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Nice stories. I guess none of my high school or college buddies ever became cops. Either that or I never ran into them. It sounds like I missed out on a lot of "enjoyable experiences".

After a couple of years as a volunteer fireman in one of five departments in my town I joined the Navy.

Home on leave I borrowed my mother's car, in which my brother had left his cowboy hat and mirrored sunglasses, which I put on and proceeded to cruise on down the road to my girlfriend's house.

About half way there a town cop lights me up and I can see him waving me to pull over, so I do.

As I watch the officer approach, I realize it's Ted, a volunteer from the next department over, a guy I had pulled a couple of kids out of a car wreck with once, and had fought a couple of fires alongside, as well as spending summers as rivals on our departments' racing teams (google firematic racing).

As he walked up and said "You know the drill, license and registration . . ." I said "Hey Quickdraw, what's the problem?" and he kind of stepped back and recognized me, and greeted me a little more cordially. In the fire department he had gotten the nickname "Quickdraw" because of his habit of carrying a lighter, although he didn't smoke, and being the first to have his lighter out to light any lady's cigarette.

He explained that they had been rousting my brother for some time because of his slipping past a couple of drug charges (well, it WAS the '60s) and he had just been following the routine.

We pulled farther off the road and had a chat and then off he went, and I was late for my date, and I never did show my license or the car's registration.

Got pulled over for speeding by one of my department's Lieutenants one day. I was in my sister's car cause mine was in the shop, so he didn't recognize who it was. He promised to write me a ticket if he saw me speeding again, and he was a man of his word. I thanked him and went on my way. Was a little awkward when I went into the station for my next shift.

Keith B wrote:Got pulled over for speeding by one of my department's Lieutenants one day. I was in my sister's car cause mine was in the shop, so he didn't recognize who it was. He promised to write me a ticket if he saw me speeding again, and he was a man of his word. I thanked him and went on my way. Was a little awkward when I went into the station for my next shift.

In the 1960s, my mom was a School Crossing guard in Bellaire, employed by Bellaire Police Dept, and the P.D. issued her a uniform and badge (she sewed the pants into a skirt) The school zone she worked was a 2-way street, except certain hours it was a one-way street.
Once my Aunt was visiting, and mom (taking a vacation day) drove us to school in my aunts car .... she got pulled over in her own school zone for going the "wrong way" ... no ticket, Officer's watch was fast and mom told him to set his watch, and next time to look in the car instead of just at the out of town license plate ... everyone laughed

IIRC, mom also got pulled over once in the early 1980s by a Spring Branch officer .... she used to help him cross the street in Bellaire.

OldCurlyWolf wrote:I was taught and later verified by experience, that an officer can find a valid reason to stop a vehicle almost 100% of the time by following for two blocks.

I guess that didn't work for the officer following me one night. I was in the left lane of a city street and had a car come up on my bumper real fast and then sit there. I signaled and moved into the right lane. He followed me over and stayed on my bumper. I was getting concerned until he pulled u-turn and I saw it was a cop.

...he was prolly checking you out and got a call to go to...because we all drive sloppily from time to time, when an officer sees someone driving very carefully and precisely (especially slower than the posted speed), he sometimes wonders why the driver's trying so hard not to get noticed, and will pull him over to see if he's DWI...happens often and I've seen/heard it play out in court and the judges(several, not just one) went for it...that's especially often the case at night...

Keith B wrote:Got pulled over for speeding by one of my department's Lieutenants one day. I was in my sister's car cause mine was in the shop, so he didn't recognize who it was. He promised to write me a ticket if he saw me speeding again, and he was a man of his word. I thanked him and went on my way. Was a little awkward when I went into the station for my next shift.

...when I was a brash young officer,(if you can imagine that) I once got dressed down by an old white-haired school crossing guard when I (with my new wife by my side)went the wrong way in a block beside a school that during drop-off and pickup was only one way...other times two-way...clearly marked...I knew better...wasn't even close...I was red-faced for a week...oh, yes, OF COURSE I was in uniform...

speedsix wrote:...he was prolly checking you out and got a call to go to...because we all drive sloppily from time to time, when an officer sees someone driving very carefully and precisely (especially slower than the posted speed), he sometimes wonders why the driver's trying so hard not to get noticed, and will pull him over to see if he's DWI...happens often and I've seen/heard it play out in court and the judges(several, not just one) went for it...that's especially often the case at night...

