Got pulled over last night with e-cig

[Grinch]

Was vaping my 510 in my car in the parking lot outside my work at night. Parked in the car, radio on. Cop pulls up behind me, two cops get out. They ask me for my license and they say they saw me "smoking" my device. The cop asks me what it is and I tell him it's an electronic cigarette. He's like, "oh, so you put **** in here right?" And I'm like, no, it's nicotine, I'm using it to quit smoking. And he's like "sure buddy. You're addicted to drugs, if you really wanted to quit you'd just get the patch." Then he used this as an excuse to search my bag in the car, in which he found my PCC and e-liquid. He held up the brown bottle of liquid and asked "what is this?" And I told him that it says Kahlua and Cream on it, it's obviously a flavor for the e-cigarette. Then he asks me how to open up the PCC and says "I bet your stash is in here."

So basically after being harassed for 20 minutes they let me go with nothing, not even a ticket.

 

[MissVapor]

OH goodness! Someone posted something similar a few weeks ago and the PO took his PV and his liquids. I can't believe after all this time that the Police aren't informed about e cigs by now..geesh!

 

[CaptJay]

Send a bunch of info to the Chief, like printed pages of info about ecigs and maybe even pics so he can let his guys on the ground know. Save their time as well as everyone else.

 

[DaveP]

It wouldn't hurt to keep a printed brochure or some web pages printed out in your glove compartment that explain what you are "holding". I haven't thought of doing this before your post, but it might make an uninformed officer understand and it costs nothing to keep handy.

 

[Seabrook]

That sounds like a thrill you could have gone without. Shucks, what a shame. I'm so glad they didn't take it away from you, though. And, eek, what a label to have w/you, Kahlua & cream, heh heh.

Anyway, yeah, living in California where speaking on cell phones while driving is illegal, so if you're vaping and they see the LED, they'll pull you over cuz they'll think they saw cell phone lights -- as happened to a previous ECF poster who got pulled over. So careful with that also.

Tough break, sorry you got so hassled and falsely accused. That wasn't right.

 

[Wafflestomper]

OH goodness! Someone posted something similar a few weeks ago and the PO took his PV and his liquids. I can't believe after all this time that the Police aren't informed about e cigs by now..geesh!

I can understand them checking it out, I could even see why they would search my car (albeit under protest) especially given the way some of the mods look.

But about the time they took my "stash" there would be hell to pay....

...of course I can't afford hell..

 

[NCC]

Anyway, yeah, living in California where speaking on cell phones while driving is illegal

Hurray for that, California!!!

 

[maxx]

He's like, "oh, so you put **** in here right?"

Ummm....yeah Kojak, That's why it has a bright colored LED on it. Just to draw attention to me when I do it....

How did this cop get through the police academy?

 

[CartHeadMod]

Was vaping my 510 in my car in the parking lot outside my work at night. Parked in the car, radio on. Cop pulls up behind me, two cops get out. They ask me for my license and they say they saw me "smoking" my device. The cop asks me what it is and I tell him it's an electronic cigarette. He's like, "oh, so you put **** in here right?" And I'm like, no, it's nicotine, I'm using it to quit smoking. And he's like "sure buddy. You're addicted to drugs, if you really wanted to quit you'd just get the patch." Then he used this as an excuse to search my bag in the car, in which he found my PCC and e-liquid. He held up the brown bottle of liquid and asked "what is this?" And I told him that it says Kahlua and Cream on it, it's obviously a flavor for the e-cigarette. Then he asks me how to open up the PCC and says "I bet your stash is in here."

So basically after being harassed for 20 minutes they let me go with nothing, not even a ticket.

congratulations on taking the time to educate two clueless policemen......I've talked with the security guards at the court house about my system.....they've said there are two officers on the local force that are vapers.....

 

[tranced]

So did he coerce you into consenting to a search or did he decide based on your choice of smoking cessation device that he had probable cause?? They are definitely allowed to coerce into agreeing to a search but he did not have probable cause had you refused.

 

[jamie]

I still have, and carry, a coated Njoy card that explains what an ecigarette is. It is well done, looks very professional, and I wish more vendors would make them available, even if we had to pay a buck to have the card added to an order.

 

[luigi]

Ignorance is not bliss!! At least they did not snap on a rubber glove!!!

 

[dkindig]

I would have refused the search and made them work for it. Nothing like the look on their faces when you stand up for your rights and they don't find anything...

 

[whiskey]

It sounds like these cops haven't heard of the e-cig consept yet...this sounds like a typical reaction by them, I wouldn't be too upset..they have to be educated too..as long as they let you on your way, I believe I would look at it as no harm done.IMO

 

[JustKryssi]

I saw a thread where Leaford talks about a brand of e-cig that is marketed for "medical" ......... usage. Now I'm sure the cops right now are just uneducated right now.

Going forward, that *** thing is going to bite us vapers in the .... though. Scary.

 

[Automaton]

And he's like "sure buddy. You're addicted to drugs, if you really wanted to quit you'd just get the patch."

What an idiot. And why does this sentence even make sense? Nicotine = drug, correct? Nicotine in the patch is, I'm assuming, pretty much the same damn thing as the nicotine in the e-cig. What. The. Hell.

Sorry, this kinda stuff just drives me crazy! I have gotten hassled by the police before while smoking because I roll my own cigarettes, and I roll them rather thin, because that's just how I learned to do it.

But no one here really rolls their own, and if they do, they roll them full-size with a machine, rather than free-hand "Virginia slim" style like I do.

So it seems like once every couple of months I get a cop giving me huge amounts of grief, thinking I'm getting stoned in public. You would think they would know what weed smells like, with their job. And you would think they would know that when I'm smoking smells a lot more like... hmmm... what is it? Oh, tobacco!

And it always happens out in the suburbs, where bothering me for rolling my own cigarettes is probably the most exciting thing they've done all week...

 

[crashtestjeep]

Isnt it lovely living in a "Free" country....where the government can do as they please, and the "free public" have to follow "thier rules" and can be violated at any time due to "thier suspicion"?


Yeah, I love it too...

 

[crashtestjeep]

So did he coerce you into consenting to a search or did he decide based on your choice of smoking cessation device that he had probable cause?? They are definitely allowed to coerce into agreeing to a search but he did not have probable cause had you refused.

I apologize in advance for being a bit , but thats a rather beautiful (and HUGE) Mastiff you have there. I grew up with Great Danes! I now have tiny dogs and miss having a Marmaduke-ish buddy around....

Now, back to the regularly scheduled program.....

 

[davidzx]

Send a bunch of info to the Chief, like printed pages of info about ecigs and maybe even pics so he can let his guys on the ground know. Save their time as well as everyone else.

Please do what this guy said. If your a "good citizen" with modest means and a nice guy, I suppose you'll let them go. As for myself, I'd be on their case like a wild animal, Id send the information over to the head of the department - just for the mere sake of it.

They have no right to consider you a pothead from the way you look or by what your doing. The foremost signal that nothing illicit is going on is the fact that they DID NOT (or should not) smell ........., if your not into drugs of that sort.

Unleash hell on them, I would be devastated and disappointed at myself if I did nothing.

 

[malyden]

Remember they are just trying to do their job the best they can. Being polite and giving them information so they can be better informed is the best way to go.
I remember when ecigs first came out and I got pulled over, the officer took a deep breath when I opened my window and had a very confused look on his face (priceless - LOL) let me go with a warning to drive more carefully