Paging DJ TASO, or anyone that knows about the LAW

[Jeff02GAGT]

HI guys,

I just have a quick question. I have tinted windows on my car all the way around (LIMO). I know that they are ILLEGAL on the side windows. I'm not really worried about getting a ticket, but I'm curious if a cop was trying to pull me over for them today. There was a cop sitting at the local Walmart in town today. Now, our Walmart has a little part in the front that is for the cops. It's like they have a little holding area/station type of deal within the walmart. Well, the rookie cop was walking out to his car and I drove past him to goto Walmart. He looked at my car then got in his. Well, I was going to go into Walmart, but decided not to. Anyway's, he couldn't see me on the other end of the Parking lot, so I don't think he was for me. Well, after deciding not to go, i had to drive past him again. As I was approaching the rear of his squad car, my radar detector was going off. I was like oh great. So, I go past him and stop at the stop sign. He pulls out, rather quickly and gets behind me. I turned onto a street that I'm not sure if it is walmarts property or not, but it's a road that connects two strip malls. Anyways, he's on me and so I turn into the strip mall up the road like 10 feet just to get him off me. When I did that, he just kept going. I'm just wondering if I was on property where he could pull me over and write me a citation. I live in Illinois, and I am a firefighter. I have the fire fighter plates, and a "FIRE DEPT" decal on my back window. I guess my question is, could he have pulled me over or not? Or, would he have had to wait for me to get onto a main road to nail me? What do you all think..

Jeff

[TraceZ]

I dont think he can pull you over for anything while you are on Wal Mart's private property. Unless of course a Wal Mart person files a complaint against you. He may have been following you to see if you went onto a public street.

[BadWS6]

Most of the large parking lots in CA have signs posted saying you are subject to the local road laws and the police here can and will stop you in a store parking lot

[Jeff02GAGT]

Well, I would think considering that they have a little police station/holding area in that walmart, they may have some kind of authority to enforce stuff in the lot? Also, couldn't he have pulled me over for quickly turning into another parking lot to avoid him? Or at least have used that as a reason to pull me over?

[DJ Taso]

I dont think he can pull you over for anything while you are on Wal Mart's private property. Unless of course a Wal Mart person files a complaint against you. He may have been following you to see if you went onto a public street.

Private property or not, it does not affect the law. A cop can walk on your property no matter if you have a 80 foot high sign that says 'No Tresspassing'. It's to keep you out, not the law. If a fight happened to break out in Wal Mart's 'private property' and someone gets stabbed or killed in front of a cop, the police do not need permission from Wal Mart to take action so there's no such thing as 'private property' or 'no tresspassing' rules when it comes to the law.

Tinted windows on the sides is illegal in the state of IL. It also gives probable cause (PC) for a cop to pull you over and write you a ticket. Why the rookie cop didn't pull you over? Who knows but he used his discretion not to. Consider your self lucky. I just recently got pulled over last month in a town next to mine. I had a taillight out, no drivers license and expired insurance. I told him I work at my local police dept and he knows my chief and let me go LOL!

This is where I did my internship for school.

[Jeff02GAGT]

OK DJ, so he could have pinched me though? I kept hearing this private property crap and what not, so I was not sure. I'm wondering if the fire fighter plates helped me out at all? Also, my uncle is a cook county sheriff. If I get pulled over, and I tell a cop that, would that help my case at all or no? Sorry to keep bothering you, but I know you've dealt with this stuff and live in IL.

Thanks,
Jeff

[DJ Taso]

I'm wondering if the fire fighter plates helped me out at all?

Possibly. You never know what a cop's thinking. Maybe he was to lazy to do the paper work? lol..

my uncle is a cook county sheriff. If I get pulled over, and I tell a cop that, would that help my case at all or no?

Again, you never know. The cop could be a total ass or a totally cool guy. It all depends what kind of day he's having. But it usually does help if you have a relative in the force.

Sorry to keep bothering you, but I know you've dealt with this stuff and live in IL

No problem

[Jeff02GAGT]

Hey DJ Taso,

One last thing, if I do give a name of a relative in the force, what is the best way to go about doing so? Do you want to be discreet about it, or can you just straight up tell him that an uncle is a cop? Will they then go and run his name to make sure I am not lying?

