# WTF COP? Gonna just follow me as long as you want? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 20, 2009, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136 "2009-03-20T08:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/21 "2009-03-20T15:01:27Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > You really think that, if a cop sees two cars coming down the street at 11:00 PM, one an $80,000 Mercedes driven by a 70-year-old man and one a $1,200 beat-up Ford Escort with a bunch of surly-looking teenage thugs in it, he should think to himself “Now, now, I mustn’t judge people!”, and flip a coin or something? Actually, I really think that if neither of them are breaking the law he ought to go look for somebody that is. Do you consider “following people around until they do something wrong” to be a legitimate police activity? ---
**Author:** ![unstrung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a698b9/32.png) [@unstrung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unstrung)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/22 "2009-03-20T15:01:43Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > You really think that, if a cop sees two cars coming down the street at 11:00 PM, one an $80,000 Mercedes driven by a 70-year-old man and one a $1,200 beat-up Ford Escort with a bunch of surly-looking teenage thugs in it, he should think to himself “Now, now, I mustn’t judge people!”, and flip a coin or something? I’m thinking this hypothetical cop should focus on the car that is breaking laws rather than the one that is more/less expensive, no? ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/23 "2009-03-20T15:05:13Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > _So?_ What’s wrong with that? How do you expect the police to do their job without profiling? With thousands of people on the road, they have to focus their attention on the ones that they think are the most suspicious. > > You really think that, if a cop sees two cars coming down the street at 11:00 PM, one an $80,000 Mercedes driven by a 70-year-old man and one a $1,200 beat-up Ford Escort with a bunch of surly-looking teenage thugs in it, he should think to himself “Now, now, I mustn’t judge people!”, and flip a coin or something? I spoke with an attorney from CA who is a friend the other day, and brought this up. From what I recall, the police **are not** allowed to pull you over for something they **suspect**. You must break a rule in order for them to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/24 "2009-03-20T15:07:29Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > I spoke with an attorney from CA who is a friend the other day, and brought this up. From what I recall, the police **are not** allowed to pull you over for something they **suspect**. You must break a rule in order for them to do so. They need probable cause that you have committed or are currently committing a crime. They don’t need to _know_ that you have committed or are currently committing a crime. Of course, that doesn’t mean they can just follow you around all day because you look shifty. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/25 "2009-03-20T15:08:40Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s really bugging me is when it’s night time and these cops tail me… WTF? Usually there are no cars on the road and only me.. What are you looking for? A swerve?.. Well, I might fuckin swerve knowing your sitting on my ass.. I might change lanes too.. Hell, I might even speed up by accident.. I don’t know. But fuck, do you have to put me on the spot?.. Wouldn’t it make more sense to check from a distance… I’m probably more likely to do something stupid if you aren’t right behind me. > > Maybe they’re just checking my tags?.. Hmm.. Do cops typically ride 30 feet behind you for 2-3 miles in a 25 zone on empty streets to check your tags? I can see you maybe pulling behind me for a few second to input the data on your laptop but shit … give me a fuckin heart attack why don’t you.. I have nothing to hide but I don’t want a damn ticket because you need to make your quota and want to pull me over because I got nervous and swerved a little. > > Shouldn’t there be a line here?.. How long can a cop just sit on your ass without the intent of pulling you over? Can they follow you as long as they want to?.. What’s up with this… When I was dating Pepper Mill, I left her house late one night, and soon there was a police car on my tail. It followed me all the ay back to where I was staying – a distance of 40 miles. Maybe it was the out-of-state plates and the fact that I was drivin around late. Maybe they were bored out of their minds late at night ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/26 "2009-03-20T15:18:29Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > _So?_ What’s wrong with that? How do you expect the police to do their job without profiling? With thousands of people on the road, they have to focus their attention on the ones that they think are the most suspicious. > > You really think that, if a cop sees two cars coming down the street at 11:00 PM, one an $80,000 Mercedes driven by a 70-year-old man and one a $1,200 beat-up Ford Escort with a bunch of surly-looking teenage thugs in it, he should think to himself “Now, now, I mustn’t judge people!”, and flip a coin or something? And the honest people that cops happen to think look like “surly” “teenage thugs” deserve to be harassed because? I went through a long hair phase. If there was the slightest possibility of being pulled over that really attracted the cop’s attention. I used to listen to a lot of techno on my car stereo. They’d occasionally ask to search for drugs. I don’t even drink. I’ve never been drunk. Let alone do drugs. Yet I was harassed. Did I deserved to be singled out/harassed because I had non mainstream choices in hair and music? