Posted by Rob J in WNY on 2002 PM:

Tips for getting pulled over while driving - based on personal experience...

Now, like everyone else, I'm a pretty good driver. But, I've never had ANY points against my driver license - EVER.

However...

...That doesn't mean I've never been pulled over for doing the wrong thing on the road. When we find ourselves in that situation, there are things we can do in our favor to minimize the chance of getting a dreaded ticket and having to pay a fine, acquiring points and/or making a court appearance.

This topic is not to bash police or authority (because when we get pulled over, it's because we very likely WERE breaking the law in some way), but to help the readers get an understanding that there are actions that can be taken to take the 'edge' off a pullover situation.

Let's start with a couple of personal stories. First one:

Some of you might remember that on the day of last fall's "WNY Get-Together" on Keuka Lake, I got pulled over on the way to pick up Gary (Goose) at 3:30am. I was doing 57 mph in a 45 zone. I knew I was speeding (although I wasn't paying attention to my speedometer - honestly). I saw the dark State Police car only after it was right up on my rear end in the dark of the morning. The lights flashed on, and I IMMEDIATELY signaled and pulled right over and stopped.

Before the State Trooper got to my window, I had my driver license, registration and insurance card at the ready, and window rolled down. As he approached and looked at me, I handed him my information with a smile. He looked my info over quickly, and checked the registration on my windshield. He asked me if I knew why I was pulled over. I said "I know. I was speeding, officer." He told me he clocked me doing 57 in a 45. He asked me where I was going, and I told him that I was picking up a friend and heading to Keuka Lake for a group fishing meet. He saw my poles and tackle bag in my truck, smiled back and said "Really?" He asked me if he had any reason to be concerned about me (from a criminal standpoint), to which I replied that I have a clean record - always have. He said that if I checked out fine, he'd let me go, which he did, after the obligatory "Just slow down, okay?" Off I went.

Now, this happened just days after 9-11 occurred, and I'm sure he was feeling a sense of enhanced duty, combined with the fact that many drunken drivers and other troublemakers are out in force that time of morning, but, at the same time, also feeling a sense of mercy as well. I didn't really think about it at the time, but I'm sure that since I had acted cooperation, it moved him to be merciful toward me.

Next story:

The other day (literally), I was driving home from work, and nearly home when I realized, honestly, that my FM station presets were lost on my stereo. As I tuned them, in just a moment of dissuasion from paying attention, my truck started to wander into the oncoming lane (broken yellow centerline at least). I noticed this and quickly turned back into my lane. Unfortunately for me, the first and only other car in the oncoming lane was a Sheriff! Our eyes met as we crossed paths, and the look on his face - a curious combination of astonishment with a good dose of complete disgust mixed in - told me I'd better brace for a pullover. Sure enough, his brake lights immediately came on, he made a fast u-turn and came flying up behind me, lights a-flashing. I IMMEDIATELY signaled and pulled over without delay.

Again, I got my license, registration and insurance ready for him and rolled my window down. When he came up, I smiled up at him and said "I know why you pulled me over, officer." He looked my window registration over, and I held up my information for him to take. Curiously, he only asked for my driver license (I started to feel great at this point).

Just then, another Sheriff's car came by and pulled behind the first Sheriff, with the lights on. Although he probably did that just to provide potential backup (I could have been potentially a dangerous person, drunk or high on drugs - anything), my pullover was starting to look like the conclusion to a high-speed pursuit, with cars passing the scene at about 2 mph! The other Sheriff came out of his vehicle and watched me from my passenger side. The first Sheriff asked me where I was coming from and where I was going. I told him from work and to home. He asked me why I was wandering and I told him, with a smile revealing my guilt "I was tuning my radio and not paying attention. It was stupid, I know, officer. I know what I did was dangerous." He agreed, handed my license back to me, told me to be careful in the future, and bid me a good afternoon. I drove off, relieved.

Now, let me say first off that I have had 4 tickets in my life prior, and although I was able to avoid getting any points on my license on every one (but still paying the fines) in every case, the police out here in WNY are NOT pushovers - whether local or State Police. Revenue is sorely needed, and when we get pulled over, like I said before, we probably WERE intentionally breaking the law. Most importantly, lives are at stake everytime we get behind the wheel.

