Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

"Brent P" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>
>> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three units
>> to a
>> felony in progress through traffic without hitting anything or anyone.
>> That's what I mean about police vehicles not being ordinary traffic and
>> why
>> I always give them plenty of room to pass or turn anytime I see one.
>
> So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph posted
> arterial road was just doing good driving? Hmm... if I did the same
> thing, myself having good reflexs and timing would have been cited for
> speeding more than 40 over, which is legally very bad in IL, reckless
> driving, tailgating, and probably anything else the cop could have come
> up with. But the standard for cop driving is 'didn't hit anyone'. Cute.

You're welcome. It's called "due care".

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

"N8N" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> JohnH wrote:
>> >> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three
>> >> units to a felony in progress through traffic without hitting
>> >> anything or anyone. That's what I mean about police vehicles not
>> >> being ordinary traffic and why I always give them plenty of room to
>> >> pass or turn anytime I see one.
>> >
>> > So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph
>> > posted arterial road was just doing good driving?
>>
>> If I'm being held up I want the cops to have the accelerator to the
>> floor.
>> Perhaps you can let them know if you dial 911 to take their time, only
>> drive
>> posted speed limits and for pete's sake stay out of the left lane and not
>> get near anyone else.
>>
>> (Then again I'm probably killfiled as you disagree with some things I
>> say)
>
> How about just using lights and/or siren as appropriate BEFORE driving
> in an illegal manner, as the law requires?

The law does not require that and in fact makes special clarification that
driving with lights and/or siren activated can sometimes be more dangerous.
The activation of emergency equipment is not required and is left to the
discretion of the trained police vehicle operator (at least in Texas):

§ 546.004. EXCEPTIONS TO SIGNAL REQUIREMENT.

(c) A police officer may operate an authorized emergency
vehicle for a law enforcement purpose without using the audible or
visual signals required by Section 546.003 if the officer is:

(snipped parts not applicable...)

(B) because of traffic conditions on a multilaned
roadway, vehicles moving in response to the audible or visual
signals may:
(i) increase the potential for a collision;
or
(ii) unreasonably extend the duration of
the pursuit;

To people who have never driven an emergency vehicle, it can sometimes be
hard to understand. It's not like in TV and the movies where everyone
magically ends up stopped on the right shoulder and stops at intersections
as they are required to. People move all over the place and it sometimes
takes longer to get them out of your way than it would to just go around
them with no lights activated. Our law understands that and allows us the
discretion to use the best and quickest way to get to the scene while
operating under the standards of due care.

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

"Brent P" > wrote in message
. ..
> In article >, JohnH wrote:
>>
>>>> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three
>>>> units to a felony in progress through traffic without hitting
>>>> anything or anyone. That's what I mean about police vehicles not
>>>> being ordinary traffic and why I always give them plenty of room to
>>>> pass or turn anytime I see one.
>>>
>>> So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph
>>> posted arterial road was just doing good driving?
>>
>> If I'm being held up I want the cops to have the accelerator to the
>> floor.
>
> Perhaps he could have put his lights on? Nahh... better to close in on
> someone at 90mph as stealthy as possible and nearly cause a collision.

That's exactly the point. If you come up on someone by stealth, it is
fairly certain that they will continue to drive in the same manner when you
pass them. Sometimes it is easier to plan your movement being fairly
certain that they are a constant. When you hit the lights and siren it is
difficult to know where that person is going to end up by the time your
vehicle is next to theirs. Even though everyone is required to move to the
right, lots of people either don't, don't immediately, or try to go left
because it's open. That makes it very hazardous when you're closing at a
higher rate of speed than they are traveling.

>
> And I've told this story before, which is why this is the short version.
> I followed this cop and caught up with him. I found him parked in a
> church parking lot all alone.
>
>> Perhaps you can let them know if you dial 911 to take their time, only
>> drive
>> posted speed limits and for pete's sake stay out of the left lane and not
>> get near anyone else.
>
> Cops generally have taken their time.
>
>> (Then again I'm probably killfiled as you disagree with some things I
>> say)
>
> No, trolls and people who play usenet games are.

