How many times have you been 'pulled over' ?

[jmkodes]

Never, I’m a generic looking white guy, early 30s.

Never get pulled over, never have my car searched when boarding a ferry, never have my stuff searched going through an airport, etc, etc

It’s actually weird lol, I think people just take a look at me and go, “nope, there’s no way this guy is up to anything even remotely interesting, let’s not waste our time”

Edited by jmkodes on Tuesday 14th July 15:56

[MDUBZ]

white male driving for 25 years; Pulled over 5 times and all deserved:

2 for not wearing a seatbelt in my teens - yes i know (fined on one occasion)
and 3 stops for speed:

1: Pulled onto a dual carriageway in the dark; how was I to know the lights of the car I slotted in front of was a police car - as the road works ended I gunned it to the next junction, proceeded at the speed limit (40) and saw him closing at pace I just knew it was for me. It must of been the end of his shift, as he laughed at the "generous 70" answer to the how fast were you going? and he sent me on my way.

2: I saw the police car on the other side of the road as i exited a roundabout at full chat in 2nd, i saw it again in the rear view about 10 seconds later as I turned into a side road about 400m further down, i was not evading i was dropping of a mate after a night out, hadn't quite made it to his house when i was pulled . i'd had a ~2 pints and admitted as much, but not breathalised. the WPC was quite cute but very glad she didn't ask for my details and thought i might be pushing my luck asking for hers.

3: overtook an unmarked 3 series (who was doing maybe 45) on an NSL. I'd dropped a gear or 2 and had a run up, i was probably at about 6k as i went past them and still accelerating so must have been into 3 figures.. had a WTF moment when i looked in the rear view and it wasn't as far away as it should have been, then the disco lights came on .. somehow got away with that one too

[Jakg]

MDUBZ said:

3: overtook an unmarked 3 series (who was doing maybe 45) on an NSL. I'd dropped a gear or 2 and had a run up, i was probably at about 6k as i went past them and still accelerating so must have been into 3 figures.. had a WTF moment when i looked in the rear view and it wasn't as far away as it should have been, then the disco lights came on .. somehow got away with that one too

I had similar, except while I was mid-overtake the knob sped up and then pulled me to critique my driving.

I was green back then but now I think I'd have some choice words.

[Stiggolas]

40 years of driving, been pulled 3 times. First for racing another car through town late at night, we both got a telling off but nothing more. Second speeding in a 30 in a rally car. Copper said something like "so that's why you need a parachute harness" 3 points and £60 fine. Thirdly Pulled by a copper on a bike for the best power slide I've ever done on a wet roundabout, said something about me losing control. I just agreed and he let me off. All this late 80s early 90s. Nothing since.

[SSWGB]

Thankfully none but I barely do any miles.

[dhutch]

I once got pulled over as the passenger in a Taxi, driver then proceeded to tell the police exactly what he thought of the situation, had to explain to them that taxis don't have mots, and offered us the ride for free.

[scottos]

None BAME, between the ages of 18-21 it felt like every week for me and for some periods it probably was but driving low louder than standard modified cars in a small town in yorkshire probably gave them someone to target, was the same with a couple of friends too. Reasoning always seemed to be down to the cars, never anything wrong with them after lots of checks!

Now at 30 i havent been pulled over for at least 5 years or so. The last time i was on a NSL road and came up behind a large sprinter police van that was sat at 50, i overtook it when it was safe to do so and of course it lit up and pulled me over. They asked me how fast i was going and why i overtook them. I said i nudged 60 as i went by and i overtook because you were doing 50. 'But we can only do 50 in the van' he said, i simply said i know that but i can do 60 and i didn't want be to sat behind a big van for 12 miles. Strange, conversation teetered out and i was on my way, a waste of time.

[bmwmike]

White male, mid forties, been pulled over 0 times in the UK and 6 times total in 3 other countries.

[PixelpeepZ4]

4% of 380 odd responders are BAME.

wow.. i've always thought pistonheads was quite diverse, peoples opinions certainly are.

Petrolheads in the UK are mostly white dudes ? (please leave the tired powerfully built/red bull bullst retorts at the door..)

[bmwmike]

PixelpeepZ4 said:

4% of 380 odd responders are BAME.

wow.. i've always thought pistonheads was quite diverse, peoples opinions certainly are.

Petrolheads in the UK are mostly white dudes ? (please leave the tired powerfully built/red bull bullst retorts at the door..)

I guess PH needs to do more to be more diverse.

[Second Best]

BAME, been pulled over about 12-15 times.

[BobSaunders]

1. Pulled over late at night asking where i was going with a load of friends in the car. Breathalysed. Winchester.
2. Caught speeding. Banned for 12 weeks. Gaydon, Warwickshire. M40.
3. Crashed the car. Crown court. 6 points. Winchester.
4. Pulled over late at night. Fog lights on. Fast & Furious. Winchester.
5. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Winchester.
6. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Manchester.
7. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Manchester.
8. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Manchester.
9. Pulled over. Random stop into Manchester. Questioned where i was going.
10. Returning from France on tunnel, Questioned where i was going and coming from.
11. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Manchester.
12. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Manchester.
13. Pulled over late at night. Breathalysed. Manchester.
14. Pulled over for speeding. Let off. A34.
15. Pulled over for speeding. Let off. M6.
16. Pulled over for vehicle check. Kit car. A34.
17. Crashed the car. Police interview. No charges. Winchester.

