Afraid of the Po-po!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Yes a ghost car is just an unmarked police car. Many are Ford Crown Victory's!! See soem Dodge chargers, few GM models, and I have even seen a dodge mini van!

[The_Dude 1,142]

I was thinking that they were just unmarked cars, but then I remembered that in a lot of southern states, they put these decoy cars with dummies in them on highways. They tuck them behind some trees and stick the nose of the car out just so you can see it, but also so you don't have enough time to actually look at the car and see that it's a dummy in the car and not a live officer. They were proven to be quite effective, and very cost effective.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

a dodge mini-van would definitely throw me....they seem to always be American cars, usually in blue or white.

[WalkonWildSide 0]

a dodge mini-van would definitely throw me....they seem to always be American cars, usually in blue or white.

In Hawaii some police officers use their private vehicle as the police car. No way to know the make and models of the unmarked police cars. They tend to be SUV's but you never know.

In Hawaii the police tend to be friendly and they are not necessarily out to get anyone. However my best advice is to avoid the police since either your in trouble or you need some serious help.

Now the police in Moscow -- they ARE out to get you!!!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned West Virginia... Its brutal there. There's a city... I want to say its called like sommersville or something like that, and wow. Cops line the streets waiting for you to go over the speed limit by 2 miles an hour and get you. The one time Bill and I were driving through and I must have seen 6 cop cars with pulled over vehicles in the span of 10 minutes.

Unfortunately, I don't think I know how to drive the speed limit. I don't know about other parts of Canada, but around here the police presence is definitely lacking... The only time you see police patrolling streets is during the end of the month (... i've heard a couple theories on that one) So if its anywhere from the 1st to the 20th seeing a cop is actually quite rare. Its funny going down the highway here, all the American's hang out in the slow lane

No FSB here!

[Flames9_RN 358]

West Virginia, thats hillbilly country!!!

[The_Dude 1,142]

I loved the SLED (state police in south carolina). When I was in university, they were like the Fun Police. At least once a month, they would come into one of the big bars and block off all the exits and announce that you havd to have your ID out and present it to one of the officers at the exits in order to go home. It was always fun for me because I had a California driver's license, and I was one of the only students from California there. So, half the time, they thought it was a fake ID. The one time that really stuck out in my mind was when I had just bought a beer when they closed it. So, I tried to hide the beer as I walked out. They didnt' hastle me on my license, and I got about 10 feet out of the bar and decided to take a victory chug from my hidden beer. Well, I didn't even get the bottle to my lips when an officer grabbed my wrist and took the beer. He said "OK wise a$$, do you have an extra $80?". I was completely drunk at that point and didn't notice the hint of sarcasm in his voice. I got my wallet out and counted my money. "I've got $105 officer". He made me throw it out

[Sprailenes 47]

The cops in North Bay were asses. I couldn't even walk home most of the time because they would stop me and make do all the sobriety tests. They were jerks. I watched one beat up my friend on halloween night, and when we tried to issue a complaint and go up against them it was like hitting a brick wall. No one wanted to represent us, and they twisted our stories up so much.

[The_Dude 1,142]

When I was younger, I wasn't so much afraid of the cops as I was ignorant of my rights. Now, I know that if I get hastled with no justification or cause, I can bring them up on it. I know the procedures and process'. I've never witnessed police brutality or anything like that, but I have seen people get pulled over because they "fit the desctription".

[BH45 0]

Well Sprailenes....Cochrane seems to be the "training" spot for those asses...... At one time, there was never an issue to walk home after being out at the bars. In the last 5 years, they don't even want you walking home. The girls and I were going to "challenge" that but didn't think it would go over to well to have the following in the local newspaper - "Municipal Staff arrested for walking home inebriated!"

Here in Palatine, our "ghost cars" are usually black dodge chargers. I've had no issues with the police here. The one accident we had, the officers were good and explained things clearly. Yes there are lots of them out watching for speeders but I just think "There's another idiot who was in a big rush to get nowhere."

