Worst Traffic Stop, Ever...

[Smith]

Got pulled over coming back from Dresden to Nashville. I was getting shelled with debris from a logging truck so I passed him just outside of Camden. As I was pulling back into my lane a THP came over the hill in front of of me. He said he clocked me at 64 in a 55. I told him why and he said he didn't see it. The worst part was I had to drive back over to go to court in Camden. The judge had a ticket he had received framed hanging on the wall and started court with a "no ones an exception" speech. He then told us that the THP officer wouldn't be there and that we would have to come back in two weeks if we wanted to contest the ticket or plead guilty and be done with it. I came back only to have him tell me he didn't agree with TN rules of the road and even 1 mph over for any reason was illegal. Felt like I was Cool Hand Luke.

[RedSuinit]

Got pulled over coming back from Dresden to Nashville. I was getting shelled with debris from a logging truck so I passed him just outside of Camden. As I was pulling back into my lane a THP came over the hill in front of of me. He said he clocked me at 64 in a 55. I told him why and he said he didn't see it. The worst part was I had to drive back over to go to court in Camden. The judge had a ticket he had received framed hanging on the wall and started court with a "no ones an exception" speech. He then told us that the THP officer wouldn't be there and that we would have to come back in two weeks if we wanted to contest the ticket or plead guilty and be done with it. I came back only to have him tell me he didn't agree with TN rules of the road and even 1 mph over for any reason was illegal. Felt like I was Cool Hand Luke.

Ouch, what a douche.

[Guest Tygarys]

I often find myself wondering how often that happens. I've run a lot of radar in my time and written a lot of tickets. But I will NEVER stop a car unless I am ABSOLUTELY certain I have the right one.

I got off with a warning on something similar to this. A few years ago I was driving back to Memphis on 40 doing 72 in a 70. I had just gotten passed by two other cars doing about 75-80 when I saw THP coming the other way. I didn't pay any attention to him as I figured he wouldn't bother me for 2 above. I was wrong. Next thing I know he's on my tail. When he got to my window he says he clocked me at 82, I explained to him that I was not going that fast and admitted to doing 72. He checked over my license and let me off with a warning. I figure either he had a mis-calibrated radar gun, or he got a read from one of the two cars that passed me. At the time I had my old Dakota that had that orange metallic color, that probably made me stand out, which is why I was only doing 72.

[Guest 1817ak47]

there have been a few times where iwas going over the allowed margins over, but semis were at my side and blocked the radar stream. and I didn't see the car till it would've ben to late, but I was already past the radar beam, had a few close calls like that.

[Transplanted Hoosier]

My wife and I had just pulled into town in Kingsville, TX and were trying to get ourselves aquainted with the town when I look at my wife and tell her that I think I just ran a stop sign. No sooner than I finish getting those words out of my mouth, I see the blue lights in my rear view mirror. The young trooper walks up behind my vehicle with his hand on his holster and asks for my paperwork. I hand everything over to him and he asks me, "how long have you been in town"? I look up at him and say "I'm not sure, what time is it"? He starts to look at his watch and I then tell him I'm kidding, and that my wife and I just got here from Maine and we were trying to find the Base. He handed me back all my information and then proceeded to give me directions to the base. He told me to be more careful in the future. After driving off, my wife gave me hell for being a smartass. I told her that I couldn't help myself.

[Guest PatriotCSA]

The strangest experience I have ever had with an LEO was when I was 16. I would like to note that when I was 16 I looked like I was 11-12, was 5' 4" and only weighed 120 lb. I was driving to a church function one afternoon on some back roads, going about 5 over and it was raining. Well an LEO driving the other direction turns on his lights, and began to turn around immediately after driving past my car. I pulled over, and waited for him to turn around and get behind me. He gets out of his car, walks up to the window as I am rolling it down and says "Do your parents know you took the keys son?" "Yes sir, they do." "Really? Your parents let you take the car without a license?" "Sir, I have a license." "Let me see it, and the registration." "Yes sir." I was fuming, I realized that I looked young but C'MON! While he looks at my license and the registration he decides to ask me a few more questions. "Where are you going?" "Church." "Do you have any drugs in the car?" "No." "Any dope, crack, methanphetamines?" "No sir. I don't do drugs." "Ever smoked weed?" "No sir." "Really?" He seemed shocked that the answer was no, and now I was really getting pissed. "Ever had any Alcohol?" "No." "Really? That's interesting." I am sure it was. "Do you know why I pulled you over?" "No, not really." "You have a headlight out, you need to get it fixed. Here is your license and registration, have a nice day." The he walked back to his car. Strangest LEO stop I have ever had.

