Pulled over while in uniform?

[TurdBird]

I have stopped 2 people in uniform.

One was a little bastard who was all dressed up in uniform to go fly a 172. He was trying to make me think he was sitting left seat on a 757. He went on to BS me on how he has flown with everyones air units and how his chief pilot is not going to be happy I have him pulled over. The whole time the kid wouldn't make eye contact with me. I don't remember what it was he said but I finally told him he was full of crap and told him I would be right back. Of course I got the typical "this is not the end of this."

And the second one was a total bummer. Really nice guy who was going to get to his new born.

http://forums.jetcareers.com/general-topics/45464-but-officer-im-pilot-part-ii.html

 

[fly8slep]

Don't get pulled over in UTAH especially when the cops have no crime to look after other than pilots trying to get to work on a wide open highway going a few miles over the speed limit.

I turn to the road that leads to the airport. WIDE OPEN, not a single soul. The first few hundred feet the road is 35, the next is like 50. I was going 45 in the 35 zone and as far as I could see in front of me there were no cars into infinity and just a few hundred feet more the road would have been 50. Out comes this 19 year old rent a cop. He was trying to be nice because he saw that I was in uniform and made it 5 instead of 10 over the limit. I found out the hard way why everyone at that town drove like they just got their driver's license.

 

[greaper007]

I got pulled over in uniform once. Johnny Law was going to let me go but then he noticed my crack pipe on the seat and the unmistakable odor of a dead hooker in the trunk.

Ahh College.

 

[Baronman]

I ran a red at 4:30am in a crappy area near my apartment (outer borough of NYC). Of course, the only other car on the road about 1/4 mile down was a cop car. They lit them up and pulled me over. Asked why I ran it, I said cause I don't being a sitting duck in my car. He said he understood but I can't be doing things like that and they let me go.

Good thing about NYPD is usually they could give two craps about traffic citations. Out in the burbs I agree, traffic stuff is probably 50% of what the po-po deal with.

 

[meyers9163]

As long as they arent airport police it happens a lot. I had it happen, going about 90 in a 70 trying to catch a RSV trip. Saw the uniform and said, "Well answer a few questions about flying due to my sons desire to be a pilot it'll save you about $300." Needless to say I was ok with it!

 

[PGT]

serious question......

what's the need for speed? You guys all fly planes that go way faster than you'll ever drive. Just set the cruise and go. My wife hates driving with me....I set the cruise on the limit and ride along....:bandit:

ha it totally reminded me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58_zcD9YFNU

Driving 80 in a 70 cuts my trip down by ~30-45min on the drive home.
Of course I always follow other cars that drive 75-80 and I'm never first in line.

I got pulled over on the way to my PPL checkride, he dropped the ticket down from a 87 in 65 to a 75/ 65 and didn't give me a ticket for my tint.

I never speed around town, it doesn't even save time so not worth it.

 

[JungleJet]

Three times, I think.

Twice I was pulled over by Dallas PD at 5-something AM for speeding on Lemmon Ave. on my way to Love Field, so I wouldn't miss the 6:30. Both times, the officers were looking for something a bit more nefarious than a pilot with spiked hair sans hat, so they let me go quickly with a smile and a gentle warning.

A week before I left Dallas for DC this summer, I had to deadhead out of DFW. I got pulled over by the notorious Coppell PD for failure to signal while changing lanes on 635. The cop notices my left brake light was out, another ticket. He also notices my inspection sticker expired a month previous, another ticket, despite my explanation that I was moving. I got the last two tickets remedied, by wasting my money on an inspection sticker, and getting a new bulb installed. The DA refused to drop the charges... $662 in tickets. Fantastic.

I like 95% of cops, I just have no respect for a policeman whose sole job it is to collect revenue for the city -- like in Coppell.

 

[EDUC8-or]

I lay some sweet wheel all the time but only do it in my driveway so I don't get pulled over.

 

[kellwolf]

This is a little geeky, but I've noticed since I started flying, I tend to hold a speed better. I blame my instrument scan on this.

My wife got a ticket for "running a stop sign" last week. The police in this area are notorious ######nozzles (her new fav word). Now, my wife is paranoid about getting tickets, and she constantly nags me for doing rolling stops. So, I know there's no friggin WAY she ran a stop sign. Cop said she "tapped her brakes at best." Well, considering it's a 90 degree turn, if she "tapped her brakes at best," she woulda wound up in someone's yard the way he said she was driving. She's taking it to court. But that brings up the question. How do you defend something like that other than hoping the guy just doesn't show?

 

[dakovich]

my wife got pulled over for speeding at the airport when she was picking me up one time. I was standing there and saw the cops lights around the bend and just had a "feeling" my wife was the one that just got pulled over, and of course it was. So I walk up in uniform and the lady cop is ripping into my wife. I come to find with it was with good reason because wifee was doing 45 in a 30 at the airport, didn't have her license, didn't have her insurance card, and couldn't find her registration. The lady cop just looked at me in uniform, and then looked at my wife with devil eyes and said "slow it down next time you decide to pass a cop, have a good night". yup, thats my girl.

 

[sopdan]

Never been pulled over in uniform, but...

Am I the only one that never got pulled over when I was a young, aggressive driver... when I deserved/needed a ticket to kick me in the ass? It wasn't until a year or two after I chilled out that I started getting pulled over. Karma, I guess.

