Just remember basic rules:
1. SIT STILL and have your HANDS IN HIS EYESIGHT as he approaches the car - window down, hands on the window sill is good. or on the top of the steering wheel.
2. No digging around the car, glove box or under the seats.
3. WAIT FOR HIM TO ASK FOR REGISTRATION AND LICENSE before accessing the glove box, purse etc AND MOVE SLOWLY!
4. BE HONEST. If you try to deceive him, you're going to get the book thrown at you for they're trained in deception identification techniques. If he detects one lie - he will NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SAY AND WILL GIVE YOU THE "ROUGH VERSION" OF QUESTIONING, - PUT YOU IN THE SQUAD CAR WHILE HE CHECKS YOU OUT ETC....
5. YOU'VE DIFFUSED THE DANGER OF THE SITUATION BY FOLLOWING THE ABOVE. -
The Cop is now in a relaxed mode - READY TO BE REASONABLE - YOU'RE BEST CHANCE TO EXPLAIN THE CIRCUMSTANCES and the cop might be lenient for you DIDN'T trigger his adrenalin mode.....
AN EXAMPLE?
I'm writing this because I was just stopped and went through it using the common sense above.
I had just finished building a Honda Sivic SI for my son with a newly installed and modified performance engine - an imported Japenese "ZC" version that in doing a valve job had the head planed flat raising the compression even more - up from the 180lbs compression..
The engine now has extremely high compression (245lbs compression) with a wild cam.
This give the exhaust an EXTREMELY LOUD CRISP NOTE WHEN ACCELERATING with a LEGAL Exhaust.
The situation? I came to a 4 way stop in this car at the SAME TIME as an SUV to my left - this meant I had the right of way and I proceeded into the intersection to make a left turn.
The driver of the SUV was looking over his left shoulder AS HE GUNNED IT STRAIGHT AT MY DRIVER'S DOOR!
I reacted and FLOORED THE SI whipping the car with spinning squealing tires around the SUV and accelerated thirty yards before I was able to counteract the adrenalin rush and let off on the gas. And a "Police Siren" screamed as I let off the gas.
The SUV? It continued accelerating hard never touching the brakes FOR THE DRIVER HAD HIS HEAD TURNED WATCHING THE COP so he didn't see me!
The intersection is near a school (why the cop was hiding behind the trees)
All right - I had let off on the gas and the siren went off and as I looked right I saw a cop car behind the trees turn on his lights and start to move.
Next driveway to the left and I pulled in and waited following my advice above.
He pulled in behind me and I heard him on the radio doing an inqury about the car.
He approached the car staying away behind the window - hand on his gun......showing uncertainty and possibly a bad reaction if I did the wrong thing and asked for drivers license and registration.
He asked if My license was revoked or if I was a FELON to which I replied no but he repeated 6 times "IS THERE A GUN IN THE CAR?" a warning to me he was in adrenalin mode himself still hiding to the left of the window close to the car.
He took my license and went back to the car to check it out.
I would like to compliment the Orange County Sheriff's Office and this Police Officer - He was Professional all the way and showed his exceptional training the whole time of how to handle a possibly dangerous situation.
Right about now I realized the car I was in - a souped up Honda SI that is popular with drug dealers and street racers....
usually a DANGEROUS PROFILE TO A COP - OOPS!
The Police Officer then came back AND STILL STAYING TO THE LEFT OF THE DOOR CLOSE TO THE CAR....handed me my license back and asked me what I expected to get out of this encounter.
I said I didn't know - it depended on HIS ATTITUDE as to whether he would take the time to understand my situation of having to avoid being hit in the driver's door
(Over the years I've been in two accidents NOT my fault - once in a HEAD ON COLLISION at 60 mph with a DRUNK driver crossing the line and a second time, twenty years later with and idiot late for church running a yield sign at 55 m.p.h. causing me to "T" bone his oldsmobile in the right front. 40 yards away from home BOTH ALMOST KILLING ME - I HAVE DISCUSSED THESE IN MY OTHER POSTS...)
At this time, I was experiencing the adrenalin "rush" letdown from the near miss and was fighting the shaking associated with it as the body tries to burn off the adrenalin.
THE COP NOTICED and properly asked if I was on any medications and I said Yes "I'm on Risperdal for being a schizophrenic. which causes me not to do well under stress"
I thought well now, here it comes for the word schizophrenic triggers paranoia in many - not necessarily unjustly so either.
Back on guard the cop repeated 6 more times "IS THERE A GUN IN THE CAR?"
Each time I replied no - you can search the car if you'd like sitting perfectly still and not moving
Finally, he relaxed and said "You know - you could lose you license for this"
Having a clean License and record I asked would he explain to me why.
he said:
1. Loud Modified exhaust was a ticket.
2. Squealing the tires was a ticket
3. Excessive speed was a ticket.
qualifying me to lose my clean untarnished license due to another asshole trying to hit my car.
He said I made some bad choices but would cut me a break. (And to this I could ONLY think "Yea the OTHER CHOICE was to get "T" boned in the driver's door.)
He would let me off with a warning.
Once again I would like to compliment this Officer. His every action was perfect - guaranteeing his (and my) safety.
I had heard many departments were being taught to understand how to deal with schizophrenics and the mentally ill. and other than asking about a gun - my statement didn't escalate the situation any - just let the officer know what he was dealing with to explain my behavior (The shakes from adrenalin)
I have participated in a drug study and schizophrenic study where a company made a "Schizophrenic simulator" which they could experience to understand the thought patterns and sensory input experience of being a schizophrenic.
Thereby making police officers and public workers better equipped to disarm dangerous situations by understanding how their actions can be misread by the mentally ill.
Result? Due to an idiot almost crashing my car a THIRD time, I didn't LOSE MY LICENSE for protecting myself......
Once again - my Thanks to Orange County Sheriff's Office for exceptional officers - for I had possessed just about every bad thing for a profile to cause the situation to turn bad not in my favor. (Near a school zone too!")
THANK GOD I DIDN'T HAVE A ROOKIE POLICE OFFICER.........
.
.