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/27 "2009-03-20T15:36:16Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Actually, I really think that if neither of them are breaking the law he ought to go look for somebody that is. Do you consider “following people around until they do something wrong” to be a legitimate police activity? If the cop doesn’t have anything else to do, then following vehicles that he thinks look suspicious to see what they’re up to is fine with me. He’d be doing precisely what you suggest - looking for people who are breaking the law by focusing his attention on people whom he judges most likely to break the law. > [@unstrung](#): > > I’m thinking this hypothetical cop should focus on the car that is breaking laws rather than the one that is more/less expensive, no? Argue all you want, but people with more money are statistically less likely to be involved in the type of crimes that ordinary police care about. > [@The Tao's Revenge](#): > > And the honest people that cops happen to think look like “surly” “teenage thugs” deserve to be harassed because? > > I went through a long hair phase. If there was the slightest possibility of being pulled over that really attracted the cop’s attention. I used to listen to a lot of techno on my car stereo. They’d occasionally ask to search for drugs. > > I don’t even drink. I’ve never been drunk. Let alone do drugs. > > Yet I was harassed. Did I deserved to be singled out/harassed because I had non mainstream choices in hair and music? Well, maybe not _deserved_, but what do you expect? If you look like a stoner, people are going to think you’re a stoner, no matter how innocent and sweet and perfect you _really_ are. I mean, come on. Let’s say you’re a cop. On average, you find drugs in 5% of all cars. However, you gradually come to realize you find drugs in 25% of all cars driven by long-haired teenagers blasting techno music. Is it unreasonable to be more suspicious of and pay more attention to cars driven by long-haired teenagers blasting techno music? I mean, hell, I drive a bright red sports car. If I’m driving through some fun, winding country road on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and a cop sees my car and a van with handicapped plates being driven by a senior citizen, is it unreasonable for him to assume I’m more likely to be speeding? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![unstrung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a698b9/32.png) [@unstrung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unstrung)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/28 "2009-03-20T15:44:50Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Argue all you want, but people with more money are statistically less likely to be involved in the type of crimes that ordinary police care about. If we are to go by statistics, it’s worth mentioning that if the vehicle is not currently breaking a law, then the probability that it is currently engaged in the type of crime that ordinary police care about is zero. Of course, one could argue that having a police car following someone makes them less likely to commit a crime. Except that by following one vehicle, they are most likely ignoring several others, which fairly well nullifies their “preventative” measures. And, what everyone else said about profiling being unfair. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/29 "2009-03-20T16:12:30Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > …and it’s a lot more likely for a thief to be driving a $5,000 car than $50,000 one. …_before_ the thief steals the $50,000 car. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Krebbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Mr.Krebbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Krebbs)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/30 "2009-03-20T16:51:00Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > If the cop doesn’t have anything else to do, then following vehicles that he thinks look suspicious to see what they’re up to is fine with me. He’d be doing precisely what you suggest - looking for people who are breaking the law by focusing his attention on people whom he judges most likely to break the law. […] > > I mean, hell, I drive a bright red sports car. If I’m driving through some fun, winding country road on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and a cop sees my car and a van with handicapped plates being driven by a senior citizen, is it unreasonable for him to assume I’m more likely to be speeding? I don’t think so. No, that’s not unreasonable. I certainly do think that it’s unreasonable, however, to tail a car simply because it looks like that car might eventually speed or because its driver looks like he might indulge in some marijuana. Go look for somebody who is intoxicated or otherwise driving recklessly if you’re a cop with nothing better to do. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/31 "2009-03-20T16:56:41Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > I mean, come on. Let’s say you’re a cop. On average, you find drugs in 5% of all cars. However, you gradually come to realize you find drugs in 25% of all cars driven by long-haired teenagers blasting techno music. Is it unreasonable to be more suspicious of and pay more attention to cars driven by long-haired teenagers blasting techno music? Let’s say you gradually come to realize that 25% of the people convicted of drug related crimes are black. Is it unreasonable to be more suspicious of and pay more attention to black people? ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/32 "2009-03-20T17:16:33Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Well, maybe not _deserved_, but what do you expect? If you look like a stoner, people are going to think you’re a stoner, no matter how innocent and sweet and perfect you _really_ are. That seems perfectly valid..until you extend the logic to include “Looking poor”, “Looking lost”, “Looking non white” or some other such thing. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/33 "2009-03-20T17:16:56Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > I mean, hell, I drive a bright red sports car. If I’m driving through some fun, winding country road on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and a cop sees my car and a van with handicapped plates being driven by a senior citizen, is it unreasonable for him to assume I’m more likely to be speeding? I don’t think so. And this is why I drive a 2007 Camry V-6. It’s within a tenth of a second of a Subaru WRX to 60, faster in the quarter mile, stock. It’s not quite stock anymore, but you can’t tell by looking. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/34 "2009-03-20T17:28:52Z")
> [@unstrung](#): > > If we are to go by statistics, it’s worth mentioning that if the vehicle is not currently breaking a law, then the probability that it is currently engaged in the type of crime that ordinary police care about is zero. - Vehicles don’t break laws, people do (unless the vehicle is not road-safe for some reason) - A lot of times it’s not immediately apparent what crime someone in a vehicle may be engaged in or has engaged in but a cop ends up pulling someone over for something rather mild but which is technically a legal issue, like say an “improper lane change”. Except in the dullest of towns the cop probably has no interest in the improper lane change, but when he pulls the person over on that pretext he finds out that they have a warrant for grand larceny and unlawful defenestration in 12 states, 6 keys of coke, and a dead body in the trunk. Many, many more serious crimes are revealed through minor traffic stops. I’m not necessarily defending **Absolute** nor profiling but I do want to play devil’s advocate because it is a little ridiculous to expect cops never to watch or pull anyone over unless they are rolling around with guns blazing out the windows or running down pedestrians like a maniac. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/35 "2009-03-20T17:41:25Z")
