What?
How come cops don't always pull people over?
- Thread starter The motor guy
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1/2? And a jogger.. That's like buying a bus ticket only to walk to your destination. Makes no sense.
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I had a sheriffs car follow me on a state highway once. It was on my way home from work. I get off of work at 11pm.
Anyway, this sheriff comes up behind me when I am in the right lane doing the speed limit. He keeps zooming up on my tail like he was baiting me to go faster. I was rather freaked out and wondered WHY in the world he would do this?
Then he pulls out from behind me and speeds up and paces me in the left lane. I was thinking....is this guy nuts? Is he going to pull me over and make up some story??
Next thing I know he speeds away and I never see him again. Needless to say I was highly upset. All I can come up with was he either thought I was some bad guy they were looking for....or he was in a nasty mood and was pushing me to speed so that he could pull me over.
Very strange....and creepy.
I travel a lot between state and late coming home. I lost count of how many time a sheriff or trooper rode my bumper for an extend time on the highway. Once, a trooper followed so close, I could only see his windshield in my rear view. Also, I had countless police car at midnight followed me for miles down is large street I take to go home. My parent had a customer that was a police officer, not sure how the conservation start but the officer explain how they first check the plate number on the computer to see if the car is stolen/wanted. If it's clean, they follow the vehicle to see if the driver does anything suspicious. Just changing lane or speeding up may be enough for them pull you over. You did the right thing by holding your speed.
I had a sheriffs car follow me on a state highway once. It was on my way home from work. I get off of work at 11pm.
Anyway, this sheriff comes up behind me when I am in the right lane doing the speed limit. He keeps zooming up on my tail like he was baiting me to go faster. I was rather freaked out and wondered WHY in the world he would do this?
Then he pulls out from behind me and speeds up and paces me in the left lane. I was thinking....is this guy nuts? Is he going to pull me over and make up some story??
Next thing I know he speeds away and I never see him again. Needless to say I was highly upset. All I can come up with was he either thought I was some bad guy they were looking for....or he was in a nasty mood and was pushing me to speed so that he could pull me over.
Very strange....and creepy.
I travel a lot between state and late coming home. I lost count of how many time a sheriff or trooper rode my bumper for an extend time on the highway. Once, a trooper followed so close, I could only see his windshield in my rear view. Also, I had countless police car at midnight followed me for miles down is large street I take to go home. My parent had a customer that was a police officer, not sure how the conservation start but the officer explain how they first check the plate number on the computer to see if the car is stolen/wanted. If it's clean, they follow the vehicle to see if the driver does anything suspicious. Just changing lane or speeding up may be enough for them pull you over. You did the right thing by holding your speed.
If I had a cop that close to my bumper I'd be tempted to stop and ask them what they wanted.
Originally Posted By: lawman1909
Don't know where you found that "info". All I can say is I have never heard of actual quotas. I have just heard of showing proof of your work, I.E. (Reports written, warning, citations, handling calls for service, etc.)
Maryland...
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/25/2553.asp
In VA where I live...
http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/197638/158/Only-On-9-A-Ticket-Quota-In-Arlington
and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crim...0eb9_story.html
And on and on and on...
Every time a police force gets caught they say "the memo was a mistake and has been withdrawn..." then a couple years later another "memo" pops up. That and many police admit there is an unofficial quota especially when it comes time for promotions.
If you think quotas never happen then you need to open your eyes.
Don't know where you found that "info". All I can say is I have never heard of actual quotas. I have just heard of showing proof of your work, I.E. (Reports written, warning, citations, handling calls for service, etc.)
Maryland...
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/25/2553.asp
In VA where I live...
http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/197638/158/Only-On-9-A-Ticket-Quota-In-Arlington
and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crim...0eb9_story.html
And on and on and on...
Every time a police force gets caught they say "the memo was a mistake and has been withdrawn..." then a couple years later another "memo" pops up. That and many police admit there is an unofficial quota especially when it comes time for promotions.
If you think quotas never happen then you need to open your eyes.
I worked 2nd shift and would get a cop on my tail from the town line to my house more than half the time. There was even an absurd 4-lane 30 MPH zone where I'd putter along in the right lane at 29 and not shake the guy off.
And they didn't remember me because they'd be at it the next night. And I was a normalish 20-something in a 7 year old economy car with all working lights etc.
These cops would stop at a red light, turn on their blues for two seconds, roll through the light, then putter along in no big hurry.
And they didn't remember me because they'd be at it the next night. And I was a normalish 20-something in a 7 year old economy car with all working lights etc.
