1001 Things You Should Never Do To A Cop

[greenminer]

#847

If you are being pulled over, nevernevernever stop at the tail-end of a highway ON-RAMP. I came across this yesterday, and it presents several scenarios that can only mean you are being inconsiderate, or just plain dumb:

There is minimal shoulder room, if any at all. The officer had to be mindful that his door flings right into he middle of traffic that is trying to accelerate onto the highway. And why are you asking him to stand near your window, when both of his feet will be in the road? If you are going to try and argue out of a ticket, this is probably not the best way to get on a cop's good side? This brings us to the drivers around you....

If you are not yet aware, drivers are now required by law to slow way down when in the immediate passing lane of a cop/ticket scenario. Why would you do that when we are trying to merge with 60mph traffic? The irony of the whole thing is what if this brings us below the 45mph minimum, are we at fault, i.e. ticket-able, for being below the minimum or are we praised for complying with the "slow down" law?

I'm sure there is someone around here that could go to town on this. I just needed to vent! I could not believe I saw this going onto 635 yesterday.

[UNT90]

Exiting the highway or pulling all the way off the shoulder into the grass when getting pulled over may get you out of a ticket, depending on who stops you. If it's a motorcycle cop, forget about it, nothing short of a dying relative wll get you out of that ticket... then again...

[FirefightnRick]

I came across this yesterday, and it presents several scenarios that can only mean you are being inconsiderate, or just plain dumb:

If you are not yet aware, drivers are now required by law to slow way down when in the immediate passing lane of a cop/ticket scenario. .

Oh man don't get me started.

Plain stupid is more like it. And your required to either slow down, or move over for any emergency vehicle. Which leads back to the "just plain dumb" remark. Considering the fact that WE are driving something that weighs nearly 30 tons WE simply choose to clog and/or shut the whole freeway down. So the next time any of you come across a freeway turned parking lot for just a simple fender bender, blame no one other than the public. We personally don't care where your going or when you have to be there. WE want to go home just like everyone else. And if WE can shut the freeway down to help ensure that happens, so be it.

Rick

[UNTflyer]

When I first came to Texas 11 years ago, I was amazed at the methods of the driving citizenry. I saw cars pulling to the left shoulder. I saw cars stopping in the right lane. I saw cars pull over on highway ramps. I saw cars pulling over on bridges.

Does Texas DOT not have a driver's license exam question about the proper procedure for being pulled over?

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

When I first came to Texas 11 years ago, I was amazed at the methods of the driving citizenry. I saw cars pulling to the left shoulder. I saw cars stopping in the right lane. I saw cars pull over on highway ramps. I saw cars pulling over on bridges.

Does Texas DOT not have a driver's license exam question about the proper procedure for being pulled over?

-- Yes ... Tie your horse to the nearest tree but out of the roadway.

[keith]

I believe you are supposed to pull over immediately where ever you are as soon as the police officer turns his lights on or pops his siren. The police officer is the one responsible for making the public safety decision, not you. If the officer turns his lights on at the tail end of an on-ramp, he's made that choice consciously. You are suppose to stop there and pull over. Do not keep driving looking for a "safe" place to pull over.

Keith

[UNTflyer]

I believe you are supposed to pull over immediately where ever you are as soon as the police officer turns his lights on or pops his siren. The police officer is the one responsible for making the public safety decision, not you. If the officer turns his lights on at the tail end of an on-ramp, he's made that choice consciously. You are suppose to stop there and pull over. Do not keep driving looking for a "safe" place to pull over.

Keith

That's what I always do, and I've never been told by an officer not to do that.

[Quoner]

That's what I always do, and I've never been told by an officer not to do that.

I was pulled over once on a rural road outside of Austin with narrow shoulders. I put my hazards on and slowed down as the cop followed me to the next turn off. Once I pulled over safely, he thanked me for my courtesy and said he would overlook the speeding violation because of it.

[keith]

I was pulled over once on a rural road outside of Austin with narrow shoulders. I put my hazards on and slowed down as the cop followed me to the next turn off. Once I pulled over safely, he thanked me for my courtesy and said he would overlook the speeding violation because of it.

I did the same thing once and thought she was going to shot me for doing it. She was not at all happy that I did not pull over immediately even though it was a small two lane road with absolutely no sholder or anything else to pull over on.

The problem is you don't really know why the officer is telling you to stop (unless you are like Quoner who obviously knew he was speeding)...maybe there is a bridge out a mile ahead or some other hazard you're about to drive into.

Keith

[UNT90]

I did the same thing once and thought she was going to shot me for doing it. She was not at all happy that I did not pull over immediately even though it was a small two lane road with absolutely no sholder or anything else to pull over on.

The problem is you don't really know why the officer is telling you to stop (unless you are like Quoner who obviously knew he was speeding)...maybe there is a bridge out a mile ahead or some other hazard you're about to drive into.

Keith

I think we all petty much know why we are getting stopped when it happens.

A mile ahead?? No wonder she got mad. You don't get immunity if you cross state lines, ya know.

