i am 54 years old. i wiegh 250lbs. i have 3 gt's that run. the only time i got pulled over the cop said he was sorry for pulling me over, but he was dying to find out what kind of car it was. then he asked me how i got in the little car. other than that no problems.

I used to get pulled over ALL THE TIME!!! in my fiero. When I bought it the cars paint was horrible and I would get stopped every two weeks for somthing stupid... no frnt license plate, loud exhuast, license plate out (they werent) It was just to pull me over and check me out.... As soon as I painted the car, I have only been stopped once.... in the last year and a half. And when I was pulled over the cop asked me if the red toggle switch between my window switches was nitrous haha! Damn cops!!! They def.. profile!

quote Originally posted by JimmyS: It seems to me that I get pulled over quite frequently in my Fiero and it's always BS excuses! Wednesday night I was stopped in Ft. Myers, FL. (30 miles from home) by a local cop. I was only doing 40mph in a 45mph zone. He came up to the car and told me to shut it off and give him the keys. I thought WTF? I have never had a cop take my keys! I did as he asked then he wanted my license, insurance and registration. Gave him all that and he told me to sit tight. He went back to his car and 15 min's later came back and handed me my stuff. He then asked if I still lived in Naples. I said yes. He asked what I was doing in Ft. Myers. By now I was upset and asked if it was against the law to be in Ft. Myers if I lived in naples. I then asked him why he stopped me. He told me that my license plate was not illuminated. I thought...no way...I just put 2 new bulbs in those lights less than a year ago. I asked him if he minded if I got out and looked. He said no. When I walked to the back of the car sure enough both license plate lights were on! I said... what do you mean my plate lights are out? He then said that they are dim. By now i'm fuming mad. I told him that it was a 21 year old car and it's not my fault if newer cars have brighter lights! I then told him to call for his on duty sargent. When the sargent got there I told him that this officer had no reason to pull me over other than to check me out and I was sick and tired of being pulled over constantly and profiled by the police just because of the car I drive. He told me that they do not profile. HA! Then why do I keep getting stopped for no reason? He said the officer had a reason. I asked what the reason was...because my plate lights are out? He said yes. I pointed to them and said...They are on arent they? He then said that they are dim! I went through the same speel with him as I did the officer who pulled me over in the first place. No ticket was written but they both told me to buy better lights! I told them that the lights are stock equipment and I would not change them. 45 min's with these 2 and finally I gave up and left. The time before that I was pulled over in broad daylight and the officer told me it was because the tinting on my front windshield came down too far. I told him there was no tinting on the front windshield that the tint was inside the glass from the factory! Anyone else have these problems?

All cops profile and all cops are corrupt...atleast in NY. I have not and pobably will not meet one cop who is morally equiped to be in authority, In my 87 Z31 everything bone stock...it was being prepped for paint...only '' mod '' was a cherry bomb glasspack exhaust...I'm comeing home from failing my drivers test ( at the time i was 18, been driving for two years and just never got license because I didn't need it yet...story in a story the guy i had was a loony...he had his hand on the E-bake the entire time...was freaking out that i was doing 25 in at 30....anyway i digress.. ) i see a cop fly past me going the other way down the road. sue shoot'n that same cop was behind me with his lights flashing a mile or so later. So I pull over ( with my dad in the car with me ) they ask for ou license etc etc...my dad tells him it's HIS car ( legally it was )...so the cops go back in their pig-mobile for a good 5-10 mins...they come out and say '' we pulled you over cause your exhaust is too loud, you need a muffle ''...keep inmind i was doing 40 in 5th gear...my dad congradulates me and says '' son you've become a man, you've just been housed by the cops for the first time'' that's my story

I can see how your father has positively influenced your perceptions of others.

So what's the NY state law for exhaust? Were you actually in violation of the law?

quote Originally posted by laiho1: the cops just came and visited me at home......appearantly i was being to loud working on my project car and the neighbors (old lady across the street) called the cops on me.......they said they were giving me a warning this time......what the hell.....is it all of a sudden illegal to use grinders and saws and air compressors at your house?

