Avoid being pulled over by a cop
The image of a police car in a rearview mirror makes some drivers convulse, develop a cold sweat, and firmly grip their steering wheel. Generally speaking, traffic cops see most vehicles as mere traffic and rarely pay attention to particular vehicles unless the drivers do something to bring attention to themselves. That eyecatching action is usually what triggers a cop to initiate a traffic stop.
Any sworn officer of the law has the authority to use a marked police car to make a legal traffic stop, but not all are assigned traffic duty. Some serve warrants, some might be on a special detail, and others might even be off duty. So just because a police car is spotted doesn’t mean that the driver is hunting traffic violators. Even so, every officer is deeply aware that traffic law violators can cost lives. The odds of being pulled over by a police officer are more about driver habits and less about officer observation. A driver who is obeying the law is as likely to be involved in a traffic stop as getting hit by a locomotive in a swimming pool.
It isn’t uncommon to see drivers hit their brakes when they see a police car on the side of the road. It doesn’t matter if the car is occupied, and it doesn’t matter if the driver is speeding, but seeing a police car can subliminally suggest, “Slow down.” Even if the police car is occupied by an officer operating radar, by the time drivers spot the police car, their vehicle’s speed has already been clocked. Being clocked speeding by radar is normally a guaranteed way to evoke a traffic stop.
Many people think that red cars get stopped more than any other color car. That’s nothing more than an urban legend, because cops really don’t pay attention to color; they pay attention to violations. Failing to use turn signals when required by law is a surefire recipe to get noticed by the police.
One way to hide from the police when driving is to mingle in with everyone else. Go with the flow, stay in the same lane, and don’t drive a vehicle that looks like a reject from the manufacturer. Most people wouldn’t leave home before putting on clothing, because being nude would make them stand out in a crowd. And driving a vehicle that makes people think about a house on roller skates would make it stand out in a crowd.
Inside my local grocery store I spotted a shopper who was more noticeable than a flashing Neon sign. He was wearing a motorcycle helmet with dark plastic face shield, black gloves, a short sleeve shirt, and more gold necklaces than most stores can display. He spooked the freckles on my face because he looked radically different from the other shoppers. Being the forthright and brave person that I am, I quickly retreated to another aisle. If I ever thought anyone was about to commit a crime, it was him. In hindsight, I guess it was easier for him wearing and not carrying his helmet in his hand, and he was likely innocent of my errant thoughts. His atypical appearance, however, did make him stick out like a sizable sore thumb on a super dose of steroids.
If a vehicle has 35 bumper stickers plastered all over its back deck, it’ll be noticed. If it’s nearly as tall as a traffic light, it’ll be noticed. If it weaves in and out of traffic, the driver might as well have used white shoe polish to write “I want a citation,” on the back window.
A car with every body part painted a different color is as eye-catching as a shooting star because neither are frequently seen. A vehicle with a smashed windshield, burned out taillight or one that exceeds the speed limit is unwittingly secreting a message that says, “Come cite me, I’m yours.”
Many people adorn their vehicle with modifications they think are cool. It might be the latest fad, an age thingy, or just a bright idea, but what’s often overlooked is making sure the modifications are legal.
Drivers who have bluelightitis or those who want to avoid being part of a traffic stop should consider the lowest common denominator.
What message are they transmitting by their driving habits? If legal driving doesn’t eliminate the traffic stop, court is the proper place to assert innocence, not the side of the road.