San Jose Cops do it again....

[kenjiMR]

I'm driving down from my home to Campbell's Katie Bloom pub which is less than 2 miles from my home... driving down winchester. I've already had my big "wreckless" incident here last year... EXACT same street. It is 12:20PM friday night... NOBODY is on the street and I drive down about 35-40mph on Winchester toward campbell. I realize there is police behind me as I approach campbell avenue... I don't really care because I wasn't doing anyting (as usual), I sit at the light for a while and then the lights start flashing... I pull over immediately and turn on my hazards. i ask why they pull me over... they claim I'm going 50!!! They tell me I'm missing front plate, I tell them I know. I ask them if they radar me, they tell me no... so I ask them how they thought I was going 50... they pause a while.. and claim they paced me. FUBAR! So full of shit. I can't stand California anymore!!! SO FRICKEN STUPID POLICE! I'm half asian and half white... and am only 24 years old... Such profiling its sick.... I told them I am carefull and drive fast only on the racetrack, but they had already started writing the ticket and it was too late. I told him I'd be seeing him in court. I also mentioned that I had been pulled over at the same location a year earlier for almost the same situation... and that I knew that he knew he was pulling me over for no reason...

I hope God punishes him.

I better go to bed... so FUBAR.

 

[FuryNSX]

WTF is wrong with those guys!! Hearing stuff like this really pisses me off! Just goes to show you that no matter how much other crap is going on in or toward this country, there's always gotta be some element that has to mess with people based on ethnicity!

Some people just can't move beyond skin color.

Sorry to hear what keeps happening there.

------------------
1995 NSX-T
1999 3.2TL
2001 Odyssey
1992 SC400

 

[Reason]

I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse, but the same thing happened to my girlfriend in Saratoga a few weeks ago.

About 3am and she is driving her car (not anything fast looking) to my place. She passes 2 cops sitting in a parking lot chatting doing less than 5 over the limit. She has a tail light out so they have an excuse and come pull her over. Of course the cop claims she was doing 15 over with his oh so accurate eyeballs. Of course he didn't clock or or pace her "because I had a hard time catching up to you" and because she's a girl they just sort of grunt and let her off.

I don't got to San Jose in the NSX, or much at all, because of the cops. They wonder why the downtown area never comes alive, it is because you can't go down there without being stopped by the swarm of police on duty.

This all reminds me of some fun I had on I-5 late one night a few months ago. I was coming back from a Vegas trip on Sunday night, and I stop to get gas. As I'm pulling out of the station the V1 goes ballistic so I know there is a cop around, but I don't see him. Continue back toward the on-ramp, V1 screaming all the way, I still don't see the cop though. I get on the on-ramp and the V1 is still screaming, but now it says the guy is behind me. Still don't see him. Merge on the freeway at the speed limit. All of a sudden he turns on his headlights and passes me! The bastard was chasing me without his lights on in the middle of the night!

I'm pretty pissed by him targeting me, but I continue on and a few miles later I see he's pulled over some guy in a pickup truck. Fun time. I slow down to maybe 30 in the right lane, get in second and floor it buzzing the guy. I hope I startled him...

 

[Hrant]

If indeed there is a pattern, and if indeed your version of the events are correct, the best course of action is to have a group of you meet with the involved division of law office (presumably the San Jose Police presumably).

This must be done with utmost professionalism, courtesy and without in your face smart alec attitude otherwise you do not only lose credibility but will make matters worse.

If it is primarily targeting the NSX, which I don't think so, then I would think the NSXCA NW region should be involved as a matter of principle because we want to promote an image of law abiding car commuinty.

If it is primarily ethnicity targeted as the posts seem to hint, then get your community's involvement with local elected officials. However, if you have had priors, then you will have a hard time convincing anyone to listen to you especially when derrogative posts are also part of the menu .......

I doubt that you will find a more open or receptive community than San Jose to live in .........

 

[bayareansx1999]

you never want to mess with those stupid sheriff in Saratoga. Make sure when you drive at night, you never drive over the speed limit. Also, never drive a crappy car in Saratoga, they will pull your A#$ over soo fast, you wont even know what happened. i think the problem is, the cant stand rich people. i mean, life must suck that they have to work so late at night while your just out cruising in your nice car.
sheesh...

 

[Jonathan]

Originally posted by bayareansx1999:
you never want to mess with those stupid sheriff in Saratoga. Make sure when you drive at night, you never drive over the speed limit. Also, never drive a crappy car in Saratoga, they will pull your A#$ over soo fast, you wont even know what happened. i think the problem is, the cant stand rich people. i mean, life must suck that they have to work so late at night while your just out cruising in your nice car.
sheesh...

