Beware of stopped police cars (most all states)

[Oberon]

Probably brought in because of the amount of officers nearly killed, or indeed killed, by traffic whilst arresting or interrogating someone at the side of the road. Like this:







The primary problem here lies not with the law itself, which is well intentioned (if someone draconianly implemented) but the lack of publicity surrounding the law, which may or may not be deliberate.
Hopefully this thread and the Snopes article, as well as the email/facebook post going around which is probably where this is from will help to educate people and help people avoid unnecessary fines.

[Stealhead]

The law seems reasonable to me it only applies to an emergency vehicle Police,Fire,EMT when it is on part of the road or very near to it and has the lights going it is a safety issue people used to just cruise on past at the normal speeds often though they are staring at what is happening on the side of the road and wind up hitting someone or something it is to force people to slow down when the rightly should be.Many wrecker crews are also killed or seriously injured each year.

Even if it is just one cop car how do you know what they are doing?They could be looking for someone on foot or they might have removed something form the road tons of possibilities.

More cops die getting hit by regular motorists than any other way and many other first responders also get killed or injured.In many departments it is considered too dangerous for the officer to stand on the driver side so they approach from the passenger side.

It has been the law in Florida for nearly 10 years now and it actually got voted in by amendment so the majority of the people in the state wanted it and voted for it a rare example of an actually useful law being approved.The law is very well known about in Florida.

The fact that the law is not common knowledge in some states is a failing as to its actual purpose.

Fines from tickets do not go to the cops either they go to the county city or state depending on what kind of LE gave you the ticket and if you where in an incorporated or unincorporated part of a county.Grants are most often what gives cops raises and allows them to hire new ones.How do I know this my buddies wife works in the admins section for the Sanford International Airports Police Department she helps apply for the grants and there is one that looks at traffic performance so watch yourself in June July and August the months that they look at for that particular grant which gives money to purchase equipment.There are grants designed specifically for the hiring of new cops though not for raises for current ones that just me being a smart alec.

Regular citizens can get grants as well so do not feel left out.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I was on an Italian autostrada with a police car up ahead and two police in the road, one lugging a shed tyre, the other one with his hand up to slow/stop me. I came to a standstill about 20' away from the first one, watched the other one struggle with the tyre, eventually he was halfway across the next lane and the closest one waved me on so I stick it in gear and started to move. All of a sudden the same one jumps in front of me and starts shouting in Italian, I shout back in English he comes to my window and shouts more, I shout more - all the time my work colleague if sat next to me saying 'Tony, he's got a gun'.

Indignant, I was in the right and shouted more until the cop took a couple of steps back and pulled his gun. I stopped shouting. The other cop came over and thanked me for stopping and told me to drive. I didn't need telling twice.

After that we arrived at the 'Grotto di Frassasi' (fascinating caves) and got stuck on a German-language tour.

[eddie]

We've had this law for a bit now, too many troopers have been hit while standing near a car they have pulled over. No big deal, slowing down and moving over is better then running a trooper down!

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by eddie

We've had this law for a bit now, too many troopers have been hit while standing near a car they have pulled over. No big deal, slowing down and moving over is better then running a trooper down!

Florida Highway Patrol -



Cleveland Police and Ohio State Troopers -



Texas Highway Patrol -



Not exactly highly visible are they? Maybe if they'd at least meet the drivers half-way on this . . .

[soopaman2]

You touched on something here Herr-Berbunch.

I work on a road construction crew, and am required to wear a reflective vest, even in the cab of my machinery.

The police unions will never agree, it makes the officers look fat, orange and green is so 80s, plus it makes it harder for them to reach their ticketbook, taser or firearm, complete pain in the backside.
Plus it would negate this law, taking another township revenue producer from them. Then how else would the local township commit graft, there's only so many public contracts they can rig.

[eddie]

Flashing lights on the roof of their cars is usually a dead giveaway that they are there!

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

<snip>

I agree 100%.

Our local cops just changed the paint on most of their vehicles a couple of years ago (although some still have the "old color"), I don't know what they were thinking...

Old Livery:


New Livery:


Good luck seeing that vehicle parked on the side of the road at night if its lights are off.

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

I was on an Italian autostrada with a police car up ahead and two police in the road, one lugging a shed tyre, the other one with his hand up to slow/stop me. I came to a standstill about 20' away from the first one, watched the other one struggle with the tyre, eventually he was halfway across the next lane and the closest one waved me on so I stick it in gear and started to move. All of a sudden the same one jumps in front of me and starts shouting in Italian, I shout back in English he comes to my window and shouts more, I shout more - all the time my work colleague if sat next to me saying 'Tony, he's got a gun'.

Indignant, I was in the right and shouted more until the cop took a couple of steps back and pulled his gun. I stopped shouting. The other cop came over and thanked me for stopping and told me to drive. I didn't need telling twice.

After that we arrived at the 'Grotto di Frassasi' (fascinating caves) and got stuck on a German-language tour.

Your lucky you were not robbed, and at worse shot. Italian cops make NYC cops look like boy scouts. I say that from experience, most of them took corruption, and citizen disdain to a new level. But my experiences come in the south. (Messina)

I won't go into detail, but it involved an American 20 bill, and my cigarettes being lifted from my pocket, then being told in broken english to move on or go to jail. (He pointed at the road, said GO now, and strummed his hands on his batman belt, fingers gently kissing his firearm. )

Good thing everything else was in the trunk with my luggage, or I would have been begging an embassy for the money to come back. Something tells me, they wanted more. I am just happy they didn't molest my old lady.
One hell of a welcome back to the land of my ancestors!

Italy is beautiful though, I would have stayed if they were not 1000 times as corrupt as we were, made me grateful for our jackbooted cops.

I agree though, laws should be known, and if new obscure laws are legislated, then they should inform, even if it costs money. After all, they will be recieving tons of revenue enforcing it, they should at least give us a chance to be law abiding, rather than entrapping us.