RALFFERS 0 #1 September 8, 2008 While some cops can be pricks it's more the fact that people in general can be pricks while others are not. Anyway, today I didn't "get lucky" by talking my way out of a ticket, rather I came across a very courteous cop... I was driving West on I-80 back home from Indiana, when I noticed a cop on the right shoulder with his lights flashing; my first inclination was to think he had pulled someone over - naturally I slowed down. However, as I passed him (or her) I realized no one was being pulled over; it just looked as if this cop wanted to be nice and warn everybody of his/her presence. The thing that is puzzling to me though is that it is a cop's duty (or rather 1 of many duties) to write tickets... Obviously, this person was being very nice, but in doing so rendered themselves incapable of issuing citations. I'm curious if any of you who are cops have done something like this...? Come to think of, I also now remember driving down the expressway another time and seeing a marked car driving on flashing lights (but not in pursuit of anyone) - it appeared to be a casual cruse -seemingly for the same reason as above.Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #2 September 8, 2008 Be careful there. Some states now have laws that if a trooper has his lights on while he/she is parked on the emergency shoulder/lane, regardless of whether somebody has been pulled over or not, and you drive by in the lane next to the trooper without moving one lane away from him/her, you could get a ticket for failure to maintain safe distance or however the law is worded... The law says you must move over for any emergency vehicle with lights flashing. If on a two lane highway, you move to the lane opposite the shoulder of the emergency vehicle. If on a three lane or more highway, you move to the middle or next lane from the shoulder."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LongWayToFall 0 #3 September 8, 2008 I doubt they would have lights on just to "warn you of their presence." If anything, flashing lights on the side of the road creates rubberneckers who congest traffic and are not paying as much attention to the road. If they are wasting gas just cruising up and down, they had better have a reason. If they are interested in being available for a radio call but not interested in giving citations, they should hang out in a rest stop or something. This way, they can observe traffic for very reckless drivers still. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwieder 0 #4 September 8, 2008 QuoteThe law says you must move over for any emergency vehicle with lights flashing. If on a two lane highway, you move to the lane opposite the shoulder of the emergency vehicle. If on a three lane or more highway, you move to the middle or next lane from the shoulder. In Texas you must slow down 10 MPH below the posted speed limit as well.-Richard- "You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RALFFERS 0 #5 September 8, 2008 Quote Be careful there. Some states now have laws that if a trooper has his lights on while he/she is parked on the emergency shoulder/lane, regardless of whether somebody has been pulled over or not, and you drive by in the lane next to the trooper without moving one lane away from him/her, you could get a ticket for failure to maintain safe distance or however the law is worded... The law says you must move over for any emergency vehicle with lights flashing. If on a two lane highway, you move to the lane opposite the shoulder of the emergency vehicle. If on a three lane or more highway, you move to the middle or next lane from the shoulder. CRAP!! I myself posted about this very law not so long ago - I can't believe I forgot about it... Luckily, in the case of this particular law, if you're going to get a ticket you're going to get it right away (I think. ) Hopefully I wont have any surprises in my mailbox.Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
c10edges 0 #6 September 8, 2008 he could have just been baked out of his mind Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RALFFERS 0 #7 September 8, 2008 Anybody remember the name of said law? - I need to look up the consequences pertaining to it.Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,252 #8 September 8, 2008 Hi Billy, Oregon has this law. My ex-wife got a ticket last year for not moving over. JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #9 September 8, 2008 Was there really someone in the cop car? Last year there was a cop car parked in the center median between east and west lanes of a highway I would drive to work (very wide dirt median in this section...No fence). Everyone would slow down and obey the speed limit there. Every time I looked it appeared that the car was empty. My thought was that they just parked one of their extra cruisers there as a deterrent. And it worked. Every so often the car would return to that spot. Then it would be gone. Seemed to do the job it was intended to do, each time. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #10 September 8, 2008 The police officer/trooper may have just finished up a traffic stop (the person who was pulled over may have already driven away) and was completing a report of the stop while the details were fresh in their mind. BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wrightskyguy 1 #11 September 8, 2008 QuoteWas there really someone in the cop car? Last year there was a cop car parked in the center median between east and west lanes of a highway I would drive to work (very wide dirt median in this section...No fence). Everyone would slow down and obey the speed limit there. Every time I looked it appeared that the car was empty. My thought was that they just parked one of their extra cruisers there as a deterrent. And it worked. *** Have you ever seen the fake silohuettes of cop cars they put out sometimes? That works too. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Squeak 17 #12 September 8, 2008 Quote BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. Never heard of 2 way radios? most countys and states have more than just one officerYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 721 #13 September 8, 2008 Ralff, The way YOU drive, they should have arrested and searched you! Glad it worked out for you bro. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jakee 1,330 #14 September 8, 2008 QuoteEvery so often the car would return to that spot. Then it would be gone. Seemed to do the job it was intended to do, each time. That job being, to create a dangerous artificial bottleneck/ concertina effect as half the drivers on the road jump on the brakes to go 10mph below the speed limit as soon as they see it?Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LuckyMcSwervy 0 #15 September 8, 2008 Quote Quote BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. Never heard of 2 way radios? most countys and states have more than just one officer Of course. But what I was getting at, in the interest of officer safety, is their attention in on the driver they already have stopped. That's is all. Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ltdiver 3 #16 September 8, 2008 QuoteQuoteEvery so often the car would return to that spot. Then it would be gone. Seemed to do the job it was intended to do, each time. That job being, to create a dangerous artificial bottleneck/ concertina effect as half the drivers on the road jump on the brakes to go 10mph below the speed limit as soon as they see it? Actually on this highway there were drivers who insisted on driving 90-100mph on their way to somewhere. I know because I would be in the center lane, going 80 and they'd literally FLY by on -either- side. The traffic was light in this area, so no...no bottle neck. Just slowing down those drivers who felt it was their right to play racer in the morning. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RALFFERS 0 #17 September 8, 2008 Mark, Bite me, would ya! At that point and time I didn't like driving at night (but didn't want to say anything - after all, you guys were the guests) and to add to that I hadn't been on Lakeshore Drive for a while... Hence why I appeared so nervous. Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Scoop 0 #18 September 8, 2008 He probably just didn't want some blind idiot not paying attention straddling lane 1 and the shoulder rear ending him. We like to go home at the end of the days work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites turtlespeed 212 #19 September 8, 2008 QuoteWhile some cops can be pricks it's more the fact that people in general can be pricks while others are not. Anyway, today I didn't "get lucky" by talking my way out of a ticket, rather I came across a very courteous cop... I was driving West on I-80 back home from Indiana, when I noticed a cop on the right shoulder with his lights flashing; my first inclination was to think he had pulled someone over - naturally I slowed down. However, as I passed him (or her) I realized no one was being pulled over; it just looked as if this cop wanted to be nice and warn everybody of his/her presence. The thing that is puzzling to me though is that it is a cop's duty (or rather 1 of many duties) to write tickets... Obviously, this person was being very nice, but in doing so rendered themselves incapable of issuing citations. I'm curious if any of you who are cops have done something like this...? Come to think of, I also now remember driving down the expressway another time and seeing a marked car driving on flashing lights (but not in pursuit of anyone) - it appeared to be a casual cruse -seemingly for the same reason as above. I thought it was the main duty of any peace officer to serve and protect, maybe he thought that a friendly reminder might save more lives than a ticket. Then again, it's not even quote crunch time yet . . . My guess is that he will be writing tickets tomorrow. This WAS your warning.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Tuna-Salad 0 #20 September 8, 2008 BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. - Agreed I laugh when everybody slows down. By then the cop already has a reading of your speed so it's too late but I esp like it when people slow down while he is writing someone else a ticket. Like he is going to drop what he is doing and go after you. In South Carolina when I worked @ the FD I was told that people didn't have to get out of our way. We were just driving a billboard disguised as a christmas tree with all the lights and all it says is "please move" not that you have to. I drove the engine on numerous occasions where people did not move or get over. - IMO .. it doesn't really matter what the law says on that.. pull to the right all that garb.. just clear a path.. it doesn't matter how you do it. (Yea a little off subj)Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RALFFERS 0 #21 September 8, 2008 I agree with you that by the time you see the cop & start slowing down, he/she already has your speed on their radar gun - BUT more often than not, attempting to slow down can go a long way; it could be difference between a ticket & a verbal warning.Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites futuredivot 0 #22 September 8, 2008 QuoteIn South Carolina when I worked @ the FD I was told that people didn't have to get out of our way That's what I was told-Of course, the police chief at the time told me that he didn't think that the Emergency Vehicle endorsement on my license (Issued by the SC Highway Dept.) was valid and he was going to pull me over when he saw me driving the truck. I told him that the big chrome bumpers were valid and he wouldn't pull me over 'til I wanted him too------jackassYou are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Scoop 0 #23 September 8, 2008 Alledgedly the fixed GATSO type speed cameras can't handle more than a 3% change in speed so it could be worth standing on the brakes if you get caught out by one of these hidden beauties Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Tuna-Salad 0 #24 September 8, 2008 A few years ago my dad took a trip to ohio and was home about 2 and a half weeks when he got a letter from the ohio highway patrol. Inside was a picture of his white dodge ram and a shot of the license plate (Taken from a helicopter) and a citation. I do not remember how fast he was going.Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 721 #25 September 8, 2008 You know I was just pulling your chain...I didn't notice your being nervous either. I damn sure would be nervous driving on Lakeshore in that traffic though! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Squeak 17 #12 September 8, 2008 Quote BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. Never heard of 2 way radios? most countys and states have more than just one officerYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 721 #13 September 8, 2008 Ralff, The way YOU drive, they should have arrested and searched you! Glad it worked out for you bro. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,330 #14 September 8, 2008 QuoteEvery so often the car would return to that spot. Then it would be gone. Seemed to do the job it was intended to do, each time. That job being, to create a dangerous artificial bottleneck/ concertina effect as half the drivers on the road jump on the brakes to go 10mph below the speed limit as soon as they see it?Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #15 September 8, 2008 Quote Quote BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. Never heard of 2 way radios? most countys and states have more than just one officer Of course. But what I was getting at, in the interest of officer safety, is their attention in on the driver they already have stopped. That's is all. Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #16 September 8, 2008 QuoteQuoteEvery so often the car would return to that spot. Then it would be gone. Seemed to do the job it was intended to do, each time. That job being, to create a dangerous artificial bottleneck/ concertina effect as half the drivers on the road jump on the brakes to go 10mph below the speed limit as soon as they see it? Actually on this highway there were drivers who insisted on driving 90-100mph on their way to somewhere. I know because I would be in the center lane, going 80 and they'd literally FLY by on -either- side. The traffic was light in this area, so no...no bottle neck. Just slowing down those drivers who felt it was their right to play racer in the morning. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RALFFERS 0 #17 September 8, 2008 Mark, Bite me, would ya! At that point and time I didn't like driving at night (but didn't want to say anything - after all, you guys were the guests) and to add to that I hadn't been on Lakeshore Drive for a while... Hence why I appeared so nervous. Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoop 0 #18 September 8, 2008 He probably just didn't want some blind idiot not paying attention straddling lane 1 and the shoulder rear ending him. We like to go home at the end of the days work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #19 September 8, 2008 QuoteWhile some cops can be pricks it's more the fact that people in general can be pricks while others are not. Anyway, today I didn't "get lucky" by talking my way out of a ticket, rather I came across a very courteous cop... I was driving West on I-80 back home from Indiana, when I noticed a cop on the right shoulder with his lights flashing; my first inclination was to think he had pulled someone over - naturally I slowed down. However, as I passed him (or her) I realized no one was being pulled over; it just looked as if this cop wanted to be nice and warn everybody of his/her presence. The thing that is puzzling to me though is that it is a cop's duty (or rather 1 of many duties) to write tickets... Obviously, this person was being very nice, but in doing so rendered themselves incapable of issuing citations. I'm curious if any of you who are cops have done something like this...? Come to think of, I also now remember driving down the expressway another time and seeing a marked car driving on flashing lights (but not in pursuit of anyone) - it appeared to be a casual cruse -seemingly for the same reason as above. I thought it was the main duty of any peace officer to serve and protect, maybe he thought that a friendly reminder might save more lives than a ticket. Then again, it's not even quote crunch time yet . . . My guess is that he will be writing tickets tomorrow. This WAS your warning.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuna-Salad 0 #20 September 8, 2008 BTW - I always chuckle when people hit their brakes when a police officer/trooper has someone pulled over on the opposite side of a divided highway. And the cop is standing at the car with their back to traffic. Yeah stupid, the cop has eyes int he back of their head and a partol car like the Mach 5 that can jump over the highway divider and come directly after YOU. - Agreed I laugh when everybody slows down. By then the cop already has a reading of your speed so it's too late but I esp like it when people slow down while he is writing someone else a ticket. Like he is going to drop what he is doing and go after you. In South Carolina when I worked @ the FD I was told that people didn't have to get out of our way. We were just driving a billboard disguised as a christmas tree with all the lights and all it says is "please move" not that you have to. I drove the engine on numerous occasions where people did not move or get over. - IMO .. it doesn't really matter what the law says on that.. pull to the right all that garb.. just clear a path.. it doesn't matter how you do it. (Yea a little off subj)Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RALFFERS 0 #21 September 8, 2008 I agree with you that by the time you see the cop & start slowing down, he/she already has your speed on their radar gun - BUT more often than not, attempting to slow down can go a long way; it could be difference between a ticket & a verbal warning.Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #22 September 8, 2008 QuoteIn South Carolina when I worked @ the FD I was told that people didn't have to get out of our way That's what I was told-Of course, the police chief at the time told me that he didn't think that the Emergency Vehicle endorsement on my license (Issued by the SC Highway Dept.) was valid and he was going to pull me over when he saw me driving the truck. I told him that the big chrome bumpers were valid and he wouldn't pull me over 'til I wanted him too------jackassYou are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoop 0 #23 September 8, 2008 Alledgedly the fixed GATSO type speed cameras can't handle more than a 3% change in speed so it could be worth standing on the brakes if you get caught out by one of these hidden beauties Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuna-Salad 0 #24 September 8, 2008 A few years ago my dad took a trip to ohio and was home about 2 and a half weeks when he got a letter from the ohio highway patrol. Inside was a picture of his white dodge ram and a shot of the license plate (Taken from a helicopter) and a citation. I do not remember how fast he was going.Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 721 #25 September 8, 2008 You know I was just pulling your chain...I didn't notice your being nervous either. I damn sure would be nervous driving on Lakeshore in that traffic though! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites