Last night around 2:00 am I finished fixing all the things wrong with the EVO (failed Maryland safety inspection). I decide to take the car to test if everything is working properly (went to get some groceries) despite the fact my dealership temporary tags were expired by 9 days. I know that this was very stupid, but I figured since I had all the paperwork with me and the inspection failure papers that I might be able to get away if anything should happen. Leaving the grocery store a cop pulls up behind me. I don't see him, so I pull away rather fast from the stop light and accelerated up to the speed limit (wasn't speeding though) and all of a sudden I noticed lights. So I pull over into the nearest parking lot and prepare for the worst. The cop immediately asks me if I was trying to run from him. I told him no, I didn't see your lights until I had pulled away from the light. He claims that he had his lights on the whole time I was at the light. Somehow I don't believe him. Anyways he tells me since my tags are expired that my car will be towed. He asks for my keys and I give them to him and he proceeds to search my car. I told him he doesn't have permission to search my car, and he replies "I don't need any permission". So I sit and wait until the tow truck arrives. Luckily it is a flatbed and it won't destroy my drivetrain. Since my car is lowered (tein flex coilover) while the back end was pulled onto the truck the front lip scraped very badly on the concrete and did alot of damage to the underside of the front lip, and busted alot of clips and cut the paint to shreds. I start to examine the damage to my car and the second officer who had showed up starts pushing me away from the car shouting "Leave right now! Leave! This is OUR property now!". He had his hand on his pistol while shoving me away. I asked for his badge number and he replies "If you want my badge number then you can go to jail right now". I was on the phone with a friend when he said this to me and she overheard the conversation. So I just walked over to the adjacent parking lot and waited (with groceries in hand) while they finished loading the truck and both cops left with the tow truck. They wrote me a citation for $280 (driving unregistered vehicle). The impound fee is another $160 + $25 per every day left there. I know it is my fault for driving the car while it had expired tags, but what are your opinions on this situation?

 

Id hire an attorney. Thats just BS and it hurts reading it.

 

I second that

 

that sucks and pisses me off. what was the cops name? it should be on the citation, right?

what impound is it at?

 

The cop that I asked refused to tell me his name, but it is written on the citation but it is very illegible (scribble) but I think it says "Cunningham". The car is in the impound called "Lenny's towing" in Laurel MD. I'm going tommorow morning to pay the $160.00 to get it out. I hope it isn't too damaged. Sigh...

 

I'd be more pissed at the stupid tow truck driver than the cops. Damage to your vehicle is ridiculous. It's like what does the tow truck driver really do for a living? He's never lifted a lowered car?

 

Wow, that pisses me off too. 100% call an attorney

 

Most of these guys carry 2 x 4's, to place under the wheels (lifts it), to prevent damage to the front/rear end. Some aren't too smart, don't care, etc. Luck of the draw. Sorry. Been there. Had that done to my car.

 

I would've told the cop to put me in his squad car to go to jail. Just so you can get his tag number and everything. It's BS to get bullied by the cops. I figure he was probably pissed in thinking you was trying to evade him. He probably had his eye on you for awhile.

Sorry bro - not much you can do but pay the ticket and impound fee and take him to court.

-M

 

wtf?!? talk about being ******!! I guess them piggys got nothing better else to do...anyways, if you didn't elude the officer, I would definately fight it in court...if your temporary tags from the dealership expired, it's not your fault either...

 

Damn, I thought Cali was hard a$$...........

 

My question is, who is responsible for the damage? Me? The police? The Tow truck company? I am definitely showing up for court to dispute the citation fees. Its stuff like this that really makes me question the usefulness of our police force. They kept saying "We know your type, your the criminal type." But I kept telling them I was just trying to buy some groceries and that I was testing the car out because I was getting it inspected the next morning. But for some reason they kept saying I had attempted to run from them, but I told them I had no reason to run. I have no outstanding tickets, no criminal record, and I even waited until the light turned green before accelerating. They told me I had reason to run because of expired tags. I just don't get it. I try to be a good person and this is what karma does to me.

 

ahaha... i've been pulled over by this one state trooper 3 times i think (2 warnings, 1 ticket) i still have yet to be able to read his signature.

You should have said that it is your only vehicle and that the motor was pulled out for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks, u finally got it back together and put back into the car... u were going to the BMV in the morning.

 

The tow company for doing the damage.

 

Refrain from posting all curse words on the board.