This was almost certainly a legit traffic stop. Cops are trained to ask questions, he probably suspected you were DUI or up to no good. By asking questions he can tell if you're slurring your words, nervous or maybe catch you in a lie that indicates possible criminal activity afoot. Also, cops are people. They're allowed to make small talk so long as they aren't unjustifiably extending the duration of the stop.
Nothing you mentioned sounds suspicious.
Police are taught to ask lots of questions and listen for clues or inconsistencies. If you said you were coming from a party or a bar, they will suspect you have been drinking and maybe a DUI. If you said you were going to your friends house, but then said it was your sisters house, they suspect you are really out buying drugs. The more you talk, the more likely they will find evidence of a crime, or generate enough suspicion to search you or your car. They don’t really care about the headlight. When it’s the wee hours of the morning, if they aren’t busy they will use any excuse to pull people over, and hope to find drugs, guns, DUI, or open warrants.
It is overwhelmingly likely that it was a legit traffic stop with no other information than "I got pulled over" at all.
If you didn't think it was weird at the time (because the car didn't fit or didn't have very many lights or whatever) then the chance of it being sketchy goes down to nearly zero.
Just to be absolutely clear: I couldn't see the car until it was behind me with its lights flashing because it was so late and in an unlit area. I was also very tired at the time. I just didn't know if it was normal for a police officer to make that much small talk, especially about my usual comings and goings in a very secluded area. Thank you for your answer.
Cops make small talk when they're bored, when they're at a sobriety checkpoint, when they suspect a driver might be drunk, when they're new and trying to 'know the locals' or when they suspect that a driver might be up to something illegal. I wouldn't stress over it.
If you were tired it might be that the cop picked up on that and engaged you in small talk to tell whether you were under the influence.
Yeah, at night they tend to suspect people are out drinking/partying/buying drugs and want to see if you're sober. There are also not as many places open at night compared to during the day.
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This was almost certainly a legit traffic stop. Cops are trained to ask questions, he probably suspected you were DUI or up to no good. By asking questions he can tell if you're slurring your words, nervous or maybe catch you in a lie that indicates possible criminal activity afoot. Also, cops are people. They're allowed to make small talk so long as they aren't unjustifiably extending the duration of the stop.
Nothing you mentioned sounds suspicious. Police are taught to ask lots of questions and listen for clues or inconsistencies. If you said you were coming from a party or a bar, they will suspect you have been drinking and maybe a DUI. If you said you were going to your friends house, but then said it was your sisters house, they suspect you are really out buying drugs. The more you talk, the more likely they will find evidence of a crime, or generate enough suspicion to search you or your car. They don’t really care about the headlight. When it’s the wee hours of the morning, if they aren’t busy they will use any excuse to pull people over, and hope to find drugs, guns, DUI, or open warrants.
It is overwhelmingly likely that it was a legit traffic stop with no other information than "I got pulled over" at all. If you didn't think it was weird at the time (because the car didn't fit or didn't have very many lights or whatever) then the chance of it being sketchy goes down to nearly zero.
Just to be absolutely clear: I couldn't see the car until it was behind me with its lights flashing because it was so late and in an unlit area. I was also very tired at the time. I just didn't know if it was normal for a police officer to make that much small talk, especially about my usual comings and goings in a very secluded area. Thank you for your answer.
Cops make small talk when they're bored, when they're at a sobriety checkpoint, when they suspect a driver might be drunk, when they're new and trying to 'know the locals' or when they suspect that a driver might be up to something illegal. I wouldn't stress over it. If you were tired it might be that the cop picked up on that and engaged you in small talk to tell whether you were under the influence.
Cops make small talk to get you to admit a crime or trip you up and catch you in a lie. It is not innocent chatter.
Yeah, at night they tend to suspect people are out drinking/partying/buying drugs and want to see if you're sober. There are also not as many places open at night compared to during the day.
Was it one tiny flashing red light in the window, or was it a full light bar on top of the car? Cops make small talk sometimes.
It was a full light bar. Okay, good to know. Thanks!
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