Heh, going by that then, it sounds like you can't be rich or poor in Saratoga

Can't drive a crappy car, can't drive a nice car...

 

[8000RPM]

Kenji, sorry to hear about yet another SJ police encounter. I've had my share of stories with those guys as well.

Did they give you a ticket for not having a front plate or for going 50mph (which they have no proof)?!?

If it's for going 50mph without any concrete proof, I would make damn sure that the judge hears about it in court!

 

[NotFast]

Do you read Sport Compact Car magazine? Last month one of the California editors told how he was able to shake a ticket by taking it to court. It took several months to get it resolved, but shake it he did. Highly recommended read.

 

[kenjiMR]

It really won't help.
The police understand how the system works. Somehow you got to beat them at their game.
This is the last straw, and I am going to be installing surveilance and data logging systems in my car for future situations. Why should we tolerate getting harassed by police? I have already given so much money to the state for unreasonable tickets... its just plain wrong.

Giving out tickets is a way for the state/county to make $$... thats the bottom line. The cops also get paid to go to traffic court, even more incentive to give people tickets as many will fight it in court.

Originally posted by Hrant:
If indeed there is a pattern, and if indeed your version of the events are correct, the best course of action is to have a group of you meet with the involved division of law office (presumably the San Jose Police presumably).

This must be done with utmost professionalism, courtesy and without in your face smart alec attitude otherwise you do not only lose credibility but will make matters worse.

If it is primarily targeting the NSX, which I don't think so, then I would think the NSXCA NW region should be involved as a matter of principle because we want to promote an image of law abiding car commuinty.

If it is primarily ethnicity targeted as the posts seem to hint, then get your community's involvement with local elected officials. However, if you have had priors, then you will have a hard time convincing anyone to listen to you especially when derrogative posts are also part of the menu .......

I doubt that you will find a more open or receptive community than San Jose to live in .........

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Sorry to hear of your probs on the West Coast. I also try to keep my cool riding in my baby around here. The car being BRIGHT red already attracts enough attention as it is, don't need to encourage anymore.


------------------
ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

 

[Jimbo]

If you drive without a front plate (especially with your prior problems), aren't you just asking for trouble?

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[Si]

Ken, http://www.ticketassassin.com/

Told a friend about it, this is his email replay to me:


From: [email protected] | This is Spam | Add to Address Book
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2002 18:46:21 EDT
Subject: ticketassasins
To: [email protected]




Thanks Si,

I owe you big time. Ticket #2 is not guilty. The one that I thought I
had
less of a chance of winning. Cross your fingers for #1 in seal beach. I
owe
you dinner.

Ben




[This message has been edited by Si (edited 12 October 2002).]

 

[akira3d]

I'm half asian and half white...

Considering that I'm the same racial mix, I guess I should avoid bringing my NSX through San Jose.

Kenji, you're having absolutely the worst luck. Sorry to hear that. Perhaps you should consider moving to SoCal.

------------------
--akira3D
'00 Acura NSX-T (red/black), '97 Honda Civic HX (black), '01 Lexus IS300 (black/black)
"Reality is better than the dream..."

akira3d.com/nsx

[This message has been edited by akira3d (edited 12 October 2002).]

 

[Jimbo]

How could the cops tell what ethnicity someone was by following someone late at night?

Couldn't this simply be a case of the cops pulling someone over for driving without a front plate?

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[kenjiMR]

This is how he saw I had no plates, I had my windows rolled down, and there is enough lighting.
This is also how there is very little way they could have paced me.

But most likely, they didn't pull me over for racial reasons, but after talking to me in person they probalby
went ahead and write up a ticket... they don't really care either way.

He wrote the ticket by his car with all his big bright lights shining directly in my mirror so I can't see him.
Otherwise, I would have got out of my car talked to him before he wrote the ticket. He knew he is full of it.

Originally posted by Jimbo:
How could the cops tell what ethnicity someone was by following someone late at night?

Couldn't this simply be a case of the cops pulling someone over for driving without a front plate?

-Jim

 

[NSXLNT]

Getting out of your car when pulled over would be a very big mistake, unless you were ordered to do so. You would be really asking for trouble.

 

[kenjiMR]

Yes, I've learned this one already...

Reason, I totally agree about why downtown San Jose sucks. I avoid downtown San Jose for that very reason... it also makes downtown feel very ghetto and have negative feeling. I try to go to San Francisco or Palo Alto instead.

Originally posted by NSXLNT:
Getting out of your car when pulled over would be a very big mistake, unless you were ordered to do so. You would be really asking for trouble.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Kinda bad that you have to avoid parts of your hometown for fear of getting pulled over.