These cops would stop at a red light, turn on their blues for two seconds, roll through the light, then putter along in no big hurry.
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I had a sheriffs car follow me on a state highway once. It was on my way home from work. I get off of work at 11pm.
Anyway, this sheriff comes up behind me when I am in the right lane doing the speed limit. He keeps zooming up on my tail like he was baiting me to go faster. I was rather freaked out and wondered WHY in the world he would do this?
Then he pulls out from behind me and speeds up and paces me in the left lane. I was thinking....is this guy nuts? Is he going to pull me over and make up some story??
Next thing I know he speeds away and I never see him again. Needless to say I was highly upset. All I can come up with was he either thought I was some bad guy they were looking for....or he was in a nasty mood and was pushing me to speed so that he could pull me over.
Very strange....and creepy.
He came close to run ur plates and scan inside the car for any valuables he could seize to pay for the strippers for holiday party.
I had a sheriffs car follow me on a state highway once. It was on my way home from work. I get off of work at 11pm.
Anyway, this sheriff comes up behind me when I am in the right lane doing the speed limit. He keeps zooming up on my tail like he was baiting me to go faster. I was rather freaked out and wondered WHY in the world he would do this?
Then he pulls out from behind me and speeds up and paces me in the left lane. I was thinking....is this guy nuts? Is he going to pull me over and make up some story??
Next thing I know he speeds away and I never see him again. Needless to say I was highly upset. All I can come up with was he either thought I was some bad guy they were looking for....or he was in a nasty mood and was pushing me to speed so that he could pull me over.
Very strange....and creepy.
He came close to run ur plates and scan inside the car for any valuables he could seize to pay for the strippers for holiday party.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: lawman1909
Go to court, and if you are genuinely innocent, then you should have no problem. Good luck and remember the ol' saying "Yes your honor" and call the officer "officer", not "cop" or "he/she". Respect will get you much further than ignorance.
Not always. In congested traffic I was pulled over while doing the speed limit and given a ticket for, "disobeying posted speed limits." I asked the police officer in court if he had, by chance, tagged one of the four cars in the left lane that were actually speeding and hit the brakes as soon as they saw him. He replied that I was the only car in the left lane.
The judge was [censored] that I showed up, telling me that the officer was trained in the use of the radar gun he was using, and that the radar detector was in calibration; therefore, a preponderance of evidence meant that I was guilty, even though I did not have a single ticket to my name at that point.
The difference between me and the four other cars that braked ahead of me? They were all older vehicles and I was driving an STI. No way in heck I was driving the speed limit - yea, right!
//
Another time, after a loooong period of shift work, I finally got a weekend off to visit my then-girlfriend. I had literally been driving through the city, crossing a bridge and then exiting to where my company is without ever doing more than 55 MPH - it was boring, to say the least. On my way north that day, I decided to really let loose on the bridge. Cops usually hang out at either end, but there's just enough room to get up to 80 MPH in 3rd gear and then let off at the peak of the bridge and engine-brake down to the speed limit before getting into speed trap range. The lane you enter on exits after the bridge, so if it's clear, there's no risky high-speed merge. There's plenty of time to punch it safely, coast down in-gear, and then get over before the lane splits off to the first exit off the bridge
Well, I ended up redlining right next to a cop. I let off the gas as soon as I realized my mistake, clutched in and coasted down to the speed limit. He paced me, keeping just behind me and to the left, until I had no choice, but to get over in front of him from the lane that was exiting at the end of the bridge as I continued on at the speed limit. I had my finger on the hazard button, and pushed it immediately when the bridge ended and his lights turned on right behind me.
I respectfully explained the bad luck of having driven conservatively for WEEKS, and then opening up right at the wrong time. He came back a few minutes later and warned me to, "wait until I got to RI before I started speeding again," and wished me a good weekend.
I wasn't going to let a ticket ruin my weekend off anyway, but when he came back it really made my day. I was a happy camper, to say the least!
Go to court, and if you are genuinely innocent, then you should have no problem. Good luck and remember the ol' saying "Yes your honor" and call the officer "officer", not "cop" or "he/she". Respect will get you much further than ignorance.
Not always. In congested traffic I was pulled over while doing the speed limit and given a ticket for, "disobeying posted speed limits." I asked the police officer in court if he had, by chance, tagged one of the four cars in the left lane that were actually speeding and hit the brakes as soon as they saw him. He replied that I was the only car in the left lane.
The judge was [censored] that I showed up, telling me that the officer was trained in the use of the radar gun he was using, and that the radar detector was in calibration; therefore, a preponderance of evidence meant that I was guilty, even though I did not have a single ticket to my name at that point.
