Anybody ever have a cop follow you around in your 308/328? Recently?

I wasn't doing anything, no speeding, no hot rodding, etc., and this cop tucks in behind me two days ago and follows for about 3 miles, changing lanes with me, turning corners behind me. he finally went another direction.

I think he had been watching too many Miami Vice reruns, personally, figured I was the bad dope dealer or something, and when my plate came back clean, he gave up.

Speaking of which, back in 1984-1987 when I drove my car everyday, a fair number of people asked me if I was a drug dealer. (I was a sales engineer working for an industrial equipment manufacturer at the time.) I also had young gals come up to me at parties and rub their bodies all over me, or drag me into the bathroom with them and ask me where the drugs were; and once I had some obvious narc, that I had never seen before sidle up to me and hint that he wanted drugs, he kept looking at me and snorting his nose; I started laughing. The 1980's were interesting.

Doug

 

The 308 went to a new owner a year or so back, yet yes cops followed for no good reason at all. This includes both marked and unmarked BTW and it happened more often than i care to mention. Maybe the donut shop was closed ;-)

Funny, never happens in the 'normal' vehicle i drive. Just remember to ALWAYS keep an audio/video recording device with you (like you cell phone camera) and always record any and all police interactions if they choose to pull you over. It might sound unusual, yet one day you may wish you had followed this advice.

 

Nope, hasnt happened to me yet.


PDG

 

I live in a town where the local police and state police stations are less than 5 miles apart. On occasion a local will tail me for a few minutes but then turn off. The state cops have followed me all the way to my home. Since I am not doing anything illegal, I look at it as an inconvenience more than a distraction.

 

I had a local cop follow me around town for about 20 minutes. I finally went home and drove into the garage. I don't go fast in town at all and keep the revs down so I'm quiet. He had no reason to bug me other than he was bored in a small town. This has happened more than once.

 

In Italy, we've had our share of cops following us around and asking us to rev the engine, go faster, that kind of stuff. Only in Italy!!!

 

Whatever they might have thought, it wasn't that you were a drug dealer - No respecting drug dealer would be driving a 20+ year-old Ferrari!

I had police pull me over on my 996 Ducati a couple of times to look at it but other than actually being stopped once in the Ferrari for no license plate, they've never paid any attention that I could tell. That license plate stop was when I was driving it from purchase in Vegas to MD and there was no plate of any kind on the car - NV doesn't issue a paper temp plate, just a small sticker that goes on the front windshield.

 

I got stopped once, because he said it sounded like I was going fast. But I also learned that when you get stopped, and they ask you if you know why they have you stopped. The correct answer isn't "because I let you."

 

Funny...and wise

 

I found this to be a great opportunity to get to know the local PD. I would pull over into a parking lot and if he would pull in behind me I would introduce myself and ask if he wanted to see the car. If so then give him an overview. If not then he would take off after verifing that there is no wants/warrants on the car. If he would spend a few minutes BS'in then ask for his business card and wish him a good day. Make the best of it and relax. They are more interested in seeing the car but don't want to play the lights to make you stop. Enjoy

 

I should have been over 7 years old, drive a 308, and been a drug dealer in the mid 80s ;-)

Having to drive from NV to MD sans a license plate would make me feel extremely uncomfortable.

Actually just took my 308 out for its longest test drive as of yet on Monday. First time longer than a mile or so, and first time in the city where I live. Come to my first intersection to find a light out and a cop directing traffic. Kind of catches me off guard as he starts staring at the car. I had been on a couple of the short test drives before the car was registered, hence my nervousness (car is legal now though). I soon realize he is trying to ascertain which way I am going. Not sure if my turn signals are functioning or not at the present time. I point to the right at the same time as I turn right. Situation subsides.

 

"Having to drive from NV to MD sans a license plate would make me feel extremely uncomfortable. "

Yes, I was uncomfortable and surprised that NV doesn't issue the "normal" temp paper tag that goes on the rear of the car. But nobody stopped me all the way across country until I was in VA (just outside of DC) and within 30 miles of my destination.

 

About 12 years ago my wife and I were out in our 308 in the country. We were near this country club along a winding road at a slow pace. Guess what, flashing red right up behind us.
The officer, gets out, asks for the, documentation, registration etc. He says, where did you get this car. In the mean time, there is this pick up truck right behind the police car.

