In Tallahassee, the traffic enforcement isn't that bad. They don't just pull you over for no reason like all of you are talking about.

 

So Friday night i was in the city at a little mini meet following another fellow TLer and as im passing a safety checkpoint right before getting in the Lincoln Tunnel they decide to pull me over. They ask for everything, license, insurance, registration, run it all thru their computer, and then start asking me questions if I have anything illegal, drugs, or anything they should know about. In the process they let other people who they pull over let go within 3 mins. They made me wait 10 minutes.

Is it illegal to be 18 and driving a nice car? This is gotta be at least the 13th time ive been pulled over by a cop and only three have been ligitimate reasons where im at fault.

Not all cops are bad, but most of them abuse the privileges that they have.

 

the horse have more horsepower than our TL..our horsepower originate from its name...

 

I don't know how things work in Canada but in the good ol' US of A or specifically Florida,law enforcement officers must have a reason to pull you over. Random checks don't fly. I guess I'm just a little jaded (sp?) because all too often, I read police reports where drugs or weapons (granted they shouldn't be in the car in the first place) are found from a "consent" ( and I use the term loosely) search and the reason for the stop was because the driver didn't use a turn signal or something ridiculous like that. After getting the police report, I'd ask my client - Why did you get pulled over? Client responds that he just got pulled over for doing nothing- then taken out of the car, cops searched the car and found a little marijuana in the backseat or something stupid like that.
Of course in the police report, you'll see something like- the defendant was driving erratically and made 3 turns without using his signal. Upon making contact with the Defendant, the Defendant consented to a search of his person and his vehicle. A little baggie of marijuana was found in the vehicle and the Defendant admitted it belonged to him.
#1- who in the world consents to a search when they know something is illegal in there and #2 then admits to it??

Sorry for the rant.

Bottom line from a legal perspective- random checks equal a no no but it happens all the time.

 

Lol, I bet it must be impossible to argue in their defense, when they consent to a search and then admit to having the drugs in their possesion. I guess the only thing you can do in that instance is to barter with the judge and ask for a smaller sentence or a small fine.

 

compliance doesn't help you,
it helps the cop.

 

Cops in San Antonio are more focused on pulling people over for speeding. The TL definitely does attract attention. Since my 10 years of driving I've never been pulled over so many times (3x in one year) for speeding. I was going over the speed limit all three times. luckily one was a warning, one I did the defensive driving course for, and the last an ambulance chaser lawyer got it dropped without any points. I'm definitely more careful and cautious.

However, if it were that I were getting pulled over for no reason for the hopes of finding something illegal that is a crock of sh*t and it's not something anyone has to put up with. It's not a police state. I would never consent to a search (I don't any sort of drugs or drink and drive) just to appease a cop. On the other hand, if one has illegal tints, no front license plates, or other less than street legal mods then tough sh*t and deal with the hassle.

 

WOW...

I can not agree, we used to have rights,,,, but now it seems that we do not...

Everyone should have the right to drive, it is not a privalage.... That is why you have to PAY for tags, title, registaration, plates, emissions checks, insurance and taxes....

If you do anything that is suspicous... Cool no problem pull me over, but for no reason, come on this is still America

 

Well, in the case of NS-TL, it's actully NOT still America. It's Canada.

Apparently it's a little looser up there as far as being pulled over for a "document check". Down here, we actually have to make up a reason - "Uhmm, you didn't signal while changing lanes .... ?"



Wacky Canadians.

 

Sure if you say so. I suggest you study up on your personal rights when it comes to being stopped by a cop.

 

If it wasn't legal it wouldn't be done. But driving is a privilage...which means it can be taken away. Your Charter of Rights...your rights...cannot be taken away. If you consent to a search and get caught with shit then thats your dumbass fault. But a search incidental to arrest is perfectly legal and a safety issue...defence can try and fight but as long as the officer did it correctly...your wasting the courts time on some waste of air punk.
A police officer can pull any car over "just" to ensure the car is properly documented. A driver must have all the proper documents in the vehicle at the time it is driven..failing to do so is a summary offence. I pull people over all the time to just do spot checks of vehicles....not many have given me grief about it....and the ones who do usualy are the ones who are constantly getting tickets for non-compliance.

 

If you can find anywhere that it is our right to drive..I'll beleive you...however its not..it is a privilage, one that is earned during your testing and can be taken away if you abuse it/fail to comply with the rules set out for that privilage.

