Hwy Patrol and You.

[MWR34]

Im looking for an honest opinion here Police officers..


Dont you hate it when traffic comes to a perfect speed limit all around you when your on the hwy? I mean, no one is willing to pass you when your in the slow lane, and all the cars in the fast lane will not pass or budge?

Im sure you see it 90% of your day on the hwy.

marked cars are easy to spot, and UC's (undercovers) with that bump on the top, are fairly easy too.

i do admit, the ghost cars, like ford focus, honda ridgeline, volvo's, and other random ghost cars.. your getting better blending in


Just curious, cause I would rather pass by you going 5 over, then leading a train of cars until you turn off, then we see traffic speed up 10-20 over when you exit. just stating the obvious...

[Soundy]

That drives me nuts (as just another motorist on the road)... especially when the cop is creeping at 5k UNDER the limit.

[skidmark]

This rarely results in a discussion on legal issues, because that is too simple. The limit is the limit and that's that. Rather it becomes a philosophical discussion: how can I justify my failure to follow the law?

[Soundy]

The OP didn't ask for a legal opinion, he asked whether it bugs YOU (the resident cops) when traffic blocks up around and behind you

I'm more interested in whether you ever saw this happen when you're doing just UNDER the speed limit, and what your reaction is to that (I'm thinking LOLs).

[gars]

most cops i've seen on the hwy were going around 10-15 over the limit, which was really the flow of traffic. i've only really encountered a few times where the cop actually goes under the limit.

[skidmark]

Actually, I didn't render a legal opinion, and reading between the lines he should be able to figure out where my personal opinion lies. His phrasing is confusing too. "Don't you just hate it when traffic comes to a perfect speed limit all around you..." Isn't this what keeping up to the flow of traffic is supposed to accomplish?

Maybe it would help if I said that I was one who would use the right lane at 5 under when I had an unmarked.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by gars

most cops i've seen on the hwy were going around 10-15 over the limit, which was really the flow of traffic. i've only really encountered a few times where the cop actually goes under the limit.

I was in a pack pacing a cop at about 5-8 over on the Mary Hill Bypass the other day... we got over the Pitt Bridge on Lougheed, still doing about 5 over... one guy went past about 5k higher after the third lane started up, cop never even gave him a second glance.

Originally Posted by skidmark

Actually, I didn't render a legal opinion, and reading between the lines he should be able to figure out where my personal opinion lies.

Bad wording on my part, I didn't get the idea he was looking for a legal discussion either... just opinions

His phrasing is confusing too. "Don't you just hate it when traffic comes to a perfect speed limit all around you..." Isn't this what keeping up to the flow of traffic is supposed to accomplish?

Maybe it would help if I said that I was one who would use the right lane at 5 under when I had an unmarked.

And did you LOL at everyone bunching up behind you and nobody having the nads to pass??

[PACER]

only hate it if they drive right next to me or in my blind spot and the ones tailgating.... We like to stop abruptly to make uturns and that is difficult when people are parked on your a--.....

I have been able to get traffic to slow to 65 km/h in a 100 zone... Just because the people right near me are afraid to pass, it was pissing me off cause I wanted them to go by.. finally had to wave them past me...

[wnderinguy]

Try coming up on an Ambulance with its lights going ,but doing at or below speed limit for 20+ KM.It really screwed up traffic ,because nobody wanted to get near it.IMO he musta accidentally turned the code lights on.

[skidmark]

Originally Posted by Soundy

And did you LOL at everyone bunching up behind you and nobody having the nads to pass??

I called it the "How Slow Can You Go Game." It was a pain, because you would see someone behind you that you wanted to stop, but no one would pass, so they stayed back there. I would slow down, they would slow down and so on until I would give up, pull over and stop, let everyone past and then go get the one I wanted.

[Soundy]

^Ah-hah! The ulterior motive revealed! I think cops around here must love all the on- and off-ramps for getting in behind other cars

[BNR32_Coupe]

Originally Posted by skidmark

I called it the "How Slow Can You Go Game." It was a pain, because you would see someone behind you that you wanted to stop, but no one would pass, so they stayed back there. I would slow down, they would slow down and so on until I would give up, pull over and stop, let everyone past and then go get the one I wanted.

