Is it legal for a cop to follow you from your home, to the gast station and back before pulling you over?

One morning I was getting ready to go to the gas station. Once in my car and backing out of my space at my apartments, I noticed a city cop driving by so I waited for him to pass (because he had the right of way, I was in my space reversing). I then continued up the street to the gas station. Once I came out of the gas station I saw the same cop sitting on a road next to the gas station where he was able to see me getting into my car and driving away. He proceeded to follow me back to my apartment complex where he finally turned on his lights just as I got on the property. I did have a suspended lisence at the time but they never gave a reason for pulling me over. This happened in Olathe, KS and would like to know if I should just pay the ticket and go on or if I should fight it because of the events that took place.
Additional Details
I never said I wasn't in the wrong. I was simply asking if it was legal what they did. No I'm not a moron, I know I was in the wrong but they also pulled me over on private property which they aren't supposed to do either, so who's to say what they were doing before wasn't wrong. I was simply curious.

Dr Sardonicus

on a public street?..yes,,of course its legal...anyone can drive anywhere on a public street..you got caught...so take it to court and plead that"the cop followed me to a gas station and back"...Let us know how that one goes over...

à®Sillyà®

What's to fight?

You were driving on a suspended license...

A cop has the right to follow you or pull you over if he thinks your behavior is "suspicious" and or has "reasonable cause" to pull you over.

Just what exactly is there to "fight"?

You were driving illegally...pay your ticket.

Don't waste the court's time and money when the ticket was legitimate.

*****************
Be thankful they didn't impound your car and take you in for driving on a suspended. You got off lucky with just a ticket.

Sarah M

Yes it is legal - it's possible that they were alerted that you have no license, and waited for confirmation of this before they pulling you over, so they were probably just staying near you while they waited.
Pay the ticket, you have nothing to fight against.

Rock Firestorm

Amazing. You're driving on a suspended license and somehow you think the cop did something wrong. You idiots never cease to amaze me. You're a moron.

Peace through blinding force

Really? You imagine the cop might have been in violation somehow?

Let's take a look at why the BS detector went-off while I was reading this.
a) "I was getting ready to go to the gas station." Who does that? You stop for gas on your way somewhere. The gas station isn't normally a destination.
b) Leaving the gas station, you went back HOME; like the whole reason for leaving your house was "Hm, I'd better go put some gas in the car because if I need to actually go somewhere I won't be able to make it . . . to the . . . .same gas station first." Yeah. You actually said that, didn't you?
c) Are you new to the civilized World? Did it honestly not occur to you that your license plate tells the cop the car is likely being driven illegally? A suspended license IS a reason for pulling you over and the erratic driving you're covering for with your "I had to go to the gas station" story gave him cause to run your plate and see what's up.

Busted! Deal with it.

Mike

I would have to say it would be better to pay the ticket. It is perfectly legal for a cop to pull you over on private property, that part is totally irrelevant.

What could be relevant is that there might not have been probable cause to pull you over. If that is the case (and it could be difficult to prove there isn't) then the cop should not have pulled you over.

Couple things though. Is fighting the ticket worth it in the time you are going to spend? The judge is probably going to look at this and say "you know you were wrong." Probable cause could be anything from receiving a tip, he could have recognized you from something and did a check on the license plate, to simply being bored and ran your plates.

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