The difference between me and the four other cars that braked ahead of me? They were all older vehicles and I was driving an STI. No way in heck I was driving the speed limit - yea, right!
//
Another time, after a loooong period of shift work, I finally got a weekend off to visit my then-girlfriend. I had literally been driving through the city, crossing a bridge and then exiting to where my company is without ever doing more than 55 MPH - it was boring, to say the least. On my way north that day, I decided to really let loose on the bridge. Cops usually hang out at either end, but there's just enough room to get up to 80 MPH in 3rd gear and then let off at the peak of the bridge and engine-brake down to the speed limit before getting into speed trap range. The lane you enter on exits after the bridge, so if it's clear, there's no risky high-speed merge. There's plenty of time to punch it safely, coast down in-gear, and then get over before the lane splits off to the first exit off the bridge
Well, I ended up redlining right next to a cop. I let off the gas as soon as I realized my mistake, clutched in and coasted down to the speed limit. He paced me, keeping just behind me and to the left, until I had no choice, but to get over in front of him from the lane that was exiting at the end of the bridge as I continued on at the speed limit. I had my finger on the hazard button, and pushed it immediately when the bridge ended and his lights turned on right behind me.
I respectfully explained the bad luck of having driven conservatively for WEEKS, and then opening up right at the wrong time. He came back a few minutes later and warned me to, "wait until I got to RI before I started speeding again," and wished me a good weekend.
I wasn't going to let a ticket ruin my weekend off anyway, but when he came back it really made my day. I was a happy camper, to say the least!
Police are like fishermen.they can't catch every fish.
The officer may have just witnessed a murder or something simmiliar,suddenly speeding isn't on his mind.
The officer may have just witnessed a murder or something simmiliar,suddenly speeding isn't on his mind.
Originally Posted By: MNL
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I had a sheriffs car follow me on a state highway once. It was on my way home from work. I get off of work at 11pm.
Anyway, this sheriff comes up behind me when I am in the right lane doing the speed limit. He keeps zooming up on my tail like he was baiting me to go faster. I was rather freaked out and wondered WHY in the world he would do this?
Then he pulls out from behind me and speeds up and paces me in the left lane. I was thinking....is this guy nuts? Is he going to pull me over and make up some story??
Next thing I know he speeds away and I never see him again. Needless to say I was highly upset. All I can come up with was he either thought I was some bad guy they were looking for....or he was in a nasty mood and was pushing me to speed so that he could pull me over.
Very strange....and creepy.
I travel a lot between state and late coming home. I lost count of how many time a sheriff or trooper rode my bumper for an extend time on the highway. Once, a trooper followed so close, I could only see his windshield in my rear view. Also, I had countless police car at midnight followed me for miles down is large street I take to go home. My parent had a customer that was a police officer, not sure how the conservation start but the officer explain how they first check the plate number on the computer to see if the car is stolen/wanted. If it's clean, they follow the vehicle to see if the driver does anything suspicious. Just changing lane or speeding up may be enough for them pull you over. You did the right thing by holding your speed.
I'm basically a pro-law enforcement guy. They have a tough job and we need them to keep the bad guys at bay.
BUT.........I really didn't appreciate what he did. It was without cause and made me downright worrisome. If he would have pulled me over I would have been upset enough to say something I shouldn't have. They are supposed to protect and serve....not intimidate and freak-out innocent people.
Just glad that only happened once.
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I had a sheriffs car follow me on a state highway once. It was on my way home from work. I get off of work at 11pm.
Anyway, this sheriff comes up behind me when I am in the right lane doing the speed limit. He keeps zooming up on my tail like he was baiting me to go faster. I was rather freaked out and wondered WHY in the world he would do this?
Then he pulls out from behind me and speeds up and paces me in the left lane. I was thinking....is this guy nuts? Is he going to pull me over and make up some story??
Next thing I know he speeds away and I never see him again. Needless to say I was highly upset. All I can come up with was he either thought I was some bad guy they were looking for....or he was in a nasty mood and was pushing me to speed so that he could pull me over.
Very strange....and creepy.
I travel a lot between state and late coming home. I lost count of how many time a sheriff or trooper rode my bumper for an extend time on the highway. Once, a trooper followed so close, I could only see his windshield in my rear view. Also, I had countless police car at midnight followed me for miles down is large street I take to go home. My parent had a customer that was a police officer, not sure how the conservation start but the officer explain how they first check the plate number on the computer to see if the car is stolen/wanted. If it's clean, they follow the vehicle to see if the driver does anything suspicious. Just changing lane or speeding up may be enough for them pull you over. You did the right thing by holding your speed.
