Illegal GPS mounting

[TyroneandGladys]

Was stopped by a Arizona Highway Patrol officer for having my GPS mounted on the middle of the windshield. Was told that it was only allowed on the windshield in the bottom right or left lower corner. Luckily only got a warning,
What is funny is it illegal to mount your GPS in the center of your windshield in Arizona but it is not illegal to text while driving.

GPS mounting by state

[northmeck0255]

I'm using Nigeria to show just how much we've become a police state. It's truly sad that so many citizens take these violations of their rights without a whimper of protest.

I'm done.

Let's go back to talking about gray water. LOL

[1L243]

northmeck0255 wrote:
Wrong. There is nowhere else that I go, including places like Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia, where you see armed cops shaking down......ahem...."proactively policing" non-violent victimless offenses. I find your admission that you routinely used minor things, like a burned out license plate tag, as a justification for a fishing expedition deeply concerning as an American citizen. When you add in the abusive use of asset forfeiture, the picture gets even uglier.

The cops should be doing their real jobs, fighting real crime, instead of hassling citizens over petty BS.

Your kidding right? Your using Nigeria as an example of modern day policing?

Nigerian Police
https://www.google.com/search?q=nigerian+police&biw=1366&bih=588&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_tVxVZ...

[northmeck0255]

Wrong. There is nowhere else that I go, including places like Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia, where you see armed cops shaking down......ahem...."proactively policing" non-violent victimless offenses. I find your admission that you routinely used minor things, like a burned out license plate tag, as a justification for a fishing expedition deeply concerning as an American citizen. When you add in the abusive use of asset forfeiture, the picture gets even uglier.

The cops should be doing their real jobs, fighting real crime, instead of hassling citizens over petty BS.

[1L243]

northmeck0255 wrote:
I work all over the world, and America is just about the only place you see armed cops out stopping vehicles all the time. It's just sad that they spend so much time on these petty things (which bring in revenue) instead of out fighting actual crime.

Which is really more dangerous; a GPS on your dash or an armed robber on the loose?

Thats a silly comment. There are only five countries where police don't carry firearms. Most do So I suspect all the other countries have armed officers pulling people over for traffic infractions.

[northmeck0255]

I work all over the world, and America is just about the only place you see armed cops out stopping vehicles all the time. It's just sad that they spend so much time on these petty things (which bring in revenue) instead of out fighting actual crime.

Which is really more dangerous; a GPS on your dash or an armed robber on the loose?

[spoon059]

1L243 wrote:
You must admit writing someone a ticket for having a GPS on their windshield is pretty petty?

I've never done it for a GPS myself, but I have written other "petty" tickets. I remember when pulling someone over for talking on their phone was "petty". I'm not sure when you worked, but I know that seatbelt laws and DUI laws were considered "petty" at times too.

I have pulled people over that have had their GPS mounted directly in front of their steering wheel and giving them a warning before. I'm sure if one of them decided they wanted to argue the merit of the stop and violation, I would have written the ticket so that a judge could explain it to them... I never really enjoyed teaching traffic law on the side of a major highway. I always figured that a courtroom was a much safer place for that type of education.

The whole point of my posts in this thread are that it is, in fact, illegal to mount a GPS where it blocks your view. I'm sure 99.99% of people that mount them there get away with it. That doesn't make it legal.

[1L243]

spoon059 wrote:

1L243 wrote:
As a retired LEO I had a lot more to worry about than someone haveing something stuck on their windshield. If cops are ticteting for sunglasses, gps or whatever they need to spend more time in the high crime areas...

I have to wonder where you worked for your career. When I was in patrol, the majority of my quality proactive arrests originated with minor violations. I seized over 400 lbs of marijuana from a PARKING VIOLATION. Routine violations for me were no front tag and rear tag light out. Sitting on the line from NE Washington DC and making a traffic stop for any violation I could find netted me a LOT of drugs, guns, DUI's and stolen vehicles over the years.

