Commuting: The strange. The Odd. And the FUN

I rode 500 miles round trip to Watkins Glen and back last weekend with my son. I took really remote mountain roads all the way. Saw 2 cops the whole way, both were hiding in the weeds looking for speeders out in bumfuck nowhere. I mean out where the city reservoirs are, out where you don't see anyone for miles. It's like they don't give a shit, except to get their 5 daily speeding tickets. Luckily someone flashed headlights at me or I would have been going to a very expensive court date.

Just yesterday, I witnessed an unmarked Suburban light up some poor soul. The former was truly unmarked: alloy wheels, two bicycles on a receiver rack, etc. Total Soccer Mom vibe..but for the siren and small, well-integrated red/blue LEDs. This one was truly discreet.

Last year, I saw a hillbilly'd F150 pull someone over perhaps 1/2 mile from my place. Same thing: red/blue LEDs in the grille, and an otherwise innocent aesthetic.

They're getting better.

With the foregoing in mind, I almost never flash my lights anymore. I don't want to get pulled by the Invisible Truck for denying them their revenue.

Unfortunate, really.

Me, to myself "Remember, any Chevy truck, any Tahoe, any Expedition, any RAM, any Ford Explorer, any Chevy Caprice, any Malibu, any Charger, any Super Duty, etc etc etc can be a police car here. Welcome to Texas."

California "watch out for the Explorers and Chargers."

With all the people I see on my commute driving like their hair is on fire and the safety of others is no concern...I'm glad they are getting more creative about ticketing speeders. I see folks going 15MPH faster than nominal traffic flow, weaving in and out of lanes, but then slow down when they see a trooper sitting in the median a mile up the road.

I saw a pickup with a contractor's bed on it with reds and blues hidden in the corners of the grill and windows with someone pulled over on I66 about a month ago.

Haven't see one since, but then again, I'm rarely going fast enough for the po-po to pay attention to me

M

I once saw a clapped out first gen S10 blazer with someone pulled over in Calgary. Have been more cautious ever since.

That's the positive effect of unmarked traffic enforcement. It actually changes people's behavior.

I got pulled over by a Malibu with civvie plates and no markings. I wondered why he was dogging me until he flipped down the driver's visor and lit me up.
I commented that it was a hell of a color car and he said, "Yep. Almost unfair, isn't it?" and laughed. Turns out it was a confiscated vehicle, and they rotate them through until too many people catch on. They had a beater F250 with a dirt bike in the back, too.
There are a couple of S-turns in a 60mph zone, and one afternoon a friend and I were cruising along. Got to the S-turns, went up to about 85, and slalomed through the turns. Back down to 60, and the F250 pulls up next to me and waves his badge, then made 'slow down' motions. I nodded and was a good boy for... miles, anyway.

Your choice, I rely on karma and so far so good. The idea that every car is a police car seems statistically far fetched.

Interesting. In MI, we've had red and blues on civvy cars impersonating, so we are not required to stop for any unmarked for civvy safety. If someone pulled along side and waved an obvious badge, I might. Most of the time, they will simply radio for a marked to pull you over, and I assume the unmarked would give testimony.

I have seen them in other states, so I am not unaware.

we had similar in IL when i lived there, i always figured, some one tries to pull me like that, i drive to the nearest PD and park. if they are a legit officer, they will follow, and understand. if they are of malicious intent, they see the PD and run....

One of the best ones that I have seen, was a few years back. Brand new Z06 Vette, pulled over by a Ford Windstar minivan lit up like the Vegas strip. No markings, no externally visible lights, regular plates.

You've never been out west have you? It can be a long way to town.

You both make valid points. It's something that I've thought about, with respect to some "unmarked" vehicles being truly stealth (e.g., the Windstar that Nytebreed mentions).

Anyway, I figured that if I got a bad vibe after being lit up by one of those guys, I'd break my own rule and use my phone whilst still moving. I'd call 911 and mention my location, explain my hesitation to pull over*, and ask if they could quickly determine if the attempt to do so was legitimate.

At that point, the dispatcher has the ball. If the stop is above board and the LEO is pissed that I took my sweet time to pull off, I'd explain myself (as I just typed, above) and let the pieces fall where they may.

They're not the only ones that want to get home at the end of their shift.


*Extremely well-camouflaged LE vehicles, and the sheer ease of ordering and fitting red/blue LEDs.

not my problem..... if it takes 100 miles to get to a PD, call 911 and ask if they have an active undercover in the area you are in. they can confirm if it is legit...

beat me to it...LOL

Years ago when I was living in San Diego, there was a case where a CHP officer (Craig Peyer) pulled a young lady (Cara Knott) over and instructed her to pull off the highway down an off ramp that was not fully finished, and killed her. Other young women who had been traveling alone and pulled over by this officer came forward and indicated that they were creeped out by his behavior/his behavior was inappropriate during their traffic stops.

The fallout was that advice was given by CHP that if you do not feel safe when being pulled over, signal the officer and proceed to a place where you feel safe. This is also intended to address situations where you may fell the person pulling you over is not a legitimate law enforcement officer.

There was also an incident in New Hampshire back in the 70's (?) where a woman was pulled over by a fake cop and assaulted/raped. In that case, there were signs on NH highways indicating that unmarked cars patrolled. During the legal proceedings, the judge forced the state police to reveal how many unmarked cars they used. The answer: 3. I believe the signs came down soon after.

In California a vehicle has to be clearly marked as a police vehicle to pull you over. It's the law.
Also only CHP has jurisdiction on the freeways. If you run a stop sign on city streets then get on the freeway, the police officer can follow you and pull you over and ticket you or the Cali stop.

I only ever slowed down for actual CHP on the freeways. It infuriated me to see 4 lanes of traffic going 65 because some cop was in a marked car on his daily commute to work.
On my bike i'd split right past to acres and acres of open freeway in front of me. In the car i'd just sit and seethe.

The local news has made a point to say several times that an unmarked car will always have a uniformed officer at the wheel. I know that may not hold true everywhere.

Not true.

Also not true.