The officer was just doing his job. Someone made a complaint and its the officers job to investigate and possible come up with a peaceful conclusion. I'm sure the lady across the street did not get her way but its also her right to make a complaint about it. And yes it is illegal its called disturbing the peace, not that you are going to ever get in trouble for it unless your a repeat offender or have your head up you A**.

in upstate ny we average...literally 1 cop per 2 ppl...if not more...No i was not breaking any noise violation, a puny 3 litre isn't loud even running straights from the header. The cops were just looking to harass a kid in a sporty car. Happens alot here.

Also we have cops drunk driving and going down an exit ramp to the highway...get away scott clean, had one his wife killed a baby while baby sitting and he had her hide it untill he was able to file his retirement papers ( so he wouldn't loose his money etc ) had one drivehis car ( while drunk ) into a store window...then you can't forget the cop who killed a guy on new years eve who was being married in the next couple of days because he missed shooting a car that was driving...am I saying all cops are bad? no...I'm just saying I havn't found a good one...

Moral of the story, like all things: Hope for the best Expect the worst.

To all the cops who do their job with proper moral standards I salute you. We need more of them to restore the image of the once clean police force.

After 23 years of Fiero driving, I've been stopped three time. One was a sobriety check point..I was sober, once speeding 52 in a 30 zone radar trap in the middle of nowhere and right on red in a no right turn following three other cars and I was the last one and just got a warning.

True there are corrupt cops, but more are just hard working people dealing with the scum of the planet for the most part. So if you get stopped or questioned and give them an attitude you can expect to be treated as one of the scum people.

My last time being pulled over in my Fiero, the officer said he didn't have me locked in on the radar, but he pulled me over. His reason was that just he was locking in the speed (of another car) I passed that other car.... so he pulled us both over. oops!

quote Originally posted by hksteck84: ...stuff.... Next time you are in my town, give me the old "single finger wave." That's another one of those codes. It means, "You can't harass me." It's one of our favorites.

I can't tell if you are joking or not, but the way I am reading your post it definitely seems to be an "us against them" attitude. No problem, it's how I think too. It's people like us against guys like you that are just looking for an excuse. Do you find your hand setting on the holster, playing with the snap, waiting for that jerk that dared go 5 MPH over 50 in YOUR town to get his license out? Do you find that every singe jerk you have to deal with is a friggin idiot? Are you trying to figure out who these people think they are that are "almost" breaking the law?

Brad

Had both of mine for about three years now and all I get from cops is...... is that?

http://www.flexyourrights.com/

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: I can't tell if you are joking or not, but the way I am reading your post it definitely seems to be an "us against them" attitude. No problem, it's how I think too. It's people like us against guys like you that are just looking for an excuse. Do you find your hand setting on the holster, playing with the snap, waiting for that jerk that dared go 5 MPH over 50 in YOUR town to get his license out? Do you find that every singe jerk you have to deal with is a friggin idiot? Are you trying to figure out who these people think they are that are "almost" breaking the law? Brad

That was a Joke E-mail I got. Yes I do find myself having my hand on my holster when I am making contact with a subject you never know who you are dealing with. Do I know you? Nope, but at the end of the day I'm going home. People that hate us only love us when they need us.

I have a friend with a MERA. (Ferrari badging) He has been stopped several times. Police run his plate see it listed as a Fiero. Ask him several questions and ask for paper work for the car. Stopped again last week.

Ron T

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signature by F-I-E-R-O (My Indy on right / #1 IMS)

quote Originally posted by hksteck84: That was a Joke E-mail I got. Yes I do find myself having my hand on my holster when I am making contact with a subject you never know who you are dealing with. Do I know you? Nope, but at the end of the day I'm going home. People that hate us only love us when they need us.

OK, I can see that. I thought you were in attack mode. I only hate the bad ones . If you think I hate you, I'd only hate you for one reason, and I'm not the one with a guilty conscience.

Brad

Police are trained to look for anything that sticks out and to investigate it. If you draw attention to yourself, you will get their attention. Usually it takes more than one thing unusual to get their attention. If you catch their attention, they will look for any excuse to pull you over. The bad news is that because we drive an unusual car, we already have one "strike" on the attention meter against us.

