Do you think import tuners get unfairly profiled by police?

[98StangGT]

Now for the record, this is not an "I hate cops thread". And I am sure this has been talked about before, and I apologize if this is wrong forum for this, however I kinda wanted a street racer's opinion. However when I look back on the number of times I get pulled over in one of my imports vs the number of times I have been pulled in a domestic, and the reasons the officers gave me for pulling me over.

For instance, I own a 2001 mustang GT, a modded CRX, and a rice-bucket eclipse, and when it seems that I can get away with murder in my Mustang around here before the cops notice me, and yet when commit some minor traffic violation in either of my imports, cops seem to not hesitate to pull me over.

Now I'm not saying that cops hate import cars, no matter how ugly or useless they might think they are. But sometimes I feel as if cops really do profile imports, around where I live anyway.

One example: I was driving with my friend in his Civic one day. When all of the sudden we notice a cop pulling us over. He does the usual and asks us if we have been drinking, and blah blah blah, and asks my friend for his liscense and what not. He takes it and goes to his cop car and sits in there for about 3 minutes as we wait. He comes back and informs my friend that he doesn't have lisense plate lights, and gives him a citation. It was a very small amount as I recall, however, for such a small infraction we both feel that it was quite unnecessary. We are also both sure that if he didn't have a body kit or a somewhat loud and high-pitched exhaust, it never would have happened.

That first story being said, I washed my new Mustang when I got it (about 2 months ago), as it was quite dirty from the 6 hour road-trip I had to take to get it. So I decide to get this thing as spotless as I can. I take off the dealer plates, and forget to put them back on. Then I realize that I didn't put the temporary tag in the rear window like I am legally obliged to do to drive that car on the street. So for a little less than 2 months I had been driving this car with no plates (not even the dealer plates) and no tag, and had not been pulled over. And I KNOW that cops have seen me as I have passed them on several occasions.

So to restate my question, do you think import cars (whether they have big ricey wings and what not, or they have tasteful mods) are being profiled by police as "reckless drivers" just because there is a high probability a younger person drives them?

[Sleepr awd]

i've never been picked on by the police, but i look entirely stock

my friend has gotten stopped w/ his tricked (yes kit, wing, rims, exhaust... u kno.. the works) but it was for a window tinting infraction, though the noise of his car prolly didn't help him lay low

and i'm pretty sure that if you are in an area known for streetracing, this doesn't really apply towards you, cuz in this world it is guilt by association, and if you are in an area where there is active streetracing during the time that you are there... expect to get stopped

i've seen it dozens of times at our usual racing locations and it isn't "profiling" or "picking on" if they are stopping everyone going 90mph in a 30 next to another car which may or may not be in front of you


the cops stopped my dad in his 97 GST eclipse (yes i kno,,, cool dad) b/c he had his temps in the front (she couldn't see them from the back, b/c it was a spyder) that is the only time i remember being in a car that got stopped though and i loooovvvveeeddd that car

the cops around here supposedly have "better things to do" though, like. last year, stalking then killing a gay lover and this year, planting tracking devices in an ex-gf's car

i don't mind so much though b/c i'm not gay nor am i a girl making me mostly safe, and it keeps them off my back and back end

[turtlecrxsi]

I had a cop stop short at the bottom of a hill, make a 3 point turn in the middle of a highway just to do the same speed I was doing to catch up to me to pull me over (where I was waiting at a gas station for him). He was pretty much a jerk and I think it was because my crx had only the roof and door primered. I don't go as fast through there anymore, but I also have my car completely primered now and cops don't really react at all. I believe it's the "shit-box" mentality that sparks a nerve in these cops. If they see a car with unpainted body kits or different colors etc. then they'll find it necessary to give that person a hard time about it...

[clawhammer]

Yes, we do get treated unfairly. The reason is that most cops are older, and grew up in the muscle car era, and don't like imports.

[JekylandHyde]

I've drive Hyde around all-stickered up and the grumblings of the fairly open-cammed exhaust with extra scoops and such poking out here-n-there and I have never been pulled over in him (at least not since he has this "look").

[-Jayson-]

so far ive never had a problem in my cavalier. . . i have 20% tints all the way around, the fronts are illegal in my state but the backs are fine. Ive never been pulled over for them. A few times ive been sitting right next to police at a stop light and didnt have any problems.

