Question about LEO Vehicle driving patterns

cobb

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Thought I would ask this to see if I can get clearificationas to whats going on and how I should respond or expect.

Ive notice on a few cirsumstances I will have a marked police car ride my bumper, then pass me.

I had this on a road where I was 3 miles over the limit, so I slowed to under the limit. Should I slow to the limit if I am over, speed up if under or what? I turned off and he passed me.

When on the interstate going the limit and not in the left lane, I get state police who tailgate me, then zip off and pull someone else over.When I am in the left lane going well over the limit, they pass me like any other car as I try to keep it under 80.

When going the right turn on red, which I love, I can guarantee if a cop is around, he will pull up to my bumper, then drive off rather they slow down and make a turn or speed up and pass. When I see that, again I go under the limit and keep a hand on the turn signal to make sure I dont forget to move it to turn.

Just wondering....
 

scott.cr

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Over here the police tend to tailgate when they want to pass you.

I've actually accelerated to 85 mph with a CHP on my butt, to go around slower traffic and yield the fast lane.

Or maybe you just make good cover for Smoky. ;-)

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just don't do anything stupid.
 

Glass

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When a cop pulls close to your rear, he is reading your plate, then checking your driving status to see if you are someone he needs to stop (suspended or wanted). I do it all the time and I have to pull close because I want to make sure I have the right plate. When I find someone who is suspended or wanted, I'll give them a mile or two do something illegal (everyone does, seriously) then I stop the vehicle.

That is how you catch people with arrest warrants...

Patrick

PS: I hate it when people slow down to way lower than the limit just because I'm behind them. If the conditions require gojng less than the posted limit, than great. But if the conditions don't then it creates a totally different hazard by backing traffic up.
 

springbok

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i concur with glass. I do it all the time too. Nothing worse than typing in the wrong plate. haha
 

benchmade_boy

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i was driving with my mom in her mini-van from a town that is about an hour from where we live, i was coming home from a docotrs visit whenever i see the unmarked trooper(i think) pull off the road then flip around and tialgate me for over 10 miles i got over in the left lane when we came to a passing lane, he never went around. then we reached the outskirts or a small town and they dissipeared. but why do you think thed had to folow me for over 10 miles? do they think a lot of felons drive mini-vans?

my mom called my step dad while they were bihind me and he said to sloowly rool down the window, then stick my hand out the door, then flip um the bird:laughing:
 

Manzerick

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the worst thing was when I would get behind a car they would jam on thier brakes. This even occured when they would just see my MU. I agree it is very unsafe to jam on your brakes if a cop is around (unless your don't 100 of course lol)
 

Diesel_Bomber

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I'd say if you're not doing anything wrong, you really shouldn't change how you're driving just because a police officer is behind you. I would think that'd be a dead giveaway that you were doing something wrong to begin with. Often I'll give an officer a friendly wave and they'll wave back or nod or whatever and move on.

:buddies:
 

Flying Turtle

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AndyTiedye said:
Some of them do it to get you to speed up so they can give you a ticket.

Had this very thing happen 35+ years ago on a lonely stretch of southern Virginia interstate. It was night and he was in an unmarked car. Pulled up on my bumper so I tried to make some space, then on come the blue (might have been red) lights behind the grill.

Geoff
 

bitslammer

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I don't care if it's a LEO or not if someone is not maintaining a safe distance and I'm not in the left/passing lane then I slow down until the back off. You don't need to be less than 1 car length away in order to read my plates.

I can see some cases where a LEO might need to get close: plate obscured by cover, checking to see if kidnapped kid is in car, trying to see if driver matches physical description of bank robber, etc., but otherwise you're being a ******* and putting me in physical danger.

I'm particularly sensitive to this as I'm frequently on a motorcycle. There's not really much chance of a minor fender bender if I'm hit while doing 50+ mph. Sadly there's really no avenue to complain as i doubt there's not going to be any action taken for the irresponsible police who drive like fools.

On my morning commute I regularly see a police car from a small Ohio town doing 80+ mph in Kentucky. He must be taking the same route I do to work and I only hope that he doesn't kill some innocent person someday driving like that.
 

IsaacHayes

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I've had one tailgate me so close at night I could not see his headlights anymore. He was dangerously close to my bumper. If I had to brake for any reason (lots of deer here) he would of hit me as the speeds were high. Tailgating me this close is dangerous and also makes me nervous he is going to hit me. Finally he turned on the lights and pulled around me and flew off speeding.

I guess he had a call and was in a hurry, but he should of hit the lights and went around me right away, instead of following dangerously close for 4 miles. Not only that he was a city copy and should not have been where he was at (way past city limits). The city cops around here though are pretty weird though and don't like to do their job the way they are supposed to.
 

bitslammer

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Yeah I just don't get it. If the police want to "run silent" then at least flash your high beams if you need to pass and I'll gladly get out of the way. It doesn't make sense to put someone in danger when one of the key reasons for you job is to try and lower the number of people being killed or getting hurt.

My only guess is that it's all just human nature and despite all the best screening and hiring practices there's always going to be a few nuts that take the job because they get a gun and the ability to feel more powerful over others.
 

9volt

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Great thread, thanks to the LEOs for the info.
 

icecube

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I usually tap my brakes quickly in succession and see if that does anything. One idiot tail gating me finally pulled around after I slowed to 35mph on the freeway.

Sometime tailgating ticks me off, other times I don't care. Cops, if I slow to a crawl on a un-busy road do ya get ticked off?
 

icecube

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Schnotts said:
Gotta get pretty close when it's snowing outside to read the good old plates. Closer yet to read the val tag.:grin2:

Understand the situation...would Euro plates be better?

I like the Euro plate design better than our old looking plates.

Also consitutes a traffic hazard...

What if I suddenly pull over and scream at you?:rant:

:grin2:
 

cobb

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Thanks. I will maintain the same speed. But having the Dodge Intrepids get so close you cant see the headlights does cause me a little concern for their safety. I wonder if I fit a profile to get this frequent behavior or just the right turn on red mainly?

When it comes to a noncop, I just shove my gas petal to the floor and let em smell my nice sulfur enriched fumes with some castrol techtecron tossed in for flavor.
 

jayflash

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While there will always be bad or incompetent people in every profession, I wonder if our LEOs may encounter sensory overload and, at times, become distracted and drive less well than they normally would?
 

cobb

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I dont use my brakes that often, I will just throttle down and use the engine as a brake. Its good to know to stay at the same speed vs speed up. I am going to assume if the cop wants you to speed up he would say it over the PA. I did once have an ambulance behind me on a jammed interstate and had nothing to do but ride with my turn signal on to pull over when room exist. Once I pulled over it and someone else passed, so I just pulled in behind the other driver.
 
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