When you are required to pull over, do so immediately and safely, signalling your intention. Cooperate fully with the officer by getting all your information out and ready. You might be nervous, but try and stay composed. I'm also thinking that if you have a loud car (bad exhaust), you should probably turn your engine off to make conversation less tedious. Turn your stereo off. Have your window rolled down. I say cooperate fully because the officer probably doesn't know you, and will be poised for a potentially violent situation when confronting you. Don't argue with the officer - we know when we are speeding, running red lights, rolling through stop signs or pulling a 'jack move', and after some 100 years of traffic law enforcement and excuses, the law enforcement personnel are well aware that we knew what we were doing - and are trained to determine the difference between genuine reasons and lame excuses - most are the latter. If they ask you if you know why you were pulled over, just answer honestly - this is your first chance to significantly lower your odds of getting a ticket. Keep the conversation light and try to have the best attitude that you can. It's not the best part of the job for officer, so making it easy on them by being cooperative is one way to diffuse tension in his or her part. Hopefully, your vehicle's interior will be clean and free of McDonald's cups and bags, papers and other trash lying around everywhere. If you smell of the least bit of alcohol, be prepared for an on-the-spot sobriety exam, even if you only had one teeny sip of booze - and COOPERATE with it. Do it with a smile.

Remember, once we are pulled over, you are standing at the door of entry to 'the system'. Our only chance to avoid entering it is to make the situation at hand a smooth as possible, because, from that point onward, we are in the system . Our time becomes obligated, and points, fines, and, in some cases, defense costs will likely be placed against us.

Obviously, the best way to avoid the situation is to obey the law, period. However, statistically, just about everyone will encounter a roadside chat with the police at some point. Also, if we are pulled over for blatently breaking the law in an outstanding way - say doing 85 mph in a 55 zone or nearly causing a collision, there is probably nothing we can do to avoid a ticket - and we should expect it. Those situations are just plain dangerous and a complete disregard for the law. Even so, we should still be cooperative when we get pulled over, no matter what the situation is which brought us to the curb. Disagreeing with the officer in anger, at any level, will not persuade the officer from rethinking his or her stand for stopping us, but only strengthen it.

So that's it. It's all about making a tense situation easier for both you and the officer on duty.

And one more thing. I had my tackle bag and a light action pole in my truck cab, in plain view of the Sheriff the other day. I can't help but wonder if that wasn't a help to me, also.

Tight Lines (and safe driving to you)...

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> email - RobJinWNY@hotmail.com

Posted by theole34 on 2002 PM:

from my side of the window..

well written rob. very well written. reaching for the glove box while pulling over usually heightens my attention to security. you can actually wait, and tell officer that your insurance and registraion is in the glovebox, and you would like to retrieve it. a good officer will control these actions with his introduction.

pull as far to right as possible, engine off, windows down (all of them if tinted), dome light on (if it helps illuminate), and radio off. b4 officer arrives tell all passengers.. "this is my auto, i am driving, DON'T butt in!!!", hands at 2 and 10. all of this helps officer see what he/she needs to see, and addresses all security issues.

there are other factors, but i usually look for these courtesies when i issue a courtesy warning.

once again rob...
well done.

robbie

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Posted by bobn on 2002 PM:

another point is if you are carrying a concealed firearm-(legal of course)-keep your hands in full view--on the dash or steering wheel and notify him ---ask him how he wants to proceed from here--bobn

Posted by wnybassman on 2002 PM:

Rob, I have been puled over 14 times in all my years of driving (6 times for speeding) and have never once got a ticket or any points against me. Most all of those times I certainly deserved to be pulled over.

On one occasion, I was driving an old 1970 Jeep CJ-5 with the tempory registration. A state trooped (a suburban no less) pulled me over. Two officers got out of the vehicle and approached mine, one on either side of the Jeep and I had the soft top off. As I reached to the glove box, the officer on the passenger side watched with extreme attention, and was ready to pounce on me at the slightest wrong doing.