Sir, it is my car. the officer goes back and I guess did a check, comes back and says. Every thing checks out. I replied, I am not sure what you mean. The officer says, the guy in the pickup truck says that you are driving a stolen car........
No, sir, I don't think it is stolen, it is my car.
The officer says, " I thought for sure I had you." "There is the guy who says it was stolen"...

Imagine that, I am the rightful owner, and I have to prove to the officer to some dimwit that says I stole the car.

Now it turns out that the guy in the pick-up had a friend, just around the corner that had a yellow 308.

To make a long story short, the officer followed us the friends home, and yes he had a yellow 308. Can I call the pick-up driver ******-head?

My wife was fuming with a few choice words thrown in.

 

I was pulled over by a young city cop . He claimed I was speeding (I wasn't) and when I told him I thought I was going pretty close to the posted 25mph speed limit he said with a smile " relax you're in a Ferrari , you're supposed to go fast". I'm pretty sure he just wanted to get a closer look at my car and /or my wife. In any event, he noticed I was wearing an airborne necklace ( turns out he too was a paratrooper ) and sent us on our way.

 

I'm not familiar with Canadian law, but here that type of behavior would not fly. I'd give the pickup guy a piece of my mind!

 

Happens all the time. When I notice it, I pull off into a parking lot and see if the guy has the nerve to follow.

Had a couple of good conversations with cops about the car that way, and met one real punk with an attitude.

 

Last month I was entering a suburban (pretty rural) intersection where I had the green light- I turned left and noticed a local cop car waiting first in line on the road I turned onto (obviously going the opposite direction...) and I thought nothing of it.

But he really cheked me out and then with his light still red he turned on his lights and pulled a U turn right in the middle of the intersetion and followed me very closely for about a mile and a half to the next light. I of course went exactly the speed limit and when I reached the next light I put my indicator on and turned right to go home. He turned left and that was that.

I figured he ran my plate and was just checking me out- but I like Steve King's idea to pull over and let him have a good look and introduce myself. We're pretty small town so that would be good- I just didn't think of it.

Next time-

And because my car is silver no one thinks I'm a drug dealer- just an old fart...

 

I would consider that "armed escort" and be done. The only cops I like are my neighbors and I liked him before he became a cop, so I still like him afterwards.

I hate all other cops.

 

Why ?

 

Never happened to me...Only smiles from these guys like everybody else.

 

When I lived in Boston, (Cambridge actually) I had a Maserati Merak SS. The local police were convinced I was a drug dealer or some sort of person of interest. An undercover cop or sometimes a regular cop drove by and stopped at least once a day to see if the car had moved. Cant believe they had nothing better to do. Maybe I matched a description or something...... I was pulled over in that thing more times than I care to remember, and none of them were ever due to doing anything wrong. Never got a ticket.

 

I think many cops are just car enthusiasts. If things are slow and they see a car they like they just pull it over or follow it for a closer look. I don't think it's right, but I'm sure it happens.

 

I had a woman in her BMW Z3 follow me back to my shop once while driving my 328. Trust me, she was not a cop... but she was "armed".

 

I'll modify my statement to "I hate all other cops I have come in contact with."

Why?

Automotive related, personal experience

1) Three officers all lied when testifying against me in 3 traffic court cases
2) Two officers knowingly violated the speed trap law along I-5 with airplane enforcement.
3) One officer gave my daughter a ticket for running a red light and the officer could not observe the color of the light
4) A redlight camera gave my wife a ticket while the picture was clearly NOT of her.
5) I see cops passing motorists stranded on the highway and not stopping to help.
6) I observed a cop driving deliberately slow in the non-carpool lane, therefore inducing a single motorist to jump to the carpool lane, and he stops the motorist for a $371 ticket. That is entrapment.

In my city: The city shortened the yellow duration of a traffic light before they installed red light camera. It was fought by a citizen, and they had to return all the ticket money.

In my community: a cop showed up at the wrong house responding to a civil disturbance call, at 6PM. Found a 4 foot 10 inch woman standing in her kitchen holding a vegetable peeler cooking dinner for her kids. Ordered her to drop the knife, she was freaking out to see this foreign man in her house and did not comply. He shot her dead in front of her 2 children. And, got off free. Why would a big cop wearing bullet proof vests be afraid of a smallish woman holding a vegetable peeler?

So, I hate all cops I have come in contact with. The others, well, the jury is still out.

 

Thats terrible. I've been screewed-over a couple of times by ethically-challenged cops but nothing I've experienced compares . I don't think we have redlight cameras yet and I hope we never do.