Cops
Aug 27th 2006, 3:53 pm
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by BigDavyG
Ok - so a few questions and observations here.
Driving home from a mate's house tonight.
On the way back I was about 40 yards behind the car in front. The oh pointed out that a cop car just passed us going in the opposite direction. She always does this and I've always said that they can't clock you going in the opposite direction - at least the can't in blighty anyway as far as I know.
Anyway, sure enough the flashers go on and he pulls a u'ey.
I pull over and eventually he comes to my window.
"License and insurance please sir"
At this point I decide to push my luck and whip out the uk license. He stares at it for a bit and asks wtf it is. I explain and he then asks if I'm a resident and if I have insurance. I say yes and tell him I've been here for "about 3 months" and give him the card. He asks about a US license and I tell him I've been here for 3 months and I haven't got an IL license yet. I then realise that my insurance card was issued in april. He then asks for address and goes back to his car with my brit license.
He comes back obviously having run either my name/address combo or my car plates (it was my car) - surprisingly he knows I have a US license - obviously I haven't thought this through very well.
I explain that its at home, but I know its an offense not to have license plus insurance so I told him I didn't have one when I actually meant I didn't have it on me.
He tells me that he could do me for doing 51 in a 40 (
+ following the car in front) plus for not having my license but he waives the license thing - though interestingly if i have a uk license is that still an offense ??.
Anyway he goes back to write my ticket.
10 minutes later he comes back and says he's letting me off with the speeding - now I don't believe that he just decided to "let me off" though in fairness he was quite young and seemed a decent fella - not your usual patronising twat.
So the question is - why was I let off ??
Could he not work out how to process the ticket with my brit license - clearly he knew i had a us one so presumably he had access to those details on his 'puter ??
Alternatively could my initial thoughts have been correct - there is no way you could get an accurate clock on a car if you are travelling in the opposite direction and I am 40-odd yards behind the car in front (travelling at the same speed as the car in front).
Initially I thought option 2 was the answer but then if that was true he would prob have come back and done me for not having my us license.
Anyone any ideas what went on ???
Driving home from a mate's house tonight.
On the way back I was about 40 yards behind the car in front. The oh pointed out that a cop car just passed us going in the opposite direction. She always does this and I've always said that they can't clock you going in the opposite direction - at least the can't in blighty anyway as far as I know.
Anyway, sure enough the flashers go on and he pulls a u'ey.
I pull over and eventually he comes to my window.
"License and insurance please sir"
At this point I decide to push my luck and whip out the uk license. He stares at it for a bit and asks wtf it is. I explain and he then asks if I'm a resident and if I have insurance. I say yes and tell him I've been here for "about 3 months" and give him the card. He asks about a US license and I tell him I've been here for 3 months and I haven't got an IL license yet. I then realise that my insurance card was issued in april. He then asks for address and goes back to his car with my brit license.
He comes back obviously having run either my name/address combo or my car plates (it was my car) - surprisingly he knows I have a US license - obviously I haven't thought this through very well.
I explain that its at home, but I know its an offense not to have license plus insurance so I told him I didn't have one when I actually meant I didn't have it on me.
He tells me that he could do me for doing 51 in a 40 (
+ following the car in front) plus for not having my license but he waives the license thing - though interestingly if i have a uk license is that still an offense ??.Anyway he goes back to write my ticket.
10 minutes later he comes back and says he's letting me off with the speeding - now I don't believe that he just decided to "let me off" though in fairness he was quite young and seemed a decent fella - not your usual patronising twat.
So the question is - why was I let off ??
Could he not work out how to process the ticket with my brit license - clearly he knew i had a us one so presumably he had access to those details on his 'puter ??
Alternatively could my initial thoughts have been correct - there is no way you could get an accurate clock on a car if you are travelling in the opposite direction and I am 40-odd yards behind the car in front (travelling at the same speed as the car in front).
Initially I thought option 2 was the answer but then if that was true he would prob have come back and done me for not having my us license.
Anyone any ideas what went on ???
Now I only have my UK license, us Military wives dont have to retake our test in this State. I have become rather paranoid about speeding over here and getting nicked, so try my best to be a good Girl now days 
Aug 27th 2006, 3:59 pm
#17
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,717
Re: Cops
They sure can. The radar (laser?) gun calculates the police vehicles speed and calculates your speed accordingly. I use my UK radar detector over here (its legal in TX) and on many occasions have seen an approaching police car with the cop point his radar at my car and it light up the radar detector. The radar detector picks up radar miles away, so by the time I pass apolice car it has already warned me (unless the road is empty and the cop didn't fire his radar at another car).