I've been pulled over for all kinds of shit and been subject to road block checks and random checks.....doesn't bother me in the least. If i get pulled over for speeding i earned it, if i get pulled over for a check at 3am..no prob as i know the guys is looking for dui's, thefts ect that we all want them to be proactive with.

 

I agree SporkLover. Police, as far as my job is concerned, have not been given any extra powers. In the US, yes, the federal agencies seemed to have been given rights to peer into anyones life without that persons knowledge or consent by the BUSH admin. I'm not a fan of that admin either and am hoping our PM will not go his route. I work in Canada and I still need a signed warrant from a judge to do that and must report to that judge any information garnered. If any person on his website has ever written a warrant they will know its not an easy process to get it approved.

 

Ok I read everyones point... but honestly, stay away from NYC (Northern Part)... If it is the last week of the month, you will get pulled over... not just because they have to make quota but because their is a cop every 2 blocks... I live on 153rd St. thus the name... they station a cop on 154 facing south bound... one on 152 facing north bound etc... there are precincts on 147, 135, 124, 126 to name a few... city blocks... by the way

On any given evening when I used to drive my heavily modded Civic (dropped on Tanabe's) with full exhaust headers the whole 9 and a MEAN SILENCER over my muffler... I would get pulled over for my tints, my exhaust, my clutch making noises (act 4 puck) etc....

Now on the TL-S I get a mean look, and then I get stopped...

The lines of "reasonable": I just finished my bachelors with a minor in police studies...My major was Legal Studies... My masters is Criminal Justice... I know the New York State Penal Code more if not as much as the cop that is stopping me, which is why I can predict it...

As for other states... Reasonable Search and Seizure as stated in the Bill of Rights is sooooo ambiguous

Perfect scenario is the one where they get the slightest description and stop someone... The consent to a search is irrelevant, once the cop asks you to exit the vehicle... if you leave the door open he will ask you can he search the vehicle... we know out rights (correct) but we are so inclined and intimidated by police that even if something is in the car we will consent to it...

This is coming from an individual who has been stopped and searched so many times that I just pop my trunk open...

PS. when I had my 350z (it sucked) why? because the back window lets them put a light on the trunk... I got my 350z the night before halloween (oct 30th 2006) I had a hocky mask which I wore for halloween, the entire time I owned the car the hockey mask was in the trunk... I got hell for it... They'd ask whats the mask for, what are the mechanic gloves for... etc...

A Stop is a Stop... The Reasonable Search and Seizure clause is not greyed in any form, it is just simply so ambiguous that it can mean anything, as simple as the cop saying he smelled weed...

Correct me if I am wrong... Magna Cum Laude (John Jay College of Criminal Justice Class of 2007 New York, NY)

 

Gray = Ambiguous. No? Don't mean to pick on you, just pointing out the inconsistency.

 

i dont like cops right now... lol im jk - just bitter because i got pulled over and now i have to pay the consequences... literally. but its my own fault, i know...

as far as driving being a "right" - you're wrong, it's a privilege, as stupid as that is because we all pay taxes and tolls - not just the commercial industry to supply the economy.

as far as cops being @$$holes.. like NS-TL said - every profession has one - cops arent @$$holes when they protect you - and you might say "they dont protect us blah blah blah" - but the truth of the matter is... you dont know sh*t about what they have to go through. THATS why they protect you... when your asleep snug in your bed, my dad and other cops are running around getting shot at and getting their wrists broken stoping some punk @$$ thug from raping women... im sick of people hating on cops because theyve had a few bad experiences and now there world is all turned upside down - ive dealt with my fairshare of cops, but trust me on this - they (not all of them at least) want to be an ass to you - but before they dealt with you, they may have just gotten spit on by a drunk, punked on by someone whos ready to "Charlie" or even have their family threatened.

just sit tight in your nice comfortable leather seats and stfu if they pull you over. they are doing their job for a paycheck.

like i said - some are jerks, but you get that everywhere.

sorry for the rant - but im sick of whiners that think the world owes them something.

 

"Gray = Ambiguous. No?"

