Are You A Cop Car Magnet?

March 7th, 2008 Posted in ,

By Farley James

magnetThere is a subset of the population who are cop car magnets. They barely turn the ignition key on and the red and blue lights are flashing in the rear view mirror.

Is it their race, their color, their nationality, or some other obvious feature? Yes, sometimes, but mostly it’s people who work at being jerked around and then are stupefied as to why they are being “picked on.”

They come in a lot of sizes and shapes, usually male and usually young. (If they aren’t bright enough to figure out what’s going on, after several encounters, they move on to be picked on by their keepers.)

Common configurations include:

  • The wannabe low rider slumped low in the driver’s seat with only the off center bill of his cap protruding above the steering wheel, radio cranked to 110 decibels projecting the heart beat of a whale and “bitchin” scratched into the trunk lid with a screwdriver.
  • A 1990 civic complete with 8 inch diameter Chrome can tail pipe, hand painted racing stripe, no front plate, and never shifted into second gear until driven a mile or two in first gear at speeds between 35 and 45 MPH, just to keep that “JC” pipe at full song for the benefit of the surrounding population.
  • The biker with the obligatory straight pipes, two foot raised bars, Nazi helmet and Iron Cross rearview mirrors complimenting the little pig with police uniform screwed to the rear fender.
  • A ten year old pick-up jacked up high enough to clear fire hydrants and small children, shod with tires that would do a John Deere proud, two six inch barely muffled stacks, and several million candle power of lights capable of burning out the rear window of a new BMW a hundred yards distant.
  • OK, if I must, red sport cars.

All but the last category are populated by folks who just can’t figure out why the police seem to single them out, instead of the lady in the van with the cell phone glued to her head through two light changes. Or the old guy that likes the left lane because it’s smoother and he can see the shoulder better.

It must be the hair-do, or maybe their taste in music. It certainly couldn’t be the bumper sticker that proclaims “Charley Manson Was My Mother.”

Image Credit: a3bs

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  1. 70 Responses to “Are You A Cop Car Magnet?”

  2. By Hubertg on Aug 23, 2008

    Psychology dictates personal expression in what we drive. It ranges from the ego of exotic cars/trucks to the ridiculous thumping,rasping,stickered up,things we see in traffic. Some of this stuff leaves me with the impression that there are some real “Einsteins” out there. And Conversely, there are those who have more money than is necessary, and they wish to convey this fact to others. As an old school gearhead, from where I’m standing some of the stuff out there is beyond stupid. I can see where the cops might have a close look at those who do these things to gain attention in the first place.

  3. By adam on Aug 23, 2008

    Drew,

    So exactly what position am I in?? You seem to know more about it than I do. also.. Myspace?? okay. where do you get the idea you can tell if I am a good person or not??
    Strange….

  4. By drew on Aug 23, 2008

    Adam,
    Im a lot younger than u think and probably 1 of ur peers! U just have to remember that for every action in life their is a reaction and that’s probably y ur in the position that ur in. It doesnt matter wheather ur in a vehicle or not. Hopefully u keep that in mind while ur going back and fourth between MySpace and this forum. Bro I hope everything goes ur way. They say that good things happen to good people, it just depends on whose is looking at the situation. My friend ur a good person from were I looking at it from…lol

  5. By adam on Aug 22, 2008

    Drew,

    Actually I’m fine driving the car that I drive right now. I don’t plan on changing my opinion of police any time in the near future. Thanks for the advice though.
    I can tell by your statements that you must be an older man. Maybe you should let your kids put you in that home they’ve been talking about so you don’t fall down the stairs in your house. Plus you’ll have an easier time getting around in that power scooter. lol

  6. By drew on Aug 22, 2008

    Adam
    I can tell by ur statements that ur a young man (hopefully and not just dumb), and everything will be ok once u mature and realize the world is not out to get you. You will learn and one day tell ur kids “when I was young..” thats when ur opinion will come into play. until then y dont u buy a bicycle, and make sure u have all proper lights and equipment on it so u dont get profiled..lol Just out of curiousity wat state do u live in

  7. By Jon on Jul 15, 2008

    If you don’t want to attract the attention of the police there are certain things you can do or not do to “Stay off their Radar” so to speak. If you have no problem attracting the attention of the cops, carry on. It’s your life.

