[o-__-o]

>The simplest example is asking “Do you know why I pulled you over?”. Typically, people spontaneously confess to speeding, sometimes they break down and admit that someone is wrapped up in a rug in the trunk.

I was asked this once, after I read a hilarious reddit comment, and found myself in a similar situation. I looked at the cop and said "it's not because of the pot in my trunk is it?". "Step out and open your trunk, sir". He opened the trunk to find a crock pot I had just purchased. I could tell he was flipping through emotions from stifling laughter to being highly annoyed. They eventually let me go and told me to slow down with a half smirk.

I don't recommend doing this, and I have zero plans to ever do it again as it wasn't as simple as stepping out and showing my guilt/joke. I was detained, backup units showed up, even a K9. They didn't search the inside of my car, but they did inspect other items inside the trunk to make sure I wasn't pulling a fast one on them.

[jaywalk]

Yeah, what you did was not smart. If you're being pulled over for a minor traffic infraction and you already know that you're guilty, simply admitting to it is usually the best option. I've gotten out of many tickets this way, because cops really do appreciate when you're not trying to BS them.

I was also pulled over once and accused of running a stop sign that I knew I didn't run, because I had seen the cop sitting there as I pulled up to the stop sign and made extra sure to completely stop. Due to the time of day, I believe he was (illegally) fishing for a DUI stop, and had considered filing a complaint with the department but never did.

[o-__-o]

Why wasn't it smart (besides actually talking to the cop)? I was not guilty of anything but making a joke in bad taste (and maybe doing 59 in a 55). It was an inconvenience to be detained for an hour, but it wasn't a hot day, I didn't have any obligations...

>simply admitting

no your best option is not to say a GD thing. story time: i was once pulled over on the eastern shore by a cop that was barely my age. i didn't say a word to him for the 10 minute stop. that really messed with his mental state and I could tell his internal hard drive was returning a seek error. at the end he stammered out "o-okay, w-well you slow down and haveaniceday" then he quick walked back to his car and turned down a side road.

NEVER TALK TO COPS.

[jaywalk]

You gave the cop probable cause to search your vehicle. That is never smart.

I'm sticking by what I said. As I clearly said in my post, I was only referring to minor traffic infractions where you know you're guilty. I guarantee I would have gotten some or even all of the tickets I got out of if I had blindly followed "NEVER TALK TO COPS" advice.