San Jose, CA cops at it again...

[kenjiMR]

I know there have been a ton of threads regarding San Jose cops harassing us NSX owners here... but here's another one. Fortunately, he didn't give me a ticket, but it brought back memories of what happened to me exactly 1 year ago. Anyone remember how the police threw me in the back of the police car and threatened to tow my car for no reason?

I was driving down from El Camino (Santa Clara) from off-the-wall indoor soccer field, down toward the Alameda toward downtown San Jose onto Santa Clara street. I'm sitting there at a stop sign across from the Towne theater, and I see the police car directly across of from me in the other lane facing the other direction. The light turns green I procede to accelerate down the road (35mph limit), the car beside me is some old corolla or something, which takes its time to get going so I am past him by 5-10 car lengths really quick. The police car does a U-Turn exactly at the same time the light turned green. I saw him the entire time, so it would be stupid for me to break the law right? So I procede down the street at 35-40mph. I see him weaving past a few cars and come right behind me as I approached the downtown area. After following me for about a block, he turns his lights on and pulls me over. I learned a good lesson from last year... stay in the car with your hands on the wheel... and just sit tight. He comes over to the passenger side and asks me if I knew why he pulled me over. I tell him "nope, what did I do?", he says I was going 50mph... and I replied something like.. "are you sure? I didn't think so", he asked for my driver's license so I gave it to him. I waited there for about 5 minutes while he was doing his thing. He came back and said he wanted to write me a ticket... and I asked him if he had used his radar on me. (There is no way he could have radared me since I was stopped at the light! and he didn't pace me at all) He told me to slow down and he said this time he'll let me go...

I just think this guy just wanted to see my car and check to see whats up with my diffuser etc... The car has a really low pitch rumble due to the JGTC Lightweight center-exit exhaust... either way, I'm sick of cops harassing me. I guess its something we have to put up with for owning an NSX in Silicon Valley.

I have seriously been contemplating installing automatic video recording system like the type the police cars have installed in their cars so that I can use it as evidence against lying cops. Its kinda sick to have to resort to that, but I figure its better to protect yourself because last year's incident costed me over $2500.

 

[ilya]

If you install a system, make sure it is completely hidden. The officer will make you turn it off before he even starts dealing with you. It also makes them ornery.

 

[kenjiMR]

Ilya, really? Do you know someone who has been asked to turn theirs off?
Also, it really doesn't matter because what I want to capture is my "safe" driving _before_ they come to the door of my car. That way, I have proof that I didn't do anything wrong.

 

[nsxtasy]

Keep in mind that cops will sometimes stop cars just to get a chance to run the plates and driver's license, to see if the driver is drunk, etc. (However, that's no excuse for them to lie to you.)

I don't get upset about getting pulled over if I don't get a ticket. I consider that a "victory".

 

[ilya]

I had a camera going during the last canyon run when we were stopped. I personally turned it off before he got to the car, but he asked to make sure it was off. He would have asked me to do so if it was still running.

That proof can be a double-edged sword. My camera had evidence that we were going very fast. I personally reviewed the evidence for hours after the drive.

I learned a valuable lesson that weekend. Save the aggressive driving for the mountains and remote twisty roads. Keep it cool on the abandoned, open straights in between where radar is a plenty

PS- Yes, the peacock was there.

[This message has been edited by ilya (edited 15 August 2002).]

 

[khuezee]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
I don't get upset about getting pulled over if I don't get a ticket. I consider that a "victory".

I havent gotten pulled over in the longest time. (knock on wood) But I still get annoyed when cops pull me over for no reason.

I am sure that when I get my NSX, I will be more of a target. I feel that cops can be total asses, just like the idiot at the supermarket for keying your car just because it is exoitc. Since I am somewhat young, (25 yrs old) they will find any excuse to pull me over because of jealously and contempt.

 

[Lud]

Can someone direct me to a reference of where a police officer is granted the legal authority to prevent someone from taping them, when they are obviously allowed to tape the people they stop?

 

[ilya]

I think it is the other way around. If a camera is mounted (not being held) and does not interfere, I do not think they have a legal right to do this. However, they can and will ask to turn it off.

The question is:
A. Turn it off, be nice and try to avoid being written a ticket.
B. Refuse, piss them off, guarantee yourself being written a ticket and having to deal with it in court later.