What you need to do stay off the attention radar. Don't drive like an ass. Don't put racing stickers on your car. Don't have your car looking like a wheel could fall off any second.

It isn't right, it isn't fair but life is not fair. You can always just buy a non-descript car like a Honda Accord that blends into the millions of other Honda Accords on the road. We drive a relatively rare car and it gets attention. Just expect it.

That being said, that does not mean that the police should be able to abuse their authority. If you do everything you can to drive according to the traffic laws and you are still getting unwanted attention then keep a camera and voice recorder in your car. Every time you get stopped, turn on the voice recorder. Be polite and ask why you were pulled over. If they state that something is wrong with your car, when the officer is done with you, take a picture of the item that was supposedly wrong and get a picture of the officer's car showing his plate. Police don't like it when they are "on the record". Keep all pictures and recording. If you keep getting harrassed, then take all of your evidence to a lawyer and look into a civil rights suite against the individual officers.

Naww....Its never happen to me...lol.

quote Originally posted by cornersonrails: Naww....Its never happen to me...lol.

Its the side scoops.

how did you manage to snap a pic of the cops behind you, everytime i ask they tell me im insane and to go back to standing in the rear of the vehicle lol. Ive had a few cops compliment me on my fiero while at work and ask me if its somethin they should pull the hemi charger out for, other then that they pretty much leave me alone. It was my old crown vic that said sheriff on it and still had all the police badges on it that i had a problem with (they didnt retire the car properly before it hit the junkyard so i took it lol)

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2.8se .40 bored over, Mecham Side Scoops, KYB Suspension

Oh that pic is nothinig. He pulled me over for no front plate. I tell him he is singleing me out and profiling. He didnt like that. I get out while he is running all my info and start snapping pictures with my phone. I have a bunch of them. I even walked across the street taking pics. I then proceeded to point out all the cars driving by that had no front plate to him while he sat in his car.....I then took a picture of him. Once I did that he took his in car camera and started aiming it at me. He then took his own phone off his passenger seat and took a picture of me. I was curious at that point and started walking towards his car in which made him respond , " Get back in your Car!! " Which I very kindly and quickly did...lol. He gave me a warning. It was nice of him considering my behavior.



I love Jimmy's Side Scoops!!!

[This message has been edited by cornersonrails (edited 04-01-2010).]

lol thats awesome. cops around here would get pissed! lol

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2.8se .40 bored over, Mecham Side Scoops, KYB Suspension

Case in point. On my way to work tuesday morning, 7:30 am. I am in my wife's 85, doing the speed limit. City cop setting at a stop light on a side street. I am in the LH lane as I go through a green light that is getting ready to go yellow (don't walk sign had just started flashing) I am running a few miles under the speed limit of 35. (speedo is fast by 3 miles) and as soon as the cop can get on the road, he accelerates and comes up behind me so close that I can't see his plate. He follows me all the way through town till I turn onto the major hiway. He didn't pull me over, but I do think he was following me just hoping I would do something like take off quick, etc from a light or something. I never get followed or even looked at when I am in my wife's Lexus, just the fiero, so yes, I do feel that there is a lot of profiling going on when we drive our cars.

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: OK, I can see that. I thought you were in attack mode. I only hate the bad ones . If you think I hate you, I'd only hate you for one reason, and I'm not the one with a guilty conscience. Brad

Nope not in attack mode just having fun thought I could bring in a good laugh. Guilty Conscience (looks around) not me. I do look for solid stops but hardly ever write a ticket. My chief complains that I dont write enough tickets. I wrote 1 every ten stops that I made last year. With a grand total of 33 tickets in last year. I know some guys that have given out 30 citations in one night. OUCH

Aww... WTH...

Two profile situations.

1) My fiero (3800 engine) was next to an old beat up Nissan truck at a stop light. The truck driver wanted to race me (he saw the 4 point harnesses and Corbeau seats)... I revved the engine and laughed.
The light turned green and he dropped his clutch and spun the one rear tire with the least tread on it (and was actually impressively fast for what it was). I just accelerated normal and did not actually race him.
From out of nowhere, a cop is behind me (close behind me).
I did not get pulled over, but... WTF? it wasn't me.

