Pulled Over Twice in One Day: My Red Mitsubishi 3000GT Story

[tmyer2107]

I just bought a red mitsubishi 3000gt and got pulled over twice in one day, 15 minutes apart. My friend just got pulled over in it yesterday. Mine were for going 68 in a 60 (with the flow of traffic) on the way to the beach and when we were pulling onto the beach and going 18 miles an hour, the speed limit was 15. The beach constable said we looked like we were going too fast.. Got off both with a warning though. My friend wasn't so lucky yesterday and got a ticket for his. Can't wait to see how many more times I get pulled over before I sell it in March. Last time I buy a red sportscar.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Do red sportscars not have a speedometer? I don't see why the problem is with the car.

 

[DaveC426913]

Do red sportscars not have a speedometer? I don't see why the problem is with the car.

No, he's got a point. I could do 68 in a 60 zone or 18 in a 15 zone till the cows came home and I would not be pulled over in my non-red non-sportscar.

 

[tmyer2107]

Do red sportscars not have a speedometer? I don't see why the problem is with the car.

The flow of traffic here is usally doing at least 10 over the speed limit and I haven't seen many people pulled over. Cops just like targeting sportscars for some reason. Maybe they look like they are going faster than they really are like the beach cop thought. A couple of people I work with call it my gangster car since they imagine gangsters driving it or something, maybe the cops think the same thing. I don't know what the reason is but I was never pulled over in my life before this. And there was definitely no reason for them to pull me over on the beach. I'll keep count of how many times I get pulled over and give an update in march.

 

[turbo]

When I owned a Nissan 240 SX, I got pulled over for ridiculously low "over the limit" speeds. And mine wasn't even red! Generally, if you get pulled over for 7mph or less, you won't get a ticket, because the judge would just throw them out and give the cops hell.

Now, I drive a sleek but chunky little SUV, and met a town cop today doing about 65 in a 55. Not even a flash of a light or a scolding blip a siren. He just kept on keepin' on.

 

[Borek]

Now, I drive a sleek but chunky little SUV, and met a town cop today doing about 65 in a 55. Not even a flash of a light or a scolding blip a siren. He just kept on keepin' on.

Knowing your neck of woods cop is your second cousin and hopes for the next batch of your habanero relish, so he won't take unnecesary risks.

 

[turbo]

Knowing your neck of woods cop is your second cousin and hopes for the next batch of your habanero relish, so he won't take unnecesary risks.

Most of them are older, and have no more influence. My cousin's husband is retired as local chief of police in our old town, another cousin's husband is retired as Deputy Sheriff, my little brother's father-in-law is retired as chief of the next-largest town, my wife's cousin's husband has retired as chief of the Maine Warden Service... I have a third-cousin who is a trooper, and my retired warden buddy's son is a warden posted far from here. No favoritism here! Nope!

I should probably start carrying chili relishes and pickles in my vehicles, though. When a cop asks what I'm doing, I could say that I was (inadvertently) rushing to an evaluation, hoping to sell my stuff, and offer to "give" him or her a sample. Could be a plan...

 

[Pythagorean]

Do red sportscars not have a speedometer? I don't see why the problem is with the car.

I've heard people rattle off statistics about red cars having more violations. The reasoning is because they catch attention and set a mood from the officer's perspective. Never seen any research, of course.

 

[Borek]

I should probably start carrying chili relishes and pickles in my vehicles, though. When a cop asks what I'm doing, I could say that I was (inadvertently) rushing to an evaluation, hoping to sell my stuff, and offer to "give" him or her a sample. Could be a plan...

What are regulations about carrying a weapon in Maine?

 

[turbo]

What are regulations about carrying a weapon in Maine?

I'd have to get a permit to carry loaded handguns in a vehicle, but there are no laws against chili relishes. Hmm.

 

[Borg]

I've heard people rattle off statistics about red cars having more violations. The reasoning is because they catch attention and set a mood from the officer's perspective. Never seen any research, of course.

My personal experience:
Red sports car: I tended to speed and got lots of tickets.
Red SUV: Didn't drive as fast but, still got occasional tickets.
Silver Prius: No tickets in three years.

What I found really interesting is that I got zero tickets in the SUV when I was a volunteer fireman and had a light bar on top.

 

[hamster143]

Your problem is not that it's red, it's that it's a foreign make.

I've been driving a red Corvette since January, and I have not been pulled over even once yet. It's a massive hit among tweens, but cops tend to ignore me.

 

[Pythagorean]

My personal experience:
Red sports car: I tended to speed and got lots of tickets.
Red SUV: Didn't drive as fast but, still got occasional tickets.
Silver Prius: No tickets in three years.

What I found really interesting is that I got zero tickets in the SUV when I was a volunteer fireman and had a light bar on top.

Yeah, that makes sense. Makes you look like a responsible, authority figure.

They say white is the best for avoiding tickets. If you really want to make sure you never get pulled over, get one of those "I support my State Troopers" bumper stickers. Not sure if you have to make a donation to get those or what, but they work wonders.

