Hmmm -- I live just outside of Toronto ON and was driving my van back from
the local shopping centre a distance of less than a kilometer (5/8's of a
mile). I spotted a cop pull out and follow me and he pulled me over about 8
driveways from my home. I'm thinking what the heck -- wasn't speeding/wasn't
erratic. So I go back to him and say "What". He says 'I just want to run
your plate'. I asked why and he replied that my van (84) is so old that he
wanted to make sure I had valid plates -- which I did of course. I contained
myself and was allowed to go home. Said a few nasty words as I pulled into
my driveway -- being glad that I hadn't said them to the cop.
Yes -- our vans attract some unwanted interest.

Cheers,
Doug

On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 12:16 PM, Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@gmail.com> wrote:

> Warning: Long email/rant following....
>
> It's happened again, the experience that starts as no surprise and then
> becomes frustrating as I wait to get my drivers license back.  By the time
> the cop is back to my van to apologize for the inconvenience I'm a mixture
> of understanding, pissed, and frustrated.  Today the cop confessed the the
> vehicle that I drive is a big part of why he tail-gated me for a few miles
> and then pulled me over.  "It had a lot to do with it" was his answer when
> I
> asked if my vehicle was why I got special attention from him today.
>
> A few ways that I've modified my behavior at least partially because of
> this
> re-currance:
> - Wearing a collared shirt, which I have done exclusively for years now.
> - Keeping my hair short, which I started doing after picking up 3 seat belt
> violations in a short period, I know I should always wear my seatbelt but
> the second and third were in situations where I still would likely neglect
> to do so (parking lot hopping essentially))
> -Keeping my van in great condition (recently waxed, was washed yesterday,
> shiny/clean/straight etc.)
> -Keeping all registration/insurance current, my record clean, getting no
> tickets (except for the seatbelt violations) etc.
>
> None of these appear to have made the difference.  I did notice an
> improvement in how things go after getting rid of long hair and moving to
> collared shirts only.  They may still pull me over but I haven't gotten a
> ticket of any type since making these changes.
>
> I've been driving VW vans almost exclusively since the early/mid 90's and
> none of this started until 5 or 6 years ago with my Vanagon Westies.  In my
> younger years, while driving smoking/rattling/leaking bays and splits there
> may have been a few laws broken, or at least bent, and I didn't worry about
> the appearance of my van or myself yet I don't recall being pulled over and
> know that I didn't get any tickets.  There were a few road-block close
> calls
> but they all worked out fine (miraculously). One funny one included my van
> overheating and dying in a cloud of smoke while I was in a late-night,
> party
> targeting, road-block.  My van wouldn't restart and we had been cleared to
> go so everyone stumbled out of the van to push us off the road.  I wasn't
> intoxicated but when my friends stumbled out of the back of the Westy to
> push one of them fell over and had to be helped back into the van.  It was
> an odd scene, pushing my smoking van off the highway amid the flashing
> lights and then sobering up as the van cooled and we watched lots of our
> friends go through the road-block with some being ticketed etc.
>
> Does anyone else get extra attention from the police?  I'm doubting that
> I'm
> the only one but it could be the part of the country that I spend most of
> my
> time in?  Most or all of these incidents where I've been pulled over for
> little/nothing have occurred in North Carolina or Tennessee as I recall.  I
> rarely see VW vans on the road in this area so maybe it is a factor of my
> standing out more coupled with a vigilant police force?  I'm actually glad
> to know (with confidence) that they are out there keeping an eye on things
> (VW vans at least, ha ha).  My biggest complaint is how long it takes for
> them to run my background check (or whatever they do back there while I
> wait).  Maybe technology will improve and this will become a faster process
> in the future.  For the record North Carolina and Tennessee are good states
> and good places to spend time.  The cops are usually friendly as they
> interrupt my travels and I don't ever worry about needing to pay bribes or
> other things that may happen in other parts of the world.
>
> O.K.,, thanks for the list therapy.  I started typing this a few minutes
> after being pulled over and am no longer pissed or frustrated.  I'm glad it
> was a Friday and I could share this with the list and move on (until it
> happens again).
>
> Jonathan Poole
> '83 AC Westy
>

--
http://www.dougalcock.com