Are M3 drivers more likely to get tickets?

[LarThaL]

It seems to me that M3 drivers (and drivers of high performance European cars in general) are more likely to get a speeding ticket than drivers of good old American muscle cars. Why is this?

[Chriskm3]

I have been pulled over for speeding 3 times without an infraction. Always seem to get off with a warning. New generation of police offers are young or mid 30s, therefore seem to appriciate a nice sport cAr. That's my experience atleast.

[p-streets]

because we drive our cars how they were ment to be.

[Jive]

I have definitely noticed CHP (california highway patrol) harassing me more often by riding my ass to scare me.

[Dkhan23]

Cops have quotas. They see a $50K+ car and they think you can pay that off easily so they just give you BS tickets.

[lsmkr01]

Originally Posted by Jive

I have definitely noticed CHP (california highway patrol) harassing me more often by riding my ass to scare me.

Maybe they just want to get. Lise to admire the M3's amazing rear end ;-)

[mdosu]

No race driver wannabes are more likely

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

There are quite a few Police Officers on this forum that also drive an ///M car. One lives down the street from me and I once ask him the very same question ...

His reply was two fold ... 1st ... most of us like fast cars especially the M3 & 2nd ... if you get a ticket you deserve it to be sure.

[Agent-GHQ]

i'm actually more concerned with the fact that people with BMW driving without the front license plate. i mean, what's the big deal about not putting it on?? without it, its like drawing attention to the popo yo!

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by Mr. ///M3 RD

There are quite a few Police Officers on this forum that also drive an ///M car. One lives down the street from me and I once ask him the very same question ...

His reply was two fold ... 1st ... most of us like fast cars especially the M3 & 2nd ... if you get a ticket you deserve it to be sure.

The point I am trying to make is that, all other things being equal, a guy who gets pulled over speeding in an M3 is more likely to get a ticket than the a guy in a Shelby Mustang, for example

[Vic311]

I find I get a pass in the M3. Almost like LEO knows its a fast car and don't really break balls

Today was at stop light, CHP pulls over next to me, rolls down his window and proceeds to tell me to "rev it", I did of course, he gave me a thumbs up and was on his way

[Denk]

The only ticket I've received for speeding in the past couple of years was while driving my Jeep Liberty. From my experience, cops don't single out around here.

[epbb]

I noticed an immediate difference in how I was looked at by police officers as soon as I got my M3. Thus, why I did this:

[klammer]

Originally Posted by Dkhan23

Cops have quotas. They see a $50K+ car and they think you can pay that off easily so they just give you BS tickets.

+1000000

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/03/20/allegations-of-nypd-quotas-in-stop-and-frisk-trial/

[BMV///M3]

Originally Posted by epbb

I noticed an immediate difference in how I was looked at by police officers as soon as I got my M3. Thus, why I did this:

That is amazing.

[S65V8]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

The point I am trying to make is that, all other things being equal, a guy who gets pulled over speeding in an M3 is more likely to get a ticket than the a guy in Shelby Mustang, for example

IMHO, an American Muscle Car speaks to their interest in performance cars and their patriotism / made in USA-ness, after all they are cops.

[///M3Owner]

Have not gotten a ticket by the police yet, but i did get one warning about putting a front license plate on my car..which i never will. I got pulled over more with my 335 haha

[In Extremis]

Originally Posted by Dkhan23

Cops have quotas. They see a $50K+ car and they think you can pay that off easily so they just give you BS tickets.

Exactly my experience. I'm just given no front plate, tints, no inspection, etc., even when I've been caught going verry fast

Originally Posted by LarThaL

The point I am trying to make is that, all other things being equal, a guy who gets pulled over speeding in an M3 is more likely to get a ticket than the a guy in Shelby Mustang, for example

I've thought about this a lot as well, down to the shelby mustang example. I've often wondered if driving a Euro automatically gives yourself the notorious image of being a preppy or yuppie in the eyes of police. I've come to find out that many local cops drive bmws, appreciate my car and have no qualms about ticketing shelbys or vettes. In fact I see more vettes, shelbys and 5.0s pulled over than any other sports car. They always seem to be the guys wildly revving their engines and laying down rubber in dangerous locations. I think the m3 is a happy medium of a car with class but not still not so expensive that people loathe you. On the other hand, I saw a pack of porsche turbos and 2 ferraris pulled over recently. That trooper looked pissed

Originally Posted by epbb

I noticed an immediate difference in how I was looked at by police officers as soon as I got my M3. Thus, why I did this:

Very nice.

