Small cross on mirror gets me pulled over

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Silk
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
she instructs me to stay in the car with my hands visible. She then proceeds to question me, asking if I have any weapons.


I am so happy I live in a country where cops don't carry guns, and have no reason to suspect anyone else will be carrying one either. Although we may get stopped for a random breath test, we certainly wouldn't get pulled over for something so ridiculous as something hanging on the mirror....and be considered a criminal before we opened our mouth.


1 - where did the officer state the OP was a criminal? The officer performed a vehicle stop and followed protocal to make sure the person was not armed. The officer has no clue who is behind the wheel and has to treat every situation as if it could be life threatening. If you had to approcah strangers all the time as an authority figure you too would be cautious. If you should be amazed about something be amazed the OP lied to the officer about having a weapon or not.

2 - many laws are ridiculous BUT the law is the law. If the OP's state has a law against things hanging on the mirror then it was a legit stop even if it was a ruse as I suspect for something else. As a few rational folks have mentioned it was more than likely because the police were looking for someone that the OP or his vehicle fit the description of. The OP has suffered no harm because he went through a brief check.

3 - you do realize that guns are not the only thing that qualifies as a weapon right? Officers where you live still face danger. The OP actually had a weapon. He had a pocket knife. May not have been big enough to kill with but he could have hurt the officer with it( not saying he would - generic point ).

4 - I am glad I still live in a country where the government hasn't taken all rights away and if I want to be a responsible gun owner I can be( and am ). I am sure you have heard about the recent bombing's in Boston, MA even in your country. Lots of people hurt without the use of guns. Crazy people will always find a way to do what they want. If you make guns illegal they either get them on the black market or they use something else like a bomb. Gun powder is not needed for making a bomb either before you say anything. Fertilizier and fuel make a BIG bomb.

 

[Shannow]

Called the Police to report my car door kicked in, and the bloke that arrived was concentrating on a loose mudflap, it's proximity to the tyre, and it's legality...as a result of a previous incident repaired, in which a DUI, unlicenced motorcycle rider who crashed my car, then fled.

He was more interested in my mudflap "close to tyre", then my kicked in door.

 

[GreeCguy]

I live in Spring Hill in Hernando County Florida. Mostly retired folks from up north have moved here, (a lot of people from New York and Chicago). I am a firm supporter of police and respect the job they do, (I have three cousins who are police officers in Orange County Florida where I was raised).

It could have been that she was looking for someone driving a car that fit either me or my car, (a white 1995 Olds Cutlass, pretty common in these parts).

It could have been she saw me as I drove by and was drawn to me because of my unbelievable good looks and irresistible charm and simply had to meet me, (I'm 50 years old, 6 feet, one inch tall, 208 pounds and until visiting the barber yesterday, looked like I could star on "Duck Dynasty." Who can resist that?)

Sure, it was no harm, no foul. But it was somewhat embarrassing to be pulled over in my own driveway with all my neighbors out in their yards. And it was somewhat confusing the way she didn't give me a reason for being pulled over until we were said and done, she was walking away and I had to ask. I do not believe she saw the cross as I passed her on the road. I think she thought that one up when she saw the cross hanging there in my driveway. Who knows what evil person lurks in my neighborhood who has a beard, wears a ball cap, and drives a white cutlass. It simply had to be my natural beauty and she was massively disappointed when she saw my wedding ring and knew I was already taken. Hence the reason for the delayed excuse for pulling me over, her mind was awash in thinking, "why have all the good ones already been grabbed?"

 

[Errtt]

I see stuff on mirrors all the time but never known anyone pulled for it.
I never hang anything from mine. Wife always has some foo foo smelly thing hang'n from hers, and youngest son has his college parking permit hanging from his.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Coming home tonight and pass a police officer on a side street two blocks from my house. She whips out behind me and right as I pull in the driveway, she hits her lights. I go to get out and she instructs me to stay in the car with my hands visible. She then proceeds to question me, asking if I have any weapons. When I reply no, (though I had a small pocket knife in my pocket) she asks to see my drivers liscense. I am instructed to wait in the car with hands visible while she runs my plate and liscense, (all while sitting in the driveway of my own home). Finally, she comes back and says I'm "clear" and can go about my business. She turns to walk away and I ask her why she pulled me over in the first place. She points to the tiny cross I have hanging from my rearview mirror and tells me it is illegal to have anything hanging from my mirror. She leaves with no further explanation. I've had that cross there for years and since High School I've always had a cross from my mirror. Grrrrrrrr - sorry for the rant but thanks for listening.

it is your new "lube" deodorant

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Originally Posted By: AlienBug
Post a pic if you can. If it's actually a tiny cross, it's hard to believe she saw it through the window of a moving car at night.