If I knew I did nothing wrong AND I knew the camera was able to catch that fact, I would probably leave it on. Otherwise, I would play nice and coopearate trying to avoid the ticket. It usually pays to cooperate with the officer rather than arguing. I think a tape would be great for an unusual cirucmstance of abuse (possibly Kenji's encounter last year), but in most cases will only serve to anger the officer.

Keeping the camera hidden eliminates all of this and allows you to treat the situation as if there was no camera, later deciding whether to use it or not. I don't know if a tape is inadmissable unless both parties are aware of the taping. A lawyer could answer that.

[This message has been edited by ilya (edited 15 August 2002).]

 

[zoomnsx]

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
I know there have been a ton of threads regarding San Jose cops harassing us NSX owners here...

This is so interesting to me.
I also live in San Jose (Berryessa), drive
a green/black 94, installed H&R springs, and
have 17/18 gunmetal gray Volks. Right after
your incident last year, I gave up my
personalized license plate that read
OBEYNO1 (obey no one). Before that, my
conservative 23 year old son (I'm 43) kept
on bugging me that the plates will attract
trouble from the cops, so it was time to
heed his advice.
I've driven thru Stevens Creek and Santa
Clara street several times. Although not
in those 2 streets, cops have been right
behind me, beside, and across.
Not once was I ever pulled over or followed
by a cop (knock on wood).
My curious mind asks why? My thinking is:
my luck = 99% and your exhaust = 1%.
What do you think?

Thanks,
John

 

[ChopsJazz]

I agree absolutely with Ilya. Be nice.

I got pulled over in the NSX recently after wine tasting all day in Napa. The cop asked me if I'd had anything to drink and I said, "Yes, about 3 glasses of wine." He asked me to do a number of tests, which I was unable to do because of my recent aneurysm, but he did ask me to blow a breath-a-lizer. I blew a .03 and all was right with the world.

The point is, I was VERY nice to him and to his back-up as well. I think he was just happy not to have pulled over some belligerent yahoo in a race car!

BTW. "Ornery", great word. Even looked it up to make sure of the spelling!

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by zoomnsx:
My curious mind asks why? My thinking is:
my luck = 99% and your exhaust = 1%.
What do you think?

I think it could be any of a number of reasons.

I think some cops are more likely to pull over a young (teens, twenties) driver, particularly one in an expensive car, than one who is not as young (forties, fifties).

I think some cops are more likely to pull over a driver based on his ethnicity. This can even cut both ways, depending on the ethnic background of the officer.

Or, it could have been the exhaust.

One thing is certain: we'll never know for sure.

 

[kenjiMR]

Hey John, your NSX sounds really cool. (almost set up just like mine) I'd love to check out your car sometime. I work in Sunnyvale at Juniper Networks. Do you work somewhere close by?

Originally posted by zoomnsx:

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
I know there have been a ton of threads regarding San Jose cops harassing us NSX owners here...

This is so interesting to me.
I also live in San Jose (Berryessa), drive
a green/black 94, installed H&R springs, and
have 17/18 gunmetal gray Volks. Right after
your incident last year, I gave up my
personalized license plate that read
OBEYNO1 (obey no one). Before that, my
conservative 23 year old son (I'm 43) kept
on bugging me that the plates will attract
trouble from the cops, so it was time to
heed his advice.
I've driven thru Stevens Creek and Santa
Clara street several times. Although not
in those 2 streets, cops have been right
behind me, beside, and across.
Not once was I ever pulled over or followed
by a cop (knock on wood).
My curious mind asks why? My thinking is:
my luck = 99% and your exhaust = 1%.
What do you think?

Thanks,
John

 

[strato]

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
I know there have been a ton of threads regarding San Jose cops harassing us NSX owners here... but here's another one. Fortunately, he didn't give me a ticket, but it brought back memories of what happened to me exactly 1 year ago. Anyone remember how the police threw me in the back of the police car and threatened to tow my car for no reason?

