Getting pulled over by a police officer is one of the most inconvenient and infuriating things that can happen while driving. And while it’s easy to lose your temper when you do get pulled over, especially when you’re not sure what you did wrong, it’s typically best to hide your emotions and comply with what the police officer tells you to do. What’s also important is what you say to the cop when you get pulled over, so here are five things that you shouldn’t say to a cop when you roll down your window to talk to them.
Rude or insulting comments
In the case that you do get pulled over, just remember that proper manners can help you out in the long run. After all, anything you say can technically be used in the court of law against you. According to Reader’s Digest, although a cop can’t arrest you for being rude, the cop could claim that the words you used were inciting a fight or gave him/her a reason to believe that you’re covering up a crime, which can give them probable cause to search your car.
“Why did you pull me over?”
While seeing those red and blue flashing lights behind you can cause a lot of stress and confusion, it’s recommended to let the police officer do the talking when you roll your window down. Don’t lead with the question, “Why did you pull me over?” Doing so can lead to them perceiving that you’re being aggressive and possibly set a negative tone to the following conversation.
“I pay your salary”
This is easily one of the most useless and probably aggravating comments that any police officer gets to hear during a traffic stop. Upon hearing it, no police officer will likely reply with, “Sorry about that, you’re right. I’ll let you go then.” In actuality, you paying your taxes doesn’t mean that you’re the police officer’s boss and that they are on your payroll, so keep that comment to yourself.
A funny statement
We’re all comedians in our own right, and for some of us, funny jokes or comments can come up during times of nervousness or stress. So if you get pulled over and start a conversation with the cop, it’s recommended that you might want to keep anything funny statements to yourself. While it might sound funny in your head, the cop might not think it is, and you might land yourself in deeper water.
Don’t tell lies
Lastly, don’t lie to a police officer. While you technically don’t have to “tell the whole” truth outside of a court of law, you probably shouldn’t flat-out lie to a police officer. Considering they are in control of the situation, your lies may come out sooner or later and you’ll end up in more trouble than you started with. Also, if your case or situation does end up in a court of law, then your lies will more easily be uncovered at that point. Tell the truth, and nothing but the truth as much as possible. In some cases, it could actually set you free.
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