I was in a '93 Ford Explorer with a friend one evening when I was about 17 or so. It was the end of the day and the sun was just starting to go down. We were going to stop by my parents house for a few minutes and turned down my parents' little neighborhood street off the main drag nearby. As I turned into my driveway, blue lights lit up behind me. I started to get out (yea I didn't know any better back then) and immediately these two cops had their guns on me yelling at me to get back in the car. They came over and started screaming at me for running from them and asked me how the hell I thought I was going to get away. I told them I didn't even see lights until my driveway and would have pulled over had I seen them. They told me they were two seconds away from "taking me down" whatever they meant by that. After they got done checking my record and finding nothing on me, they finally got around to telling me what my grievous crime was.

Driving without headlights on. At that point I was more surprised and miffed than anything else. "Take me down" like a bunch of tough guys over no lights in a debatable daylight time period. Oh well, if I was the worst thing they dealt with that night on Memphis streets, I should guess they had it pretty good. After my reaction, I guess they both thought it was pretty silly too and just got back in the car and left. No ticket, no warning, nothing.

[inspecting1]

I/we (the posse) used to get pulled over all the time back in the day ( mid 70's) Seemed like at least once or twice a month the township cops would light us up. Never much seemed to be a reason ,we never got arrested or ticketed just hassled. I was blessed that Dad worked for the Reds and was buddies with the Chief of Police in the township. He gots the cops seats at the Reds games all the time. The knew who they were pulling over when they did it.

One time were were out joy riding late at night, drinking and smoking dope. It was before drinking and driving was a big deal and the Mothers weren't all that mad just yet. We got lit up ( in more ways than one) the cop pulled us over said I was weaving. I dunno maybe I was but who cared. he chewed us out, threatened to write me up and haul all of us in. Made us pour out the beer and dump out the pot, made me throw my pipe into the woods. Threatened that if he saw my car back on the steeet that night he was going to run us in.

So what did we do? Went back to my house to get my car off the street, went two doors down and got in Larry's car, skanked some beer from his Dad and went back out. All in all a typical weekend night in Delhi.

Delhi??? What State?

[jgrauman]

18 years old, left kmart with a friend after buying some Co2 cartridges for my 2 pistol bb guns that we were going to shoot. buddy was loading the cartridges in the passenger seat when a big truck pulled up next to us, guys eyes got really big and he laid back and got behind us. told my buddy he should put the pistols in the floor board. get half way through town and guy is still following us, pass a cop and he flips a uturn in the middle of a busy street, great.... get to an intersection and there is a cop sitting at each corner, drive through the intersection and all of them come screaming out, blue lights on. i pull over, blue lights everywhere, felony stop, ended up being 6 cops. "Hands out the window!" my lock was broken on the driver side and it was an automatic locking door so with a gun in my face the officer is yelling at me to get out, "i can't, it's locked" he fumbles with the lock and can't get it open, i slowly reach down to unlock it and he rips the door open and throws me on the hood, same with my buddy. i then hear "GUN GUN!!" immediately the cops get rougher. i tell them they are bb guns, over zealous guy that screamed gun doesn't believe me. all in all, my buddy spent 20 min in the back of one patrol car being questioned and me up against my car with the same interrogation. no charges, told to keep them in the trunk. said an old lady called in saying we were driving around waving the guns in the air!

[Krull]

18 years old, left kmart with a friend after buying some Co2 cartridges for my 2 pistol bb guns that we were going to shoot. buddy was loading the cartridges in the passenger seat when a big truck pulled up next to us, guys eyes got really big and he laid back and got behind us. told my buddy he should put the pistols in the floor board. get half way through town and guy is still following us, pass a cop and he flips a uturn in the middle of a busy street, great.... get to an intersection and there is a cop sitting at each corner, drive through the intersection and all of them come screaming out, blue lights on. i pull over, blue lights everywhere, felony stop, ended up being 6 cops. "Hands out the window!" my lock was broken on the driver side and it was an automatic locking door so with a gun in my face the officer is yelling at me to get out, "i can't, it's locked" he fumbles with the lock and can't get it open, i slowly reach down to unlock it and he rips the door open and throws me on the hood, same with my buddy. i then hear "GUN GUN!!" immediately the cops get rougher. i tell them they are bb guns, over zealous guy that screamed gun doesn't believe me. all in all, my buddy spent 20 min in the back of one patrol car being questioned and me up against my car with the same interrogation. no charges, told to keep them in the trunk. said an old lady called in saying we were driving around waving the guns in the air!

Oh my similar story here.

Was at kmart I guess 16 or so and came tearing out of the parking lot and almost hit an older guy with my car. He followed us to walmart but I didn't realize it. We were buying a air pistol as well and had it in our hands when he confronted me. I told him a few choice words and we rolled. Bought the gun and checked out.

About 15 minutes later we got pulled over Felony stop and all. Turns out the guy called police and told them we had pulled a gun on him. Luckily it was still new in the wrapper.

