Do you drive a cop-magnet?

[farmkid]

I ran across this article today and thought it was worth sharing. It lists the cars most and least likely to get tickets by cops. Some of the cars are not surprising, for example high-performance luxury cars or cars targeted to young drivers on the most-ticketed and a minivan on the least-ticketed list. Some are more surprising, such as the Subaru Outback on the most-ticketed list. Here's the list, in case you don't want to go to the article:

10 Most Ticketed Cars
1. Hummer H2
2. Scion tC
3. Scion xB
4. Mercedes Benz CLK63 AMG
5. Toyota Solara Coupe
6. Mercedes Benz CLS63 AMG
7. Scion xA
8. Subaru Outback
9. Audi A4
10. Toyota Matrix

10 Least Ticketed Cars
1. Jaguar XJ
2. Chevrolet Suburban
3. Chevrolet Tahoe
4. Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500
5. Buick Park Avenue
6. Mazda6
7. Buick Rainier
8. Oldsmobile Silhouette
9. Buick Lucerne
10. GMC Sierra 1500

Now, here's something I think is more interesting, and the reason I decided to post this: All but one on the most-ticketed list is a foreign car and all but two on the least-ticketed list are American cars. Is it because cops have some bias against drivers of foreign cars? Or does it say something about people who drive foreign cars versus those who prefer American cars? Or is it something else?

 

[Gil T.Azell]

No,
My car doesnt even rate in either so I guess I'm safe.

 

[JonathonWally]

Yes, it's a magnet. But I get out of them all, so it's all good.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Hardly a magnet.

 

[Holdfast]

I wonder how those lists were compiled? I assume they're weighted by the total numbers of that particular model on the road.

Anyway, I'm not very surprised by the list. I don't think there's a need to reach for a foreign/domestic explanation though. I think it's simpler than that:

Flashier & higher power-to-weight ratio cars are owned by people who speed more, so collect more tickets. I used to drive the epitome of a flashy, boy-racer car (a Honda Civic Type R) and unsurprisingly I clocked up a couple of tickets on that, and got into an accident or two. My current car is a much less flashy but even faster car (Audi S4, part of the A4 family on the list) but in the 4 or 5 years I've had it I haven't been ticketed. Long may that continue!

 

[Emher]

I'm more likely to be mistaken for an undercover cop in my black Saab seeing as they undercover traffic cops are fond of those. But I will drive a cop magnet in a few years time when I get my Camaro SS. But I drive legally so it'll be okay, never got caught speeding in four years plus of driving (knock on wood).

The S4 is a nice car Holdfast, but it's even more expensive and have worse mileage then the Camaro SS will. Besides I'm a coupe guy so if I had ridicolous amounts of money and felt the ned for an Audi I'd get the S5

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Something tells me the driving habits of the people who own such vehicles are more to blame than just some cop bias.

From my personal experience the best cop magnet is having an old beater car. When I couldn't afford better rides I got pulled over all the time and now once in 10 years (and that's because I was doing 90 in a 70MPH zone...).

You should hear the shit they'll come up with to check you out in an old beater. My favorite one was for "hugging the fog line". Mind you it's because the cop was riding my ass and I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't pass me (it was dark so I didn't know it was a cop).

 

[Holdfast]

My favorite one was for "hugging the fog line".

What does this even mean? It's not translating well to this side of the pond.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

My favorite one was for "hugging the fog line".

What does this even mean? It's not translating well to this side of the pond.

So I'm not the only one? The "fog line" it turns out is the white line painted on the side of the lane that defines the border of the lane and the shoulder of the road. So I was driving too close to the line (which I guess is worthy of investigation) because I was trying to provide as much opportunity as possible for the car behind me to get around me. Mind you this was a freeway with two lanes going in the same direction so there's no reason they couldn't.

 

[Markas]

My 2 cars are not on either list. I would expect a Toyota Avalon to be in the lower list somewhere and a Jaguar XK8 to be potentially in the top list.

I will agree to the beater analysis. When I had an old beat up Honda Civic, i was pulled over for doing 60 MPH in a 55 MPH zone at 5:30 in the morning when there were no cars on the highway.

 

[Holdfast]

My favorite one was for "hugging the fog line".

What does this even mean? It's not translating well to this side of the pond.