Edited November 10, 2009 by UNT90

[Rudy]

I believe you are supposed to pull over immediately where ever you are as soon as the police officer turns his lights on or pops his siren. The police officer is the one responsible for making the public safety decision, not you. If the officer turns his lights on at the tail end of an on-ramp, he's made that choice consciously. You are suppose to stop there and pull over. Do not keep driving looking for a "safe" place to pull over.Keith

Dude, are you serious?!?!?!?!?!?! Intentionally stop in an unsafe place for me and I will write you a citation for every violation I can find. If a police officer activates their lights and sirens, make sure you find a safe place to pull over. If you do not believe that it is a resonably safe location, turn on your hazards, acknowledge to the officer that you see them, and slowly continue to a safe location within resonable time/distance. If the officer asks why didnt you stop, politely inform them that you were looking for a safe place to pull over. Dont drive for 2 miles at 20mph, but if you see a parking lot ahead, pull in there. In the situation described, the officer probably activated their lights on the on ramp to prevent the subject vehicle from accelerating onto the highway when the officer is trying to initaite a traffic stop.

As for yeilding to ambulances and fire personnel, just do it. Its not uncommon for a police officer to be observing and watching for violators. Once you've known someone to have a F-150 fly by on a traffic stop just to have the mirror miss their head by inches, you tend to take yeilding to emergency vehicles very seriously.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Rudy

[keith]

I think we all petty much know why we are getting stopped when it happens.

A mile ahead?? No wonder she got mad. You don't get immunity if you cross state lines, ya know.

I didn't say I drove for a mile. I tried to express there may be some hazard ahead that you, the driver, are unaware of and that continuing may endanger you or the officer.

Keith

[keith]

Dude, are you serious?!?!?!?!?!?! Intentionally stop in an unsafe place for me and I will write you a citation for every violation I can find. If a police officer activates their lights and sirens, make sure you find a safe place to pull over. If you do not believe that it is a resonably safe location, turn on your hazards, acknowledge to the officer that you see them, and slowly continue to a safe location within resonable time/distance. If the officer asks why didnt you stop, politely inform them that you were looking for a safe place to pull over. Dont drive for 2 miles at 20mph, but if you see a parking lot ahead, pull in there. In the situation described, the officer probably activated their lights on the on ramp to prevent the subject vehicle from accelerating onto the highway when the officer is trying to initaite a traffic stop.

As for yeilding to ambulances and fire personnel, just do it. Its not uncommon for a police officer to be observing and watching for violators. Once you've known someone to have a F-150 fly by on a traffic stop just to have the mirror miss their head by inches, you tend to take yeilding to emergency vehicles very seriously.

In my particular situation, I did not intentionally stop in an unsafe place nor am I suggesting that you stop in a way that is obviously unsafe. I did exactly what you suggested. I felt that stopping where I was would have been unsafe for the officer. Narrow, two lane road with no shoulders ... basically pavement and then trees. I probably could have moved half the width of my car off the pavement resulting in blocking about half of my travel lane. So, I turned on my hazards and proceeded slowly for approximately 1/4 mile to a parking lot. I could tell she wasn't happy. I apoligized and said I didn't have anywhere to pull over safely. She informed me, quite emphatically, that that was *not* my decision to make. Further, by pulling into the parking lot I actually put her (exposed her) to more danger than I would have if I would have just stopped in the street. As I understood it, it was something about the way she had to position her vehicle or approach my vehicle as a result of not stopping on the side of the street.

Also, remember that video a few months about from a dashboard cam where the police officer forced a mini-van off the road because the driver didn't stop soon enough? That driver, with kids in the car, was looking for a safe place to stop. I think all the cops need to get together and decide once and for all what they want us to do.

Keith

[Rudy]

In my particular situation, I did not intentionally stop in an unsafe place nor am I suggesting that you stop in a way that is obviously unsafe. I did exactly what you suggested. I felt that stopping where I was would have been unsafe for the officer. Narrow, two lane road with no shoulders ... basically pavement and then trees. I probably could have moved half the width of my car off the pavement resulting in blocking about half of my travel lane. So, I turned on my hazards and proceeded slowly for approximately 1/4 mile to a parking lot. I could tell she wasn't happy. I apoligized and said I didn't have anywhere to pull over safely. She informed me, quite emphatically, that that was *not* my decision to make. Further, by pulling into the parking lot I actually put her (exposed her) to more danger than I would have if I would have just stopped in the street. As I understood it, it was something about the way she had to position her vehicle or approach my vehicle as a result of not stopping on the side of the street.

Also, remember that video a few months about from a dashboard cam where the police officer forced a mini-van off the road because the driver didn't stop soon enough? That driver, with kids in the car, was looking for a safe place to stop. I think all the cops need to get together and decide once and for all what they want us to do.

Keith

From the way you worded the previous message, it sounded like you were saying just to stop on the on ramp. In your case, she just sounds like a b!tch. Id just sit there and nod, sign the ticket, then take her attitude up with her superior. The only thing I can think she meant is if you didnt pull completly into the parking lot or if you stopped along a curb in the lot. I havent seen that video you described, Im definitely going to look for it now.