Warning to people in CA:

I've been pulled over by CHPs twice in the last month for no front lic plate, once in the EVO and once in another car. Saturday in the EVO, the guy wanted to look under my hood, which I let him do, because I know I have no mods, only suspension, and I wanted to see where this was going. After I signed my ticket, and we just fell into "car guy" talk, he told me what I had suspected: the CHP is on a mission to look for mods to cars, which is a "big problem" right now. They get a 4 hr training program to spot what to look for, and the penalty costs are high. He said that even doing an air intake could set you back $1000 or more in fines, smog, and court costs. Apparently after you are cited, you have to go to a referee station where they will go over your car with a fine-toothed comb, and you have to put it back together stock. Then you have to show proof of correction yada yada yada...

He said that this was a statewide program, and they are targeting import cars, esp ones that look like they have been modded, like the EVO. The officer didn't believe that it was a stock car. Apparently he can't cite for exhaust unless it's obviously too loud, although a friend who was pulled over in an EVO was told that an aftermarket exhaust is probable cause enough to allow him to look under the hood.

This brings up a big question of legality, which I didn't think to ask the guy until later. From the tone of his question (he *asked* to look under the hood) and some subsequent net research, I don't believe he can actually look under the hood without your consent, that whole 4th Amendment thing and all. He has to have probable cause, and I can't imagine having a wing, aftermarket wheels, and RA-1s constitutes probable cause to assume engine mods. Maybe exhaust does. So the next time this happens I'm going to test that theory by not allowing the officer a chance to look under the hood, and ask him what his probable cause is if he decides to do it anyway. That and carry a voice recorder to get everything on tape.

Has anybody in CA had any similar experiences recently, and what happened? I'm in the SF Bay Area, and was pulled over twice in Marin, once on the freeway and once around town. And I don't even live there....

 

I haven't had any problems with the CHP, even when I'm going about 120 on the 210. But yeah, I don't know. I know that they've been watching me though, cuz I can see them follow me sometimes, but then I just jet to a sideroad and take a left, then right, then left, then right, then left, then right. Then back to the main road. That usually works.
__NiTe__

 

i got pulled over yesterday for my tails...cus they are smoked...i asked the officer if he can see my brake he said yes...then what is it for? he said cus i cant tell your tails are red...so i shut up after that point id just fight it another way...first thing i did was look at my tails when i got off the car and you can see the red in it he was just being an ***...and doing his job...but im against that whole if it look like its modded then pull him over thing...thats wrong...defeats that whole innocent until proven guilty...is it legal by law for him to look under your hood?...

 

why can't they target big boats...domestics are louder and have loud *** exhaust n sht spec wen they have a carb

 

i live in the bay, and they pull you over for stupd sh*. lke the lights on your hood etc. and if u wana pass smog now its harder since thy have a new smog comp.

 

what new smog comp?

 

Assuming you're not doing anything illegal when the officer sees you, and there is nothing illegal about your exterior (flashing blue lights, etc), I would think targeting people with modified cars would be a form of profiling.

 

yeah thats what i thought also...so what if the cop see's a muffler and decides to pull you over for that...what then?does he have the right to look under your hood

 

CNN reported that the biggest air polluter in southern cal is actually the foreign ships docking at the Port of Long Beach. its real hard to feel sorry for cops when they leach from honest citizens and turn a blind eye to the real criminals. almost makes you want to quit recycling your oil when you realize that you're the only one who cares.

 

I'm in SF Bay Area. Have no problems yet. Seem alot of police since I work at Stonestown.

 

Im a cop in Florida, and Ive heard about CHP checking under hoods. Ive always wondered what constitutes probable cause to check under a hood for aftermarket parts. They can't target just imports for it...thats vehicular profiling

My advice would be to remain courteous, and politely decline their request to check under the hood. Remember to stand up for yourself, but don't be rude (trust me they will get the last laugh if you play that game).

If anyone has declined when they asked to see under the hood im curious as to what their response was...please share.

Interesting topic...

 

Anecdotally, I've read about people declining and the cop opening the hood anyway. If you're a cop, then what do you imagine would constitute probable cause to check for engine mods?

I thought of a few:

1. There's a supercharger pulley sticking thru your hood.

2. He heard a turbo, and knows that the car in question didn't come with a turbo.

3. He heard a BOV.

4. He caught you involved in street racing.

Any other ideas?

 

I'm in SF too. You won't have a problem with SFPD; they have real criminals to catch, and don't give a rat's *** about crap like this. You could park in front of Taraval Station all day with your EVO with no front plate and they wouldn't care. CHP is much more worrisome, and friends of mine who are SFPD worry about CHP.

 

You don't have to pop the hood, but they have the option to impound the car and get an order to if you want to go that route. If you have nothing to hide, pop to hood and make it easy on the both of you. Recorded audio is not allowed in CA.

 

They cannot impound you car without a valid arrest. They also cannot arrest you if there was no reasonable suspicion for pulling you over, i.e. that frickin loud, catless exhaust. And yes, targeting imports is profiling and is illegal.

MOrningstar is right on the money. Be courteous but don't say anything stupid. The forum to fight this is not on the street but in the court. Oh and if you are a lawyer and get pulled over, don't tell the officer that you are because the officer will definitely get the last laugh, at least this is from the stories I have heard.