 

[lisab]

Yeah, that makes sense. Makes you look like a responsible, authority figure.

They say white is the best for avoiding tickets. If you really want to make sure you never get pulled over, get one of those "I support my State Troopers" bumper stickers. Not sure if you have to make a donation to get those or what, but they work wonders.

Or get a http://www.seattlepi.com/specials/undueinfluence/326602_favorsbear07.html" .

 

[leroyjenkens]

No, he's got a point. I could do 68 in a 60 zone or 18 in a 15 zone till the cows came home and I would not be pulled over in my non-red non-sportscar.

Does that mean no one gets pulled over for going 8 over except red sportscars?
I have a friend who got pulled over for going 7 over and for going 8 over and doesn't drive a red sportscar. If you're speeding, the consequence is a cop may pull you over. Blaming the car makes as much sense as blaming the weather.

The flow of traffic here is usally doing at least 10 over the speed limit and I haven't seen many people pulled over.

Then they have a lot of people to choose from. You're just the one they caught.

 

[DaveC426913]

Does that mean no one gets pulled over for going 8 over except red sportscars?

No, it means it tends to happen more with red sportcars. I think you knew that.

I have a friend who got pulled over for going 7 over and for going 8 over and doesn't drive a red sportscar. If you're speeding, the consequence is a cop may pull you over. Blaming the car makes as much sense as blaming the weather.

And when your friend did the same 7 in a different car, what happened? Oh right, you have no comparison.

Read Borg's post 11.

Then they have a lot of people to choose from. You're just the one they caught.

Precisely. They have a lot of people to choose from. And yet they tend to catch the ones in the red sportscars.

 

[Saladsamurai]

Does that mean no one gets pulled over for going 8 over except red sportscars?
I have a friend who got pulled over for going 7 over and for going 8 over and doesn't drive a red sportscar. If you're speeding, the consequence is a cop may pull you over. Blaming the car makes as much sense as blaming the weather.

Then they have a lot of people to choose from. You're just the one they caught.

Yeah, but we already know from your other posts that you suck at driving and have no idea what you are talking about anyway.

 

[Sorry!]

Does that mean no one gets pulled over for going 8 over except red sportscars?
I have a friend who got pulled over for going 7 over and for going 8 over and doesn't drive a red sportscar. If you're speeding, the consequence is a cop may pull you over. Blaming the car makes as much sense as blaming the weather.

Then they have a lot of people to choose from. You're just the one they caught.

Bahahahah... are you playing devils advocate or are you serious here.. hmm.

 

[DaveC426913]

Yeah, but we already know from your other posts that you suck at driving and have no idea what you are talking about anyway.

I was trying to think of something like that myself.

It's like that commercial on TV:
"...and you know who's in the lane right next to me? Yep! leroyjenkins!"
"No way!"
"Way!"

 

[Loren Booda]

This thread begs the question: do babes get let off more than guys?

 

[lisab]

This thread begs the question: do babes get let off more than guys?

Well I wouldn't call myself a babe lol, but all my life I've struggled with a strong tendency to drive like a crazed maniac. When I was in college and drove clunkers, I got pulled over and warned several times.

Eventually I got a steady job and could afford a nicer car (Subaru WRX :!)). In that car, I never got pulled over.

Despite my heavy right foot, I've never got a speeding ticket knock on wood.

 

[leroyjenkens]

No, it means it tends to happen more with red sportcars. I think you knew that.

What you said is you wouldn't get a ticket for going 8 over in a non-red non-sportscar. Obviously it happens to other people, which means you MAY also get one too.

And when your friend did the same 7 in a different car, what happened? Oh right, you have no comparison.

So I'm supposed to have 2 different realities running concurrently with the only variable being my friend driving 2 different cars, otherwise my argument invalid?

Read Borg's post 11.

I did. He said he tended to speed in his red sportscar and got lots of tickets. He sped and got tickets. How can you blame the car for that? He said he didn't get any tickets in his silver Prius, but he also didn't say he sped in his silver Prius. I think you may have added that part in your head.

Precisely. They have a lot of people to choose from. And yet they tend to catch the ones in the red sportscars.

So on that stretch of road, red sportscars get pulled over often? Or are you using the plural sportscars in reference to the one red sportscar that we know was pulled over there?
On that specific stretch of road, which is what he and I were discussing, people often speed. He gets pulled over in his red sportscar, and from that, you deduce that the cops tend to target red sportscars?

Yeah, but we already know from your other posts that you suck at driving and have no idea what you are talking about anyway.

Does this guy get a free pass to break the rules?

Bahahahah... are you playing devils advocate or are you serious here.. hmm.

Why wouldn't I be? Is there a gaping hole in my logic that you'd like to inform me about?

 

[DaveC426913]

So I'm supposed to have 2 different realities running concurrently with the only variable being my friend driving 2 different cars, otherwise my argument invalid?

Are you bring deliberately obtuse?

