How could this be, driving just southeast of town the local police pulled me over. I had taken off at the red light where the highway 54 heads to El Paso. Its a older but wide 4-lane. This was at 10 pm and with almost no traffic. I was in the EV mode so I took it easy very slowly accelerating up to about 35 miles per hour when the engine came on. All of a sudden everything turned bright white inside the car. I felt like a football stadium light was aimed at the rear of my white TCH. I pulled over and the young policeman walked up on the passenger side. He wanted to know why I was driving so slow in a 40 zone. I told him about my driving the hybrid in the EV mode. I think he saw me when I first took off and was only up to 30. I think he may have seen me wiggle the steering a little as I changed lanes. They watch like hawks out here for drunks. They are out in force lately with this being a Holiday week. All the tv ads says they will be out in force on Thanksgiving. Yea, home having a turkey dinner with the family. Last year I only remember seeing one police car and one highway patrol.

Anyway the officer said it's safer if I would speed up some. I agreed and actually have to speed up due to the heavier after work traffic out here.

 

Did you ask them why it is safer to go faster when there is nobody on the road around you?

 

Yeah really!

Although I guess I can understand why the guy might think to pull you over.

I guess the cops like everyone else think the limit is the suggested minimum.

 

He pulled you over based on a profile. I have several LEOs in the family and their training gives them behavioral specifics to look for. He may have interpretted your slow start as possible DUI as you stated. As far as his statement that it would be safer to start up faster, probably just a way for him to feel like he did the right thing (which based on your report, I think he did). Just my .02 .

Robb

 

LOL!

I can see why he pulled you and yet........ you were in the right since there wasn't any traffic to be seen.

Did you see him before you were pulled?

 

It's really dark though that mile area leaving town. There a convenience store on the drivers side as we drove past. I did not see him but he may have came from there. I did not contest him and just went with the flow. I had my fill of tickets back when I drove my Corvette powered (home built engine) '57 Chevy station wagon around in the Dallas area. I got rid of it after 30 plus tickets in just a few years. Thats when I started my gas mileage kick back in '65.

Times sure change. It's amazing what some good engineering has brought us as for as comfort and good gas mileage.

 

I would have to agree with Rob, you were stopped because you were not driving what is considered normal. Driving too cautiously gives the officer the impression that you are trying to avoid being stopped, for any number of reasons. I would not take it personally, as more hypermilers hit the streets they will be able to recognize the cars and driving styles and you will be less likely to stop you for slow starts/speed.

my .02

 

This was a young officer. I mentioned I was driving in the EV mode or battery. I said this car is a hybrid. At that point he shined his flashlight from the passenger side onto the speedometer. I guess he thought it would look a lot different from a standard speedometer. I guess he saw my rather thin scan gauge II stuck using velcro to the top of the steering column. If I had thought of it, I should have mentioned the hybrid badge on the sides of both front fenders.

A lady lives down the road from us and drives a Prius. I notice she also accelerates slowly from the curve in the road at the corner of our property.

Like my wife said to cop, we were only going 10 miles per hour under the posted speed. Is there a minimum speed here. I'm sure my sluggish takeoff on batteries looked way out of place to him. My wife reminded me we were both looking at a bright light on top or slightly above a 5000 foot mountain just east of town. We were trying to decide if it was a star or a bright light up where all the television repeater towers are located. I was changing lanes at that time so I may not have done that so smoothly.