2) I took a turn and was pulled over. I took the left turn from a 40MPH posted limit to a 40MPH posted limit road at 40MPH with no tire squeal or chirping. The car turned with no problem (HT suspension, and it was just a left turn). I just didn't feel like using the brakes, and there were no other cars in sight, on the road. I was pulled over for this, and he searched my car (after backup arrived).
I drew this on myself, but the turn was fun. The cop complimented the fiero after he told me to not do that again.

-Dave

Tonight was the green ones turn and yet again.... i came out on top.
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/080373.html

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but......ok I never thought about this but here's my story. I'm in my '88GT today only because my truck battery was dead, trying to be gentle because front brakes are worn and starting to grind a little. I was coming through town heading back to main road from a side street here in the city I work in, which is very diverse. He comes behind me on side street and then waits till I get on main road before he turns lights on, there's no place to pull off so I go about a block or so to pull off on a side street so it won't block traffic and to be kind. I pull off in a business to get off street. He has what looks like a young recruit with him , and then a 2nd police car pulls up with lights on. As soon as the officer gets to my window and asked me for license and reg. he then asked why I didn't stop right away? I said I was trying to be kind so he wouldn't have to get out in traffic. Then he came back after a few minutes and asked me to step out while he explained it to me, ok no problem, he gave me a warning for rolling through a stop sign and I thanked him and I explained I might have because I was being gentle on my brakes and showed him my front rotor starting to score a little. He then interupted me and asked if I was carrying any illegal substances or guns in my car, I said no. He asked me if he could search my car and I said I have nothing to hide but I nervously said go ahead. I'm a 44 yr old guy wearing tshirt and jeans. Now what's your thoughts , I'm a little offended by it cause did he think I was hiding something because I was kind? was he using me for training purposes for recruit? Or showing up his superior?. There was nothing I had, but what would have happened if I refused his search???

i have yet to be pulled over in anything. yesterday though i was driving my fiero and i peeled out of a parking lot and right after i did it i see a police charger pull up at the intersection not 50 feet from where i just peeled out at and he pulled out and tail gated me to a stop sign then he went another way. ive gone past a lot of cops in my fiero too and most of them don't even look at it.

I passed a cruiser along the side of the road ticketing another car. I was in a long line of cars going less than 10mph over the limit. Shortly after, the cruiser is right behind me with lights flashing. I pull over and he claims I was going 20+ over the limit. I explained that I was just going with the flow of traffic and asked how he could determine my speed. He admitted he did not use a radar gun but 'clocked' me for a while. If all of us were going that speed then whey was I pulled out of the line. His reply was that 'it sucks to be you'. Rather than just take the ticket and get points taken off my license (no previous points or any speeding tickets for 35+ years) I fought it in court. I won but it cost over $300 to do it. Below is the car. Now, do you think I was targeted?

quote Originally posted by hksteck84: "First of all, let me tell you this...it's not easy. In most city’s, we average one cop for every 600 people. Only about 60% of those cops are on general duty (or what you might refer to as "patrol") where we do most of our harassing.... Next time you are in my town, give me the old "single finger wave." That's another one of those codes. It means, "You can't harass me." It's one of our favorites.

OK, I thought it was funny! On the other hand, I was followed all of the way through a North GA town one time. No lights, no sirens, but the message was clear..."We don't want any 51 year old Math Teachers driving classic cars in our town." Probably the worst part about it is that I took a different route home and I'll never go through that town again. It's no big deal to me, but the local gas stations, restaurants, and motels probably wonder why they're not making as much money these days.

quote Originally posted by JDZFIERO: but what would have happened if I refused his search???

Nothing.... Well maybe nothing. He can't arrest you for saying NO that's not illegal.

The proper answer would be NO.
pause...
"Am I being detained or am I free to go."

Don't offer info. Ever see an officer sitting on the side of the road writing after a stop? He's taking court notes.

I've been "the unlucky one." lately. I was mixed in with a couple Corvettes also not running Front License plates, but I was the one that got pulled for it. Also the flaky paint may have caught his eye too.