    I have a loud fast car and a “Soccer Mom” van. On average, I drive slower in my car than in my van. Why? Because the car attracts more attention than the van and is more likely to get stopped.

  8. By Adam on Jul 15, 2008

    Jon.. I’m not sure what point you are talking about or if you are referring to the debate between CSP and me. Explain please…
    CSP.. I don’t give a damn what would cause you to have, or to not have, sympathy for me. And I do have an absolute right to do whatever I like so long as it is not against the law. If the cops choose to harass me, I have no problem filing a lawsuit detailing that harassment so you are wrong (which I’m sure is nothing new to you), I have no problem attracting the attention of the cops. As I have said, nothing I do is illegal therefore I do not worry about any “attention” they choose to give me. It can only backfire on them.

  9. By S. BOWEN on Jul 15, 2008

    OH THERE WAS ONE MORE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION AND I DO BELIEVE WITH THIS COP IT COULD BE THE REAL REASON FOR HIS DISLIKE OF ME SO MUCH AND THAT IS THAT I DO HAVE LONG HAIR!! AND IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN JUDGED ON THAT FACT IT IN FACT IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE. AND EXCUSE ME BUT I DONT THINK I SHOULD BE CRITICIZED, OR HARASSED BECAUSE OF IT. I MEAN I KEEP UP MY APPEARANCE. I DON’T LOOK TRASHY I JUST HAVE LONG HAIR. I MEAN COME ON ITS NOT GREEN OR A MOHAWK. BUT FOR SOME REASON ALOT OF COPS JUST DONT LIKE IT. CAN’T PEOPLE GET OUT OF THE DARK AGES MY GOD!!

  10. By Jon on Jul 15, 2008

    S. Bowen,
    No one could have made my point (and C. S. P. Schofield’s) more eloquently. Thank you for your comments.

  11. By S. BOWEN on Jul 15, 2008

    I DID LEAVE ONE THING OUT OF THE STORY APROX 3 YEARS AGO I HAD PASSED A CAR ON A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE IT TURNED OUT IT WAS A COP ON HIS DAY OFF HE PULLED ME OVER 3 DAYS LATER FLIPPED HIS LID AND GAVE ME A TIX WHICH I FOUGHT IN COURT AND GOT CUT IN HALF. THEN SAID COP FOUND ME A COUPLE MONTHS LATER AND GAVE ME A “SPEEDING” TIX FOR THE EXACT AMOUNT THE JUDGE HAD CUT THE OTHER IN HALF. AND EVER SENSE THEN THAT COP HAS DONE EVERYTHING HE CAN DO TO FU-K WITH MY LIFE EVEN THOUGH ITS BEEN ALMOST 4 YEARS HE HAS EVEN GONE AS FAR AS BRINGING UP THAT OLD CASE!! MY GOD ITS BEEN 4 YEARS GET OVER IT ALREADY AND LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!!!!

  12. By Jon on Jul 13, 2008

    S. Bowen,
    I believe that either you are leaving something important out of your story or someone that looks exactly like you has done something that the CHP finds extremely irritating and probably stupid. I think the moral of all the stories here is do your best to stay off the radar of the local police; pun intended.

  13. By S. BOWEN on Jul 13, 2008

    i have a question has anyone ever herd of a cop taking your picture during a traffic stop in which you were issued an illegal citation that was “dismissed in the interest of justice” by the officer when you went to court. and during the stop it took four cops 45min to come up with that illegal ticket. and in the next two months your suddenly being stopped and ticketed by every C.H.P. in your town to the point that the D.M.V. is now trying to suspend your D.L. for reaching the max on points all in a period of about 4 months? the cop told me he had to take the pict. so i couldn’t say i was my brother in court. (i don’t have a brother) and sense the ticket was “dismissed” then what was the picture for and why all of a sudden am i being f–ked with by all the rest of his fellow officers in my town? if thats not profiling i don’t know what is? got any ideas??

  14. By C. S. P. Schofield on Jun 18, 2008

    Let me put it another way: If you walk past a hulking brute and give him the finger, and he deviates your septum, HE broke the law and YOU got what you asked for. Depending on strict adherence to the Law over human nature, while doing your best to provoke said human nature, is at best passive aggressive nitwittery of the first order. It turns your life into a soap opera while allowing you (at last in your own mind) a sense of moral superiority.