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

In article >, jaybird wrote:
>
> "Brent P" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>>
>>> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three units
>>> to a
>>> felony in progress through traffic without hitting anything or anyone.
>>> That's what I mean about police vehicles not being ordinary traffic and
>>> why
>>> I always give them plenty of room to pass or turn anytime I see one.
>>
>> So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph posted
>> arterial road was just doing good driving? Hmm... if I did the same
>> thing, myself having good reflexs and timing would have been cited for
>> speeding more than 40 over, which is legally very bad in IL, reckless
>> driving, tailgating, and probably anything else the cop could have come
>> up with. But the standard for cop driving is 'didn't hit anyone'. Cute.
>
> You're welcome. It's called "due care".

Yep. Due care for a cop is called reckless driving for everyone else.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

"Brent P" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>>
>> "Brent P" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three units
>>>> to a
>>>> felony in progress through traffic without hitting anything or anyone.
>>>> That's what I mean about police vehicles not being ordinary traffic and
>>>> why
>>>> I always give them plenty of room to pass or turn anytime I see one.
>>>
>>> So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph posted
>>> arterial road was just doing good driving? Hmm... if I did the same
>>> thing, myself having good reflexs and timing would have been cited for
>>> speeding more than 40 over, which is legally very bad in IL, reckless
>>> driving, tailgating, and probably anything else the cop could have come
>>> up with. But the standard for cop driving is 'didn't hit anyone'. Cute.
>>
>> You're welcome. It's called "due care".
>
> Yep. Due care for a cop is called reckless driving for everyone else.

If it meets the statutes, you are correct. Personal vehicles are not
emergency vehicles (with the exception of some volunteer firefighters if
they operate within the emergency vehicle rules).

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

In article >, jaybird wrote:

>> How about just using lights and/or siren as appropriate BEFORE driving
>> in an illegal manner, as the law requires?
>
> The law does not require that and in fact makes special clarification that
> driving with lights and/or siren activated can sometimes be more dangerous.
> The activation of emergency equipment is not required and is left to the
> discretion of the trained police vehicle operator (at least in Texas):

DTJ and I are in IL, not texas. In IL if they are not running lights and
audible signal we don't even have to yield to them. I could have just
lightly braked and if he hit me, it would have legally been his fault.
No "making use of an audible signal and visual signals" as outlined in
the law and the police vehicle is just normal traffic without any special
privilege as far as I can tell in the IL vehicle code. You're welcome to
search the complied statutes yourself. http://www.ilga.gov/

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

In article >, jaybird wrote:

>>> If I'm being held up I want the cops to have the accelerator to the
>>> floor.
>>
>> Perhaps he could have put his lights on? Nahh... better to close in on
>> someone at 90mph as stealthy as possible and nearly cause a collision.

> That's exactly the point. If you come up on someone by stealth, it is
> fairly certain that they will continue to drive in the same manner when you
> pass them.

I was about to change back into the right lane. The only reason I didn't
was because I picked him up in my mirror and the headlamps were aimed up
and looked like a crown vic. State cops in IL like to reaim their
cruisers headlamps upwards to blind the drivers they are following.
Because I picked up on this detail I figured he might be a cop and stayed
put. Had I been driving the way I normally do, there would have been a
good chance he would have moved to go around me on the right just as I
had moved there.

> Sometimes it is easier to plan your movement being fairly
> certain that they are a constant.

Yet if a non-cop drives that way, it's reckless.

> When you hit the lights and siren it is
> difficult to know where that person is going to end up by the time your
> vehicle is next to theirs. Even though everyone is required to move to the
> right, lots of people either don't, don't immediately, or try to go left
> because it's open. That makes it very hazardous when you're closing at a
> higher rate of speed than they are traveling.

