Not every cruiser has a radar unit installed in it. Sometimes when I'm writing reports or just waiting for that stolen/carjacked car to pass me by I'll sit off to the side of a main road and I'm sure it looks like I'm shooting radar even though I don't have one.

I've heard of some cops pointing a Starbucks Coffee mug out of their window and act like they're shooting radar.

When I was still in patrol I used to average 100 tickets a month. In the 4 years I was in patrol, out of all those tickets probably only 5-10 were for speed. Most were for unregistered/uninsured vehicles or driving without or on a suspended license. 99% percent of the time I pull people over for speeding I make them sit on the side of the road with me for about 5 minutes and let them go with a warning. You've got to be a real dick for me to stroke out a speeding ticket.

-Steve

 

Hard to tell. I've been caught doing 115 in a 75 and been let go with a very stern verbal warning. Also been let go doing "80" in a 45 which I doubt since I was only in 2nd gear... Then "61" in a 40 and the cop gave me a fkin summons. Sigh. Backwards world we live in I guess.

Could have been an empty unit to scare people into slowing down.

 

Most modern day cruisers have a small white canister about the size of a coke can, usually mounted high in the windshield near the rear view mirror or over in either of the corners. Then there are some that have them in the rear deck too. And then there are also hand held guns. There are other types in addition to these as well (laser).

I have a V1, and I enjoy "seeing" exactly what kind of radar they are carrying. I can also see their habits and the way they use them. For example:

I have found that most of AL state troopers have a Ka band radar, and they never leave it on. In other words, they use what is referred to as instant on", where they turn it on when they see you. Then it's too late if you didn't see them first

Most of the city cops use K band radar, a little less advanced and probably less expensive. They leave it on all the time. I can "see" most city cops from a mile away.

I have "seen" some lasers, but only in FL. Every stinkin LEO in FL has a laser, I swear

As someone else said, he may have been a car nut and was just letting you slide. Sometimes just the act of an officer sitting there acting like he is running radar is very effective at slowing traffic down. But, if you don't have a detector, you will never know

 

Steve,

If I were to be pulled over for speeding, what would be the best coarse of action once the officer walks up to the drivers window to reduce my chance of getting a ticket verses a warning?


Devil Man,

How did you handle the encounter to get away with your warning?

 

got a good break cool

 

He showed some cleavage....

 

I'd try that to keep out of a ticket, but I think they would throw me in jail and toss the key!!!

 

There is no one answer. Every cop is different. There are Traffic Cops who's only duty is traffic enforcement. These guys are usually officers who have been on the force for 10+ years and if you get pulled over by one of these guys just accept that you're getting a ticket. Period. Every police department is deferent but usually Traffic Enforcement officers have unmarked or slick topped cars.

The best strategy is to just admit your guilt. Now, I never said to voluntarily admit your actual speed. NEVER do that, it can be used against you in court and if you are in court IT WILL be used against you. Simply admit that you were "...probably going too fast" and that you're sorry and will slow down.

As a cop we constantly come into contact with people who are plainly guilty of a crime but refuse to take accountability for their actions. An example would be the the guy who gets stopped with a few bags of marijuana in his pants pocket and then says, "Yo man, it aint mine. These aint even my pants." Seriously, who puts on someone else pants and doesn't know there's pot in the pockets.

So dealing with people like that all day long, every day all day its refreshing to come across someone who says, "Yeah you got me. I'm sorry." With that attitude you distance yourself from everyone else and if anyone was going to get some slack it would be the guy who already admits he's wrong.

Telling the officer your son/dad/brother/mom/sister is a cop works too. Making donut jokes will not.

-Steve

 

What about friend or buddy???

A buddy of mine that was a helicopter pilot for the sheriffs department told me the reason he became a pilot, he had been in traffic patrol for a number of years. He said he started to get an attitude where people he would pull over were idiots before even talking with them. One of the guys he pulled over started to give him a lot of lip service. He lost it and ended up pulling the guy through a half open driver's side window. It was suggest that he get out of traffic and they offered to put him through pilot training which he did. He really is a great guy and one of the best heli pilots I've flown with.

 

Stealth capabilities - no. One of the other reasons - possibly. Just consider it your lucky day.

 

Yeah, it was a lucky day, in fact I even made it to work on time!

 

good read, thanks for sharing

 

He was wanting bigger speeders that you!

 

When I had my BMW M3 I passed a slow truck to get on a Freeway on ramp.....hit hit 150 KPH in a 80 KPH zone

Just about crapped my pants when the cop stepped out to point me over

I repeatedly said I was stupid to have done it while he kept saying I had the fastest speed he had recorded...( it was hard not to burst out with a woo-hoo)

Then I realized I had left my licence in some other clothes

More apologies

Eventually just got an excessive speed ticket...3 points and a $485 fine

Humble apology seems the only way to go.