Ever been "profiled" in the Vibe?

[Kari]

As of yesterday, I have. The local police department was operating a speed trap at a place where most people do 50+ in a 35 (and if you don't do that, you'll get run over). I knew they were there because I'd seen them setting up when I left to go to the post office, so I knew to slow down, just in case. Everybody else was either riding my bumper or swinging out aggressively into the other lane to go around me because I was doing the speed limit.They all went around me and all got pulled over...well by this point they had gotten away from me by a good 200 yards or so, which left me all by myself. The police officer actually stepped out *into the road* to point the radar gun at me (he had been standing on a side street) and left it on me for at least a good 5 seconds or so. I don't know how long it takes to get a reading but I doubt it's that long since he pulled over about 4 cars in front of me that were running in a pack. He looked awfully disappointed that he couldn't pull me over too...but he sure was trying, which made me nervous and uncomfortable.I had the cruise set on 34 mph just to make sure I maintained the same speed, and my speedometer is off, though I'm not sure by exactly how much, so it was probably reading 32 or so. I look to be about 16, and I'm in a car that for some odd reason always looks and even feels from the inside like it's going faster than it is, so I guess that's why he assumed I *must* be speeding or getting ready to speed and that he should leave the radar gun pointed on me. I still don't think that was very fair though...I feel like I was profiled, because I was completely by myself, no one behind me, no one in front of me, so there was no one else it could have been pointed at for that long except me. I wasn't speeding, but it's obvious he expected me to be speeding.Even though I didn't get pulled over, the whole experience made me very nervous because I felt like he was focused on trying to find some reason to get me too. I didn't drive through there any more for the rest of the day for the fear that he would find some crazy reason to get me on my second time through, after the way he looked at me when I drove past the first time.Anyone else had an experience like this? I certainly hope I don't ever have to experience it again...I didn't even get caught speeding, but yet I felt like I had done something wrong just from the officer's mannerisms right there on the side of the road! I definitely feel like I was profiled because I look so young and I was in a newer, "sporty"-ish car.Anyway, rant finished... Thanks for listening.

[Mase]

Nice story. It happens all the time out here on base. Long, straight, desert roads are very tempting to speed on. The military police do exactly what you described...stand off to the side and point the scanner at you as you're driving by. I'm so used to it that I just blow it off or have fun with it. One time when the scanner was pointed at me, I opened my mouth and put my hands up in the air. Then smiled as I passed by. The cop just chuckled.The officers aren't profiling you. They stand out there with the scanner to make their presence obvious and hopefully make an impact on the driving habits in that area.

[drunkenmaxx]

listening? i didn't hear anything! in my experience, the vibe seems slower than you are going (from the inside) thus the tickets i received when i first got it. he probably would have done that to any car coming by. most likely, he found it hard to believe there was someone obeying the speed limit!

[AZViking]

When I was in high school, I had a part time job delivering pizzas.It was late (about 2am) and we had finished closing up shop. I was on my way home (This was a town of about 6,000 people, so I was the ONLY car on the streets, and my parent's house was 5 miles out of town). I'm almost to the city limits, about 2-3 blocks, when I notice a set of headlights in my rear view. It was a city cop, and he procedes to tailgate me (I couldn't see his headlights at all). We get to the corner where if I turn left, I'm out of town. He turns right and I never saw another car again all the way home.I get home, and my mom asks me "what's your license plate number?" We have a police scanner, just for kicks, and the cop had run my plates. (89 TBird with 'out of county' plates. In South Dakota, the first two digits of our plate number represented what county you live in, and the plates came with the car when we bought it used) Wasn't speeding, didn't have a booming stereo in the car, guess it just looked suspicious being out that late at night in that sleepy town.Looking back, wonder what would have happened if I would have tapped my brakes, maybe he would have hind-ended me "Honest officer, I tried to stop because I didn't want to hit that black cat that jumped out in front of me" "But, why couldn't you stop in time, sir?"

