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Cops & 116s

Started by sblakely, 10 January 2011, 12:18 PM

sblakely

I noticed some comments relating to cops giving attention to 116 drivers, which reminded me of this story...

about 5 or 6 years ago, I was in high school at the time and giving a friend a ride home late one night in my 280se.  When I stopped in front of my friends house, a cop I hadn't noticed lit me up.  Turns out he pulled me over for a "suspicious vehicle" and a bad tail light (which was BS) said he was looking for "gang bangers" running drugs and commented that he didn't see many cars like mine around.  I cooperated and let him search my car, I didn't have any contraband and just wanted to get home.  After a few pat downs, asking me if i "smoked weed" and the car search he let me go.  As I pulled out I saw the k-9 unit drive by, I think he was trying to hold me there long enough for the dogs to arrive and give my car a sniff... 

The searching and general harassment was likely a result of me being a young guy with long hair, but driving around in a clean old benz didn't help.

Mforcer

I have generally found that my car was less likely to be stopped by police (which is manily for random breath testing and which usually covers almost every car driving down a particular road).

Perhaps my hair was never long enough to be noticable.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

pompy

That's a funny story!
When I was in high school in the mid-90's I stole Dad's black '81 450 SLC and took the boys for a joy-ride after a tough rugby match.
It was dark, and with six of us piled in like sardines, I was burning the snot out of the 450 around the neighbourhood... very soon a traffic cop pulled me over (and I crapped myself). Surprisingly, he wasn't concerned over my speeding or the smell of booze fuming out the interior - due to the speed I was travelling at, he thought the car had just been stolen!
...and so we carried on havin' fun in the Benz for the rest of the night.

TJ 450

Until recently, I was always getting pulled over for random checks. I was even followed into my driveway by the cops for a license/rego check, as I assume they thought the car was stolen. I have also been accused of being "on weed" on one occasion too haha (people are trying to persuade me to get a haircut, maybe that's why :D).

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

thysonsacclaim

I've been pulled over twice in my 116 (no tickets, though). I've not even had it for a year!


In my case, I think it is the gold paint and the dark windows. The first time I was pulled over the cop asked me "Is this YOUR car?" to which I said something like "Well yes, sir, it is. Who's else would it be?"



Both times I was pulled over were what my cop friends call "fishing." (see something out of the ordinary that you can't pull someone over for (gangster car), then look for something small that you can stop them for (dim lights), only so you can hopefully find something bigger (drugs, drunk driver, etc).


It is annoying.

Hemersam

Wear a black dinner coat with black shirt and white tie; they'll get you every ltime.
Hemersam
P.S. Don't forget the white/black wingtip shoes, too, and smoke a cigar if you can while driving. If the police stop you, ask them if they want to see your rod. That should do it.

thysonsacclaim

QuoteWear a black dinner coat with black shirt and white tie; they'll get you every ltime.

Around here, they'll pull you over simply for reasonable suspicion (lower bar than probable cause). IE, it could be the way you're driving, how your car looks, etc. Any way small reason to get a dog to sniff your car if they think something's amiss.

But, I live near the Cocaine Corridor in Florida (Interstate 95).



I do think there is some reason they pull over 116s more often and I think it has to do with the type of car and age. They pull over old Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Lincolns, (aka hoopties) etc for small things, too. The times I got pulled over, I got the distinct impression they thought I was slinging dope until they saw my back pack in the passenger seat and my lab coat in the back of the car.

Twice in less than 6 months in the 116, versus once in 6 years in my other car.  >:(

UTn_boy

Haha.  This is all too coincidental.  I got pulled over back in November....at night....in the rain.  I was having a bad day anyway because I gotten caught in the rain in my W116.  Got pulled over, got three tickets.  No registration (didn't have title yet), no insurance (I knew that, but i had to drive the car that day), and incorrect tags on vehicle.(I knew that, too.  I was just trying to blend in as best as I could) 

Spent 45 minutes with two cops.  They couldn't find the VIN in their system. (the car had not been registered on 15 years, so it had been purged).  They thought the car was stolen, and they were looking everywhere to make sure all the VIN's matched.  They even thought the VIN was on the engine block haha.  I said no, there is just an engine number on there.

Here is where and why I cannot stand just plain stupid people.  Remember I had the incorrect tag on my car?  Well, it was a tag for a 2005 BMW M-3 that I have.  They BOTH agreed that they had not seen that new of a Mercedes look so boxy.  WTF?!?!?!   I said what?!  This is a 1976 Mercedes, not a 2005.  They say, "oh...."   

They threatened that they could take me to jail because I tampered with state property, (the license plate) but said they wouldn't since I had been honest with them. 

