Are cops easier on people who make a living driving?

[The motor guy]

A few years ago I read somewhere that the police have an unwritten rule where they give breaks to people who make a living driving. Uber drivers, the ups man etc, they may let it slide where they didn't make a complete stop at a stop sign where they will ding a normal person. Is there any truth to this? I hears about it, but never really looked into it.

 

[Propflux01]

Attitude is everything.

 

[Kira]

"Excuse me?", said a coworker who drove semis, "The police don't stop truckers? ...you were the bigger object....you were the vehicle which stopped...."

Ha-ha...In the "parts truck", I motored through a deeply snowy intersection against a red light because I didn't want to get bogged down. I am not a madman. There was no traffic in the intersection.
However, a local cop pursued and stopped me. He barely could drive through the deep snow himself.
I calmly and respectfully told him I didn't want to get stuck.
He came back and said, "I'm giving your boss a ticket". My boss had a dealership plate on the parts truck. A standard commercial registration/ plate was required.

 

[methusaleh]

30 years ago when I started in the profession, my answer would have been “maybe”, depending on a whole list of factors to be taken into account.

For better or for worse, my answer today is “absolutely not”. In the world of cameras everywhere, people wanting to report the police for not doing their jobs, etc., I think the political fallout would be too much.

Today my retirement gig is being a campus cop and I do motor vehicle enforcement when the brass wants me to. And 99.999 percent of the time it’s freshmen from out of state at the beginning of the year (which is this week…ugh). I don’t think any of us like it except for one young guy. Anyhow, department policy is everything gets reported somewhere, somehow. If I stop to give someone directions, I call in to dispatch and tell them to make a log entry with my location and time. I’ll scribble the license plate number in my pocket notebook in case anything further becomes of it.

Heaven forbid we have an actual encounter with a violation…written citation, photo of said citation, back to the office to write a full report about it with the photo attached, reference to any possible video, possible witnesses, etc. The powers that be really want to cover their behinds.

 

[97prizm]

A few years ago I read somewhere that the police have an unwritten rule where they give breaks to people who make a living driving. Uber drivers, the ups man etc, they may let it slide where they didn't make a complete stop at a stop sign where they will ding a normal person. Is there any truth to this? I hears about it, but never really looked into it.

I've been told this by a couple of police officers over the years.

 

[ripcord]

My state and probably every other one out there has a commercial enforcement division of the highway patrol. They have a quota (official or unofficial) just like every other patrolman out there

 

[Jetronic]

A few years ago I read somewhere that the police have an unwritten rule where they give breaks to people who make a living driving. Uber drivers, the ups man etc, they may let it slide where they didn't make a complete stop at a stop sign where they will ding a normal person. Is there any truth to this? I hears about it, but never really looked into it.

I don't know about cops, but judges and the law are harder on them over here. 10 kph over the limit is an instant 2 week ban from driving. and they don't let stoptionals slide.

 

[Dave Hess]

Attitude is everything.

Yep.

I got pulled over doing 90 in a 50 mph construction zone early one morning at 5:30 AM.
State Trooper gave me a warning which totally blew my mind.

I was very respectful and admitted to driving slightly over the speed limit.

 

[billt460]

Cops are easier on people who have and show respect, and common courtesy toward them. What you do for a living means little to nothing.

 

[markweatherill]

All the written rules are about what happens if you infringe this or that law or regulation.
The unwritten rule is that if you don't do anything like that, you'll get all the breaks going.

 

[John105]

Uber and Lyft, probably not.

Those which require special licenses, likely.

It was a different world pre dash and body cam. Then again, it was a different world. I've been let go 3X in scenarios that permanently cost people their licenses today. Only 1X was the book thrown at me and that was for 155 in a 55. I think that many of the wives tales in life, well, are true.

I think I've mentioned this before--look at an episode of Cops, shot 1992 in Phila. Look at it today. Order in the former, bedlam in the latter, which is puzzling given technology.

 

[nomas]

. What you do for a living means little to nothing.

Not exactly true. My daughter in law is an RN at the local Children's Hospital. Even though her husband ( My son ) is a Sheriff's Deputy, the conversation never has to go that far. Nurses are almost immune from tickets. Of course there are exceptions to everything.

 

[billt460]

...... It was a different world pre dash and body cam. Then again, it was a different world.........

This is true. It's almost unbelievable how much modern society has deteriorated. Yes, dash and body cameras put it front and center for all to see. Where as before a lot of this bad behaviour went unreported to the general public.

Also, today cops are extremely politically restrained, and have to take more crap from people than ever before because of it. I honestly don't know how they do it.... Or why. Their patience level is off the chart having to put up with these idiots.