[drunkenmaxx]

as a matter of fact, if they pay attention, they should assume you are a woman aged 40-60!!seriously.

[Mavrik]

while getting the gun turned on you for a few minutes would be scary... I know for me I hate having a cop beside or behind me even if I'm not doing anything wrong. But I doubt he was targeting you because your a young looking female. If that was the case, be happy at the compliment lol.

[Pick]

Maybe he saw a cute girl and wanted the excuse to look at you longer. That is after all how most of them get their dates (by pulling women over or talking to them at accidents).

[Mavrik]

Girls love a powerful man in uniform... or fall in love with the first man to walk in after something terrible happened

[Kari]

Well, he can't have me...I'm happily taken! Maybe he was jealous of my 5hp worth of GrafxWerks stuff...LOL

[redlava]

I probably would have drove past him at just under the speed limit and flipped him off.He probably had a bet with his friends that he could pull over 10 cars at once. And you were number 10. Be happy in knowing that you could have potentially cost him money.

[MadBill]

I used to get profiled all the time when I was driving my '70 Z-28 (green with big white stripes) daily. The cops were using planes at that time for speed enforcement and one day on my way to work on a long open stretch of highway, I saw a light plane make a turn over the road far ahead. As it criused by the opposite direction, I asked the rear seat passenger to keep an eye on it. "He's turning and following us!" The spotter cop hung overhead as I chugged along at exactly the limit for several miles, while a steady stream of nondescript commuter-mobiles blew us by and disappeared in the distance. Finally he peeled off, so I cranked it up about 20 MPH and... "Whoops! He's come around again!" We droned along another couple of miles while he waited for this "gotta be" speeder to show his true colours before he finally gave up for good...

[Mavrik]

And that little bit of rude behavour probably would have resulted in you getting pulled over for a "broken tail light" cause really, the guy is just doing his job which is a living and he needs to make money to. As it is Kari you did nothing wrong so he had no reason to stop you. Unless he really wanted to get your number.

[silver_vibe]

Many years ago, I got pulled over and written up for doing 70 in a 30 zone while driving my sisters 1977 Toyota Corolla (I don't think anyone, anywhere, anytime profiled that car as speed demon). There were 10 cops at the scene and they pulled over EVERYONE regardless of our actual speed (I was actually doing 40). The cop just stepped out in front of me and put his hand up making a "stop" gesture. I don't think you were being profiled, I think you were at the wrong place at the wrong time (the cops were trying to send a message because most people speed on that road).I ended up pleading not guilty and the cop that wrote me up didn't show so the case was dismissed. Part of me wished he showed up because I wanted to hear what he answered under oath when I asked him if he made a habit of standing in front of a car doing 70.

[ColonelPanic]

I remember when I was in college, I had night classes that didn't get out until 10 PM. So then, it was an hour drive to get back home if I didn't stop anywhere...The cops in the ol' redneck hellhole of a town decided it would be cool to park down by the bridge at night and catch speeders. That's all fine and dandy, I never sped... BUT for some reason, and more times than I can count, those jacknads would whip out behind me and were right up on my (removed). The cops would follow me and follow me, and follow me.... I turned down the road that goes to my house, they followed me. I got out of (removed) Falls city limits, which made the cop out of their jurisdiction, but they kept following. Once they followed me within one mile from home - and I lived about 5 miles outside of the city limits.All for absolutely no reason. I considered pulling over and asking (removed) their problem was and why they had to keep following me... I was just a dude trying to come back home from school, that's it.... Not only was it frustrating as hell, it was beyond creepy as well. *shivers*If I were out stiring up ****, sure - follow me. But I did nothing wrong!

[Pick]

Tampa has a new profiling program. They say it's to reward good teenage drivers by following them all over to observe good behavior then pulling them over and giving them movie tickets, i think it's just an excuse to follow you, (waiting for you to do something illegal) and eventually pull you over (hoping to catch something illegal inside your car) all for simply following the law and driving like an angel.http://www.9news.com/acm_news....ca7bf

[ragingfish]

I don't doubt for a second I was profiled in the G6!!!!