------------------
ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

 

[bayareansx1999]

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
Yes, I've learned this one already...

Reason, I totally agree about why downtown San Jose sucks. I avoid downtown San Jose for that very reason... it also makes downtown feel very ghetto and have negative feeling. I try to go to San Francisco or Palo Alto instead.

SF copy are pretty cool, you rarely see people get pulled over in the city area. they have better things to do that to mess with someone. but be careful of those pot holes in the city

 

[Ben]

I've owned my NSX for 3 years and have been driving for over 12 years in the San Jose/Cupertino/Saratoga/Sunnyvale/Mt. View area, and have never been pulled over in my NSX or otherwise hassled in any of those areas. Once, around 2AM, a Mt. View PD car followed me home, right up to my parking space, then left after I got out of the car.

Guess I've been lucky, as in addition to being Asian and relatively young, I have no front plate either.

Anyway, you might want to consider joining the National Motorists Association. They are the only drivers advocacy group with some amount of influence. They were the ones that were instrumental in overturning the 55mph National Speed Limit in the mid to late '90s. As a member, you can often get good advice and information from their resources and such.

Just a thought. I have no interest in the NMA, whether financial or otherwise, other than being a satisfied member.

-Ben

[This message has been edited by Ben (edited 14 October 2002).]

 

[Dan H]

Just recently moved to San Jose for college. I must say the cops here are ridiculous! I see too many people getting pulled over. (I live on Santa Clara St. and somewhat near downtown.) Sad to say, the people that get pulled over most are usually minorities.

When I lived in San Francisco, the cops there are usually more eased off and will let you go by. Yes, even as a teenager too.

 

[nsxtasy]

Just a few thoughts to add here...

It's quite likely that he pulled you over and decided to give you the ticket because you're young, not because of your ethnicity. I am not saying that that is fair; it is just another form of bias.

You have two different problems here. One is the "micro" problem - how to deal with your ticket. The other is the "macro" problem - the pattern of police behavior.

I think the suggestions presented for the macro problem are good ones. Engage in dialogue, and do it as a group.

Regarding the micro case of your ticket, if you take it to court and argue the case on the merits, it's going to come down to his word against yours, and you know what the results are going to be. Again, I am not saying that this is fair; but that is the way the system works. My advice here is to get an attorney who is familiar with the traffic courts in your jurisdiction. Explain the situation to him. Give some thought to what you want out of the situation - for example, whether you care most about keeping a traffic conviction off your record, or about making a case against the officer and/or his department for lying and/or bias. Then follow your attorney's advice.

 

[Black Knight]

Hey Kenji,

Sorry to hear about this....it really sucks when you see them waste their time trying to nail us. Once, I was so shocked and also lucky. I was heading home from South San Jose going on 87 North switching to 880 North. I finally took the hostetter exit on 880. That's when I realized a cop following me out the exit. I kept my cool and speed limits and all....he finally turned around and headed on the 880 South ramp. A few of my friends were with me that time and when we got back to my place, they had told me that the cop was following me all the way from 87!! He wasn't directly behind me, but behind my friend who was behind me. That just totally sucks!! The cop was waiting for me the whole time to push my nsx a little and nail me!! as most of you know, a punch on the pedal could send us from 65 to 100mph in no time!

I'm glad I held in my urge that day.....anyways, I hope you can get out of this one.

------------------
1998 Monte Carlo Blue NSX-T
2001 Yellow S2K (retired)
2001 CL Type-S

 

[kenjiMR]

Bottom line is NSX gets a lot of unwanted attention. Cops have issues with young people driving them... I've been living in San Jose for over 6 years now used to drive a Dodge Colt Wagon and drive a mid 80s MR2 as a daily beater. At times I drive aggressvie in the beater cars, yet I NEVER been pulled over. In the NSX I am EXTREMELY carefull... and still seem to always get pulled over... it is definitely more than a coincidence.

Other funny things I've noticed are that I've only received tickets and harassement from white police. I have been pulled over for "inspection" by a asian cop once, and he let me go. I also always receive the 'A' in the race checkbox even though they never ask my race... In reality, I am equally white as I am asian...

Its pretty annoying as I'm not racist, but these kind of things could make a man crazy.


[This message has been edited by kenjiMR (edited 14 October 2002).]

 

[Jimbo]

Kenji,

Since you admit that when you drove beaters you NEVER were pulled over...

It would seem that it has nothing to do with race or ethnicity.

You just might have to watch the speed and put back your front plate.

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
1976 Honda Accord 5 spd, 3 door Blue/Blue
1977 Honda Accord - Custom - Under Construction
1986 Chevy Suburban
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html