Can cops just pull you over for no reason?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Russian, Dec 12, 2016.

  1. Jazz1

    Jazz1 Road Train Member

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    When I hauled in the USA 20 years ago I avoided stopping in rest areas in Ohio and Michigan. Wont travel in USA commercially since. Never any issues but saw the storm troopers roll in on occasion to harass dozens of drivers. What a friggin joke, like some commies in a third rate country
     
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  3. TROOPER to TRUCKER

    TROOPER to TRUCKER Anything Is Possible

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    Yeah, but tell a cop that next time you see one ns tell me how it goes.

    Also I never showed up to someone's house for a cup of coffee either. Citizens ruin it for each other.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 12, 2016
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  4. Hoodoo Voodoo

    Hoodoo Voodoo Medium Load Member

    Hahahahahaha no mother ####ing way I know how the games played my uncle was a sergeant for Dearborn Heights Police Department here in Michigan so I grew up with having a pretty good idea on how the ins-and-outs worked. The really cool thing about my uncle being a police officer was he would always bring wrist Rockets BB guns things you took away from other kids and give them to me and my brother. Here's one for you I was 11 years old staying at my uncle and aunt's house now this is my uncle who is a police sergeant and he gave me my first beer when I was 11 years old go figure huh I know not all you guys are bad but there are some super cops out there that are straight up dicks. And I know I know their dogs bit them their parents beat them and kids picked on him and that's why they became supercops but again I know y'all ain't like that how's that jaw?
     
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  5. Pepper24

    Pepper24 Road Train Member

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    he pulled you over for the dot check that was the reason
     
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  6. Midnightrider909

    Midnightrider909 Road Train Member

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    Land of the free. We incarcerate a higher proportion of our population than any other industrialized Nation. So I would say no to that. The fact is we live in a police state and they can pull you over whenever they want and make up any reason they want to justify it.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2016
    Reason for edit: Autocorrect sucks
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  7. Russian

    Russian Bobtail Member

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    I would move right back out of here if it was true:)
    In my old country cops can stop anyone anywhere and ask for their passport. And if you "don't have" or "forget" they can lock you up for 24hrs until they figure out who you are and where you came from.
    America is nowhere near that, those cops did what they have to do in a professional manner and It's one of the reasons I love this great country
     
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  8. 207nomad

    207nomad Medium Load Member

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    A friend of mine is a state trooper here in Maine and I've talked with him about this in the past. He's stated that if they want to pull you over bad enough they will. They'll fabricate a reason if they have to, but 99% if they suspect something there's usually a good reason for it. As far as a CMV goes, they don't need a reason at all.
    The solution is pretty simple... don't break the law and you won't have anything to worry about. If you do get pulled over, be polite, use sir or ma'am, be honest and comply. They have an incredibly difficult and thankless job to do and showing them respect and not being abrasive towards them goes a long way, and usually works out in your favor.
     
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  9. Dave_in_AZ

    Dave_in_AZ Road Train Member

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    Only twice have they entered my cab, and they ask if it was ok both times. During road sides.
    Police officer's are people too, believe me.
    I think the most suspicious are the DOT in Montana.

    There is an older gentleman at the scale house in Utah on US89 that stands on the scale and asks for your log book as you drive onto the scale. Once he has your book in hand he tells you your getting Level whatever.

    But its smart, if your log is current as should be, no problem. He's making sure you don't alter it before you come in. Kind of like that guy having you wait on the shoulder while he pawed at your QC.

    I've run into a few crooked cops, but they are the exception not the rule.

    There was a DOT standing on the scale platform on the 4th of July. He stuck his head in everyone's window, and just ask " How's it going?"

    Later I thought about it, and figured since it was holiday weekend, and the 4th, he was looking for somebody that had been drinking. I had an audible air leak on the compressor, and he could have rung me up easily, he just said have a good weekend, get that taken care of.

