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Has your high impact color got you tickets?

4K views 27 replies 22 participants last post by  toxiccaz 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm debating with a few colleagues of mine who have high impact colors on their cars. Ie (sublime, orange, yellow, etc) who state their high impact attracts more attention with law enforcement. One friend of mine who has a yellow Challenger claims since he bought the car in one month time. One ticket for doing 15 in a 25, yes that's no typo 15 in a 25 zone when he was fiddling with the air conditioner. Failing to come to a complete stop and failure to use a turn signal. Before his purchase his record was flawless. I'm calling bull on this, and feel he would of got them in any color car. Kinda goes with the red cars get more ticket nonsense. However what has your high impact color experience been?
 
#2 ·
I have had zero issues with law enforcement down here in Florida. I have gotten some looks from the Popo (Respectfully used term). I think for the most part the looks are admiration. I have even been going a bit fast a few times, and the County Mounties have even stopped, but, never pulled me over.
I drive courteously on the road most of the time.
I do my tromping at the track.
I think it is mostly poor driving habits that get peeps pulled over.
But Cops are people too, and can have a bad day or an attitude.
Be well.
Tom.
 
#4 ·
I've always had "high impact" colors, my current Header Orange is no different. I have passed by police in the same direction, they have passed me, stopped next to them at a light, had them behind me at a light, about any combination you can think of. Nothing.

Your friend got those tickets for obvious reasons, not the color of his car.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I never got pulled over in my PCP R/T Classic with white stripes. I did get one speeding ticket in my GWE, but the cop was very nice and lowered it to something reasonable. He told me he had "someone" going 116 mph for a short time, but he wasn't sure if it was me. THAT ticket would have been issued regardless of color.
 
#7 ·
Driving a yellow car is not a moving violation. Driving a yellow challenger or beige minivan at speed limit + "x" over (at cops discretion) is
 
#8 ·
I got paced by a LEO when I was driving one time. I think he figured I didn't notice him but I saw him back there.
Other than that, nothing. Maybe bright red with stripes isn't high impact enough.
 
#9 ·
No problem here...the only time I got pulled over was somewhat due to my own failure to observe conditions. I made a reactive maneuver and kept my foot in it too long trying to avoid another driver who almost side swiped me at 0415 in the morning. My spotless driving record and maximum positive points in VA saved me that day...and the cop was really cool about it.
 
#11 ·
Got pulled over twice in my Header Orange R/T Classic the 1st month I had it, once for speeding and the 2nd time was about my registration sticker not on the windshield after dealer installed my plates. Both times I got a warning and the cops drooled over my car, they loved it. Actually I don't think I had nothing but warnings since I turned 50, 52 now, I think they just look at me like I'm an old man and cut me slack. Needless to say I installed a radar detector after that and aint had a problem since, keeps me paying more attention and I have it set up to sound a warning if I go 10 mph over the posted speed limit. Like the guy above me said I think it more your driving habits rather than the color of your car that gets the cops attention.
 
#13 ·
Driving habits and attitude if you get stopped. There's plenty of cops who are willing to give you a break if once pulled over, there's nothing else going on like warrants, guns or drugs lying on the floor, etc. But if you have an attitude and act like an ass toward the cop, he's going to go ahead and give you a ticket for the original infraction.
 
#15 ·
Funny how people will blame everything on something else instead of their own driving. The other one i hear all the time is you pay higher insurance on a red car. Really?! Lol. I own a car shop and i cant bring in red cars because people are all afraid their ins will be higher. So i just dont bother anymore.
 
#16 ·
I highly agree, it's mostly attitude towards the officer and driving habits. While mine is not a yellow, green, etc. it's red. In the first month learning a 485 horse power monster I made a few mistakes mostly throttle response when turning left or right from a residential road directly onto highway 101. Everyone loves a beloved 20 minute wait to turn left to work. It could be best described as a unintentional fast and the furious stunt with rear end singing the song of dying tires. Highway patrol going the opposite direction slowed down for a brief moment than carried on. Other than a startled oh crap moment, no tickets for me either.
 
#18 ·
Oh yea, I've had them following me...in a fully marked cruiser complete with Party Hat on top. I just laugh and think "I see you back there...do you REALLY think I'm going to engage in some general Jackassery with you giving my car a prostate exam?"
 