Scenario: Sunday Texas BLACK TOP ROAD 103ºF around 2PM

As soon as he stepped up I already had my phone out and took his picture with the phone out of the window. At the same time I watch as he touches the drivers tail light.
His first statement was "why did you do that?" I already drew his attention away from the initial stop.
I replied "in case it's needed in case your name is illegible and preparation for court."
He asked "do you always take officers to court?"
Reply "Only if needed"
"You know you aren't supposed to take pictures of Officers on duty"
Currently there's no laws against this.
My reply "This is a public place and you are a public servant so you should not have any expectation of privacy."

At this point he's probably thinking I'm a smart ass. But I'm 100% correct on everything I've said.
Now he's on the defense. Not me. It also can throw them off guard and they may cross a boundary or two.

He get's back to business. He asks for my Drivers license and insurance.
I asked if I had broken any laws.
He says "yes you are not displaying a front license plate."
I normally keep it behind my seat but I hadn't removed it from my carry all I took to Minnesota so I could use the Well I have my daughter with me and wouldn't want a loose thin metal object on the dash during an impact.
I told him "My car doesn't have any provisions for it." (New Mexico Fiero GT) "And I'm not drilling any holes"
He told me "I don't think it would devalue the car any"
Reply "That can be your opinion."
He restates "Driver's License and Proof of Insurance, Sir"
I already had them in my lap since I stopped so he doesn't get nosy when I start opening the center box to get my insurance. ALSO this is a good time to sneeze or cough, if you wish to be an ASS. Adds to his discomfort for the stop, but I didn't.

He takes my info to his car sits there there then comes back.

"Where are you headed Mr. L....?"
I reply "I don't feel like discussing my personal life with you sir."
"Do you have any guns, knives, drugs, paraphernalia, grenades or anything else illegal in the car?"
I love how they love to try to trip you up by adding grenades.
I respond "Knives have never been illegal, and Texas allows a concealed gun in your car as part of the castle law."
Him "Do you have a gun in the car and do you mind if I search your vehicle"
I respond "No you may not search my vehicle."
"Do you have something I should know about?"
Now's where he wants to start pushing.
"Am I being detained or am I free to go?"
"Are you going to let me search your car or do I need to call for a drug dog."
"Feel free to call anyone you want but I do not consent to a search without a warrant, Now are you detaining me or am I free to go"
"Here's your warning that I really should make a citation for No front license plate and I advise you get one put on quickly"
And he walks back to his car.
Note he's been in a BLack uniform Standing on a Black Road with a Vest and undershirt on this whole time. He was COOKING.

I pull forward about 50 feet into a business drive step out with a rag and wipe off my driver's tail light while in plain view of him.

I don't take Crap from them. We have rights they they'll always try to get you to give up, but if you hold your ground there's nothing they can do about it. He tried to get me to give up

This makes the 4th time I've been warned and the whole time Vetts would periodically pass also not displaying a Front LP.

Here's a couple good links for you to study.
http://flexyourrights.org/
http://www.aclu.org/nationa...ring-law-enforcement



And with These Crazy laws in your state... Why risk anything.

1 A man over the age of 18 may be arrested for statutory rape if the passenger in his car is not wearing her socks and shoes, and is under the age of 17.

2 One man may not back into a parking spot because it prevents police officers from seeing the license plate.

3 Mustaches are illegal if the bearer has a tendency to habitually kiss other humans.
etc.

I've gotten use to being pulled over for "front plate" check on my 308 conversion. I do have a plate and after the officer looks over the car i'm sent on my way. Two labor days ago I was stopped by three seperate VA state police officers within a 10 mile stretch for the front plate check --- After the third stop I ask where I needed to pull over for the next officer to check the car! The cop had a good laugh and admitted that the first office had called ahead and alerted those ahead to check out the Ferrari. Never a ticket - respect them and have your car legal - be polite - and realize that we are driving increasing rare vehicles - sometimes they just want to check it out and they have the "resourses" to have their curiosity satisified.

I don't know, but for fieros I think cops would pull them over more for interest in the car to check it out lol. But I think they would profile cars like late 90's - early 2000's mustangs and such (because they're nothing special, but still a higher risk vehicle) for actual tickets. I never get pulled over in my corolla

[This message has been edited by HausFiero (edited 08-12-2010).]

quote Originally posted by cornersonrails: Naww....Its never happen to me...lol.