My wife has a US radar detector which doesn't seem to pick up all the bands mine does. Sometimes my detector goes off when a police car is ahead with its lights flashing (at a RTA etc), so I'm not sure if its picking up the new license plate readers in police cars etc.
When you registered the car you may have given your US drivers license number, so its easy to see you have a US license.
My wife has a US radar detector which doesn't seem to pick up all the bands mine does. Sometimes my detector goes off when a police car is ahead with its lights flashing (at a RTA etc), so I'm not sure if its picking up the new license plate readers in police cars etc.
When you registered the car you may have given your US drivers license number, so its easy to see you have a US license.
Originally Posted by BigDavyG
and I've always said that they can't clock you going in the opposite direction - at least the can't in blighty anyway as far as I know.
Aug 27th 2006, 4:45 pm
#18
Renegade who has it made
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,077
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by BigDavyG
Ok - so a few questions and observations here.
Driving home from a mate's house tonight.
On the way back I was about 40 yards behind the car in front. The oh pointed out that a cop car just passed us going in the opposite direction. She always does this and I've always said that they can't clock you going in the opposite direction - at least the can't in blighty anyway as far as I know.
Anyway, sure enough the flashers go on and he pulls a u'ey.
I pull over and eventually he comes to my window.
"License and insurance please sir"
At this point I decide to push my luck and whip out the uk license. He stares at it for a bit and asks wtf it is. I explain and he then asks if I'm a resident and if I have insurance. I say yes and tell him I've been here for "about 3 months" and give him the card. He asks about a US license and I tell him I've been here for 3 months and I haven't got an IL license yet. I then realise that my insurance card was issued in april. He then asks for address and goes back to his car with my brit license.
He comes back obviously having run either my name/address combo or my car plates (it was my car) - surprisingly he knows I have a US license - obviously I haven't thought this through very well.
I explain that its at home, but I know its an offense not to have license plus insurance so I told him I didn't have one when I actually meant I didn't have it on me.
He tells me that he could do me for doing 51 in a 40 ( + following the car in front) plus for not having my license but he waives the license thing - though interestingly if i have a uk license is that still an offense ??.
Anyway he goes back to write my ticket.
10 minutes later he comes back and says he's letting me off with the speeding - now I don't believe that he just decided to "let me off" though in fairness he was quite young and seemed a decent fella - not your usual patronising twat.
So the question is - why was I let off ??
Could he not work out how to process the ticket with my brit license - clearly he knew i had a us one so presumably he had access to those details on his 'puter ??
Alternatively could my initial thoughts have been correct - there is no way you could get an accurate clock on a car if you are travelling in the opposite direction and I am 40-odd yards behind the car in front (travelling at the same speed as the car in front).
Initially I thought option 2 was the answer but then if that was true he would prob have come back and done me for not having my us license.
Anyone any ideas what went on ???
Driving home from a mate's house tonight.
On the way back I was about 40 yards behind the car in front. The oh pointed out that a cop car just passed us going in the opposite direction. She always does this and I've always said that they can't clock you going in the opposite direction - at least the can't in blighty anyway as far as I know.
Anyway, sure enough the flashers go on and he pulls a u'ey.
I pull over and eventually he comes to my window.
"License and insurance please sir"
At this point I decide to push my luck and whip out the uk license. He stares at it for a bit and asks wtf it is. I explain and he then asks if I'm a resident and if I have insurance. I say yes and tell him I've been here for "about 3 months" and give him the card. He asks about a US license and I tell him I've been here for 3 months and I haven't got an IL license yet. I then realise that my insurance card was issued in april. He then asks for address and goes back to his car with my brit license.
He comes back obviously having run either my name/address combo or my car plates (it was my car) - surprisingly he knows I have a US license - obviously I haven't thought this through very well.
I explain that its at home, but I know its an offense not to have license plus insurance so I told him I didn't have one when I actually meant I didn't have it on me.
He tells me that he could do me for doing 51 in a 40 (
+ following the car in front) plus for not having my license but he waives the license thing - though interestingly if i have a uk license is that still an offense ??.Anyway he goes back to write my ticket.
10 minutes later he comes back and says he's letting me off with the speeding - now I don't believe that he just decided to "let me off" though in fairness he was quite young and seemed a decent fella - not your usual patronising twat.
