Cops and Vapes: Your Opinion?

[Rocketpunk]

I'm not obnoxious about my vaping, I still follow the rules when it comes to smoking in public (I'll stand outside a restaurant at the cigbutt disposer, I don't vape in public places like the grocery store or WalMart. My reasoning? Yes, it's technically "legal" to do so, but being pompous or flippant about it might gain unwanted attention -- I don't need to make a point that badly.) As I have grown more comfortable with vaping, I feel more confident vaping at red lights, etc. But I saw a little old lady beside me at a redlight this afternoon, and when I hit my vape she saw me and her eyes grew as wide as saucers. Now, here's the reason for my post:

If you're a cop, and you know about vapers and vaping, have you ever thought about pulling someone over for using what looked like "paraphernalia"? What if the little old lady who saw me vaping flipped out and called the police to report suspicious drug activity? I'm not worried about going to jail or anything, I know that will never happen, because I'm not doing anything unlawful. I work with a cop, and although he's still super young for being poe-leece, he is fully aware of us vapers' devices and setups, etc. But he is one cop out of millions.

I'm really seeking answers from law enforcement officers who vape and who might participate or lurk this forum. Please chime in!

EDIT 2: I apologize if this is a a dead horse. If it is, please delete my post and link me to a similar thread.

 

[Rocketpunk]

This is someone else's post on another forum and not my own. These are not my words.

"I don't really know which section of the forums this post should go into but I felt I should share this experience and see if it has happened to anyone else.

I was driving home from work today and was vaping out of a hand blown glass tank. A under cover police car pulled up next to me as I was in the middle of vaping and he immediately flicked his lights on and slowed down to get behind me. I pulled over right away and he sat in his car for a minute. I could see him talking into his radio and I assumed he was either calling for back up or calling my tags in. Turns out, he was caling for back up which I will get into later in the story. He then opened his door and hung half way out of his car with his intercom radio in hand. Through the intercom, he instructed me to remove my keys from the ignition and slowly step out of my vehicle with my hands in the air. I did what he said laughing to myself the entire time. Once I was out of the vehicle, he told me to walk backwads to him with my hands on the back of my head. He met me half way between his car and mine and once we met, he put hand cuffs one me. I asked him what all this was about but he wouldn't answer me right away. He just kept on yelling for me to comply (which I was). After he had me handcuffed, he started patting me down and put me in the back of his vehicle. At this time, I see 3 other cop cars speeding up to the scene. He waited for them to start searching my vehicle. At this point, there are 3 cops looking through my car and 1 cop looking at me. No more than 30 seconds into the search, I see the original cop walking back to his car with my favorite mod/tank combo. He opened the rear car door and asked me what it was. I didn't laugh but I kind of shook my head smiling at the same time while asking him if that is why he pulled me over. He of course replied YES! I explained to him exactly what it was and he immediately told the other two cops to stop searching my car. He un-handcuffed me faster than he put them on and started apologizing about the whole incident. About a minute later, I had 4 cops surrounding me while I explained exactly what it was and how it worked. One of the cops was a smoker and very intrigued as to what I was saying. I screwed on a regular cartomizer I had in my pocket filled with my favorite tobacco juice and told him to try it. To my surprise, he did and replied....."Damn this is good, I can get into this". I told him that mods were pretty much e-cigs on steroids and that he could start with a e-cig that is pretty much the same size as a analog. I had a couple V4L business cards in my pocket so I handed him one and he said him and his wife were going to be visiting the site tonight. I tried telling him about the forum but he said he didn't even know what a forum was. He said he wasn't to internet savvy and that his wife handles all of the online stuff.

This incident ended up having a happy ending. I think I converted two more people which makes me feel good whenever I do. Hopefully he fallows through with it. In the end, we all got a good laugh out of this but I gotta admit, I was pretty scared at first. Turns out, I didn't have any outstanding warrants."

This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

My brush with the law with a vape:

We were watching the second-to-last mid-season episode of Breaking Bad, and I went to the nearest gas station for a six pack. I was by no means drunk, but I did have a beer before the show. On the way home from the gas station, I passed a cop and he lit me up. Evidently my license plate light was out (I honestly didn't know this). He asked the normal questions (license, registration, proof of insurance). He took my info and was in his car for a LOOOONG time. He finally came back to my window and asked who the car belonged to (I'm doing a mutual favor for a friend -- he had a car he could not afford, but I could, and we agreed that I'd drive it and make payments for him in his name -- it's a loooong story, but it's legal and legit, trust me, it's called a Named Non-Owner Policy).

