A true cop story

[pwd72s]

A friend emailed a fun tale of an englishman admitting to French police he was drunk after attending his daughter's wedding reception. They were about to arrest him until he pointed out that it was a British car and his wife was in the other seat, driving.

That one reminded me of one that happened to Cindy & I a few decades ago.

Preparing our 15’ Chrysler Mutineer for launch at Foster reservoir, we were approached by a young Linn County Sheriff deputy, a water patrol guy. He was going to make sure our boat was legal.

So, licensed? Life Jackets for all aboard? warning sound device? the list went on..I answered yes to all. Then...Spark arrestor muffler? No. Coast Guard approved gas can? No.

He then started writing furiously in his ticket book. Finally looked up, noticed the mast. “Why..this is a SAIL boat.” “Right, no engine.”

[GH85Carrera]

One one of my trips to California I stopped to get gas and as I was filling up I saw a Highway Patrol officer stoped at the store front and look at my 911. He noticed no front tag I presume and he pulled out his ticket book and walked to the back of my car and saw a Oklahoma tag. He put his book away and never said a word. I was grinning.

[David]

Back in my Z-car days: one of the Z-car club guys was driving through New Mexico in his 280Z on the way to nationals. He crested at hill at a pretty good clip and saw a cop writing another driver a ticket on the other side. The cop got in his car and pulled over my buddy. As he was writing the ticket for 65 in a 55, my buddy asked how he could tell how fast he was going considering he was outside his car when he witnessed my buddy crest the hill. To which the cop replied, "when you've been doing this as long as I have you can tell how fast a car is going."

My buddy happily took his ticket for 10 over the speed limit knowing he had to be doing at least 120 when he crested the hill

[sand_man]

I got pulled over more than once in FL (early '90s) for driving my '61 VW Deluxe Microbus with the front safari windshields open all the way! Even though I wore sunglasses, cops said it wasn't safe and made me close them. Even when I argued that they were a factory option and that the bus came with them (I actually installed them from another bus), made no difference. One guy gave me a ticket.

[stomachmonkey]

Coming home one Saturday night with the then GF, now wife.

Gas station on my right at the corner.

As I'm stoping for the light before making my right on red I pick up a cruiser hiding in a dark corner of the gas station.

Stop, count to three then go.

Sure enough he comes out after me.

He walks up and I don't even wait for him to start the dialogue,

"I don't understand officer, I came to a complete stop, I signaled, I did a three count, why are you pulling me over?"

Did you see the sign?

"If you referring to the one that says No Right On Red with a smaller sign under it that says 7-9AM and 2-3:30PM School Days, then yes I saw it."

He looks at me for a like 10 seconds and finally says, Is that what it says?

"Yes sir, I don't mind waiting here while you go check it out"

No, that's OK, have a nice night.

[GH85Carrera]

One of my friends is a retired cop. He said on his first week out alone in a cruiser he saw a brand new Cadillac convertible. This would have been in the mid to early 1970s. The Caddy was blazing along a 40 MPH city street at 65 or faster. The driver looked like Boss Hogg with a big cigar in his mouth. It was the very first solo traffic stop for my friend. He walked up to the driver and said "alright show me your pilot's license" and the driver whipped out a pilots license. My buddy was dumbfounded. He said all the swagger left his body and he felt like Barney Fife. He just let the guy go with a warning. He said he often wonders how many times the Caddy drive has told that story.

[Bill Douglas]

A cop story I quite like...

In New Zealand's South island, on a back country road, a cop pulls a guy over for doing a couple mph over the speed limit. He says to the cop "You are going to fine me fifty dollars for going a couple of mph over the speed limit here?" Cop "Yes." Then the driver replied "In that case I'm going to fine you one hundred and fifty dollars for standing on the road without wearing safety vest - I'm a health and safety inspector."

[manbridge 74]

Once I noticed an 80s Caprice hooptie in my rear view struggling to keep pace with me on a highway on ramp. Red and blues firing behind his grille. I was in a 08 911 turbo impatient to fully warm the oil for a change. And I was hoofin it. He asked what would happen if he called my boss. I said I'd be fired. I think he was surprised with my honesty because he let me off. Later another cop told me that this officer never made a stop without giving a ticket.