 

[Sorry!]

Are you bring deliberately obtuse?

He's basically just saying that he believes that car colour and getting tickets is a myth or an urban legend. I've never seen any studies and highly doubt they occur... I have a feeling it has more to do with the fact that the OP would pressumably be a younger male driving a sportscar rather... maybe the colour contributes to him getting noticed, maybe it's loud, maybe his music attracts attention... who really knows right?

 

[DaveC426913]

He's basically just saying that he believes that car colour and getting tickets is a myth or an urban legend. I've never seen any studies and highly doubt they occur... I have a feeling it has more to do with the fact that the OP would pressumably be a younger male driving a sportscar rather... maybe the colour contributes to him getting noticed, mayibe it's loud, maybe his music attracts attention... who really knows right?

He's basically saying that, yes; he's just doing a really bad job of it.

As for your hypothesis, it seems odd to me that

1] you would accept that the cops are possibly singling him out, you've just picked a different factor, namely his age & gender as opposed to his car's model and colour. Why would reject one and accept the other? I would have thought you'd unilateraly reject the idea of cops being biased in their selection.

2] you would think it plausible that a cop would ignore something so easily recognizable at a distance as the colour of the car, yet see through the windshield and be able to identify the gender and age of the driver. It seems to me a pretty good assumption that a cop decides he is going to stop a car when the car is still quite far away.

 

[Sorry!]

He's basically saying that, yes; he's just doing a really bad job of it.

As for your hypothesis, it seems odd to me that

1] you would accept that the cops are possibly singling him out, you've just picked a different factor, namely his age & gender as opposed to his car's model and colour. Why would reject one and accept the other? I would have thought you'd unilateraly reject the idea of cops being biased in their selection.

2] you would think it plausible that a cop would ignore something so easily recognizable at a distance as the colour of the car, yet see through the windshield and be able to identify the gender and age of the driver. It seems to me a pretty good assumption that a cop decides he is going to stop a car when the car is still quite far away.

Ah that's not what I was saying... the make of the car definitely does impact what's going on I said that in my post. Other contributing factors of course would be that he's a young male, possibly the colour of the car allows him to be more noticable but maybe the cop just saw his car, or heard the engine, or heard his music etc. etc. I do agree that he was probably singled out from the 'herd' so to speak based on particular factors but to jump to the conclusion that 'red sportscars' get pulled over more often is a bit premature in my opinion. As well you would be surprised at how well the cops can spot the driver of a car lol. I was going to talk about how race can also influence getting tickets and even how it influences being able to beat the ticket after you get it but it's apparently 'racially insensitive' to talk about that stuff.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Are you bring deliberately obtuse?

I'd be ashamed if I resorted to this.

 

[Moonbear]

Are you bring deliberately obtuse?

Of course he is.

Does that mean no one gets pulled over for going 8 over except red sportscars?
I have a friend who got pulled over for going 7 over and for going 8 over and doesn't drive a red sportscar.

And you did not specify the speed limit. 7 or 8 over in a 15 or 20 mph zone IS a lot and would get almost anyone a ticket. 3 over in a 15 mph zone is within a fairly normal range of variation just in speedometer accuracy. 8 over in a 60 mph zone is just normal keeping up with traffic.

Of course, your friend may have fallen into that OTHER category of cop magnets...young male.

I do think red cars are a bigger target. My only speeding ticket and one other time pulled over and got off with a warning were both when I owned a red car (it wasn't even a sports car, just a Focus). Neither time was I going very much over the limit. My other cars have been white, black and light blue. I won't count the white one, because that was my first car and aside from still being an overly cautious driver then, I lived in an area with such traffic congestion it was literally impossible to speed. But, my driving habits have been fairly consistent with the black, red and light blue cars. I owned the red car for the shortest amount of time too, so the odds would be more likely that if I was just getting my fair share of being picked from the crowd, I'd have been ticketed more in the black or blue cars than the red one.

 

[Saladsamurai]

Does this guy get a free pass to break the rules?

Which rule did I break? It's nothing personal, but you do suck at driving. Don't worry, it will come with time

Are you bring deliberately obtuse?

Well, he is definitely not acute and we can all agree that he is not right.

 

[turbo]

One day when returning east from a consulting job in NY state, I got pulled over on the Massachusetts turnpike. I was in the right lane, traveling with the flow of traffic, and a trooper standing under an overpass with a radar gun motioned me to the breakdown lane. There was a line of at least a dozen cars there, waiting to get written up. When they got to me, I told the trooper that I was in the travel lane, getting passed on the left, and that it pretty much stunk that every car getting ticketed had out-of-state plates. Not a Mass plate among 'em. He just grinned at me and said we're cracking down on speeders and we can't pull over everybody.

Just a little revenue-boost for our neighbor to the south. BTW, I was driving a late-model maroon Crown Victoria, so it's not they were targeting the vehicle nor the driver - just the license plates. ME, NH, NY, etc were all well-represented in the line-up.