DieselKnuckles

For the record, I don't have anything against cops speeding within reason.

I just don't have anything against anybody else speeding within reason either, and I wanted to point out that in California it's illegal for police to ignore the speed limits if their lights and sirens aren't on.

Of course, if the lights and sirens are on, then they can break about any traffic law around as long as it doesn't endanger the public. The primary motive behind all the traffic laws in general is to protect the public from endangerment. And yet, according to CA traffic code, it's possible for cops to ignore those laws without endangering the public. Does that mean anybody else could ever ignore a law without endangering the public? Nope...

jthorpe

So lets say you had a daughter. I don't know if you do or not, but lets say you did. Now lets say someone is assaulting her. You call the police, but since they can never drive faster than the posted limit, they're just toodling down the road at 45-55 responding to her call. Would you want them to pick it up a little bit, or would you rather they drive the speed limit? Just wondering.

Dinner

I've seen quite a few patrol cars in town where i work speed up just to get through the yellow light...which turns red as they are just entering the set of lights. I see it about once a week throughout town.

midlife crisis

Well I do have a daughter. And I am more afraid of the clear & present road dangers than this boogeyman you speak of.
With the recent fatal accidents here in NJ involving Troopers driving at high rates- I respectfully submit that these gentlemen take the cake as far as not taking responsibilty for their own actions. The two daughters killed in a minivan down in Upper township were hit by a Trooper that was excessive speeding in a 35 mph zone & blew a stop sign.
His claim was he was in "stealth" Mode trying to gain ground on a speeder.
Witness's on the road never saw this other violater.
With the lights being off, so conviently was his dash camera.
His reaction all along is that he is above reproach. No remorse whatsover.
A real tragedy. Two beatiful girls gone...for what?

And ah yes- our beloved Governor-late for his meeting with Imus- a good reason to endanger the lives of the driving public-Flight recorder in the Suburban had him at 91 on impact time. The chase car was just as fast..or faster before they slowed down.
Speed was the factor- the cars in front simply could not get out of the way fast enough.
Sorry- I dont buy it.
Not the tough job thing either. I have a tough job too, with deadlines, deadbeats and other emergencies.
They should slow down, and they should be held accountable.

Unit44

I guess you are right.... sad but true.... generation next??? I guess it's called?? my youngest sister is 21 (I'm 18 years older) and every problem in her life is caused by someone else... or so she thinks. Every speeding ticket is the officers "out to get her", I got several speeding tickets when I was young (deserved many more) but I knew who was driving - I also knew who was gonna pay the fine but it took the insurance company rates to slow me down...

fireguy9993

I think that there is a major difference between speeding to get to a call and speeding to get to the median cross-over to catch that next speeder. I worked on a FD in a somewhat rural area. Sometimes, the lights and siren slowed down your response. So, oftentimes, when I see an officer speeding and tailgating me, I try to get over to let him pass by. He is probably in a BIG hurry to get somewhere. Jack, I agree with you. When they are responding to a call, all bets are off.

HOWEVER, I have also seen on many occasions where a state trooper will go by me (I dont speed) doing 10-15 mph faster than me. I see him wander down the road, turn his signal on, and guess what.... he is pulling into the median and getting his radar gun out. That is unacceptable. But, you cant try to report it. Since the judge will always believe the officer, they can (and do) make up stories. Unfortunately, I've seen it happen (and so has the fella with the cameras in his car that posted earlier) and heard them brag about it. He also has a point with the drivers going to training. They had a big K9 event around this area a while back. Officers from departments in IN, KY, OH and probably a few others just trucking down the road doing much faster than the posted limit.

I have nothing but respect for what the LEOs do and what they have to go though. I've seen it first hand. But I also think that, when they can, they should set the example. I know you will not see my ambulance speeding unless it is to a call. I would say the same about the fire truck, but we couldnt ever get it going fast enough to be accused of speeding, anyway.

txfiremedic

I know thats right!!

Haulin_in_Dixie

I think that everyone should mind their business and try to drive their vehicle safely. This call in and rat on someone else other than extreme cases is just trouble making.

Want an example, we have a case in Hoover, Alabama where a car called in and reported a truck weaving. He was a 73 year old trucker delivering goods to the hurricane area after the disaster down there. He was promptly pulled over, arrested for DWI, truck searched, not given a test for drugs. Seemed on the search they found an old prescription of his. His truck impounded, his license suspended, basically at 73 his career over. He is still fighting it and winning to a degree, they finally dropped the drug charges.

People should m ind their own business, in this case it was the old hate for truckers, this thread is for the hate of police. Get a life...

Joe T

Yup they do this on Hwy 6 south of college station all the time. I honk and used to give them a rev when I had my car when passing them.

DieselKnuckles

I have no problem with the police driving down the road as fast as is practical. I have no problem with me, my daughter or the felon down the street driving down the road as fast as is practical.

But, let us say the officer is responding to a call, why can't he use the siren and the lights as is legally mandated in some parts of the country?

fireguy9993

I'll throw in the reasons why I know that they sometimes will not use lights and siren.

1) If they are responding to a call where lives are at stake (active robbery, domestic, etc), sirens can cause the person (who is already in an almost if not fully blown dangerous state) to go out of control.

2) When a driver sees an emergency vehicle with lights on and siren blaring, they sometimes panic. They dont think straight, they swerve around, and oftentimes become dangerous. It oftentimes is much faster to respond without them, and sometimes is much safer.

3) Residents sometimes complain when you run lights and sirens at 2am when no one is on the road. They call and complain, you get in trouble, and things are not good. Dont hit the queue siren next to the rich neighborhood

4) If you are responding to a call and you are more than 10 minutes away, that siren gets VERY annoying and hard on the ears. I've run lights and siren for over an hour straight and it gives you such a headache, can damage hearing, and actually sometimes puts you in a trance, which is dangerous.

Joe T

Umm, don't want to take sides here but I think he is refering to how a cop blows past you at 110mph to catch someone going 15 over...

I've had this happen to me a couple times, kinda T'd me off a little too.

Justwannabeme

one fella here always posts negatively

one fella , naw three fellas here always post positively


why must it always be hating cops, what happened to lawyers?
can't we all just get along - and hate lawyers??.............

Move the thread to politics under HATES COPS

have fun and please don't feel guilty when you call 9-1-1

REDLEG said it best 'the number you have dialed 911 has been changed to an unlisted number'


Heidi in NY discretion in sirens/lights in New York

those terrifying minutes can't go by fast enough, when you NEED emergency services.....

dieselfuelonly

I think I'll just sit back and read this one... .

Chrisreyn

Agreed..........

This whole thread is remindidng me of a disertation I once read entitled "Of Sheep and Sheepdogs"....
I think it must be the bleating ....