[oldE]

In the vein of Bill's post.
Cy was late getting out of the office to return home and was "a few MPH over" when he saw the lights of the RCMP patrol car come on behind him. He pulled over and prepared to show the constable his ID showing he worked as a compliance officer for the DOT.
No good. The ticket for speeding was written.
In a bit of a vindictive mood,Cy asked to borrow the citation book and to see the Mountie's license and registration . When the constable inquired as to why , Cy told him he was writing a ticket for the burned out headlight in the patrol car.
Best
Les

[techman1]

Sitting first at the light on a side street, wanting to turn left. I see a beat up wreck on the other side, and decide to turn in front of him, if he is slow. Sure enough, the light changes, the old car just sits there, and I go!
New Camaro, with a V8, just traded in a 80's mustang with the 4 cylinder. 3 Days prior! The tires chirped, and i kept them spinning a little as I made the left turn. Surprised me a little, felt all macho. Until I looked in the rear view, and saw, now in plain sight, the far lane had a cruiser sitting in it! I was a block down the road, when the light changed, his lights went on! I pulled over and waited for him to catch up.

His first comment was "Thanks for waiting, hot rod!" I was sure I would get a ticket, but I showed him the paperwork with the trade in marked 4 cylinder Mustang, and explained I was not used to the car. He said it was his patrol area, and would keep an eye on me, and let me go with a warning.

[legion]

I was driving from Bloomington to Chicago on I-55 North in 2005 in my 1997 F150 V6. It was the Friday before spring break (lots of colleges in Central Illinois), so I knew there would be organized speed traps all over I-55. Sure enough, I come up on an overpass and see the squad car parked right over the northbound side. I know every place cops can sit on I-55 and I'd already slowed down to 65 mph before I was in sight of the overpass, so I wasn't worried. A few cars full of college kids did fly past me on the right. Well, I go under the overpass and glance right and sure enough there are around 10 squad cars waiting for the signal to go. As I reach the point where the downramp merges with my lane, I'm damn near hit by a cop doing triple digits who is clearly excited to catch one of the college kids.

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A buddy of mine is a pharmacist. He used to work the overnight shift at one of the local pharmacy chains and drive home to his rural home 15 miles outside of town when his shift was over. One night, he's driving through the main road in town to get to the interstate when he has a green light and goes through and intersection. He is t-boned by a cop doing a high rate of speed who has run his red light without lights or sirens on. At the scene, he is given a ticket for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle. The next Monday, he tries to start the insurance process where he is informed that the city is going after him for damages to the squad car and claims that he hit the squad car, not the other way around. After 8 months, the city finally produces the intersection video of the accident: It shows his car entering the intersection on a green light, goes black for 45 seconds, and then shows the cars at their final resting spots.

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And because I told the above story, I feel obliged to tell this one:

About a year ago, I was driving through a twisty, semi-residential street in town in moderate traffic. Sudden the car in front of me moves out of the way so I accelerate in the now open lane ahead of me. The next thing I know, I've got flashing lights behind me. I pull over onto a side road and wait.

The officer approaches my car: "Do you know how fast you were going?"

Me: "No, but I'm sure it was entirely too fast."

He collects my license and proof of insurance and heads back to the squad car. Under my breath, I say: "I knew this car was going to get me in trouble."

When he returns, he hands me my license and such and asks again: "Do you know how fast you were going?"

I reply: "No, I was not looking at the speedometer."

Him: "You were doing 46 in a 30. Do you have kids?"

Me: "Yes I do."

Him: "How would you feel if someone drove down your street like this?"

Me: "I'd probably call the police myself, to be honest. Clearly, this was a stupid thing to do."

Him: "Uh huh. Just slow down. There are plenty of country roads if you want to have some fun. Here is a written warning."

Me: "Thank you officer."

And guess what? I watch my speed on residential streets in town.

[matthewb0051]

I was coming back to NY after the Canadian GP in 2006. Crossing a remote US border checkpoint in Northern NY there is literally a sign that reads, "turn off your engine and wait. Someone will be with you shortly".

Only a minute or two and the guy emerges. He tells me to pop the trunk on my 911, pointing to the rear of the car. I do and he was very surprised to find an engine. After a chuckle, he then asked to look in the front trunk.

[LakeCleElum]

LA motor cop writes a guy a ticket one night for running a red light.
Guy comes to court with an attorney who asks how he could see the traffic light from where he was parked. Cop replies he could see the traffic light in his mirror.

Attorney asks: "So just how far can you see in the mirror?"

Cop replies: "one night I saw the MOON"........Judge cracks up and fines the violator...

[KevinP73]

Years back coming home in the wee early hours of the morning I launched my car crossing some train tracks at a high rate of speed, far above the speed limit. Immediately on the other side of the tracks was a cop coming from the opposite direction. He flipped the anticipated u turn, pulled up behind me and lit me up. I pulled over knowing exactly what he had in mind. He asked for my license and registration as he set his Tommy's Burger milk shake on the roof of my car. I complied and he handed my license back and said, "No I need to see your PILOTs license!!". He wrote me up for 65mph in a 30 zone, reckless driving, excessive exhaust noise, non street legal tires, and told me to thank my lucky stars he was letting me drive away.

