Got Pulled over on the toll road

[MiataMike]

Ok, so heres the deal. I'm riding along doing the speed limit and minding my own business, not riding agressively at all.

So out of the blue a state trooper is weaving back and fourth through traffic to pull me over. Why might you ask well apparently he is magically hooked up to the toll cameras and can tell when someone's licence plate isn't read and in 5 O'Clock traffic he automatically knows it has to be me.

So he gets on the intercom and pulls me over threatens to take me to jail for theft of services. BTW: I do have a NTTA account. He told me that I need to move my plate to somewhere that the cameras can read it. Then he lets me go with a warning. He never once said that my plate

First off i'm pretty pissed off about this.

1. How the hell can he say, in so many words, that there is nothing illegal about the location of my plate; and in the same breath tell me that I have to move it for the cameras because they can't read it.

2. If my plate is not illegal what grounds does he have to pull me over and harrass and threaten me with jail for theft of services. I didn't know the police were proactive in making sure foreign owned businesses got paid their tolls. (I wish I got that kind of service when someone was robbing liquor stores at gun point; alas they would just run and cowar)

Apparently to me its all about the all mighty dollar. The state and city goverments are running out. And they can't freaking figure out to stop spending all the freaking money they don't have, so what do they do? They send out the police to try and drum up some profits for them. Because we all know that once you've been accussed in traffic court you are guilty as sin regardless of the truth.

Anyway I'm done with my rant.

Also on another note, I did see about 5 State Troopers on the Toll Road so watch it.

A Picture of a similar license plate configuration as mine. (To lazy to take a picture)
http://cbrheavenusa.com/cart/images/cbrnight.jpg

[tailchaser]

Fascinating. My plate isn't obscured, but it only gets read about 1 time in 50. Glad I've been driving der Streudel Wagen this week and didn't get to have that little chat...

[Maverick]

The proper arrest title the trooper should have used is "Fail to Pay Toll", which is a Class C misdemeanor & a fine only offense. That means he can't cart you off to jail unless you refuse to sign a notice to appear in court (also known as "ticket"). Theft of Service is an esoteric, general offense designed for people who skip out on the check for services rendered; the collection of tolls is not a 'service.' Even if they wanted to use that statute, the 'service' is valued at less than $20, so it would still be a Class C fine only offense.

If the LP meets the statute, he can't say shit about it. Law says as long as it's displayed to the rear and visible from 50 feet, there's nothing he can do. Period.

I suspect he was either a) having a bad day, or b) trying to prove to himself what a badass trooper he is. There are ways to deal with his kind. Eventually they do something stupid and get nailed to the wall for their mistakes.

[Dudley Dawson]

The thing is, it doesn't matter what's legal or not, or what he "can" or "can't" do. He's a cop, and he thinks he can do whatever he wants to whomever. The only thing you can do about it is to record every encounter you have with them on video, like this guy did:

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/19/1961.asp

My impression of police departments as institutions is not positive. As far as I'm concerned, cops are basically state-sanctioned thugs and extortionists whose chief function is neither to protect nor serve, but to generate revenue. Revenue which is typically siphoned off by crooked pols into their buddies businesses in exchange for a nice kickback. The job typically attracts the same kind of personalities one would find in schoolyard bullies. They are not to be trusted or relied upon.

[Geckotek]

Interesting, I've been driving for a while w/o a front plate and with no tolltag. However, since my plate is on record w/ the NTTA, they just charge my account based on the rear plate photo. I've NEVER had a cop pull me over for it. Since you saw 7 of them today, I suspect it was some sort of organized sting.

BTW, they can pull you over and take you in for almost no reason. My opinion is similar to Dudley's...not all are bad, but in general the attitude is similar with a lot of them.

Were you on DNT or another one of the robbery highways?

[sxk122]

Thanks for posting this... made me realize that I just got new plates.... I need to update that on my tolltag account, because i have issues occasionally at the beltline tollbooths with it not picking up... its the only place i end up with an issue....

BTW, my tolltag is on the side, no problems other than at beltline....

[Maverick]

Over the past 7 years I've worked closely with numerous police departments, and even attended a police academy and earned a peace officer's license. I disagree with Dudley's assessment that all cops are thugs and extortionists. Most are just doing their jobs enforcing laws enacted by the state (whether they agree with them or not), and have to put up with endless attitude and vitriol spouted by people who are just mad that they got caught. My overall impression is that most officers are nice, decent people. It's the rotten ones that large egos and self-esteem issues that ruin it for everyone.

Personally, I try to avoid the trollways as much as possible, though I do have a tolltag for the few times I need to use them. I've never had an issue with them not being able to read the tag or my plate. I put the tag in the center of the windshield as close to the mirror as possible. From the outside, it's not visible unless you're looking for it since it's behind the little sun-screen strip at the top, and from the inside, it's behind the mirror so I don't see it. I no longer run a front plate, but they can still read the back one if the tag doesn't work.

I've only seen a state trooper once on the DNT, and never on the GBT. If they're there, they've found some really good hiding places. Either that, or like Geckotek said, it was a temporary organized enforcement effort.

[Electro]

I would ask whether the work trucks with tailgates down need to "relocate" their license plates as well. The cameras from what I understand shoot the rear plate. Very easy to hide rear plate in a truck with tg down at present camera angles.

[trickyrix]

That asshat was clearly out of line and you should at least file a complaint or something.

I got pulled over for speeding on GBT a while back by a trooper, and he didn't even say a word about my missing front plate (for once). For the record, the guy was very professional and courteous, and appreciated the fact that I slowly led him to the first safe exit off the highway (Frankford, off the DNT - it was an awkward little drive). It's been my experience that city cops throw around more attitude than troopers. I tend to agree that there are probably more good cops than bad cops out there, but the bad ones provide all the warm, fuzzy memories. That story makes me want to stick my front plate back on just in case.

FWIW, I can't recall seeing anything but troopers pulling people over on the local tollways.

[sloked up]

well, im glad that no one really messed with me or my friend riding his R6. he had his plate mounted infront of his tire under his tail section with the registration and the inspection completly off the plate. but its really just messed up that people do that

[Treibenschnell]

On what grounds? If he initially didn't see a license plate on your bike then that alone would be probable cause to stop you. Everything else is of his own doing.

Hell, cops have probable cause to stop you for having a frame around your plate... hence the reason I was so against that damned rule about having the frames. It gives 'em reason to stop you "to take a look and have a chat."

[shortshift]

There are some members of the Police Department who have to show everyone that they're a cop. The unfortunate thing is, when you're basically a law-abiding citizen, the only cops you'll probably encounter are the bad ones, so a high percentage of your experiences will be with less-than-respectable cops. I'm not a cop, but do support the folks in blue. Most of them are decent folks.