OK, lock request, thanks for the (redundant) input

[Capt Caveman]

While the OP is definitely a douche, this illustrates a major drawback in our stupid car dependent society. Because he has narcolepsy, he can either follow the law and have his life severely impacted by not driving, or he can just drive without a license and risk falling asleep & possibly murdering people with his out-of-control car :thumbsdown:

Lots of people live without a car, it's the OP choice to live somewhere that requires a car.

As an experiment, I've been thinking of going a month without using my car but I can pretty much walk to everything and/or take bus/subway to everything else or ride my bike.

 

[ch33zw1z]

These kind of incidents where cops tail you for no reason happen all the time. Just keep on driving like normal and they'll leave you alone. If they don't, then start to have a problem with it...but in your case, driving without a license is going to land you in jail.

 

[preslove]

Lots of people live without a car, it's the OP choice to live somewhere that requires a car.

As an experiment, I've been thinking of going a month without using my car but I can pretty much walk to everything and/or take bus/subway to everything else or ride my bike.

uh... you have a subway in your town, and live in a dense area. Let me guess NYC? Here's a tip, most of America has completely different land use patterns than you're used to. So, yes, there would be no reason for him to drive without a license if he lived where you live.

I couldn't live without my car in my town & neither could most of the population of America. The idiots who ripped up the railroads/trolley tracks and turned our land use into our car-centric mess in the 1940s & 1950 have left a pretty shitty legacy for America. It's a serious disadvantage that will only get worse as gas prices continue to rise.

 

[Capt Caveman]

uh... you have a subway in your town, and live in a dense area. Let me guess NYC? Here's a tip, most of America has completely different land use patterns than you're used to. So, yes, there would be no reason for him to drive without a license if he lived where you live.

I couldn't live without my car in my town & neither could most of the population of America. The idiots who ripped up the railroads/trolley tracks and turned our land use into our car-centric mess in the 1940s & 1950 have left a pretty shitty legacy for America. It's a serious disadvantage that will only get worse as gas prices continue to rise.

I don't think you get my point. It's the OP's option to live in an area that makes him require a car. I live in Boston and know numerous folks that don't have a car. My parents live in the suburbs and take the bus to the next town over and take a subway that takes them into the city. So, you don't necessarily need to live in the city.

 

[preslove]

I don't think you get my point. It's the OP's option to live in an area that makes him require a car. I live in Boston and know numerous folks that don't have a car. My parents live in the suburbs and take the bus to the next town over and take a subway that takes them into the city. So, you don't necessarily need to live in the city.

No, you don't get my point.

If I could move to Boston and find a job in my field I would do it in a second. So would many, many, many people in America. Just face it, your transportation options far exceed and are superior to the vast majority of Americans.

 

[Capt Caveman]

No, you don't get my point.

If I could move to Boston and find a job in my field I would do it in a second. So would many, many, many people in America. Just face it, your transportation options far exceed and are superior to the vast majority of Americans.

You do know that there is a greater number of jobs/opportunities in the greater metro area of a city, right? It may explain why cities and their greater metro area have a higher population density. Also, plenty of not as affluent neighboring cities/towns that have public transportation into the city and neighboring towns/cities.

 

[preslove]

You do know that there is a greater number of jobs/opportunities in the greater metro area of a city, right? It may explain why cities and their greater metro area have a higher population density. Also, plenty of not as affluent neighboring cities/towns that have public transportation into the city and neighboring towns/cities.

You do know that there are significant costs to moving to a major cities and that it isn't economically feasible for many people to just suddenly move to a major metro area, right? You do know that the competition for jobs is pretty high for professional jobs in those area's, right? You do know that this is a really asinine way to make a point, right?

 

[Capt Caveman]

You do know that there are significant costs to moving to a major cities and that it isn't economically feasible for many people to just suddenly move to a major metro area, right? You do know that the competition for jobs is pretty high for professional jobs in those area's, right? You do know that this is a really asinine way to make a point, right?

Better than spends 10 years driving illegally and endangering the lives of others.

 

[pyonir]

Oh look, another cop hate thread from tcsenter. Some things never change around here, that's for sure. Good 'ole ATOT.

 

[preslove]

Better than spends 10 years driving illegally and endangering the lives of others.

Yeah, but people don't think like that, and now I have to drive in shitty ass texas with tons of drunk drivers, narcoleptic drivers, medicated drivers, etc.

Again, I never said the OP wasn't an idiot/asshole, I'm just saying we have a ton of assholes like him in most of America because we don't build subways and invest in public transportation like a couple cities in America and most cities in the rest of the developed world.

 

[Ackmed]

Again, they MUST have a reason for scrutinizing you. And he couldn't possibly have known I don't have a license. Pay attention.

It wouldn't matter if I had a license. I would still be uncomfortable or unnerved when he had zero reason to be scrutinizing me like that. In fact, I've had this happen before when I DID have a license, and still felt the same way.

You are clueless. He does not have to have a reason to follow you and run your plates.