[ColonelPanic]

Ugh, yeah I think that's a safe assumption.... A verrrry safe assumption.

[JohnC]

Quote, originally posted by Kari » He looked awfully disappointed that he couldn't pull me over too...but he sure was trying, which made me nervous and uncomfortable. I still don't think that was very fair though...I feel like I was profiled, because I was completely by myself, no one behind me, no one in front of me, so there was no one else it could have been pointed at for that long except me. I wasn't speeding, but it's obvious he expected me to be speeding.Even though I didn't get pulled over, the whole experience made me very nervous because I felt like he was focused on trying to find some reason to get me too. I didn't drive through there any more for the rest of the day for the fear that he would find some crazy reason to get me on my second time through, after the way he looked at me when I drove past the first time.I certainly hope I don't ever have to experience it again...I didn't even get caught speeding, but yet I felt like I had done something wrong just from the officer's mannerisms right there on the side of the road! I definitely feel like I was profiled because I look so young and I was in a newer, "sporty"-ish car.Wow! I can not believe the amount of paranoid people here. The police are just doing their jobs. They are here to help us, they work for us, we pay their sallaries. Who do you call when something bad happens? Who shows up to put his/her life in jeopardy to help you?When they follow close behind you, it is ussually to run your plates, this happens alot late at night when certain crimes happen most often. Instead of feeling and acting nervous or paranoid just be friendly to them. They are out there trying to make the world a safer place for you, and doing it for not much money. Just thank them and tell them you appreciate their efforts.All this "profiling" language is BS as used so far on this thread. I do not believe you all think that these situations are profiling.Lighten up, police are people too.

[JustinVGT]

I had a situation shortly after I bought the Vibe over three years ago. It was a Sunday, I had to go to work, the problem was my dealer had failed to get me my real tags and my tags expired that day or the previous. I had called the dealer that Friday and they said I should have the official license plates on Monday (this dealer screwed up a lot). Well, I had no choice, I had to go to work and I only have my Vibe. So, leaving the neighborhood, I pull up to a stop light to get on the highway. I pull up second in the left lane behind a big utility van and I noticed a cop in the right lane behind probably about 5-7 cars. The light turns green and I get up to 55 mph, the speed limit. I didn't accelerate fast, the big van accelerated faster and continued well past 55mph. Well, the cop got stuck behind the other traffic and I watched him weave in and out of the traffic and then come up behind me. I had my cruise control set at 55, so I was thinking he shouldn't pull me over. Next I hear him blip his siren and flash his lights. I pull over, he asked me how fast I was going. I told him I was going 55. He claimed I was going 70-75. I actually started thinking there was something wrong with my speedometer since I was watching my speed the entire time. I told him I swear I was going 55 and that if I was going over then something is wrong with the speedometer. He then told me he decided to pull me over instead of the van that was obviously speeding because my temp tags expired that day or the previous day. He was telling me that it's illegal and he could give me a ticket. I explained how the dealer has been screwing up and that I should be getting them Monday. Luckily he just gave me a warning. I have never had a ticket in my life, knock on wood. With common sense you would know that to catch up through all the traffic to get up to me, you would have to speed, even though I am going the speed limit. I saw that cop in the beginning so, I knew not to speed. I was a young guy driving my brand new car that most people had never seen in May of 2002. He may have been stereotyping me, being a young male in a somewhat sporty new car. Another thing I don't like and which added to this situation is how many people cruise 5-10 mph slower than the speed limit when a cop is around. This made it appear that I was speeding when in fact I was actually going exactly the speed limit!

[sloth]

I'm sorry, most of the police officers I know aren't smart enough to profile. Most of them were law breakers as kids and weren't any good at it. So they switched to the otherside.I respect a good cop, but at least in my little college town, they are just out to hassle the college kids.