An old '77 Monte Carlo I had I had blue lights on the rear axle. Was pulled over to have me disconnect them. I did not know that only emergency vehicles had the right to use blue lights.

I had a Pontiac Fiero for 6 years. I was on my way to a fishing tournament when I was pulled over in the village I lived in (Attica at that time) My windows were tinted pretty dark, and I think the Attica police just got a new gadget to check the level of light that passes through a window. Sure enough, my windows were too dark, but never ticketed, nor did I ever do anything about the tint.

I was in that same Monte Carlo when I pulled out of a restuarant in Batavia. It was a rainy night and when I hit the gas, the tires started to spin, but never made a sound because the pavement was wet. Anyway, I goosed it more to see how long I could keep them spinning, and about 200 yards later I saw the lights come on. Ooopps!

The strangest time I was pulled over was when the officer just wanted to know if I wanted to sell my truck. About 2 weeks later, I signed it over to him, and got my first new truck. That was 6 years ago. Funny how things come about!!

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Posted by theole34 on 2002 PM:

i have stopped a few exotic cars in NYC to look at. all guys i stopped were very nice about it. most guys with exotics are happy to show them off. i would pull you over in the monte. lol.

robbie

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Posted by mikeD in NYC on 2002 PM:

wny...nice monte carlo!... 14 times and no tickets!!!..6 times for speeding!!...everytime i have been pulled over for speeding i have gotten a ticket... it must be the long hair... tell me your secrets!...do i need a military hairdo like robbie theole34?

Posted by wnybassman on 2002 PM:

Mike, funny you should say that. The time from high school, until about 4 years ago, I had hair halfway down my back. That was also the time I got pulled over all those times. 4 years ago I got sick of the hair, and chopped it off to the length I keep it now, and haven't got pulled over since, even with the license plates that say I'm "NO GOOD" LOL!!!

Posted by Meg on 2002 PM:

I will not say how many times I get pulled over, however, in addition to all of your helpful hints Rob J, I think it helps if you have a child in the backseat saying, "Please don't take my Mommy to jail Officer" while sobbing. Patrick, my youngest, did this once and the officer and I both got a kick out of it. Didn't get a ticket for that one....Did slow down, as I do when the kids are with me. Actually, I think that particular officer felt sorry for me-had the kayak on the roof, the kids in the backseat, the rods laying on the cover for the trunk poking into the front, and the dog (big golden retriever) in the front seat, slobbering all over as it was warm out......

Posted by Seth V on 2002 AM:

Things not to say...

> I only had one officer Mr. Keg..

> Back off Barney, I've got a piece.

> Want to race to the station, Sparky?

> I know I was weaving, but I can't find the Honeycomb Hideout!

> On the way to the station let's get a twelve pack.

> You'll never get those cuffs on me...You Pussy!

> Come on write the ticket, the bars close in 20 minutes!

> Hey, wasn't your daughter a pork queen?

> How long is this going to take? Your wife is expecting me.

> I'm surprised you stopped me, Dunkin Donuts has a 3 for 1 special!

> Yeah you can see my license and registration, officer, but could you hold my
beer for a minute?

> Hey, you must've been doing' about 125mph (200km/h) to keep up with me! Good
job!

> Sorry, Officer, I didn't realize my radar detector wasn't plugged in.

> I thought you had to be in relatively good physical condition to be a Police
Officer.

> Excuse me. Is "stick up" hyphenated?

> You know, I was going to be cop, but I decided to finish high school instead.

> "Bad Cop! No Donut!"

> I was trying to keep up with traffic. Yes, I know there are cars around,
that's how far I am behind the other cars.

> You're NOT gonna check the trunk, are you?

> Wow, You look just like the guy in the picture next to my girlfriend's bed.

> I bet I could grab that gun before you finish writing my ticket

> Gee, officer! That's terrific. The police officer yesterday only gave me a
warning too!

> Do you know why you pulled me over? Good, at least one of us does.

> So, are you still crabby because your mamma didn't let you play with your gun
when you were little?