I don't think it was the scoops, I think the tall spoiler did it.

P.S. I like your headlight mod, it actually looks like it belongs on a Fiero!

beginning of this year i was pulled over for a bullshit excuse myself.

im driving in my old 89 Dodge Ramcharger that the wheel wells were rusted, but other than taht and the blue paint faded there was nothing else he couldve pulled me over for but here goes:

its alittle after 7 pm in february with temp around -20 windchill and im heading out to see my hunny for the evening and decided to take the truck vs the Rx7 due to black ice on the roads. I am coming into the little stain on the map called Hilbert Wisconsin and out of nowhere a red Mitsubishi 3000gt flys around me at high speed as i approach the stop sign at my turn. does a rolling stop and even screams his tires taking off.

i say wtf and do my turn like always having even given extra time to alot for the bad roads COMPLETELY stopping at the stopsign mind you.

next thing i know here is some rookie county patrol in my rearveiw flashing the lights and im sitting there thinking great he is gonna get the Ahole that blew past me not 3 seconds ago.

Nope, he pulles me over for a tailight being out (Bullspit cuz i wired the rear up with 12 gauge awg wire not 5 days before and my friend soldered every connection the right way and they were not only brighter but they were more responsive to breaking and turn signaling). so here he comes walking up to my looking in the back of the truck and he notices i dont have my hands on the wheel all the way in veiw, well they were at 9 and 3 but the truck sits high from the factory so him being a good 5'6 made that hard to see.

immediatly his hand is on the gun and he is hovering back just out of sight but enough that i have to turn in my seat to see him and see what he is doing. Very gruffly he asked who the truck belonged to and i say its joint registerd to me and my Aunt.

He says is it my truck?

i repeat what i said and he looks at me like im an idiot and dont get what he is asking.

so i say already pissed off and not in the mood to deal with useless bull at a late hour and with the heat leaving thru the open window


"what are you getting at here Officer? I have commited no crime and you let the guy with the flashy sports car that was driving recklessly get away over your concern for a supposedly non functioning taillight" furthermore i said "now im sure Jason (the supervisor of whom im good friends with) wouldnt want to knwo that you let a hefty payout and an obviously dangerous person go over something so silly and thought that it was in the best interest of the county to pull me over and harrass me over something that ik is not true"

he says are you insane? at this point visibly upset that i know what im doing.

i reply "well i have had plenty of anger counseling over the years but its just not working" lol i had to fight the laughter after saying that

he then hightails it back to his cruiser whic hallows me to send a text to Jason letting him know that the Officer was in the wrong etc and not 5 mins later here comes Jason who greets me like an old friend and just lays into the Officer like theres no tomorow!

so imagine a 6'5 250lb cop standing over yelling at the puny officer in the dark in the COLD while everyone passes on the way home from work etc. Needless to say the Officer sheepishly returned my License to me and bid me a farewell and an apologie etc.

so i leave and two days later get in the mail a letter from the county saying sorry and i got a 10 dollar gas card even!

but the officer i refer to would tail me everychance he could get when i was in Chilton. too bad the point where i get into town is only 400 ft from my Parents house lol.


and the last i heard he was traded off to another department pending a investigation involving an African American family on the way to church...

*sigh* gotta love friends in high places

The last time I passed four cops in a speed trap.. one of them smiled and nodded.

I've been followed quite a few times though---but I wasn't breaking the law so I didn't worry, and nothing came of it.

I'm 72 years old, passed a Texas highway Patrol car giving a ticket to someone in North Texas on my way back to Colorado. My '88 Buick cruise control was set on 75(the speed limit in TX is 70mph) and he was on me like stink on stuff. That Crown Vic moved like no other. I pulled over and the patrolman was the epitome of politeness and reflected qualities of the best of the best. He asked why my muffler was almost off and I explained that my cat was stolen one night in front of our house in town and a muffler shop screwed up the job. He checked me out, gave me a warning ticket and asked me to drive within the limits on Texas highways. I'll find out how it goes in October when I drive my Fiero down there.

