Being Stopped

As a Highway Watch Trainer and a driver myself. I prefer it if the officer comes up along my side door with the lights and siren. Then backs off to the rear. Especialy in the day time, cause those lights are harder to see in daylight then at night. This gets my attention more readily, plus I can actualy varify your the real deal.
I do train my fellow drivers with this tip: If in doubt it's a real officer, don't stop. Slow down, put on your four ways, and cal 911 to verify it. Especialy in post 9/11, you never know when your carrying Haz Mat if t may be someone who wants your truck for a terrorist attack. Or just some kid who has a toy and is out looking for female drivers to attack, etc. I tell them to do this if the veichle is unmarked or at night, if they can't see any markings.

Secondly here's a little thing I expiernced with a Minnesota State Trooper:
It was night along a deserted US highway. Next thing I know I seen the red lights in my mirror. So I started to slow down, and merge to the far right as quickly and safely as I could. In my mirrors it appeared he was still a ways back behind me. So I stayed in the right lane and kept slowing down with my signal on as I merged onto the shoulder. Next thing I know, he was gone. So I started to pick back up speed, thinking he had turned off on a county road. Unknown to me, he caught up to me and was ridding my bumper in my blind spot. Once I got back out on the highway he, flashed his spot light in my mirror. That told me he was pulling me over, but also blinded me for a split second.
From what he had said, was he was trying to pull me over for almost a mile. And asked me what took so long. I calmly told him I saw him back there a ways with the lights on and started to slow down, then lost sight of him in the mirrors and thought he had turned off. I politely suggeseted the next time to come up on my side and flip on the siren to get my attention. And also told him, trucks don't always stop on a dime, so once I realized he was trying to pull me over, I did it as safely as possible. He aperciated the suggestion and then told me I had a marker light out.

All in all. I prefer to know who you are and what your trying to do.This is for both my safety and everyone else on the highway.

 

This would be a bad idea because you would be vulnerable with the "suspects" behind you. You never know who you are stopping and it just takes one time.

 

I'd do the stop however's safest for you. Bellyaching bout tickets aside, y'all have a dangerous job as well. No need to make it worse. So long's the driver's clear on what you want him to do that is. The slow to a roll from the front might be confusing to some who've never seen it done.

 

Don't troopers have cb radios in their cars? Why not just talk to the drivers and let them know what you want them to do?

 

You make a good point about the warning lights in the back. But I believe that police crusiers lights attract and distract drivers. I see it all the time when a cop has someone pulled over. You have people rubber necking, slowly to dangerously slow speeds. When I've seen cops pull in front of trucks you don't get the same domineo affect. People normally pass the truck and don't realize there's a cop with pretty blue/red lights to look at. Most drivers today have become curtious drivers to people pulled off on the emergency lane. I think the new laws have helped in that respect. I remember not to long ago people would speed past cops, trucks, disable vehicles without even thinking about switching lanes, or slowing down. Now I see people paying attention and making an effort to get over, even when they don't see a cop.

As for damage to truck tralier's if an accident occured, I doubt the police would be held at fault for something like this. The driver that crashed into the trailer would still be at fault, but not the officer or truck driver. I would rather see a truck trailer totaled than a police cruiser with the possiblity of personal injury to the officer and truck driver.

 

A friend of mine was once pulled over in Ohio on a 2-lane US Highway in this fashion. The officer asked if she had her radio on and then told her of a safe place to pull over a few miles down the road. I thought that was very wise of that particular officer, and my friend also thanked the officer for his professionalism and courtesy to her...even though she was cited for speeding.

 

#1 only.

If you pull in front of me in order to get my attention, that is fine, but don't use your car to slow me down. Once I see you, I will slow down on my own and stop at a place I feel is safe, especially if it is a situation where I an not doing anything wrong that I know of.

I do not get out of my vehicle either, at any time unless instructed to by an officer. Last time I talked to any police officer, they wanted you to stay in the vehicle until they approached. I just stop, as far to the right as safely possible, and roll my window down so the officer can view me clearly. I do not look for anything or reach for anything unless instructed to do so.

That said, I have only been pulled over one time while doing something wrong, and by the time the officer in Ohio finished slinging dirt like the Dukes of Hazzard coming across the median, I was already on the shoulder stopped and waiting for him. Any other time, it was some DOT Cop who decided it was my turn to any annoyed and held up.

 

I like to jump out of a car, run up to the cop and take his hat, then start running around the interstate. That is until he pulls his gun, then I normally give him his hat back.