I explained this to him, but then he swung his flashlight into my lap and noticed my eGo-T. "What is that, sir?" he asked.

"Oh, this?" I lifted it up. "This is an electronic cigarette. It's a nicotine delivery system."

He looked it up and down, knodded his head, said OK, and allowed me on my way.

(EDIT: This was before I got my Kgo VV and my Torpedo VV. Chigga chigga what yeah!)

 

[Braddahbill]

The LEOs here have never pulled me over here in Hawaii and I vape in the car all the time.

 

[AuBadge]

It's going to take some time for all cops in all states and jurisdictions to become aware of PVs. In the meantime, I hope no one is hurt during these "DWV" (Driving While Vaping) traffic stops.

 

[cwolfman13]

It has to be tough for the cops. PVs come in so many different shapes and sizes...mods, etc. It has to be hard to ID what is legit and legal vs illegal. It doesn't help matters any that certain brick and mortars that sell PVs also sell other "tobacco" smoking devices.

 

[capnjack98]

I always wonder this when im Drivin n vapin, ( only with my CE4 clearo so no drippin ofcourse) I drove by construction work the other day so i was going real slow, decided to have a pull and one of the workers stopped what he was doing to give me a huge toothy grin and proceded to stare at me until his neck almost swiveled off.

When this happenes i feel like i want to stop and explain myself everytime lol. I try to keep it on the lowlow just to not cause static, but most of the time im more like, " you know what? if im gunna vape, im gunna vape". I just dont do it in stores or crowded public places. I try to follow the .... rules basically.

My cousin on the other hand lol... he will vape while grocery shoppin, at the movie theater wherever lol. I dont think its a ego thing as much as its his cottoncandy flavor has got a hold of him lol !

 

[wv2win]

I'm not obnoxious about my vaping, I still follow the rules when it comes to smoking in public (I'll stand outside a restaurant at the cigbutt disposer, I don't vape in public places like the grocery store or WalMart. My reasoning? Yes, it's technically "legal" to do so, but being pompous or flippant about it might gain unwanted attention -- I don't need to make a point that badly.) As I have grown more comfortable with vaping, I feel more confident vaping at red lights, etc. But I saw a little old lady beside me at a redlight this afternoon, and when I hit my vape she saw me and her eyes grew as wide as saucers. Now, here's the reason for my post:

If you're a cop, and you know about vapers and vaping, have you ever thought about pulling someone over for using what looked like "paraphernalia"? What if the little old lady who saw me vaping flipped out and called the police to report suspicious drug activity? I'm not worried about going to jail or anything, I know that will never happen, because I'm not doing anything unlawful. I work with a cop, and although he's still super young for being poe-leece, he is fully aware of us vapers' devices and setups, etc. But he is one cop out of millions.

I'm really seeking answers from law enforcement officers who vape and who might participate or lurk this forum. Please chime in!

EDIT 2: I apologize if this is a a dead horse. If it is, please delete my post and link me to a similar thread.

It's pretty much a "dead horse". I've vaped in front of approximately 30+ policeman/sheriffs and never had a problem. The most common question I get is: where can I get one and what do you recommend?

I do resent your implication that if one vapes in public they are being "pompous or flippant". This is the kind of comments and perception, especially by vapers, that is uncalled for and negative.

 

[Mac]

I've sold e-cigs to so many cops..

 

[Cherinny]

I was vaping away at lunch. I have to go off the property to vape. So I go over to another parking lot of other businesses. I would go there when I smoked too. Anyway I was vaping away reading my book and I look up and there is a cop sitting in his car a few parking spots away from me his car facing mine. I stopped vaping until he left. But I was using an e-cig that looks like a cig. I just got my new ego e yesterday and wonder if he see's that what will he think. He see me sitting in the same spot all the time anyway. I do not vape at red lights. I am very self conscience anyway so I try not to get any attention about the e-cig.

 

[Orobas]

This is someone else's post on another forum and not my own. These are not my words.

"...I was driving home from work today and was vaping out of a hand blown glass tank..."

And this, my dear, is why though I can aesthetically appreciate colorful, handmade "trippy" accessories, I would avoid rasta colors like the plague.

 

[Gr8Scott]

I was just thinking the other day about having a t-shirt that stated

"I swear it's not a (OTHER STUFF) "

This might be a slogan to put on a bumpersticker like:

"I swear it's not a (OTHER STUFF) "
Learn more and quit tobacco,save money and live longer
www.nameofyourfavoritevendorhere.com"

 

[Moueix]

I just put a large sticker on the sides of my batts that say ""!"

 

[jtrygg]

Removed due to 9.a.3.

Sorry, forgot about that one.

