Why Your Car is Probably Illegal

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Here are some tips on how to stay under the law enforcement radar by avoiding common minor (and not so minor) infractions that can get you pulled over and ticketed.

Getting Pulled Over by the Man

No one likes getting pulled over. But it does happen every now and then and your best recourse is always to remain calm, do as you are told, be respectful and make the best of an unpleasant situation that could turn worse very quickly.

Now this is not in any way a diatribe against police officers. I’ve known many that are good people, but there are always the ones who just like the rest of us can have a bad day and it gets transferred to you. It’s a psychology thing. It’s human nature.

However, what I have experienced is that in small southern towns, the law can be as stereotypical as portrayed in an old ‘70s B movie. Last year it was a southern Missouri town that looked like something out of “The Walking Dead” with boarded up windows, abandoned cars and no one on the streets. Imagine my surprise when I saw flashing lights and heard the familiar whoop, whoop knocking against my eardrums.

Long story short, I was clocked at 5 miles over the town speed limit and the officer was bored out of his mind. It happens.

How to Avoid Getting Pulled Over

As it turns out, getting pulled over is much easier than you may imagine. Even if you are fastidious about always coming to full stops, staying under the speed limit, and not driving distracted with some communications or entertainment device.

The reasons why it is so easy to get pulled over…and ticketed are due to:

1. Things dealerships do to your car
2. Things we do to our cars
3. Car products that seem like a good idea
4. Car products we know are a bad idea, but we do it anyways
5. Poor maintenance
6. Heterogenous vehicle laws that differ not just by state, but by county too
7. And finally…just because

That said, here is a recent VINwiki YouTube channel episode that offers some good points on why your car is probably a ticket-able offender in the eyes of the law and how you can avoid getting pulled over.

Your car is probably ILLEGAL & you have no idea!

And finally…

For informative articles about how to avoid running afoul of your vehicle warranty, here are some selected articles for your consideration:

Avoid Voiding Your Toyota Warranty with This Important Advice on How Warranties Work and Don’t Work

Will Skipping an Oil Change Void Your Vehicle Warranty?

The Biggest Mistake Good Car Owners Make Maintaining Their Car That Dealerships Use to Scam Customers

COMING UP NEXT: Everything You’ve Heard About Electric Cars is a Lie, Says This Mechanic

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Pexels

Submitted by Jesse (not verified) on June 6, 2022 - 8:10AM

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Yeah, there are many reasons to get stopped when driving. I chuckle when people are pulled over for speeding and drugs are discovered in the vehicle. C'mon man, speeding, really?? Or the tag is expired or not even a tag on the vehicle. Or a light is out. Deep window tinting. Onions for tires. Then you read in the local newspaper that the driver has a revoked license, no insurance, or is intoxicated when stopped for a mechanical issue. As far as getting a ticket for 5 mph over the limit, well that sucks. Personally, I really hate interstate driving. I drive the speed limit and everybody else passes me. Makes for a more relaxed cruise. In town, I drive at or below the posted speed limit to avoid the situation you found yourself in. Yeah, it's tedious, but worth the effort. Hopefully your future motoring will have much less drama.