Maserati driver accused of impersonating a police officer with Transformers-inspired paint job

So cop sees this car, and at first he thinks it's a police car, but realizes it's way too expensive for their budgets. So he pulls the guy over and arrests him for impersonating a police officer. Thing is, the car was styled after the Transformers movies.

Instead of the common “To Protect and Serve,” the Maserati was adorned with “Decepticons Punish and Enslave,” a reference to the villains in the popular Transformers movie series.

Now I was actually kind of siding with the driver, who was probably just thinking it was cool and no one would think it's a police car. Then he said this ....

The driver thought he was helping the police, stating that “other drivers noticed him and slowed down, thinking it was a police vehicle.”

This makes it clear to me he was aware people thought he was a policeman, and kind of kills any defense he might mount. What say you?

Read more: www.nydailynews.com...

Hmmm...the guy sounds like a real dick. I don't feel sorry for him.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

It does look like a cop car and to be honest he is a little silly doing it.
I like it though .
I hope he just gets a slap on the wrist and made to re paint his car.

thats a damned shame, thats a sweet looking ride!!!!


You can get arrested in the UK for having blue neons under your car because apparrently it looks like a cop car - cant remeber the last time i saw a cop car with under-sill neons lol

a reply to: Biigs

My mate got a right telling off when he bought a Skarsky and Hutch type siren which plugged into the fag lighter and we went around Manchester with it on.
All the cars moved from us and then the blue flashing light came on behind us....we just played the foolish and my pal just got told off and warned...fun though.

a reply to: boymonkey74
Not sure why would be illegal. Looks like a police car the same way a 'sexy cop' Halloween costume looks like a police uniform , not very much.
Still should possibly be arrested for doing that scheme on such a car.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: Biigs

My mate got a right telling off when he bought a Skarsky and Hutch type siren which plugged into the fag lighter and we went around Manchester with it on.
All the cars moved from us and then the blue flashing light came on behind us....we just played the foolish and my pal just got told off and warned...fun though.

LOL thats just asking for it!

Having random neon lights and other trick stuff is a whole other ball game.

A flashing blue light and sirens, yeah thats fair game for an arrest to be honest.

a reply to: boymonkey74

Made to pain his car, why? Because it's replicated after a car in a movie which happens to look a bit like a police car but has no markings other than a quote and badge from a movie? We should arrest everyone who is still driving a black and white crown vict with the side lights....

a reply to: Antipathy17

I see it as a safety issue.
On the road you would just think "omg a cop car" just a glimpse of it in a rear view mirror would not be enough to know it is a transformer car.

I bought a police vest off ebay for my 'cops and robbers' BB air soft games, turned out to be an actual used police anti-stab jacket so i cant actually use it.


Son of a bleep!

Shame too because it looks freaking awesome.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Why? Most police cars are unmarked nowadays. Should charge the police with "impersonating a civilian"

S.C. did that too me when I had my neon lights on underneath my car. lol He'll just have to pay a hefty fine.
Beautiful car.

a reply to: boymonkey74

Same with crown victs

a reply to: Antipathy17

I guess I shouldn't say anything. I drive a silver crown vic.
It's kinda funny going to the beach and watching all the under agers hide their beers when I pass.
It's a good car and I bought it cheap.

originally posted by: Antipathy17
a reply to: boymonkey74

Made to pain his car, why? Because it's replicated after a car in a movie which happens to look a bit like a police car but has no markings other than a quote and badge from a movie? We should arrest everyone who is still driving a black and white crown vict with the side lights....

Actually it does have other markings. It has speed enforcement on the back bumper as well as 9-11 and K-9 painted on the car this is how they got him for acting like the police.

So are we actually saying that the Police and the average Joe or Sally cannot tell the difference between a car with 'POLICE' written on the side to one that says "DECEPTICONS"

Really?

Oh dear it has the same color scheme.

Stop the Planet, I want to get off! The world has turned BATCRAP crazy.

I hope this gets laughed out of court as it should.

P

originally posted by: ScepticScot
a reply to: boymonkey74
Not sure why would be illegal. Looks like a police car the same way a 'sexy cop' Halloween costume looks like a police uniform , not very much.
Still should possibly be arrested for doing that scheme on such a car.

I believe it's the detailing work and the Shield on the door.

originally posted by: pheonix358
So are we actually saying that the Police and the average Joe or Sally cannot tell the difference between a car with 'POLICE' written on the side to one that says "DECEPTICONS"

Really?

Oh dear it has the same color scheme.

Stop the Planet, I want to get off! The world has turned BATCRAP crazy.

I hope this gets laughed out of court as it should.

P

Per the owner of the car ... he said people think he is a cop and they slow down when he drives so he is doing a public service. If you read the OP you would know that.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

the Maserati was adorned with “Decepticons Punish and Enslave,”

I can totally understand how a cop would need to look twice.... even granting the fact that he knows how to read.

I could paint a car up, using words that don't even link into a sentence, numbers that are NOT 911 or K9 and have it appear to be a cop car at first glance.

I have done a double take before when at first glance, a car appeared to be a police car in my rear view mirror. It was an all white car with a low profile light bar. When it came alongside me, it was a flagger vehicle that escorts oversize loads. Should they arrest any driver that has a car that causes a double take?

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

the Maserati was adorned with “Decepticons Punish and Enslave,”

I can totally understand how a cop would need to look twice.... even granting the fact that he knows how to read.

I could paint a car up, using words that don't even link into a sentence, numbers that are NOT 911 or K9 and have it appear to be a cop car at first glance.

I have done a double take before when at first glance, a car appeared to be a police car in my rear view mirror. It was an all white car with a low profile light bar. When it came alongside me, it was a flagger vehicle that escorts oversize loads. Should they arrest any driver that has a car that causes a double take?

Depends on the purpose. A flagger vehicle only resembles a cop car in one way, which is necessary for it's job. This car resembles a cop car for many reasons, and is purely cosmetic, there is no need for it. As i said in the OP, what screws him IMO is him stating he knows people think he is a cop. Had he said he was unaware anyone would mistake him, that's a different matter. He flat out said everyone thinks he's a cop because of the paint job.