#19 · (Edited)
A guy i work with has a neutral colored Honda Accord. He told me he was recently cited for "reckless driving" because he chirped his rather worn tires as a result of the low tread. The tread is within legal limits. He told me he explained to the officer that he was shopping new tires because he didnt mean to break traction and knew they were worn, but got ticketed anyway.

So yes, some cops might profile a performance car, but most dont care WHAT youre driving, they care HOW youre driving. Some may give you a break while others are going by the letter of the law. Your best chance to be given a pass is to show respect, reply "yes sir (ma'am)" / "no sir (ma'am)" and dont bullshit, dont be ignorant to your driving or be argumentative.
 
#20 ·
I find it actually did the opposite for me. My blacked out and tinted charger would get pulled over all the time for basically nothing, one officer said to me it was because my car looked "suspicious." The green I have even got thumbs up from cops when I pull up next to them in traffic etc. Sublime stands out, but I think in a positive way. People love a little bright color in the sea of blacks and silvers!

End of the day though, it is what others have said, not the color of your car, but the driving habits!
 
#21 · (Edited)
I find it actually did the opposite for me. My blacked out and tinted charger would get pulled over all the time for basically nothing, one officer said to me it was because my car looked "suspicious." The green I have even got thumbs up from cops when I pull up next to them in traffic etc. Sublime stands out, but I think in a positive way. People love a little bright color in the sea of blacks and silvers!

End of the day though, it is what others have said, not the color of your car, but the driving habits!
Cops dont like tint. What's going on behind that darkened glass? Got a beer in your hand? Is a gun pointing at them as they approach your car? Thats where suspicion comes in. Tint looks good, but i can objectively see their side when it comes to tint, their safety and public safety.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Vehicle color equalling citations is a Causal fallacy.

Example: Generally - If a buyer gets a high impact color, then the buyer will get noticed by police and receive a citation. Therefore, Generally, One should not get a high impact color and as a result, the police will not notice and no citation will be received.

The single highest causality for being stopped and issued a citation is a moving violation which has a direct impact on safety. Running stop lights/signs; DUI; aggressive driving; racing; exhibition of speed; cutting others off; tailgating; etc.

The second highest causation is speed violations.

The third highest are obvious visible signs of violations: expired license plates; no license plates; driving without required equipment [windshields, mudflaps on trucks, etc.]; unsafe loads; unsecured loads [landscaping trash falling out of a truck/trailer]; littering, etc.

Others include using dumb equipment/dumb moving violations: Using sirens and emergency light colors on private vehicles; train horns, "rolling coal", adjusting vehicle height while driving [lowrider hydraulics hopping], etc.

Driving in a responsible adult fashion and having situational awareness will prevent most citations. Everyone commits some minor infraction while driving and there is no cop around to witness it. Minimizing these behaviors is what a responsible driver tries to do.

Driving like you "stole it" will get attention, and not just from the aggressive cops who love traffic enforcement and give no breaks, but even from the average cop who doesn't like traffic enforcement duties.

I know. I was one for about 25 years.
 
#23 ·
In almost 5 years of driving my "DY", I was never "pulled over" for anything. I did get numerous "thumbs up" from oncoming LEO's, and followed a few times, with the LEO eventually passing me and giving me a "nod" or thumbs up.


One time on vacation, we pulled into the motel at the end of the day, and a LEO was parked by the front doors. He got out of car as we were unloading our suitcases and said, "Wow, I could give you a ticket for speeding right now. This thing just looks FAST sitting!"


We all started laughing, and he just wanted to see it up close, and that was his way to start a conversation and talk about Challengers. Had a nice chat, and I assured him that we wouldn't "meet" later that night with me pulling any assclownery in his town. Had fun BS'ing about the car, and he was really a nice guy.


I agree with other posters that it's not the color that gets you stopped, it's what "you were doing" while you're driving that is the issue for a stop.
 
#27 ·
30 + years ago it seemed like every time I took my 1970 T/A in Green-Go FJ6 I was being pulled over, however it had more to do with age than color, I drove it like I had just stole it so if i were getting pulled over, it was usally because I deserved to be pulled over. With my PCP Core i hardly get a look from the cops.
 

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