Tailing the cops (oops)
12-05-2001, 12:31 AM
#1
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Tailing the cops (oops)
Coming home yesterday around 9:30pm from Christmas shopping, I'm going maybe 72 in a 55 zone on a dark highway with light traffic. My exit is coming up soon and I'm quickly approaching a group of traffic in the slow lane and get into the fast lane to pass. About that time the tail car I was approaching in the slow lane pulls into the fast lane (Anyone else notice that this always happens when you're getting ready to pass?). Irritated, I sped up a little bit as I approached to about 85 thinking it will prompt him to quickly pass the car that was in front of him so that I can make my exit. Then suddenly he flashes his blue light in his rear window- hahahaha- oops! I kept tailing him for a few seconds and then followed him into the slow lane because my exit was next. I wondered if he thought I was flashing my lights at him, but I had the dealer adjust them slightly lower and have seen a great reduction in the number of oncoming bright light flashes.
It certainly didn't look like a cop- the car was unmarked, and I suspect he was off duty or a detective because he didn't try to pull me over. In fact, he took the next exit and I followed him. He turned off at a subdivision. The lights didn't startle me as much as they normally would have because at first I thought it was my headlights reflecting off his bumper or something since it was only blue with no red.
In fact, I didn't get the paniced adrenaline rush I used to get when a cop flashed their lights at me or pulled me over. Maybe its because I knew he couldn't possibly have clocked me 
But I guess I got lucky...
Speaking of cops (on another note)- when I was younger I had a modified 1979 Chevy Monza with a chevy short block V8 with a nice carb on it. Besides the engine, the rest of the car was stock and it really needed upgrades on the tires and brakes. One morning, going to high school, I sat at a stop light with the sun right in my eyes. When I took a left and drove down the road I had a huge blind spot in my vision. I was approaching a school crossing (going only 30mph- the speed limit) and there was a cop standing in the intersection directing traffic. He waved the guy in front of me through and I couldn't see him when I looked directly at him so I tried to follow the car in front of me. About 1 car length from the crossing I noticed in my peripheral vision he had given me the stop signal and so I had to stop fairly quickly and the car skid slightly. He got pissed off and made me pull over and wait until the buses were all gone and I was pretty late for school. I tried to explain the sun blind spot and not seeing him until it was too late, but he said my brakes were faulty and I needed to get them looked at and gave me a lecture about how I could have hit some kid if one had been crossing (I asked why he would have a kid crossing before traffic was fully stopped). He said if I argued with him about it or refused to get the inspection he would measure my skid mark and give me a ticket for speeding. He claimed their lab could calculate my speed from the mark on the road- and then he went out and acted as if he was measure the skid mark.
I really wasn't bothered by his thread because he was going to drop it if I had someone check the brakes and my dad's buddy owns a shop...so it cost me nothing. But I started thinking about what he had said about the skid mark and it didn't seem right to me.
So my question is- aren't there MANY variables besides speed that would determine the length of a skid mark? Car weight, tire temperature, tire footprint, road temperature, road composition, humidity, tire compound, tread pattern, and so forth? This was early morning and the sun had just come out and had not hit the road there yet, so it was likely very cold. I don't know that a mark on the road could be used to calculate anything without some pretty complex adjustments for simulating the conditions. Am I right or wrong? Even if he could estimate my speed, could this even be used in a court to justify a ticket?
Anyway, that day after school, I went back and looked at the intersection and there was no such skid mark on the road. My skid hadn't even left a visible mark, yet the cop had clearly "documented" something that morning- likely a bogus measurement...
-B
It certainly didn't look like a cop- the car was unmarked, and I suspect he was off duty or a detective because he didn't try to pull me over. In fact, he took the next exit and I followed him. He turned off at a subdivision. The lights didn't startle me as much as they normally would have because at first I thought it was my headlights reflecting off his bumper or something since it was only blue with no red.
