Got pulled over, cop asked me if I was carrying

[Bob D]

I agree, I only do it out of my own personal courtesy, mostly if the locals around here I do it.
After all I have to live here and some day I may park my car 2feet 3" from the curb and not 2' and get a citation.

I say this with no joke , pal of mine sorta. Told a cop off one day and read him the legal riot act. Cop let him go on his way.
Days later he had a ticket out on his car out in front of his house. The ticked said obstructing traffic, vehicle more then legal limit from curb. He said he must have been mere inches. The funny part is he lives in a court and is near impossible to park flush to the curb.
There are times to be a smart-aleck and times not to be. Just always ask yourself is the hassle worth the gain in and interaction with LE's.

I have a lot of acquaintances that hear stories like this and go the opposite way with it. They have always had bad experiences with police, because ever since the very first time they had an interaction with LE, they've had a stick up their *** about it. Logic tells them "Cops screw me over, therefore, I will be difficult and combative toward cops." That is the absolute wrong approach.

Yes, absolutely, a parking ticket as a cop's way of getting back at you is wrong and unjust. Being harrassed for being out late, having a CHL, dressing a certain way, being a certain color, hanging out with the wrong crowd, any of those reasons, yes it is unjust for LEOs to profile and harrass.

But I don't want parking tickets. I don't want my car searched. I'd like a "warning" every once in a while instead of a speeding ticket. Pure utilitarianism logic tells me "Be polite and respectful, and my chance of being screwed over by cops is lower." It's not because I respect them and what they do, (although in most circumstances I do,) it is because it's easier than fighting with them.

I keep my nose clean though. Most of these acquaintances are idiots, and have been on the wrong side of the law so long that they think it's some personal vendetta against them. Stop driving drunk, you won't get pulled over for being drunk. Then you won't have to worry about whether or not the cop followed the proper procedure when he arrested you. Stop smoking pot in your car, and you won't have to worry about whether the cop was legally allowed to search your car for the half ounce under your seat.

 

[dmancornell]

But I don't want parking tickets. I don't want my car searched. I'd like a "warning" every once in a while instead of a speeding ticket. Pure utilitarianism logic tells me "Be polite and respectful, and my chance of being screwed over by cops is lower." It's not because I respect them and what they do, (although in most circumstances I do,) it is because it's easier than fighting with them.

The reality is that unless you are an attractive female, you are going to get a ticket anyways, so you might as well give him your two cents. I just did so this morning. It was therapeutic.

Traffic cops deserve zero respect and should get exactly that much.

 

[dmancornell]

I believe this as well, in all aspects of life. But I also try extremely hard to live by another saying.

"Treat people the way you want to be treated." And I do, until the time their actions deem otherwise. If someone is polite and treats me with respect, I will do the same. If they aren't, well then I'll do the absolute minimum to complete the interaction.

Since most cop interactions begin with his intent to either steal from you or harass you, politeness and respect has already gone out the window. Not to mention he is taught to treat all civilians are potentially armed suspects, ergo, they should be treated as what they are, armed tax collectors, goons and interrogators of the state.

 

[WhyteCheddar]

I believe some jurisdictions now have CHL tied to the vehicle registration so they can see the CHL before running the DL. I believe PPB has this set up now. Not sure of other local jurisdictions. You win nothing by being dishonest with the cop and only give him further reason to invade your privacy if you are discovered being less than honest with him. Most of the guys out on patrol are like you and me. They don't want to hassle you but if you give them reason to believe you might be hiding something they are going to do their best to figure out what that might be.

 

[Bob D]

The reality is that unless you are an attractive female, you are going to get a ticket anyways, so you might as well give him your two cents. I just did so this morning. It was therapeutic.

Traffic cops deserve zero respect and should get exactly that much.

Male, 30 years old. Polite and respectful. Four times pulled over for speeding, one for failing to use a turn signal in the last three years. Zero tickets, one $90 traffic safety course. Clean driving record since age 19. It ain't broke, I ain't fixing it.

That doesn't mean that I think they deserve respect, just that I do better when I give it anyway.

 

[dmancornell]

Male, 30 years old. Polite and respectful. Four times pulled over for speeding, one for failing to use a turn signal in the last three years. Zero tickets, one $90 traffic safety course. Clean driving record since age 19. It ain't broke, I ain't fixing it.

That doesn't mean that I think they deserve respect, just that I do better when I give it anyway.

For comparison's sake, I work at Intel and my coworkers and I are treated like an infinite piggy bank, which makes sense because we're the people keeping the West Portland economy alive. There's an army of them camped outside our campuses every month handing out tickets to meet their quotas. The speed limit on the one road leading to the highway was lowered from 55mph to 45mph to facilitate this blatant theft.

Many of my coworkers are polite to a fault, and I have not heard a single one getting off with a warning. Not one.

Being polite to a traffic cop so he won't rob you is the same as being polite to a mugger. It'd be nice if he left you alone, but at the end of the day, he is the criminal aggressor who is confiscating your wealth.

 

[osterr1999]

dman has a point. I have never been rude and always walk away with a ticket.

To the OPs point, the 5th Amendment protects you from answering any questions a police officer or any officer of the state asks you. This really drives them crazy at DUI check points and it is funny as heck. The police can ask you anything, "do you have a gun? Do you have any drugs in the car?" etc. etc., but you don't have to respond. All you are required to do is to provide you license, registration and proof of insurance and even then you don't have to speak one word, just hand it to them.

 

[Father of four]

You have the right to remain silent. Before, during and after your interaction with LE. You still have the right to remain silent before, during and after they arrest you if it comes to that. Keeping your mouth shut is the best thing to do until you talk to your lawyer.

