Got pulled over for speeding-Two questions

[modls7]

Hi fellas,

I have a few questions regarding about a traffic stop I was involved in this morning. First, here's the story of events:

I was cruising down a hill, and I do admit I was speeding (20 over). When the cop pulled up behind me I did not want to stop on the road I was on because its a 55 mph zone and no shoulder to pull off on. I really did not want to stop in the middle of a 55 mph lane, so I took the first turn off of that road and pulled into a shopping center (about 1/4 mile).

I parked rolled my windows down, and this is pretty much what happened:

Cop: "Put your hands on the wheel"
Me: I put my hands on the wheel

Cop: "You were doing (20 over) and failed to yield to an emergency vehicle! Step outta the car and put your hands on the roof!"

Me: I step out of my car and put my hands on the roof of my car.

Cop: "Why didn't you stop? You know your supposed to stop IMMEDIATELY!"
Me: "I didn't feel safe stopping in the middle of a 55mph road, Officer"

Cop:"You didn't feel safe? So you think you can continue driving? You didn't feel safe on that road?! I'm about to arrest you and impound your car for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle!"

Me: "No officer, I just did not feel safe stopping on that road"

Cop: "Have you ever been arrested before?"

Me:"No officer"

At this point I was pretty worried, the cop told me to put my hands behind my back which I did and then he patted me down, took my wallet out, and went through my pockets.

After which he told me to sit down on the curb and asked me were I was coming from, where was I going, where do I live, who do I live with which I answered just from intimidation.

Next, he took my license out of my wallet and wrote me a speeding ticket. Continued to tell me to stop immediately, otherwise he'll think I'm hiding cocaine or a gun which he has to worry about and that's why he pulled me out of my car. He drove off after handing me my ticket and that's the end.

My questions are simple, did I really screw up that bad by driving somewhere safe, and was this deserved? Should he have gone through my pockets and taken my license out of my wallet while not being under arrest?

[bigmike82]

I've always heard that the best thing to do when you're in a spot you don't feel safe pulling over in is to put on your hazards, slow the f down, and proceed to a safe place within a reasonable distance. If the guy gets on the PA and tells you to pull over, disregard the above and pull over then and there.

[modls7]

I did have my hazards on, and slowed down considerably. Never did he say anything over the PA.

[1911su16b870]

The best thing to do is to immediately and cautiously pull over to the right when you see an emergency vehicle with lights on.

If it is not safe the LEO will announce that over the PA and you can follow his instructions from the PA.

[tyrist]

For Officer safety reasons you stop where we choose. We won't usually light you up until we are in an area we want you to stop. You were thinking of a good place to stop however I guarantee all that officer was thinking was ambush.

[MotoDuc]

Actually you did the right thing, sounds to me like the officer was may be having a bad day. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that cause to me he sounds a bit badge heavy, if you did nothing the provoke or escalate any incident that may have happened.

I would prefer doing stops off the freeway if possible. I'll instruct you where to stop if need be, I also do passenger side approach, all in the name of officer safety. If it's not a safe location you do not need to stop immediately, why would you stop on the road with no shoulder.

That being said, yes, I'm signing you up for 20mph over.

[modls7]

Thanks fellas, a few of my LEO friends told me he was probably having a bad day too. I'm told its fuzzy he searched inside my pockets though before the terry pat.

[Fire in the Hole]

Thanks fellas, a few of my LEO friends told me he was probably having a bad day too. I'm told its fuzzy he searched inside my pockets though before the terry pat.

He checked inside your pockets, and told you it was fuzzy? Do you have holes in your pockets?

[Jonathan Doe]

You just pull over and if it is not at the safe area, he will make you move.

[eltee]

You didn't mention (or I missed it) how long (time wise) and how far (distance wise) it was between the time he first lit you up until you came to a complete stop.

I see both sides of your situation, but as the delay on your part (justified or not) extended time wise, I can see the cop's consternation level rising.

We also consider delays as a means for vehicle occupants to hide, toss or otherwise remove contraband (think about that traffic stop scene from Cheech and Chong..."ehhh, man, I never seen anybody take that many pills at one time..."). It can also give time to a real badguy to setup a defensive posture and/or lure the police vehicle into an area giving the badguy a tactical advantage.

If the area where you were originally lit up was truly without a safe place to pull over, I'd lean on your side of the issue. As cops, we are responsible for a motorist's safety when we stop them...we often PA a driver directions to stop in a safe area. It also protects us, if my car is behind yours in a 55 MPH zone with no shoulder, who gets hit first? While I'm out of the car talking to you, I am totally out in the road.

No simple answers to traffic stops...many factors need to be considered.

[wildcard]

Actually you should have just pulled over regardless. It is entirely possible that he wasn't even coming after you and wanted to go around you. In that situation, you'd just be slowing him down!

Out of self preservation, I'd go to the nearest safest spot. If there's none available and I'm not given instructions over the PA, i'll let them worry about getting hit.

[B Strong]

The best thing to do is to immediately and cautiously pull over to the right when you see an emergency vehicle with lights on.

If it is not safe the LEO will announce that over the PA and you can follow his instructions from the PA.

^^^The winning answer^^^

Let the officer make the call if it's a bad location to stop.

[modls7]

I drove the route again last night on my way home from the gym, from the spot he hit the lights to the spot I pulled over (which was a small shopping center) was about .35 miles.

Its a two lane 55mph road, on the left (where I was at) is a concrete barrier, on the right is a sidewalk with a small bike lane with plenty of traffic buzzing by me since I was driving about 35mph with my hazards on. If I DID make an attempt to make it to the right shoulder, I DEFINITELY would have traveled further along before I could have made a stop.

Next time I will pull over regardless.

I just don't see that as an arrest & impound as he threatened.

BTW, thanks everyone that has responded!

[Triad]

I am not even going to attempt to answer this because I am not the cop that did the traffic stop, so I can speak on his mindset and I am not familar with the area.

I will say, if he felt you were a significant danger to him or the safety of others, or were running from him, you probably would have been pulled out at gun point.

[alex00]

I can't speculate on why the officer reacted the way he did. There are way too many variables to take into account for what led to his perception of the event. I will say that it didn't take long for me to learn that the general motoring public NEVER reacts exactly the way you think when the lights come on. I would have a hard time threatening arrest for a driver that drove .35 miles past the point I lit them up. I will say that I generally prefer people to pull over quickly after I turn on the lights, but making the first right turn and stopping is usually quite alright. If I thought you were a threat, I would handle the stop to maximize my safety, but I would still be as professional as possible. I will also say that I have had bad days, and cannot please everyone I contact.