 

[simonizor]

I was coming back from the supermarket tonight, 11:30pm (they close at midnight). Tooling down the highway, driving the speed limit. Saw the cops on the right shoulder up about one mile away with their lights on. There was a tractor trailer about 30 feet ahead of me, in the nearest lane. Figured he'd want to move over, so I changed lanes to let him slide over (toward the left).

Passed the cop, changed lanes back (so did the big rig). I got over to the right hand lane because my exit was coming up, using my blinkers and changing lanes safely. Just as I took the exit ramp, I notice this car in my rear view coming up on me very aggressively. Looking at the headlight and grill configuration, I can tell its a Ford Crown Victoria, and then half-way up the exit ramp, I can see the lights on top (but they were off). Its either the Highway Patrol or my local PD, they have nearly identical cars.

I figured, the way he came up on me so fast, he was responding to another call or complaint. So I wasn't worried about it, I figured he would just pass me. I turned and crossed the overpass. He got right on my ass. I was like..."WTH?" There is absolutely no reason for him to be scrutinizing me, at all. I did nothing unsafe or any moving violations, everything on my car is in order, so I was still expecting him to blow by me at any time, on the way to some other thing. He had multiple opportunities, there was not a single oncoming car in the other direction.

But then he follows me for like another two miles and two turns, passed about six cross streets. Fucker. He never pulled me over but bricks were being shat because I don't have a license.

I hate it when their only reason for scrutinizing you is "Ahh yes, a car. And its driving, on the road. And driving the speed limit, no less. Very suspicious. Good enough reason to run his plates and follow behind him for three fucking miles."

MAYBE the cop could have ran your plates, seen that you (assuming you own the vehicle) don't have a license, and followed you to see if you were going to do anything stupid. MAYBE just MAYBE he let you go, even though he know you didn't have a license because you appeared to be driving safely and he wanted to show some compassion.

Honestly, driving without a license, you were in the wrong and deserved to be pulled over, even if you were following the rest of the traffic laws.

 

[jlee]

I've been driving for a total of three years without a license. I had a valid license from another state from 2000 to 2004, and again from 2006 to 2010.

You legally obtained a valid license from another state?

Shens.

 

[yh125d]

Better than spends 10 years driving illegally and endangering the lives of others.

You're making the assumption that driving without a license is more dangerous than driving with one. I have a license, and it didn't give me +5 driving.

 

[BeauJangles]

The only real problem with ops thread is that it also doesn’t say "i got fucking lucky because i was guilty of SOMETHING". But, that doesn’t excuse the cop. What he did was wrong, but not at all a-typical. Its silly that everyone is jumping all over op because he was guilty of one thing. Give a cop enough time and he'll find any one of you guilty of something, too. OP just shoudlnt have mentioned it.

Cops are dicks and pull this shit all the time. I used to drive home from a GF's place at like 3am all the time. Cops would ride me like this and follow me for miles, until i got out of their county. They would ride right up on me and shine their brights in my mirrors trying to get me to screw up so they can pull me over for a drunk check. They’re actually trying to get an otherwise safe driver to drive unsafely so they can pull you over with a flimsy excuse.

Or driving on winding Wisconsin roads. Again, going back from the GF's place, got pulled over for driving 40 in a 55. "You were driving awful slowly there. Any reason for that?" being completely sober, i just responded that it’s late and there’s no reason to drive fast with all the deer out. This was my actual reason. Again, no reason for the cop to act, there was no minimum speed limit there. He figured he was catching a drunk guy driving really slow.

3rd one. Walking to the bars, dry sober, the police have driven their car up on the sidewalk and parked it there. I was walking on the sidewalk so i walked around it closely to avoid the wet grass on one side and the busy road on the other. As i get around it, 3 cops approach me; "THAT’S PRIVATE FUCKING PROPERTY YOU JUST MESSED WITH THERE". Told them i didn’t touch it; the next cop speaks up "I FUCKING SAW IT. YOU TOUCHED PRIVATE PROPERTY. DO YOU WANT TO GET ARESTED TONITE?!"; the third cop with his club out; "JUST GO WHERE YOURE FUCKING GOING AND GET OUT OF HERE". Knowing I would lose if I said anything more or did anything, I simply nodded and left. Trying to test a tall person like me to see if i would start a fight if I drunk and rowdy/violent.

Cops are dicks. They’ll use the excuse that they try to get people to break laws to catch them because they would break the laws anyways on their own. That’s not how it works. People will say that this is how they have to be to do their job, but that’s not right. Giving up your rights is never a good idea.

I love how you tards always believe the story as posted, even when the guy admits that he doesn't have a license.

There are literally thousands of reasons a cop could have followed the OP. Maybe there was a report of a stolen car in the area that matched the OP's vehicle. Maybe the OP did something to make the cop suspicious. Maybe he ran his plates and it took a while for the data to come back, so he tailed him just in case something came up. Maybe he thought he saw the OP drinking. Maybe he thought he saw something else. Shit, maybe the cop was headed to his favorite coffee shop and just happened to be going the same way as the OP and the OP completely imagined that he was being followed.

