[DanSS24]

Originally Posted by Deki

"Legit reason" has to be at least "reasonable suspicion", and that is pretty clearly defined. I have never stopped anyone for loud exhaust in my life, but as an example, last night, I was on the freeway, and a guy went by me doing 90 in a 55, cut me off, then cut off 3 other cars before I caught up to him. I pulled him over and he was drunk, and didn't even see me when he passed me. What I observed gave me more then "reasonable suspicion" since he already committed a criminal act in front of me, so at that I time had probable cause to stop and make an arrest just based on what I saw. The fact that he was drunk once stopped just adds another charge.

Profiling is making a stop based solely on someone's appearance, race, religion, creed etc. However, at times, profiling is appropriate, but it has to be supported by case law, or the criteria used for that specific profiling incident has to be clearly established by current law enforcement standards and practices. For example, especially in AZ, and I'm gonna assume Texas and California, we have the ability to profile people as "Sinaloa Cowboys". If you see a vehicle, occupied by a Hispanic male, with clear indicators of cartel affiliation (Crossed AK47s sticker on the back window, CDS with skull and bones sticker, La Santa Muerte hanging off the rear view etc or a combination of multiple indicators of said affiliation), you can assume that guy is not here to just make a nice living for himself and his family using legal means. Even in that case, we still wait for a traffic violation before a stop is initiated, just due to the fact if anything does come of the stop, it will make for a stronger case in court.

Getting pulled over for a car being too loud is chicken shit and a waste of time. There are worse things going on out there....well maybe not in Canada

What he said! Most large or metro police departments go through training about things like these. And it's because of court precedents that eventually become federal laws. So as police officers, we are put in more of a constraint of what we can and can't do. Here in Hawaii, where we have a diverse ethnic population, racial profiling (for example), is almost non-existant. Then again we have people with high end cars with lots of bling, coming into a poverty stricken neighborhood, not for charitable work, but to sell drugs. (That was a very short story on that one) Yes we do have to have "reasonable suspicion" to pull a car over, but then again, depending on the area or situation like I just mentioned, we can stop a vehicle to chat. If he doesn't want to chat, we let him them go. It just puts that particular vehicle on a watch list. Every situation is different, but yes there are laws to protect citizens. BTW, I'm not sure about Oshawa, but most major police departments in the United States do have a Police Commission that you can take complaints to. And they are not police officers, so no favoritism.

Drive safely and happy motoring.

[Manbearpig]

Originally Posted by F-16 Camaro

Thanks for spreading your ignorance but the internet is all stocked up.

If you truly believe that a cop can pull you over if "it looked like you're speeding" I'll happily take your share of your rights as you're obviously not using them.

In order to initiate a stop the police officer MUST observe a violation or crime, OR have probable cause(that means observable evidence prior to the stop) that there is a crime.

When a cop stops me and asks "Do you know why I pulled you over" my immediate response is: "the burden of proof is on you, not me; so tell me why did you pull me over?"

You see those words I bolded?

You support his argument directly. An officer can pull you over for any damn reason he so suspects. For some reason people with your mentality tend to think "I'm not speeding" while driving down the highway in illegal tint and sound issues and wonder why they're getting pulled over and/or cry harassment in some way shape or form. The law doesn't half-ass right or wrong, either you're abiding or not. The officer has the discretion to enforce that.

There is profiling, and there is being foolish. OP sounds like (knock on wood) he wasn't doing anything. My guess is the officer got a bit irritated with your sarcasm. Is it right? No. Is it in his power? Yep. That's how the world works. So long as you weren't doing anything wrong you can contest it in court, simple as that. As a young black male, I can tell you quite frankly, I've never had issues being pulled over, tickets or anything of the sort in a car, but I've dealt with enough issues regarding assumptions that it's made me more the wiser. In a perfect world our rights would be respected by every officer and every officer wouldn't be getting shot up on stops. Since we don't live in a perfect world then it falls on us to secure ourselves against such happenings. Next time you're in that situation, I'd advise keeping both hands on the wheel, address said officer in yes sir/no sir fashion and move on. If he tickets you for something ridiculous then address it properly, through his chain of command or in court. The side of the road is not the place to do it at.

That said, the times I have been pulled over were only to ask about the cars, checkpoints, etc. nothing bad.

[mr_honez]

There are great cops, there are a*hole cops. Just like every other profession out there.

[LimaCharlie]

My Camaro is a daily driver and I've owned it since December 2010. I've driven in Arizona, Nevada, and California. I've never been pulled over by the police.

[black.]

1. Get a tape recorder or use your phone and start taping these incidents.
2. Get his name and badge number.
3. Filing a complaint will at times fall on deaf ears.
4. Sue him (out of uniform) one man has no right to harrass another man.
5. What he's doing seems like he is acting outside of the color or law. (US term don't know if that is the correct term in Canada.)
6. Always be nice and polite never argue on the side of the road.

[PalmerGA]

Originally Posted by Jims Mongoose

Okay, not sure if you are a police officer or just trying to be a little smart.

Yes the offense was on their and he said he was giving me a break for the "swerving". So he just gave me a speeding ticket.

If I fight it in Arizona and lose because the Judge believes the cop it goes on my record. If I don't and take an online driving course. "Hah". And I pass it then I pay a smaller fine and no points. That's what I did.

