Can a police officer harass someone?

amtrak23 · 07-04-07, 07:57

I'm clearly in violation of no front plate and window tint, and I will happily pay the fine. I just don't totally agree with this one guys tactics.

In my neck of the woods these aren't that big of a deal. They generally tack stuff on like that with other traffic violations, etc. This one officer keeps pulling me over for it though.

I have been stopped 2 times now by this guy. The first was last spring about 20 minutes after I pulled my car out of storage for the winter, then again today while on a two minute drive to get some milk.

Last year we were stopped at a traffic light opposite of each other. As the light turned green and we passed each other he lit them up. Then today at the same spot while I'm following a white RX8 that had just turned onto the road in front of me. He sped off, had no front plate, and had very dark tint compared to mine. The speed limit is 35mph and the RX8 was clearly speeding. He flys by officer, I go by driving by under the limit and he pulls out and lights them up. I'm thinking he is going to get the other guy for sure.

I don't have a record, don't do drugs, don't speed (clean driving record for 4 yrs now), don't have a riced out car, no loud music/exhaust, and am generally a quality citizen. I even called in a drunk driver last Saturday night. Meanwhile, several riced out, loud pieces of junk drive by while I'm pulled over. I never see these guys get randomly pulled over while they are abiding by all of the other meaningful traffic laws.

I just don't get who this guy thinks I am, what he thinks I did, or why he doesn't like me? I haven't ever been pulled over for either of these in about 10 years of driving now around here? If I was speeding and he wanted to tack them on, fine, but I have hardly been moving when he gets me? It boggles my mind that he is wasting his time on something like this, and not keeping an eye out for other suspicious activities instead.

BlueZero · 07-04-07, 08:01

I keep waiting to get pulled over for tint too. I've only got 15% on everything, but at night it's black. I always hate sitting next to them at stoplights. Nothing so far.

dietoremain · 07-04-07, 08:16

I hear you man. I think some cops just like to mess with people cuz they have power. its pretty disgusting. Im just waitin to get pulled over for my loud truck one of these days....

tod071 · 07-04-07, 08:23

If you've been pulled over by the same guy for the same thing twice, you might want to consider removing your tint and putting on your front plate.

If I was the cop that gave you the 1st ticket, then saw you again with no change, I'd pull you over again too. Don't give him ammunition and reason to pull you over again and again. Just fix it and be done with him.

paul34 · 07-04-07, 08:44

Say, do I guess correctly when I say you live in California?

Setec Astronomy · 07-04-07, 09:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by tod071

If you've been pulled over by the same guy for the same thing twice, you might want to consider removing your tint and putting on your front plate.

If I was the cop that gave you the 1st ticket, then saw you again with no change, I'd pull you over again too. Don't give him ammunition and reason to pull you over again and again. Just fix it and be done with him.

I have known someone since kindergarten who is a cop. He told me a story about how one night he was "observing the flow of traffic" and he pulls over this kid who has a headlight out. The kid starts giving him a ration of shoe shine about how he can't give him a ticket for that, who his father is, etc.

About a half hour later the kid comes back from the other direction, headlight still out. My friend pulls him over again, gives him another ticket for the headlight, the kid goes ballistic, my friend tells him he can't drive the car in that condition, that he has to get it fixed or not drive it.

So, I have to agree, it's time to put that plate on and go with a legal tint....there's sometimes you can't beat the system.

truzoom · 07-04-07, 10:11

What kind of car is it? What state?

Yal · 07-05-07, 06:50

I think he's messing with you because you're ignoring him. Unfortunately a lot of cops take things a little to personally sometimes and he probably feels you're being disrespectful by driving around without fixing the problem.
Wait a second, come to think of it if I was a cop I might pull you over too actually, if I see you over and over again, until you get that plate mounted

Your car is probably pretty easy for him to remember at this point so he's going to continue dude. If you don't want to drill your bumper get some velcro tape or straps or get it mounted in the lower air duct.

White_07_G6_GT · 07-05-07, 07:01

I built this and drove it for two summers on the street.

I got stopped 18 times the result being 26 tickets for things like car too low, modified engine intake, exhaust too loud the best though was "Being a distraction to other motorists.". I fought every ticket in court and everyone was tossed out. It just got embarrassing to drive the car and always get stopped for something.

The car was 100% road safety and emissions legal but everywhere I went I would either get a thumbs up from the cops or they would pull me over just looking for anything they could ticket me for.

So yes I think that if police officers can harass people.

Setec Astronomy · 07-05-07, 07:14

Is there a statute in CAN for "Being a distraction to other motorists"?

mose · 07-05-07, 08:11

Cops can do whatever they want........

Unlawful Entry (1992)

Put the plate back on and save yourself a lot of aggrevation....Good luck!

SpoiledMan · 07-05-07, 08:24

Actually it's that *you* can't continue to break the law.