This is one of the problems I have always had with our courts and laws. I can follow the normal person and see him commit a violation, so I can stop him. And if I don't see a violation, it is suspicious behavior and I can stop him for that. Somehow, that seems wrong to me, as a basic principle.

I don't have a problem with the SCOTUS decision that I can stop someone for a genuine violation of the law, even if it is done as a pretext for an investigatory stop. I have done this and aught many felons that way. But if we have so many laws that obeying them all is suspicious behavior, we have a real problem with our society.

TxRVer wrote:

OldCurlyWolf wrote:I was taught and later verified by experience, that an officer can find a valid reason to stop a vehicle almost 100% of the time by following for two blocks.

I guess that didn't work for the officer following me one night. I was in the left lane of a city street and had a car come up on my bumper real fast and then sit there. I signaled and moved into the right lane. He followed me over and stayed on my bumper. I was getting concerned until he pulled u-turn and I saw it was a cop.

I had something like that. My small town, sitting at a red light (only one in town) at midnight, some car comes charging up FAST and brakes hard and stops just a few inches off my bumper. I'm checking my mirrors trying to see if any doors are flying open. I thought somebody driving like that must think I'm someone else, they might have a problem with.

I look up and see the light is green, I pull out and get the instant whoopy lights. First I had any clue it was a DPS trooper. He stopped me because I "sat so long at a green light". Asked me why I didn't go when the light turned. I told him I was trying to see who the *jerk* (not really, edited for the forum) who almost hit me from behind. I guess he was looking for drunks. I wasn't drinking, just on my way home after a long day. He told me my registration was due at the end of the month and left.

srothstein wrote:I don't have a problem with the SCOTUS decision that I can stop someone for a genuine violation of the law, even if it is done as a pretext for an investigatory stop. I have done this and aught many felons that way. But if we have so many laws that obeying them all is suspicious behavior, we have a real problem with our society.

Did your daughter say why she was putting the belt out of place? I have the problem of being just short enough that most seat belts rub on my neck. It will drive you nuts after a while. Pep Boys sells a simple sheepskin cover that goes over the belt with velcro. I got one and what a relief! If this would make the belt more comfortable for her, might be worth a try. Otherwise, she will use the unsafe "solution" when she starts to drive. Just a thought.

TexasGal wrote:Did your daughter say why she was putting the belt out of place? I have the problem of being just short enough that most seat belts rub on my neck. It will drive you nuts after a while. Pep Boys sells a simple sheepskin cover that goes over the belt with velcro. I got one and what a relief! If this would make the belt more comfortable for her, might be worth a try. Otherwise, she will use the unsafe "solution" when she starts to drive. Just a thought.

My niece.
I don't think she'll wear it like that again.
Ill ask her. Thanks, I'll look into it/sheepskin.

My wife and daughter are both small in stature. They use one of these http://www.seatbelttensionadjuster.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; that holds the shoulder belt away from your body a little bit. This allows it to still lock-up if you have to stop real fast or are in a collision, while not pulling tight up against your neck and shoulder area.

I even use one when we have long drives as it makes it a lot more comfortable than having the strap pulled tight across you for 8-9 hours driving time.

Keith B wrote:My wife and daughter are both small in stature. They use one of these http://www.seatbelttensionadjuster.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; that holds the shoulder belt away from your body a little bit. This allows it to still lock-up if you have to stop real fast or are in a collision, while not pulling tight up against your neck and shoulder area.

I even use one when we have long drives as it makes it a lot more comfortable than having the strap pulled tight across you for 8-9 hours driving time.

Thanks.
I'll look into those too if it helps. That might be just what she needs. I really suspect it's because she's 15 and her body shape is undergoing a "corporate reorganization" recently. It seems nothing quite fits like it used to.

Bullwhip wrote:

srothstein wrote:I don't have a problem with the SCOTUS decision that I can stop someone for a genuine violation of the law, even if it is done as a pretext for an investigatory stop. I have done this and aught many felons that way. But if we have so many laws that obeying them all is suspicious behavior, we have a real problem with our society.

Indeed. So greatly put Steve.