When the light was out..

135sohc · Jan 2, 2019

Something so stupid it just irks me. This morning on the way in I got the courtesy stop from MD's finest for nothing more than a license plate light. In front of exploration drive @ 7am, when mind no fact that better than 50% of the other vehicles on the roadway in the area had NO lights on at all...

It is a huge pet peeve on mine when someone does not have their lights on when they should anyways and as a safety factor burned into me @ drivers ed I always keep my lights on regardless, see and be seen.

No drama or BS, she was decent and even after I requested she remove her hand from her service weapon while my hands were in plain sight while we conversed she did oblige.. Good for her on that.

But the phishing to find something wrong is just as strong as ever... 20 minutes (yes I did time it) from the time I handed over license + reg to return with documents is unjustified for a F'ing 'light out' warning... :tdown:

Meanwhile pulling into the parking lot at work I see the same three vehicles almost daily: one has no registration (probably no insurance as well), the second one has no front plate and the third has no side mirrors, no exhaust and the front t-signals are non existent but yet all three always manage to skirt by... :rolleyes:

Happy start to 2019

traveller · Jan 2, 2019

The new thing is that they pull you over for the license plate light being 'too dim'. Their calibrated way to test is to turn off their headlights. If their calibrated eyeballs can't read your license plate number, your light is obviously 'too dim'.

It's getting more and more difficult not to sympathize with the folks who hate cops.

Bertfish · Jan 2, 2019

It's a gripe I often have too. Not all laws are created equal. I'm sure there are an infinite number of more serious violations out there which could be dealt with. But then I get shouted down because "shes just doing her job". Whatever I suppose, I just try my best to make sure I give them absolutely no reason to pull me over.

I was at the College Park IKEA once and my car died. No family nearby, approached an officer who was parked nearby and asked about a jump. He obliged, super professional African American gentleman. Another officer who i guess his partner showed up while we were jumping the car and man did the stupid probing start. Why was I there, where did I live. No reason for it you could just tell he was fishing. Slow night I guess, I dont know. Gave a one sentence answer, got in the car, and left him standing in the lot.

135sohc · Jan 2, 2019

She switched her headlights off twice, the second time caught my attention and when I noticed who it was.. I started counting to five and the reds n blues came on... Chrysler spec'ed the light housing and bulb, it was legally bright enough in 1985'ish when the car was designed.

No hate here but no love either..

Art3 · Jan 2, 2019

135sohc said:
She switched her headlights off twice, the second time caught my attention and when I noticed who it was.. I started counting to five and the reds n blues came on... Chrysler spec'ed the light housing and bulb, it was legally bright enough in 1985'ish when the car was designed.

No hate here but no love either..

So was it really out, or just dim?

Mark75H · Jan 2, 2019

135sohc said:
Something so stupid it just irks me. This morning on the way in I got the courtesy stop from MD's finest for nothing more than a license plate light. In front of exploration drive @ 7am, when mind no fact that better than 50% of the other vehicles on the roadway in the area had NO lights on at all...

It is a huge pet peeve on mine when someone does not have their lights on when they should anyways and as a safety factor burned into me @ drivers ed I always keep my lights on regardless, see and be seen.

No drama or BS, she was decent and even after I requested she remove her hand from her service weapon while my hands were in plain sight while we conversed she did oblige.. Good for her on that.

But the phishing to find something wrong is just as strong as ever... 20 minutes (yes I did time it) from the time I handed over license + reg to return with documents is unjustified for a F'ing 'light out' warning...

Meanwhile pulling into the parking lot at work I see the same three vehicles almost daily: one has no registration (probably no insurance as well), the second one has no front plate and the third has no side mirrors, no exhaust and the front t-signals are non existent but yet all three always manage to skirt by...

Happy start to 2019

I make that turn every morning - with my lights ON. Good thing I keep all my lights working.

