Why Were You Pulled Over?

[cabinetman]

Just once... just once while watching "Speeders" when the cop strolls up to the driver and asks "Do you know why I pulled you over?", I wish the driver would say "If you don't know, why did you?"

I think radhak is likely the most current member for getting pulled over. My last time was in 1988 for going 89 in a 55. I can't say I was happy, but luckily I was on the brakes real hard for a few seconds before the cop hit the "instant on".

So, when was the last time you got pulled over and what was it for?
.

[BobSch]

1985. I got a warning ticket for 32 in a 30 zone. The local residents had raised a fuss over people driving 50+ through their neighborhood and the cops were out in force.

[LCHIEN]

Last time i got pulled over i was driving the Grand caravan from Austin to Houston at night in 2005. We passed a cop, who was just finishing with someone he pulled over, at a good safe legal speed, and before you know it I have these lights flashing in my rearview mirror.
Pull over, "do you know why i stopped you." "no." "your license plate light is out."
so i get a warning and spend 60 cents the next day to replace the light bulb.

how often do you have license plate light bulbs go out? They're like 4W light bulbs and you never see them when you drive.. I periodically check my front and rear lights when in an near empty strip center at night - just look in the store windows for the reflection.

[Richard in Smithville]

Never been pulled over for speeding. Not that I turtle along-just been lucky I guess. The last time I was pulled over was for a R.I.D.E. check. I was just coming back from friends about two hours away. Told the officer that I hadn't had any drink that night but a tall scotch was forth coming when I got home.

[crokett]

My last time was because I forgot to put the registration sticker on the license plate. I had it in the glove box, just never put it on. I took the receipt from the state into the ticket office with the ticket and they dismissed it.

[Pappy]

Got a warning ticket riding to work about 6 months ago for failure to signal a lane change...5 Times....

Enough crazies don't like bikes as it is. I would just as soon make sure I am clear to move over and do it, without turning on a flashing beacon for some idiot to home in on!

[twistsol]

Most recent was spring of '97 for 70 in a 55. Almost two years to the day after I'd been pulled over for 70 in a 55 at the exact same spot. I don't go to Iowa anymore.

Ray Ramano had a great answer to "do you know why I pulled you over?"

ray, "You're the fascist pig you tell me! ... okay my exact words might have been 'no sir, I don't.'"

[sparkeyjames]

Telegraph Road in West Bloomfield Michigan, March 2007. Cop started to tailgate me and like a dummy I sped up. At that point I was doing 5 over in a 50mph zone when he hit the lights. That cost me $120. The police play dirty in that community when it comes to traffic enforcement. I have seen cops behind bushes in the median with binoculars and a radio looking for people not wearing their seat belts. They radio their buddies who are parked 10 deep in a parking lot up the road and CHA CHING $140 dollar fine. They also play dirty with people who contest tickets. When the person says they are going to contest the ticket upon showing up in court the judge immediately says that they have to schedule a new hearing for that thereby costing them yet another day off work plus more court costs. It's a big scam.

[JSUPreston]

August, 1996 between 11 and midnight, got hit with 75 in a 55. I was driving to see SWMBO (engaged at the time) from north Alabama and got nailed in a well known speed trap just north of Wetumpka, AL. Thing is, I was so far ahead of the trooper when he hit the lights I probably could have ducked onto a side road and gotten away with it. Thought about contesting it in court, but I was speeding. The trooper was hidden behind a building a good 150' off the main road.

SWMBO got nailed for a 35 in a 25 a little over a year ago. We WERE going to fight it in court, but SWMBO NEVER WENT AND TOOK THE PHOTOS NEEDED FOR EVIDENCE. The way the road is laid out, it would appear to be a 35 MPH zone (especially based on the state drivers' manual). The sign indicating it's a 25 is nearly a mile down the road. Cop nailed her just feet before the sign and informed her the entire road is a 25. Funny thing is, there is no speed sign where the road starts, just the sign where she got nailed. So, $120 for the stupid ticket, plus an additional $15/mo on our auto insurance.

[Alex Franke]

1985, and I didn't even have my full driver's license yet (was driving with an adult). I hit a deer that came out of nowhere at night, and the cop was right behind me and hit his lights almost instantly -- I remember seeing blue lights on the deer as it was flying through the air ..... so I guess it was really the deer that pulled me over. Totaled the car, and I was shaking for days.

The cop came up and said, "Son, I'm going to have to write you a ticket for hunting off season." I panicked, thinking he was serious, and thankfully he pretty quickly backed down.

[RAFlorida]

What Alex posted caused a good laugh!

Last one for me was in '89 on 192 east of Holopaw. Doing 68 in a 55. Good cop though. Long story short, we both listen to the same oldies radio station back then. My ticket was for not observing posted sign. Difference of close to a hundred bucks in my favor!

[dbhost]

This last summer, I got a ticket for doing 70 in a 55. The cop was actually being nice. I was doing at least 85... I took defensive driving to get that taken care of...

[billwmeyer]

About 3 years ago I got pulled over on Christmas Eve here in town for my tag light being out. This was just an excuse, because we had a rash of break-ins on the few businesses we have left here. They were looking for any excuse to see who was roaming around.

I had a cop tailgate me one time and I hit the brakes, then sped up slightly. He braked hard and I got a very dirty look when he went around me. He didn't stop me though. Kind of a dumb move, but I was 18 and hated tailgaters, I didn't know it was a cop though.

I also avoided a ticket about in the same year. I was going about 90 in a 60 at night, and was passing a string of 3 cars when lights came on in a driveway at the side of the road. I knew instantly it was a cop and that he had to wait for the three cars to pass by and then get around them. I turned left at an intersection I was approaching, turned right immediately after, circled the block and came right back towards the road I turned off of. I drove by the cop, pulled slowly onto the highway and drove home. Kind of stupid, but at 18 you do dumb things. That was the only time I ever even thought of avoiding the police.

[charliex]

1964.. illeagle pass. Passing a semi, he wandered in to the left lane forcing me onto the sholder, oncomming car was MN HP. I was 22. Don't do the math.

[RayintheUK]

Many years ago, I stopped a motorist at 1.30am after he went past where I was parked quite fast - no danger caused, but it was a quiet night and he needed slowing down.

When I asked him why he was travelling so fast, his reply was that he had to get to hospital quickly, as his mother-in-law had overdosed on slimming pills.

When I pointed out that there was no-one else in the car his reply was "Oh, no, I'm too late!"

Ray