Undue attention to driving an old Honda?

[Xist]

Thanks, guys. Unfortunately, I was cited, multiple times, and needed to hire a lawyer, so while Balto bought an Insight, I am paying for all of this, and I really wonder if I will ever recover my money through hypermiling.

It looks like long-term, I would have saved money getting into debt, purchasing a Prius, driving eighty, and paying the occasional speeding ticket.

Maybe I could have avoided most of this had I bought one of these:

Amazon.com: LUKAS LK-7900 ACE 8GB + GPS : Full HD(1080p@30fps) Dash Cam Video DVR GPS Recorder Black Box: Automotive

I looked at some different ones. Garmin even makes dash cams, but only the Lukas is rated for Arizona summers.

There were many more responses while I wrote the above. I had been /thanking everyone for their feedback, but I do not know if there is some /thanking limit or what, I do not have the option anymore, but it offers to remove my thanks for previous responses!

Thanks XYZ, JamesQF, Tvbd, WhatMayCome, and Red Devil. My only odd modifications are the grill block and air dam, which are black, like the car, and the power steering delete. Kids are notorious for wanting to race Civics, though, but since mine is stock, it should not matter, and the issue here is how I drive, which is radically different than those kids.

Apparently, I need to stop being poor, although I was followed twice while in a suit, and I look good in a suit! It was the second time, ten years later, that I had all of the problems.

I had my hands on the steering wheel, but did not think to put my keys on the dash.

[Cobb]

I had problems with cops following me when I owned a riced out scion xa and my sidekick once I added 2.5% vlt window tint. The scion I was told looks like a fast n furious car. The sidekick cause the tint is soo dark. I did get pulled up and had a gun drawn on me in the scion.

When I got the 09 xb I left it stock and was never given a second look.

[gone-ot]

One word summary: "PROFILED"

[user removed]

The old Hondas are still among the top stolen cars. If a cop wants to follow me he will be bored to death. He could ride in the passengers seat and still be bored to death as long as my coasting in neutral didn't bother him. I always put the wife to sleep driving.

When I get stopped I try to make them feel like I am no threat, any battle I fight will be in front of the judge and I have a good success rate but the best defense is to never get stopped.

regards
mech

[Cobb]

Xist, it could be that you are under surveillance. I went to the wrong "secret" location for a job. It was off a road not listed on my gps and a new looking warehouse. After being late I found the correct location. Funny how secret locations are located near each other? Anyway, had a few vehicles that were unmarked with license plate scanners hover around me for a week. Cars and even the traditional white and black chevy suvs. I was never pulled over, but someone told me I was under surveillance for going to the wrong building.







SUV black or white

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Remember the old Japanese saying: "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down".

It's Asian, but I thought it was Chinese... Either way, it certainly reflects a cultural mentality of enforced conformity. It's one that is anti-individualistic and readily embracing of authoritarianism and a police state.

Many, if not most, cops are bullies by nature - that's why police work appeals to them. For obvious reasons, bullies prefer to pick on those weaker than they are, which in the cop world translates to young and poor.

Actually most cops are merely suspicious by nature and are obviously in a job that is all about having a position of power and authority. They tend to look for anything that might be wrong, illegal or irregular, and they see such things as a potential threat to themselves and to society at large. So they look for irregularities, and stop and question those who are irregular.

So I do agree with you that the best way to avoid this is to keep a low profile. And stay out of the state of Virginia. The continued anecdotes from those who live there tend to reinforce my view that it is a Police State with weird traffic laws.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by Xist

Thanks, guys. Unfortunately, I was cited, multiple times, and needed to hire a lawyer, so while Balto bought an Insight, I am paying for all of this, and I really wonder if I will ever recover my money through hypermiling.

It looks like long-term, I would have saved money getting into debt, purchasing a Prius, driving eighty, and paying the occasional speeding ticket.

Maybe I could have avoided most of this had I bought one of these: (etc.)

I know you will dislike my saying this, but your ongoing reflections sound like you want sympathy, and that seems self-indulgent.

No matter what type of car you drive, the cops might stop you for any reason, legitimate or not. They will do it, simply because they can. IMHO whatever it was that got you into trouble had nothing to do with the car you were driving, and probably something to do with your personal interaction with the cops after you were stopped.

[Cobb]

You wont believe how many crimes were solved when someone was pulled over due to a burnt out lamp, then the officer sees a shovel, duct tape in the back seat and checks the trunk to find a body.

Originally Posted by XYZ

Actually most cops are merely suspicious by nature and are obviously in a job that is all about having a position of power and authority. They tend to look for anything that might be wrong, illegal or irregular, and they see such things as a potential threat to themselves and to society at large. So they look for irregularities, and stop and question those who are irregular.

[vskid3]

Maybe a bumper sticker saying something about getting great MPGs would help?

[Xist]

Old Mech, my plan had always been that if the police got behind me, to drive so boringly that they lost interest, but that did not work this time. I guess that old Hondas still being frequently stolen is important.

Cobb, I have never seen those license plate scanners! Did you take those pictures? After a week, did they leave you alone?

I am not looking into dash cams because I worry about legitimate stops.

XYZ, I appreciate some level of sympathy, but I am really trying to figure out if I can reduce these problems by changing cars. The only time that I did not say "Yes Sir" and "No Sir" was when I said "Yes Officer" or "Yes Ma'am." I stayed calm and tried to comply.