00Rant: Are Cops Nitpicking MORE and MORE? If So, Do YOU Think It's RIGHT?

In the words of one of my favorite entertainers, Dennis Miller...

"I don't wanna get off on a rant here..."

BUT I am getting fed up already. My daily is a modified Volkswagen Golf and in the past 12 months — particularly in my hometown — I've been the subject of relentless police attention. I've been pulled over at least a handful of times for tints, — which are illegal on the front windows in New Jersey — and even a "noisey muffler."

The latter was dismissed as the vehicle is equipped with the OEM catalytic converter and the modified exhaust is a cat-back with two resonators.

I take full responsibility for the tints. I know it's against the law; however, I do work in an urban area where vehicles are broken into. I like having privacy and another deterrent from a thief smashing my windows — tinted windows are not fun for a thief trying to commit a quick snatch and run. Not to mention that vehicles with tinted glass on all windows has, essentially, become commonplace in New Jersey due to a lack of enforcement. Now the thin blue line wants to make up for lost time as local municipalities tighten their budgets.

Now while I took yesterday's ticket in stride, I got a bit chafed when I spoke to Agent 001 today. That's because one of his attorney friends from his his old neck of the woods in New York state noted in a message:


So, we want to know: Are cops NITPICKING more and MORE in YOUR neighborhood? AND, if it is becoming a problem is it RIGHT?

Agent009 - 4/1/2014 9:01:24 AM

+1 Boost

All about the money grab. The same cities doing the nit picking around here are the same that have red light cameras.

Replacing poor budgets with extra fines.

vdiv - 4/1/2014 11:24:38 AM

+2 Boost

So, wait a minute! You have done something illegal to your car, you know it is illegal, and instead of trying to correct it by at least attracting less attention with your modified exhaust you are complaining about the cops doing their job?!

OK, it is annoying. Get a sleeper and leave nothing inside it.

We have the opposite problem, no traffic safety enforcement other than the quick speeding ticket and the red light cameras. People are not paying attention to their driving, they are distracted, driving erratically, weaving through multiple lanes, some do 40 mph on a 55 others do 80. Turn signals, what turn signals?! Matching your speed on the entrance ramp to the traffic before entering? Humbug! Slowing down AFTER getting on the exit ramp?! Right! You walk down a parking lot and every third car or so has body damage. Where are the cops then?!

The roads are a complete crap, unmaintained, insufficient, and by design. Collected tolls seep through corruption and incompetency, allegedly paying for the public transportation from hell. And it is all getting worse.

That's my rant.

TehShibbs - 4/1/2014 1:19:41 PM

+1 Boost

If you know you're doing something that's obviously illegal, just expect to get a ticket. It's really that simple.

That being said, if you NEED to modify your car, do it in ways that are more difficult to be proven. Headers with high-flow (or no) cats free up good amounts of power from most cars, even running through the stock exhaust. This will not effect the "look" of your vehicle at all, thus get no more attention from the police than any other car of your make/model.

TehShibbs - 4/1/2014 1:21:27 PM

+2 Boost

And as far as license plate lights/brake lights being cited for reasons to be pulled over, I'm all for it. I doubt anyone can say that they've done a walkaround of their own car in the last week and had someone test the blinkers/brake lights/taillights with them. Fix-it tickets are seldom money makers, just a hassle.

Agent00R - 4/1/2014 11:57:37 PM

+1 Boost

I hear where you guys are coming from but I think you're missing the bigger point. For example, states imposing law over tints is, frankly, ridiculous when there's no real justification for it.