Originally Posted by Soundy

^Ah-hah! The ulterior motive revealed! I think cops around here must love all the on- and off-ramps for getting in behind other cars

dully noted. will drive in reverse when an officer is in front of me. u-turn is too obvious

[sho_bc]

My 2 biggest annoyances with regards to this topic are the following:
1)
Trying to attend a call that doesn't warrant a lights, sirens, super quick response but does require a quicker response and having 2 vehicles driving side by side at just below the speed limit in front of me, neither wanting to move up and over.

2)
Driving along in a fully marked vehicle at the speed limit and having someone blow by you and when you pull them over, their first question is "Can I ask why you pulled me over?" You'd think the big "POLICE" and all the reflective strips and logos would clue them in to something while passing.

[wnderinguy]

Originally Posted by sho_bc

My 2 biggest annoyances with regards to this topic are the following:
1)
Trying to attend a call that doesn't warrant a lights, sirens, super quick response but does require a quicker response and having 2 vehicles driving side by side at just below the speed limit in front of me, neither wanting to move up and over.

Good to know ,as this is a personal peeve of mine too,even though I'm not affiliated with any emergency organization*manhug

Originally Posted by sho_bc

My 2 biggest annoyances with regards to this topic are the following:

2)
Driving along in a fully marked vehicle at the speed limit and having someone blow by you and when you pull them over, their first question is "Can I ask why you pulled me over?" You'd think the big "POLICE" and all the reflective strips and logos would clue them in to something while passing.

I've done that ,although I didn't ask "why did you pull me over" ,just took the ticket

[slammer111]

Actually, one thing that I DO wonder..

Sometimes I'll see a cop doing 30+ on the highway and PASSING everyone else who is going maybe 105, with no sirens or flashers on. Of course everyone else just moves right and slows to the limit, at which point the cruiser whips right by. This happens quite often on Highway 1. If you were to follow him/her at the same speed, would the cop have the right to pull you over then say "yeah I was speeding but you aren't allowed to"? Or would that count as Entrapment?

Not asking the legal standpoint (even 1 over is illegal blah blah), but whether or not a "I was just going at the same speed as the cop/traffic" defence would hold up, especially if the cop is going much over (20+) the limit.

And yes, I noticed that most cops won't even look over until you're +15 in the city, and +20 on the highway, which is definitely nice.

[sho_bc]

Originally Posted by slammer111

Actually, one thing that I DO wonder..

Sometimes I'll see a cop doing 30+ on the highway and PASSING everyone else who is going maybe 105, with no sirens or flashers on. Of course everyone else just moves right and slows to the limit, at which point the cruiser whips right by. This happens quite often on Highway 1. If you were to follow him/her at the same speed, would the cop have the right to pull you over then say "yeah I was speeding but you aren't allowed to"? Or would that count as Entrapment?

Not asking the legal standpoint (even 1 over is illegal blah blah), but whether or not a "I was just going at the same speed as the cop/traffic" defence would hold up, especially if the cop is going much over (20+) the limit.

And yes, I noticed that most cops won't even look over until you're +15 in the city, and +20 on the highway, which is definitely nice.

What you are asking does fall under a legal standpoint. Under Sec 122 of the motor vehicle act (found here), emergency vehicles may exceed the speed limit etc in certain situations. We are not always required to have lights and sirens activated while doing so. You not being an emergency vehicle are not permitted by law to do this, so "just doing the same speed as the cop" is not a valid defense.

[silk]

i was doing 115km/hr one time at around 4 am and raining weather. It was pretty dark, and I couldnt see what car was behind me because of their headlight.
He was catching up to me and switched lane and gas pass by me, turns out it was a cop.. I thought he was gonna pull me over.

Perhaps he was rushing to tim horton for a hot coffee and donut ? or maybe he is attending a call..
regardless i consider myself lucky that night

[E=mc²]

luckiest I've been was when driving my friend's car home from richmond one time, he asked me to drive because he has his N only while I have my class 5, and it was a full car.

