Law Enforcement Experiences - Get It All Out!

[Joey Ketcham]

Another positive experience that happened just yesterday, May 31st.

Tyler Costantini and I were north of Barnsdall, Oklahoma yesterday on Highway 123 watching the tornadic storm to our west when the Barnsdall Police Chief pulled up concerned about the storm and wanted to know what the storm was doing.

Talked to him for several minutes about the weather and showed him radar and explained what we were looking at it and what was going on, he was very appreciative of the information and went on his way.

 

[Shane Adams]

Well as per Oklahoma statutes, I think you might as well save your time and pay the fine, because the officer did nothing than what he was supposed to do. The problem with your story is

1. That you didn’t get your windshield replaced, instead opting to chase with a winshield that is “ A spider web cracked mess.”
2. You said yourself that the damage happened the day before, so you had a whole day to have it fixed.

I wouldn’t expect sympathy when what happened was your own fault by driving with a damaged windshield you not only put your self but others at risk. What makes me mad is that you get upset at the officer doing his job, which is protecting not only others but also you from yourself. Now I’m not trying to start things here but I am just letting you know what he did was exactly what he was supposed to do, it might have been a little harsh but then again he didn’t have your vehicle impounded, he did let you go. Things all chasers should remember is that you should NEVER put anything above yours or anyone else’s safety, it’s only weather and there will be lots more of it to see in the future… unless you’re dead. The funny thing is either way you look at it you were going to lose the chase day and $150 bucks (ticket=150; new windshield=150).


Section 12-404 - Windshields Must Be Unobstructed And Equipped With Wipers
A. As used in this section:
1. "Critical area" means the area cleaned by the normal sweep of the windshield wiper blade on the driver's side. The area covered by the wiper blade cannot be reduced from manufacturer's original specifications;
2. "Noncritical areas" means all other areas;
3. "Outright breakage" means glass which is severely cracked or shattered to the extent that air passes through it or, if by running a fingertip over the cracked area, the glass moves or sharp edges can be felt;
4. "Star break or shot damage" means a vented break with cracks radiating from the point of impact; and
5. "Stress or hairline crack" means a crack which has no visible point of impact.
B. No person shall operate any motor vehicle which:
1. Is not equipped with a windshield;
2. Has any outright breakage in the windshield or in the window on either side of the driver;
3. Has any star break or shot damage, three (3) inches or more in diameter, located in the critical area; or
4. Has two or more stress or hairline cracks, twelve (12) inches or more in combined length, located in the critical area.

You're right that it's a highly-stoppable offense in OK to have a busted windshield, but I think you're being a little unrealistic with your criticism. It takes a minimum of two hours to replace a windshield, IF they have your particular model...plus if they use a certain replacement method, they require the car to sit another hour or two to let the epoxy dry. When you're chasing days on end, and much of your "pre-storm" day is filled with driving to the next target, when does that leave time to find a place to have the work done? And chances are you're not in your own area, so you have no clue what kind of "deal" you're getting. This means you'd need to shop around, which can eat up all morning. Add 2-4 hours on top of that, IF they have your windshield type, and by the time you're done there, it's well into the afternoon....and holy crap, you've still got 150 miles to drive to your target.

Expecting a chaser to get a windshield repaired the very next day with a chase looming is totally unrealistic.

And FWIW, I consider the typical "busted" windshield being a 'safety hazard' another one of those ninny laws Verne mentioned. I got the 3rd degree from an OHP the first time I got stopped for mine, about how it could crash in if a bird hit it or whatever. I drove the damn thing almost three years and nothing, because there was never any danger. There are two kinds of window cracks...the kind that move and the kind that don't. If your windshield moves, you got issues. Mine was perfectly intact, you couldn't move it if you tried. Sorry, but again, that "2am phone call" lecture just don't cut it with me. And just because I haven't seen or been a part of human tragedy, doesn't mean I'm ignorant regarding what's safe and what's not. I'm not stupid.

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Been lucky I guess given that I've chased 11,500 miles, but I've only been pulled over once - I actually do follow laws AMAP, except for one time which might be obvious to other Iowa residents, I haven't sped more than 5 miles over.

I got yanked for having frames on my plates, which were left over Texas Tech frames when I got the car back in Lubbock. Illegal in Iowa, apparently! To make matters worse, I'd lost my insurance card in the mess. The officer actually seemed pretty interested in stormchasing, however, and the conversation turned more toward that before the officer realized he probably should go. I was given the cheapest ticket he could give, for an expired registration tag on my plates, oops. Nice guy though; I only hope the rest of my experiences go the innocent-until-proven-guilty route.

 

[Hank Schyma]

75% of the time i get pulled over while chasing, officers let me off with a warning... In April I received 2 warnings near Del Rio Texas in the same day. I'm guilty... They have a job to do. In my experience, a little respect goes a long way.

 

[Andy Rice]

Quite possible the most hilarious officer/chaser experience I have had:

In 2006 my chase partner Avi and I, were tracking a cell in the Nebraska Panhandle East of Scottsbluff. As the cell was tracking east, we were trying to find a eastbound route, since north meant heading into the core, and south meant going 20 miles out of the way (gotta love the W nebraska road network).

We finally found a very very dirt road that would take us East so that we could stay on the cell.... and it was one of those roads that was not very well kept up.

After 20 minutes of bouncing up and down on the dirt road we were convinced that even though DeLorme Maps said it was going to take us out to a main road, that it was going to just come to a muddy pond and stop. We rounded a corner and all of a sudden there was 5 cop cars and 10 cars pulled over to the side of the road.

We were completely bewildered as an officer motioned for us to pull over to the side along with the other cars that were there.