I'm basically a pro-law enforcement guy. They have a tough job and we need them to keep the bad guys at bay.
BUT.........I really didn't appreciate what he did. It was without cause and made me downright worrisome. If he would have pulled me over I would have been upset enough to say something I shouldn't have. They are supposed to protect and serve....not intimidate and freak-out innocent people.
Just glad that only happened once.
i passed a cop once while i was doing 70 in a 55 on a back road. He was just sitting on the side of the road pointed in the direction i was going. He could of just pulled right out behind me. I thought oh no maybe if i dont show my brake lights and keep my speed he wont notice anything. i dont know why but he just sat their and i drove off wondering if he was going to appear any second in my rear view..
I pass cops on 95 all the time, and I've past a few going 15 mph over the speed limit easily. I always assume they're waiting for a really good one to come along which I'm sure always does.
I run red lights all the time too, but only the left hand turn arrows. If the main lanes are green, and there is no one coming I go. I'm not harming anyone. And if you are one of those that sit in front of me at the left turn red, shame on you. Just go. Get out of the way. Don't sit there like a dullard.
I run red lights all the time too, but only the left hand turn arrows. If the main lanes are green, and there is no one coming I go. I'm not harming anyone. And if you are one of those that sit in front of me at the left turn red, shame on you. Just go. Get out of the way. Don't sit there like a dullard.
Originally Posted By: aa1986
If I spot a cop and need to slow down, I try to remember to use the paddle shifters so no brake light shows.
I know you think you're clever, but you're really not. Is it illegal to hit your brakes? The cop knows everyone is slowing down as soon as they see him anyhow. And he has already clocked you way before you saw him.
If I spot a cop and need to slow down, I try to remember to use the paddle shifters so no brake light shows.
I know you think you're clever, but you're really not. Is it illegal to hit your brakes? The cop knows everyone is slowing down as soon as they see him anyhow. And he has already clocked you way before you saw him.
Hitting the brakes causes nose dive,a telltale sign of speeding. Downshifting lessens the dive but it's still there.
And to be honest if the officer has his radar on slowing when you see him is already too late. He had your speed before you saw him.
And to be honest if the officer has his radar on slowing when you see him is already too late. He had your speed before you saw him.
In 1996 I attended a two week course for senior National Guard NCOs at Camp Williams, Utah. One of my classmates was a Utah Highway Patrol officer who worked I-15 near Cedar City. Very little coverage on I-15 in that area, he said. Since this was back in the days of the national rural 65 MPH speed limt, and since my wife had family in the Ogden and Provo areas (we are in WA), I asked what was a "safe" speed in Utah. Maybe 72, or 75, I asked? He looked at me like I was crazy, and said, "I have never written a ticket under 80 in my life."
Ironically, portions of I-15 in southern Utah now have an 80 mph speed limit.
Ironically, portions of I-15 in southern Utah now have an 80 mph speed limit.
Originally Posted By: lawman1909
1/2? And a jogger.. That's like buying a bus ticket only to walk to your destination. Makes no sense.
Obviously you didn't read my entire post to your first reply.
The state road to the park is DANGEROUS for pedestrians to be on,
people don't expect runners and joggers on it, and the speed is 55 mph.
1/2? And a jogger.. That's like buying a bus ticket only to walk to your destination. Makes no sense.
Obviously you didn't read my entire post to your first reply.
The state road to the park is DANGEROUS for pedestrians to be on,
people don't expect runners and joggers on it, and the speed is 55 mph.
dnewton3
Staff member
To the original Q in the thread and subsequent related topics, the answer is ....
It depends. Yes - I mean that without any jest or contempt.
As a Deputy, I can tell you there are many reasons why we do and do not do things. Your perception of the world does not always equate to ours.
1) There are good cops and bad cops; we'd all agree with that. Some do a better job than others. Some have a bad attitude every once in a while. Some have a bad attitude nearly every day. Most, however, are decent people and do a good job.
2) You have no idea what the station duty assignment was for the officer at the time. He/she may be working a specific detail and traffic violations are not at the top of his/her list for that moment in time. May have been assigned a non-emergency call and was on his way to respond to someone else's issue.
3) May have a higher threshold of what constitutes needing attention that you do. What you see as a violation may well be true, but the officer sees them probably with a more critical eye than you do, and yet also has a larger perspective in mind than you do.