Fuck you guys are gullible.

edit: I'm not saying the OP necessarily did anything, but believing him point-blank given the facts we have (cop definitely took interest in him) is stupid. People usually claim they "didn't do anything" when, of course, they did something. In the OP's case it starts by being a cock-tard and driving without a license and probably continues with something else that raised suspicion.

 

[OCGuy]

100% troll thread

 

[erikistired]

100% troll thread

You're making the assumption that driving without a license is more dangerous than driving with one. I have a license, and it didn't give me +5 driving.

until he hits someone and they are SOL because he doesn't have car insurance because HE HAS NO LICENSE.

 

[tcsenter]

Lots of people live without a car, it's the OP choice to live somewhere that requires a car.

No, its not. Its pretty much either here, some run-down subsidized apartment in a shitty urban area but with better public transportation options/access, or homelessness.

Some people apparently envision that I'm making casino runs to Reno every weekend or something. I realize that's mostly my fault for putting this post out there and giving people the opportunity to imagine the worst.

Seriously, I don't drive very often at all, and when I do, its a very short trip (a few miles each way, maybe five miles tops each way). And I've never had any problems with drowsiness behind the wheel in nine years, because I impose pretty strict limits on when I drive and how far I go, plus I have pretty potent stimulant medications that help a lot (which I did not have prior to being diagnosed).

 

[zerocool84]

No, its not. Its pretty much either here, some run-down subsidized apartment in a shitty urban area but with better public transportation options/access, or homelessness.

Some people apparently envision that I'm making casino runs to Reno every weekend or something. I realize that's mostly my fault for putting this post out there and giving people the opportunity to imagine the worst.

Seriously, I don't drive very often at all, and when I do, its a very short trip (a few miles each way, maybe five miles tops each way). And I've never had any problems with drowsiness behind the wheel in nine years, because I impose pretty strict limits on when I drive and how far I go, plus I have pretty potent stimulant medications that help a lot (which I did not have prior to being diagnosed).

Oh no officer I don't drink that often when I drive and when I do I only make short trips. Plus I take tons of uppers to keep me more alert.

 

[tcsenter]

Actually, the DMV says so...

"If you become a California resident, you must get a California driver license within 10 days. Residency is established by voting in a California election, paying resident tuition, filing for a homeowner’s property tax exemption, or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents. "

None of those things apply to me, I've already researched it.

 

[tcsenter]

Oh no officer I don't drink that often when I drive and when I do I only make short trips. Plus I take tons of uppers to keep me more alert.

Sorry, not remotely the same. If you want to criticize me, fine, but don't base it in or make farcical comments on subjects you don't understand. Stimulants are the first-line treatment for narcolepsy.

 

[BoomerD]

None of those things apply to me, I've already researched it.

Really? If you live in California, you must get a California license within 10 days...that means surrendering any license from any other state.

Also, if you've had to give up your license in California because of medical conditions and you go to another state and get a license, even if you properly establish residency...and don't inform them that you (a) have had to forfeit your license for medical reasons, and (b) have disqualifying medical issues, you're breaking laws...and most likely, the "legal license" obtained in the other state is not valid...and you could be subject to prosecution.

 

[tcsenter]

Really? If you live in California, you must get a California license within 10 days...that means surrendering any license from any other state.

Only if you intend to establish residency, which has a legal meaning or definition. I do not meet any of the criteria you have listed there from the DMV.

Also, if you've had to give up your license in California because of medical conditions and you go to another state and get a license, even if you properly establish residency...and don't inform them that you (a) have had to forfeit your license for medical reasons, and (b) have disqualifying medical issues, you're breaking laws...and most likely, the "legal license" obtained in the other state is not valid...and you could be subject to prosecution.

It was never asked (in the application or verbally) if I've ever been disqualified from obtaining a license in another state.

 

[jlee]

Was your license suspended by the CA DMV or just expired / voluntarily withdrawn?

What state are you claiming to live in in order to get an out of state license?

 

[BoomerD]

Only if you intend to establish residency, which has a legal meaning or definition. I do not meet any of the criteria you have listed there from the DMV.

It was never asked (in the application or verbally) if I've ever been disqualified from obtaining a license in another state.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d01/vc516.htm

Resident

516. "Resident" means any person who manifests an intent to live or be located in this state on more than a temporary or transient basis. Presence in the state for six months or more in any 12-month period gives rise to a rebuttable presumption of residency.

The following are evidence of residency for purposes of vehicle registration:

(a) Address where registered to vote.

(b) Location of employment or place of business.

(c) Payment of resident tuition at a public institution of higher education.

(d) Attendance of dependents at a primary or secondary school.

(e) Filing a homeowner's property tax exemption.

(f) Renting or leasing a home for use as a residence.

(g) Declaration of residency to obtain a license or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to a nonresident.

(h) Possession of a California driver's license.

(i) Other acts, occurrences, or events that indicate presence in the state is more than temporary or transient.