What to Do When You Are Pulled Over by the Police


Learn what to say and what not to say and when vehicle searches are legal.




Your battle to beat a ticket begins the instant you realize you're being stopped by a police officer. You will be in a much better position to challenge your ticket in court if you take a few simple steps when you are pulled over. Here are some suggestions.

1. When You See the Police Car
If a police car is following you with its siren blaring or emergency lights flashing, pull over to the right safely and quickly. Pull over in a way that will be most likely to calm down an angry or annoyed traffic officer. Use your turn signal to indicate any lane changes from left to right, and slow down fairly quickly, but not so quickly that the officer will have to brake to avoid hitting you. Pull over as far to the right as possible so that, when the officer comes up to your widow, he won't have to worry about being clipped by vehicles in the right lane.

By stopping as soon as you can, you'll have a better chance of figuring out exactly where the officer says you committed a violation. You may want to return to that area later to make sure the officer was telling the truth about how he judged your speed, saw your turn, or witnessed any other violation.

2. Right After You Stop
After you've pulled over to a safe spot, you might want to show the officer a few other token courtesies. At this point, you have little to lose and perhaps something to gain.

First off, roll down your window all the way. You may also want to turn off the engine, place your hands on the steering wheel, and, if it's dark, turn on your interior light. This will tend to allay any fears the officer may have. (After all, police officers are killed every day in such "ordinary" traffic-stop situations, and the officer's approach to the vehicle is the potentially most dangerous.)

Don't start rummaging through your back pocket for your wallet and license, or in your glove compartment for your registration, until the officer asks you for them. For all he knows, you could be reaching for a gun.

If you are at all concerned that the person who stopped you is not actually a police officer (for example, if the car that pulled you over is unmarked), you should ask to see the officer's photo identification along with his badge. If you still have doubts, you can ask that the officer to call a supervisor to the scene or you can request that you be allowed to follow the officer to a police station.

3. Avoid Giving the Officer an Excuse to Search
A police officer is normally not allowed to search your vehicle. However, there are several exceptions to this. An officer who observes you trying to either hide something under the seat or throw something out the window may legally search your car. Once the cop is on your rear bumper with his spotlight silhouetting your every move, he's watching for any sort of furtive movement. A sudden lowering of one or both shoulders will tip him off that you're attempting to hide something under the seat.

If the officer has a reasonable suspicion you are armed and dangerous, she can frisk (pat down) you. Similarly, if the officer reasonably suspects that you are involved in criminal activity she can also perform a pat down. And if the police officer has probable cause -- a reasonable basis or justification to believe that you or your passengers are involved in criminal activity -- they can search your car and objects belonging to passengers.

Can I refuse to let a police officer search my car during a traffic stop?


Even if the officer doesn't have reasonable suspicion or probable cause, once you are stopped, a police officer may seize any illegal objects in your car that are in "plain view." Once they see the object, such as open beer or wine bottles or drug paraphernalia, they can open the car door to reach in and get it. After that, they may come across other objects that are in plain view and shouldn't be in your car, and they can seize these, too.

Lastly, your car may also be searched if you or any occupant is arrested. Also, if you're arrested and your car is towed, the police may make an "inventory search" afterward, even if they have no reason to suspect there is anything illegal inside.

4. Should You Get Out of Your Car?
An officer who stops you for an alleged traffic violation has the right to insist that you and your passengers get out of your car. You should do so if asked. Also, getting out of your car may make it easier for you to check road conditions, the weather, and the place the violation supposedly occurred.

However, many police officers prefer that you stay in your car and will tell you to stay there if you start to get out. If this happens, obviously you should cooperate. If you get out of the car against the officer's orders, don't be surprised to see a gun pointing at you. Cops are trained to expect the worst. When you get out of your car, they may assume you're about to pull a weapon or attempt to flee.

If an officer has any reason to believe that you might be dangerous, he has a right to conduct a quick "pat-down" search of your outer clothing while he is standing next to you, to make sure you don't have a concealed knife or gun. If the officer feels any weapon-sized object during the pat-down search, he can reach in and get it. Also, the officer's good faith belief that you may be dangerous justifies a search of the passenger compartment of your car for weapons.

5. Talking to the Officer
Many people stopped by an officer make the mistake of saying the wrong thing to him and failing to say the right things. And a case can be won or lost depending on what you say -- or don't say -- to the officer.

Don't speak first. Especially don't start off with a defensive or hostile "What's the problem?" or similar words. Let the officer start talking. He will probably ask to see your license and vehicle registration. Many people make the mistake of insisting the officer tell them why he stopped them before they'll comply. Don't make that mistake. Reply "okay" or "sure," then hand over the documents.

One of the first things traffic cops learn in the police academy is to decide, before leaving their vehicle, whether they're going to give a ticket or just a warning. They may act as though they still haven't made up their minds and are going to let you off only if you'll cooperate. Don't fall for this. The hesitating officer may be trying to appear open-minded in order to extract admissions out of you, to use them against you in court if necessary. The strategy is to try to get you to admit either that you committed a violation or that you were so careless, inattentive, or negligent that you don't know whether you did or not.

