So this morning we filed into the Hybrid (wife & I carpool) and headed out. As I tried making my way up the steep hills on Imperial Hwy, ever so slowly, I noticed the lights flashing in my rear mirror. How could I have possibly been speeding? Even if I wanted to? In a 110bhp Hybrid going up a fairly steep hill?

Turns out, the over weight cop just wanted to find something to cite me on. It became apparent as he started questioning me on my plate (lack there of). Ok a little explanation on the plate, I was told (by my dealership) that my vin had already been errornously registered to another plate before (they filed with the wrong vin, my vin). So anyway he asked for my information (license+ins) and waddled back to his car and checked & checked (I saw him pulling out various forms & on the radio from my mirror). We were by the side of the road on Imperial for a good 30-35min this way. With him occasionally waddling out of his car to question/grill me some more. Why didn't you take care of this (vin) issue sooner? How long were you going to wait? The dealership is slowly taking care of it, I just did the vin verification last weekend. I said. Why didn't you went to the DMV yourself? You can't wait on the dealership. Well probably because the DMV people are just like you and that would have been a total waste of my time! I thought...

Before handing me the ticket he asked me of my nationality (I'm Asian) and I replied "I'm American." (whilst thinking, actually feeling quite ashamed & stupid to have become naturalized because of people like you, actually) That wasn't good enough for him so he followed up "No, where were you originally from? Your ancestry." Why would that have had any bearing for this matter anyway, I thought? But anyway I answered his question. He handed me the ticket w/ the plate & insurance citation, asked me to sign & print my name. Then lectured me some more on instructions of what to do to clear up the issue (vin/plate, insurance - I gave him an outdated ins card w/out the hybrid's vin...etc). Whilst he's lecturing I found another updated ins card and showed it to him. He took it and very reluctantly verified its vin against the vin on the dashboard then quite very unwillingly took the ins item off the ticket. I'm actually surprised that he did, also surprised he overlooked the obviously illegal tinted front windows.

You know, I've always heard/read about cops that purposely pulling people over just w/ the weakest reasons with the intention of finding excuses to write people up. However I've actually not had that happen until today. I've been lucky, up until today I guess.



Anyway that's my story. Thanks for listenning to my rant. I feel a little better... And I thought I was doing so well too, with my current tank averaging 50.5mpg...

 

So basically you got cited for DWA (driving while Asian)?

What a jerk he was!

 

Yes more or less I got cited for failing to be white whilst driving in Orange County...

Btw, I like that term... DWA... I wonder how many point is that on the record? Wonder if it's more point or less than DWB (driving while black) in the white part of town... :-)

 

A couple of things, did you have the dealer's temporary certificate in the lower right of the front window? If not, then this is a dead give away and excuse for cops to pull you over and tax you if you don't have a plate. The tinted windows are another excuse, while he didn't say anything he very easily could have brought that up if need be.

 

Yes. The temporary license is (was) folded up and taped to the lower passenger side of the windshield.

 

I dont think he had any cause to pull you over. I would complain if I were you. He had no right to ask you where you were born. Do you know if his dash cam was on?

 

Complain? Like file a complain with Anaheim PD about this? I thought about this, but really don't have a high level of confidence with the organization as a whole. You know what I mean? I'm thinking, as soon as I report this, they'd protect their own and make this go away or worse for me somehow.

Or do you have other ideas? I'm all ears...

And I don't know if the in-car-cam(s) was on. I never unlatched my seatbelt nor did I ever get out of the vehicle. I'm sure he'd have loved for me to get out of the car & start a heated argument w/ him. Perhaps even call him names. Just so I could then be arrested for "threatenning his life"...etc etc.

 

The lyrics of "killing in the name of" from Rage Against the Machine comes to mind... In fact, I'm listenning to it now...

 

Time for you to check out the posts here on "hybrid" vanity plates.

Sounds like you qualify for the one I just got in Ohio - 1 GPH

or for you C5T0Y

 

Don't feel like you're being "profiled"... I've had my share of Anaheim citations, too (not in the hybrid, though). My last one was a bogus speeding ticket that I fought (via write-in arguement) and WON! They actually refunded all my money!

By the way, Asians are such a high percentage of the population in OC that I'd be shocked if he was actually profiling you!!! Sure was a dumb thing for him to ask, though!

I'm guessing your citation is a fix-it ticket? If so, it shouldn't cost you anything to get repaired.