So the question is - why was I let off ??
Could he not work out how to process the ticket with my brit license - clearly he knew i had a us one so presumably he had access to those details on his 'puter ??
Alternatively could my initial thoughts have been correct - there is no way you could get an accurate clock on a car if you are travelling in the opposite direction and I am 40-odd yards behind the car in front (travelling at the same speed as the car in front).
Initially I thought option 2 was the answer but then if that was true he would prob have come back and done me for not having my us license.
Anyone any ideas what went on ???
Saying that I have a story about the OH and being pulled over (i won't go into the details on here, i like my life lol) but long story short, my father in-law is a cop, and the cop that pulled us over ended up calling FIL (at about 2:30am). The cop comes back and tells OH he is letting him off and etc etc and we were all really suprised, figured, FIL talked the cop outta it. Well OH gets a call from his mom 15 mins later. After quite a bit of getting yelled at, his mom tells him that FIL had just told the cop to throw the book at the OH :scared: . Turns out the cop actually felt sorry for him, so let him off.
Aug 27th 2006, 5:07 pm
#19
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,029
Re: Cops
Its the luck o'the Irish Davy. 
They can detect you from any direction and have been able to for years...in the UK too. The general rule is...by the time you've seen them they've gottcha...so no point in braking.
Yes they can and will book you for not driving on a US licence when you should be. As a visitor they will book you on a UK licence...I have several friends to support this. One was on the way to the airport and asked the officer how long it was going to take as she was late for her flight home. She was told she would be spending the night in jail if she made another comment like that!! One friend hasn't paid his ticket yet and keeps receiving letters...wouldn't like to be him when he tries to re-enter the US.
They can detect you from any direction and have been able to for years...in the UK too. The general rule is...by the time you've seen them they've gottcha...so no point in braking.
Yes they can and will book you for not driving on a US licence when you should be. As a visitor they will book you on a UK licence...I have several friends to support this. One was on the way to the airport and asked the officer how long it was going to take as she was late for her flight home. She was told she would be spending the night in jail if she made another comment like that!! One friend hasn't paid his ticket yet and keeps receiving letters...wouldn't like to be him when he tries to re-enter the US.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Aug 27th 2006 at 6:02 pm.
Aug 27th 2006, 5:37 pm
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Dubuque, Iowa, USA
Posts: 3,770
Re: Cops
You're lucky that you're arse isn't stuck in the slammer for lying to the Cop, for starters.
Yes, the cops can figure out what speed you're doing when they are driving towards you, and the fact that you showed them a British Licence, doesn't really come into it, as they could have made you pay cash for the ticket(s).
In my experience of driving every day for a living, I have seen a single cop pull over multiple vehicles for speeding and give out tickets to each motorist.
Jim.
Yes, the cops can figure out what speed you're doing when they are driving towards you, and the fact that you showed them a British Licence, doesn't really come into it, as they could have made you pay cash for the ticket(s).
In my experience of driving every day for a living, I have seen a single cop pull over multiple vehicles for speeding and give out tickets to each motorist.
Jim.
Aug 27th 2006, 6:07 pm
#21
Thinking about it
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Mid-West
Posts: 9,435
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
They can detect you from any direction and have been able to for years...in the UK too. The general rule is...by the time you've seen them they've gottcha...so no point in braking.
Aug 27th 2006, 6:18 pm
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Dubuque, Iowa, USA
Posts: 3,770
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by BigDavyG
Are you sure - I've never once heard of someone being clocked by a cop car travelling in the opposite direction back home
Seeing as though you are in Illinois, I thought that you ought to see this;
http://www.isp.state.il.us/media/pre...ils.cfm?ID=333
Jim
Aug 27th 2006, 6:29 pm
#23
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 30,102
Re: Cops
I got pulled over by a cop in 'Hicksville' Illinois once, for having no rear bumper (I'd taken it off to repair it) Showed him my UK license, which kind of bemused him "I've seen one of these before" Anyway, he nipped off to his car allegedley to run an Interpol check 
Spent a long time there and came back and told me he was going to give me a warning. That was that.
I can imagine the conversation with his Sergeant
"I need to run a Interpol check Sarge"
"How do we do that?"
"I dunno, look it up"
"Ahh forget it, too much paperwork"
Spent a long time there and came back and told me he was going to give me a warning. That was that.I can imagine the conversation with his Sergeant
"I need to run a Interpol check Sarge"
"How do we do that?"
