An idea that's asking for trouble..
 

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5htAuRX-Y-ie1ld3CDzSeEX8XwH0AD8TJD4JO0

Police Reward Good Drivers With Coffee

1 day ago

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. (AP) — Happy holidays. Now pull over to the side of the road.

Motorists may be in for a surprise if they spot flashing red lights in their rearview mirrors in this Sacramento suburb during the holiday season.

Police are stopping law-abiding motorists and rewarding their good driving with $5 Starbucks gift cards.

A traffic officer came up with the idea to "promote the holiday spirit and enhance goodwill between the traffic unit and the motoring public," police Sgt. Tim Curran said.

Local businesses donated money to buy the gift cards.

"They raised a substantial amount of money," Curran said. "They'll be pulling over a lot of people."



Let the opinions begin..

my opinion:

Here is your 5 dollar gift card, you only have to pay your DUI court costs, bail, and ticket. I wish times that they pulled people over for there exceptional driving behavior was printed.

Even if it is broad day light, If I was pulled over while commuting to/from work I would be very angry. I can drink coffee when I get there.

I see the thought, and it is nice idea. But just watch someone gets pissed because they were late and sue, or someone not pull over and start a chase. Pull people over if there doing something wrong, don't mess with people and scare them by pulling them over for no reason.

Pull people over for weaving in their lane. Or bleeding into other lanes. Or being control freaks and not allowing a merging lane to merge. Or for not paying one bit of attention to their driving. Take up about 30 minutes of their time telling them how to improve their seriousness, awareness, consideration, etc. Then give them the coffee card. No point in taking an officer's time to pull someone over and not gain community benefit from the time spent.

If that law was implimented in the UK, all hell would break loose. There is rarely a time you get pulled by the police that they cant find something to F#*$ you over on. I have lost my lisence for a year because a policeman lied in court so i know what i am talking about. They basical can search all about and say do and act how they want and then go he is a $5 voucher, woohoo.

Having an unlimited lisence to pull someone over for ''good-driving'' is an embarressment to the force, does that mean we should get a cake if we help someone or a can of coke cola for not robbing a house. I understand the princible but that gut wrenching feeling we get here in Britain when the blue lights go on could cause someone to do them selves damage

What does Grizzly think?/


James

i would be pissed as hell for them to pull me over like that and waste my time to be honest.
but not a bad idea at a first glance

in theory it sounds like a nice idea but people are gonna be pissed that they're getting pulled over ( because they'll be late for work, school, ect.)....people don't generally want to be bothered and pulled over for any reason because most of us have places to be at certain times ...so i have a feeling this is gonna get ugly lol

I don't even drink coffee. I like my O.J. in the morning. I would be pissed if they pulled me over and made me late for work. Stupid idea. How about a discount on my next insurance bill, now that's a good idea. :cheers:

I'm not sure how the police can pull you over for being a good driver. I would think they would have to have probable cause that you committed a crime to pull you over.
Maybe they have a way to indicate that pulling over to get your free coupon is optional?
If not, I think they have some serious legal issues to deal with IMHO.

Is it true that in GB, you are presumed and have to prove your innocence?

A bit more information
 

Hi,
I live near Rancho Cordova (about 15 miles east) and heard an interview with an officer on a local radio station. Just want to clear up some false information here.

The article quoted in this thread is off base because under no circumstances will the officer turn his lights on to pull you over. That would be illegal because from the moment their lights are on you are legally detained. If you have done nothing that would merit being detained, that would certainly open the door to lots of issues for the police department. Instead, the officers signal you from their vehicle, motioning for you to pull to the side. Under these circumstances I would be curious and somewhat alarmed but would probably assume my car has a visible problem that needs attention, not that I had committed a violation. The officer commented that if the driver chooses not to pull over (which isn't very likely I would suspect) there is no further action taken to get the driver to respond.

So, the program is not quite as bad as it would seem. (I do agree with everyone here that I got lighted up and pulled over, I would be seriously torqued.) Regardless, I think it is a waste of time for the police, who should be spending more time doing their normal duties, and for the public, since getting pulled over costs time and tends to impede the normal flow of traffic (for all the other drivers using that stretch of highway). The officer commented that drivers who have been awarded the cards have been positive about the program, but I am not so sure I would share their enthsiasm.

Jay

Midnight Blue '05 S