Warren twp cop almost followed me into my driveway: avoided ticket? (insurance, hotel)

[Freshflakes757]

OK so controversial move on my part i'll admit:

Last night I was driving home from the Stirling hotel after my recreational kickball league. I live in Warren on a very dark street which has zero street lights but the speed limit is 45 MPH. Even after living there for 6 months, I still have trouble looking for my mailbox in the middle of the night.

Last night I drove past my house and realized I was at #16 instead of #22. I pulled into a driveway and did a cautious reverse back onto the road so I can get to my house. Up a street in the distance, I saw a police Dodge Charger looking for speeders. I immediately got back onto the road and went below the speed limit for about 10 seconds (mind you, I'm less than .25 miles away from my house. The cop then GUNS the Charger to catch up with me and I speed up to my driveway, put my turn signal on, park and get out of my car. The cop sits in front of my house for about 30 seconds and watches me get out of my car, then drives off.

Has this happened to anyone else? Has anyone not been as lucky and have the cop rush them into their driveway? Had I actually pulled over would I have got a ticket? I think I would have, but since I made it into my driveway I think I was more or less safe.

[millerm277]

He probably thought you were trying to avoid him for some reason, and caught up to you to run your plate and see what was going on with you.

[Freshflakes757]

Originally Posted by millerm277

He probably thought you were trying to avoid him for some reason, and caught up to you to run your plate and see what was going on with you.

My plates are expired from another state But I don't think he had the reaction time to do that. It all happened so quickly.

Yeah, been meaning to fix that one.

[Bill Keegan]

Originally Posted by Freshflakes757

OK so controversial move on my part i'll admit:

Last night I was driving home from the Stirling hotel after my recreational kickball league. I live in Warren on a very dark street which has zero street lights but the speed limit is 45 MPH. Even after living there for 6 months, I still have trouble looking for my mailbox in the middle of the night.

Last night I drove past my house and realized I was at #16 instead of #22. I pulled into a driveway and did a cautious reverse back onto the road so I can get to my house. Up a street in the distance, I saw a police Dodge Charger looking for speeders. I immediately got back onto the road and went below the speed limit for about 10 seconds (mind you, I'm less than .25 miles away from my house. The cop then GUNS the Charger to catch up with me and I speed up to my driveway, put my turn signal on, park and get out of my car. The cop sits in front of my house for about 30 seconds and watches me get out of my car, then drives off.

Has this happened to anyone else? Has anyone not been as lucky and have the cop rush them into their driveway? Had I actually pulled over would I have got a ticket? I think I would have, but since I made it into my driveway I think I was more or less safe.

He probably wondered what the late night u-turn on a dark residential street was about, and went to check out the situation. When he saw that it was simply a resident going home, he moved on. Stop being paranoid.

For what do you think you could have gotten a ticket? And how would pulling into a driveway prevent that?

[Freshflakes757]

Originally Posted by Bill Keegan

He probably wondered what the late night u-turn on a dark residential street was about, and went to check out the situation. When he saw that it was simply a resident going home, he moved on. Stop being paranoid.

For what do you think you could have gotten a ticket? And how would pulling into a driveway prevent that?

Well if you read my above reply, expired plates.

Warren Cops are vicious. They give tickets out like candy.

And I'm not paranoid, I was asking a question. It was a little much to follow me.

[captne76]

If your plates are expired, you are asking to have your car towed away, towing charges and daily storage charges until you re-register the car, go back to the cop station, get a release form and pay a few hundred bucks or more depending on how long it takes you to re-register, to get your car back.

If the car is not insured you lose your license for a year,mandatory in NJ, then your insurance costs will be quite a lot higher, when you are finally allowed to drive again.

Consider yourself lucky, but I wouldn't be taking chances like that, nor would most people. It's a LOT cheaper being legal. These days many PD's have automatic license plate readers so if you pass a car with one of these, you just lost.

It's a high risk game you are taking for not much reason at all. If you get caught you will be walking a long time and it will cost a lot of $$.

[CaptainNJ]

Originally Posted by Freshflakes757

Well if you read my above reply, expired plates.

Originally Posted by Freshflakes757

My plates are expired from another state But I don't think he had the reaction time to do that. It all happened so quickly.

Yeah, been meaning to fix that one.

from the 2nd quote, it doesnt seem like you thought it was expired plates.

i think others are right, he thought the u-turn was suspicious so he went to check it out.

[PDD]

Perhaps if he gave you a ticket or towed your car for expired plates it would have made you feel better.
I lived and worked in your area for more than 20 years and never thought the police were aggressive.

[bradykp]

Originally Posted by Bill Keegan

He probably wondered what the late night u-turn on a dark residential street was about, and went to check out the situation. When he saw that it was simply a resident going home, he moved on. Stop being paranoid.

For what do you think you could have gotten a ticket? And how would pulling into a driveway prevent that?

yeah - i'm with Bill on this one. sounds like he was just checking some potential suspicious activity...then realized you were just looking for your driveway.

[rscalzo]

Statute of limitations is 30 days. They can simply mail one is they wanted. Or now knowing the vehicle is unregistered simply wait until they see you again. If uninsured, that will add a mandatory suspension. As the area seems to be a frequent area of enforcement, you probably just starting the clock ticking.