Are cops easier on people who make a living driving?

[PontiacHO]

It’s typically low hanging fruit. Working folks are usually not the ones that end up on the six o’clock news causing a scene. Easier, cleaner, and more stops-citations looks great on the officers’ performance review. “Crime fighters” keeping our world “safe”.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Are cops easier on people who make a living driving?​

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.

Yes they are.... especially CDL Drivers. Not-so-much Uber, Lyft.....etc.

 

[ecotourist]

Might be true.

My BIL used to travel extensively for work. He was selling industrial cables to small road builders and northern mines. He had several stories of being stopped for speeding and then going for coffee with the highway patrol officer. Maybe just old friends but I don't think that would have happened to me.

 

[eljefino]

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 .

Quoted for truth. Wife was a CNA to work through college and was let off b/c she was in scrubs and work badge.

I got pulled over on my motorcycle riding to work at the TV station at 4:30 am. Cop asked me if I was running late, I said no sir, I actually have plenty of time. This was the fuzzy part of the overnight when today turns into tomorrow, and I was a working stiff instead of a late partier. Got a warning. Probably also helps that I wore an optional helmet and all paperwork was in order, rare for bikes in my state.

 

[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 know alot will give truckers a break as a ticket could mean a loss of their cdl and a career ending move.

 

[Chris142]

No. They know they have a job and can pay the fines.

 

[vavavroom]

The more pedantic and/or petulant the cop the more likely he'll give his own mother a speeding ticket for going 1 mile over.

 

[wwillson]

I got pulled over a three times when I was young for speeding. In all three instances, the first word that came out of my mouth was "Sir". If I didn't treat people with respect, my Dad would let me know in no uncertain terms that I was to show respect. I was pulled over rightfully for speeding and one time in the tail end of a school zone. All three times I was written a ticket, but that ticket was reduced to a < 10 over non-school zone violation. I deserved every one of them and fared far better than I deserved, because I was respectful and didn't act like a jerk. I'm sure the reason the cops wrote me was because they saw a young kid that really needed to learn to slow down. They were right and I did.

I have not gotten a speeding or any type of moving violation since then. I've been pulled over twice more since, but for minor things that the cop just asked me if I would be more mindful of the law (Scott's law in IL & 3 over in a construction zone in Nebraska). To which both times I said, "Yes Sir".

The time I got pulled over for "speeding" in Mexico. I'll translate that for you. I was a US plated vehicle on the MX side of the border. The cop just wanted a $20 bill. I wasn't speeding. I did ask him if I could have a written ticket and he just looked at me like, man you are an idiot and told me I would have to go see the judge if he had to write a ticket. I gave him $20, told him to have a nice day, and went on my merry way.

 

[Ranger83]

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.

My daughter went to UMass Amherst. She got stopped for having a headlight out. But she’d just had the bulbs changed. Officer #2 rapped on the light and it came back on.

….So he ticketed a back seat passenger for no seat belt….

 

[6.7 CTD]

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.

Can vouch for this

 

[The motor guy]

I got pulled over a three times when I was young for speeding. In all three instances, the first word that came out of my mouth was "Sir". If I didn't treat people with respect, my Dad would let me know in no uncertain terms that I was to show respect. I was pulled over rightfully for speeding and one time in the tail end of a school zone. All three times I was written a ticket, but that ticket was reduced to a < 10 over non-school zone violation. I deserved every one of them and fared far better than I deserved, because I was respectful and didn't act like a jerk. I'm sure the reason the cops wrote me was because they saw a young kid that really needed to learn to slow down. They were right and I did.

I have not gotten a speeding or any type of moving violation since then. I've been pulled over twice more since, but for minor things that the cop just asked me if I would be more mindful of the law (Scott's law in IL & 3 over in a construction zone in Nebraska). To which both times I said, "Yes Sir".

The time I got pulled over for "speeding" in Mexico. I'll translate that for you. I was a US plated vehicle on the MX side of the border. The cop just wanted a $20 bill. I wasn't speeding. I did ask him if I could have a written ticket and he just looked at me like, man you are an idiot and told me I would have to go see the judge if he had to write a ticket. I gave him $20, told him to have a nice day, and went on my merry way.

Does that mean he pocketed the $20?

 

[wwillson]

Does that mean he pocketed the $20?

Absolutely

 

[The motor guy]

Absolutely

Wish the cops would do that here.

 

[wwillson]

Wish the cops would do that here.

You want to see lawlessness here?

 

[gman2304]

I know alot will give truckers a break as a ticket could mean a loss of their cdl and a career ending move.

^ This along with politeness, courtesy and respect! I drove class 8 trucks for 45 years but most times when I got pulled over the officer had me dead to right. 90% of the time by displaying the above attributes I was let go with a warning ticket or a mild dressing down. I had a S.C. HP officer tell me that as long as the big trucks stayed 10 mph under the posted speed they were good to go. I haven’t had a speeding ticket since 1997.

 

[Kruse]

You want to see lawlessness here?

I recently spent a week in Durango and Mazatlan, Mexico, a lot of it on their roads. During that time, our vehicle got pulled over multiple times and that's with Mexican plates and a Spanish-speaking driver. They single you out for no reason whatsoever, keep you at long as they want and they carefully and slowly inspect all passports. Without any search warrants, they can make you empty out all your luggage and detain you for no reason. They also have breathalyzer tests for all drivers on certain streets after sundown. Yes, bribery is common.
We don't want to see our law enforcement have that much power.

 

[97prizm]

I recently spent a week in Durango and Mazatlan, Mexico, a lot of it on their roads. During that time, our vehicle got pulled over multiple times and that's with Mexican plates and a Spanish-speaking driver. They single you out for no reason whatsoever, keep you at long as they want and they carefully and slowly inspect all passports. Without any search warrants, they can make you empty out all your luggage and detain you for no reason. They also have breathalyzer tests for all drivers on certain streets after sundown. Yes, bribery is common.
We don't want to see our law enforcement have that much power.

A comedian and I can't remember who was in Mexico with some friends on a gig. One night late he and his friend were "randomly " searched by local police who took 100 pesos off of them and let them go.

 

[nomas]

My daughter in law is a RN and her husband ( My son ) is a Deputy . She could get away with almost anything .
My wife has a decal on her back window that says Deputy Sheriff's Mom . That has gotten her special treatment before .

 

[gman2304]

My daughter in law is a RN and her husband ( My son ) is a Deputy . She could get away with almost anything .
My wife has a decal on her back window that says Deputy Sheriff's Mom . That has gotten her special treatment before .

I have the ‘ thin blue line’ flag sticker on my truck……

 

[Tman220]

I do believe some officers will give professional drivers a break under certain circumstances. I have a CDL and have been pulled over several times in my Z28 doing things that would get most people a ticket. Exhibition, speeding etc. Nothing was outrageous, wag the tail a little, 10 mph over. When I was pulled over in those instances I was polite and cooperative and showed respect. It helps I dont have any speeding or worse tickets in my history for 10+ years. In one case the officer commented that he was going to let me off with a warning with a short lecture and that he didn't want to mess with my driving record due to the CDL.

I think attitude and respect go a long way though and in probably most circumstances it's the deciding factor.