A question for police

[Keyser Söze]

OK, so being that there are a good amount of cops here, and this is one of my biggest pet peaves, and I encounter it literally every week of my life, multiple times most weeks, I gotta ask...

Why is it that like 99 time out of a 100 a cop will pull over a car going (as an example) 5 miles over the limit to ticket them, but they pretty much never ticket the people going 10 miles UNDER the limit.

It is the people driving significantly under the speed limits that pose a danger to others, as they cause others to tailgate them in long lines and swerve around them. (studies have come to the same conclusion, and groups have pushed for higher speed limits as a result)

This bugs the shit out of me. The guy going 10 miles over the limit on the open road poses pretty much no risk to anyone, yet he is almost guaranteed to get a ticket if he drives past a cop. Whereas a person going 10 miles+ under the limit on a crowded road causes tailgating, huge lines of backups, people having to go around, traffic accidents, etc. and poses a MAJOR danger and risk, and yet they are pretty much never ticketed. CLEARLY they are impeding the flow of traffic, and yet, no ticket...pretty much ever. The guy going 10 over on an open country road, though? Ticket every time. Seems pretty ass backwards to me...

/rant

 

[Guest]

Re: A question for police

In all honesty I see what your saying, but fail to understand what you mean.

You think increasing ones speed makes them safer, were as decreasing same increases danger?
I believe it's called Speed limit for that is the max legal speed to which your "Average" driver can handle under most conditions. The words, Safe an/or Prudent, come to mind.

Are you saying there should be different category's of speed limits which drivers should be allowed, based on their ability's?

 

[Graham]

Re: A question for police

Is there an 'impeding traffic' statute in your state? If so, what does it say?

 

[Keyser Söze]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gunfighter14e2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In all honesty I see what your saying, but fail to understand what you mean.

You think increasing ones speed makes them safer, were as decreasing same increases danger?
I believe it's called Speed limit for that is the max legal speed to which your "Average" driver can handle under most conditions. The words, Safe an Prudent, come to mind here.

Are you saying there should be different category's of speed limits which drivers should be allowed, based on their ability's?
</div></div>

Its pretty simple, why do cops write millions upon millions of tickets a year for speeding, many for going just a couple miles over the limit, but rarely ever write tickets for people impeding traffic by going sigificantly under the limit, causing backups and other traffic dangers?

While this has always bothered me, what prompted me to post this is what happened to me today. I was on a road with very heavy traffic and a 55 MPH limit. The person in front of the line was going INSANELY slow. we never topped 35, and ranged from 30-35 the whole time. The backup of cars was, at the time I looked, at least 30+. I was about 7 or so cars back.


Now what drove me insane was the fact that a few cars behind the person in the front of the line holding up traffic was a cop car. But he did nothing, just drove the 20-25 miles under the limit with the rest of us. (plus nobody would pass the slow person either, becasue of the cop beiong there and likely ticketeing them)

Now imaging how the same cop would have reacted if that person was going not 25 miles under the limit, but just 10 or 15 over the limit? He wouldn't have been able to get his lights on fast enough. But someone driving 20-25 under the limit, causing a major backup and severely impeding traffic was apparantly fine with him.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is there an 'impeding traffic' statute in your state? If so, what does it say? </div></div>

Honestly, not sure.

The incident today that prompted this (and many others, as I am up in MI a lot) though happened over the border in Michigan, and the first result on a google search for "impeding traffic" brings up this:


MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE (EXCERPT)
Act 300 of 1949


257.676b Interference with normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic prohibited; exception; violation as civil infraction.

Sec. 676b.

(1) A person, without authority, shall not block, obstruct, impede, or otherwise interfere with the normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic upon a public street or highway in this state, by means of a barricade, object, or device, or with his or her person.




Seems like going no faster than 20 MPH under the limit in pretty heavy traffic, with huge a line of 30+ cars behind you and rapidly growing, most definitely falls under this category. The cop in line with the rest of us obviously disagreed though.