I was just being politically correct....

fant0m_TL... tell you why NYC cops pull me over... because their base salary in 2 years couldn't buy my car... muhahahaha they make a g biweekly (BEFORE TAXES) I make a g a week after taxes lol (not really I actually make almost double a year not quite a g a week lol, just felt like humiliating the city for paying them so poorly... then they wonder why there are some dirty cops )

 

I'm a central jersey TL owner, and all of you know how notorious the metuchen cops are for harrassing, false accusing, bullying regular citizens after a long day of work. I went into metuchen for 5 minutes to get gas and this robocop loser pulled into the gas station and waited for me to fill up! While i was filling up I got a call on my cell and I talked for about 30 minutes to see how long he'd wait. He waited the entire time then nailed me for tints. lol... Got to love it. I even saw them pull over this 80 year old lady and made her get out of the car. I was like wtf??! Damn jerks.

 

yeah... lol that, my friend, is an ahole cop.... some probably got beat up in high school and joined the force because they are overcompensating a$$hats!

 

they just hating cause a TL is too pricey for them..

 

dont think you have to go that far... trust me, they didnt sign up to hassle you for their paycheck. i know i said eariler that they are just trying to earn a paycheck, but there definitely is, without a doubt, better paying jobs out there.

dont mock them about not having a car. you have no idea what financial situations they are in. for all you know they own a side business, or an enterprise... its easy to assume that you know all the answers, but trust me son, you have no idea.

ease up off the money factor... everyone has a different situation.

 

Your obviously much more mature then me. Clearly. I'm sticking with my hating story.

 

^^rofl

 

Damn....US cops need a pay upgrade. Alot of us up here make 100g-120g+ after factoring in OT. And now with the both dollars nearing parity I feel realy sorry for the NYPD 'cause those guys see shit on a daily basis that I hope I never run into.

For all you cop haters out there...go for a ride along to get exposed to what they realy do in the run of a night. Don't take some Crim students word for it as I arrested one of them the other night, crying about how he is one of us and we should let him go home, until you do the job you have no idea through your books what goes on on the street.

Lawyers get paid big bucks to let their legal assistants do all the work for them. I think all cops are due for a big pay raise. Its typical society lately...the low wages do all the work while the high paid jobs sit and relax and reap the rewards. Time for a leveling of the playing feild.

 

SORRY MY EDIT TOOK TO LONG

Damn....US cops need a pay upgrade. Alot of us up here make 100g-120g+ after factoring in OT. Mind you taxes rape your OT pretty badly. And now with the both dollars nearing parity I feel realy sorry for the NYPD and other metro units 'cause those guys see shit on a daily basis that I hope I never run into.

I spent a week investigating the drowning death of a 2 yr old. That mind fucks you for a while. Not fun being in the same room with that kid while they pumping away on her and then calling the death. Then we are responsible for notifying family members. Hard on the head.

For all you cop haters out there...go for a ride along to get exposed to what they realy do in the run of a night. Don't take some Crim students word for it as I arrested one of them the other night, crying about how he is one of us and we should let him go home, until you do the job you have no idea through your books what goes on on the street. Only a cop can tell you how it is. And don't get your education from shows like "cops" they are edited and formated to keep viewer interest and don't reflect the actual going ons. 10mins of action= 3hrs of paperwork and court documents to prepare.

Lawyers get paid big bucks to let their legal assistants do all the work for them. I think all cops are due for a big pay raise. Its typical society lately...the low wages do all the work while the high paid jobs sit and relax and reap the rewards and tax breaks. Time for a leveling of the playing field.

I love my ride which is why I'm on this forum. I will do my best to answer police related questions from the 'Zine members. I seem to take some heat for it but i know a few members on here would get wound up if i started hating on salesmen. I'm trying to throw you guys the straight facts to your questions and concerns so that your in the know. If you don;t like the answers talk to your law makers as I can't change how it is.

 

yeah, I'm yet to ever get pulled over ONCE since I've gotten my TL. I go through structured checkpoints ALL THE TIME here in suffolk cty with illegal tint etc, not a single cop has said anything to me.

When I had my milano red 98 civic with the same tint, spoiler etc, prior to my 06 Ac, I used to get pulled over 4-5 times a year for "no reason".

Maybe it's because I'm brown and look older than when I was when I had my civic...cops don't bother me anymore! yay!

 

hey I am not just some crim student, I live in Harlem... Raised since 5 years old... Pre-Mayor Guilliani Era... I was here, yes that is correct, getting home from 1st grade (walking alone) drug pheens on the middle of the block, hustlers on the corner... Murder on a nightly basis, both cops and civillians killing each other, cops killing people... It was hell here... then Guilliani came along... the nypd did the damn thing... Crime dropped.... Harlem is on the uprise... In a short while there will be more condos here than any other neighborhood uptown...

