# You are being followed by a cop, what is the best course of action? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2012, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789 "2012-06-30T09:08:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/21 "2012-07-02T15:06:41Z")
> [@phxjcc](#): > > If it really bothers you that much. find a fast food drive through and go through it. They will not go through a drive through because if they get a call they may not be able to immediately respond. Sadly, this isn’t true at all. I got pulled over in a McDonald’s drive thru-- turns out I crossed a double-yellow to go into the McDonald’s lot (you know, like EVERY OTHER DRIVER EVER) and the cop decided to follow me through the drive-thru line. Thankfully, he let me off with a warning, but man, talk about annoying. ---
**Author:** ![phxjcc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/22 "2012-07-02T20:05:42Z")
> [@davekhps](#): > > Sadly, this isn’t true at all. I got pulled over in a McDonald’s drive thru-- turns out I crossed a double-yellow to go into the McDonald’s lot (you know, like EVERY OTHER DRIVER EVER) and the cop decided to follow me through the drive-thru line. > > Thankfully, he let me off with a warning, but man, talk about annoying. THAT _would_ be annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Mann\_Slaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Mann\_Slaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mann_Slaughter)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/23 "2012-07-03T07:39:24Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > The first thing you should do is try your best to not be black or hispanic or a carload of teenagers. > > Other than that, it seems a little paranoid to me that cops are going follow you for miles just to pull you over for no reason. Or for a COMPLETELY MADE UP REASON! :mad: ## Back in the summer of 2005 I was pulled over (Driving While Black) in the mostly White Cleveland suburb of Brook Park, OH. The cop claimed he pulled me over for a dead license plate light, and put me in the backseat of his cruiser. Although we were parked RIGHT BEHIND MY CAR, it never occurred to me to glance at my plate light. After running me through he determined I was driving under suspension for being in arrears in my child support. He impounded my car, then dropped me off at home. Several days, (and several hundred dollars in impound fees later) I retrieved my car. When I went to AutoZone to buy a replacement bulb for my plate light, I found that they were both fine! Ultimately, rather that pay the $900 in fines, I served 25 days in jail, during which time I learned from other inmates that it’s a fairly standard tactic for cops to pull you over for faulty plate lights, in the hopes of “finding something more serious”: i.e. D.U.I./D.U.S./drugs/etc. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/24 "2012-07-03T08:20:34Z")
I just pull over and pretend to take a phone call. It makes them have to pull me over or quit following me _and_ it makes me look like a model citizen who doesn’t talk and drive. ---
**Author:** ![egcg75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a698b9/32.png) [@egcg75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egcg75)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/25 "2012-07-03T13:08:03Z")
I live in a fairly heavily patrolled area where it is not uncommon for police, of various kinds, to happen to just start following you in normal traffic conditions. I’ve noticed if you drive the speed of traffic (which isn’t always the real speed limit and could be slightly faster) you wouldn’t get harassed much by the cops. This really depends on which police department is following you. If it’s the city police you might get pulled over, but county sherifs or Stateys don’t seem to mind much. Although, one day I was making sure I was doing the speed limit on a 50 mph road because I was being tailed by a state trooper. He flicked on his lights to pull me over, and as soon as I had, he passed me and shut off his lights. All he wanted to do was go faster. It sorta ticked me off that he just wanted to speed, but I guess that goes with driving the real speed limit thing. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/26 "2012-07-03T13:35:43Z")
I was once followed by a police car for at least 20 miles. I was visiting my girlfriend (my future wife), and it was late, and I had out-of-state plates, and was driving not on a major highway. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, so I just kept on going, being careful not to speed or break traffic laws. Eventually he simply left. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/27 "2012-07-03T13:46:53Z")
I think you should pull over, draw your weapon and fire on the officer because he is obviously profiling and is a racist pig (and have it all on video). How dare a cop follow you. That is totally absurd. They have no right to follow people. \ ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/28 "2012-07-03T13:52:49Z")
> [@egcg75](#): > > It sorta ticked me off that he just wanted to speed, Or maybe he had to get somewhere in a hurry, perhaps on a call? ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/29 "2012-07-03T14:08:15Z")
If it starts to bother you, the best action is to pull into a gas station or such, and if they pull in behind you, ask if they’re going to arrest you or if you’re free to proceed. Only give them your name and address if they try questioning you. Otherwise, just keep asking if you’re free to go or are being arrested. Do the breathalyzer test if requested but don’t submit to field sobriety tests, such as touching your nose with your fingers, walking toe to heel and moving your eyes from side to side, which are rigged for failure if you’re dealing with a bad cop. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/30 "2012-07-03T14:59:14Z")