Also, when you were doing an internship, did you notice if Firefighter plates helped at all when it came to getting pulled over? I know that theres like brotherhood between cops and firefighters. DO you have any experience with that?

Thanks,
Jeff

[TraceZ]

I'm not completely sure, but I dont think that here in Wisconsin traffic laws apply on private property. You can do burnouts, donuts, whatever you want on pricate property and unless the owner complains you are safe.

Here is an example: My dad and uncle own a large franchise store here in Madison just off the local cruising strip. A few years ago I was hanging out in the lot with a few friends late at night as we watched the local kids cruise around and show off. One of my buddies decided to do a burnout in the lot and it drew the attention of the police. I explained to the officer that it was my families property and he left us alone, just warning us not to attract a crowd.

Again, I'm not sure, but I think that the owner of a property can request the police enforce certain rules in their absense. Like no loitering, etc. I recall the police forcing a bunch of us to leave a BK parking lot once even though the owner never complained.

I'm sure that criminal law applies on all property, but I'm not sure about traffic laws. A dragstrip is private property and we can go as fast as we want there. I know a friend of ours has a small racetrack on his property and he drives as fast as he wants there. He does burnouts and drifts too, the police are not going to tell him he is breaking any laws.

Am I completely wrong?

Most places I see like large shopping malls have rent-a-cops that keep an eye out and will call the police to file a complaint if they see anything that is an issue. I rarely see actual police doing the enforcement on private property. I suppose it may be possible for a big private store/event to pay the local municipality for a direct police presence. I dunno. I'm not sure.

[TraceZ]

I just had a thought. Maybe local ordinances determine alot of this stuff. That would explain why it seems to vary so widely from place to place. Kind of like how you can fire a gun on your land in the country, but not on your land in the city because city ordinance prohibits it.

[DJ Taso]

if I do give a name of a relative in the force, what is the best way to go about doing so?

Just straight up tell him you have an uncle who's a cop. Be calm and friendly about it. Also, having your uncle's business card would help a lot too.

Also, when you were doing an internship, did you notice if Firefighter plates helped at all when it came to getting pulled over?

I never knew about the firefighter license plates until I started my internship, I guess I never paid attention to them... Whenever I would do ride alongs with them they would always point out them out to me. They would talk about them but they never pulled anyone over with them.

The cops I worked with told me there are 2 people you don't give tickets to: doctors & veterans.

[Jeff02GAGT]

Awesome Idea, Taso! I will get one of his business cards.. I don't know why I never thought of that. So, do you think if I show a cop that he'll run his name then say, "have a nice day"? That would be sweet...

Thanks,
Jeff

[DJ Taso]

I'm sure that criminal law applies on all property, but I'm not sure about traffic laws. A dragstrip is private property and we can go as fast as we want there

True, you can go as fast as you want on the dragstrip, but the second you leave the strip you are on a public area. At Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL the sherif's police write you tickets for squeeling your tires or doing burnouts outside of the dragstrip area. Even though you're in the dragstrip, if you're not physically on the dragstrip to race and you mess around like doing burnouts and stuff they'll write you because you're on public property. I've seen it with my own eyes.

[DJ Taso]

Awesome Idea, Taso! I will get one of his business cards.. I don't know why I never thought of that. So, do you think if I show a cop that he'll run his name then say, "have a nice day"? That would be sweet...

With his business card he wont run his name, trust me. Hell, he won't even run his name without one! Cops wouldn't go thru all that trouble, call it lazy LOL! When I got pulled over I left all my identification at home. All I did was tell him where I did my internship and the name of my Chief. The only questions he asked was what school I went to

[fastTa]

Private property very much so affects the law.

Here is Texas the cops are also very limited in what they can enforce on private property. I know because I have several friends who are PD, SO, and a Constable. They cannot give someone a ticket for a misdemeanor on private property unless the private property owner goes down and fills out the paperwork to press charges. Here in Texas, a cop cannot even question witnesses or write a report if a car accident happens on private property.