I got stopped last night by a cop in an unmarked car. When I passed him, I noticed the computer (it was on) and knew he was a cop. Our conversation was as follows:
Cop: Did you know you have a headlight out?
Me: No, sorry. I didn’t know.
Cop: Can I see your license?
Me: Yes, but I will have to get out of the car. It is behind my seat.
Cop: How old are you?
Me: 49.
Cop: Ok, have a nice night.
Me: Huh? (in my head)
So why did he ask me my age? Was it because he wanted to see if I knew the right answer, as he had already run my car registration? Was he thinking of asking me out, but I am too old for him? Was he testing me to see if I would lie? I lie about my weight, but not my age.
I don’t know your jurisdiction etc., but from listening to my scanner here I can tell you that before the cop even gets out of his car, he knows the name, height, weight, race, sex, age, criminal record, corrective lens status, the CCW status, and home address of the registrant of the car. It’s possible that upon answering your age, and you not being blatantly breaking any laws or anything that he was satisfied that you were most likely the owner of the car, and thus he didn’t need to check any further.
You had a headlight out. This is sufficient to pull you over, but not significant enough to bother with. As above, he knew all about the owner of the car before he walked up. You answered his questions honestly and didn’t seem drunk, drugged or nervous, therefore there was really nothing more that he needed to do.
If you had lied, seemed drunk, or acted suspiciously, things would have been different.
Anyone could have looked at your insurance card or other documents in the car to learn your name. Your age would have been a trickier question for the non-owner of a vehicle to get right.
A lot of times questions are asked just to see how you behave. You were able to state your age and offered to get your license, presumably without nervousness or hesitation. As mentioned before, this probably convinced the officer that you were not hiding anything (warrants, contraband, etc.).
Sometimes on reality shows you see officers asking suspects if they have anything dangerous on their person - knives, guns, rocket launchers. I always wondered about the last one, but apparently a lot of suspects with something to hide miss this as they are too worried about what may be found. If a suspect laughs or otherwise comments on this question, it is an indicator that they are paying attention and not nervous. A skilled officer can pick up a lot from a very short conversation.
Are you in the United States? Since last night was Super Bowl Sunday, police were obviously out looking for intoxicated drivers. If you seemed sober while answering the questions, they probably let you go to look for their next victim.
Maybe he just got sick and tired of his job, his life and everything else. Here I am, he suddenly said to himself, out in the middle of the night talking to 49-year-old women about proper car maintenance. Do I need this? Really, do I? To hell with it… “Have a nice night” and then he just walks away to sulk in his car. Later, he heads to his favorite bar. The Saints won, hunh? Brees is the MVP? Well, bully for them. I’m an MVP too. I help 49-year-old women pay attention to proper car maintenance in the middle of the night. There’s MVP for you. He gulps a few pints of Smithwick’s and drives home a little tipsy. Gets stopped by a fellow cop who lets him off with a warning. Falls into bed and cries himself to sleep.
You’d have to poll police officers to find out what difference it makes.
One one hand, it means that the person in question may likely be carrying a loaded firearm.
On the other hand, in my State that also means that person has passed extensive criminal background checks at the Federal and State level, and has no felony or domestic battery misdemeanor record, has not been found to be insane, does not have drug convictions, has provided their fingerprints and photos to the police, and has been through weapons and legal training.
The only time I’ve heard police locally here talk about it on the news, they say it makes no difference to them one way or another. I’ve heard cops on the national news, in other States, claim they feel “less safe” pulling over a CCW holder. My CCW instructor, who also instructs police officers, claims that local cops tell her they feel “more safe” pulling over a CCW holder for a routine traffic stop. But all of this is really hearsay.
Please note I’m not debating the pros or cons of guns, CCW licenses, gun control, or anything else, and I hope no one else does either to ruin this thread.
My husband does this. He’s a manager of a gas station and when he gets someone’s ID for beer or cigarette purchases he casually asks them how old they are. He says you’d be surprised how people hesitate and act nervous when it’s a fake ID. I would assume people would have studied their fake and learn the fake age and birthdate, but I guess everyone’s not that good.
A cop in an unmarked car may not be allowed to pull people over for traffic stops in your jurisdiction. Many do not allow it anymore after instances of people impersonating cops and illegally pulling people over because they were able to buy the blue light. A few women have been raped, and more than one has had money taken out of their wallet when they handed it over (to show the “officer” their driver’s license).
Just last week in my hometown, there was a news account of a man who has a warrant out for his arrest for impersonating a cop by pulling a man over and demanding to see his license. The man got suspicious and reported his license plate number and description to the real police. Turns out he wasn’t a cop at all.