I was driving down from El Camino (Santa Clara) from off-the-wall indoor soccer field, down toward the Alameda toward downtown San Jose onto Santa Clara street. I'm sitting there at a stop sign across from the Towne theater, and I see the police car directly across of from me in the other lane facing the other direction. The light turns green I procede to accelerate down the road (35mph limit), the car beside me is some old corolla or something, which takes its time to get going so I am past him by 5-10 car lengths really quick. The police car does a U-Turn exactly at the same time the light turned green. I saw him the entire time, so it would be stupid for me to break the law right? So I procede down the street at 35-40mph. I see him weaving past a few cars and come right behind me as I approached the downtown area. After following me for about a block, he turns his lights on and pulls me over. I learned a good lesson from last year... stay in the car with your hands on the wheel... and just sit tight. He comes over to the passenger side and asks me if I knew why he pulled me over. I tell him "nope, what did I do?", he says I was going 50mph... and I replied something like.. "are you sure? I didn't think so", he asked for my driver's license so I gave it to him. I waited there for about 5 minutes while he was doing his thing. He came back and said he wanted to write me a ticket... and I asked him if he had used his radar on me. (There is no way he could have radared me since I was stopped at the light! and he didn't pace me at all) He told me to slow down and he said this time he'll let me go...

I just think this guy just wanted to see my car and check to see whats up with my diffuser etc... The car has a really low pitch rumble due to the JGTC Lightweight center-exit exhaust... either way, I'm sick of cops harassing me. I guess its something we have to put up with for owning an NSX in Silicon Valley.

I have seriously been contemplating installing automatic video recording system like the type the police cars have installed in their cars so that I can use it as evidence against lying cops. Its kinda sick to have to resort to that, but I figure its better to protect yourself because last year's incident costed me over $2500.

 

[zoomnsx]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
I think it could be any of a number of reasons.
-------------------------------------------
I agree with "we'll never know for sure".
Disagree with ethnic background since Kenji
and I fall under the same classification.
Disagree with age, at 5'6", 130 lbs and
not much wrinkles can pass for my son's
older brother except for the moustache.

 

[zoomnsx]

Yes, my work is less than 2 miles from yours along Mathilda and Almanor. Looks like we both crawl the same streets too.
Private me, [email protected].

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
Hey John, your NSX sounds really cool. (almost set up just like mine) I'd love to check out your car sometime. I work in Sunnyvale at Juniper Networks. Do you work somewhere close by?

 

[8000RPM]

Hey Kenji, sorry to hear about another encounter with San Jose cops.

I had a cop pull me over last year for no apparent reason, made up some lame excuse for pulling me over, ran my plates / license, looked me over, and then let me go when he couldn't find anything.

Another time in downtown SJ a cop was in front of me at the light, but when the light turned green he just remained parked at the light. I had no choice but to change lanes and pass him. After that, he paced me from behind me in the next lane for a couple of blocks. There were several cops in the car, and I can see from the mirror that they were all checking out the car.

It's just annoying!

I avoid going near downtown SJ in the NSX now...

 

[huckster]

only logged 4k, but never had anything like that happen yet. have been pulled over but the guy talked with me about the current state of affairs for about 20minutes and seemed genuinely sorry to be giving me a ticket. as it was he gave me 84mph in a 65 even though i was over 90(and he said he had me clocked at 94 but reclocked me at a lesser speed to give me a break).

nice guy, state trooper fyi.

by the by, he asked me if i had any other tickets, and i think if i had answered yes he might have let me off. dumb answer on my part.

 

[Ag NSX]

Kenji,

If you want to set up a videotaping device, it can be done very easily for around $450, including the camcorder.

All you need to do is purchase a camcorder able to accept RCA inputs like the Canon ZR series ($350). Then go purchase a 0.1 lux B&W pinhole cameras ($60 each) and mount it in your dash or wherever. By a selfamped mike $15. They are usually 12v so you can power them direct through the car and mount a switch to turn them on instantly.

Connect the camcorder to the AV cables and stash it somewhere easily reachable. The camcorder needs to be manually turned on and off. The downside is it'll be easily found it the car is searched.

I've done this, but my cameras are mounted on the bumper pointing forward and valence pointing back to get some cool video footage.

Kenric

 

[Ben]

While we're on this thread, I've noticed heavy enforcement these past 2 days with at least 3 of the new CHP Camaros, a few of the regular CHP Ford Cruisers, and some CHP motorcycles along the stretch of Highway 85 from Mountain View to Cupertino. I usually go down this stretch at a pretty decent clip, but I guess I gotta be more vigilant now.

