I got profiled

[tootype2crazy]

I was driving along in my bus just now, it was about 8:30 central time, the sun had already gone down. I was driving behind a guy in the left lane of a four lane road and he slowed down at street like he was going to turn left, but then let off the brakes and kept going. So naturally I got a little close to him because he slowed down to 25 to do that and then continued to drive slow as if he didn't know where he was going. I decided I would pass him so I looked in my right side mirror, got in the right lane and passed him, never going over the speed limit. I did not swerve or speed. So then I see red and blue lights in my rear view mirror as well as the cop's spot light shining right in my eyes. This was quite disorienting but that's beside the point.

So I turned into the first street on the right and got my insurance and license out. He walked up with his flashlight and peered into the back of my bus which is full of cleaning equipment as I run a cleaning business. He said good evening sir, shining the flashlight right into my eyes obviously checking for nystagmus or redness. He asked where I am going, I told him the department store. He looks at my insurance card and says, "Yep 79". He asked me what I do for a living, I tell him I run a cleaning business and he noted that I must use my van for that and I said yes. He said I was following that guy in front of me too closely and swerved around in my lane and asked if I had been drinking. I explained to him what that guy did and told him I have not been drinking. He was like "OK" and then asked me if I have any warrants for my arrest. I told him no and he went back to his car and checked my license and then returned a few minutes later and said I was free to go.

He clearly profiled me based on my bus. He was checking in on me to see if I was a pot head or drunk. I do not look like a hippy, and I don't smoke weed. I found it kind of amusing. Have any of you ever been pulled over simply because you drive a bus?
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[crushie]

You need to watch this,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc
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1974 VW Combi 1800 Auto. Weber 32/36

[guitarman63mm]

Several times. I've been pulled over the same cop, twice, four months apart, heading back from college.

The first time, I was driving down US 19, groovin' to some james brown, and I gave the guy 'the nod' as I drove by. Well, he didn't like that, because he subsequently pulled me over. Mostly just seemed curious about my bus, wasn't rude or anything, but just totally made up an excuse to pull me over: "You looked like you were having some steering problems and swerving.". I explained that I was driving a giant breadbox at 60mph into a crosswind, and that there's no way to not swerve a little, but that I was quite alright. Free to go after that.

The second time he pulled me over, I had decided to try and travel at 3am, hoping they would leave me alone. Wrong. As he came up, he basically just asked me to get out of the car, and mentioned that my license plate wasn't easy to read, and then he paused and said "Have I pulled you over before? You go to FSU, finance?"

I replied "...yes.."

He shuffled his feet a bit, shook my hand, and said goodnight. I think he was embarrassed for profiling the same guy twice.
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Jimmy

- 1974 Safaré Custom Camper. 091 trans + Dual Weber 34 ICTs + Pertronix SVDA + 1.7L 914 T4 engine.

[grandpa pete]

all they are doing is looking for an excuse to check if you are high or drunk....run the numbers...let you go.......If that really upsets you drive a buick....life
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63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery

[tootype2crazy]

[old DKP driver]

Hell, I would 'profile' you too with those eye's in your avatar
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V.W.owner since 1967

[tootype2crazy]

[kreemoweet]

It comes with the territory. Just be nice, and hope he doesn't have a quota to fill. We all know The Man can make up whatever
b.s. story he wants, and probably make it stick. Always be prepared for this scenario.
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'67 bug: seized by the authorities
'68 bug: seized by the authorities
'71 kombi: not yet seized by the authorities

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Kirk]

Hell that sounded like a pretty typical traffic stop that coulda been done if you had driven the same way in a ford. Dunno.
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MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[chabanais]

Yup.

[tootype2crazy]

I disagree. He saw the guy slow down to turn in front of me. And the way he said "Yep a 79" when he saw my insurance card showed me he was thinking about me and my vehicle. I just thought it would be fun to report this here to break up the monotony a little.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[bigbore]

Last summer coming home from Canada I was pulled over TWICE with in 2 hours on the open road by the troopers both times they were going the other way so they had to turn around and come and get me (well it didn't take long I was pulling a trailer ) both times I said when they walked up to the bus " It can't be for speeding " and the trooper said oh no your trailer is missing its plate I said ya the road was so ruff going to Dawson it broke off he said no problem he saw it was properly registered but you know he could not have seen that going down the road. After he was done writing "there was no ticket just paper work" he wanted to talk VW's well now I think we know why I got pulled over out here in the middle of no where he was board and likes VW's well like I said 2 times it was like deja vu all most the exact samething but I said this time I was just pulled over for the samething he calls it in comes back said I was right he was sorry he didn't need to pull me over but as long as I got you here another 1/2 hour shot to hell talking about VW's but it was fun.
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where its cold and snowy

[Stuartzickefoose]

[Mal evolent]

the video you really need to watch is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8
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73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats

Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index

[Jim Bear]

I was profiled and stopped a few times when living down south in the past. I have yet to be stopped since moving to Rhode Island and have passed many a cop. We were stopped all the time in our VW's when we were kids in upstate NY in the 90's.

I am moving back to GA in July and expect to be stopped regularly. Be clean and sober and only as sarcastic as the you think the officer's intellect can handle before he either gets it or gets pissed because your confusing him.
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"You're either on the bus, or you're off the bus." ~kk
'85 Vanagon Westy - George In the Stable 2020-?/'74 Weekender - Ophelia In the Stable 2007- ?/'69 Beetle Convertible - SOLD 2017-2020/'67 Beetle - September SOLD 2013-2016 /'67 SO42 Westy - Sage SOLD 1996-2001 /'69 Transporter - Baby Blue SOLD 1995-1995/'72 Westy - Nelly - SOLD 1990-1995--STOP FRACKING

[soissisc]

On my way to pick up my kids from church camp a couple years ago, I became very popular with a half dozen state troopers who pulled me over and instead of asking for license and regisration, they commanded me to exit the vehicle with hands up and had their guns drawn.

To make a long story short, after some interrogation and a detailed search of the vehicle (and an education for a few officers that the engine IS behind that door) it turns out there was an amber alert issued earlier in the day and I fit the description perfectly.

It made sense that I saw so many troopers as I inched up in stop and go traffic to the road block...

Bad thing is as this went on, all the traffic headed to pick up their kids at church camp went past. I got the looks as I finally entered the parking lot that day....
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Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[Stuartzickefoose]

[obnoxiousblue]

I'm sorry, but NY is generally credited with nasty drivers, and nastier cops...
But only once was I pulled over in the bus, and frankly, I had AT LEAST 10 violations he could've written me for.
I'm not sure if people are exaggerating, or if cops really "profile" VW bus drivers...
Not to sound racist, but an Eastern-indianesque man driving a panel van near an airport... Ok.
A white teenager, twenty something or else in a camper... Seems odd.
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Mike
1964 Beetle
2001 Eurovan Camper

[dugfresh]

I got pulled over in Montesano (tiny town on the penninsula) recently. Officer said I didn't signal and that he could tell a light was out because one of my signals blinks faster... So I showed him that actually they do work but for some reason my signals on the passenger side do blink fast... No ticket there... but I did have an expired license and expired insurance card... UGH.. $550 ticket! But he told me that if I indeed did have the current card at home, to photocopy it and send that to the court and they would most likely reduce it to court costs of $25... Sure enough I just got the slip in the mail.

What he really should have pulled me over for was my missing license plate lights!
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78 Riviera
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjDRJPa1

[BUSBOSS]