But the fact is CRIME IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW IN HARLEM... the police presence is irrational... There are so many cops where I live I can't find a parking spot without seeing a car with a police parking permit...

I know the streets, I didn't escape the hood, never moved away, the hood became a neighborhood... to tell you the truth... Last week of January I am taking the NYS State Trooper exam... why, because I took up law in college, looking to be a lawyer, but you know what like you said they hand off work, and on another level reading cases for 4 years plus, sitting through trials, the criminal justice system encarcerating the minority like mcdonalds sells burgers - I hate the courtroom, but I still believe in the law, I just can't be a lawyer with how sporadic plea bargaining is in the system

All hate for police is just a generalization, granted there are bad apples... but those fell from the tree, they aren't all bad apples on that tree lol (worst analogy I know but what the heck), most of my friends are NYPD... why? I truly do not know, but they just chose to do it because it is so heavily advertised in my school... that and the military...

Anyway, I saw that Moore film, what was it bowling for columbine, canada got less crime than the US, naw I am just pulling your strings now... lol

 

Dude wow suffolk pfff, the best paid cops bar none, those guys love their jobs, starting 50k something 90k easy

 

LOL....ya i saw that film too. I actualy liked it for what it was. But ya Canada has a bit lower rate but its all on a per capital basis and LA has more ppl than Canada as a whole. Nearly all Canadians have guns. We are a largely rural society and most of our land is uninhabited. We hunt alot so if your out breakin into ppls houses, your likely to meet up with the owner and a 12 guage, also alot of town take of their own. For example: Grand Manan, small island near maine which is part of New Brunswick. there was drug dealer there sellin to kids. The island burnt his house down. Police charged the ppl involved and the courts slid them through on a conditional discharge. Now thats my kind of justice

Ya I hate defence lawyers as they do their best to get the criminals back on the streets, but hey someone has to do their job and it would be unprofessional of them not to do it well i guess. I also drive a nicer car then most of our lawyers hehe. Crown Vic Interceptor by day, 3G TL by night.

Magna Cum Laude eh???....just sounds so dirty lol

 

lol how likley is it that the cop wont show up for my courtdate next week regarding my very high speeding ticket LOL

 

I'm tired of beating a dead horse but I'm going to reply to your post because I don't want other members (on Acurazine) in the USA to be misled by your statement. So here it goes- in the USA, random checks are not legal (i.e. pulling over someone for no reason), period.

 

I guess I'm one of those guys you hate

 

That would make the roadblocks setup to check for documents and impaired illegal too wouldn't it as they are essentialy pulling people over in mass to accomplish the same result....but there not. I think you have more work to do on your arguement.

 

Now you know how i feel. hehe sorry wasn't a personal attack.....the profession frustrates me. But hey so far no defence has ruined my cases...they just try and plea there clients out on lesser charges. Lazy Crown prosecutors frustrate me more than defence.

 

Don't confuse roadblocks and DUI checkpoints with what you said. You said you pull over people all the time just to check their paperwork. That, my friend is not allowed in the US.

 

The more experienced cops (in the US) know exactly what to put in their police reports to make the stop legal. It's an art really- to make a "solid" police report so defense lawyers can't get cases thrown out. I've "ruined" quite a few cases ......

 

Well thats too bad then. Alot of stolen vehicles and crime could be solved by a 5min check of vehicle. But lawyers these days seem to make life easier for the criminal and harder for those trying to fight the plague. Too much bad case law out there.

 

That is true. I've been through some roadblock setups, and they only seem to stop random people. I've been let through few of the times, other times they ask me if I've had anything to drink and do the finger/eye test. I think his argument was more based on pulling people over randomly with no probable cause. But then again being a LEO, you can always make up some bs, and they wouldn't know anyways. I've gotten pulled over saying I looked liked a gangster before (back in high school at least ).

 

I get most of my info before a stop just by running the plate. All that persons criminal history is attached to same. Got many CSO violations that way. If you know how to write your court brief then that person will most likely plead guilty in hopes of a reduced sentence.

After 3am I stop everything that moves. Most crim activity starts around then so its a proactive approach that i have not gotten one complaint about.

 

The first 10 ammendments are a beautiful thing. It's great to live in the USA

Well, I'm off to a deposition of a cop. Clearly a bad search and seizure but the stop was good. I'm sure after the deposition, the prosecutor is going to offer my client a wicked deal or risk the possibility of getting the whole case thrown out.

BTW- even though you live in Canada- thanks for making it safe for the rest of us