Bloody Guts

Friday night. I'm driving home from visiting my parents. They're moving states away, so I have a car full of my old stuff.

I'm taking it real easy through my old hometown (clarkston) where the cops are notorious for pullling you over if you go over the limit, period. I know where they sit from watching them for several years.

Anyways, I see a cop coming the opposite direction down the road. His headlights sort of blip as he passes. Very subtle. So I watch him in the rearview. He swings a U turn right in front of another car, nice.

He then pulls up on my bumper and follows me for about a half mile. I'm still going 5 under, so I know he didn't get me speeding. He finally turns his flashers on and pulls me over.

Does the usual, asks for driver's license, proof of insurance. He asks if I know why he pulled me over. I say no. He says that he flashed his lights at me because I had my brights on, and I refused to turn my brights off. I told him I didn't have my brights on. So he asks me to get out of the car. But before I do, he asks if I have any drugs or firearms in the car. I say no and quickly stop myself. I have a GD BBgun on the floor of my car (taking home all my old stuff from my parents) What are the odds that the ONE time I have any sort of firearm in the car, I get pulled over. great

We look at the front of the car, he asks what the lights in the middle are.... I say driving lights. He says, "well then you changed the bulbs in them." I told him they were stock, and how I could turn them off and on with the factory switch. He made a backhanded comment about how I could rewire it or something. Lots of complaining about how bright they were and then he just stares at me. I guess he was expecting me to say I'd turn them off? I didn't oblige him.

Needless to say, he was sad about not being able to give me a ticket for the lights. So, he asks me how my driving record is. I say I haven't been pulled over in a few years. I thought it was an odd thing to ask for a bright light stop. He sent me on my way and went back to trolling for crazy 5-over speeders.

So, that's the story. Sorry if you read through the whole thing. I have those 5 minutes of your life now. Ha.

j

dustindu4

same thing happened to me, see sig

mudshuvel319

i think dustindu4 got pulled over for something like that. the cop thought the driving lights were high-beams, but when he flashed the high-beams, the cop realized his mistake and grudgingly let him go. i guess that's a pretty common problem.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dustindu4 @ April 18, 2006, 2:44 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
same thing happened to me, see sig
[/b][/quote]

darn, you beat me [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nonono.gif[/img]

adrenalin

ah next time you get pulled over I suggest you don't call the "fog lights" driving lights. Those are completely different. Not sure about the laws in your neck of the woods but here it is legal to drive with your normal headlights (aka driving lights) and fog lights, however, on highways and streets it is illegal to drive with headlights and another set of driving lights.
Just remember, fog lights are not called driving lights [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

dustindu4

The "fog lights" meet some kind of federal standard for real fog lights. Hau Tai Tang was proud of that.

Bloody Guts

I found this on the laws in Michigan...

257.685 Head lamps; number; height; auxiliary, spot, or other lamps; exemption.
Sec. 685.

(1) Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or moped, shall be equipped with at least 2 head lamps.

(4) When a motor vehicle equipped with head lamps as required in this section is also equipped with auxiliary lamps or a spot lamp or any other lamp on the front of the motor vehicle projecting a beam of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower, not more than a total of 4 of those lamps on the front of a vehicle shall be lighted at a time when upon a highway.

I thought those two parts were interesting.

I couldn't find anything that addressed fog lights directly. I think this covers it though.

GhostTX

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dustindu4 @ April 18, 2006, 1:19 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
The "fog lights" meet some kind of federal standard for real fog lights. Hau Tai Tang was proud of that.
[/b][/quote]
x2. Dunno if it was federal, maybe NHRA? I dunno...but it was some official standard. If only I could find that interview he said it on... [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/banghead.gif[/img]

351pony

LOL, I've been pulled over for having the fog lights on. As with everyone else they thought they were high beams...doh!

Tsbird1994

Yeah I once got pulled over for going too SLOW!

Speed limit was 55... it was raining and foggy, so i had the cruise set at 45 (the minimum). A cop got behind me for 3miles then flips the lights on. Guy asks why i'm going so slow, was i drinking, was I on drugs, do i have drugs on me... Finally I stop him and say "Officer, Its raining, it's foggy, there's deer all over the place, and I drive a Rear Wheel Drive car... I just decided to take it easy."

He just walked away, and with his back to me says "Have a good night"

*roll eyes*

yur1279

I don't get this, i've passed and had 05/06 GT's behinf me at night and at no time did I think they were brights, or that they were overly bright. I find those bright whites or bright blueish lights that a lot of people put in to be more annoying then anythign else.

351pony

Oh, I 100% agree with you on this. The HID lights are definately more annoying. I think Police just see the second set of lights in the grille and ASSuME they are high beams!

kenpups

This is what I found for California:

Auxiliary Driving and Passing Lamps
24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the upper beam from headlamps and may not be lighted with the lower beam. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nono.gif[/img]

Foglamps
24403. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two foglamps that may be used with, but may not be used in substitution of, headlamps. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumb.gif[/img]

I definitely am going to call them fog lights.

rygenstormlocke

That is ridiculous; I don’t know what to say to that. I would have been pissed, but you did the right thing, held your ground, but did it in a cool professional manner.

I got pulled over twice since getting this car. Once for tinted license plate covers, and the second for suspect HOV violation. Both were weak, but the cops were both cool on them so I can’t complain.