 

[USAFDoug]

Re: A question for police

Maybe it's a sign for you to slow down a little bit?!

 

[Guest]

Re: A question for police

I was not there, but you will not get a ticket for passing a Leo while doing the speed limit, unless his lights are on. Sounds like he may have been in fact escorting, for one reason or the other. Driving slower than the posted is not unlawful, impeding flow is. Based on your observation if the lead car was not ticketed by the following LEO, I'd bet there's more to the story.

When a person makes a couscous decision to vent anger over another's placement on the road nothing good, will come of that anger.

Being late from the gate, is a very poor excuse to speed, then trying to recoup that time while on the road, compounds the problem,...many die every year do to that.

 

[Graham]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Keyser Söze</div><div class="ubbcode-body">257.676b Interference with normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic prohibited; exception; violation as civil infraction. Sec. 676b.(1) A person, without authority, shall not block, obstruct, impede, or otherwise interfere with the normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic upon a public street or highway in this state, by means of a barricade, object, or device, or with his or her person.... The cop in line with the rest of us obviously disagreed though.</div></div>Was it on a highway, and if so is there a minimum speed established for that stretch of road (like 45mph, 25mph below the speed limit on an interstate for example)?

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: A question for police

This shit annoys me too. My wife and I got stuck in traffic for 2 hours on a major highway heading towards Erie PA. Speed limit was 65. Traffic in both lanes was at a crawl, less than 10mph, and often times stopped dead. And why? Because two tractor trailers decided to drive parallel to each other, blocking both lanes from getting around them, and drive slow as hell. It actually made the local news on the radio. Traffic was backed up for 15 miles because of these two fucking idiots. If you cant keep atleast go the speed limit, then get the fuck off the road

 

[Yeticowboy]

Re: A question for police

"Because everyone going the same speed on the same road, just don't make any sense." - Ron White

 

[SniperCJ]

Re: A question for police

Well...bye...

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2688147&page=1

 

[LR-WSM]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Keyser Söze</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

While this has always bothered me, what prompted me to post this is what happened to me today. I was on a road with very heavy traffic and a 55 MPH limit. The person in front of the line was going INSANELY slow. we never topped 35, and ranged from 30-35 the whole time. The backup of cars was, at the time I looked, at least 30+. I was about 7 or so cars back.


Now what drove me insane was the fact that a few cars behind the person in the front of the line holding up traffic was a cop car. But he did nothing, just drove the 20-25 miles under the limit with the rest of us. (plus nobody would pass the slow person either, becasue of the cop beiong there and likely ticketeing them)

</div></div>

My dog died, that was a funeral procession you were stuck in

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SniperCJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well...bye...

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2688147&page=1 </div></div>

I dont feel my post said anything bad about police. Actually I didnt even write the word police in my post. Im more annoyed with people who drive like idiots and dont get in trouble for it

 

[notquiteright]

Re: A question for police

I'm curious just how the OP documented the 99 out of 100

Now EVERY cop I've spoken to gives 5 over as not worth the time and effort to write. That is 100 out of 100 for those who went to public school.

I have gotten a ticket or two over the years and been fortunate enough to have the state trooper write it as 5 over but I can assure you I was doing a good bit over that.

Pennsylvania must be the exception to the rule. Cops routinely let folks drive 15 over the limit. Drive 76 at the posted limit and lil old ladies fly by flipping you the bird. Cops pull over the numnulls who weave through traffic as if all that actually gains you more than 5 minutes. (Jersey folk mostly but you know those New Yorkers can be just as bad

)

Impeding traffic would then be those who do the posted speed limit.

There have been interesting and provocative threads in here-

I don't see this as one.

 

[jr81452]

Re: A question for police

Look to the civil fines for your answer. Often speeding caries a heavier fine than a moving violation.

 

[Slapchop]

Re: A question for police

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[Maggot]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Keyser Söze</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK, so being that there are a good amount of cops here, and this is one of my biggest pet peaves, and I encounter it literally every week of my life, multiple times most weeks, I gotta ask...