Originally Posted by ///M3Owner

Have not gotten a ticket by the police yet, but i did get one warning about putting a front license plate on my car..which i never will. I got pulled over more with my 335 haha

In my experience, police ticket the cars which in reality are posing most of a threat. They are most lenient with high performance cars because they understand they are high performance cars. Cops are generally normal guys who get this! Treat them with respect and they'll give it back. I see the pure luxury car, pickup truck and suv get the worst of it - usually when speeding in traffic or poor weather.

[Cool Steel]

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=842154

Do this and stop worrying...I got tickets quarterly for driving my good ole american muscle car ....until I got a V1....havent gotten a ticket in 5 years and I drive faster than ever....

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by Agent-GHQ

i'm actually more concerned with the fact that people with BMW driving without the front license plate. i mean, what's the big deal about not putting it on?? without it, its like drawing attention to the popo yo!

A lot of us don't want to damage an aftermarket front bumper that had no holes for a front plate to begin with, thus not running one. There is no big deal. Some of us live in states that don't make it a rule to have a front plate. I haven't run a front plate in over 10 years, no tickets. Most local and state police won't bother you once they run your plate and see your registration/history. If you do something stupid or run a light you are going to get pulled.

OP: honestly it doesn't really matter IMO which car you drive. Every cop I know and work with have always run a plate while pacing and can bring up your car information/history/registration. Then IF you break a rule you get stopped. If you have a clean record and mind the law you will get overlooked. Just don't be blatant and have like 5% tint all around.. lol

I will be honest, and as shitty as this sounds some cops in certain areas target certain people. A Mexican in downtown Portland Oregon with out of state plates is going to get pulled over. Same can be said for an Asian male in San Diego with out of state plates driving a high dollar car. Reason I know is because it happened to me and several friends of mine the past 20 years.

The excuses we got was "you matched a suspect fleeing a scene that was hispanic." lol My friends have heard everything from "what are you doing in this area" to "where did you buy this vehicle".... Times have changed but this has happened in the past.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by Endless619

A lot of us don't want to damage an aftermarket front bumper that had no holes for a front plate to begin with, thus not running one. There is no big deal. Some of us live in states that don't make it a rule to have a front plate. I haven't run a front plate in over 10 years, no tickets. Most local and state police won't bother you once they run your plate and see your registration/history. If you do something stupid or run a light you are going to get pulled.

OP: honestly it doesn't really matter IMO which car you drive. Every cop I know and work with have always run a plate while pacing and can bring up your car information/history/registration. Then IF you break a rule you get stopped. If you have a clean record and mind the law you will get overlooked. Just don't be blatant and have like 5% tint all around.. lol

I will be honest, and as shitty as this sounds some cops in certain areas target certain people. A Mexican in downtown Portland Oregon with out of state plates is going to get pulled over. Same can be said for an Asian male in San Diego with out of state plates driving a high dollar car. Reason I know is because it happened to me and several friends of mine the past 20 years.

The excuses we got was "you matched a suspect fleeing a scene that was hispanic." lol My friends have heard everything from "what are you doing in this area" to "where did you buy this vehicle".... Times have changed but this has happened in the past.

Yes, this has happened to me too. I was actually on my way to work one morning. The hospital where I work is adjacent to an area where there is large, low-income hispanic community. Now...I am of Indian ethnicity, but many of our patients have told me that I could easily pass for someone of hispanic origin (I am also reasonably fluent in Spanish FWIW)

I was in my Cayenne at an intersection right in front of the hospital where I practice, when a State trooper pulls me over. I get the "where did you get this vehicle" line as well as a few others. By the end of the conversation, once he realized I was the Medical Staff President of the hospital, he went from a hulking arrogant posture to one of a small apologetic mouse.

Priceless.

[FVM3]

Got couple time for tinted windows