[Alan A]

Was in Montreal. In a rental with NY plates.
Going a tad faster than they allow.
Pop up cop zapped me (overpass) and I was pulled over down the road by his buddy.

Got the usual license and registration deal.

Pulled out my uk license.

Cop took one look and said "you aren't going to pay a ticket, are you".

"Nope".

"Slow the f. Down."

And that was that.
Still makes me smile...

GF at the time - in the passenger seat - was flabbergasted.
So, frankly, was I. But I didn't let on...

[red-beard]

While visiting my sister in San Diego, I drove to pick up a pizza. On the way back, I was looking out over the city, noticing the Smog, one of the first times I really saw Smog. Cop, who I saw on the way out, pulls me over for speeding.

I handed him my New York License and said "I'm sorry, I was looking at the Smog".

"When did you move to California?"

"I'm just visiting my sister for her wedding"

"Do you want to leave California with a Ticket son!?! See that thing in the middle of the dash? It's a speedometer son! Look at it once in a while!"

And he let me go...

[oldE]

A good friend of mine was in civilian clothes in his own car on his way home from the detachment in Charlottetown when he stopped to let an elderly man shuffle his way across a crosswalk. When the old guy had made it half way across the street, another car pulled up behind him and after a few seconds the driver started blowing his horn. As this noise was causing the old fellow some consternation, my friend called out to him to continue as he had the right of way.
When the honking continued my friend got out of his car and went back to advise the driver of the other car he was making the situation worse with his use of his horn. As he approached the car the driver started to roll up his window while yelling at my friend to "get out of here before I call the fuchin' cops!"
To which my friend responded, "I am the fuchin' cops."
The horn blower did a U turn and fled.

Best
Les

[ninelevenick]

About ten years ago my then pregnant wife and I were driving home from a potluck dinner at our friend’s house. We were in the 911, and it was about 11:30 at night. About 2 miles from home we were at a stoplight. A young guy in a Lexus is300 pulled up beside us. The light turned green, and he took off. I didn’t quite take the bait, but I matched his speed doing about 60 in a 40 zone. The Lexus went straight through the next intersection while we made a right. All of a sudden we were lit up by a local patrol. I promptly pulled over. The young officer walked up to my side, took a look at me and my wife who had a large half full salad bowl in her lap, and asked, “Is there a reason why you were speeding?”
Before I could answer he followed up his question with another, “Or is it because you are driving your Porsche?”
“Because I’m driving my Porsche.”
He half smiled and said, “Okay, make sure you obey the speed limit during the rest of your drive home.”
And I did.

[pwd72s]

Brock Yates wrote of riding with Dan Gurney. Pulled over, the cop asked to see Gurney's "racing license"...

Great stories guys. Hope they keep coming.

[Seahawk]

I have had two potentially life altering experiences with the police, either of which could have gone South faster than a Molly Hatchet song.

1974 in South Carolina. I had just finished my Junior year in HS. My Dad and I had moved to South Carolina in late summer 1973 so I could start my junior year in HS at Saint Angela Academy in Aiken, SC. He was the head of the Savannah River Plant, the source of most of the weapons grade material for our nuclear weapons. Other stuff as well.

The rest of the family followed after the ranch in California sold and my two sisters finished their college semesters: The whole clan was together early in the summer of 1974.

I was taking one of the best looking women I have ever met, and she is still stunning, to a Leon Russel concert in Columbia, SC. We were driving to the concert in my 1960 VW that still had California plates on it.

We were also smoking pot. In South Carolina. In 1974. This is central: I was not in Boulder circa 2017. People went away for smoking pot in South Carolina in 1974.

We were on I-20 east bound headed to Columbia, happy and dopey in the right lane, going the speed limit. It had begun to rain. Out of nowhere there was a police car on my bumper. In another second he lit me up.

This was serious. Since it was raining our windows were up and it was going to be difficult to get rid of the smell.

F me running.

We were approaching a closed trucker weight station and I decided to pull into the station since, why not, doom awaited and I could get off the interstate. The station is still there. I remember the near death experience every time I drive by. See pictures below.

As I pull up to the little shack, I notice two motorcycles, 70's choppers, parked next to the shack and two interesting looking fellows sitting under the eaves of the shack, getting out of the rain.

I stop and the police car pulls up between my VW and the shack, between me and the motorcycles.

The policeman gets out, stares and me and Laurie (our windows are down trying in vain to air out the mess), looks at the two motorcyclists, then back at me and says, "Beat it".

To this day I wonder about just how different my life was about to be. I have no idea why we got lit up, just that we did an it wasn't going to go well.

Two sketchy looking dudes, getting out of the rain changed my life.