 

[accessbob]

And you do NOT need to consent to a search of the vehicle. You can ask, "am a a suspect in a crime?" If they answer, "no" then hold firm. No search without a warrant. There is no good reason for them to search your car unless they have probable cause. We still do have a Constitutional Right to be free from unreasonable search and seizures.

 

[JedB]

The reality is that unless you are an attractive female, you are going to get a ticket anyways, so you might as well give him your two cents. I just did so this morning. It was therapeutic.

Traffic cops deserve zero respect and should get exactly that much.

Apart from that view being anachronistic, my personal experiences are 83% contrary to what you've stated.

43 y.o. male.
Pulled over on Motorbike twice and while in the car 4 times. Verbal or Written warning in 5 of the 6 cases since I've been in Oregon. The only time i received a ticket was leaving the town of Sisters, headed towards Bend where I forgot about the speed limits. My fault entirely.

While I agree respect is earned, I'll give it to the position, and so far that's worked out pretty well for me.

YMMV.

 

[dmancornell]

Apart from that view being anachronistic, my personal experiences are 83% contrary to what you've stated.

43 y.o. male.
Pulled over on Motorbike twice and while in the car 4 times. Verbal or Written warning in 5 of the 6 cases since I've been in Oregon. The only time i received a ticket was leaving the town of Sisters, headed towards Bend where I forgot about the speed limits. My fault entirely.

While I agree respect is earned, I'll give it to the position, and so far that's worked out pretty well for me.

YMMV.

I'm sure being polite can help a bit. But there's also a myriad of other factors:

- Race: whites get the least tickets, everyone else is screwed
- Sex: anachronistic or not, you know it's true
- Jealousy: how nice is your car compared to his junker
- Quota traps and quota limits (time of the month): Don't get pulled over on a holiday or when they have to hit their quota
- Which department: Beaverton/Hillsboro cops are notorious

In any case, speed limits are arbitrary, bureaucratic limits to justify theft. It's not your fault you were chosen to be a victim of government theft. Here's an idea, maybe if cops dropped their sanctimonious attitude about how they're keeping the roads safe by stealing from us, I'd be a bit more polite to them.

 

[CoastRange57]

Male, 30 years old. Polite and respectful. Four times pulled over for speeding, one for failing to use a turn signal in the last three years. Zero tickets, one $90 traffic safety course. Clean driving record since age 19. It ain't broke, I ain't fixing it.

That doesn't mean that I think they deserve respect, just that I do better when I give it anyway.

Exactly. Male, 55 years old. Last pulled over in Beaverton in 2008. I was speeding. 53 in a 35. He asked if I knew why he stopped me. I said I was speeding and I should have been paying more attention , and I have a Wash Co CHL, and I have a Tarus 380 in a holster on my right side. He thanked me for telling that, said please leave the weapon where it is, took my license and went back to his bike. He came back, said please watch your speed and Semper Fi.

A Marine Corps sticker and a volunteer FF sticker on the back window seemed to help out a bit, but not trying to bullshot him about speeding, or telling him I did not know why he pulled me over was going to get me a ticket for sure. I was wrong, and was prepared to take the ticket respectfully since I was the one who fooked up. No since denying that one and telling him about the gun and CHL before he ran me and found out seemed like the wise thing to do as well. Did not even name drop my kids name that is a deputy in the same agency, although most of them see a resemblance and I have been asked about it a few times.

 

[dmancornell]

A Marine Corps sticker and a volunteer FF sticker on the back window seemed to help out a bit

I forgot to mention the biggest factor of all: professional courtesy for other government employees.

If government is us, then nobody should ever get tickets?!? :huh:

 

[deen_ad]

Also, only your state can check for your CHL.

So, since I'm a WA resident and have both a WA CPL and an OR CHL and I'm stopped on OR they won't see EITHER of them?

 

[DieselScout]

So, since I'm a WA resident and have both a WA CPL and an OR CWP and I'm stopped on OR they won't see EITHER of them?

No they will see your Oregon CHL, but the only way they would have to verify your Washington would be call a dispatch center in Washington and ask them. However, if you're legal and Oregon, it would go no further then that. States with reciprocity maybe different, but as far as Oregon, the only one's LEO's can pull up is the Oregon.

Edit: I guess should have worded that different, maybe states can only pull up their own issued CHL's?

 

[Asp]

Getting pulled over sucks.

Am I free to go (or am I being detained)?

 

[deen_ad]

And you do NOT need to consent to a search of the vehicle. You can ask, "am a a suspect in a crime?" If they answer, "no" then hold firm. No search without a warrant. There is no good reason for them to search your car unless they have probable cause. We still do have a Constitutional Right to be free from unreasonable search and seizures.

And it's different in WA, they have a right (from state court ruling) to search your vehicle for "officer safety", if they arrest you then they must get a search warrant to finish..

 

[WhyteCheddar]

Another male driver who has been pulled over many times in my almost 4 decades behind the wheel. 1 ticket in all that time even though I deserved several. At least a couple times I was pulled over by traffic division and received warnings.
LEOs are doing their job, treating them like bubblegum is juvenile. Disparage the greater system if you want, it is deserving, but giving the little guy out in the trenches a hard time is not right.

 

[Hawaiian]

One been stopped once in many many years. Illegal U turn. Yes, I saw the sign and did it anyway. Stupid.
Anyway, a female Tigard officer pulled me over. I was polite and respectful. I handed her my CHL along with my drivers license as I was carrying. She handed it back and said, "I don't need this unless you plan on pulling it out." No Ma'am, was my reply. I left with a warning. No ticket. Each to their own, but I choose to be respectful to our LEO's.

 

[BroncoFan]

As you can see, cops lie all the time, so you can lie right back.

And in what way was the cop lying?