Edited April 6, 2009 by BH45

[Sprailenes 47]

Yea I always find it funny when someone speeds past me on the highway and then I see them pulled over ahead.

That's what they get for being an idiot.

[Krikit 1,163]

One of my strange paranoias is that I may one day be tasered while I'm out and about, minding my own business....

You need to be waiting on a visa or something to occupy your mind.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned West Virginia... Its brutal there. There's a city... I want to say its called like sommersville or something like that, and wow. Cops line the streets waiting for you to go over the speed limit by 2 miles an hour and get you. The one time Bill and I were driving through and I must have seen 6 cop cars with pulled over vehicles in the span of 10 minutes.

Yes, Summersville! I warned SuzukiWookie about it on his drive down here.

Yea I always find it funny when someone speeds past me on the highway and then I see them pulled over ahead.

That's what they get for being an idiot.

If they've been really aggressive and driving dangerously I always have to fight the urge to honk my horn and give the cop the thumbs up whenever that happens.

[MsZ 6]

They are out to get you, not to help you out. You really can't get away with anything, even if it's completely mindless.

I got stopped a couple months back for pulling out of a parking lot after eating and forgetting to put my lights on. Again, I got a ticket. He literally got me less then half a mile out of the parking lot. I forgot and didn't even have a chance to notice.

Whereabouts did you live in NJ? I used to live next to Newark so....the cops there aren't exactly the nicest because they don't have the nicest job.

I lived in S. Jersey for the first portion of my life, N. Central for the second portion -- where I was chased by cops, stopped and then picked on for going to see my "older" boyfriend, but never ticketed...

Oh. So how many life portions do I have? Good question.

I feel I'm in the 3rd portion these last few years.

And... Sigh... I will admit, I got a DUI in... NJ (Mahwah), not quite 3 years ago. The cops were fabulous. I was clearly in the wrong. They were kind, sympathetic, it was a few days before my birthday and the cop who drove me to impound to get my car told me he wasn't trying to be a smart-####, but he wished me a happy birthday, suggested I get a lawyer and told me not to worry. It isn't as bad as it seems. He was right. In NJ it is a moving violation. (Makes me inadmissable to Canada, however, thus the reason he moved here and not the other way around.) These guys were really nice.

I live in NY now. I fear no cop. Of course I don't want another ticket or any trouble, but they're just doing their job. And their job sometimes involves laying in wait for someone who is violating the law. I mean, wouldn't you if you were a cop? It is a game. So just play the game and if you get caught, eat the ticket. Or, don't speed.

Plus, I think NJ State Policemen look *great* in their uniforms. Very handsome! Much better than the Smokey the Bear hats the NY guys wear.

[JillA 2]

I'm more afraid of the poo-poo. Twin 16 month old niece and nephew will do that to you though.

I was more afraid of the Bicycle Police in Montreal. Some of them were wearing neon-orange camoflauge pants.

LOL the Montreal Police have been wearing funky clothes for awhile now, on purpose. They are without a contract and are doing odd things like wearing street clothes to work, and are purposely letting drivers away without tickets so the police dept doesn't collect the $$. They are doing this to try and pressure the city to give them a new contract. But it is funny to see the cops wearing pajama pants and the like

[MrsCat 6]

The cops in Hawaii are the friendliest I've ever met. . . . . . . minus the ones off duty in Edmonton in my younger days.

I don't know if all States are like this, but here almost 80% of the patrol cars are unmarked, and the officer can choose (and buy partially subsidized) any vehicle they want for patrols. There are so many Mustang GT cop cars cruising around. I honestly don't know how they'd fit anyone in the back seat if they had to make an arrest. I guess they'd call for back-up.

The cops in Alaska were tough looking, but really nice as well. I've never been pulled over for speeding in the US yet, so my opinion may change with the first ticket I'm issued.

Edited April 7, 2009 by MrsCat