Everytime ive ever been pulled over in my car the cop has given me a MUCH smaller ticket than what he could have.

I think its because i dont have a loud exhaust, except for the header its still stock, i dont have a body kit, wing, neons, leds, chrome rims, massive stereo, dragging, graphics, or anything of the sort.

I got pulled over twice for doing almost 20MPH over, both times i got off with an "Impeding traffic" ticket, no points ticket.

[uiony]

Yeah I think import drivers get treated unfair. I own a Civic with mods and I have been pulled over countless times. But the thing that gets me is that when I first got my car and took it out I got pulled over. It was the state police and they gave me a written warning. It sucked, but at least I didn't get a ticket.

[GForce957]

Originally Posted by -Jayson-

so far ive never had a problem in my cavalier. . . i have 20% tints all the way around, the fronts are illegal in my state but the backs are fine. Ive never been pulled over for them. A few times ive been sitting right next to police at a stop light and didnt have any problems.

Everytime ive ever been pulled over in my car the cop has given me a MUCH smaller ticket than what he could have.

I think its because i dont have a loud exhaust, except for the header its still stock, i dont have a body kit, wing, neons, leds, chrome rims, massive stereo, dragging, graphics, or anything of the sort.

I got pulled over twice for doing almost 20MPH over, both times i got off with an "Impeding traffic" ticket, no points ticket.

This is because you aren't an import, you are domestic muscle

[Ace$nyper]

Me I've found alot less hassles in my Z28 then my hatch.

No real hassles in the hatch just dirty looks but I think if i was to just rip a burn out I know what car i'd be pulled over in and what one would get a thumbs up.

[rice(er)]

i think its just the image of imports and/or any car that looks a lil ricey. i kinda compare it to tf & tf movie, i think its just the image these ricey vehicles have that makes cops think its a bunch of trouble kids, doing drugs, illegeal street racing, etc, stuff like that, also depends on where you live, most attitude of cops change from community to community when it comes to modded vehicles, my hometown was kinda small and the cops didn't really care who drove what, in fact i've never seen a ricey car been pulled over in my hometown before

but meh, i've never been pulled over b4 cuz the cops probably dont know what car i drive, if its import or not (i dont think they care, if its looks a lil ricey they'll probably pull you over if they must) but once i add on my exhaust i'm pretty sure i'll catch their attention

[CBFryman]

Ive yet to be hassled, however, around here Lifted truck, stereo or not, is kinda a get out of jail free pass. Real southern county, everybody knows everybody.

However doing 105 in a 70 after doung a u-turn across the median at 1 am with an xB in Duval (County J-Ville is in) is another story. You get thrown on the ground, cuffed, searched, and put in the back of a car, then your car searched and the cop thinks about doing a sobriety test even though you are 1000% straight. Then you get $300 tickets.

However when i was pulled over in my truck it was an "imporper start" and i think that if my stereo hadnt been shaking his 1/2way rolled down window as i drove by i may not have been pulled over

[JLad10687]

No, I think mostly Asain cars are treated unfairly. You will never see a German car pulled over or any European car for that matter.

[Ace$nyper]

Originally Posted by JLad10687

No, I think mostly Asain cars are treated unfairly. You will never see a German car pulled over or any European car for that matter.

My G/f wishes that was true shes got more tickets then a lottery!

well 3 but she drives a classy stock car. She also sucks knowing where speed traps are.

A huge point for the rep is well look at all the stupid shit you see kids do alot of kids drive imports see where i'm going.

Bad apples always ruin the pie

[kfoote]

I've had my STi for 2+ years and have only been pulled over once, for no front license plate about 2 months after I bought the car. For 30k miles worth of driving, that's not very often, especially in a car that is not exactly subtle.

[AlmostStock]

When I was a kid I was stopped for stuff like "We thought your vehicle was stolen" or "Your front bumper looks too low" (I didn't even have one!) and best of all late at night one time "We know where you live and noticed you didn't go straight home" (WTF!) What can you do? Nothing but say yes sir, no sir.

These cops are going after kids not cars. Now if every time they stopped import tuners they came up empty, guess what? They wouldn't bother. If the cops are profiling a certain type of vehicle in your area don't you think there must be a reason?