So, I am driving home last night, and I see a police car from this town near me that is known for having the worst cops around. I am not speeding or doing anything wrong, when all of a sudden he flicks on his lights, and pulls me over.

I am still completely confused as to why he did this, when he comes up to my car and the following dialogue is exchanged:

Police: "How ya doin? We got a car about a stolen silver VW Golf tonight, and it matches this description.."

Me: (Trying too hard to contain my laughter) "Um...Officer, this isn't a VW...it's a Mini Cooper S..."

Police: "Can I see your license and registration?"

I hand it to him, he takes one look at it and goes:

"OK, have a good night..." and sends me on my way.

OK, I can deal with certain things, but when you call my car a VW Golf, it is the equivalent of spitting on my shoes. Nothing will get me more aggravated than that...Other than this cop's stupidity. Sorry, for the rant, I thought it was kind of a funny story..

 

Wow...

 

wow indeed. i bet that made him feel kinda stupid.

 

There are MINI Coopers, and there are wannabe MINI Coopers. The VW is just one among others.

 

I remember having people ask if my car was "one of those electric cars."

 

Do any of you guys remember the fake MINI Cooper commercials? The counterfit ones? This story reminds me of a scenario like that. LOL

 

was the cop drunk?

 

The officer had to keep his authoritative, "I represent the fine line between order and chaos" look, but inside he was utterly humiliated and probably, after work, drown in sorrows work trying to figure out where he had gone so wrong in his life now that he was in the twilight of such a lack-luster career. Ya gotta feel kinda bad for the guy. At least he wasn't a jerk about it.

 

Big oopsie for Mr. Law Enforcement!

 

Sounds like a BS excuse to pull you over to me. There probably was no report of a stolen VW; if there was, he'd most likely have a plate number.

I'd think about what other reason he might have had to pull you over -- like perhaps you fit some sort of profile.

 

The look on his face was priceless...I think he was kinda PO'd that a-19-year-old-in-two-days knew more about cars than he did

 

This is precicely why you need a pad of tear off sheets that say...

"Stupid COP, NO DONUT!"

 

Or he's getting a MINI himself, and he pulled SilverBullet over to check out his ride!

 

Maybe not as bad as being mistaken for a PT Cruiser.

 

I really doubt it.

 

Hubby and I were pulled over on I-10 in the middle of nowhere in Texas in 2004...and the cop pretended that we were speeding (we were not), gave us a warning, then started asking a million questions about the MINI! So, don't be too quick to doubt it!

 

Thats one of the funniest things I have heard all day!!!! I hope I dont get pulled over once I get my mini because they got a call about a stolen truck or something!

 

a few months after I got the car in 03, I got pulled over for speeding. cop is in the squad car behind me writing the ticket, and comes back to me ..

cop: "What kind of Chrysler is this again?"
me: (thinking to tell him it's some kind of Chrysler model, so I can get the ticket dismissed) "It's a Mini Cooper"
cop: Oh, that wing badge on your hatch, made me think it's a Chrysler"

just speechless

 

If he pulled him over to check out the MINI, he would have known what is was and wouldn't have called it a VW.

I think the cop probably saw a teenager driving a nice car on a Saturday night and pulled him over on a fishing expedition, hoping to nab a drunk driver, perhaps. I'll bet he leaned close in to the driver's window, trying to smell alcohol.

Pulling someone over without probable cause is illegal, BTW. I wouldn't take it lightly.

 

I agree with your take, Bob, just wanted to share my cop-related incident. Or rather, my experience with a Texas state trooper. West Coast MINIs has a few members in law enforcement...so LEOs like MINIs, too!

 

Actually, no questions about drunk driving, didn't lean in too close either, and I'm not worried, I don't drink!

 

I don't doubt that and I know some really cool cops who dig cars (one has a collection I'm envious of, including some classic Brit roadsters and a Viper). In this case, though, it sounds like harassment. I would have gotten the guy's name and badge number and called the station to see if the "reported stolen VW story" was legit. Maybe this cop has a history of pulling people over for bogus reasons. Unfortunately, the fact that he's on patrol on a Saturday night probably means he's not the cream of the crop.

 

That's great, but he still pulled you over for no apparent reason. I.e., you did nothing wrong. Maybe the stolen VW story is legit, but it doesn't add up. Is your car de-badged? If it's not, after following you for half a block, he could tell your car wasn't a VW and that's a lot easier than pulling you over.

 

How is having you're car mistaken for a vw a bad thing? I could see a honda or something but whats wrong with volkswagens?

 

Next time, show him a copy of the April Road & Track where they compare the JCW against the GTI (and Civic Si)