I have however gotten flashed by on coming traffic when I use the fogs thinking I had high beams on. I’m thinking of getting light tint fog light inserts to minimize the impact on oncoming traffic when they are on. The stock lights are not to my liking and I constantly use the fogs.

nynvolt

I gave up on driving at night with fogs and regular lights because of people flashing me. They are not nearly as bright as the HID's or even a single set of silverstar type aftermarket headlights even with all four lit. The last time I got flashed was in the early morning sitting accross from some guy at a stop light who shot his highs at me. I quickly turned my high beams on and just left them on the duration of the light.

I actually like the improved visability the fogs offer, shame I cannot enjoy them anymore.

BTW driving under the speed limit will get you pulled over, especially at night, faster than driving 10mph above. Cops know this is a pretty common trait with people driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol.

Imatk

I have been flashed as well... but I'm going to drive with my lights on indefinately if I chose to.

Especially since those &%$^%$ HIDs are so bright they nearly blind me every time I go by a pair.

When they outlaw those then someone can flash me otherwise oh well.

MaverickMLFD371

this is the best and probably the stupidest thing I've ever gotten Pulled over for, and its in the law Books. This was way before I went to school studying this.

Illegal Use of Horn

This was back when I was in high school. Driving down the road to go stop at a friends house. We're rolling into the town where I run in the fire dept. Everyone knows of the cops in this town and so do I, and they will literally pull you over for just about anything they can find.

Driving down the road, have my buddy in the car. We're coming up to the traffic light, its a saturday and its about 5-6 o'clock at night. Roll by a gas station where another friend of our's works. While passing and seeing him at the pump, i tapped my horn twice and of course my buddy in the car rolls down the window and shouts out "Yo Rick!". Little did we know, that a cop was sitting on the side of the gas station. Get up to next traffic light and make a right. Out of no where, cop pulls behind us, puts on his flashers and of course, the usual. (License, Registration, Insurance) You know why I pulled you over? "No I dont!" "Back there at the gas station when you were obnoxiously honking your horn?" Obnoxiously?" I only tapped it twice.... "why were you tapping your horn?" because a friend of ours was working at the gas station, just saying hi. "You know you used your horn illegally!" I said what? "Illegal Use of Horn", next time you want to say high to your friend, I would suggest pulling into the station and not "Disturbing the peace", Distrubing the peace??? at 5 oclock in the afternoon???? You have got to be kidding me!!

in the end, he let me go. After searching my vehicle with the chief of police present for suspision of carrying "Narcotics", yea he really searched my car, because he thought me and my friend had been smoking based upon 1. my back window was all fogged up because my de-froster didnt work and 2. the way that my friend shouted out the window, thinking he was drunk or high. I dont think I've ever felt embarrassed in my entire life up till that moment, and I see that same cop everyday because I run in the fire dept for that town, and I still give him cr@p for that time he pulled me over.

I wonder if I can add something else stupid to the books later on, LOL

rhumb

And so many cops wonder why they don't get any respect or cooperation after they pull krapp like this. The civilian and law enforcement relationship can be a delicate thing that is easily squandered and ruined by abuse and exploitation of police power like you experienced.

I've suffered some similar type situations myself and one can's help but be soured to the actual role of too many law enforcement officials, to the great detriment of those many high-minded officers who do earn, and thus deserve, our very great respect.

jcopin

i dont know about you but here when cops ask to search my car i say no you cant .. end of story

NosferatuVI

Oh my god I had that happen to me, check this out

I had a fully modified Honda civic like full tilt this is 1996 and I have racer graphics, a huge wing, sweet exhaust, wheels, even factory Honda Racing and Budweiser stickers on my car.

And needless to say the local PD is quite familiar with me and my plates.

So I am sitting in the turn lane trying to get to my girlfriends house and this dumb lady in front of me is just sitting there on a green turn arrow. I am like ok this lady is not paying attention so I beep the horn "beep beep" she wakes up and starts her turn I look over and see a local PD turning the opposite way and staring at my car.

So I know this guy is staring me down so I just mind my business obeying the speed limit I turn at the next street there are more then 5 cars in front of me doing to speed limit I see the cop car turn on the street I turned on he is like 6 cars behind me. So I am just cruising go up to a stop sign some of the cars behind me turn, next stop sign the rest turn various ways now it just me and the cop.

Flashers, ok he pulls me over, so do you know why I pulled you over ?

Nope no clue,

Why did you honk your horn, an emergancy ?

Nope the lady was just sitting there.

I see well thats illegal use of your horn thats against the law, the horn is only to be used in an emergancy, not to harrass other drivers....

WTF I am thinking

And you were obviously speeding so I am going to write you for 10 over.

WTF......Ah officer there were like 5 people in front of me and more then 6 cars behind me....

Yeah well I paced you and you were speeding, dont like it, you can ask the judge in court.

WTF....

Cops can be real pains when they want to and will find any excuse possible to give you a ticket and make your day miserable.

So now my car is non-descript, they cant say I know that car, because basically it looks like every other mustang with wheels

I hate it but what can you do.

AWmustang

You know... I've been in front of a GT at night on a dark country road and those "fog lights" were pretty darn annoying in my rear view mirror.

I know that they aren't as bad as high beams and that you technically have the "right" to use them. And I know that the car really looks bad hiney with them on.

I'm just saying that people might know they aren't high beams and still flash simply because they are quite bright.