Can Law Enforcement create unsafe situations?

[Sinister]

Yesterday, I was pulling a smaller oversized load across US 35 in Ohio, just outside of Gallipolis, headed to Nitro, WV. I wasn't even close to speeding, as that is a really stupid thing to do with an oversized load. An Ohio trooper coming the other way flipped in the median, followed me for a few miles, then finally decides to pull me over.

The place he pulled me over at, in my opinion, was not a very safe one. I was right along side the highway, and all I dared to go over the fog line was about a foot and a half before I got into really soft grass, or a dropoff or god knows what.

There wasn't really a lot of traffic, I drive decent equipment, we haul big crap all the time (in fact this 11' wide bucket is tiny compared to some stuff), and I really have no idea what prompted Tpr. TooMuchCologne to stop me.

Well, up he comes on the right side, trapesing through 14 inches of wet grass, and proceeds to tell me he "just wants to check permits." He looks at everything except my log book, decides it's all in order, and let's me go.

No harm, no foul. This time.

Additionally, I always wondered why Ohio troopers, when they have someone pulled over at night, have their friggin high beams, and spot lights pointed into oncoming traffic. I'm almost positive it's a policy, as I see it all the time, but why?

Can law enforcement, in doing their job, create unsafe situations? I think from time to time, they can, and do.

 

[Cybergal]

Can law enforcement, in doing their job, create unsafe situations? I think from time to time, they can, and do.

The answer is yes they can....

For one, not all officers are experienced around 18 wheelers. An example would be city/county cops.

We had an incident with one of our 18 wheelers in the city of Lansing.

This officer by the description of our driver was totally off his game. lol

He tried to stop an 18 wheeler right on Saginaw Street where the traffic is really conjested.

The Trucker (thinking Safety) decided to take his truck to the best place possible and pull into a Walmart parking lot out of the Street.

The officer flew mad at the driver because he would not stop when he was alerted to do so.

Reason for stopping in the first place, was to only check permits.

At this time, I was on the line with the driver and listening to the cop rant and rave about how he did not stop. The cop was threatening a ticket and other harsh offenses.

The driver kept repeating safety issues and traffic and so on as to why he decided to stop down the street in a much bigger space.

Another Cop happened along, one with a stripe or two on his uniform, told the Cop to nevermind, that the driver did the right thing.

So...YES if the driver would have stopped dead on Saginaw Street, there could have been more problems.

Cops do make mistakes!

 

[rebel]

I'm not sure regarding CDL's but drivers are allowed under law to pull over at the first available safe place. If it's not safe you are allowed to proceed at a slow pace, waving to the officer to follow you, until you can safely stop the vehicle out of the roadway.
I've beaten tickets where the cop said otherwise and the alternative, if officer jackass wishes, is to stop immediately right in the lane of traffic and see how safe that is.
The usual threat is failure to yield to blue lights, or some variation.
That's BS.
In most states, if it's unmarked car or plainclothes, you actually have the right to drive to the nearest police station before stopping, again at safe speed and signaling your intentions. You can then request the presence of a uniformed officer.

 

[Larry]

I'm not sure regarding CDL's but drivers are allowed under law to pull over at the first available safe place. If it's not safe you are allowed to proceed at a slow pace, waving to the officer to follow you, until you can safely stop the vehicle out of the roadway.
I've beaten tickets where the cop said otherwise and the alternative, if officer jackass wishes, is to stop immediately right in the lane of traffic and see how safe that is.
The usual threat is failure to yield to blue lights, or some variation.
That's BS.
In most states, if it's unmarked car or plainclothes, you actually have the right to drive to the nearest police station before stopping, again at safe speed and signaling your intentions. You can then request the presence of a uniformed officer.

Not only are you keeping yourself safe, the officer should be thankful you are being considered of pulling over to safe place and if it's at a night a well lit area. How many times have you heard of a officer being shot in a unlit area at night or struck because there wasn't enough room between the shoulder and road?

 

[Roadmedic]

I'm not sure regarding CDL's but drivers are allowed under law to pull over at the first available safe place. If it's not safe you are allowed to proceed at a slow pace, waving to the officer to follow you, until you can safely stop the vehicle out of the roadway.
I've beaten tickets where the cop said otherwise and the alternative, if officer jackass wishes, is to stop immediately right in the lane of traffic and see how safe that is.
The usual threat is failure to yield to blue lights, or some variation.
That's BS.
In most states, if it's unmarked car or plainclothes, you actually have the right to drive to the nearest police station before stopping, again at safe speed and signaling your intentions. You can then request the presence of a uniformed officer.

It is advisable during the stop by an unmarked and you are going to keep driving, you should dial 911 and advise them.

 

[2xR]

Cocaine Cowboys

Here in NC, especially in Durham County, the local Cocaine Cowboys (local county/city leos) have decided it is effective, or, looks really cool, to park their cruisers sideways in the breakdown lanes of the interstate. I suppose this allows them a better view of the motoring public which makes the profiling they do easier to accomplish.

However, when trying to navigate four lanes of traffic, of which a big truck can only use two of, at 65+mph, stuck in the right lane, it makes it a little uncomfortable to zip past, 8" off their front bumper. Dayum! Have they not noticed the beat up guard rails and concrete barriers along the interstate?

All it's gonna' take is a blown R/F steer tire, or, just plain errant driving, and, that tin badged dummy is gonna' be patrolling the netherworld.

Oh! How 'bout the Creeper Cop that pulls a truck for a roadside inspection when there is a Hen-house another mile or two down the road? Brilliant.

 

[panhandlepat]

the new LED's on LEO's and other emergency vehicles are blindingly bright at night. especially if more than one are stopped together.

 

[Sinisters Wife]

In most states, if it's unmarked car or plainclothes, you actually have the right to drive to the nearest police station before stopping, again at safe speed and signaling your intentions. You can then request the presence of a uniformed officer.

This was in the news at one point a couple years back because people (woman) were being pulled over at night by unmarked cars and it was not cops. It is scary to think the person pulling you over might mean you harm. Most people hear sirens and they pull over not thinking they could be hurt.

 

[Roadmedic]

the new LED's on LEO's and other emergency vehicles are blindingly bright at night. especially if more than one are stopped together.

If we call for a helicopter for the patient we have to have all strobes turned off. They hinder their vision and they cannot see.


I would think we would have the same problem.

 

[Sinisters Wife]

Tpr. TooMuchCologne

He probably came accross too many nasty non bathing stink butts when pulling them over and decided to wear enough cologna that he himself can even smell it and not the gross people.

 

[Mike]

Here in NC, especially in Durham County, the local Cocaine Cowboys (local county/city leos) have decided it is effective, or, looks really cool, to park their cruisers sideways in the breakdown lanes of the interstate. I suppose this allows them a better view of the motoring public which makes the profiling they do easier to accomplish.

I had almost forgot about the Cocaine Cowboys until my trip to Cincy this week. There they were, in their same location in Tennessee that they have always perched on I-40. Not only do they get a chub by screwing up trafffic, but they add to the misery by doing it where trucks are still restricted to 55mph.

 

[panhandlepat]

I had almost forgot about the Cocaine Cowboys until my trip to Cincy this week. There they were, in their same location in Tennessee that they have always perched on I-40. Not only do they get a chub by screwing up trafffic, but they add to the misery by doing it where trucks are still restricted to 55mph.

man seems they are ALWAYS there outside memphis!!!

 

[Sinister]

Somebody actually voted "I Don't Know."

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I guess I'm not sure why I even put it in there now that I think about it.