I am also not understanding why you don't think it's possible that he was just out for me and my car. Do you think that profiling of 'high performance cars' doesn't exist?

Jim

All I'm trying to do is follow the thread conversation and, no... I'm not a police officer. You said you got a ticket for doing nothing and I'm just trying to find out what the "nothing" was. Sounds like you were stopped for speeding and swerving (according to the LEO), were let off on the swerving part (nice of him to do), and ticketed for speeding. Whether you really were or weren't, only you and the cop know. Sounds like you got out of it alright though.

I'm not saying "profiling of high performance cars" doesn't exist. I'm sure it does, to a degree. I just wanted to hear the rest of the story, which you left out of your earlier posts. Details, man... details. Is that too much to ask?

[velocity149]

There is nothing more to the story. I pass Police (DRP and OPP) all the time with no problems, just this one was being a dick. And don't get me wrong, I do very much respect police, and their line of work. But, unless their is blood dripping out of my truck, 2 fiery lines of rubber behind me, or some other reason, don't pull me over. As for speeding, my insurance is high enough as it is, with me being a young driver, that I am proactive in not bumping it up with speeding tickets.

[Xello]

Originally Posted by lbheat

If your colored and live in Arizona cops have the right to stop and question you. Now that is racism.

When you say "colored", do you mean with crayons?

[Gillis]

Originally Posted by Xello

When you say "colored", do you mean with crayons?

That was the PC terminology in 1965.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by Gillis

That was the PC terminology in 1965.

There was no such thing as politically correct or politically incorrect in 1965...

[Jims Mongoose]

Originally Posted by PalmerGA

All I'm trying to do is follow the thread conversation and, no... I'm not a police officer. You said you got a ticket for doing nothing and I'm just trying to find out what the "nothing" was. Sounds like you were stopped for speeding and swerving (according to the LEO), were let off on the swerving part (nice of him to do), and ticketed for speeding. Whether you really were or weren't, only you and the cop know. Sounds like you got out of it alright though.

I'm not saying "profiling of high performance cars" doesn't exist. I'm sure it does, to a degree. I just wanted to hear the rest of the story, which you left out of your earlier posts. Details, man... details. Is that too much to ask?

Yeah nice of him to let me off on the swerving, since I was not doing either one.

Judge yourself from up close before judging others at a distance.

Jim

[Johnls1camaro]

I was in my 98 z28 one night. well i get pulled over and the cops sits behind me and waits for 2 other cop cars to show up. he gets out and says he doesnt like my license plate border, its says( I pimp slap mustangs.) i told him i didnt see anything wrong with it. He then tells me that he doesnt approve of it because he drives a mustang and that he suggest i get it removed and he would give me a warning this time. no cops have gave me any trouble in my 2010 though.

[F-16 Camaro]

Originally Posted by Manbearpig

You see those words I bolded?

You support his argument directly. An officer can pull you over for any damn reason he so suspects. For some reason people with your mentality tend to think "I'm not speeding" while driving down the highway in illegal tint and sound issues and wonder why they're getting pulled over and/or cry harassment in some way shape or form. The law doesn't half-ass right or wrong, either you're abiding or not. The officer has the discretion to enforce that.

There is profiling, and there is being foolish. OP sounds like (knock on wood) he wasn't doing anything. My guess is the officer got a bit irritated with your sarcasm. Is it right? No. Is it in his power? Yep. That's how the world works. So long as you weren't doing anything wrong you can contest it in court, simple as that. As a young black male, I can tell you quite frankly, I've never had issues being pulled over, tickets or anything of the sort in a car, but I've dealt with enough issues regarding assumptions that it's made me more the wiser. In a perfect world our rights would be respected by every officer and every officer wouldn't be getting shot up on stops. Since we don't live in a perfect world then it falls on us to secure ourselves against such happenings. Next time you're in that situation, I'd advise keeping both hands on the wheel, address said officer in yes sir/no sir fashion and move on. If he tickets you for something ridiculous then address it properly, through his chain of command or in court. The side of the road is not the place to do it at.

That said, the times I have been pulled over were only to ask about the cars, checkpoints, etc. nothing bad.

No you're missing the point. The OP stated he was doing nothing wrong. He had stock exhaust, and the officer was asking him questions unrelated to any infraction at all what so ever. Only when the officer was pressed did he make up a quick and lame excuse.

The evidence provided by the OP clearly shows the officer had 0 evidence or reasonable suspicion to initiate the stop. The stop ALONE was a violation of the OP's rights(at least in America)

Pulling someone over without cause or reason is an abuse of power. Those that allow that abuse indirectly condone it.

But yes, you're right. If I was doing 100 mph in a 45 I could be pulled over. If my tint is too dark, I can be pulled over. In CA if my car is too low, I can be pulled over. Do you notice a trend? I am describing violations of established law, OBSERVED by the officer.

None of which applies to the OPs story.

Nothing to see here, move along.

[Gillis]

I'm in Colorado and just recently read a news article that says there are hundreds of complaint cases since marijuana became legal here where police in bordering states are pulling cars over with CO plates. The officers pull the vehicles over based soley on the fact they are from CO and immediately start asking if they have drugs or in many cases have a dog start sniffing the car or even do complete searches of the vehicles.

I wonder if this could be considered profiling? Or even legal?