My friend recently got pulled over impounded his vehicle. Out of curiosity how often have you guys that look like modded cars been pulled over. For the purposes of this question please exclude all people that have stickers all over their cars and those that fly by a police car. Im asking people who drive normally not breaking the law but their car may not look so stock, ie lowered with rims and spoiler..exhaust etc..

 

I got pulled over on N99 freeway on my red Fc, doing 65mph no wing, race seats, old skool hks mufflers with stock tips. My car was kinda low but nothing crazy, wen he pulled me over I asked him wat was wrong, he said I went out of my lane n came back witch I didn't. Then he asked me if I was a"racer racer" I started laughing then he told me to pop my hood. Good thing he doesn't really know wat he was looking at, he just said my k&n cone filter is illegal n he can tow my **** right now. Told him I'll take it off wen I get home he said ok n gave me a ticket fr unsafe turning. I think the other ricers just messed it up fr all of us.

 

I remember before f&f(movie) and mtv's reality show im a street racer, things were so much easier to drive around without getting pulled over. Things change.

 

Totally stock GSL-SE with a body kit including Whale Tail. Driving at night I saw him when he first pulled onto the street behind me and he followed for about a mile. You can bet I was on my best driving behavior the moment I saw him. Easy to spot him at night since Crown Victoria parking lights are quite distinctive.

I was pulled over for an unsafe lane change with specific reference that the car behind me brake lights went on. In fact, the other car's brake lights went on because he was slowing to make a right turn. That it was because he slowed to turn is what opened up the lane for me to make the lane change. When I pointed that out to him, he didn't seem to remember that the car turned right. He even made a comment about my loud exhaust. I invited him to take a close look so he could see IT WAS FACTORY STOCK exhaust. It was beyond BS.

I wish I had a camera to take a picture of his face hen he walked up to my window and saw I was a gray hair adult and not a young ricer kid.

Anyway I went directly to his duty sergent and made lots and lots of noise about being pulled over only as a result of car profiling. I made it as painful as I could for that cop so he would think twice before pulling that BS again.

 

Interesting. So what I am gathering from you and the guy is never change the lane just go for miles.

 

I got pulled over once because my car looked like it was made for "racing." He singled me out in a congested street and figured he'd be able to get me with a bunch of tickets. All he got me for was a BS loud exhaust ticket because he heard it very loud from a distance. I knew the officer was lying and the officer knew he was lying because I can barely hear my exhaust at WOT I took my FD in to the State Ref. for a decibel test and was told that my exhaust could be twice as loud and still be under the noise limit I just wanted the certificate as insurance for the next time I got pulled over...

Not that long after getting pulled over, I was stopped by a bored cop. This one said he pulled me over because he knew my emissions system was modified and illegal just by looking at my car from a distance I told him he was wrong and was wasting his time with me. He ordered me to pop my hood and had a big grin with $$$ signs in his eyes as he walked towards my car with his digital camera. His face was priceless as he looked at my bone stock engine bay and I could tell he wasnt sure what he was staring at. At this point he seemed a bit frustrated as he couldnt find anything his book said was aftermarket. Me being the good citizen that I am, helped him by pointing out an aftermarket part in my engine bay... my Mazdaspeed oil filler cap I told him that was not stock and I modified it Then I reminded him how he was wasting both of our time and handed him my State Ref certificate which showed my exhaust as being legal and also my current smog certificate which sealed the deal. Suddenly he remembered he had an emergency to attend and sped off with his lights on He didnt give me a ticket at all before taking off

 

I always get a compliment from cops. Glad to have over 20 years of law enforcement experience. It is how you represent yourself and proper docs to show that it is a weekend old school RX.

 

I was pulled over last year in my bone stock BMW 325XI.
Only visual mod is black kidney grills.

Empty parking lot alone.
Stopped.
OUTSIDE of the car checking tire pressures.

The cop showed up and gave me a ticket for careless driving because "the neighbors called and said somebody was doing burnouts".

During the informal hearing, Teh officer stated that he observed a "Suped up BMW" in the parking lot. I laughed.

8 months later and 5 trips to the courthouse, I got my $250 bond back.

 

Congrats on the win. I'd do, and have done many times, exactly what you did to make things right. But, unless you want to call the time invested to make things right as enjoyable recreation, we still lost the opportunity to spend that time doing something else.

That said, another war story. I promise there is zero exaggeration to this story.

I had a cop pull me over, as I was exiting the freeway at (as I recall) Garfield off the 60 freeway in my totally stock inside and out S4 Vert, and give me a ticket for failure to obey a regulatory sign. The sign said right lane must exit, and he pulled me over when I was past the gore point exiting. He said he gave me the ticket because he knew I intended to not exit. Strong words were exchanged as you might imagine and another cop arrived and got between us. I made sure that other cop knew what had happened. I also called the idiot cop's duty sergeant, told him the story and suggested he check with the second cop to confirm what had happened.