"I dunno, look it up"
"Ahh forget it, too much paperwork"
Aug 27th 2006, 6:40 pm
#24
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,181
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by TRPardoe
.........You got lucky probably because of ... the accent...
Aug 27th 2006, 7:01 pm
#25
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Cops
Hubby got off speeding in nevada, he showed his then VA license to a hitler cop who so wanted to book us but he went away to run it and came back furious prob cause he couldn't book us for some reason and let us off.
Prob didn't help that he thought my hubby was snarky -
it was late at night just wanted to get home, as soon as we were pulled over hubby just wanted his ticket and get on his way again (he is so honest it's unbelievable!)
officer - do you know what speed you were doing?
OH - 85
officer (mad) - It was 81
from that moment on he really tried to intimadate us (he wanted to throw us in a cell etc, but I doubted that as he couldn't even give us a ticket) he thought my hubby was being smart being totally honest and wanting a ticket to get it over with never entered his thick head! He followed us down the road for about 5 miles!
Prob didn't help that he thought my hubby was snarky -
it was late at night just wanted to get home, as soon as we were pulled over hubby just wanted his ticket and get on his way again (he is so honest it's unbelievable!)
officer - do you know what speed you were doing?
OH - 85
officer (mad) - It was 81
from that moment on he really tried to intimadate us (he wanted to throw us in a cell etc, but I doubted that as he couldn't even give us a ticket) he thought my hubby was being smart being totally honest and wanting a ticket to get it over with never entered his thick head! He followed us down the road for about 5 miles!
Aug 27th 2006, 7:07 pm
#26
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,542
Re: Cops
I have it sussed out, Davy was wearing a shirt.
I watch Cops, they only ever arrest people without shirts.
I watch Cops, they only ever arrest people without shirts.
Aug 27th 2006, 7:08 pm
#27
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,029
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by BigDavyG
Are you sure - I've never once heard of someone being clocked by a cop car travelling in the opposite direction back home
Where is AWP when you need him?
Aug 27th 2006, 9:04 pm
#28
Thinking about it
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Mid-West
Posts: 9,435
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
Where is AWP when you need him?
Aug 27th 2006, 9:25 pm
#29
Back where I belong!
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Melbourne, Oz to Banbury, England to El Mirage, AZ & now back to England!
Posts: 5,989
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by TruBrit
yeah it's ok to flash your brit licence when driving a rental and then tell a few porkies however if you are driving a vehicle registered in your name then the show's over
He came back, made me sign the DPS warning slip, I asked what I needed to do (thinking I was getting a ticket), he answer 'Slow down', I said 'So I don't need to go anywhere with this slip?', he said 'Nope, slow down', I smiled & told him I would, said thanx & have a good day!
This is the best bit - driving away, I realise the song I was listening to when I got pulled over was 'Ticket to ride' from the Beatles album, '1' - Superb! I did slow down after that.
Aug 27th 2006, 9:33 pm
#30
Back where I belong!
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Melbourne, Oz to Banbury, England to El Mirage, AZ & now back to England!
Posts: 5,989
Re: Cops
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
Hubby got off speeding in nevada, he showed his then VA license to a hitler cop who so wanted to book us but he went away to run it and came back furious prob cause he couldn't book us for some reason and let us off.
Prob didn't help that he thought my hubby was snarky -
it was late at night just wanted to get home, as soon as we were pulled over hubby just wanted his ticket and get on his way again (he is so honest it's unbelievable!)
officer - do you know what speed you were doing?
OH - 85
officer (mad) - It was 81
from that moment on he really tried to intimadate us (he wanted to throw us in a cell etc, but I doubted that as he couldn't even give us a ticket) he thought my hubby was being smart being totally honest and wanting a ticket to get it over with never entered his thick head! He followed us down the road for about 5 miles!
Prob didn't help that he thought my hubby was snarky -
it was late at night just wanted to get home, as soon as we were pulled over hubby just wanted his ticket and get on his way again (he is so honest it's unbelievable!)
officer - do you know what speed you were doing?
OH - 85
officer (mad) - It was 81
from that moment on he really tried to intimadate us (he wanted to throw us in a cell etc, but I doubted that as he couldn't even give us a ticket) he thought my hubby was being smart being totally honest and wanting a ticket to get it over with never entered his thick head! He followed us down the road for about 5 miles!