Contrast that great police officer with the county jerk who pulled me over about six years ago. We are the only working class people who live out in an affluent area. We have a nice house but I dress like a rag man when I do dirty work at my daughter's house. Officer Gillespie pulled me over and questioned every statement I made to him: "YOU live on Walker Road? What do you mean you're retired? At 66 years of age, haven't you learned to observe speed limits? What is that funny looking saw doing in your front seat?" (I have a Japanese pull saw for trim work) I used my cell to call his dispatcher and requested his shift supervisor come to our location. I also called an attorney I know and she told me to keep quiet. The shift supervisor called Gillespie and between them I was given a ticket for 55 in a 45 zone. They had changed the speed limit to 45 the previous day and he was out to make some money for the county.

Personally, I wouldn't be a police officer for the world and I understand their burden but why do some of them have to be so arbitrary or like jerks while others are decent folks?

Last time one of my Fieros got pulled over, my wife was driving it back from Colorado black GT... I was driving a yellow 99 Dakota pulling a fully loaded 18' dovetail... I passed her doing probably 85+ on the interstate (i'm in the truck remember) and the State Patrol that was heading in the opposite direction of travel saw this crossed the median and pulled HER over for speeding. (70 in a 65) figure that one out.

Back in the ‘80s, I was driving my new X1/9, going about 70 on loop 410 in San Antonio. I think the speed limit was 60, maybe 55, not sure. Anyway, city cop pulled me over and said, “Clocked you doing 65 in a ____ zone. Why were you going so fast?”

I thot I’d be cute, since I really HAD been speeding. “I was trying to outrun YOU, officer!”

“Huh?”

“Just kidding. I really didn’t realize how fast I was going.” I lied. “I thot I was just keeping up with traffic.”

The real reason was the “high” brake lite in the rear window of the X1/9 was directly in line with the rear-view mirror, blocking lots of whatever was behind me and I flat didn’t see him.

“Well, you know you can take a defensive driving course and you won’t have to pay the ticket, right?”

“Yes but why not just give me a warning. I really didn’t think I was speeding.” I could feel the halo over my head….

He looked at me hard, smiled, then said, “You weren’t really trying to outrun me, were you?”

“Uhhhhh……”

“OK, consider yourself warned. Don’t do it again.”

Went home and immediately removed that darn brake light and never had THAT problem again!

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John

On average, I get pulled over in the Fiero at least twice a year for one reason or another. Sometimes, the officer says he was just interested in the car (which doesn't really bother me...I don't mind talking about it) but more often than not it's a matter of "wrong place-wrong time" or DWB...sorry to have to go there but it's a fact.

Cops see me in an upscale neighborhood (that's where most of the people I regularly deal with live, I can't help that) driving what at first glance looks to them like a Ferrari and immediately the lights come on. I even had one cop have the nerve to say the car looked like one that was involved in a store robbery....yeah, RIGHT! A silver "Ferrari" with WHO ZAT on the plate?? How conspicuous is THAT?? I may as well rob the 7-11 in an orange RV!! I almost ended up in jail behind that incident...NOT because I was guilty but because I cussed the cop out for stopping me with that BS! He walked up to the car gun drawn! Telling him I earn more money legally per year than his chief didn't help matters much!

I'm kind of used to the attention the car attracts so I usually keep the registration/insurance papers in the drivers side map pocket for easy access. Police seem to get rather jumpy when an African-American male with dreadlocks reaches into the console. I should mention that my dad and granddad both served on the Chicago Police Department (my dad left CPD to join Dr. ML King's personal security detail) so I know cops have to assume the worst when they approach a car. But I have to admit it gets really annoying sometimes. I can do 120 in the Mercedes and not attract a second glance but just let me do 11 miles over the limit in the Fiero and cops drop out of trees!

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[This message has been edited by Doni Hagan (edited 08-12-2010).]

i got pulled over for my first time in anything last night and i was in my fiero. i just left a friends house and i was doing the speed limit and then i get pulled over. he comes up to the car and says "is the muffler supposed to sound like that or is it defected". i said its a bran new exhaust so its supposed to sound like that. (i have the ocelot stainless steel exhaust from the fiero store and no cat) he then looked over my registration and license and let me go. seemed like a really pointless pull over to me and he didn't even look at the exhaust.