How far can cop follow?

[princesstikanoo]

What is the name of your state? Oregon

I was recently pulled over and the story goes like this...

I noticed that a police officer was following me in my rearview mirror. I thought no big deal and continued on my way home. I continued another 3 miles or so into the next town and pulled into a convenient store. The police officer did not follow me into the store parking lot. When I came out of the store I continued back onto the road that leads to my town. After I pulled out onto the main road I looked into my rearview mirror and noticed that 1 block behind me, the police officer was parked behind another parked vehicle on the side of the road. When he saw me exiting back onto the road he turned his turn signal on and started following me again. I continued through passed another small town into my town. He followed me all the way through my town. I started making turns to get to my house, he still followed me. When I made a turn onto my street he finally turned his lights on and pulled me over. He had followed me for maybe 9 miles now from the point where I originally noticed him in my rearview mirror. When the officer came to my window he told me that I had failed to turn my signal on while making a left hand turn within 100 yards of the turn. The turn he was talking about was 1 block away from my house. Can they really do this? Follow me for 9 + miles with no cause and then pull me over for a violation 9 miles after that? I had been driving with a suspended liscense and of course ended up getting my car impounded yada yada. My boyfriend, whom I had phoned on my cell was at our home at the time and even walked over to the officer since he had pulled me over right by our house to ask the officer if he could drive the car home since he had a driver's liscense. Of course the officer did not go for this. I want to know if I should go file a complaint about this. Is this legal? A friend told me that if an officer followed you for more than 1 mile with no cause that this was harassment? Please any help before my court date would be very very nice.

PrincessTikanoo

[princesstikanoo]

I would also like to add that I have spent many hours today trying to find any laws on this and have found next to nothing. Anyone know any good sites to research?

Thanks,
PrincessTikanoo

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by princesstikanoo

What is the name of your state? Oregon

I was recently pulled over and the story goes like this...

I noticed that a police officer was following me in my rearview mirror. I thought no big deal and continued on my way home. I continued another 3 miles or so into the next town and pulled into a convenient store. The police officer did not follow me into the store parking lot. When I came out of the store I continued back onto the road that leads to my town. After I pulled out onto the main road I looked into my rearview mirror and noticed that 1 block behind me, the police officer was parked behind another parked vehicle on the side of the road. When he saw me exiting back onto the road he turned his turn signal on and started following me again. I continued through passed another small town into my town. He followed me all the way through my town. I started making turns to get to my house, he still followed me. When I made a turn onto my street he finally turned his lights on and pulled me over. He had followed me for maybe 9 miles now from the point where I originally noticed him in my rearview mirror. When the officer came to my window he told me that I had failed to turn my signal on while making a left hand turn within 100 yards of the turn. The turn he was talking about was 1 block away from my house. Can they really do this? Follow me for 9 + miles with no cause and then pull me over for a violation 9 miles after that? I had been driving with a suspended liscense and of course ended up getting my car impounded yada yada. My boyfriend, whom I had phoned on my cell was at our home at the time and even walked over to the officer since he had pulled me over right by our house to ask the officer if he could drive the car home since he had a driver's liscense. Of course the officer did not go for this. I want to know if I should go file a complaint about this. Is this legal? A friend told me that if an officer followed you for more than 1 mile with no cause that this was harassment? Please any help before my court date would be very very nice.

PrincessTikanoo

**A: thanks for your interesting story. Is your friend that told you about the one mile harassment rule an attorney? I hope not.

[BelizeBreeze]

A friend told me that if an officer followed you for more than 1 mile with no cause that this was harassment?

And this friend is an attorney I suppose?
Did it ever occur to this 'friend' that the police officer may have known your license was suspended or suspected it, run your plate, found out that your license was, indeed suspended, identified you and then pulled you over?

I guess not.

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by princesstikanoo

What is the name of your state? Oregon

I was recently pulled over and the story goes like this...

I had been driving with a suspended liscense and of course ended up getting my car impounded yada yada.
PrincessTikanoo

**A: this is too funny.

[princesstikanoo]

Yes, the fact that the police officer probobly ran my plates and found out that I was suspended did occur to me. Can they pull you over for this though? It would seem to me no, since he followed me for so long waiting for a screw up. Not turning my turn signal on within 100 yards? Give me a break! Thats some bull. I don't know many people that get pulled over for this do you?

