pulled over at day 8 of ownership is this normal

Yes you would. Unless you would prefer losing your licence on the spot and possibly being charged as well.

 

The LAST kind of person we need running around with a badge and gun....

Hope the prospective hiring authority can read this.

 

Out of curiosity was your car parked at the Pacific Edge valet?

 

Last year, on our season end run, we were (all 125 cars) pulled over for a roadside sniff at 11:30am on a Sunday. Then around the next bend, they split us into two lines - those with front plates and those without. We "no front platers" were then treated to a 5 minute lecture about how evil we were.

We had been tearing up the back roads which were too twisty for them to get a radar on, so this was their traffic calming solution. Unfortunately for them, we were only yards away from where we were stopping for lunch.

The LEOs sat outside for a while waiting for us to get on the road again, but their need for coffee and doughnuts kicked in and they left without writing a ticket. They were quite pleasant about the stop. It was evident it was a mandate from the office and they could care less about what we were doing.

 

Unfortunately, I have a lot of experience in being pulled over. I tend to exceed the limit often and, yes, get caught from time to time. Anyway, in my experience, how the cops treat you is almost always directly related to how you treat them.

Whenever I'm getting pulled over, I immediately (when safe) pull to the side of the road, turn off the engine, pull out my driver's license, and put my hands on the steering wheel with the license showing to make it clear I'm cooperating and not a threat. I'm also friendly and respectful (not kissing ass), and don't act like I'm shocked he pulled me over. He's got me and there's no point in trying to lie about it. I find that when I do this, the cop either (i) let's me go with a warning or (ii) drops the speed to a point where the fine is less and no points are accrued.

I think it helps to put yourselves in their shoes. I think these guys pull over a lot of angry, uncooperative people who try to bullsh#t them and they get tired of it. I think they really appreciate someone being polite and being straight with them, and therefore are inclined to cut those people a break.

 

The first time I ever got pulled over in the US, I got out of my car and approached the cop. Quickly learnt that the proceedure differs from Australia.

 

Can cops in the US stop you just for a paper check? Or do they need a cause (speeding, broken tail light etc..)?

 

they can find a cause

I got pulled over once in college for having a broken tail light and when i asked him which one, he couldn't answer....

 

So same as in France. I was pulled over in my Alfa, the chick said my foglights were on. I said the car doesnt have any....

 

Big mistake getting out of the car: Police have no idea who you are or what you are going to do. They don't know if you got out to shoot them.


Ago

 

No kiddin. I don't remember how it was in Europe but it felt strange staying seated in the US.

 

In Europe, you also wait in the car but they dont freak out if you get out since fireweapons are much rarer.

 

I can't comment on the OP's particular circumstance but I always noticed that a bright red Ferrari gets a lot of attention from the police. I found most of the time that I drove my Ferrari slower than my pick-up truck because of this. If I passed a cop doing 15 over in my pick-up they didn't even look. In my red Ferrari they would do a U-turn and pull me over.

 

Two days is a long time for a cavity search, with or without lube.

D

 

Check that out in mich if you refuse road side breath test is a civil infraction only if the officer arrests you and you refuse does your license get suspended. All road side sobriety tests are volunteer if you refuse them , they can't arrest you for driving with brights on. They use that a lot and people don't know their rights

 

I was constantly getting pulled over in my Ferrari. My record was getting pulled over five times going from Huntington Beach to Hollywood and back. Two of those times was the old "broken tail-light" routine, with the "well, it wasn't working a minute ago" follow-up reply. Two of those times my car was searched. I was not cited on any of these stops, but that's because I had not done anything worthy of a citation. I was eighteen at the time and had long hair, which clearly had something to do with it, but combined with the car being a Ferrari was definitely a major contributing factor. After reading this thread, I'm just glad I wasn't in Houston.

 

So robertpel9 you were going to go through that on principle?!

 

Gregg your posts were sounding pretty reasonable until that last comment. You might want to edit that post.

 

I've had my red 456M for 2.5 years and have driven it about 15K miles. Pulled over once for no front plate, the first day I took it out. No ticket, just a warning. Got a front plate bracket, and have never been pulled over again.

Just lucky, I guess.

Cheers,

George

 

4th Amendment of the Constitution says they must have probable cause.

Here is the 4th Amendment text:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

.

 

There are rumors that front plates will be reinstated back in Michigan. No way I'm drilling holes in the front bumper and I doubt a magnetic type will hold up.