warning the first time I was pulled over by doing everything "wrong" (getting out of the car, talking a lot in a paniced voice) - and after the one question "is this the first time you've ever been pulled over" I got a warning.
      • barius, on 05/11/2008, -0/+1They know if you've had past offenses, so this really only works the first time.
    • Balks, on 05/11/2008, -0/+27You simply dodged a bullet and caught the officer on a good day. And as raplh already stated, they usually do have their minds made up before they even get to your vehicle. If they see your record is clean, they are more inclined to give you a break, but once you start breaking the law, you start to screw yourself over.
    • crzdmn, on 05/11/2008, -24/+27Soldierboi's got it right, I've used that approach and never received a speeding ticket it even got me out of a 120 in a 65 back in NY.

      They clocked me at 2 different spots before the camaro cop chased me down.

      Conversation went something like this:
      Cop: "Do you know why I pulled you over"
      Me: "Yah, I was speeding, really speeding."
      Cop: "Any particular reason why"
      Me: "If it makes any different I'm late for work."
      Cop: "You know we could impound your car for those speeds."
      Me: "Ya officer, I was being stupid, and they day I chose was they day you guys were out in force"
      Cop: *chuckles* "Well the real problem here is that you were going to fast for us to tell if you were wearing your seat-belt. Were you wearing your seatbelt?"
      Me: "uhh.... no?" - note I was, and still was
      Cop: "I'm going to have to write you a ticket for driving without your seatbelt."
      ... few minutes later ...
      Cop: "Here's your ticket, wear your seatbelt son."
      Me: "Thank you officer"
      Cop: "By the way, use your cruise control, you lost all that time you had made."
      Me: "Will do!"
      Cop: "Have a nice day"

      Adding a "Sorry officer, I was just being dumb" really throws them for one.
      • 11oops, on 05/11/2008, -2/+68*****.
      • Laughsatyou, on 05/11/2008, -0/+35shenanigans.
      • linagee, on 05/11/2008, -2/+7And the ticket for a seat belt costs more than speeding?
        • chicagodj, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4That's not always true. for 120 in a 65 you wouldn't get a speeding ticket. You would get a speeding tickets, get arrested for reckless endangerment and have your car impounded.
        • MaxPayne3476, on 05/12/2008, -1/+3No no that's the point, I've had friends where this has happened to. A seatbelt is a no-point $100 fine (sometimes $50). Speeding 55 over is reckeless driving + up to 10 points. You automatically have to go to court for that kinda *****. So the cop was being VERY generous.
          • 11oops, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4This story would perhaps be believable if just one cop had clocked him, but when there's three cops involved, one which would have had to be driving 150 mph+ to catch up there isn't a chance in hell of being let off with a $10 seatbelt ticket. Think, if two cops clocked him it would be all over the radio, including the stop. No arrest? Not a chance in hell.

            Around here, driving that fast is arrest, immediate surrender of license and vehicle, speeding ticket in excess of $800, 3-yr suspension of license, misdemeanor endangerment charges and fines, and hopefully a beating from the cop. Driving that fast is idiotic, and I only hope when the moron poster kills himself doing so he doesn't take anyone else with him.
      • michael43, on 05/11/2008, -6/+52You left out the part where you licked his asshole.
      • IllBeBack, on 05/11/2008, -7/+5'Me: "Ya officer, I was being stupid, and they day I chose was they day you guys were out in force"'
        They Day. It's the day after May Day.
      • gavin422, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2WTF. I don't like the way speeding laws are enforced, but if you were going 120 in a 65, they probably should have impounded your car.
      • GreatWhiteShaky, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3I was doing 63 in a 45 zone near a school on my way back from college with a glass fish tank in the front seat and a mini fridge in the back.

        Cop: How you doing today?
        Me: Good yourself?
        Cop: I'm gonna need your license and registration.
        (I reach over twitching as I'm proned to do and hand him what he asked for)
        Cop: The reason i pulled you over was because you were doing 63
        Me:... wow I'm sorry I didn't realize I was doing that much.
        Cop: What the heck is all of this stuff (points to my fridge)
        Me: I'm on my way home from college, this is just some of my stuff.
        Cop: Where's your school
        Me: Other side of the state.
        Cop: alright well don't move. (walks back to)
        Cop: (comes back to my car and tells me the extent of my fines) If I pull you over again you will get the ticket, SLOW DOWN.
        Me: alright, thank you officer. (my tires squeal a bit as I try to get traction and I go on my way.)

        In all honesty I don't know how I got out of the ticket especially because I didn't turn off the radio until half way through the conversation and I was shaking like a crack addict but I managed to get out of it by some miracle.
        • TitanX13, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2cops know the differences between twitching out of control and being nervous. that and he was a nice guy
      • An800lbGorilla, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Yeah. That's a good story, too.
    • BobSutan, on 05/11/2008, -9/+23Way to go. You just incriminated yourself. Good luck ever fighting that ticket in court if the need arises.