When we went to court I simply told the Judge I was past the gore point exiting when I was pulled over. The judge looked at the cop and asked if that was true. To the cops credit he told the truth and said it was. Although, more likely he told the truth as he knew if he didn't it would get back to his boss. I remember like it was yesterday when the Judge then looked at the cop in the eye and said "Why is this man here? Case dismissed" I followed him all the way to his motorcycle giving him an earful, he never said a word in response. Then I called his duty sergeant and relayed what the Judge said and asked that he have a "talk" with the man. THAT was enjoyable recreation.

Moral to this story. Always remember that like everyone else they are doing a job for which they are getting paid. As such, they get regular perfomance reviews like everyone else. So the one hammer you always have when you are abused by a cop is to take notes and have a visit with his duty sergent. And if you get the feeling the duty sergent might try and sweep it under the run, ultimately the Chief of Police is always available.

 

What was your friend doing? and why was his car towed?

To answer your question cops don't even give me a second look when Im in my FD (and behaving myself). When redid my car I tried to for an updated stock look... Who knows by the lack of police attention maybe I achieved it ?

Edit- my car has after market muffler (racing beat duals), lights, hood, sideskirts, bumper, wheels, and is lowered.

 

This is what it looks like so you be the judge:

 

Any red,yellow,green or orange or any pastels for that matter get lit up. That's why I love the fact my car is black. They can't see me lol

 

Pulled over in a stock EVO while sitting in LA traffic by a bike cop who stopped traffic backed up and told me to pull over to the side which happen to be in front of the Mitsubishi dealer show room.

He said my exhaust was too loud and asked me if I was a street racer. He said he was part of a "street task force against street racer". Told me to pop the hood. Then pointed to the IC pipe and said my intake was modified. I put my hand on the air box and asked "oh whats wrong with it"? I asked if he was on a team to take down street racers why he wasn't better trained? He didn't like that and called me an *******. I laughed pointed to the show room and told him he doesn't know what he's talking about including the ******* remark since he doesn't know me. Then he let me go. *shrug*

So yes they will eventually pull you over if you drive an FD often.

 

I have been issued over 20 citations since owning my FD3S (3-4 years).

not one of them has been speeding/law related.

all because of how my car looks/sounds/age/race

 

wow.

 

20 really? Is it your dd?

 

They wil pull you over if they feel like it. its really that simple. Giving cops excuses to pull you over doesnt help. My cars nowhere near street legal, and i deal with it. drag racing in your community becomes a problem, the LEOs will be on the hunt.

Ive gotten state reffed, fix it tickets, almost been reffed many times. Its the price we pay, and a hefty one

 

i got pulled over in my slammed fd while i was in newport beach last month..... reason.... cop wanted to know what kind of car i had.

 

Got pulled over in my FD in 2007, in Natomas, CA, for modified exhaust and gauges. They popped my hood and didn't know what they were looking at. I was respectful and they left without issuing a ticket.

 

Is it really this bad here in CA? It makes me reconsider moving back when I get out of the Army. It is so different here in Texas. Cops don't care unless you are being unsafe, i.e. street racing, burnouts, etc.

 

I think it was worse back then with the Fast and Furious craze going on. I have exhaust, gauges, and lowered my subaru and have never been hassled.

 

Picked out of traffic once because I had an rx8. traffic speed was 10 over but he chose the fast- looking one.

 

But Rx-8's don't look fast haha j/k but seriously....

 

i came to visit my mom in California, and got pulled over in my 01 suby rs for having an Oklahoma plate, when she comes up to the window she asked for license and registration, so i hand them to her and she said (where is your CA license) lol thinking to my self i just gave you my Oklahoma license, some cops do make a difference but some cops likes this one are just retarded and i got no ticket.

 

I've been stopped twice in my FC, both legit.

-Fix-it ticket for cracked windshield (crack ran from one side to the other)

-Speeding 65 in a 45, let off with a warning. I was honest with him, "I made that turn back there, didn't see any speed limit signs so I assumed 55mph. I was putting my bluetooth headset into the ashtray there cause I just finished talking to my mom. I was looking up from the ashtray and saw my speed had increased while putting that away, so I let off the throttle. I looked at the road and saw you. Then when I saw you pull out behind me and knew exactly why so I pulled over and now here we are."

He informed me it was in fact a 45mph zone, but because there were no signs between where I turned onto the road and where I stopped, he'd look past that. Then the fact I actually used a bluetooth instead of trying to hide the phone, he thanked me and said to keep a closer on my speedo.

I get followed a lot, but my car's a stock fishbowl so they don't stop me.


Other incidents non-rx7:

I got a warning in my Suzuki Reno with AR plates/insurance/license when stopped for 78 in a 55.

I also got stopped on my bike for doing 111mph in a 70mph (freeway) and evading an officer (I didn't know he was there when I exited). He let me go with a warning as well. I went and bought $20 in lotto tickets that afternoon, but didn't win anything.