I think we can both agree that NE DC is one of the higher crime areas in the country. Where did you work?

Just a different approach. I would use reasonable suspicion or probable cause and then use a minor traffic infraction to make the stop. I did not use the shotgun approach and stop everybody and hope for results. I worked in a public housing area where there was plenty to do... You must admit writing someone a ticket for having a GPS on their windshield is pretty petty?

[CavemanCharlie]

1L243 wrote:
As a retired LEO I had a lot more to worry about than someone haveing something stuck on their windshield. If cops are ticteting for sunglasses, gps or whatever they need to spend more time in the high crime areas...

Around here they have nothing better to do.

[spoon059]

1L243 wrote:
As a retired LEO I had a lot more to worry about than someone haveing something stuck on their windshield. If cops are ticteting for sunglasses, gps or whatever they need to spend more time in the high crime areas...

I have to wonder where you worked for your career. When I was in patrol, the majority of my quality proactive arrests originated with minor violations. I seized over 400 lbs of marijuana from a PARKING VIOLATION. Routine violations for me were no front tag and rear tag light out. Sitting on the line from NE Washington DC and making a traffic stop for any violation I could find netted me a LOT of drugs, guns, DUI's and stolen vehicles over the years.

I think we can both agree that NE DC is one of the higher crime areas in the country. Where did you work?

[pira114]

This thread is funny.

One, it's dependant on your state. So a thread being read and answered by people all over the country is going to sound silly and possibly pass along bad advice.

Speaking of bad advice, I've seen two posts about Ca and GPS that were wrong. This thread simply points out how little people know.

Can't tell you how many people have told me about the law, only to find out they never read it. Just heard it somewhere.

As for my opinion, I think it's pretty silly to have laws in some states that won't allow GPS up in the window, but it's ok to have an in dash one. Thus taking your eyes completely off the road to view it.

[1L243]

As a retired LEO I had a lot more to worry about than someone haveing something stuck on their windshield. If cops are ticteting for sunglasses, gps or whatever they need to spend more time in the high crime areas...

[CavemanCharlie]

I didn't read all 8 pages of this thread. But, you would be told the same thing around here. You may have even gotten a ticket. You can't have anything between you and the windshield.

I know of a man that got a ticket for having a pair of sunglasses hanging from his rear view mirror. But, that was decades ago.

[ve7prt]

wilber1 wrote:

myredracer wrote:
Illegal here in BC. In fact, you aren't supposed to drive with anything hanging off your mirror that can obstruct your view like say a handicap or CG tag.

Distracted driving is illegal here too, but an awful lot of drivers do it anyway. The law is only good for when someone is in an accident and then the insurance company has something to blame you for.

First I've heard. All kids of people in BC driving with radar detectors, GPS on their windshields and assorted c#%p hanging from their mirrors.

Same here. I've got an Edge Insight CTS suction-cupped right by the pillar, the control head for a dual-band amateur radio almost right in front of me, and a Lowrance HDS-5 GPS plotter to the right of the radio.

Had many RCMP officers look at the setup during road blocks (went through 2 of them on our last long weekend) and other than the comments on the radios, not one has ever said ANYTHING about obstruction of my forward vision (only the GPS plotter really does, but it's just the right corner of the truck, and I see enough to negate that issue anyway).

Cheers!
Mike

[Gene_Ginny]

Tvov wrote:
... Same with everyones EZPass -- just below rear view mirror. ......

My EZPass is behind the mirror. Can't see it from the driving position so the EZPass doesn't block my view.

My GPS is mounted IN the dash. :C

[northmeck0255]

Raften wrote:

northmeck0255 wrote:
The cops use "picayune ship" like this to justify otherwise illegal fishing expeditions. The fact that so many on this thread meekly endure this infringement of their 4th amendment rights illustrates how far we've slipped.

I may get stopped but feel certain no one is going to get a look around inside my truck while my dog is inside.

They'll just shoot the dog. Happens every day.