 

[Baditude]

I vape pretty much when and where I want. I don't worry at all while vaping in my car, even at stoplights. I carry a BB or Provari mod with me everywhere I go, so I may pull it out of my pocket for a quick toot while in the grocery store, and return it to the pocket. I've gone to professional sports games and passed right by the security people who are looking for weapons or alcohol with two APV's clearly in sight, and they pass me thru with no funny looks or words of inquiry.

Last week I went to an outdoor concert (Loverboy, Pat Benetar, and Journey) and asked the security person if she had any issue with me bringing in a couple of electronic cigarettes as I offered them for inspection, and she answered no problem at all.

Now, I do work in a hospital that has a no tobacco policy, but I still discreetly vape at my locker during breaks. My closest co-workers are aware that I do this and approve, a couple even ask me to let them try a toot. I know who to trust and who not to while at work.

My ex is a cop, and she has borrowed my starters kit a couple of times to try them out, unsuccessfully I might add. She just doesn't give them enough of a chance because they make her "cough".

I don't feel that my behavior is flaunting. I feel I am aware of my surroundings and am respectful of the laws of not smoking. Most vapors are too paranoid in my opinion. Then maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[njay23]

I was in Philadelphia at Thomas Jefferson Hospital. There is an area in the center of the buildings (outside) where people eat, smoke etc. I was questioned by security and eventually a police officer about my PV. They asked me to put it away because I was making people uncomfortable. I think it was just the security guard who was uncomfortable. Nobody else gave me a second look. They seemed to think it was some kind of... I don't know, (OTHER STUFF) maybe?
BTW it was a 1000mah ego twist with a Kanger T2.

 

[Rocketpunk]

I do resent your implication that if one vapes in public they are being "pompous or flippant". This is the kind of comments and perception, especially by vapers, that is uncalled for and negative.

"Err on the side of caution". Being pompous and flippant are negative attitudes. I want to encourage a positive attitude in everyone. I respect others, and their personal space. Some people may freak out if they see me vapin'... Like that little old lady. For all she knew, there was some punk dude next to her hitting a high-tech (OTHER STUFF).

I think you misunderstood the point I was trying to make. I'm sorry you resent my implications. Also, it wasn't meant as a personal jab at you or anyone else who vapes.

Hey, we're all in this together, and everyone has their own viewpoints.

 

[gumchewer]

I was just thinking the other day about having a t-shirt that stated

"I swear it's not a (OTHER STUFF) "

This might be a slogan to put on a bumpersticker like:

"I swear it's not a (OTHER STUFF)"
Learn more and quit tobacco,save money and live longer
www.nameofyourfavoritevendorhere.com"

Quite the opposite- I often set my PV down someplace at work and forget where and ask if anybody HAS seen my (OTHER STUFF).

 

[zuzette]

I am not concerned about police at all. Sure - there are some who are over the top. It would suck to be on the receiving end of that particular policeman's attention but the more they learn - the more they learn. No other way to say it.

I am lucky to live in an area where the police are really savvy and have seen it all - but I am not going to blame the ignorant one's for their department's lack of training. I might be ...... off about being stopped by the newb offices - but in the end they will have more info to make a more informative decision next time they see something they dont understand.

I was at a concert last night and openly vaped in front of everyone. My bf and I had a nice conversation with a man behind us about our gear and the man next to me got a lesson in legal nicotine delivery systems. After a couple of minutes listening to us talk about it - the fellow next to me was all smiles and the sour look on his face disappeared.

There will always be people who have never encountered our gear before. Got to forgive em!

Hiding the gear - refusing to vape openly and ACTING like you are doing something illegal is only hurting oneself. Having said that - I too believe in being respectful of others and not vaping where smoking isnt normally allowed.

I did, however, happily vape at the outdoor concert where smoking was not allowed - but i had a good case to make. we were in the close in rows and the stage was putting off more fog machine vapor than a million vapers could have done even standing all together. there was so much vapor in the air I kept thinking how the band was missing out by not adding flavor to the fog!

 

[gumchewer]

Hiding the gear - refusing to vape openly and ACTING like you are doing something illegal is only hurting oneself. Having said that - I too believe in being respectful of others and not vaping where smoking isnt normally allowed.


Indeed that makes you look more suspicious than doing it openly.

 

[greatimp81]

I know I vape in public and in my car. I even vape at work and other at Intel vape at work as well. I have not had a cop pull me over for vaping and the Beaverton Police are constantly stopping people for any and all reasons. Heck they ran my license while I stood at a transit center (major public transit area) just to check me for a warrant. They ran everyone at the transit center.