Most traffic police probably know what to expect during a traffic stop. Then there are those rare moments that throw off even the most experienced trooper. One such video has been making the rounds again, almost 7 years after it first went viral. The footage, which features an Oregon State Police officer pulling over a driver in a Lamborghini, highlights a massive disconnect between local law enforcement expectations and the reality of international travel.
According to KVAL, the video was first uploaded to YouTube in 2019 by the user Stig’s Persian Cousin. Since then, it has gained over 40 million views. Now, edited clips of it have hit Instagram and Reddit, where it has picked up another 5.3 million views. It has also triggered a hilarious discourse about the power of money.
The post shows the officer initiating the stop, telling the driver, “The reason I’m stopping you is because you don’t have any license plates on this car. Any reason for that?” To that, the man responds, “I’m from Dubai. It’s my license plate right there. I’m visiting as a tourist.” The officer refuses to believe the tourist, telling him, “Well, no, you’re not visiting as a tourist if you brought a car with you.” The tourist then tries to explain the concept of temporary imports to the officer.
The officer remained skeptical, even with documentation
As the police officer insists that the driver needs to register the car in Oregon, the tourist tries to explain the process of shipping and temporarily importing cars for trips. The driver mentions a carnet, which he describes as a “very rare thing.” He then tries to mollify the officer, telling him, “I know you are confused.” That didn’t go down very well, causing the officer to double down on registration.
As the conversation continues, the driver attempts to provide his documentation, including what he claims is insurance. The officer dismisses these documents, stating, “This is not insurance.” The driver counters by pointing out that the policy details are visible at the bottom of the paper.
He even tries to provide the officer with an example, stating, “Imagine you want to drive your car in Europe. What do you do? You ship your car there, you drive it for a month and you ship it back.” The officer shuts this down quickly, saying, “That’s not what I do. Okay, look. I have another call I have to go to. Be safe pulling out into traffic.”
Of course, this wasn’t the entire exchange, but the YouTube video features the complete recording. Now, this exchange might have been confusing for the officer, but the drivers were probably more confused in New Jersey when a trooper disguised himself as a bush.
The internet has had a field day with this exchange. Commenters on Instagram were quick to point out the irony of the situation. One user remarked, “There’s a language barrier. He’s speaking in rich, the cop is speaking in poorish.” Another user noted, “Sounds like a wealth language barrier.” A third commenter added, “He hates to see 4 years of his salary on wheels.”
The discussion on the Interestingasf— subreddit provided more information. One user shared their own experience, saying, “I live near a U.S. national park and see multiple campers with European plates every year. They just ship them over before their road trip.”
Another user observed, “Holy s— man. The ‘I have another call to go to’ when he realized he literally has no clue wtf he’s talking about or what to do is so awesome. Like just admit you were wrong lol it’s not that hard.” In a different instance, a trooper allegedly watched a woman save a turtle, only to give her a ticket minutes later.
While the officer seemed convinced that the driver violated the law, Oregon statutes actually suggest otherwise. According to KVAL, ORS 803.305 (14) states that vehicles currently registered and titled in any other country, state, or territory are not required to be registered by the state of Oregon. Furthermore, ORS 807.020 (1) allows a non-resident to operate a motor vehicle without an Oregon license if they hold a current out-of-state or out-of-country license.
International Vehicle Shipping Services noted that Non-residents can import a vehicle duty-free for personal use for up to one year, provided the vehicle is imported in conjunction with the owner’s arrival. This involves rigorous documentation. Following that, the vehicle must be exported within one year and cannot be sold while in the United States. It is a complex, multi-step process that requires pre-approval from the EPA, often taking weeks to coordinate.
Published: Aug 9, 2026 07:45 am