No, my friend was not an attorney obviously or else I wouldn't be trying to ask for help on this forum.

Again, does anyone know if there is a limit or law on how far an officer can obviously follow you for with no cause?

Thanks,
PrincessTikanoo

[BelizeBreeze]

Originally Posted by princesstikanoo

Yes, the fact that the police officer probobly ran my plates and found out that I was suspended did occur to me. Can they pull you over for this though? It would seem to me no, since he followed me for so long waiting for a screw up. Not turning my turn signal on within 100 yards? Give me a break! Thats some bull. I don't know many people that get pulled over for this do you?

No, my friend was not an attorney obviously or else I wouldn't be trying to ask for help on this forum.

Again, does anyone know if there is a limit or law on how far an officer can obviously follow you for with no cause?

Thanks,
PrincessTikanoo

THIS is even funnier.

[HomeGuru]

[quote=princesstikanoo]Yes, the fact that the police officer probobly ran my plates and found out that I was suspended did occur to me. Can they pull you over for this though? It would seem to me no, since he followed me for so long waiting for a screw up.

**A: he could have followed you from Portland to Bend to Salem to Sunriver and back to Portland driving all day and night and still pulled you over.

[BelizeBreeze]

[quote=HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by princesstikanoo

Yes, the fact that the police officer probobly ran my plates and found out that I was suspended did occur to me. Can they pull you over for this though? It would seem to me no, since he followed me for so long waiting for a screw up.

**A: he could have followed you from Portland to Bend to Salem to Sunriver and back to Portland driving all day and night and still pulled you over.

You forgot Bainbridge Island and points (or splahes) in between.

[princesstikanoo]

I received the ticket on Sunday. Today I went to the courthouse and paid my ticket off that I hadn't paid for in the first place. I then of course went to the DMV and had my liscense re-instated.

Any chance if I bring this proof in for my court date that they would possibly lower the cost of the driving while suspended ticket or throw it out all together?

*Fumed* I can't believe that he could follow me like that. It just doesn't seem right! *Sighs* Oh well.

Princess Tikanoo

[Robbie0723]

What doesn't seem right is someone could think it is OK to drive on a suspended licence and then be *fumed* when they are caught. Your attitude is all wrong.

Your best chance in court is to not make excuses, express how you learned you lesson and be accountable for yourself.

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by princesstikanoo

Yes, the fact that the police officer probobly ran my plates and found out that I was suspended did occur to me. Can they pull you over for this though?

Absolutely. If they had reasonable cause to believe it was you driving, and your license was suspended - yep.

It would seem to me no, since he followed me for so long waiting for a screw up. Not turning my turn signal on within 100 yards? Give me a break! Thats some bull.

That's legal.

I don't know many people that get pulled over for this do you?

Yes, I do. It's been a while since I pulled someone over for this, but I have done it.

Again, does anyone know if there is a limit or law on how far an officer can obviously follow you for with no cause?

No, there is no limit on how far he may follow you (though leaving the state might be a problem).

If distance were an issue than I would never be able to pull over someone on the freeway after I had been behind them for a few miles.

"Ah, darn! I followed him for 5 miles already ... now he's weaving all over the roadway ... darn that 'ally-ally-oxen-free' rule."

- Carl


Thanks,
PrincessTikanoo[/quote]

[princesstikanoo]

Thanks for the advice "Dad".

Look, I NEVER drive the vehicle. I live in a small town where everything I need is around me. I walk and ride my bike wherever I need to go. My boyfriend drives it if we decide to go camping, snowboarding.... etc.

I only used the vehicle that day because the next door neighbor's child needed medical help. I drove them to the nearest hospital and was pulled over on the way back home.

The police officer didn't give a crap about this at all.

So hell yeah I want to try and ask free advice on what people think about my situtation and if anyone knows if there is anything that I can do to lesser the financial burden that this has caused me. I am a poor college student for the love of god!

Tikanoo

[HomeGuru]

[quote=princesstikanoo]Thanks for the advice "Dad".

Look, I NEVER drive the vehicle.

**A: CASE CLOSED.

[BelizeBreeze]

I noticed that a police officer was following me in my rearview mirror. I thought no big deal and continued on my way home. I continued another 3 miles or so into the next town and pulled into a convenient store. The police officer did not follow me into the store parking lot. When I came out of the store I continued back onto the road that leads to my town.

And how many "Convenient Store Medical Centers" are there in this town?