We also watched our wall cloud move on into the eastern skies.....

The officer came to our vehicle and basically got our information and proceeded to give us a road-worthy test. He made us turn on and off all of the lights, honk the horn, etc..... keep in mind that we were in the middle of nowhere, and that 10 other cars were going through the same thing at the time.

During this whole time the outflow was going crazy...... dust was coming off the field and hitting all of the cops that were everywhere.

Seriously..... we thought there was a fugitive on the loose or something.

Finally they let us go...... we turned another corner and it there was a recreation area about a half mile down the road.

We could only surmise that since this was the Friday of memorial day weekend, that this was an alcohol check and that our dirt road that we choose just happenend to be the dirt road that Scottsbluff take to the place where people camp and party nearby....... Nothing like turning a corner on a dirt road and seeing 5 cop cars on a storm chasing trip!

Andy

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

99.9% of the time, I have had nothing but Positive experiences from any Law Enforcement Officials that have stopped me. The only strange (not really bad) was the one in Ardmore, OK several weeks ago. No ticket, just weird comments and looks from the Officer, and he left.
I do find myself with a heavy foot while on the Plains. The roads are so much different from Alabama roads. With the wide openness and long straight stretches, the foot goes further to the floor and the speed goes up. I was speeding the three times I was stopped in the last 11 days and have no problem admitting so.
Strange as it is, I was only really busting it while cruising down the highway and not while chasing. All three times the Officer was professional and polite. I readily admitted my malfunctioning heavy foot and was fortunate enough to walk away all three times with a "slow down please" request.
As I have said in the past, I truly believe that a person's attitude and demeanor toward the Law Enforcement Official plays a large part on whether a ticket is issued or not. While not maybe totally correct, if you have a crappy attitude, you are much more likely to get a ticket for P.O.P.
(stands for Pissing Off Police)
and not just a verbal or written warning.

 

[Michael Thompson]

Here in Australia the police are rarely a problem, but the growing proliferation of fixed speed cameras has reached ridiculous proportions.

In some regions every single one horse town has a camera, a very long storm chase trip may mean you have to run the gauntlet of upwards of 50 cameras.

I had not received a speeding fine in 15 years, but just in the past 18 months have had three of these camera violations and face the prospect of a license suspension.

 

[Kory Hartman]

Quick experience with a county Sheriff the other day... on my way back from Yankton, SD. Chase was well over and I was bs'ing on the phone when I saw the star sticker flash by me and the brake lights come on.

Oh crap! doing 77 in a 65... not paying attention (forgot to set cruise). I just pulled over and waited for him to come up behind me.

When he got to my window, I already had my license and paperwork out and told him I knew why he pulled me over.

He said, "I'm not going to write you a ticket, just slow it down... and tell me what that big 'ol camera and computer are for over there..." Two minutes later I was on my way.

Otherwise, the only ticket I've gotten in the last 3 years wasn't during a chase.

 

[Steven Maupin]

I think you're being a little unrealistic with your criticism. It takes a minimum of two hours to replace a windshield, IF they have your particular model...plus if they use a certain replacement method, they require the car to sit another hour or two to let the epoxy dry. When you're chasing days on end, and much of your "pre-storm" day is filled with driving to the next target, when does that leave time to find a place to have the work done? And chances are you're not in your own area, so you have no clue what kind of "deal" you're getting. This means you'd need to shop around, which can eat up all morning. Add 2-4 hours on top of that, IF they have your windshield type, and by the time you're done there, it's well into the afternoon....and holy crap, you've still got 150 miles to drive to your target.

Expecting a chaser to get a windshield repaired the very next day with a chase looming is totally unrealistic.

All I was saying that before you start blaming law enforcement for doing their job, is that what he should have done is GIVE up the chase for that day and get the windshield fixed, yes he would have missed the storm, which he missed anyway due to getting stopped so the outcome would have been the same. It just comes down to priorities, what you think is important and what law enforcement thinks is important.

 

[Andrew Stoller]

Expecting a chaser to get a windshield repaired the very next day with a chase looming is totally unrealistic.

That's not the officers fault. Yea, he could have given slack and said go on your marry way, but driving with a busted windshield is yet another risk you take while chasing.

I've had nothing but positive experiences while chasing. I don't speed, I don't act like a loon, and I pull way off the road.

The only run ins I've had were officers wanting to know what the weather was doing.

I have seen many an officer drive and act like loons while chasing though!

 

[Daniel Christianson]

I was pulled over a couple weeks ago in Seymore, TX - had no idea what it could possibly be for as I was going the speed limit and had just turned onto the road doing 10mph. I was ticketed for no seat belt. $130 friggin dollars. I'm sorry but if I want to go through the windshield it should be my choice. I hate these 'nanny' type laws.

Thats why they have the tiddy bear, so seatbelts are comfrotable lol....

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

I was pulled over a couple weeks ago in Seymore, TX - had no idea what it could possibly be for as I was going the speed limit and had just turned onto the road doing 10mph. I was ticketed for no seat belt. $130 friggin dollars. I'm sorry but if I want to go through the windshield it should be my choice. I hate these 'nanny' type laws.

I got one of those lovely things in IL in 2006. So stupid. I love the states you are forced to wear a seatbelt at all times(I pretty much always do on the highways), but if you are riding a motorcycle you don't have to wear a helmet. Iowa and South Dakota both have seatbelt laws and you don't have to wear a helmet on a bike. How silly is the seatbelt law then? There goes a guy with no helmet, sitting on a bike, but oh crap, there goes someone with no seat belt in a car! Pull em over! Hell if they are so concerned about you having to wear a seatbelt, it'd only make sense to say you can't even ride a bike.