    Frankly, people like you are caraway seeds stuck between the teeth of life. You irritate, but accomplish nothing worthwhile.

    If - as I’ve suggested - you would choose your time and place so as to forward some agenda, I would have more sympathy. Instead you believe that you have a God given and absolute right to be a wandering irritant … and to complain when you get scratched.

    The facts remain; water is wet, fire burns, and if you insult the Cops you attract their attention - which attention you are unlikely to enjoy.

  15. By adam on Jun 18, 2008

    Sorry, I expect the cops to follow the LAW, not your “rules”. Maybe that’s why you feel I am intent on making your point.. Cops messing with people for being “idiots” are just as much a threat to you and me as whatever else you want to use to fill in the blank.

    There are cops in a certain department near where I live that get the finger from me every time I see them. You may consider me to be an idiot for that and that doesn’t matter to me at all.. I have never had a lapse in insurance coverage or ran with expired tabs. I don’t have anything illegal in my car nor would I allow it to be searched just because “I’m not hiding anything.” Your ideas don’t hold any water with me because I would probably fit into your “dolt” category but I also know I have every right to flip off the cop as long as it stays inside the car. It pisses them off which makes it worth it to me. I’m kinda all over the place with this but the point is, a f*ck the cops sticker or a middle finger to your favorite pig should NEVER increase your chances of being pulled over regardless of how immature you may find it to be. Throw out a few key words such as “harassment” and they back off pretty quick if they know they are in the wrong.. in my experiences anyway.

    For the record, I agree with your view on red light cameras. However a serious threat to your liberties is just that, I wouldn’t put something that important into categories of more or less serious.

  16. By C. S. P. Schofield on Jun 17, 2008

    My point, which you seem intent on making for me, is that people who display insults like the hypothetical sticker are stupid.

    There is the Law, but there are also The Rules. The Rules say that if you go into an Irish Pub on St Patrick’s Day while wearing a Union Jack the odds are very good that you won’t leave on two feet. A person who does this simply because he wears a Union Jack at all times is a fool. One who does it because he expects the reaction and has arranged for it to be taped is a Masochist, but not necessarily an idiot.

    Put a “F**K Cops” sticker on your car and drive it past a a speed trap when you have arranged for the local news team to be filming and you are an activist. Put it on the car and forget about it, and then whine about getting puled over, and you are a dolt.

    Dolts are likely to do other stupid things, and the Cops know this. Dolts forget to renew their insurance, or their registration. Dolts don’t know how to go about legally refusing to allow a search of their car, and have probably left something in it that they shouldn’t have. Dolts make trouble for themselves. They also make more trouble for the rest of us than they are worth. In an ideal world the Cops would laugh off that sticker. The world isn’t ideal, and people who insist that it should be are missing the point.

    Red Light cameras are a serious threat to our liberties. Cops rousting idiots for being idiots are a lesser one.

  17. By Adam on Jun 17, 2008

    Sorry C.S.P., cops don’t “get” to pull me over unless I have committed an infraction. I would like to know where you get your stats that show because a person has a “f**k the cops” bumper sticker, they are more likely to drive without insurance, expired registration, etc. Or are you one of those that just makes up stuff like that to prove a misguided point?

  18. By C. S. P. Schofield on Jun 17, 2008

    Gentlemen, please.

    This is not a website about first amendment issues. This is about driving in the U.S.A. without perforating your ulcer.

    Yes, in the abstract, you have a right to put a “F**K the Cops” sticker on your car. However, doing so - let’s be honest here - marks you as a jerk with low impulse control and a room temperature I.Q.. Jerks with low impulse control, in addition to putting literary swill on their bumpers - are prone to having lapsed insurance, expired registration, and pot in the glove compartment. So the cops get to pull you over, make your life miserable, and be completely justified. He passes go, collects his tokens, AND gets his $200.

    Which is why smart people only issue direct insults when they want the expected reaction.

  19. By TinTop on May 24, 2008

    Cop Magnet ??…Hell.. Slap on some colors and see how far that gets ya !!!

  20. By Joe on Mar 22, 2008

    A couple thoughts. Not to minimize the fact but the last report I noted a few months ago, LEO’s didn’t even get in the top ten riskiest jobs, perhaps not even in the top fifteen. Many of us have jobs that have some risk to them and we accept that risk as part of the job. If your concern about any job is that risk, you should find another job even if even if you otherwise enjoy the job.

