Cop stops - rascals report

[bwilson4web]

Recently, a company in California (of dubious standing) reported hybrid owners get more tickets, 0.38/100,000 miles, than ordinary drivers, 0.23. Based upon the number of Prius sold, over 600,000, and 15,000 miles/year, that would be nearly 37,500 tickets each year. Also, there was a report in Motorweek about driving styles and of course, the "bell the hybrid" crowd is looking for a hook. So I began to wonder, "What sort of tickets are hybrid drivers getting?"

This anonymous poll is just seeking information about traffic stops, where the officer initiated the stop even if there was no ticket. This is not a Spanish Inquisition nor a confessional although 'lessons learned' are welcome.

In my case, a tail-light fuse blew after towing a rented jon boat trailer. The cop held his flashlight while I swapped in the radio fuse and proceeded home. I had no idea the brake lights were not working.

The second stop happened at 2:00 AM after going to "House of Pancakes" for a late-night breakfast. I was doing 20 mph on a 40 mph posted, two-lane, access road that paralleled a four-lane, limited access road while fiddling with the radio. The cop checked to make sure I wasn't intoxicated (think "Ground Hog Day".) No, my wife wanted something I fetched it but not fast enough to avoid notice.

There was a third stop when I was doing a mileage test. I was driving 20 mph on a 1.1 mile road that circles a parking lot and has no stop signs, yield or traffic lights and three lanes. I was on the outer two lanes on a Sunday afternoon. The officer noticed I was driving around the building and parking lot and wanted to know what was going on. ... Curiosity stop?

There are a host of other tickets possible. If it isn't on the list, don't worry about it, and pick something 'close enough.' This really isn't an accuracy poll, just a curiosity.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

[Indyking]

I'm proud to say that after 10 years living in the US, and including living for a while in a small city in Texas where cops had nothing to do but search for minor driving mistakes; I have never get any ticket and neither has my wife. Now having said that, passport antiradar has helped me quiet a bit to stay clear in the past... but now I don't even have to use it in my Prius...

[patsparks]

Been pulled over for speeding past roadworks.
Was on a freeway with 110km/h speed limit, I was doing 110km/h but missed a temporary 80km/h speed limit sign erected for roadworks on the other side of the road. Then there was a 60km/h sign just before a crossover the road workers were using to drive on my side of the road.
I missed the 80K sign but braked for the 60K sign which alerted the cop I was watching in the rear view mirror because I didn't brake for the 80 sign.
I was only given a warning. I doubt the cop could have followed and timed my speed. I suspect I was given a warning because she had insufficient evidence for a conviction..

[HTMLSpinnr]

Since this post/poll wasn't clear on "when" or which vehicle, I chose to respond to everything that ended up w/ a warning or ticket.

Nothing in the new Prius.

Gen II I was pulled over once for tail light out (percussive maintenance would cause it to come back on), and once for not fully stopping at a stop sign (apparently they watch this particular intersection at Waddel Rd. and Saraval Ave. in Surprise, AZ). The tail light was a fix-it ticket. The stop sign was a warning as it was late at night and the guy saw my record was clean otherwise.

Any other ticket was 10+ years ago.

[hyo silver]

Five years; no tickets, one warning for speeding. Something my younger motorcycle-riding self would not believe. Yup, gettin' old.

[bwilson4web]

Any stop even if no ticket is issued. We are unlikely to have enough tickets in this community to make a significant study. But a stop, even just a warning, well it is 'close enough' for now.

Mostly I'm looking for clues ... the types of tickets or warning we are likely to see in the Prius or hybrid community.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

[dogfriend]

Bob, you needed to add "None of the Above".

2 1/2 years of driving the Prius, I have yet to be pulled over. I like to think of it as the stealth vehicle. Yes, I do occasionally (well ok, most of the time) exceed the posted limit, but there are too many other larger faster boy racer targets for the traffic cops to choose from.

[32kcolors]

Hybrid cars that are more likely to hypermile get more tickets on the average? Sorry, but my BS detector is going off.

Are you sure you don't have a Gen III that a Prius enthusiast cop just wanted to check out?

[TonyPSchaefer]

I've received two tickets in Priapus. Both were making illegal turns against posted signs. Oops.

[bwilson4web]

For those curious, the first two entries came from personal experience. The rest came from:

• Statistics On Traffic Violations | TrafficViolationLawFirms
• What are the Different Types of Traffic Violations?

I had thought briefly about including "none of the above" but the ticket rate was reported as a rate per 100,000 miles driven and would take more data. This is a non-scientific poll, just trying to understand the distribution of traffic stops rather than any absolute or accurate rates.

Bob Wilson