In fact, I didn't get the paniced adrenaline rush I used to get when a cop flashed their lights at me or pulled me over. Maybe its because I knew he couldn't possibly have clocked me But I guess I got lucky...Speaking of cops (on another note)- when I was younger I had a modified 1979 Chevy Monza with a chevy short block V8 with a nice carb on it. Besides the engine, the rest of the car was stock and it really needed upgrades on the tires and brakes. One morning, going to high school, I sat at a stop light with the sun right in my eyes. When I took a left and drove down the road I had a huge blind spot in my vision. I was approaching a school crossing (going only 30mph- the speed limit) and there was a cop standing in the intersection directing traffic. He waved the guy in front of me through and I couldn't see him when I looked directly at him so I tried to follow the car in front of me. About 1 car length from the crossing I noticed in my peripheral vision he had given me the stop signal and so I had to stop fairly quickly and the car skid slightly. He got pissed off and made me pull over and wait until the buses were all gone and I was pretty late for school. I tried to explain the sun blind spot and not seeing him until it was too late, but he said my brakes were faulty and I needed to get them looked at and gave me a lecture about how I could have hit some kid if one had been crossing (I asked why he would have a kid crossing before traffic was fully stopped). He said if I argued with him about it or refused to get the inspection he would measure my skid mark and give me a ticket for speeding. He claimed their lab could calculate my speed from the mark on the road- and then he went out and acted as if he was measure the skid mark.
I really wasn't bothered by his thread because he was going to drop it if I had someone check the brakes and my dad's buddy owns a shop...so it cost me nothing. But I started thinking about what he had said about the skid mark and it didn't seem right to me.
So my question is- aren't there MANY variables besides speed that would determine the length of a skid mark? Car weight, tire temperature, tire footprint, road temperature, road composition, humidity, tire compound, tread pattern, and so forth? This was early morning and the sun had just come out and had not hit the road there yet, so it was likely very cold. I don't know that a mark on the road could be used to calculate anything without some pretty complex adjustments for simulating the conditions. Am I right or wrong? Even if he could estimate my speed, could this even be used in a court to justify a ticket?
Anyway, that day after school, I went back and looked at the intersection and there was no such skid mark on the road. My skid hadn't even left a visible mark, yet the cop had clearly "documented" something that morning- likely a bogus measurement...
-B
12-05-2001, 02:23 AM
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If there is one thing I have learned about police, they will lie, cheat, and break the law in order to get you to admit to your wrong doing or to not make themselves look silly. I know some good cops and I have run into some bad cops, but even some of the good ones admit that to them sometimes the ends justify the means. My advice is that if you are ever questioned by the police, never waive your rights and always have an attorney present.
::climbs off soapbox::
PS: I am not trying to make the police out to be "bad guys" but I feel that the tatics they use are wrong.
PPS: Fun story
::climbs off soapbox::
PS: I am not trying to make the police out to be "bad guys" but I feel that the tatics they use are wrong.
PPS: Fun story
12-05-2001, 03:26 AM
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I've seen many people tail cops that were driving above the speed limit. What happens is, the cop suddenly gets into the next lane and slows down, then pulls behind the follower. Then the blue flashing lights appear and the guy who initially followed the cop is busted. My advice is be on the look out, and whenever you see a cop, SLOW DOWN. Better yet, drive the speed limit and you'll never get busted for speeding (yeah, I know that's hard to do).
12-05-2001, 05:40 AM
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Hey they got friends on the interstate too. I was driving on the interstate in a hurry to get back to college and i was tallgating a burgandy caprice classic with normal license plate and no light on the side view mirror nor were there many antennas. So i as tailgating him to tell him i needed to pass him. Next thing i know he whipps out what looks to be a radio and talks on it. I got my eye peeled now. Before i know it at the next on ramp, an unmarked police car comes out so i pull behind him. Just about this time, my exit pulls up so i exit and while i'm exiting i can see further ahead there was a state trooper car parked so he notices me exit and some how get on the interstate that i exited on to. when i exited i mashed the gas and was doing 100. About ten minutes later i see in the distance in my rear view mirror flashing lights so i slow down to 70 and the trooper catches up. Well he said that a louisville cop claimed me tailgating and i told him i had no idea what he was talking about so he couldn't get me for anything.
. I was driving on the interstate in a hurry to get back to college and i was tallgating a burgandy caprice classic with normal license plate and no light on the side view mirror nor were there many antennas. So i as tailgating him to tell him i needed to pass him. Next thing i know he whipps out what looks to be a radio and talks on it. I got my eye peeled now. Before i know it at the next on ramp, an unmarked police car comes out so i pull behind him. Just about this time, my exit pulls up so i exit and while i'm exiting i can see further ahead there was a state trooper car parked so he notices me exit and some how get on the interstate that i exited on to. when i exited i mashed the gas and was doing 100. About ten minutes later i see in the distance in my rear view mirror flashing lights so i slow down to 70 and the trooper catches up. Well he said that a louisville cop claimed me tailgating and i told him i had no idea what he was talking about so he couldn't get me for anything.
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