Bingo - it's the kind of cross you get when you're confirmed in the Church. It's about one inch long and half an inch wide on a very small chain.
I just got a haircut today and trimmed my beard - I don't think I look that "bad."

maybe the lady thought you are part of a gang.
i see the cross here a lot in the spanish talking community, but also eastern europe community (bulgarians, romanians, serbs, russioans, ukrainians, even armenians (and i may have missed some))

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Coming home tonight and pass a police officer on a side street two blocks from my house. She whips out behind me and right as I pull in the driveway, she hits her lights. I go to get out and she instructs me to stay in the car with my hands visible. She then proceeds to question me, asking if I have any weapons. When I reply no, (though I had a small pocket knife in my pocket) she asks to see my drivers liscense. I am instructed to wait in the car with hands visible while she runs my plate and liscense, (all while sitting in the driveway of my own home). Finally, she comes back and says I'm "clear" and can go about my business. She turns to walk away and I ask her why she pulled me over in the first place. She points to the tiny cross I have hanging from my rearview mirror and tells me it is illegal to have anything hanging from my mirror. She leaves with no further explanation. I've had that cross there for years and since High School I've always had a cross from my mirror. Grrrrrrrr - sorry for the rant but thanks for listening.

it is your new "lube" deodorant


You mean she wanted to get all "oily" with me. I shouldn't think of that as it makes me feel funny.

 

[eljefino]

Some states specifically codify how long a knife blade has to be to be a weapon. So for example anything under 3" is a tool and doesn't have to be declared.

Be wary of course that one can "weaponize" a harmless tool with context, eg unfolding it and pointing it at someone. Laws and court precidents vary widely.

Sure, you could be found innocent at your arraignment by saying you didn't consider it a weapon. That's the morning after you spent the night in jail.

 

[jrustles]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
The initial reason the officer wanted to check you out, may have had nothing to do with your cross hanging from the mirror, and could of been related to something that you might never know about unless you run into that officer somewhere and she remembers the exact reason, and you politely ask.

There may have been something about you, your vehicle, or depending on the information available to the officer regarding something going on in the neighborhood, some other reason.

Years ago a cousin of mine was driving his big old red Chrysler Newport with a faded paint job. All of the sudden several police cars swarm down on him and had him and his passenger get out and lean against the car. Then another police vehicle pulled up and an officer got out and escorted a young woman from his car and had her look at my cousin and his friend. She said "no, they are not the ones". The officers then explained to my cousin that that young girl has just been raped, and the suspect drove away in a car matching the description of his car.



Bingo...we have a winner. But I am amazed at how many paranoid people there are on here.


Exactly! If I had a cop run up behind me in my own driveway for a hanging cross, I'd be honoured! i'd feel so safe to have a cop at arms length telling me to hold my hands in the air on my own property for absolutely no good reason. And GreeCGuy should feel privileged and honoured also. These cops put their life on the line to keep people feeling uneasy and criminal on their own property because they had a hair out of place, so they deserve all of the love and respect and thanks they can get. If ya got nothin' ta hide, why not spend the majority of your life proving it? Totally with ya, there, pally pallerson.

Seriously, GreeCGuy, I'm sorry you had to be accused without probable cause on your own driveway that you work and pay for.

 

[jrustles]

Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Originally Posted By: AlienBug
Post a pic if you can. If it's actually a tiny cross, it's hard to believe she saw it through the window of a moving car at night.

Bingo - it's the kind of cross you get when you're confirmed in the Church. It's about one inch long and half an inch wide on a very small chain.
I just got a haircut today and trimmed my beard - I don't think I look that "bad."

maybe the lady thought you are part of a gang.
i see the cross here a lot in the spanish talking community, but also eastern europe community (bulgarians, romanians, serbs, russioans, ukrainians, even armenians (and i may have missed some))

totally. Maybe she should raid churches for gang activity. Maybe masonic lodges are next.....

 

[PandaBear]

Consider that the cop only told you after you ask, it is not about the cross but just an excuse to either 1) meet the quota for stopping vehicles, or 2) profiling.

 

[John_K]

If it's illegal why didn't she make you remove it? Sounds like a lame excuse to me.

John

 

[NJC]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
She points to the tiny cross I have hanging from my rearview mirror and tells me it is illegal to have anything hanging from my mirror.

