Friend got a ticket for something hanging from his mirror!

[Sean]

So a buddy of mine at work got pulled over today. Cop gave him a $50 for having an air freshener hanging on his mirror! I know it's a "vehicle code" and shit, and I don't agree with hanging crap from your mirrors (it drives ME insane) - but that is just retarded.

Anyone know what it's called when the police officer needs certain reasons to pull you over? The cop gave him that ticket, he wasn't speeding or anything.

My natural tendency would be to fight it, cause the worst that would happen is I'd pay $50. I mean, if such a law cannot be the sole reason to pull someone over, than it should be dismissed - right?

Just wanted to share this crap story and see if it'd ever happen to anyone else. I kinda want to help him out.

Enjoy.

[TwoJ's]

Wow, that is extremely asinine. Are you sure he wasn't speeding or anything? Seems like a cop would only give a ticket like that if he witnessed a speeder, but didn't clock him and wanted to nail him for something. I don't know if it's worth fighting though. He might have to miss a few hours of work to go to court, and he could lose money that way.

And I agree with hanging things being annoying.

[JasonC]

I never actually heard anyone getting a ticket for that. But then again, most people i know don't hang stuff from there. Only thing i've had hanging fron a mirror was a pair of fuzzy dice in my 62 Impala.

[fretburnr]

standard procedure in IL. Cops here can and will pull you over for obstruction of view. check out paragraph C in the following excerpt.

Also the phrase you were looking for is "primary offense"... something that a cop can pull you over for initially, as opposed to secondary stuff that they may notice after the fact.

(625 ILCS 5/12‑503) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12‑503)
Sec. 12‑503. Windshields must be unobstructed and equipped with wipers.
(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any sign, poster, window application, reflective material, nonreflective material or tinted film upon the front windshield, sidewings or side windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver. A nonreflective tinted film may be used along the uppermost portion of the windshield if such material does not extend more than 6 inches down from the top of the windshield. Nothing in this Section shall create a cause of action on behalf of a buyer against a dealer or manufacturer who sells a motor vehicle with a window which is in violation of this Section.
(b) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the use of nonreflective, smoked or tinted glass, nonreflective film, perforated window screen or other decorative window application on windows to the rear of the driver's seat, except that any motor vehicle with a window to the rear of the driver's seat treated in this manner shall be equipped with a side mirror on each side of the motor vehicle which are in conformance with Section 12‑502.
(c) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield, rear window, side wings or side windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver which materially obstructs the driver's view.
(d) Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, shall be equipped with a device, controlled by the driver, for cleaning rain, snow, moisture or other obstructions from the windshield; and no person shall drive a motor vehicle with snow, ice, moisture or other material on any of the windows or mirrors, which materially obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway.
(e) No person shall drive a motor vehicle when the windshield, side or rear windows are in such defective condition or repair as to materially impair the driver's view to the front, side or rear. A vehicle equipped with a side mirror on each side of the vehicle which are in conformance with Section 12‑502 will be deemed to be in compliance in the event the rear window of the vehicle is materially obscured.

[Mastrcruse]

There are primary and secondary laws. If it is a secondary law and your friend was pulled over solely for that purpose its not "right" but he's a cop so he'll just make something up.

Here in Ohio a seat belt is a secondary law, must have something else to pull them over but as my Uncle found out the other day, in Michigan its a primary law. He was pulled over and given a ticket because he had his belt under his arm and not around his shoulder.

Look at your local laws but I would just tell you buddy to eat it. I don't know how they would do that here, all of our parking passes and stuff are all mirro hanging, bugs the shit out of me but I keep it on there because last time I took it off it was towed for $108.

[delfin]

This happened outside California? How dare them.

[fretburnr]

This happened outside California? How dare them.

are you kidding? IL is a mega nazi state.

[Simon S]

standard procedure in IL. Cops here can and will pull you over for obstruction of view.

wish they'd pull more ppl over for cell use. I swear, it's like 1/3 of the drivers I see are holding a phone up to their ear..

[Sean]

standard procedure in IL. Cops here can and will pull you over for obstruction of view. check out paragraph C in the following excerpt.

Also the phrase you were looking for is "primary offense"... something that a cop can pull you over for initially, as opposed to secondary stuff that they may notice after the fact.

Yea, I found that code - but couldn't find where it said whether or not it was a primary offense.

He's not going to fight it, if I found a good way for him to win, I might be able to convince him and I'd even go with him. I've experienced the whole court system a couple times, and have a good idea how it goes.

But, you're right, the cop could just say he was speeding - but then why wouldn't he have given him a ticket for that too?

He told me what it was for, and I was nuts. I thought that was ridiculous. Just an example, I think, of where a cop could be better spending his time. While he was wasting his time writing this ticket, someone probably drove by speeding - which is more of a danger than an air freshener. LOL


Thanks for finding that though, Fret. I found it, as I said, and read thru it. Illinois is pretty hardass though, huh?

[fretburnr]

it's a great example - there are so many other things that the cops don't see that are important... people running red lights, even poor headlight aim or bad high-beam usage is more important IMO. So instead of chasing the stuff that matters, they sit in a lot and look for nitpicky stuff that doesn't make much of a difference.

[JasonC]

IL cops must of changed since i lived there. Only time i really seen them doing something is when people was speeding. But other wise it seemed like they left everyone alone.

[TDE30]

wish they'd pull more ppl over for cell use. I swear, it's like 1/3 of the drivers I see are holding a phone up to their ear..

+1. Although I must admit, it's quite fun to be driving on the highway and to be able to point out the people who you think are using a mobile phone, and then passing to see if you're correct. It should be banned, you would think after all of the accidents and deaths attributed to cell phone usage and other distractions, that the country would grow a pair and ban it outright. The same goes for any other type of mobile device that removes your concentration from driving. Hands-free? Fuck that.

[Simon S]

hmm.. I'm actually an advocate of hands-free..

not having both hands available for the wheel (let alone w/ a manual) is my key hang-up.

[TDE30]

My take: If you have a call, get off the road. Regardless of its importance, it can wait until you get off the road. No phone call is worth jeopardizing lives on the road. The roads are a place for driving, nothing else.

[chucko]

That happened to me in San Diego a few years back. The cop followed me for about a mile then he decided to pull me over. I guess I looked suspicious and he needed a reason to pull me over. At any rate, he wrote me a fix it ticket and I just removed the item from the rear view mirror with him standing there and he signed off on the ticket. It was total bullshit, but he wanted to check me out I guess. I asked him if he normally pulls people over for this offense and he didn't really say much.
Are you sure your friend didn't get a fix it ticket?