Question for our LE members

We call it "running priority" to a call with out any lights or siren.Yes we are the law. Yes we are suppose to follow all the laws everyone else has to as well. However, you are not the one to tell us when we are breaking a law as you have no idea as to when, where, or how we are doing our jobs.

It has been about a year ago now, but I was running priority to disturbance call at a handy way. It was very early in the AM and I am in an unmarked cruiser running about 90 down the interstate. A car comes flying up behind me, notices the spot light on the window, then pulls in behind me. About this time the dispatcher calls me off from the disturbance, so I went ahead and stopped the guy behind me. Long story short, he blew .001 short of a DUI, got a $295 ticket, 6points, and spent the night in the county jail.

Officers of the Law are always looking for a reason to stop you, it is our job. Give us a reason to stop you and we can almost always find something to give you a ticket for. Do not provoke us by sliding in behind us even if we are speeding.

Soemtimes it is just faster to drive fast without lights and siren than it is to use your emergecny equipment. Some people see the lights and hear the siren then freak out, whereas if you just push a little, they will move becasue they are used to it. I am talking interstate driving to an emergency call. Surface streets are different with traffic control devices you should be running all emergency equipment, IMO.

pcfrisch,
I would definitely stop a black van weaving in and out of traffic no matter what plates he had, esp. acting like an idiot.

Truckers are nothing special. I will stop them just like any other driver. A little leniency sometimes if their record is clean because their job depends on their ability to drive.

Oh, and 90% of cops will not stop you for 5-10 over unless they ahve another reason, and if you do get stopped solely for 5-10 over, very minute percentage would be cited. Around here...people are rarely stopped for less than 15 over unless the cop needs a look into the car or see ssomething else suspicious.

clubt said:

Alfman,

Thanks for the info. Is it true that your radar does work if you are in front on the highway or any other road for that mater and you can get an accurate read of the car behind you or do you have to be driving at a predetermined speed in order for your radar to give you an accurate read. Thanks for the info and thanks for keeping our roads safe.

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If the radar has a rear antenna and a "same direction" mode...yes he can get an accurate reading pretty much no matter what speed he is going. Sometimes it is harder to get a reading if you are going the same speed as the traffic around you though. Depends on the radar unit and its technology.

I give 19 over before I even consider writing. Of course I have a soft spot for Mustangs...it hurt me the other day writing a 16 y.o. for 50/25 in a '95 GT.:sosad:

AussieMustangGT,
I wouldn't suggest following an officer that is speeding. Like it was said earlier...he could be going to a call, get disregarded and pull you over for speeding. At least in Ohio, prima-facie speed limits do not apply to safety vehicles which are responding to calls with emerency lights/siren activated (4511.24). They still have to maintain a due regard for safety. However, certain types of calls make it impossible to run with lights and sirens. People don't want me ripping code 3 to every alarm, but they sure as heck don't want me taking my time either.

clubt said:

I would be very careful. In MA, as I'm sure in most other states the state troopers travel in the fast lane with their speed radar on pointing behind them in the rear window. If you travel behind at the same speed you're running the risk of getting a ticket. I've seen it before on I 495 in my area. If you're looking for a little insurance get a radar detector. I have the Escort 8500 Blue. Works great even against laser. A few hundred busks for a radar detector is better than points on your driving record and insurance surcharges.

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Some radar detectors also detect laser, but chances are, they will not warn you until after you have already earned yourself a ticket, just an FYI from an officer that uses both radar and laser, but really loves his laser gun. It would be foolish to rely on your detector for laser; radar is another story. As an LEO, my advice to those that have a lead foot is to try and not be fastest person driving on the road; as long as there is someone going faster, you probably will not be stopped. Besides, where does anyone have to go that fast. A commmon denominator in many traffic crashes is speed and some combination of inattention and/or incompetence behind the wheel (remember that 40,000+ a year die in traffic crashes). That is the law enforcement side of me speaking. As someone that really loves his mustang, I would ask if is worth f'ing up your baby, and the answer is no (ironically there are quite a few accident pics on this thread). I must ask though, have you recently received a ticket? Generally a topic such as this does not get started until someone has. Not to sound like an a**hole, but please, do not worry about why LEO's are speeding. Trust me, we have our reasons (and I could list plenty), and most are legit, but it is true we occassionally do slip up. But anyways, just didn't want you to rely too heavily on being protected against laser, cause your not.