How come cops don't always pull people over?

[aa1986]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
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.


Originally Posted By: Clevy
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.


I was referring to when I see them in the rearview mirror.

Of course such a thing is pointless if a cop is hiding in the bushes with his radar gun and you never see him. However, even with radar guns, I've seen the cop track the speed of vehicles past the point the vehicle is perpendicular to them. They then radio ahead to advise their partners which vehicles to stop. I would think that if the speed excess is marginal, they would be more inclined to call in someone who they see braking and are therefore more certain was speeding, than someone whose average speed was legal over a longer distance.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: joegreen
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 passed a cop sitting in the oncoming breakdown lane, in the dark, all lights off (except the dome). Made eye contact. Saw the telltale flash of reverse lights (from being put in drive) and brake lights.

I just slammed on the brakes and pulled over. He barely got up to 30 "pursuing" me before snagging me on the side of the road.

We all had a good chuckle and I got off with a warning. It probably helped that as a motorcyclist I had a helmet, stock pipes, and a valid inspection-- all rare where I live.

 

[demarpaint]

Short answer, is they're human and sometimes they just don't feel like it. Weather, fear, and their shift is nearing an end can often play into it.

 

[DBMaster]

Just further evidence of how arbitrary, random, and useless traffic enforcement is.

The current state of enforcement to be specific.

Just watch what happens when drivers see speed enforcement going on. Tell me that's not an accident waiting to happen.

 

[jg1]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
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.



antiqueshell, I don't think you owe an explanation. I perform your example weekly and I doubt I exceed a 1/4 of a mile to get to the destination.

lawman1909, respectfully I'll say not everyone fits the "training".

take care.

 

[javacontour]

Growing up, my Sunday School teacher was the County Clerk and her husband was a police officer.

He was always "in trouble" because he wasn't writing enough tickets.

As far as I could tell, he was a good officer. He just saved his effort for the real problems. Someone going 35 in a 30 probably wasn't high on his radar (no pun intended) if you know what I mean.

Originally Posted By: Jimzz
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.

 

[javacontour]

I find now that I'm closer to 50 than 15, I don't feel the need to speed as much. I'm maybe a 5 over kinda guy instead of the 25 over kinda guy I was 30+ years ago.

It's much more relaxing.

Plus, I've done the math, you don't really save much time for all the risk involved.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Rand
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.


Does officer irritate the cop in question if they are a Sergeant, etc.?


That's a valid question... I got pulled over by an officer who had two, maybe three chevrons on their arm.

The officer was incorrect in citing me at all. I am by code, by actions, and by all honestly innocent. But since I need to go to court, addressing the person who is being subpoenaed by the right title would be smart...

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
A municipality is a business...


That right there is where most of our problems lie. It doesn't end with municipalities though, the whole government is now treated as a business. Unfortunately, we are not the ones to see the profits.

 

[L_Sludger]

state troopers don't like being called officers. they prefer to be deferentially referred to as "Trooper"

 

[DBMaster]

The toll roads around here have 70 mph speed limits and are patrolled only by state troopers. There are many more dangerous activities being practiced than simple speeding yet speeding is about all I see "enforced." I put that in quotes because the enforcement is arbitrary and random. When driving by a traffic stop the patrol car with flashing lights causes those in the left lane to spike their brakes and cut over abruptly into the middle lane. Then, everyone else in the area, regardless of how fast they were going, spikes the brakes. Yesterday, an entire half mile stretch of the George Bush Tollway went from smoothly flowing to a herky-jerky mess that nearly stopped completely - all because of a speeding stop.

How does that make the road safer?

I'd like to see them driving in plain jane cars stopping those who are actually doing dangerous things, though, that would also be arbitrary and random. They won't do that because it's harder to fight an electronic speed reading in court so no one bothers.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I find now that I'm closer to 50 than 15, I don't feel the need to speed as much. I'm maybe a 5 over kinda guy instead of the 25 over kinda guy I was 30+ years ago.

It's much more relaxing.

Plus, I've done the math, you don't really save much time for all the risk involved.

+1
me and the people around me get home in one piece...?

 

[DBMaster]

Almost everybody hits the brakes, whether speeding or not. At least, that's been my observation. Then, once the idiots see brake lights they practice "sympathetic braking" themselves.

 

[cjcride]

Very well put. Thank you.

 

[supton]

Hate it when everyone decides to do 5 under because they see a cop in the meridan. Luckily I see little of that during my commute, at least on I93 "everyone" knows a few over is perfectly fine. At least during rush hour.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I don't know if it's laziness maybe they just didn't see it...

they are 200 feet behind a cop on the side of the road looking for speeders...

Also I've seen cars run red lights and just see the cop sit there and do nothing, when he could have easily flipped on his lights and pulled the guy over...


Ever occur to you that many cops are often over worked and traffic crimes take a back seat to other more pressing issues? Ever occur to you that the cop sitting on the side of the road is actually 4 reports behind and is desperately pounding away on his computer keyboard trying to catch up so he can go home on time and watch his kids music recital? Ever occur to you that just because you saw a police car doesn't mean that that officer is in uniform, on duty, AND AVAILABLE? (Cops use the cars for other functions too, like training, getting maintenance, etc) Would you rather a cop pull over a minor traffic violator or go to the burglary/bank robbery/drowning/fill in the blank that the officer might already be dispatched to?

I see lots of complaining, but it appears that you have no idea what a cops job actually entails. I suggest you go do a ride along with the dept and get to know the officers and learn what their job entails.

 

[DBMaster]

^I always wonder and pretty much KNOW that cops have more value added things to be doing than sitting in the median clocking speeders.

My comments in no way are to be taken as disrespect for the important and thankless jobs held by police. But, expecting traffic citations to improve road safety and make better drivers is like treating ESRD with an aspirin. Except, in this case, some money can be made and a whole segment of the economy can be supported (driver training classes, lawyers, court clerks, etc.)

The things that I have seen that cause injuries and death are very rarely the things that can be prevented by pulling someone over for going 75 in a 60 zone. My daughter was almost killed by a drunk driver going the wrong way on a divided highway. He probably wasn't speeding, but crashed in the car filled with her and her friends nonetheless. The cops can't do squat about that.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
If I had a cop that close to my bumper I'd be tempted to stop and ask them what they wanted.


I'd be tempted to give em a brake check...just because they're cops doesn't give them the right to tailgate...if they suspect something, pull the person over, otherwise leave them alone...

 

[splinter]

Originally Posted By: grampi
I'd be tempted to give em a brake check...

Yup!

^ No charges or citation btw.

 

[L_Sludger]

oh my LOL