    As for bad cops. I’ve aways viewed law enforcement as that unique job that has no other parallels in our society. As a LEO you do have that one in a thousand job. Because the focus of your job involves contact with citizens and the impact you can have on them, we simply should not tolerate ANY bad cops. If you as an officer approach this job with a lackluster attitude of “just another job” you probably shouldn’t be a LEO.

    Most professions as you correctly stated have bad examples. Generally speaking, if I’m a bad mechanic for instance, I won’t affect your life. If I’m a poor ticket agent for an airline, I won’t affect your life. If I have a poor skill level or a bad attitude at my job, I won’t affect your life. If your a bad cop….you can and quite possibly will affect mine. That’s the glaring difference. You represent the entire justice system of this country. Because of that uniqueness we simply cannot accept for instance; the agenda driven, testosterone driven, or the Buba’s in such a job. Yes, law enforcement will have bad apples among them but the key is to have a continuous detection mechanism in place, give them a chance to change their ways. If that doesn’t work get rid of them ASP.

    Having said that, at a traffic stop, respect should be reciprocal. I am one of those who, having put in a stint in the military, generally is a “yes sir” driver. However I deserve to ask questions about the traffic stop, in a respectful manner, without being considered a “smart ass”. Some officers don’t like ANY questions about a traffic stop. As part of YOUR job as a officer, it’s your obligation to answer any applicable questions about the traffic stop. You made the call, now it’s your turn to justify that stop without turning on the intimidating mode.

    There’s two different view points to be considered. You must remember that as an officer it’s just another routine traffic stop. To a driver it’s NOT just another routine stop. Each traffic stop has to be individualized. Just because you as an officer may have had a disrespectful driver on a previous traffic stop is no reason not to compartmentalize that experience from future traffic stops. That’s the time to be “robotic” in your job. No mood swings, no personality disorders, no negative human reactions…. nothing. Unfortunately that can be hard to do but it’s part of the job and training you should receive as a LEO. If you can’t do that, do us all a favor and find another job.

    As part of a detection mechanism I’ve always advocated feedback to the police chief on all traffic officers. Any good department should welcome feedback. The recipient of each traffic citation should be given a critique sheet to be filled out and sent in. Will you get some negative feedback….of course. But I believe most drivers will give you considerably more positive feedback then negative …IF YOUR A GOOD OFFICER maybe even a kudos once in a while. Over the course of time and compared to other officers a profile will develop to indicate how good an officer you are, how good a public servant you are.

    As for intimidation, it doesn’t work in the long run. Or scaring the hell out of drivers simply results in resentfulness. Most drivers will echo their experience with their relatives, friends, and co-workers which serves to even amplify the problem. You may develop life-long cop hater(s) if you do that. Maybe you don’t give a damn but your fellow officers might as they may have future negative encounters with these individuals. To reiterate, treating drivers badly will do nothing to help the cause and may even damage it.

    As for profiling, I have mixed emotions about that in law enforcement, especially concerning the driving public. If it’s done “by the book” it might be alright. I definitely favor it on the flying public. What the TSA is doing right now at the airports is a waste of resources in my opinion. They’re bent more on being politically correct then being terrorist correct. It’s not their fault, it’s simply where we’re at in society right now. The Israelis have been using it very successfully for years but then again politically correctness is not something they are concerned with. They’re more concerned with survival.

  21. By Jon on Mar 22, 2008

    I haven’t had a moving violation in over 30 years. I never get pulled over and I drive a lot for my job. I bought a “Cop Magnet” a few years ago, a souped up convertible top turbo ‘97 Eclipse. One hot summer night around midnight I finally got pulled over. Few cars on the road and I wasn’t paying attention, just enjoying the ride. The officer told me he paced me doing 60 in a 35 zone. I was polite and self deprecating about my stupidity. I said I knew that eventually this car would get me in trouble. In turn he was polite, made some complimentary remarks about my car and after checking my paperwork gave me a warning. “Have a good night, drive safe and try to keep it under 100 going home” he said. Despite my driving a “Cop Magnet” I’m convinced that having a good attitude when dealing with the police will go a long way.

