Method of pulling you over

[Maxi King]

I looked everywhere and could not find the necessary forum and this is slightly unrelated to radar detectors but I really need an answer. Today I was speeding on a secondary highway and I pulled up to a cop driving a black unmarked charger (no light bar just a spot light) who was also speeding and once I noticed I immediately braked and slowed down. He did not pull me over but went behind me and from what it looked like he pulled up my record and then drove off. Cops have to physically pull you over and document the ticket am I right? They can't just mail you one with no proof other than their own personal eyewitness? I live in TN. Any info would be really appreciated.

[snoopyc4]

You are correct. The LEO can't mail you your ticket. The only tickets I know of that are mailed to you are photo radar tickets and red light camera tickets

[Stealth Stalker]

I suspect that this may vary from state to state. However, in any state I have ever been, you are correct. For speeding only, an actual stop must take place to identify the operator. It is the driver that is issued a ticket, not the vehicle. And if he cannot positively identify YOU as the driver, then there is no case.

Just to correct your terminology, unmarked and undercover are not synonymous. You would not find an "undercover" officer in a Charger, Crown Vic, or Impala because that sort of defeats the whole premise of a cover. Cover involves a LOT more than just an unmarked car. Even the rolling speed trap officers in Houston are in uniform. Undercover is a concept that simply does not apply to traffic enforcement. Trust me, if you have ever in your life seen an undercover officer, you didn't know it.

[Maxi King]

I suspect that this may vary from state to state. However, in any state I have ever been, you are correct. For speeding only, an actual stop must take place to identify the operator. It is the driver that is issued a ticket, not the vehicle. And if he cannot positively identify YOU as the driver, then there is no case.

Just to correct your terminology, unmarked and undercover are not synonymous. You would not find an "undercover" officer in a Charger, Crown Vic, or Impala because that sort of defeats the whole premise of a cover. Cover involves a LOT more than just an unmarked car. Even the rolling speed trap officers in Houston are in uniform. Undercover is a concept that simply does not apply to traffic enforcement. Trust me, if you have ever in your life seen an undercover officer, you didn't know it.

I appreciate it, its fixed! Thank god, I was going 30+ over, I would have been screwed.

[Stealth Stalker]

Yeah, sounds like he had no way to get your speed, other than pacing you. And once you were in a position where he could pace you, you had already slowed down. He certainly could still pull you over and give you grief, and even cite you if he wanted to. Why he didn't is anyone's guess, as there would be many possible reasons. But no, you won't be receiving anything in the mail!

[Maxi King]

Yeah, sounds like he had no way to get your speed, other than pacing you. And once you were in a position where he could pace you, you had already slowed down. He certainly could still pull you over and give you grief, and even cite you if he wanted to. Why he didn't is anyone's guess, as there would be many possible reasons. But no, you won't be receiving anything in the mail!

Your my savior man, thank you so much.

[FoolishOne]

Even if he did (try to) pull you over, DON'T! Call 911 and keep moving.

Right from my defensive driving course. (They say stop, but I wouldn't. Plausible deniability )

(In the middle of the page)

[Stealth Stalker]

Wow, that's weird! The advice on that page is crazy, and applicable only to limited areas. Black uniforms? In Maryland? While it is common in some areas, I don't know of any agency in MD that wears black. Hats? I have never once worked for any agency that required hats. There are maybe two such agencies in all of North Texas. Blue lights? Good luck with that in New York. I really hope that DDC is for a specific area, and not presented nationwide. If it is, it fails.

[FoolishOne]

Alabama, specifically, but I'm sure it doesn't change all that much. You think?

I got a screen capture of the entire course.

[Stealth Stalker]

What do you mean? The course is written in AL? You took it in AL?

Defensive Driving is pretty much universal. But that extra info they threw in there is extremely misleading, and even dangerous, if it is being given across the entire country. If you refuse to pull over in MD because the officer's uniform wasn't black, you're going to end up with more than just a speeding ticket.