His not running lights greatly reduced safety. If he was running lights I
would have punched the accelerator to make more room, instead I knew a
cop was closing on me fast and didn't dare do what was safe because it
wasn't legal.

Now, your average lane blocking asshole would have seen some 'evil
speeder' coming up from behind, not picking up on the fine details of ISP
cruisers and probably done something to punish the 'evil speeder'.

So, he runs his risks both ways, but in only one way are people required
to yield to him.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

jaybird wrote:
> "N8N" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >
> > JohnH wrote:
> >> >> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three
> >> >> units to a felony in progress through traffic without hitting
> >> >> anything or anyone. That's what I mean about police vehicles not
> >> >> being ordinary traffic and why I always give them plenty of room to
> >> >> pass or turn anytime I see one.
> >> >
> >> > So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph
> >> > posted arterial road was just doing good driving?
> >>
> >> If I'm being held up I want the cops to have the accelerator to the
> >> floor.
> >> Perhaps you can let them know if you dial 911 to take their time, only
> >> drive
> >> posted speed limits and for pete's sake stay out of the left lane and not
> >> get near anyone else.
> >>
> >> (Then again I'm probably killfiled as you disagree with some things I
> >> say)
> >
> > How about just using lights and/or siren as appropriate BEFORE driving
> > in an illegal manner, as the law requires?
>
> The law does not require that and in fact makes special clarification that
> driving with lights and/or siren activated can sometimes be more dangerous.
> The activation of emergency equipment is not required and is left to the
> discretion of the trained police vehicle operator (at least in Texas):
>

ONLY in Texas. I don't believe the OP lives in Texas.

nate

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

"Brent P" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>
>>> How about just using lights and/or siren as appropriate BEFORE driving
>>> in an illegal manner, as the law requires?
>>
>> The law does not require that and in fact makes special clarification
>> that
>> driving with lights and/or siren activated can sometimes be more
>> dangerous.
>> The activation of emergency equipment is not required and is left to the
>> discretion of the trained police vehicle operator (at least in Texas):
>
> DTJ and I are in IL, not texas. In IL if they are not running lights and
> audible signal we don't even have to yield to them. I could have just
> lightly braked and if he hit me, it would have legally been his fault.
> No "making use of an audible signal and visual signals" as outlined in
> the law and the police vehicle is just normal traffic without any special
> privilege as far as I can tell in the IL vehicle code. You're welcome to
> search the complied statutes yourself. http://www.ilga.gov/

You don't have to yeild to cops in Texas either if they don't have their
lights or siren on; that was not the point I was trying to make. You can do
your own research if you like, I'm just relating knowledge that I'm familar
with. If he had hit you then you're right, he would've been at fault but he
did quite well and got to where he was going without incident.

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.

Even moe stupid cop tricks
 

In article >, jaybird wrote:
>
> "Brent P" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>>>
>>> "Brent P" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> In article >, jaybird wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Sounds like some good driving to me. They were able to get three units
>>>>> to a
>>>>> felony in progress through traffic without hitting anything or anyone.
>>>>> That's what I mean about police vehicles not being ordinary traffic and
>>>>> why
>>>>> I always give them plenty of room to pass or turn anytime I see one.
>>>>
>>>> So the cop that nearly cliped my car as he did 90mph down a 45mph posted
>>>> arterial road was just doing good driving? Hmm... if I did the same
>>>> thing, myself having good reflexs and timing would have been cited for
>>>> speeding more than 40 over, which is legally very bad in IL, reckless
>>>> driving, tailgating, and probably anything else the cop could have come
>>>> up with. But the standard for cop driving is 'didn't hit anyone'. Cute.
>>>
>>> You're welcome. It's called "due care".
>>
>> Yep. Due care for a cop is called reckless driving for everyone else.
>
> If it meets the statutes, you are correct. Personal vehicles are not
> emergency vehicles (with the exception of some volunteer firefighters if
> they operate within the emergency vehicle rules).

Last I heard the emergency rules didn't allow endangering others.