I'm white. Been driving for 20 years. Is what is it is.

Still editing this as i remember. I had company cars from circa 18-20 years of age. So young kid, 20k miles a year, nice motor. Company insurance.

Edited by BobSaunders on Monday 20th July 14:09

Edited by BobSaunders on Monday 20th July 14:10

[Evanivitch]

Male, 30s, white. Not once.

[stogbandard]

First car - left hand drive Toyota Corolla with UK plates. I got pulled coming back from a nightclub at 3am with fiends in the car. So naturally the policewoman who emerged went to the ‘other’ side of the car. My friend was asked the usual question, followed by the how much - “errrrabout eight pints” was the answer. Shortly after that she noticed that the steering wheel was on the other side.

Also in the same car I was pulled on the A1 when going back to uni with my housemate. I was aware the police were behind. I casually mentioned it to my friend who then turned his whole self round in the passenger set to look. As soon as he did that the blues came on.

[stogbandard]

First car - left hand drive Toyota Corolla with UK plates made for interesting stops. I got pulled coming back from a nightclub at 3am with fiends in the car. So naturally the policewoman who emerged went to the ‘other’ side of the car. My friend was asked the usual question, followed by the how much - “errrrabout eight pints” was the answer. Shortly after that she noticed that the steering wheel was on the other side.

Also in the same car I was pulled on the A1 when going back to uni with my housemate. I was aware the police were behind. I casually mentioned it to my friend who then turned his whole self round in the passenger set to look. As soon as he did that the blues came on. When stopped I got out to chat to the officer. I was asked if my friend owned the car. I said no. He took a closer look at the car to realise I was the driver. Soon as he realised we were sent on our way.

[Derek Smith]

White, male. I used to work permanent nights. I was pulled an unremembered number of times on my 24 mile journey home at around 4am. Just a chat and let on my way. Then became a police officer, working an 18.00 to 02.00 shift, but did a lot of overtime, every other week. Got pulled a fair bit initially as I went through the Metropolitan Police area, at least in the first few months, then they got to know my motorbike and I got a lot of waves. Only aggro I had was when stopped twice by Kent traffic in the last couple of miles. They were rude, they taught new law, and gave me producers both times when they discovered there was nothing to report. Neither time was I speeding.

I was stopped a few times when I transferred to Sussex, normally at night for no other reason than the officers were bored. Since I've retired I've been stopped twice, both times on the run up to Xmas and both time to check for drink driving. I was stopped once in the wee smalls when I had a defective brake light (one out of three) and was bagged, blew negative - I'm tee-total - and thanked politely and sent on my way.

I stick to speed limits, I notice when there is a plain police car - and obviously when it is marked - and slow a bit more. I think that's what gets me stopped.

I was once stopped for cycling on the greensward into Brighton. It took me some time to convince the traffic officer that it was not an offence. I did not identify myself, despite being a serving inspector in Brighton.

Including the cycling, I suppose I've been stopped a couple of dozen times on my motor bike, and less than half a dozen in a car. I used to do high mileage and drive in the wee smalls. No aggro whatever, apart from Kent traffic, and normally thanked for my 'cooperation'. I once identified myself when I had just bought my BMW 750 motorbike and it didn't show me as reg. keeper. I always call the officer officer.

[PixelpeepZ4]

Derek Smith said:

I stick to speed limits, I notice when there is a plain police car - and obviously when it is marked - and slow a bit more. I think that's what gets me stopped.

wow, all you need to do now is drive with the windows open, have a darkened number plate and loud exhaust and you'd have a full set lol

[Nampahc Niloc]

Well these poll results are categorical. Couldn’t be more clear cut. Proves the point perfectly. Turns out the vast majority on here are white.

[geeks]

I used to work in a pub, would regularly be stopped leaving after hours under the guise of "we just saw you leave the pub" and breathalyzed. Other than that it's the usual modified car, driving late at night, driving like a dhead etc. Up until last year I hadn't been stopped in some time, I had been playing with an SQ5, he turned off and I carried on a pace only to be stopped two roundabouts later. "Good evening sir, would you care to guess why I have stopped you this evening?" "yes officer I would guess because I was driving like a pratt!" "your words not mine but a good answer......" checked my details etc and sent me on my way with a "don't be a dick" warning

[PistonBroker]

I went with less than 10 which I think is about right.

Pretty much all over 20 years ago and, in hindsight, probably for good reason, but I didn't think so at the time. Golf GTI + early 20s + late-night is a reasonable bit of profiling methinks, even if I wasn't actually doing anything naughty at the time.

Actual naughtiness was 47 in a 30 - though the Golf had been replaced by a 405 GRDT by then - and 90-something on the M5 - I was relieved as my Fiesta company car was indicating higher.

Weirdest one was the TS50 I got for driving down a bus lane - Plod said I'd evaded arrest! He was on foot so I hadn't spotted him as I drove round the car park looking for a spot. So that wasn't technically a pull as it was letter + police station + magistrates.

The stupidity of youth.

Breath-tested once because I stank of alcohol - working a busy bar can do that for you. Plod was shocked at my nil reading - clearly I don't look very trustworthy!

Short, pasty guy by the way.