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Improper registration

2K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  almostfinished 
#1 ·
Hello all, I would like to take a second to vent and ask for some opinions.
Yesterday while in my other truck, a 2006 silverado 2500HD CCLB gasser I got pulled over on a local parkway. This truck is registered as passenger, (here in NY if you're over 5500lbs you need a cap with a seat and seatbelts installed in the bed in order to register passenger). I've got an aluminum cap with front and rear windows, I installed side windows to make it legal here in NY for registration purposes. I also had my snow plow on the truck, here I am doing 55 m.p.h. in the right lane and see the officer pull out in front of me then promptly pull behind me and put the lights on. I pull over and he gets out and the first thing he does is open the back of my truck without asking. I'm not up to par on the laws but am I wrong by saying that is nearly the same as opening someones trunk without asking? This bothered me quite a bit, truck bed was empty anyway so I wasn't worried. He then comes to my window and introduces himself then says he pulled me over for driving with my snow plow. I may have heard in the past about parkways and snow plows, could be my fault. Then tells me that the truck is used as commercial, (which it is NOT) along with telling me I have an improper registered vehicle due to the fact that I do not have seats and seat belts in the bed of my truck. I understand this is the NY state law in order to drive on parkways which is perfectly fine. I won't argue with that, my problem is the fact that I have a legal cap on my truck and obey the law, have passenger plates on my truck and every damn day I see 3/4 and 1 ton trucks on the parkway with commercial plates and no caps, ladder racks and all and have never once seen them pulled over as we pass the police. I know this may just be a rant but it bugs the crap out of me. I try to do the right thing and I get popped with a ticket. Anywho, back to the point. Does anyone know off hand of the law and if what the officer did by opening my truck without asking was legal? I am by no means badmouthing the police, I've had quite a few family members who were LEO's and very respectable ones at that. Sorry for the long post.thanks for letting me vent

Nick
 
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#2 ·
I could be wrong but that sounds like an illegal search. I thought they had to ask for permission unless they had probable(?) cause. But even then they have to inform you.
 
#3 ·
Most cops are good cops. I have family members that are police and an aunt and uncle that are FBI. But it seems that a lot of city cops are uneducated. Sounds like that is an illegal search. You should call the police department and ask if that was legal, and if not report that officer.
 
#4 ·
Thanks fellas, I thought so too. It did not seem right for him to do that, then again I wasn't hiding anything either but the law is the law. Of course me stating that he opened the bed of my truck without telling me first won't hold a candle in court. I'm sure he will say he did not do so. I too know plenty of excellent personable officers and its shame to have a "bad apple" like this one.

Nick
 
#6 ·
Not true. If the car is equipped with a dash cam, which it should be, they have to turn it on before the stop is conducted.
 
#7 ·
well thats what happenes when u live in a state that charges u to drive on a road that was first paid for with tax dollors. sry thats my rant to the states and to the people that live in thoes states that let the state get away with ripping off not only the people that live there but the people who visit. i am truly sry that i hijacked ur post. jim :ford:
 
#8 ·
I'm pretty sure they do have dash cams. Not sure if they need to be manually turned on or not. My Uncle was a NY state trooper for 30 yrs, along with being a private investigator. I left him a message asking him about this also. Last I heard was the officer that pulled me over was known for being quite a nut buster. No worries on the rant Big Jim 54! thats what being able to post is for.

Nick
 
#9 ·
A friend of mine did an internship with a local police department and he told me that the dash cam does on when the lights and sirens go on so your traffic stop is probably on record. Not sure if thats all cop cars though.
 
#10 ·
Great, thanks for the heads up DieselFreak92. I called the barracks to ask but apparently this officer is in his own traffic group and they don't answer the phones on weekends. I'll have to try on Monday

Nick
 
#11 ·
Can you explain a little more about what is so special about a "parkway" and why there are special rules for trucks? Do you plow snow for hire and is that part of the basis for this?
 
#12 ·
Here in NY we have parkways and highways. The parkways are for passenger cars only. We have passenger plates and commercial plates. Passenger plates are for cars and trucks that are under 5500 lbs. Anything over 5500lbs needs to be registered as commercial unless you have a cap with seats and seatbelts installed in the bed of the truck to register it as a "suburban" type vehicle. The highways here are for cars and trucks/commercial trucks. I register my trucks as passenger vehicles due to the fact of where I live and travel for work its much easier using the parkways. Highways around me are a pain to get to and more or less roundabout ways to go for me. I have never once seen a pick up truck with a cap and seats in the bed. Its the law but seems to be "forgotten" about the seats in the back. Any time I may have gotten stopped they never look to see if I have seats. This of course was the one time he did. I am by no means saying he should not have given me a ticket because I know and understand the law of it. It just bugged me that he opened the back of my truck without asking or probable cause (in my opinion). I do not have any lettering on my truck nor do I have stuff strapped to the roof making it look like a commercial vehicle. I use my snow plow for my drive way, along with 5 others which are family members. No commercial plowing. Hope this helps a bit, anyone else with more info regarding the passenger/commercial rules please chime in.

Nick
 
#13 ·
Pretty much seems like one of those revenue kinda deals.
 
#14 ·
Tom S- That thought has crossed my mind QUITE a few times. Its a huge pain in the ace to get anything larger than a 1/2 ton, (some half tons also) registered. Ahh the lie of a Ny'er

Nick
 
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