I've never had a problem with them either. With one exception, all of the police I've run into have been courteous and reasonable. One guy was a complete jerk. As we've all been taught, if I'm stopped I keep my hands visible by placing them on the steering wheel. He said my keeping my hands visible in such an exaggerated manner was suspicious and wanted to search my car. I declined (this was before that lousy SC ruling), he wrote me my ticket and that was it.
Except of course the once you described.