Pulled over going under the LAX Tunnel
 

Here's my story:

So I was driving home for some lunch and an Airport cop pulled me over. I was driving behind a large truck so I wasn't driving fast at all, 6th gear cruising. The cops reason for pulling me over was because my car looks like it "races". I was a little shocked due to me trying to go for the clean look. Anyway, the cop proceeds to ask me to open the hood for an inspection. Of course I just installed my JRSC last week which he couldn't get me for because of the CARB legal status. He ended up getting me for my OFHeader which I've had on the car and been running through that tunnel for the last two years. I also just put on bigger mufflers+additional resonator to quiet down the exhaust considerably.

Hope you all enjoyed.

Pic included because apparently racecar:

Attachment 101535

Total D bag.. gotta love our police state. They can realistically do anything and everything if they wanted- that is the definition of slavery right there.

I dont know if thats a valid reason to pull you over lol. and second, the cop was smart enough to know the header wasn't part of the carb legal status or what? from my limited experience, they dont know much about cars.

He called over some of his buddies and had a nice show.

He also cited me for mufflers and tinted windows...lol he gave me everything.

ahh okay that makes more sense. That has happened to a few friends of mine. still the reason for pulling you over isn't valid. hes probably just betting you wouldn't do anything about it.

One of the stories where they just get you for everything... shame

It's certainly not legal to pull you over because you look like a race car. However, since he found illegal exhaust modifications and tinted windows, he'll just say he pulled you over because your exhaust was too loud or because he could see your tinted windows.

Those airport cops are mother fuckers.

He must have assumed my front windows were tinted because I had them both down the whole time he saw my car.

That's what I do whenever I pass the cops and I was going to suggest that.

Did he specify what window? The rear windows can be tinted, but can't be too dark. Maybe that's what he was referring to. Or, more likely, he's just an asshole!

nice race car. They can pull you over for anything. "you were going a little fast" , "you changed lanes pretty fast"

What does the ticket say specifically about the header? header=cat=carb=ref

Do you have stock carb tune? and carb plate? wondering if you can get away with the plate with a different tune.

I'm just going to put on my stock header and run my aftermarket tune. Should pass emissions and I don't think they check ecu. All the ticket said was headers, mufflers, tinted windows.

None of your mods matter. You were illegally stopped. Everything will be dismissed. Get a lawyer.

He got a ticket for a muffler, header and tint. If he got a ticket I'm assuming they're illegal in his state. The cop will say "I saw his tint"/"I heard the loud exhaust"

Be glad you didn't get shot

haha this isn't an illegal stop. if you have your rear windows tinted then there is reasonable belief that your other windows are tinted as well, meaning you have an illegally modified car. I'm not saying he's not a jerk for getting you for all those things, but it is a legal stop, he is doing his job, and end of the day when you put all these parts on in california you know going into it its illegal! so you can't be mad when you get a ticket for it. i have all of my windows tinted as well so if i get a ticket, i will gladly take it, have it removed, get it signed off, and then get it put back on (buy the lifetime warranty and if the shop offers free replacement for fix it tickets, GET IT)

it amazes me, people these days cry about why they are getting hassled by the cops when they are breaking the law. its not like he put the tint on your car, you did it so just accept responsibility for it and move on!

Your car looks great though! love the blue, and the tint is a must. oh well :thumbup:

I am not complaining or anything. Just sucks that I got hassled when my car doesn't really look or sound like its a racecar.

Anyway,
Has anyone had this happen to them before? Do you guys know if the inspection station will inspect the tint/mufflers(full car)? or will they just do the Header inspection?

Also its pretty funny the guy stopped me for loud exhaust due to the fact that my exhaust was probably quieter than his bike. No where near the rule.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the officer expressly said the reason for the stop was because the "car looks like it races," then that is an illegal stop.
He didn't say anything about pulling you over for tints or some such. He just added that and the rest onto the ticket pile. Audio from his dashcam will provide evidence supporting that.

Again, this is only if he stopped you for looking like a fast car. What a crock of crap for him to do if that really was what he stated.

OMG...dark tint...

Jeeze, this is exactly why I refuse to drive near LAX, downtown Pasadena, or Sunset Avenue anymore...cops pulling people for the lamest stuff

And no, my tint or lack of a front plate doesn't make me a menace to society...(and I don't buy using tint/plate violations as pretext to stumble upon criminal activity during a traffic stop)

That sucks dude! Anyways, i gotta check out your JRSC.

