This is my first Mini and Ive ordered it PW/B and later upgrading to black rims. At least to me, I find that to be a very aggressive look (with bonnets)- same as a red/b with black rims along with yellow.

Anyone have similar set up and continually get hassled by the police? An excuse for a window tint ticket (CA), excuse to pick me out of the crowd?

Anyone have any similar stories? Or is it a new car still and people are more fascinated by it still? Just wondering.

Thanks in advance!

 

I have a PW/B with black rims and tint in CA and have had no problems so far. I have had my car about 6 months now, and I also live across the street from a police station. So the intersection around my area is very busy with police as they switch shifts.

 

im actually asking for a ticket cuz i have illegal tints and not license plates on the front...

if i get caught... i deserve it! knock on wood...

 

^^^

I wouldn't worry. It's more the way you drive that would call attention to you. You seem to be actively concerned about it, So I would guess you are a rather responsible driver, and wouldn't be doing anything to draw unwanted attention.

 

I've been caught 4 times for various offenses.
1. Not stopping at a stop sign
2. Speeding on the freeway
3. Peeling out
4. Speeding on the street
I also got only warnings on all 4 too! So I think the Mini is a good luck charm but mines is stock though.

 

Wow, For a second on #3. I thought you said "PEEING" out.

 

You may be right, I got stopped for going 70 mph on a 70 mph speed limit... Seems they were more interested in where I was going, what I was doing, and if had all the right paperwork etc...

 

Don't drive like you deserve to be pulled over and you probably won't. If my car says anything from a distance it's "LOOK AT ME!!" I'm conscious of that and haven't had any encounters with The Law yet.

 

Most of this paranoia is created by the driver. People don't care about your Mini as much as you think they do, including the po-po. Sad to say, but it's true.

 

By your own statements , you will always be a "ticket magnet"

 

+1 It is 90% about your attitude to the officer.

Three simple rules
1. No BS and no excuses, don't speak unless spoken to and answer directly
2. show the utmost respect! Every statement ends in sir
3. Try to give an out, If I know I was doing something wrong I will actualy undo my seatbelt. If you follow the other two rules... an officer will often write you for the lesser non-moving violation, and let you go on the speeding or the rolling stop. Other wise if you really were not doing anything then all they are interested in is checking you for warrants and making sure you arent driving a meth lab, no reason to cop an attitude because you were pulled over for no reason.

you don't get tickets for how a car looks, you get tickets when your attitude matches the styling of the car

 

Absafreakinlutely..... Simply said, give respect, get respect. Show some respect and courtesy to the officer, have your stuff in order and chances are you'll be let off with a warning.

Most cops are good guys... they're doing a job that doesn't get the respect it deserves. Most don't actually like pulling you over but if you're doing something wrong, then they're doing their job.

Things like rolling down all the windows (and turning on inside lights at night), both hands on the wheel and look at him/her when you're talking to them eases their aggression and lowers their defensiveness.

They say you've got 30 seconds to get out of a ticket. The first 30 seconds of their encounter usually dictates how the rest of the detention goes.

Mark

 

I usually just pass the officer a "get out of jail card" and I'm on my way.

 

Driving through Utah (near Cedar City) on my way to MITM, got pulled over by a trooper for illegal tint. My Valentine warned me of him miles ahead, so we weren't speeding when he saw us. He said it was an equipment violation and cost $50. Course after pulling us over (wife was driving) he commented how nice my MINI was, etc....

 

The only ticket I've gotten in the last 15 years was while driving a Honda Odyssey minivan with 4 kids in it (and on my 40th birthday.)

Ask any cop - they'll tell you they don't give a hockeypuck what you're driving. They've seen it all. They care how you're driving.

 

I agree, I think we're the only ones impressed with our rides....

 

I've been stopped three times for lame reasons. One male, and two female.

Male- Looked the car over like he was going to buy it from me. (Illegal Tint-warning)
Female- "...This is a cute little car..." (Tinted License Plate Cover-warning)
Female- "...You have a very nice looking car..." (Slightly over the speed limit/what's gas milage?-warning)

Cops are people too! I believe many of them are Mini fans, but abuse their powers.
(By that I mean stop you just to take a peak) Yes-rules are rules, but come on their cars are tinted too.

I have been stopped 10 times since buying my MINI, but never received any points against my license.
(Thank GOD)

 

I'm guessing you haven't encountered our lovely SC State Troopers.

 

I've been pulled over and ticketed twice. The last time was doing the speed limit on I95....cop pulled out, followed me and read me the riot act. Got off on the exhaust ticket, the no front plate ticket and nailed for tint. Ahh well....guess VA troopers are there for revenue generation. I used to have a waiver for tint (migraines)....I need to get another if that's what they get all bent about.

 

I just got my windows tinted(legal by the way) on Saturday morning. On the way home from a party early Sunday morning(3:00 a.m.) I was cruising down the expressway at the speed limit or below and sure enough as soon as I pass him he pulls out. I noticed it was one of the local town police patrolling the interstate. He stayed about a 1/4 mile behind me and then started to pass me, and eventually he pulled over onto the side of the interstate, because of some guy walking down the shoulder. Do not know what I did, or if he was trying make me nervous not, or if he was going to check on this dude walking down the shoulder. Did not want to get pulled over. My wife said, you did not do anything. Oh well. Good luck this time.

 

3am is primetime for the bars letting out. Following any car for a mile or two, you'd be able to tell if they're sober. That was probably the reason.

 

North Carolina was bad enough, I avoid SC & Alabama, and Eastern Mississippi like the plague.

 

MMMMMM I like those MINIs, That R53 Has the look I was going to go for, Thats a MINI Road Warrior look,

 

Sorry, both of these are garbage. I have been pulled over a lot , normally, I am as pleasant as a monk. I've usually been knowingly breaking the law, enforcing the law is their job, no problem.

I have been pulled over for absolutely no reason, though, once by a cop who had followed me mile outside of their jurisdiction. I was a complete bastard each time. Upon being told the reason I was pulled over, I responded that they had interpreted the law incorrectly, and how I had come to that conclusion. I received no ticket each time, as I wasn't violating the law. Enforcing the law is their job, not policing my attitude, so they had nothing. It was a complete waste of their and my time.

On the balance, even with stripes a stock Mini doesn't seem to attract any extra attention from the local officials. Every conversation I've had with the police has been duly deserved. If anything, they're nicer than they were when I was in other cars. If you want to attract their attention, drive a '69 Cougar, they'll follow you halfway into the next town.

 

I don't know so much about MINIs (we don't own ours yet, it's on order) but the kind of car you drive has a HUGE impact on your likelihood of getting pulled over and ticketed.

I've got a velocity red Mazdaspeed Miata and while I have gotten only one ticket with it, it attracts cops like crazy.

I don't usually run a front tag and have been hassled SIX times for it (only one warning ticket) in four years, I don't run a front tag on my Integra and have been hassled for it ONCE in 13 years.

One thing I will say, cops absolutely HATE TINTED WINDOWS...so if you get pulled over and you've got tint, chances are you will get a ticket.

I've got tint on my Integra but I went with one step above the lowest tint level offered (I forget the percentage), there were two tint levels above that which were still legal but too dark IMO, and I'm sure a cop would take issue with them.

With tint when you think about it, it's easy for them to write a ticket, then up to you to take a day off work, go to court and produce documentation showing it's legal...

Analogeezer