-Ben

 

[NSX Prime]

Posting for David Allen:

---------------------


Getting pulled over my cops is quite often a catch 22 - especially if you know it was a bogus pull over. The problem is that if they don't 'let you off' for being 'nice' when you go to court, it's harder to defend yourself without lying.

For example, I was pulled over a few months ago around 12:30 in the morning on the way back from seeing Star Wars II. I saw the cop hiding down the road and made sure I didn’t commit any infractions. I came to the intersection, stopped, looked, and continued.

Next thing I know he pulls me over and tells me that I failed to stop at the light. Of course my passenger and I know he's full of crap, so... I can either:

a) apologize & try to be 'nice' to him to wiggle out of the ticket, thus giving into his bogus accusation and empower him, or
b) tell him that I do not agree with him and that he was mistaken, yet still be as polite as possible
c) start convulsing rapidly until a small alien bursts forth from my chest, thus guaranteeing that I won't receive a ticket (unless I'm in San Jose

)

The problem is that A is quite often the best way to 'get out' of the situation since it pumps their ego, but if the cop is bent on writing a ticket, it will just make you look that much worse if you fight it in court.

The problem with B is that the cop will be irritated that you are challenging his authority and write you a ticket on the spot, however in court, you don't have to lie when you say that you never agreed with the officer, and pointed out to him that he was mistaken in his accusation.

Don't get me wrong - if you're going 85 in a 55 zone and get pulled over, that's YOUR problem - not the cop's. But the issue here is cops who pull people over for BS reasons, which is borderline harassment.

It's a SERIOUS issue in this country - the police are way out of control in many respects. The best thing you can do is keep your eyes open, and if something happens, document the hell out of it, take it to court, and follow up with a complaint/harassment suit.

My court date is September 11th (DOH!) and I’m currently digging up all of the goods on the cop that pulled me over - like prior complaints, etc.

The problem is that many police departments just throw out or ignore complaints filed against officers, so no paper trail is ever created. This in itself is a serious issue. My complaint against the officer was thrown out – I even got notice telling me that it was – because the ‘Controller’ found no reason to file the complaint. So that means a guy who is pulled over a month or two later for a bogus reason by the same officer who requests all information regarding complaints against the officer to prepare for trial will be told there have been none, which could be a downright lie.

---
David Allen, CEO & President
Pharaoh Productions, L.L.C. http://www.pharaoh-productions.com
Creators of DOMINION and UNIVERSE!

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by David Allen:
My court date is September 11th

Part of the problem with the system is that when you get to court, it's your word against his. Defendants sometimes lie... but so do cops. I've even had cops brag to me that they can do whatever they want, because no one will believe the word of a civilian over that of a cop.

Fortunately, in your case, there was a witness: your passenger. Bring him/her to court with you to testify.

 

[juejaimon]

Kenji,

What happend last year that lost you $2500?

 

[nsxxtreme]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
Part of the problem with the system is that when you get to court, it's your word against his. Defendants sometimes lie... but so do cops. I've even had cops brag to me that they can do whatever they want, because no one will believe the word of a civilian over that of a cop.

Fortunately, in your case, there was a witness: your passenger. Bring him/her to court with you to testify.

I heard the same thing at a coffee shop were all the local police hang out. They even said there promotions were based on how many tickets they write. Then they went into trying to figure out how to pirate DVD's.

I would love to install a video system in my car. Does anyone know where to get one?

 

[NyC NsX]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
Part of the problem with the system is that when you get to court, it's your word against his. Defendants sometimes lie... but so do cops. I've even had cops brag to me that they can do whatever they want, because no one will believe the word of a civilian over that of a cop.

Fortunately, in your case, there was a witness: your passenger. Bring him/her to court with you to testify.

Im not 100% sure but i dont belive a passenger can be a witness in this case because he was in the vehicle with the accused.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by NyC NsX:
Im not 100% sure but i dont belive a passenger can be a witness in this case because he was in the vehicle with the accused.

Of course he/she can. Bring him/her.

Perhaps you're thinking of the fact that a person cannot be forced to testify against his/her spouse...?