135sohc · Jan 2, 2019

When I got to work it was on. I did tap the housing and it did flicker once so who knows what eagle eyes really saw. Tossed the housing in the ultrasonic cleaner, cleaned the contacts on the plug and just for the sake of it installed a new bulb. Short of a spot light beaming on it I cannot make it any brighter.

antco · Jan 2, 2019

Funny, I seem to remember vividly most MSP cars having their rear license plates not illuminated. This was back in the 2000-2011 timeframe on their Crown Vic’s. I wonder if Md’s Finest in your meeting had her license plate lights working.

rickyp · Jan 2, 2019

Rember the police are not your friend, they will say and do anything they can to arrest you. You have a right to remain silent and I suggest you exercise that right. Anything you say will be used against you. Recored everything.

Do not be nasty rude or disrespectful but be polite and firm. If you feel the officer is in the wrong, fishing for something or just taking way to long then really should (the can hold you for 30 minutes) ask for a supervisor. If they refuse to call for one pick up your phone and call for one your self do not use 911 call their police station non emergency number Google it.

If none of this works and you feel the officer was fishing or treating you wrong go to the station and file a formal complaint as long as people let them get away with things like this the more they will do and come up with more reasons.

If they give you a ticket fight it if they said your tag light was to dim ask them to prove it and produce the evidence.

3paul10 · Jan 2, 2019

Darn coppers.

eruby · Jan 2, 2019

Sir Robert Peel weeps

fnfalsar48 · Jan 2, 2019

135sohc said:
No drama or BS, she was decent

Does "her" last name start with O?

135sohc · Jan 2, 2019

fnfalsar48 said:
Does "her" last name start with O?

K-something, the warning flier is stuck on the side of my toolbox at work.

deerhtr · Jan 2, 2019

maybe she was wanting your number.

whistlersmother · Jan 2, 2019

Watching myriads of people speeding each day, including me, with nary a cop or ticket written, causes endless contempt for the law, and hence frustration with those that seemingly randomly enforce it.

Same with burned out license plate bulbs. It's getting that way with registrations. Saw one a while back that was 4/16 - almost two years expired.

So we have the famous quote:

Nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the*law of the land than passing*laws which cannot be enforced.

I would extend that to include laws that are seldom enforced. Thousands of cars daily pass over Norbeck Rd and not one stopped for speeding. Is it any wonder people throw rants when they do get pulled over?

Either completely forego traffic tickets or continually enforce traffic laws.

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Bertfish · Jan 2, 2019

whistlersmother said:
Either completely forego traffic tickets or continually enforce traffic laws.

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And if the stupid tag light is that important than write a damn ticket. Stop with the warning BS. If lives are threatened by the tag light then punish the violator with more than just a 15 minute inconvenience.

Not_an_outlaw · Jan 2, 2019

One night, standing on the bricks in front of the Maryland capital, addressing our anti-gun legislators, one was concerned about police enforcing laws such a inspection violations. He stated the stops were racially motivated. He believed you should not be pulled over, but mailed the infraction.

Kman · Jan 2, 2019

Makes me wish there were real criminals about so you could be left alone.

Mr. Ed · Jan 2, 2019

whistlersmother said:
Watching myriads of people speeding each day, including me, with nary a cop or ticket written, causes endless contempt for the law, and hence frustration with those that seemingly randomly enforce it.

Same with burned out license plate bulbs. It's getting that way with registrations. Saw one a while back that was 4/16 - almost two years expired.

So we have the famous quote:

I would extend that to include laws that are seldom enforced. Thousands of cars daily pass over Norbeck Rd and not one stopped for speeding. Is it any wonder people throw rants when they do get pulled over?

Either completely forego traffic tickets or ~~continually~~ consistently enforce traffic laws.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Modified the above a bit.

That's definitely one of my gripes. I'm not the Lone Ranger, and usually set my cruise control for 8 over the posted limit, and stay in the right-most lane as much as possible. I'm usually the slowest car on the road. Driving on Rt. 32 by NSA I get passed by damn near everybody, with lots of them approaching triple digits. Every day. Seems like I'm the only one even remotely concerned with getting a ticket. Either enforce the law, or raise the speed limit to something more realistic. I'm more concerned with what a ticket would do to my insurance rates than anything else.

traveller · Jan 2, 2019

Kman said:
Makes me wish there were real criminals about so you could be left alone.

Yup. Like tracking down parole violators, compliance checks on registered sex offenders. All those things that can't be done unless the popo receives more 'resources'.

When the light was out..

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