Yep. There is a thing called "probable cause" which means that a reasonable person (cop) would believe that, based upon the available visible evidence, that a violation of the law has been committed. He could not have known about the headers in advance or from what you said, the tinted windows. Since there was no visible evidence justifying pulling you over, he did not have probable cause. This is an easy ticket to beat.

@ApolloSki He probably could have towed/impounded your car for the catless header. So you got off lucky. Nice car btw.

Eh, depends. If the back window is illegally tinted, you can get pulled over for that.

But if the back window is legally tinted, that doesn't create reasonable suspicion that the side windows would be tinted.

Unless you have some caselaw I'm unaware of.

Why did you pop hood?

How did he know you had headers? they jacked your car up?

You are correct. But cops know better, and he'll just say he saw tint or the exhaust sounded loud.



Almost no police have dash cams in Southern California. But it wouldn't hurt to fight the ticket and request all recordings. If you have a recording of him saying that he stopped you JUST because he thought you looked like you raced, you'd have a pretty good 1538.5 motion.

It was an airport motorcycle cop so I'm pretty sure he doesnt have a cam. I'm thinking about contesting the ticket and see what they say after I tell them my story. I mean I could understand if he said his probable cause was window tint, but the reason he gave was absurd...I was so baffled that I wasn't thinking straight at the time.

Just get a lawyer and fight it, worst case scenario?: you pay the ticket.

I've thought about moving out to California, but these draconian car laws do a good job of making it a no-go.

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Don't know about Cali, but here in IL if you fight a ticket an lose you get court costs to cover. And that's usually from 2x to 5x times the ticket.

The officer needed probable cause but he could have said anything; driver-side tint, exhaust too loud, he thought you had a flat, etc.

I may be wrong but you did not have to open your hood. In fact, he can not enter your car, open the trunk, open the hood without your consent or a warrant. From my past experience, they will hassle you by asking "what are you trying to hide" and similar questions but you do not have to open it. Then again, you just took one step towards the sh** list in the officer's mind.

CHP is known to pull over cars because he/she wanted to check it out. But if that was the reason, he/she shouldn't have given you a ticket. It happened to me a couple of times on previous cars and never got a ticket despite the obvious illegal mods.

BTW, great looking car. Very nicely set up.

That doesn't happen here. Although you do have to pay "bail" in the amount of your fine in order to contest the ticket.

As much as I don't like it, CA law says that cop's have to be able to look under the hood to be able to check the safety equipment and "road worthiness" of your vehicle. Places where you keep personal property (the glove box, and trunk) require a warrant and/or probable cause.

I have locking hood latches on my very not street legal '98 rSTi and thought I could get around popping the hood by telling the cops I never carry the keys, but it turns out if they are big enough ****s they can impound the car until the hood can be opened. It really comes down to the cop that pulls you over and if he thinks it's worth the hassle though.

Sound fishy... I don't think the cop would say he stopped you coz your car look like a race car.... tell us the truth...

I once had a cop say to me "Why were you going 93 mph on the freeway, f*cker?" as the first words from his mouth...what they say may surprise you :eyebulge:

That's exactly what he said.

I spoke to his sergeant today and he told me that if I contest it in court, the judge can rule that the officers "training" in spotting cars that might be in to street racing is a valid reason to inspect my car.

Anyway, its just a quick header swap.
Still sucks to know that even though you aren't breaking any laws and your car is by no means looks or sounds like a race car, you can still get hassled.

damn that sucks!!! i drive through that tunnel everyday to go to work too :(

Install an Exhaust Control Valve (ECV) and silence the engine the next time a cop is behind you. Would he have "forced" you pop your hood? Maybe you could have just gotten away with a tint ticket. =/

What is this inspection you guys speak of?

SC, the land of no emissions or inspections and the cleanest water in the country :D

Wouldn't have made a difference. My exhaust is about as quiet as the Perrin/Q300/TRD. Plus I was in 6th goin 20mph; a Prius would have been proud.

Total example of a fuckin power hungry pig.. Bet you he just got tired of doing his same shitty job everyday at the airport and wanted to have some power hungry moment.

Btw, your back window can have the darkest tint. It's legal, just not the front.