The most annoying one was being pulled over for having a headlight out... during the middle of the day. He gave me a warning, but when I checked the laws I found that headlights were only required between the civil twilight times. (sound familiar?)

I've only received two tickets, but was able to persuade my way out of them... it's funny how being honest with the magistrate will go a long way. "Yes, Sir, I was speeding, I'm not going to say that I wasn't. However, I do have a clean record, and I would really like to keep it that way." That is almost verbatim what I said on the second one. I'm also completely honest with the officer during the stop, as I've always known exactly why I was stopped. Six traffic stops (all fairly minor offenses, ), zero points.

Maybe FiveO can validate this, but I assume that politeness and honesty go a long way on the simple traffic stop. (I know, I know, there's no such thing as a "routine stop")

 

[Socal321]

I've talked to a former cop about this. He said there are only two scenarios. Either they are positively going to give you a ticket or are in a generous mood. Resisting will only make it worse. Just be honest, keep quiet and answer the questions and admit that you were speeding or did whatever, don't resist and you might get away with it.

 

[ppragman]

I got a ticket for "Failure to Avoid a Collision." What kind of ######## is that? It pissed me off pretty bad.

 

[stultus]

Driving from LA to Texas last year I got pulled over in BFE while driving the limit. Why you ask? Well, the seat belt was digging into my shoulder from hours and hours on the 10. I put the shoulder harness behind my back, but still had my lap belt fastened. The Texas Highway patrolman who was passing me and noticed the situation could've cared less and wrote me a ticket for nearly $200 for "improper use" of a safety belt. He asked me where I was going...I told him I was moving for work...he asked who I worked for...I told him I was a pilot...and then he said that I should know better then and wrote me the ticket.

I viewed it as extortion, but didn't really ever want to go back to BFE texas and so I caved and just paid the damn thing

 

[sopdan]

Driving from LA to Texas last year I got pulled over in BFE while driving the limit. Why you ask? Well, the seat belt was digging into my shoulder from hours and hours on the 10. I put the shoulder harness behind my back, but still had my lap belt fastened. The Texas Highway patrolman who was passing me and noticed the situation could've cared less and wrote me a ticket for nearly $200 for "improper use" of a safety belt. He asked me where I was going...I told him I was moving for work...he asked who I worked for...I told him I was a pilot...and then he said that I should know better then and wrote me the ticket.

I viewed it as extortion, but didn't really ever want to go back to BFE texas and so I caved and just paid the damn thing

I hate to tell ya, but in many (probably most) states, the shoulder belt is required, and is a primary offense. (meaning they can initiate a stop for it)

Move to NH if you don't like your seatbelt, as it is not needed if you are over 18.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

I got pulled over by an airport police (IE, he was not driving a police car but he did have aftermarket emergency lights installed on his SUV.) I was speeding. He didn't give me a ticket for speeding because he obviously didn't have any radar installed in his vehicle, but I got the feeling that he would have liked to.

My dad would always drive at 55MPH all the time and when I complained he would say: "We'll pass them at the gas station."

 

[greaper007]

My dad would always drive at 55MPH all the time and when I complained he would say: "We'll pass them at the gas station."

This past summer when gas prices were rediculous I had an 176 mile round trip commute for work 3-4 days a week. I kept my tires inflated and the cruise at 55. I was able to get 48-55 mpg out of my Civic Hybrid. I was probably getting 150-200 miles a tank extra by going slower.

 

[OldTownPilot]

I was in my ramp puke uniform at 1am one night and got out of a ticket for going more than 20 over.

I've been stopped 6 times and hit a deer, tree and snowbank, and still have a clean driving record with no at fault accidents.

 

[Pilots12]

I've been stopped 6 times and hit a deer, tree and snowbank, and still have a clean driving record with no at fault accidents.

And they let you fly airplanes? :laff:

 

[TurdBird]

I like 95% of cops, I just have no respect for a policeman whose sole job it is to collect revenue for the city -- like in Coppell.

Don't break the law and there will be no need for them to collect revenue.

Welcome to JC!

Maybe FiveO can validate this, but I assume that politeness and honesty go a long way on the simple traffic stop. (I know, I know, there's no such thing as a "routine stop")

Politeness is what makes it or breaks it for me. I let people decide the outcome of the situation. I'm not looking for yes sir and no sir. I'm just looking to be treated like a freeking human. If I get that much out of a stop then it was a good one. The person is leaving with nothing as long as they realize what they were doing and actually care about it. If the first words they get out is "hurry up and write it, I'm already late" then that's what they are going to get.

With money being tight for just about everyone lately, I really really really try to let people go. Don't get me wrong though, do something stupid or put someone else at risk it's game on.

Although I am down for helping people out I will do nothing for someone who is DUI. I will make sure every i is dotted and every t is crossed on all of my paperwork. $10,000 and aggrivation here we come for the driver.

I got a ticket for "Failure to Avoid a Collision." What kind of ######## is that? It pissed me off pretty bad.

Florida law requires the driver at fault to recieve a citation. Many times I feel horrible when I'm looking at a single car accident and someones car sitting on its roof and they are still shocked they are alive. Then I get to ask them to sign their ticket.

I've been stopped 6 times and hit a deer, tree and snowbank, and still have a clean driving record with no at fault accidents.

You are a lucky man!