    I've shot the breeze with more than a few at POE's & coups, they actually let a lot of guys slide.
    There are so many BAD, STUPID, drivers in our trade, if you keep your act together, you'll have no problems.
     
  10. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    And Russian is not kidding, There was a time far worse before the wall coming down in 1989 Or was that 87? what a awesome year that was. For Russia to become free and learn new things is also awesome.

    America is still the land of the free. My solution to whatever bothers people regarding the Law is to literally move to and live in a free State. Arkansas has been very good to me and mine these last 18 years or so, even though Ive been coming through AR since the early to mid 90's I had no idea at that time I would make a home and a future here.

    I can call the Law and have them show up for any reason even if it is to talk. We are a smaller town with a pretty good Police. And we have called the Law a time or two just to talk through some difficult situations in life without any issues whatsoever. They would actually prefer to show up and have a meal and coffee to talk rather than stick cuffs on you and yours tossing everyone into Jail to do the mountains of paperwork that generates taking them away from actually going after the really bad bad guys out there.

    Don't misunderstand me, I don't love the Law that much. There are a couple Officers who are out there reading some of my stories regarding them in particular in various towns around the USA who will sit up and yell that they remember that little *&% so and so for that problem laid out in my stories. Some happen to be Chiefs. But for the most part it's been a good run as far as Im concerned.

    I guess it's not difficult to talk well about the Law when you also go to the police range in Searcy now and then to train with them with other people who also bring the children to shoot with them here in Searcy once a month. They have a program for that purpose as well as offering classes for those able to attend and end with a ride along overnight to see first hand what's what in police work. One of these days Im going to get one of those classes attended and do a overnight roaming searcy looking for the bad guys with them.

    But I will never be a police officer, Im too old. And medically too messed up. And they don't train detectives at 50 plus either. So... there is nothing for me really in Law Enforcement.

    With that said, we have been pulled over before by the Law and inspected. One in particular in St Louis was actually a sort of a sham inspection with the real reason is that wife and I was having a loud arm waving disagreement in that cab which was easily spotted by the officer in traffic rush hour and he hauled us to the shoulder then and there partly to get the yelling and armwaving to stop and second to listen to both of us and settle what is to be settle if anything at all. Im pretty sure he did well by his actions that day potentially saving lives too.

    Another officer used to sit by a low bridge in Mechanicsburg PA and catch me pulling in on the south side to go through town past that bridge or so I think. What happened was PA DOT paved under there and did not update the signs from 13-6 to around 12-8 inches. It would have taken my head off in that cabover. That would not be the only time I had trouble in M'Burg. There is a Chief there who has a bone to pick with me disobeying his precious house sized signs for trucks over 3 axles never to turn at those lights but to drive straight on to get on 15. Not the Navy depot that I was trying to reach on the other side on 11. He stood on my fuel tank and gave me a simple choice. Sit in jail waiting for the judge come monday or pay the fine of 40 dollars on the spot. I paid it.

    Then there is a batch of officers in the scale house who are never happy to see me in the Stephens City VA. I broke their scales once. And was inspected twice. And slid tandems so many times... I learned to simply CAT the #### thing before hitting the interstate up there. 10 bucks beats having 4 smokies examine your cab and all the papers inside of it any time.

    I can go on. But bottom line, we are still a free country, if you are behaving like a good boy or girl there is no problem with the Law. Right? R I G H T ???
     
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  11. Hoodoo Voodoo

    Hoodoo Voodoo Medium Load Member

    Definitely agree with that. I was a passenger in a friend's car one time we were up in Romeo Michigan lot of dirt roads nothing really around we got pulled over and as the cop walked up to the car he cracked the drivers tail light with his Maglite and told us he pulled us over for a broken tail light when he just broke it in front of us and God. Sometimes it's pretty ridiculous but if they have suspicions they'll find a reason or create one to pull you over and I can truly testify to that. Amen amen
     
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