[Guest mikedwood]

I use to get it a bunch for speeding when younger but I have calmed down. The one that almost got me arrested wasn't for speeding or anything like it.

Midnight Cumberland Ave strip, baby blue station wagon, 5 kids and the wife (it had the jump seat in the back), it was after the Fantasy of Trees and my step daughter had danced in one of the performances.

Bumper to bumper traffic, then blue lights for me. Why?

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

I ran the last few minutes over in my mind and nope no reason.

"Not a clue".

"Your taqs are expired"

Then it rushes through my mind at hyper speed that Friday night, Cumberland Ave strip and this is the best he can do? So it just came out of my mouth.

"You have to be Fing kidding me?" (only I said it)

It shocked him a bit but he didn't ask me to repeat.

"License and registration"

I gave him all that and he went to his car, about 1 minute later here comes 4 back up cars. The place was lit up like a Christmas tree and I was totally surrounded.

Turned out someone had pealed the sticker off and the rest of the stop went OK and I didn't get my butt whipped or a ticket. I think I have terrets at times.

Edited April 14, 2010 by mikedwood

[E4 No More]

I use to get it a bunch for speeding when younger but I have calmed down. The one that almost got me arrested wasn't for speeding or anything like it.

Midnight Cumberland Ave strip, baby blue station wagon, 5 kids and the wife (it had the jump seat in the back), it was after the Fantasy of Trees and my step daughter had danced in one of the performances.

Bumper to bumper traffic, then blue lights for me. Why?

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

I ran the last few minutes over in my mind and nope no reason.

"Not a clue".

"Your taqs are expired"

Then it rushes through my mind at hyper speed that Friday night, Cumberland Ave strip and this is the best he can do? So it just came out of my mouth.

"You have to be Fing kidding me?" (only I said it)

It shocked him a bit but he didn't ask me to repeat.

"License and registration"

I gave him all that and he went to his car, about 1 minute later here comes 4 back up cars. The place was lit up like a Christmas tree and I was totally surrounded.

Turned out someone had pealed the sticker off and the rest of the stop went OK and I didn't get my butt whipped or a ticket. I think I have terrets at times.

*^#%@^ I sometimes think that I have (*#%$^ Tourette's Syndrome as well.

[E4 No More]

Doh!

[Mark@Sea]

Worst ever for me, I wasn't in a car. Had gone to visit my dad (hospice care,he passed about a week later ). As you might imagine, my younger brother and I were feeling pretty blue. About 9 that evening we decided to stretch our legs, get out of the house, have some time we could talk. Walked 4 or 5 miles to a gas station, bought sodas, turned around and started back to my dad's home. Walking through town, on the sidewalk, quiet evening - town cop pulls up behind us, blue lights us, wanted to know who,what, why, etc. Demanded (and got) ID. Said he could arrest us (I asked what charge, he said he didn't need one to jail us overnight). After a good 10 or 15 minutes of really chewing us out (for being in 'his' town without his permission, I guess - the general gist of it was we were lowlife scum just looking for a chance to commit crime) he ordered us to go straight home, and stay there.

At that point, I'd really have liked to go a few rounds with him. Grade A jack***. If my dad had not been in such straits, I would have just told him to take us in, and he, his chief, and my lawyer could discuss the issue later at the civil suit.

I really wanted to say that ( if nothing else, just to see his face). Good thing I didn't, the next day was the last chance I had to talk to my dad.

Edited April 14, 2010 by Mark@Sea

[E4 No More]

Worst ever for me, I wasn't in a car. Had gone to visit my dad (hospice care,he passed about a week later ). As you might imagine, my younger brother and I were feeling pretty blue. About 9 that evening we decided to stretch our legs, get out of the house, have some time we could talk. Walked 4 or 5 miles to a gas station, bought sodas, turned around and started back to my dad's home. Walking through town, on the sidewalk, quiet evening - town cop pulls up behind us, blue lights us, wanted to know who,what, why, etc. Demanded (and got) ID. Said he could arrest us (I asked what charge, he said he didn't need one to jail us overnight). After a good 10 or 15 minutes of really chewing us out (for being in 'his' town without his permission, I guess - the general gist of it was we were lowlife scum just looking for a chance to commit crime) he ordered us to go straight home, and stay there.

At that point, I'd really have liked to go a few rounds with him. Grade A jack***. If my dad had not been in such straits, I would have just told him to take us in, and he, his chief, and my lawyer could discuss the issue later at the civil suit.

I really wanted to say that ( if nothing else, just to see his face). Good thing I didn't, the next day was the last chance I had to talk to my dad.

Sorry about your dad, Mark. I lost mine to cancer 2 Halloweens ago.

[Mark@Sea]

Thanks. This was 21 years ago, just about...