going to the next exit when lit up on the freeway

[jaredpotts]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question. When getting pulled over on the freeway, will i get in trouble if i put my blinker on and proceed to the next exit? I would tell the leo that i did not want to pull over on the freeway for my safety and his/her safety as well. Not too comfortable pulling over on the freeway when i see and hear a lot of people getting creamed that way.

thanks for the advice

[Will Goes Boing]

Usually they will direct you to exit the freeway. And from my experience with the CHP once you're off they will give you directions with the PA. Just follow their directions. And when they tell you to stop.... you stop.

[flyer898]

Tale of two stops. 10+ years ago stopped by CHP during morning commute south through San Rafeal. I was directed off at Central San Rafeal exit and complied -- ticket.

4 years ago -- lit up by CHP in Humboldt County southbound south of Scotia. The shoulder is too narrow to safely stop until past 3 mile bridge at Stafford. I stopped in the open area on the freeway at the Stafford exit. The young CHP officer is irritated that I did not stop sooner and complains place I chose is bad because he has to watch traffic on both sides for traffic -- no ticket.

[Cpl. Haas]

They usually only direct you to exit the freeway if you're right by an offramp... they're not gonna tell you to drive another 1/2 mile just to exit the freeway.

If you see the solid red light in your rearview mirror, you are to yield to the right and stop. If CHP feels you're close enough to an offramp, they will advise you to pull off via PA. You may think you're doing the officer a favor by continuing on to the offramp, but the officer is likely getting nervous and thinking that you might be trying to stash something, or look for a spot to bail out and run... that's often the more likely result of that type of behavior. You have to remember that the officer does not know your intentions. The academy trains them how to position their vehicle during a stop to shield themselves from traffic... and besides, they're the ones standing out there on the roadway; you're sitting belted in to a 2,000lb steel cage.

Think of it this way... when an officer initiates a traffic stop, they are detaining you for a crime they witness you commit. Imagine you're walking down a street at night and decide to jaywalk... an officer sees you and orders you to stop so he can talk to you and possible issue a citation... and you keep walking (slowly) and reply "yeah, no problem, but let me just get to the end of the street down there where there's more light. It'll be safer for us there."

[NytWolf]

When you get pulled over, and believe me you will know (he won't pass you, duh!), signal right and wave to him so he knows you see him. At that point, proceed to the nearest safe location.

[jaredpotts]

ok, good info. . .

the reason i post is cause i work in a position where i see some people lose their lives on the freeway shoulder during routine stops (traffic stop, tire change etc) I want to tell my wife what to do in case of a stop (myself as well) but don't want to get the officer ramped up either. It just isn't safe in my opinion, even belted in the vehicle with a CHP car blocking (that steel cage doesn't do much against an 80mph steel bullet) and I want to do the right thing.

[JS89]

The right thing to do is sign to yield to the right. Keep yielding to the shoulder unless told otherwise by the officers PA. Be sure to turn your music off and possibly roll the window down so you can be prepared to clearly copy verbal commands. The officer will determine where a safe location to stop is.

[ZirconJohn]

Last time; circa 1983, I signaled acknowledgement (blinker) and proceeded to
the next exit where I promptly pulled over...

I got the CHEWING of a lifetime by a CHP Officer.

I tried to explain that I signaled and just wanted to get off the freeway for
safety...

The Officer would have NONE of my explanation.

He said; pull over immediately and if the Officer wants you to proceed to
next exit... that the driver will know.

I would, and will NEVER, to this day, EVER do that again!

[Spanky8601]

If you see the light, slow down and move to the right. If an offramp is nearby then proceed and exit at the ramp at a greatly reduced speed. (no more than 35 40 MPH). If there is no nearby ramp pull onto the shoulder where it is wider than a car. Now listen carefully, the officer will provide verbal instruction on his PA if they want you to do anything else. NEVER pull into the center divider.

[Tripper]

Sorry, I will stop where I feel safe, too many fake cops around, I personally know a cop that was pulled over by a fake cop, the real cop brandished, the fake one took off. I would however, in a remote area where I do fear for my safety, call 911 and have the unit verified, the cops here don't mind they really would rather be in a safely lit location I'm sure.

[jaredpotts]

love the input,

So, i if i really feel strongly about my wife not stopping on the freeway and tell her never to do it and ALWAYS go to the exit when pulled over, is there any lawful repercussions that will be coming her way (love to hear from the leos that do this on the freeway)

thanks

[Tripper]

Additionally, I've driven directly to a police station on a stop that was nearby, if I'm getting a ticket I'm getting it whether I'm in a safe location or not, I know the claim of evading, sorry it don't work, I'm not risking my life like that and it's apparent that I'm not attempting to evade

[Tripper]

My wife drives an extremely dangerous roadway, with bi lighting, I yell her to stop at a particular safe location at each end and call 911, by the way 911 will try to seriously convince you to stop now, I just won't until they verify what unit it is, and it really is a unit

[Ron-Solo]

Tripper,

You are reading way too much into this.

[JS89]

Jared, technically she would be in violation of 2800 cvc. Best advice is to begin to yield to a safe area on the shoulder unless your are either very near an offramp or you are instructed by the officers otherwise.

Tripper... Ron x2.