[redlava]

I have nothing against police officers, and they are just doing their job and making the roads safer for all of us. But what I find amusing is that he was trying SOOOOO hard to catch her speeding. The laser works the same way if you are 10 feet away as it does if you are 75 feet away.

[soldierguy]

I don't have anything against the police either, and I cooperate with them if I'm pulled over (rarely happens)...after all, they've got the ability to shoot me or arrest me, so cooperation is in my best interest.What does bother me are the speed traps. Hate those.What bothers me more is when I see cops do unsafe things in an effort to pull someone over who isn't even speeding, or just to harass them...that's happened twice to me. First time was in the middle of nowhere in Texas and I was driving my Tornado Red VW Jetta with CA plates. 70 mph limit, and the cruise was set on 71 mph, so technically I was speeding, although well within what could be speedo error. This cop was going the other way, spun a u-turn to get behind me...saw dust everywhere when he did it, so he was definitely sliding and spinning tires. He pulled me over, waddled up to the car (he was GROSSLY overweight), lectured me on speeding for 20 minutes, then didn't give me a ticket. What an A$$!!! If he'd have at least given me a ticket, I could have fought it in court just to drag his sorry (removed) into the courtroom for a day. The second time was in Kansas in the same Jetta...65 mph speed limit, and the cruise was set at 64 mph. I was watching this cop for a while...he'd blaze past me at 100+ mph, spin through the center divider with dust flying everywhere, then blaze the other way doing the same thing. After about 20 minutes of seeing him do this, he comes flying up beside me doing 100+ mph, slams on his brakes (I heard his tires squealing), paces me for a bit to make sure I wasn't speeding, then tears off ahead of me at full throttle. What a freaking idiot! Totally unsafe the way he was doing it...and I didn't think that cops were supposed to speed unless on a call that required an immediate response.It's those idiot cops that give the police a bad name.

[ColonelPanic]

Quote, originally posted by soldierguy »It's those idiot cops that give the police a bad name.I couldn't agree with you more! There are many good cops out there... Many that just go out and do their jobs while being respectful to those of us who pay their salaries... But then we have the ones who become all high and mighty because someone has given them a badge and a gun... Some even seem to think they're above the law.I respect the service the police provide for us... But shame on those who go out and single a few of us out just for the sake of singling people out. I know I've had my share of being picked on needlessly, as have others here. There isn't much reason to stand there holding the radar gun at someone, just waiting on them to screw up... Nor is there any reason for them to keep following people around like they used to do to me - that's not looking out for the community's best interest, that's stalking or harassing innocent citizens.

[kostby]

As a post-middle-aged male Vibe driver, I can assure you 'young-uns' that one of the (few) benefits of getting older, slower, and grayer as you surpass the half-century mark is that your driving (even aggressive driving) will get far less notice from the police, regardless of what you drive!That said, I got a ticket for 62 in a 55 back in 1988 (I was 46 then) in my brand new Escort GT, ambushed by a cop in a an unmarked Mustang GT approaching me as I passed a coal truck on a 2-lane road! Profiled? Sure, the car had stripes, wide tires, alloy wheels, fog lights, front airdam and side skirts. If I'd been in a garden-variety Escort, he'd never have turned around to catch me. (He did a 180 right in front of the coal truck!)

[redlava]

I was pulled over in the middle of a pack of 4 cars on a two lane highway. The speed limit was 35 and about ready to increase to 50. I was, of course, going the same speed as the two cars in front of me (45). And the car behind me was on my (removed). The cop is coming from the opposite direction waits for all four of us to drive past then turns around, flips on the cherries, and drives past the car behind me who has pulled over and signals me to pull over. I thought I could get out with a warning so I was very polite, even though I was increadibly pissed cause I knew that I got pulled over for being in a 25,000 dollar truck and not one of the POS's that were around me. Needless to say I got a $45 ticket for 10 over. That is the stuff that pisses me off about the police.