30 Times Police Pulled Drivers Over For No Reason

Cameron Eittreim May 19, 2021

7: Faulty Sobriety Test

One of the most common ways to get pulled over is for a police officer to say that they smell alcohol. Reddit user neverspeakaword told a story. “I spend the next 30-40 minutes on the side of the road doing sobriety checks. Stand on one foot. Close your eyes and touch your toes. Walk in a straight line. Close your eyes, tilt your back, and silently count out sixty seconds (this was a new one for me). A whole battery of tests. In the end, he asks me to blow a breathalyzer.

“So I blow the breathalyzer. Keep in mind, I had only been able to have a few sips of scotch before I spilled the entire glass on myself, so I am in no way whatsoever drunk. I’m standing there on the side of the road, he goes back in his car for a while. Eventually, he comes back with this super-duper annoyed look on his face and says to me “the legal limit in California is .08. You just blew a .01. You smelled like alcohol a lot more than that. Just be safe getting home.” And then he angrily walks back to his cruiser, and speeds away, with me on the side of the road dumbfounded.”

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6: Running A Yellow

Although a yellow light doesn’t mean that you need to stop, there’s a good chance you could get pulled over by for flying through it. Reddit user Slothloveschunk told the story. “Cop came up, introduced himself as something much more important than a regular police officer, to which I couldn’t give two s***s about, and asked me why I ran that light. Ran that light? Intimidation is bulls**t.

“I responded I did not, it was yellow and I questioned how he even saw the light from where he was positioned (he couldn’t). He then asked why I was going so fast, to which I said I was not traveling over the speed limit (which I wasn’t.) He was baiting me and waiting for me to admit guilt, to which I refused. Again, never admit guilt if you aren’t guilty.”

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5: Fog Light Infraction

Vehicles are equipped with fog lights for certain weather situations. However, in many states, it can be an infraction to drive with them. Reddit user milong told the story. “I was driving a buddy’s Audi A4 and the rear fog light was on. On that particular car, there was only 1 rear fog light per the manual. I get pulled over and the cop is adamant that the tail light is out and being a dick about it. I grab the manual and show him where it specifically states there is only 1 rear fog light and it’s incorporated into the tail light housing and turn it on and off for him to show him. He won’t budge and I just let it go.

“It didn’t end there, my wallet had some sand residue from a trip to white sands national park that he accused me of was cocaine. I told him what it was and to feel free to taste it. He did and promptly had a look of disgust from it. It didn’t stop there, he then accused me of having illegal window tint. It’s not my car dude, so I can’t say for sure and it’s not my problem. Eventually, he just told me to leave because he didn’t have anything. Gotta love those small-town cops, nothing better to do.”

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4: Muddy License Plate

Off-roading is a fun experience, but it can also lead to a pricey ticket. Reddit user thisburner221 told their story. “I was pulled over for a muddy license plate, in a rural area where 80% of the roads are dirt, in the springtime during what we in the northeast call mud season. It was just an excuse for the locals to harass my friend, our dates, and me on a Friday night.”

So as you can see the fact that this person had a muddy license plate gave the officer probable cause to pull him over. When it comes to off-roading, you need to make sure that you clean the car or SUV before you hit the road.

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3: Electrical Issues

Electrical issues are something that affects cheap and used cars all the time. These issues car give a police officer reason to pull you over. Reddit user thecarguy4all told the story. “No, I wasn’t inebriated, but I had had a drink. So I was nervous when they pulled me over in a 35 mph stretch of Whaley in New Haven. The officer and his partner both got out of the car and came up to both sides of the car with their hands on their sidearms. I’ve never had this happen.

“Then the officer asks me if I know why he’s pulled me over. Mental checklists prepared, I answered that I had no clue. We weren’t speeding, I’d stayed in my lane since the bar… “Your license plate light is out” I must’ve given him a weird look because he frowned and reached for his sidearm. I gave him my information and he walked back to his patrol car with his partner. 30 minutes go by and my girlfriend (who was in the car with me… sorry, I’m not a great storyteller) starts freaking out about why we’ve been there so long.”

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2: Driving a Track Car

Reddit user print interior told the story of being pulled over in a track car. “I was driving a fully stripped track car (harnesses, rollbars, stickers, numbers, the whole nines) home from a weekend of racing. I’m cruising along at 65 in a 65 when there’s a cop up ahead doing around ten under. Using my blinkers, I merge left, pass him doing precisely the speed limit, and merge back to the right. BAM, blue lights. Figures.

“He comes up to tell me my license plate lights were out. I ask if he has a flashlight and he proceeds to illuminate for me while I pulled spare bulbs out of the toolkit in my truck and replace the plate lights on the spot. He was more amused than I had spares than anything else, and let me go with a handshake.”

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1: Hitting The Bend Too Fast

Taking a turn too fast can cause police to pull you over. Reddit user southwestnomad told the story. “As I approached this particular area I slowed down from the usual 45mph as I had a feeling and I was right. As I rounded the bend in the road my headlights picked up the reflections of eyeballs. A lot of eyeballs. I came to a halt and flicked on the high beams and lit up about two dozen deer in various stages of crossing the road to and from the cemetery. To this day it’s still the single biggest herd of deer I’ve ever seen in 17 years of living here. Finally, the deer cleared the road and I dropped my brights and moved out, not quite getting back up to 45 as the speed dropped to shortly ahead.

“As I approached the 35 sign I saw a local cop sitting off to the side completely blacked out. This was about 60-70 yards from where I’d stopped for the deer. I pass him doing 35 when he completely lights up and pulls me over. Hand him my license and registration and he wants to know what was with the stop and the brights. Told him that I’d come upon a massive herd of deer crossing at the cemetery and I didn’t want to hit any of them.”

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