> Hey is that a 9 mm? That's nothing compared to this .44 magnum.

> Is it true that people become policemen because they are too dumb to work at
McDonalds?

Posted by theole34 on 2002 AM:

paul.
i can't disagree with you unfortunately. we have our fair share of idiots. i made a decision a long time ago to treat people fairly, and not pursue a quota. the area i work in has many more problems to be addressed. ask rob f. what happened while i was on the phone with him. common occourance. northbass.. remember... wasn't thunder, or fireworks.

robbie.

remember

Cicero’s Six Mistakes of Man (according to Arthur F. Lenehan):

The delusion that individual advancement is made by crushing others
The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected
Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it
Refusing to set aside trivial preferences
Neglecting development and refinement of the mind and not acquiring the habit of reading and studying
Attempting to compel other persons to believe and live as we do.

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We're talking about "Spring" fishing...... right?

Posted by Bass Rat on 2002 PM:

Here's a crazy thought

Drive sober, courteously and within the posted speed limits.

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Posted by Scott E. on 2002 PM:

Yes sir, no sir goes a long way!!!

Guys,

I have been stopped plenty of times for things like inspection, bald tires, lights out and so called routine stops but never for speeding, never ever have I had a speeding ticket but just lucky thats all, did plenty of street racing in my younger days.

I got stopped in NJ for bald tires on the rear of my 68 Mustang, the officer said he could see the reflection of his headlights in my tires, the 60s I had on back were made quite shiny by leaving much of that rubber on the NJ roads thank to a very tourquie 302. He gave me a warning and sent me on my way.

Got stopped at a DWI check point one night just after being at a bachelor party in Ringwood, NJ and had been drinking heavily and headed back to Greenwood Lake, NY, the P.O. stuck his head in the window asked if I had been drinking and I said no, with that he proceeded to tell me that my tires did not have enough tread on them and wrote me a ticket for the tires and I was gone........pheeeeew I sweat that one out and never touched another drop of Alky hall when I knew I had to drive!!!

I had just got my license and had a 73 Pinto I bought for $50 bucks from a school buddies brother, after about 6 months and all the cops in my home town knew the car, one of the younger P.O.s that I knew from playing softball with pulls me over, so me being friendly I said "What's up" or "Hi Ernie"(Yes, that was his name) and he tells me "Don't be a wise a$$ Scott" and continues to rip me a new one and only finds a license plate light out. So since my uncle was a ex-Sgt and now worked as an investagtor for the Passaic Co. D.A. and his ex-partner was now Sgt., I decided to stop at the P.D. and talk to him about the incident that just happened, the Sgt. tells the dispatcher to call the Patrolman back to HQ and after Ernie now gets ripped a new one and appoligizes to me.

I still see Ernie every so often when I am in the old hood, he was a 20 something year old rookie with a bit of an attitude, but was usually a decent guy, now he is a vet. on the force with a much different attitude.

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---
Scott E.
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Posted by Gr8tSacandaga on 2002 PM:

Scott, being a teenager and encountering the various cops of the 4 town district(i go to a highschool made up of kids from 4 towns) I have noticed that the younger just hired cops usually are a little more pushier and won't give you a break for anything while the older veteran cops will only nail you hard if you REALLY deserve it... Its been just about a month with my license and I have yet to be pulled over! LOL

Dustin

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Posted by theole34 on 2002 PM:

the younger guys are not really aware that "discretion" is an option. remember when a beer in a brown bag was ok? riding a bike on the sidewalk was ok? these tickets to me are "tools." to be used when necessary. not every guy drinking a beer is a bad guy, but it gives me a reason to have a friendly, guarded chat. a little respect, and cautious handling on my part, and equal respect from the other party, and i am on my.. he is on his way.

dis·cre·tion (d-skrshn) n.
The quality of being discreet; circumspection. See Synonyms at prudence.
Ability or power to decide responsibly.
Freedom to act or judge on one's own: All the decisions were left to our discretion

i belv that with a little discretion, a police officer (DEC, EPA, ENCON) can really make a difference for the good.

robbie

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