The officer might start by asking you the sort of question whose lack of a definite answer would imply guilt, like, "Do you know why I stopped you?" Or, he might ask, "Do you know how fast you were going?" Your answers, if any, should be non-committal and brief, like a simple "No" to the first question or a very confident, "Yes, I do," to the second. If he then tells you how fast he thinks you were going or what he thinks you did, don't argue. Give a noncommittal answer, like, "I see," or no answer at all. Silence is not an admission of guilt and cannot be used against you in court.

Thank you for reminding us that there are crooks and sickos out there that use any means to get us............

For more info on your rights when pulled over by a legit Police car or not, read on.........


http://www.nolo.com/printerfriendly.cfm/objectID/DF83EA05-BCBE-4B8A-8A42F1815BF6BF81/catID/CF015A63-6B69-4EED-A34B6F4035C8BE0E/104/263/ART

Be safe.

You are the best! Not just another pretty face....A smart, handsome one.

[Good thing I have Super-Sperm, when I'm 65 my babies will be as healthy as if I was 20.


One can always wish..........

fyi.........

http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/biologicalclock.html

Thank you for this post.
Indeed there are really nice people on this site.
I also met my Love here, so I couldn't agree more.
And today, him and I met a genuine guy that we are proud to call a friend.

Wed 01/23/08 03:32 PM

DOG DIARY
>
> 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
> 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
> 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
> 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
> 12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
> 1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
> 3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
> 5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
> 7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
> 8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
> 11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!
>
Messing with my older buddy!My favorite thing!
Chewing on Mom's shoes! My favorite thing!

Dinner time! Oh yes! My favorite time!

Ms.F, as we say here...esta bien, no hay drama.

Merci Ms. S.

I usually bark and don't bite unless provoked.

Thank you.
A guy can tell you, "do what u want" and later throw it at your face......That's my baby you're killing....Guess where the dear F.......is? Nowhere to be found when child support time comes.....When the child is sick....When you simply need him to be a father....But we, woman are left to choose.....

If u have been thru Hell and back.......Your friendship should sustain an explanation.......You deserve one, whether she wants to give it is a different issue........Be prepared to hear what she has to say if she chooses to do so, be also prepared to deal with her silence......Sometimes being a friend also means to let go....Good luck and I hope it works out between you two.

The beauty of online dating, mixed with misunderstanding, assumption, hope, Reality, and others putting in their 2 cents.......No offense intended, just the reality of it, well I can only speak for myself of course......

As far as my anger.......I am not angry because you are not by my side here........I see what we started as the beginning of a wonderful, but trying journey for us. I was saying that it would been better to be online at the same time when I replied......But this is also what we are dealing with, and will have to deal with for a while........4000 miles is a long way, but at the same time you could be a lot closer and still we would not be able to meet yet, let alone making the big decision to completely turn your life upside down and start over.....

If this was intended to be funny, my apology to the writer...This is also the chance that ones take when posting......

Kol, please do not be sad by any of this. I have never felt so alive, so eager. I haven't had that kind of smile, that kind of warmth inside in a very very long time.....It is because of you.

Kol is his own individual, I don't own him.....Like me he makes his own choices...

So true....They are called sociopaths.....Can fool you, turn around, commit another crime, and fool you again.....

I will not ask questions Love since you already told me about all this.........You on another hand may have some......Until tomorrow

It is pretty late here in Cali...I have been looking at your post a few times now, reading Kol's reply, as well as Symbelmyne's....

I wish that this wonderful guy was here right now to help me see your "good side"....But I am on my own, and as such will go on and tell you exactly how I feel....And I am too "old" to bull****, I deal with the consequences of my decisions....Just so u know.

Let me ask you this? You are aware that he found me right?
Of course u are....Why [and trust me it is taking a lot right now not to cuss you out....I am actually cussing you out, but in my house....]
So why in the world would you tell other women to check him out????
As a joke?? To piss me off??? Just because???? So he can find someone??? WHAT???????? Who are you his agent? oh.....Sorry just a great guy.......I just don't see that one yet........He does. You know why? Because like you said, he is Genuine, and Real, and Caring, and Respectful, and funny, and Loving.I am all that too, but I am a woman....

I don't feel threatened by women here.....I am not an insecure little girl.......We found each other....Like it or not.....So please as the great guy that he sees you as being.....Be happy for him.......And don't try to sell him out there.....

Thank you for reminding me what a great guy I have found...

Best of luck to you........

Help us help you ok......What's so bad about Mondays???

I love you for telling if not the world at least to JSH how u feel...I love you no matter what

I love you for telling if not the world at least to JSH how u feel...I love you no matter what

Exactly, I just gave one a taste of his own medecine...He didn't like it too much...That was the fun there....

Makes you question the meaning of Friendship doesn't it?

U were hurt, sorry to hear that.......It would be another loss for you if u let the so called friend go, but sometimes starting over is not such a bad thing...Good luck