I would probably start laughing if they pulled me over for that, in my city of Vancouver (Canada). I'd have to be doing some far more serious to get their attention.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: NJC
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
She points to the tiny cross I have hanging from my rearview mirror and tells me it is illegal to have anything hanging from my mirror.

I would probably start laughing if they pulled me over for that, in my city of Vancouver (Canada). I'd have to be doing some far more serious to get their attention.


You aren't kidding. A simple walk through Hastings says all that needs to be said.

 

[cathy]

when I was college student I had these type of incidents. If you are young/immigrant you might be unaware of "aggressive" police (everywhere).
I saw city police "lying in wait" to catch speeders on my university campus. This was not even a common area for speeding, in a quiet town. And I see motorcycle police drive by stopped cars looking side to side for anyone/anything to pull over.
IME they scan/profile people even before they pull you over, pre-judging before knowlege, the opposite of a judge/jury trial.
Their cars will hide in your blind spot.
So you have to be aware of this, having a 360 degree view when driving.0

 

[andyd]

Don't wanna read through 6 pages of this drama. Apologies if this was done by p 3. You surprised her, so she had to go into Cop mode. The cross was an excuse. Oops. nobody is perfect. My drive way goes through a parking lot set back off the street. The police and the fire depts use this as a pit stop/ lunch. Doesnt bother me, in fact, I wave. Better than a big scary dog is a cop in a cruiser catching up on paperwork on the approach to your casa.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Was walking near a crime scene in the city of Miami not long ago and almost all of the investigator cars had something hanging from their rear view mirror from their Ford Taurus and Chevy Impala..It all depended what country the investigator was from.

Down here in Miami the Leos could not care less about something hanging from a rear view mirror..Unless you have 1% tint all around you are good to go down here.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: CROWNVIC4LIFE
Was walking near a crime scene in the city of Miami not long ago and almost all of the investigator cars had something hanging from their rear view mirror from their Ford Taurus and Chevy Impala..It all depended what country the investigator was from.

Down here in Miami the Leos could not care less about something hanging from a rear view mirror..Unless you have 1% tint all around you are good to go down here.


"Do as I say, not as I do" is how it works. I see cops speeding, not using signals, driving aggressively when not responding to a call, parking illegally, etc.

I have to say though, every time I have actually been pulled over has been totally legit. I have a lead foot sometimes and have been caught fair and square there. When they just follow me for kicks they never end up pulling me over. I guess they figure crackhead scrap metal thieves don't keep their tag current, lights working, etc.

 

[eljefino]

When they follow you, just pull off the road if they bug you.

If they were going to talk about a brake light out etc, something you didn't know about, they might be more likely to give you a warning.

If they turn on their lights and bullhorn you know they mean business and are waiting for backup.

I don't get why people try stuff like driving around without a front plate then act surprised when they get called on it. Why did the DMV give you that plate? Why does everyone else from your state have one? It then logically morphs into "I did it for two years and never got busted"... well what if one day they want to, is it worth being 15 minutes late to wherever for that traffic stop?

 

[armos]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I don't get why people try stuff like driving around without a front plate then act surprised when they get called on it. Why did the DMV give you that plate? Why does everyone else from your state have one? It then logically morphs into "I did it for two years and never got busted"... well what if one day they want to, is it worth being 15 minutes late to wherever for that traffic stop?


I was surprised because it's been 2 and a half years of police seeing it up close, and never taking any interest in it. The local guys especially see me every day on quiet roads, and have parked next to me countless times. Police in the surrounding region don't see me as often but it's been enough that I expected they would have cited me a long time ago. After a while, it becomes apparent that they don't care about it, and it stops being on your mind. So when one of them does, to such an extent that they take off into the interstate after it, it's unexpected, ie surprising.
From past experience with a "dim" rear license bulb, that a city cop saw from the front of my car, I expected it would be another fishing expedition. But this one was honest, he was just interested in the plate, not 20 questions. I have no complaint with the officer in this case. His reason for stopping me was specific and honestly stated, which is all that I ask and I respect him for that. I was just surprised by the extremely random enforcement.

It didn't make me late to anything.

To say that everyone else has a front plate wouldn't be accurate. A large number don't.

The issue with the plate is that it's under the windshield, not affixed to the front bumper. The car doesn't have a good place to put a front plate. The bracket that was available from the factory is no longer available. I know it's required, I'll come up with some half baked solution.
It would help it fit if I could trim the bottom of the plate (where nothing but useless state advertising is written) but I doubt the bureaucrats would accept that.