OpticalSerenity
New member
Very good post Thesacrifice, I agree 110%
Why do police leave their flashing lights on?
- Thread starter mikebai1990
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
thesacrifice said:
Yeah, that incident was a sobering reality-check about what you guys might have to deal with at every traffic stop. Forget where I read about it, but it stuck in my memory.
And there was a dash-cam video on the local news the other night- an Ohio trooper's car (and the SUV he'd stopped) getting hit by an out-of-control driver. That was *with* the lights on too.
285ferrari
New member
From a police officer---lights for safety--
Gonzo0903 said:
Gonzo: I know EXACTLY where you are coming from. I get very irate when I see other motorists who fail to yield to emergency vehicles. Personally, I am glad that the person who did that to you guys got nailed. I recall an incident some time ago where a CFD pumper was rolling code 3 to an alarm and it got hit by an idiot who did not want to yield. The firefighter was killed and the investigation showed that the driver of the vehicle that struck the fire truck was drunk. There have been incidents where CFD EMS vehicles were hit and rolled because of idiots who don't yield.
On the police side, I recall an IL state trooper who was killed by someone who ran into the squad on I-290. The trooper was on a routine traffic stop.
imported_truzoom
New member
On a related note, does anyone know why it takes a cop so long to do anything when you get pulled over? I assume they are probably checking the license plate, but does that really take 10 minutes to do? It almost feels like some sort of psychological torture to just have to sit there and wait to get a ticket.
imported_Yal
New member
truzoom said:
I think they are waiting for feedback on your name, license and registration from the computer or dispatcher to see if a red flag gets thrown. Also it looks like the ticket book is a real pain in the *** to fill out.
imported_Yal
New member
I just found out from my AAA magazine that NY State has a pull to the left lane law when a Police Officer has pulled someone over on the highway. It does say that the motorist must do it if it is reasonable to do so, if not they must slow down.
I also remember now that the State with the heavily enforced version of this law is Georgia. Close to $700 fine for some people there!
I also remember now that the State with the heavily enforced version of this law is Georgia. Close to $700 fine for some people there!
Gonzo0903 said:
Reminds me of a situation I found myself in years ago. At a 4-way stop I saw a pumper truck approaching me with lights and siren. I sat still at the stop sign waiting for the truck to clear the intersection, but a kid in an old Camaro approached the stop from my right, swiveled his head, then pulled out practically in front of the fire truck. He stopped after a car length or so, but the truck had already started to swerve to avoid him. It was raining and the fire truck went into a full sideways slide. There's nothing quite like the experience of watching a fire truck with a full load of water sliding sideways right towards you. It must have been especially fun for the guys hanging on the back of the truck, too.
The truck wound up sideways in the middle of the intersection, barely missing the Camaro. The kid in the Camaro was shaking in his seat and the fireman on the back jumped off and ran straight towards him, then stopped and directed the truck driver to help him back up in a hurry. That kid must've had to go change his pants when he got home.
Accumulator
Well-known member
truzoom said:
As Yal said, they're waiting to see if your vehicle/plates trigger any red flags (these days that probably includes finding out if you've been issued a CCW permit). And they're reporting their position. Remember that they're preparing for what could be a potentially fatal encounter, they don't know you're a good guy and they have to prepare for the worst-case scenario. [insert lecture on how to behave during a traffic stop here]
thesacrifice
New member
accumulator... location goes out before the lights come on 
Accumulator
Well-known member
thesacrifice- Ah, that makes sense (seems obvious now that you've pointed it out). See how little civilians know about how you guys do things 
Yea, I only wish there were troops/sheriffs/city police around to witness stuff I see on the road everyday!
Once on a road with quite a bit of traffic, I saw a white F150 swerving violently between lanes and cutting people off... at the end, they cut across three lanes and made a right turn, right in front of me. I hit my horn (mainly because I already saw them coming up in my mirror and witnessed them for a while, and was already pissed off)... but also because there was a trooper sitting at a light in the opposite direction, in clear view of all the actions happening.
Oh, and did I mention there were two girls who looked like young teenagers sitting the bed of this pickup?
The trooper didn't even look up, despite my honk at the truck who nearly cut me off.
It is sad, too, because those people who often committ armed crimes are usually in possession illegally or do not carry permits.
I think, for the most part, the officer is ok if you tell him/her up front that you have a weapon in the car... I'm guessing they ask "do you have anything in your car I should know about"... this would probably be the time to say it.
In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think you need a CCW/CHL to carry a weapon in the car, so long as its not concealed on your person... I may be wrong though.
Once on a road with quite a bit of traffic, I saw a white F150 swerving violently between lanes and cutting people off... at the end, they cut across three lanes and made a right turn, right in front of me. I hit my horn (mainly because I already saw them coming up in my mirror and witnessed them for a while, and was already pissed off)... but also because there was a trooper sitting at a light in the opposite direction, in clear view of all the actions happening.
Oh, and did I mention there were two girls who looked like young teenagers sitting the bed of this pickup?
The trooper didn't even look up, despite my honk at the truck who nearly cut me off.
Accumulator said:
It is sad, too, because those people who often committ armed crimes are usually in possession illegally or do not carry permits.
I think, for the most part, the officer is ok if you tell him/her up front that you have a weapon in the car... I'm guessing they ask "do you have anything in your car I should know about"... this would probably be the time to say it.
In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think you need a CCW/CHL to carry a weapon in the car, so long as its not concealed on your person... I may be wrong though.
thesacrifice
New member
You cant carry a loaded pistol in your car without a license. Seperate the magazines from the pistol and make sure you dont have a round chamberd.
If you have a weapon, let them know...better you tell them it exists and where it is then them finding it on their own and you meeting the bang bang end of theirs.
If you have a weapon, let them know...better you tell them it exists and where it is then them finding it on their own and you meeting the bang bang end of theirs.
Accumulator
Well-known member
thesacrifice- And keep both hands on the top of the steering wheel and explain your actions before you do them ("my registration is in the glovebox, want me to get it out for you?"), huh? I really do sypathize with you guys...you simply never know what's gonna happen.
paul34- On the weapon-in-the-vehicle, the regs are gonna vary from place to place. Here in Ohio even CCW holders have to follow specific plain-sight stipulations regarding this (at the insistance of the Highway Patrol, it's the only way they agreed to support the CCW permits).
And if I saw somebody driving like that F-150, I'd reach for the cell and call it in. I too have wondered "how could [a LEO] *not* see that, why isn't he doing something about that" but it seems like every time I see something that I want to phone in, I've forgotten my cell phone
paul34- On the weapon-in-the-vehicle, the regs are gonna vary from place to place. Here in Ohio even CCW holders have to follow specific plain-sight stipulations regarding this (at the insistance of the Highway Patrol, it's the only way they agreed to support the CCW permits).
And if I saw somebody driving like that F-150, I'd reach for the cell and call it in. I too have wondered "how could [a LEO] *not* see that, why isn't he doing something about that" but it seems like every time I see something that I want to phone in, I've forgotten my cell phone