Following you is not harassment (IMHO). It makes me nervous as well (mainly trying to remember if I have any old parking tickets outstanding). I use my cruise control to nail the right speed, and do complete stops, signals, etc. It is a nice little exercise, just like taking the driving test. I had it happen to me last week. Pulling you over because “you fit the description of a call that came in” IS harassment. We drive cars into the ground in our household. My wife was driving my old truck (now gone to truck heaven (aka Mexico through a donation), was followed through the nice neighborhood, then pulled over. Both cops got out, hands on their guns (still holstered), and slowly approached our beater. When they got close, they spotted three middle aged women in the truck and noticably relaxed. “Do you know your tags expire in 3 days?” Yeah, right. ---
**Author:** ![unstrung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a698b9/32.png) [@unstrung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unstrung)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/36 "2009-03-20T17:45:50Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > - Vehicles don’t break laws, people do (unless the vehicle is not road-safe for some reason) This seems a bit needlessly nitpicky to me, but ok - please feel free to substitute “person” for “vehicle” in my above post. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > I’m not necessarily defending **Absolute** nor profiling but I do want to play devil’s advocate because it is a little ridiculous to expect cops never to watch or pull anyone over unless they are rolling around with guns blazing out the windows or running down pedestrians like a maniac. Agreed, that would be bad as well. My issue is mainly with the idea of choosing which cars to follow based on the type of car or how the driver looks… ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/37 "2009-03-20T17:56:07Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > It sorta does feel like intimidation, doesn’t it? I, too, have had this happen and have been slightly annoyed by it. I becomes sort of a game to check that I’m doing everything right while he’s behind me. > > _Check rearview._ Yup, still there. > _Check speedometer._ Just slightly under limit. We’re good, even though every other lane is flying by. > _Check rearview._ What’s he doing back there? > _Check signal._ Good, not on for no reason. > _Check speedometer._ Hanging in there at 59 mph. > _Turn on signal, change lanes ever so carefully while checking all mirrors affixed to vehicle, turn off signal._ > _Check rearview._ Is there something wrong? What’s wrong? Why is he still following me?! Gah! > _Check speedometer._ I’m NOT SPEEDING!!! I saw that happen one time on I-43 just outside Milwaukee during my former daily commute. Except the guy being tailed switched lanes several times to let the cop past. Every time, the cop continued to hug the guy’s bumper. Eventually, the guy changed lanes without signaling and on came the blue lights. Dickhead. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/38 "2009-03-20T18:10:15Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > And why is this bad? It’s perfectly reasonable behavior for the police. They’re worried about theft, and it’s a lot more likely for a thief to be driving a $5,000 car than $50,000 one. How do you know that? Just cause it makes “sense” doesn’t mean it true. More importantly, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when cops only pull over those more “likely” to commit a crime. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/39 "2009-03-20T18:12:20Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > If the cop doesn’t have anything else to do, then following vehicles that he thinks look suspicious to see what they’re up to is fine with me. He’d be doing precisely what you suggest - looking for people who are breaking the law by focusing his attention on people whom he judges most likely to break the law. And the heap of stories in this thread show this makes many innocent saps both very nervous/stressed out, and takes their attention off the road. Creating a traffic hazard. > [@](#): > > Argue all you want, but people with more money are statistically less likely to be involved in the type of crimes that ordinary police care about. Including dealers on the black market? Isn’t being poor bad enough without the cops looking for reasons to drain your meager earnings with tickets? > [@](#): > > Well, maybe not _deserved_, but what do you expect? Equal treatment under the law? Unless liking techno, and long hair were a crime of some sort. > [@](#): > > If you look like a stoner, people are going to think you’re a stoner, no matter how innocent and sweet and perfect you _really_ are. Well I am pretty perfect so I’ll give you this.😛 > [@](#): > > I mean, come on. Let’s say you’re a cop. On average, you find drugs in 5% of all cars. However, you gradually come to realize you find drugs in 25% of all cars driven by long-haired teenagers blasting techno music. Is it unreasonable to be more suspicious of and pay more attention to cars driven by long-haired teenagers blasting techno music? So that means it’s okay to harass the 75% majority of law abiding people who have long hair and like techno? > [@](#): > > I mean, hell, I drive a bright red sports car. If I’m driving through some fun, winding country road on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and a cop sees my car and a van with handicapped plates being driven by a senior citizen, is it unreasonable for him to assume I’m more likely to be speeding? I don’t think so. So that gives the cop license to pull that red car over for the stupidest reasons? Follow them all over creation making the driver a nervous wreck? I don’t think so either. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136/40 "2009-03-20T18:20:14Z")
Driving in the vicinity of someone for a while is not harrassment. Tailing someone from very close for an extended time is. Pulling someone over for a violation is not harrassment. Following someone around until they commit a violation, probably because they were nervous because you were behind them, is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-cop-gonna-just-follow-me-as-long-as-you-want/490136.md?page=3)