I would just go my merry way. No need to be paranoid. For all I know, he’s making his usual rounds and just happens to be behind me. I don’t generally go over the speed limit and might not even realize that the guy was a cop if it was dark. I suppose if I got nervous and a coffee sounded good I might pull over and pick one up, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to do so simply to avoid the cop behind me. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/31 "2012-07-03T15:20:16Z")
Like I tell my kids whenever we spot a cop nearby- “Act like you’re normal!” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/32 "2012-07-03T15:27:22Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Like I tell my kids whenever we spot a cop nearby- “Act like you’re normal!” My son always says, “Po-po” when he sees a cop car. It is an in joke with us, as the first time he said it (years ago) I had no clue what po-po meant. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/33 "2012-07-03T16:43:15Z")
> [@Mann\_Slaughter](#): > > Although we were parked RIGHT BEHIND MY CAR, it never occurred to me to glance at my plate light. > … > When I went to AutoZone to buy a replacement bulb for my plate light, I found that they were both fine! So you never saw whether your plate light was working that night or not. in his defense, it’s possible that the light actually wasn’t working that night. Might have been a bad connection (corrosion or bulb poorly seated in socket). That wouldn’t be the first time that happened to a light bulb on a car. > [@](#): > > …I learned from other inmates that it’s a fairly standard tactic for cops to pull you over for faulty plate lights, in the hopes of “finding something more serious”: i.e. D.U.I./D.U.S./drugs/etc.- Not just plate lights, but _any_ traffic infraction. It’s called a “pretext stop.” Didn’t start signaling your turn 100 feet from the intersection? 1 MPH over the limit? If he wants to stop you, he now has the legal authority to do so. Now he can look through the window into your car while he’s talking to you, and any contraband in plain sight (roach, crack pipe, open beer can, butt of a gun) becomes legal justification for a more thorough search of the vehicle. And of course once you’ve identified yourself, he’ll be checking your record to see if you have any outstanding warrants or expired license or anything else he should know about. If you get arrested for something like that, you shouldn’t blame the cop. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/34 "2012-07-03T16:57:19Z")
There’s often an obvious difference between a cop who just happens to be following you, and one who is tailgating you, trying to make you nervous and commit a minor driving infraction. In my experience the second is rare, but does happen. When it does, I always pull into the first business I see. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/35 "2012-07-03T17:18:29Z")
I’ve been followed like this twice. Once was late night after a midnight movie. I knew the instant he was behind me and was extra careful. But being annoyed at this, when my turn came I stupidly jerked the car to the turn lane without warning so he’d just go by. He didn’t. His reason was “I noticed you were having a little trouble staying in your lane (which was total BS; I’d been extra careful the entire time), and then that last jerk in to the lane to turn right… (yeah I’ll cop to that).” I got just a warning, though. Another time I had a tail light out and I knew it. I noticed the cop and knew exactly what he was going to do the instant I braked. And he did. I just got a “fixit ticket” which is essentially just another warning. And we did get it fixed. ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/36 "2012-07-03T17:22:22Z")
Once I pulled into the nearest parking lot and the cop followed me and as I got out of my car, “Are you really going in one of these stores or did you just pull over because I was behind you?” And then they followed me into a store to ensure I was actually buying something. Which I did. So that course of action is not good, since if you get the wrong cop, they’ll actually ensure you are really intending on purchasing something wherever you pull over to make sure you intended to in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/37 "2012-07-03T17:51:32Z")
> [@the\_apples\_fell](#): > > Once I pulled into the nearest parking lot and the cop followed me and as I got out of my car, “Are you really going in one of these stores or did you just pull over because I was behind you?” And then they followed me into a store to ensure I was actually buying something. Which I did. Two comments: #1: you didn’t have to answer his question. You are legally required to identify yourself upon request (and produce your driver’s license if you were or are driving a vehicle), but you are not required to tell him where you’re going, where you’ve been, or what you’re up to. #2: there’s nothing he could have done if you had not actually bought something. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/38 "2012-07-03T18:38:19Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > #2: there’s nothing he could have done if you had not actually bought something. Sure he could. He could make up a completely spurious ticket. Happens all the time, right around when the quotas are due each month. Heck, you don’t even need to be driving your car. I got a ticket last month for having a tinted plate cover that was too dark and was obscuring my license plate. Except I don’t and never have had any license plate cover at all. They’re relying on the fact that it will cost me more to challenge the ticket than the cost of the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789/39 "2012-07-03T18:47:22Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > #2: there’s nothing he could have done if you had not actually bought something. Maybe, but I wasn’t prepared to take that chance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-being-followed-by-a-cop-what-is-the-best-course-of-action/626789.md?page=1)