Why is it that like 99 time out of a 100 a cop will pull over a car going (as an example) 5 miles over the limit to ticket them, but they pretty much never ticket the people going 10 miles UNDER the limit.

It is the people driving significantly under the speed limits that pose a danger to others, as they cause others to tailgate them in long lines and swerve around them. (studies have come to the same conclusion, and groups have pushed for higher speed limits as a result)

This bugs the shit out of me. The guy going 10 miles over the limit on the open road poses pretty much no risk to anyone, yet he is almost guaranteed to get a ticket if he drives past a cop. Whereas a person going 10 miles+ under the limit on a crowded road causes tailgating, huge lines of backups, people having to go around, traffic accidents, etc. and poses a MAJOR danger and risk, and yet they are pretty much never ticketed. CLEARLY they are impeding the flow of traffic, and yet, no ticket...pretty much ever. The guy going 10 over on an open country road, though? Ticket every time. Seems pretty ass backwards to me...

/rant </div></div>

Personally, I dont ever recall getting a ticket for 5 over, ususlly not even for anything under 10 on the interstate. I think most cops know that the roads are good for those speeds. What will get you a ticket is weaving in and out or going much faster than the limit...or faster than the general flow of traffic.

To offer a GOOD COP POST

, out in Utah where the speed limit was 80, I got clocked for 93. The officer checked to make sure I wasnt wanted for anything, then hummed a bit and asked me "If I give you a break will you slow down?". I gave him my word and he let me go without even a warning ticket...and I kept my word.

I agree that driving too slow is often as much as a menace but if its legal what can he do...unless your "recklessly endangering" some how.

 

[Maggot]

Re: A question for police

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Slapchop</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bKOJJzMDHjI"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bKOJJzMDHjI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object> </div></div>

Slap, its Joisee. Whatcha exspect.

 

[Rookie]

Re: A question for police

Simple. Unless there is a posted minimum speed, it is not illegal to drive below the limit. Cops dont make the rules we enforce them.

 

[Pok]

Re: A question for police

That was awesome.

I think its law in NJ that you must stay right unless passing though, so The cop could have ticked him if he chose to. What kind of retard stays in the left lane and lets himself be tailgated by the police.

 

[Graham]

Re: A question for police

Michigan recently changed the law to forbid travelling in the left lane. The idea is that the left lane is to be used for passing, after which you pull back into the right lane.

So far it's been a successful law enforcement tool: for pulling-over drivers from surrounding states.

And the law says nothing about taking a mile to pass a car because you are only doing one half mile per hour above the speed limit.

 

[desertrat1979]

Re: A question for police

Someone mentioned earlier that for the act to be a violation there must be a law for it to fall under. You also need to look at it from diffrent perspectives. Unless the officer is running radar, or in the traffic themselves, its kind of hard to notice 5 or even 10 under the limit. If you see all the cars going at the same speed, it doesn't exactly jump out at you as opposed to a car exceeding the limit, passing the rest, and therefore catching the officers attention.

Here we have a law that states a delay of 4 vehicles or more is a violation. Also, I am sure all the basic academies teach the same stuff, and after recalling my training, more emphasis was placed on determining speed that exceeded the speed limit. The training could very well be used for driving under, but the practical applications focused on drivers going above the limit.

So in a nutshell, unless there is a statute saying so, and/or it grabs the attention of the officer, it is less likely that you will get stopped for going too slow.

And yes, it drives me nuts too.

 

[Kinsman]

Re: A question for police

On a two lane road, without a posted min. speed limit, I can go as slow as I want to, as long as I keep moving.
If I stop, I am then impeding traffic. Where I stays, the interstates are marked Minimum Speed 40 MPH.
I have often wondered how long I could drive 45 during rush hour before a cop stopped me.
I really do not care how slow a driver goes, in the right lane, as long as he stays out of the fast lane.