So around midnight I was blowing down Knight St at 80km/h (few cars on the road, but there was at least 2 others going the same speed. I wouldn't say it was dangerous either though I admit his car was just TOO smooth and quiet I hadn't realized I was going 80 until a bit after), and as we approach a light, a cop appeared on my left and when I looked at her she mouthed the words "SLOW DOWN" and made a little gesture with her hands.

I didn't get pulled over, but I consider myself lucky since my buddy didn't take down his N....so to the cop she wouldn't have known I had my class 5 since the N was up.

interestingly, this was probably the first time I sped a bit too fast (80 in the city, albeit at midnight with barely anyone) and had a cop notice me. Before that night I NEVER did anything that attracted the attention of cops.

[wing_woo]

Was going down Willingdon once and there was an officer behind me. I went down just over 50km/h. The officer followed me down and then the stupid Mercedes driver behind the officer pulled out into the left lane and passed the officer and me. Right after he passed me, the officer lit up his lights and pulled over the Mercedes. Was kinda funny.

[billboa]

A couple years ago me and a couple buddies went wit sum girlies, drove our cars to Langley to go to the keg and see a movie. On the way back to Chilliwack it was about 12:30am and we were goin about 140km/h and for like 10km this impala stays about 400 feet ahead of me but im not gettin ne closer so he is goin at least that fast or faster. So i figure sweet, if ne cops r up there or nethign this guy will get roasted and ill see that and slow down. I guess my friend noticed it was a cop but I thought it was just an impala, so I sped up a lil bit to about 155 and started catching him, got within about a hundred feet of him when he went under a overpass and a light shined on his car and I saw his big ol' antenna and the bars in the back......I got pretty scared and slowed down but the next exit was coming pretty soon and he took it anyways. I still to this day have no idea how I didn't get pulled over, he must has known how fast he was goin and it would have been the same 2 cars behind him for almost 10 mins and at the very end I was catching up to him.

[moomooCow]

Originally Posted by slammer111

Actually, one thing that I DO wonder..

Sometimes I'll see a cop doing 30+ on the highway and PASSING everyone else who is going maybe 105, with no sirens or flashers on. Of course everyone else just moves right and slows to the limit, at which point the cruiser whips right by. This happens quite often on Highway 1. If you were to follow him/her at the same speed, would the cop have the right to pull you over then say "yeah I was speeding but you aren't allowed to"? Or would that count as Entrapment?

Not asking the legal standpoint (even 1 over is illegal blah blah), but whether or not a "I was just going at the same speed as the cop/traffic" defence would hold up, especially if the cop is going much over (20+) the limit.

And yes, I noticed that most cops won't even look over until you're +15 in the city, and +20 on the highway, which is definitely nice.

Originally Posted by sho_bc

What you are asking does fall under a legal standpoint. Under Sec 122 of the motor vehicle act (found here), emergency vehicles may exceed the speed limit etc in certain situations. We are not always required to have lights and sirens activated while doing so. You not being an emergency vehicle are not permitted by law to do this, so "just doing the same speed as the cop" is not a valid defense.

Same scenario, slightly different question. Is the cop that is doing 20+ ( whom you are following ) allowed to pull you over and give you a ticket for speeding, or is that entrapment then?

[wnderinguy]

Originally Posted by moomoocow

Same scenario, slightly different question. Is the cop that is doing 20+ ( whom you are following ) allowed to pull you over and give you a ticket for speeding, or is that entrapment then?

Entrapment would be him waving you to pass him and then hitting his lights,he is in no way asking/telling you to keep up to him/her .

As was stated in what you quoted

We are not always required to have lights and sirens activated while doing so.

[stutterr]

I always pass cops who crusie under the speed limit on purpose. Its annoying when they are doing 50 in a 60 and every slows too. I usually creep by a few clicks over, and I have never been pulled over.

[MWR34]

thanks everyone, thanks officers, good thread.

[CorneringArtist]

I suppose it's the officers' judgment on whether or not to pull over someone passing. It's probably normal road manners to speed up a bit to pass, but when it's playing "Wangan Midnight high-speed blow by" to pass someone, expect the "whoo-whoo" and lights.