4) Officer discretion has it's pros and cons. I personally hand out way more warnings than I do citations. Yet I suspect the few citations I do hand out get a lot more verbal discussion around the dinner table (and internet) than all the breaks I give to folks. My discretion starts with a pretty high threshold for even pulling someone over, and then I allow the person to talk themselves into or out of a citation based upon attitude, driving record, etc. And yes, some departments do have quotas; others do not.
5) You and/or your vehicle may match or be reasonably similar to a person/vehicle being sought for any manner of issues (criminal suspect, welfare check, etc) and so the officer will come up upon you to observe the car, look over the driver, watch the driving actions, etc. If you're driving 60mph and he needs to check your plate because your white F-150 matches the general description of a reported crime, than he's going to get pretty darn close behind you to read the plate. The only alternative is to pull over every single white F-150 he (and all his brother/sister officers) sees. That takes time and irritates the drivers. So a quick view of the plate and the driver can eliminate you as a suspect without having to pull you over.
Example: I recently did just this very thing when sexual predator broadcast was put out on a white van with a "white male" as the suspect. White vans are not scarce, and so it was very tense for about 10 minutes right after the report as we all sorted out every white van we saw, and it is easy to eliminate the non-suspects by simply riding up on them, getting beside them, and observing. Once we eliminate you as a potential suspect, then we're on to the next one without having to pull you over. Just by visually eliminating race (anyone other than white is ignored in my example), gender (all females were ignored) I was able to pass over many vehicles and not have to bother the driver, and keep my search rate up. But to do so, I have to quickly maneuver into a position to see the driver. Now, to the uninformed, my driving may seem erratic and offensive, but it really does help to quickly ascertain the potential interest in the driver/passenger relating to any manner of valid cause, and if it does not meet the criteria, to move on quickly to the next suspect. (And yes, we did catch the guy).
So while I cannot tell anyone why every cop does anything, I can tell you that most of us are doing something that does make sense from the unique perspective of enforcement.
It depends. Yes - I mean that without any jest or contempt.
As a Deputy, I can tell you there are many reasons why we do and do not do things. Your perception of the world does not always equate to ours.
1) There are good cops and bad cops; we'd all agree with that. Some do a better job than others. Some have a bad attitude every once in a while. Some have a bad attitude nearly every day. Most, however, are decent people and do a good job.
2) You have no idea what the station duty assignment was for the officer at the time. He/she may be working a specific detail and traffic violations are not at the top of his/her list for that moment in time. May have been assigned a non-emergency call and was on his way to respond to someone else's issue.
3) May have a higher threshold of what constitutes needing attention that you do. What you see as a violation may well be true, but the officer sees them probably with a more critical eye than you do, and yet also has a larger perspective in mind than you do.
4) Officer discretion has it's pros and cons. I personally hand out way more warnings than I do citations. Yet I suspect the few citations I do hand out get a lot more verbal discussion around the dinner table (and internet) than all the breaks I give to folks. My discretion starts with a pretty high threshold for even pulling someone over, and then I allow the person to talk themselves into or out of a citation based upon attitude, driving record, etc. And yes, some departments do have quotas; others do not.
5) You and/or your vehicle may match or be reasonably similar to a person/vehicle being sought for any manner of issues (criminal suspect, welfare check, etc) and so the officer will come up upon you to observe the car, look over the driver, watch the driving actions, etc. If you're driving 60mph and he needs to check your plate because your white F-150 matches the general description of a reported crime, than he's going to get pretty darn close behind you to read the plate. The only alternative is to pull over every single white F-150 he (and all his brother/sister officers) sees. That takes time and irritates the drivers. So a quick view of the plate and the driver can eliminate you as a suspect without having to pull you over.
Example: I recently did just this very thing when sexual predator broadcast was put out on a white van with a "white male" as the suspect. White vans are not scarce, and so it was very tense for about 10 minutes right after the report as we all sorted out every white van we saw, and it is easy to eliminate the non-suspects by simply riding up on them, getting beside them, and observing. Once we eliminate you as a potential suspect, then we're on to the next one without having to pull you over. Just by visually eliminating race (anyone other than white is ignored in my example), gender (all females were ignored) I was able to pass over many vehicles and not have to bother the driver, and keep my search rate up. But to do so, I have to quickly maneuver into a position to see the driver. Now, to the uninformed, my driving may seem erratic and offensive, but it really does help to quickly ascertain the potential interest in the driver/passenger relating to any manner of valid cause, and if it does not meet the criteria, to move on quickly to the next suspect. (And yes, we did catch the guy).
So while I cannot tell anyone why every cop does anything, I can tell you that most of us are doing something that does make sense from the unique perspective of enforcement.
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