Is it just me, or are we as Pinto owners being "profiled" by police because of an unusual choice in cars? In the 5 years of ownership, I've been pulled over 7 times. Of those I've only received one ticket.(for not having current proof of insurance) I feel that the Police are usung the fact that we're driving what is considered a "cheap" or "junk" car as an excuse to pull us over. I DO speed, but we all know that our cars as built, won't go too much over the limits. (my car will go about 95mph) I have yet to be stopped for speeding in my car, so what's the trouble with it? Do I look like a drunk in it?...Do I look like I wouldn't have current liscence registration ETC? The local officials here call what I'm getting "courtesy stops" I call them Profiling. No lawyer in the county will listen to me. Maybe if I can prove that it's not just me I can get some results.
I disagree. I have been stopped in my Pinto's allot over the years. But that is all I have been driving over the years. I will suggest that Pinto's can catch the eye but not because they might be trash haulers. They are Pinto's and you just don't see them around. Cop's have eye's too.
Hey Crazyhorse,in the ten years that i have owned my Rallye i have never been pulled over.But on several occasions that i have been broken down along the freeways they have stopped and checked me out.No tickets though.Lucky i guess for now.
It's the hair!!!!! ;D
I had been driving Pintos for the last several years until the recent demise of my '78 wagon and I only got stopped once. My license plate light was burned out!! :P
Naww,
I agree with Tony, it's Paul's hair....
HA!
ok so it's unanimous... I make MYSELF look like a drunk in my Pinto & it should be ashamed of me!
LMAO y'all kill me!
Hey Paul,
I get the same thing. My hair is past my shoulders now. Funny how if I put my hair under my hat I never get the shiny bubble gum machine behind me. ;D
It really P-s those guys off when I invite them to search my Econoline before they ask.
I have a 1969 econoline that says Acapulco Gold. I got stopped one time backing out of my own driveway!.
The experts call that "PROFILEING" which is NOT Legal.
From Pintony
I had an officer come into my work and he was teasing when he said "Is that your stolen pinto out there?". He wanted to tell me how cool it looked (well, it is shiney now) and he loved the pinto. I make sure and wave at officers when I pass them by. I have been pulled over several times (when the pinto was unshiney) in the pinto when I was younger and liked to speed and had no muffler-they were always legitimate pull overs. I have not been pulled over in the "new" Martha yet, but I drive a lot different now too ever since I had my scare when I was rear-ended.
Well I tend to obey the laws (except the speed tax ones) I wear my seatbelt 'cause it's a good idea, I keep my cell calls to an absolute minimum time (as in Hi i'm driving, I'll call ya back when I get there) I use my signals, & common sense. The Boys in Blue are watching me thinking that they'll get them a DUI stop eventually. Now mind you I've got a DUI on my record from 22years ago (& I was a juvenille)but I do NOT do that anymore. I've been pulled over for anything from a broken headlight to "I'm sorry I didn't see the black pad with orange flames on your seatbelt" "you crossed the centerline" is another popular excuse.
I love my Pinto even if the local Fuzz wants to "profile" it. However, the cops are about to get on my nerves, I'm about to take action to stop this. I live WAY out in the stix, so maybe it's just that the locals don't know what "profiling" is. I guess I'll have to introduce them to the concept.
crazyhorse,
Maybe once every "boy in blue" has pulled you over, maybe they will leave you alone? I hear ya. Sounds like they are after something that they will never find.
Keep smiling! :D
Picture this......Your driving along and see the flashing lights up ahead. Well the cops have stopped someone. As you pass you see that the car is a Pinto. Duh!!!!! Our tax dollars at work. I'd bet he would stop his grandmother.
Arn't Pintos on the endangered species list? Should they not pull traffic over so we may pass comfortably. I mean it's not like we are a 99 Hondei or somthing that parts grow on trees.
Are there any particular hours this is happening Crazyhorse? If it's during the hours the bars let out, or nearby, maybe they're just looking for drunks, and pulling you over by chance. What are the reasons they give for pulling you over?
From what you're telling, maybe it's they think a dude with an older car has a higher chance of no insurance. Pintos are still considered 'junk' cars in some places, although I think they are slowly reaching "collector" or "cool old car" status.
I've been pulled over before for the license plate light being out. it was the 'witching hour' and the police were looking for DUIs. I don't know what you guys mean by unshiney, but mine has old paint.
I too had been the cictim of illegitimate pullovers in my pinto. was pulled over in it 4 times, and only once was there an actual reason. once the cop pulled me over just to ask what kind of car i was driving
I work 3-11pm & I've been stopped both going in & leaving work. That leaves out just the "witching hour" theory. The biggest excuse for pulling me over is "no seatbelt" even though I DO wear it, religiously.
Hey Paul,
Maybe you should ask the cop when was the last time he had his eyes checked.
From Pintony
I just look at them like they're stupid Pintony. Then call thier boss afterward.
Also here in TN if you see a cop speeding w/out his blue lights on & you get a car #, if you call the local constable or state police dept, they WILL give the officer a ticket
I think there is something to it. I have been pulled over when i drove pintos on the street for dumb shizod. one cop flat out told me he pulled me over because my car was a P.O.S. when they were new, and he couldn't imagine that mine was any better being 20 some years old. If i would have had car ins at the time, There probably would have been a confrontation, but he never asked for the ins card, so I just had to stand there and not say a word. I did ask what the legal reason for being pulled over was, and he said it was because there was smoke coming from my exhaust, my friend just looked at him like he was a moron, and said " duh, where the hell is supposed to come out at?" That resulted in a citation for a faulty exhaust, about $125 worth. And the ignorant jerk, told me not to ever drive it thru his town again. We made it a point once the insurance was paid up again to spend a whole weekend driving around "his town" I changed 2 sets of bald tires that weekend. aaaah, but i was younger then......
Hey DTD,
You are still younger!!!
From Pintony
I've had more cops follow me in my runabout than any other vehicle i've ever had. I got pulled by a Va. state trooper because he "didn't see my inspection sticker cause it blended in with the dash". Bright yellow sticker infront of a black dashboard. Yeah.
I've also had county police follow me to the county line and turn around. and ALL of this is durring the 12-6 p.m. range.
So, its happened to me.
-Harry
you guys are killing me!!
i live outside of chicago, i am here to tell you, they are pulling all kinds of cars over, all in the hopes that they'll catch the one of many drivers that don't seem to understand the drinking laws out here....
(mind you, they say .08's the limit, but really illinois is no tolerance, if you travel here don't drink and drive, not even a little bit, they'll arrest and tow for, AND FOR GOD'S SAKE DON'T BLOW i mean it!!) and i doesn't matter what you are driving, they are just fishing.
i think the other part is, they probably really do just want to check it out!!
pinto's are tremendously rare, and super cool, and there really aren't alot out there....
if i could stop people who had cars i wanted to look over, i probably would too, but it's against the rules to have the pretty lights, that make everyone pull over...
that said, i think you all are very lucky, i am here to tell you, i have not seen another pinto on my road EVER!! if it wasn't for you guys, i'd swear i'm the only one that's still got one running....
so try not to take it too personally, you know that old saying
"ignore the things you can't change"
but i'm pretty passive, for the most part, so you might not want to listen to me. :angel:
Quote from: crazyhorse on August 04, 2005, 11:40:56 AM
I work 3-11pm & I've been stopped both going in & leaving work. That leaves out just the "witching hour" theory. The biggest excuse for pulling me over is "no seatbelt" even though I DO wear it, religiously.
Glow in the dark seatbelts ?