  22. By Adam on Mar 22, 2008

    ohiocop

    I wish there were more cops like you in this area if what you say is true. As far as the respect issue, I give respect to those who earn it. At the grocery store I work at, there are plenty of cops that come in that I joke around with or am friendly to and that would carry over to a traffic stop. Then are those that are dickheads. They walk around with a smirk on their face and expect the public to kiss their ass because they have a gun on their hip. Those are the ones I have a problem with. When I find out those are the cops that ride the ass of my own mothers car ,to where she has to adjust the rearview from the blinding headlights, for 7 miles outside of their jurisdiction then pull her over and ask her if she’s on prescription pain killers (when she wasn’t, just driving home after a long night at work) then no, I’m not treating them with any ounce of respect.

  23. By j b on Mar 22, 2008

    Just treat them with courtesy and that will go a long way. When reaching for your license, tell the officer what you are doing. Keep your other documentation in plain sight and easily accessable. Cops are just human, treat them like $#!+ and they will return the favor, Treat them courteously and they will be fair with you. I have NEVER been pulled over without having made a mistake, half the time I just get a warning. Be nice, they are just earning a living.

  24. By AZ on Mar 22, 2008

    Just a few random thoughts as my life in general and career paths have given me the opportunity to see things from multiple points of view.

    Having been stopped by the police myself and having been with people who have been stopped, most people feel immediately intimidated whether or not they have done something wrong. SOME police know this and take the nervous factor into account when considering a person’s demeanor, some exploit it. As Ohiocop said - there are bad people in EVERY profession.

    As for profiling - I won’t say that it doesn’t happen anywhere because I don’t know every department in the country. However, not every instance is profiling - think of it a little like medicine - if a patient presents with a symptom belly pain, it could be something as serious as an infected appendix about to burst or something as innocuous as constipation.

    Police are “diagnosing” every day and there are far less police officers than the general public, so they can’t diagnose everyone, they have to pick the ones that exhibit symptoms.

    Yes, I too wish we could only have officers that treat the public respectfully and don’t overstep their bounds, but, I also know how police officers get treated in return.

    Many have lost their lives on a ’simple’ traffic stop, so I believe they do have the right to be wary when approaching a car, with tinted windows alone in the wee hours of the morning - wouldn’t you be?

  25. By Ohiocop on Mar 22, 2008

    First off, I have been a cop for over 15 years and have never issued a speeding citation for anything less than over 14 miles an hour over the speed limit. I DO stop people for speeding at 8mph and up to 14 and issue verbal warnings to them and advise them to slow down. My dept. DOES NOT have a quota system and we use our computer system to document each and every traffic stop with the verbal violation that can be used 2, 3, 6 months or later down the road to show that the violator did not comply with the verbal warning such as to get their headlight fixed, tail light, no front plate, etc. We go out of our way to inform the public through the verbal warnings that they are in violation of the law.

    I am not naive’ to think that their are not bad cops, departments out there, just like EVERY profession has, that give the rest of us professional officers a bad name. I do treat people with respect but have learned along time ago not to expect it as it is a dead idea in this country with MOST people. The respect for the law is no longer there, warranted or not, but it is funny to see those same people that yell and spit and degrade an officer want them to help them when they are a victim of crime……

  26. By Adam on Mar 22, 2008

    LOL linebacker sized deputy?? I’m bigger than any deputy i’ve ever encountered so I’m not worried about that. I’ve gotten into plenty of arguments with a certain member or two of a local police department around here so take that shit about talkin big online somewhere else. I’ve never been intimidated by anyone with a gun and a badge (especially the ones who think they are intimidating) What I meant by my statement was that I should not expect to be pulled over unless I have committed an infraction. Not because of how I look, dress, talk, walk, eat, sleep, breath, stickers on my car, etc. If I get stopped for a minor offense, I do behave reasonably. I do not behave reasonably (wise ass attitude as you call it) when I feel I am being stopped for the reasons I’ve mentioned above. I’m not here to brag about run ins with cops or anything like that. I know what I can say and what I can’t. I’ve never been arrested. When I commit an infraction and get stopped, I handle the consequences of it like anyone else should.
    Funny how periods of “high enforcement” tend to happen towards the end of the month when there are quotas to meet. It’s also funny how so many cops, around here at least, expect you to respect them, yet do nothing to earn it.

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