So I'm not the only one? The "fog line" it turns out is the white line painted on the side of the lane that defines the border of the lane and the shoulder of the road. So I was driving too close to the line (which I guess is worthy of investigation) because I was trying to provide as much opportunity as possible for the car behind me to get around me.

How naughty, being so considerate...

 

[nevermore]

I think that the biggest cop magnet is any red convertible. I say that from experience. Now I drive Mazda Protege POS, which is sort of like a Mazda 6. Haven't gotten a speeding ticket in the 10 years I've had the thing.

I love that those small-dicked Hummer owners are the most ticketed though. Probably becasue they all drive like complete assholes...

 

[Neroon]

Okay.... so this was a loooong while ago. My very first car was definitely a "cop magnet": a 1984 fire-engine red Pontiac Firebird SE. With t-top. Twice I was pulled over, with no citation but just a "friendly", and I know it was my car that caught their attention.

 

[trekkerguy]

There really is no "Cop-magnet" they've proven Cops are trained
to be smarter than to simply look for a certain type of car(Red cars, sports cars)
as many times they would be distracted looking for these cars instead of
ones that may actually be breaking the law.

This list simply reflects which cars have been caught most often(or not)
doing something ilegal, not necessarily that they are followed more or
watched more.

 

[Mallory]

Okay.... so this was a loooong while ago. My very first car was definitely a "cop magnet": a 1984 fire-engine red Pontiac Firebird SE. With t-top. Twice I was pulled over, with no citation but just a "friendly", and I know it was my car that caught their attention.

Red 1969 Pontiac Firebird here. You put a 400 cubic inch V8 with a 4-speed manual in the hands of a 17 year old and guess what happens? I talked to a lot of cops until I got married and started driving "family cars".

Now I just putter along in my 14 year old station wagon with nary a glance from my fine friends in law enforcement.

 

[Emher]

^You know that pisses me off. I know I'll have to get used to if I am to drive muscle car, but the biggest asshats I see on the roads are people driving shitty old Volvo wagons and sedans (also small cars, i.e. Golf class) and they never get the attention they need to given by the police.

 

[Daneel]

I drive an 02 Pontiac Sunfire, and sometimes it feels like it's a cop-magnet. I've gotten four tickets in the past six years. It's a miracle I haven't received any demerit points.

Maybe I get singled out because I'm a young man, usually driving alone... but, to be honest, I do have a bit of a lead foot. I can't help it: when the roads are smooth and almost empty, I just go at the speed that feels appropriate to me -- which is usually higher than the speed limit, unfortunately.

Ah well, just another habit to keep in check...

 

[jkladis]

There really is no "Cop-magnet" they've proven Cops are trained
to be smarter than to simply look for a certain type of car(Red cars, sports cars)
as many times they would be distracted looking for these cars instead of
ones that may actually be breaking the law.

This list simply reflects which cars have been caught most often(or not)
doing something ilegal, not necessarily that they are followed more or
watched more.

Well said. I drive a Nissan Altima and a Lexus IS F. Both have garnered the attention of law enforcement. My superior driving skills were what drew them. They even asked for my autograph.

 

[SeerSGB]

Add me to the "hard time believing the list"...uh...list.

Frankly I've been pulled over (never ticketed) in just about every car I've owned. Granted I know most of the cops in passing around her, either by having volunteered for the sheriff's office, or going to school with their brothers/sisters. So usually the conversation goes "You know why I pulled you...oh, hey, how's your mom? Really, really, wait you got married? You asshole you should have invited me to the wedding...why'd I stop you again? Oh yeah, that fucker <insert one of the other new deputy's names> is up the road, might want to drop it a gear or two till you get by him."

Though for "shit yourself" moment: Get pulled over, and find out you slung a wheel weight into the windshield of the THP cruiser that was on your back bumper, and the cruiser's windshield cracked.

 

[JonathonWally]

There really is no "Cop-magnet" they've proven Cops are trained
to be smarter than to simply look for a certain type of car(Red cars, sports cars)
as many times they would be distracted looking for these cars instead of
ones that may actually be breaking the law.

This list simply reflects which cars have been caught most often(or not)
doing something ilegal, not necessarily that they are followed more or
watched more.

Well said. I drive a Nissan Altima and a Lexus IS F. Both have garnered the attention of law enforcement. My superior driving skills were what drew them. They even asked for my autograph.

I've heard of these awe inspiring driving skills.