Look at air travel. These outbursts on airliners are now what seems to be a daily occurrence. With most all of them involving law enforcement to some degree. And nothing is done about it. It continues over and over.

You would think by now they would have a law, rule, or whatever, stating if you have to be forcibly removed from a passenger aircraft, you automatically go on a Federal permanent No Fly list. All this crap would end in a day.... But unfortunately, today we live in a world that equals crime without punishment.

 

[nomas]

You would think by now they would have a law, rule, or whatever, stating if you have to be forcibly removed from a passenger aircraft, you automatically go on a Federal permanent No Fly list. All this crap would end in a day....

No , it would not end . You are giving people way too much credit . There is no penalty out there that would end negative behavior . People are too emotionally driven .

 

[dnewton3]

Short answer is “No”; professional drivers aren’t afforded any extra consideration.

Attitude and previous history are the key factors, subject to dept policy.

 

[Oey12]

Cops are easier on people who have and show respect, and common courtesy toward them. What you do for a living means little to nothing.

I knew quite a few cops that would let people go if they apologized for the violation at some point in the interaction. As opposed to the motorist first words being “why are you stopping me?!?!”.

Respect is paramount…. Everyone wants it but most people don’t like showing it…

 

[shortyb]

This is true. It's almost unbelievable how much modern society has deteriorated. Yes, dash and body cameras put it front and center for all to see. Where as before a lot of this bad behaviour went unreported to the general public.

Also, today cops are extremely politically restrained, and have to take more crap from people than ever before because of it. I honestly don't know how they do it.... Or why. Their patience level is off the chart having to put up with these idiots.

Look at air travel. These outbursts on airliners are now what seems to be a daily occurrence. With most all of them involving law enforcement to some degree. And nothing is done about it. It continues over and over.

You would think by now they would have a law, rule, or whatever, stating if you have to be forcibly removed from a passenger aircraft, you automatically go on a Federal permanent No Fly list. All this crap would end in a day.... But unfortunately, today we live in a world that equals crime without punishment.

Well said.

I was fortunate with my dept here in SC to have discretion on how I did my job and also having support from not only the admin., but the citizens as well. With regard to how I enforced the law, I treated it as behavior modification and attitude does play a big part. Pull over, be polite, understand and acknowledge what you did wrong and the impact it has on traffic safety? You probably got a warning from me. Act disrespectful, challenge what you did wrong or my authority to do my job, have a record of habitually doing the same type violation? I give you an invitation to see a real live judge. This was my sole variable in the totality of circumstances that would sway me one way ot another, didn't matter what you did for a living or who you were. If I thought the mere fact, along with the trauma, of being stopped and pointing out what you did wrong would keep you from avoiding said behavior in the future, I had done my job.

 

[John105]

This is true. It's almost unbelievable how much modern society has deteriorated. Yes, dash and body cameras put it front and center for all to see. Where as before a lot of this bad behaviour went unreported to the general public.

Also, today cops are extremely politically restrained, and have to take more crap from people than ever before because of it. I honestly don't know how they do it.... Or why. Their patience level is off the chart having to put up with these idiots.

Look at air travel. These outbursts on airliners are now what seems to be a daily occurrence. With most all of them involving law enforcement to some degree. And nothing is done about it. It continues over and over.

You would think by now they would have a law, rule, or whatever, stating if you have to be forcibly removed from a passenger aircraft, you automatically go on a Federal permanent No Fly list. All this crap would end in a day.... But unfortunately, today we live in a world that equals crime without punishment.

I’ll just tell 1/3 of the incidents. Back in 2005, I was driving home having partied at the shore. NJSP lit it up. I thought man I have just changed my life for the worse. Long story short? The trooper told me you need to get off the road, take a rest, and don’t leave until you’re rested, understand? I had exited the expressway and pulled into a Wendy’s. I was courteous and so was the trooper. In retrospect he used his discretion and it was not wasted and was genuinely appreciated. 19 years have passed and I haven’t had any more incidents. Every type of police officer I’ve encountered in my life has been courteous and professional, and I will make 2 exceptions. CT and NY. And no offense if anyone works there it’s just my limited experience….

 

[Dave P.]

I haven't been stopped more than a handful of times but when it happens, I make sure my actions put the officer at ease. I open both windows and keep my hands on the top of the steering wheel so they are visible as they approach the car. If it's dark out, I turn on the interior lights. When they ask for registration and insurance, I tell them that it's in the glove box before I go and reach. I don't know if it helps, but these officers never know what they might be walking up on so if I can help them relax just a bit, maybe they show some appreciation.

 

[64bawagon]

I think a lot depends on the departments culture. Everything is recorded now, not much wiggle room in a video.