[silver_pilate]

I've been pulled over on "investigative stops" before. I was driving the Mustang home from work about 10:00 at night in the middle of nowhere. An DPS in a pick-up pulled a U and got right on my tail. When we passed, I didn't notice the markings, so I had no idea he was an officer. I hadn't done anything wrong up to that point. In fact, it was a rare occurance that I had actually followed the suggested speed for this long, slow curve. Anyway, the po-po stays on my tail...right on my tail...for about 3 miles.

He eventually backed off to about 2 cars back as I was coming to my turn. Now I'm not stupid. I'm not going to pull up to my house in the country late at night with some strange pick-up following me after obviously turning around and tail-gaiting me. So when I turn onto the road to my house, I mashed the pedal.

Nothing severe...no squeeling tires, no fish-tails, didn't even break the speed limit. I just left him in the dust. When he turned the corner he saw me long-gone and cranked his lights, thinking that I'm running from him. I pulled over directly in front of my house (only house for at least a mile) and he comes up and asks for the usual and tells me he pulled me over for crossing the center stripe when I turned the corner. Of course, that is complete nonsense as there is no way he could have seen it from his location. I just got a warning.

Anyway, my point is this. If you want to pull me over on an investigative stop, DO IT. DON'T fly up on me and tail-gate me for miles. DON'T pull me over and make up some lame excuse. Just freakin' pull me over and say something like, "We've been concerned about potential drunk drivers and drug activity in your area, and I just wanted to talk with you." Don't make up some bull story.

Anyway, that's my take on that aspect.

--nathan