Mods, Cops, and the Tow Truck

[Nismothecat]

our cars are turbocharged. they run rich (lots of fuel) for safety (runs cooler). The cop was completely bullshitting you. you have rights as an american, and the state of california can't take that away from you. the officer can't use the fact that he saw black smoke as probable cause to check under the hood. he also probably didn't catch you actually speeding either. you should have said you didn't know why you got pulled over, said you did not know you speeding, and that black smoke is no cause to have the car searched. lesson learned.

LOL, you dont live in CA and have no idea how emissions work here.

if you dont comply, you run the risk of getting your car impounded, a search warrant issued, and then your stuck with the impound bill. the cops in CA have been known to keep pictures of popular engine bays, so they can tell what is oem and what is aftermarket.

 

[oaklandopen]

why hasn't california succumb to an earthquake and separated from the continental US yet?

that state better not effing influence any other states in the future, at least not while im driving


oh, btw, obama is trying to get the rest of the world to abide by california's awesome attempt to protect the earth's health...even though like every other counrty has absolutely NO efforts to combat "global warming" by way of vehicle.

 

[harrisonchang]

It's funny that all our performance parts come from Cali.

 

[Nismothecat]

yup, CA is heaven and hell all mixed into one.

 

[thorracing271]

yup, CA is heaven and hell all mixed into one.

+1 The cops here are aftermarket Nazi's. My friend had a cop stand in front of the car and measure his headlight beam to make sure they are to manufacture spec. They also do that for suspension. I think this is why the electric exhaust cutouts will soon catch like wildfire.

 

[kvndoom]

why hasn't california succumb to an earthquake and separated from the continental US yet?

that state better not effing influence any other states in the future, at least not while im driving.

CARB, CAFE, and EPA, dude. It's already far too late. California is why passenger-grade diesel cars disappeared for 3 or 4 years in this country and why we may one day have to pay gas-guzzler tax on anything that's not a Prius. (rant)

 

[opt_ms3]

yes I don't live in CA, but I would assume its like any other state in the united states, expect for the modifying of cars OEM parts. whatever, I always exercise my right to play dumb. If you admit to the crime and/or allow consent to search, youre giving up all rights you may have had, and any chance to win in court. ****, I'll take a ticket if I got pulled over without my radar detector ever showing laser or radar, and I'll go fight it in court and make them prove I was actually speeding without any equipment to prove that I was.

meh, maybe my refusal to admit guilt is why I've gotten off with a warning the last 4 times I've been pulled over for "speeding"...because the COP HAD NO PROOF. huh.

 

[opt_ms3]

This isn't about rights or probable cause. This is about making a routine stop as painless as possible. If a cop asks to look under your hood and you have nothing to hide, let him look. Most times it's a quick 5 minute conversation and you're on your way.

Exercising your "rights" only works in your favor if you have something to hide. Your actions are doing nothing more than rasing the cop's suspicions, whether justified or not. So unless you're content with dragging this out in court just to prove your legal rights, just cooperate and be done with it.

Just my 2 cents.

youre a cop aren't you?

 

[harrisonchang]

Last year when I lived in Cali, I got pulled over once for going 50 in a 35 mile zone.

He was on his bike, in someone's private driveway.

Is there anyway I could've fought that?

 

[Ferdball]

... the officer can't use the fact that he saw black smoke as probable cause to check under the hood...

Can you back this up with some facts?

...lesson learned.

Teach me a lesson, big boy.

 

[Ferdball]

This isn't about rights or probable cause. This is about making a routine stop as painless as possible. If a cop asks to look under your hood and you have nothing to hide, let him look. Most times it's a quick 5 minute conversation and you're on your way.

Exercising your "rights" only works in your favor if you have something to hide. Your actions are doing nothing more than rasing the cop's suspicions, whether justified or not. So unless you're content with dragging this out in court just to prove your legal rights, just cooperate and be done with it.

Just my 2 cents.

This is probably very good advice. We were actually under the hood for about 20 seconds.

By the way, he looked at my tailpipe and mentioned that there is a lot of soot. I told him about how our cars run rich, and explained a little about DI engines. He seemed kinda interested. But I had a misfire or something between gears that led to the puff of smoke. Its more than enough to cause suspicion.

 

[Design]

youre a cop aren't you?

Nah just an experienced motorist.

I do know a few cops personally though...

 

[mountjonas]

Last year when I lived in Cali, I got pulled over once for going 50 in a 35 mile zone.

He was on his bike, in someone's private driveway.

Is there anyway I could've fought that?

yes. don't drive 50 in a 35.

 

[ElGaspo]

yes. don't drive 50 in a 35.

<groan> this comment has got Kain written all over it (lol)

more good advice? how 'bout "buy low, sell high"

 

[oaklandopen]

Its more than enough to cause suspicion.

suspicion of what? cars have backfired since the beginning of time, regardless of extra performance parts or stock motors. now if he heard your exhaust note while you were accellerating he could have assumed it was louder than normal and speculated at something being aftermarket.

but in it of itself black smoke doesn't mean anything, and certainly not enough to warrant being pulled over. that's like a cop hearing you chirp your tires from a stop, pull you over, and check under your hood cuz he thinks you chirped your tires cuz you have aftermarket stuff. story just doesn't add up to me

 

[Design]

suspicion of what? cars have backfired since the beginning of time, regardless of extra performance parts or stock motors. now if he heard your exhaust note while you were accellerating he could have assumed it was louder than normal and speculated at something being aftermarket.

but in it of itself black smoke doesn't mean anything, and certainly not enough to warrant being pulled over. that's like a cop hearing you chirp your tires from a stop, pull you over, and check under your hood cuz he thinks you chirped your tires cuz you have aftermarket stuff. story just doesn't add up to me

Well in all fairness many cops don't expect our car to be turbo. There's really no distinguishing cues like a hood scoop or 6" tall wing. So cops who aren't familiar with this car are going to ask to look under the hood. Once they see the factory RAI and TMIC, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[oaklandopen]

the point is cops aren't hired by the DMV, and aren't mechanics first and cops second. for there to be police in CA, or anywhere, who's sole purpose is to pull ppl over and make sure everything on their car is emissions legal just sounds a little too farfetched to me.

this makes me think that 1 of 2 things is happening in these situations with police checking under the hood. either 1 they are blatantly profiling, or they are going out with individual missions from their command to do so. either way i guess it's better than going out and trying to take care of unsolved murders or disbursing gang activities

 

[Ferdball]

So, the question remains. What is the law or standard operating procedure for a look under the hood. All I hear is emotional reasoning.

 

[Design]

So, the question remains. What is the law or standard operating procedure for a look under the hood. All I hear is emotional reasoning.

There is no SOP. Most cops go off a hunch or evidence of other mods. The MS3 has a loud factory exhaust. So if you get caught speeding or doing something dumb, chances are they'll ask to look.

 

[jri4]

thats the benefit of being a cop.... you can do stuff without question

as a driver you just have to always be careful (aka... watchful, buy a radar)!