Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches North Central Got pulled over tonight! And boy am I pissed!!!!!

SO I am heading home from work. It is 1:00 am and I just did an 8 hour shift on my day off! I was not happy to begin with. Then I see this cop sitting on the opposite side of the road. I wasn't worried as I was doing nothing wrong. He pulls out and race up behind me, he follows me to 169 North and at the end of the enterance ramp he puts on his lights. I pull over and wait for him to come up to the car.

He finally gets out and comes to my window. He say the traditional line "Do you know why I pulled you over tonight?" I was like "no" Get this.......

A BURNT OUT LICENSE PLATE BULB!!!!!!!!

Of all the B.S. Reasons he could have come up with that was the best he could do? So now I was boiling mad but kept my cool with him. Of course he took his sweet time running my license. He comes back after like 10 mins. and says "I am just going to give you a verbal warning, have a good night." I was so pissed I wanted to yell at him about how I could have been at home and getting in bed by now so that I can get my 6 hours of sleep to turn around and come back to work on Sat. for a 10 hour shift where I will be loading T.V.'s and getting yelled at by angry customers all day. But I just took my licenese and drove off.

Needless to say I am really pissed off right now. Glad I didn't get a ticket, but it was just a waste of my time.

1 AM, Chicken S*it Violation - he was doing a drunk check.

ya, that would have made me angry too. i was pulled over a week ago, i did nothing wrong, everything on my car was fine, the cop looked up my license for the hell of it and apparently his computer showed that my license was not "up to date", even though it was. no ticket, just a warning. so now i have to call somewhere and get it taken care of. talk to you later!

Truxman-

Why are YOU pissed off?

Do you think he really has fun pulling you over for petty items? I don't. Like PA 3L said, it was a drunk check. Deal with it.

I work with troopers day in and day out and they are protecting people like you and I (generally law abiding) from as#$^&* drunks that dont pay for insurance and drive on public roads possibly crashing into us.

And another thing, does ten minutes of your time seem long? well, maybe you should consider that the technology some cops (troopers for sure) use is well over 30 years old and not exactly the quickest there is.

If you broke the law, why shouldn't he have pulled you over, or given you a ticket? Because you were in a bad mood, tired, etc?
Do you think he cares?

He was just doing his job. As you were yours earlier that night. Think of the irony, you described how "pissed you were" because you hated being yelled at by angry customers for 10 hours. Well how is his job any better, he goes through the same things!!

Be thankful he didn't write you up, most of the troopers I know wouldn't have thought twice about it. You are lucky, should be thankful, end of story. See ya at the next meet.

Right on JontourSVT!!!!!

And another thing, you don't risk this happening to you at wherever you work:
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/patrol/press/110601paurus/110601paurus.htm

With all due respect to peace officers of all types, I do have an issue with using these minor items as drunk checks. It all has to do with probable cause, one of the foundations of our legal system.

I would question this type of stop unless the driver is in some way indicating by their driving that they may be drunk.

Also, was there really a need to run all the information? Once truxman was stopped, and the cop has determined he's not drunk, why not just say "you have a burnt out bulb, get it fixed," and let him go on his way. There is no probable cause to suggest that truxman was drunk or had an outstanding warrant, so why put him through the wringer?

Maybe it would be better if such piddly things were no longer considered primary offenses, and definitely not fineable ones.

In short, I think it's truly possible to respect and be thankful for police protection without blindly accepting everything they do without question.

don't know if you guys know where Bethel is, but it's up in Arden Hills right by 35w and 694. well anyway, i got pulled over for having a stupid smelly tree in my rear view mirror. the cop says "so what are YOU doing here" cause i'm asian in a predominantly white college. i told him that i was a student and i don't think he believed me cause he look throughout my car, without having me get out, and made sure that my license was intacted properly. dickhead...then i made sure that he saw my 600 page Church Fathers and Reformers book when he was making his round around my car...

ok, so maybe it wasnt a drunk check, either way, truxman's car was illegal, and the cop had every right to pull him over. I am not saying it was the best use of either of their's time, but it happened.

Also, Spec23, we have yet to meet, but most (not all) troopers I know would have pulled you over for a hanging tree (anything on windshield is illegal in MN- other than the rearview) regardless of your ethnic background. But that is not to say that he didn't treat you differently, I wouldn't even want to guess because I dont know you or him, nor was I there.

James, you said; "There is no probable cause to suggest that truxman was drunk or had an outstanding warrant, so why put him through the wringer?"

What way is there to tell the 'probable cause' of someone having an outstanding warrant, other than to run their name?

...

Like any profession in this world, there are a$$hole cops, plumbers, car mechanics, etc.

But if you are like me, the amount of times you have to see these small percentage of people is few and far between. And it is far easier to forget about it than to worry about it.

If I am reading correctly, both of you were issued warnings, (whether verbal or written, I dont know), so again, be thankful, change the infraction (new bulb, remove hanging tree) and press on with life. it's that simple.

I guess our differences in laws and enforcement have to do with a difference in basic philosophy. You seem to believe that laws/rules are to be obeyed and enforced strictly, where I beleive in a more laissez faire attitude.

Neither truxman nor specialist were doing anything to harm themselves or anyone else, and so should be left alone, even if it was technically illegal.

When it comes down to it, I would gladly see these needless, nit picky laws removed from the books. As nobody ever discussed the repealing of laws seriously, I'll content myself with them not being enforced.

Specialist, a good alternate place for an air freshener is the "utility hook" by the glovebox latch.