During all of this time, I had my parking lights on, and my battery had run down to the point that the engine would not start.  I asked the two cops for a jump start, and the said they couldn't and drove off......leaving me in the dark cold rain.  Again, WTF?!?! 

I got the charges against me dropped, but I still owe over $200 in court costs.  I just can't win for loosing. What is wrong with this picture?  The good guy always gets the short end of the stick, huh?  Grrrr!
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

Hemersam

I've been stopped by police twice in my life (75 years old), once for speeding (honest missing of the speed limit reduction in Austin, Texas) and once by a "new" gung-ho state trooper. The latter stopped me because my inspection sticker had expired (Texas does not notify you concerning inspection renewal-you're on your own). My wife and I were just enjoying a Sunday afternoon drive in the country in a 1978 Oldsmobile 98 (before I saw the light, obviously), looking about as white middle-class American as you can. What a dink he was; I had to go to the county court house later and talk to a judge, who said, "oh, that guy is a pain in the ass," and dismissed the ticket. I'm all for law enforcement and against crime (yea!), but there will always be a few cops who want to push you around a bit. My guess is that if my Olds had been newer, this may not have happened. BTW, I think some police in Texas have a tendency to pull minority people driving an old car over much more frequently than Anglos driving a "nice" car. But then again, who knows for sure.
Hemersam
P.S. As for the "old car" thing, I haven't been stopped by police in Dallas yet, driving my '78 280SE. I keep all the paperwork in order and never speed (well, almost never).

oscar

I'm shocked to see a trend of w116s having been pulled over.  As mforcer said, RBT or random breath testing is indiscriminate but I've managed to avoid them too.  White car, clear windows and baseball hat worn forward seems to do the trick but I believe the cops round here are more interested in unregistered vehicles, speeding vehicles, hoonish behaviour.  Oh wait, I fit all three categories at the moment  ;D

Nah, legal disclaimer here.  I haven't actually driven the 350 since rego lapsed late december.  I have two months left to register it but some work on it has to be finished first.  Speeding and hoonish behaviour still applies though.  ::)

Quote from: UTn_boy on 14 January 2011, 12:20 AM
They BOTH agreed that they had not seen that new of a Mercedes look so boxy.  WTF?!?!?!   I said what?!  This is a 1976 Mercedes, not a 2005.  They say, "oh...."   

LOL!
1973 350SE, my first & fave

powerglide

What a load of hokum! You guys are not in the wrong car, you are in the wrong country! - and yes, WA cops seem to train by watching silly US cop shows on TV.  The best place on Earth for a W116 addict to live , guys, is ... I'm not going to tell you so it doesn't get spoiled. And I'm moving there when I retire, with my W116, my lovely darling wifey, and beautiful, beautiful baby if she'll want to come by then.
Powerglide

Stork

I have not been pulled over in my 280S (Knock on wood) even though I have been going quite fast in my area. But I have had a few stare downs by the local Fuzz. I attribute this to three things, first, my car is new in the area (and I still have the california plate up front) Second my car is brown (frankly I think it is the only brown car down here!) and third, for the older cops, I think they find it odd that a 42 year old is driving something that they think an old man should be driving.
Well, there is one more thing... people do say I look like someone famous, but I still can't get them to tell me who ;D

johnnyw116

manny years ago i had a favorite game how to agonize the cops and not always they could catch me once they tryed to pull me over in my manual shift 280SE they couldnt catch me by a long shot my 280SE was fast but not so fast it was more about the car handling , they came to my house later offcourse , and i think its 20 years ago when i had a 635csi (yes a bmw hope you guys dont hate me now ;))at that time the cops had W201 190 diesels they couldnt even read my licenceplate so far away i was  :) but it dont takes just an powerfull car its more the car handling i did it once in my glory days with an 1987 daihatsu cuore , they tryed to agonize me back but never they could get the smile of my face they really really hated me back then  :) even when i was walking the pulled me over  :) i am not into that annymore these days by the way 
JohnnyW116

scraf

#13
Not really on topic, but ....

A while ago I took my newly bought w114 ( black ) ambulance to a job in Belgium. The waiter who served us dinner every night was trying to talk me into to selling it, insisting that it was a hearse.

Turns out he and a friend were rather tipsy and navigating home way back when, when they came across an alcohol control. The driver put on the appropriate lights, they assumed somber expressions and notched the speed back.

They were waved on.

He's wanted a hearse ever since.

( Disclaimer: This poster does not in any way or form condone the act of driving when tipsy )

It's does look like a hearse to be honest, everybody stops and stares when I ride by, old people don't like it so much.

Edit: Atrocious use of the English language.


Big_Richard

here it doesn't matter who you are, you can and will be breath tested.