LEO's in traffic

[Deadon]

How many of you LEO's obey traffic laws on duty? Im so sick and tired of seeing no signals. Last night on the freeway it happened again. Just cut us off right out of the blue with no signal. He then went on about traffic switching lanes with no signals. To top it off he was speeding.
Im not bashing LEO's here and asking then to please obey traffic laws and to set a example out on the roads.

[jmzhwells]

Sounds like slower traffic needs to move to the right lanes.

[RangemasterP226]

OP, are you in LE?

[Deadon]

No Im not a LEO. Its just a observation Ive made. Shoot non LEO have been pretty bad about this also.
Slower traffic needs to move over? If I used that I would be given a ticket.

[Samuelx]

Maybe he/she was driving like an idiot OR maybe he/she was Legitimately trying to get somewhere in a hurry.

[RangemasterP226]

Sometimes we need to get places in a hurry and can't use our lights and siren, its just the way it is. I know sometimes it looks bad, but its the price we pay balancing traffic with the needs of getting to a call where the wife is getting beat up.

[Deadon]

Got ya, I didnt know but I thought it would be cool to ask because it seems like its been happening a lot!

[armygunsmith]

Sometimes we need to get places in a hurry and can't use our lights and siren, its just the way it is. I know sometimes it looks bad, but its the price we pay balancing traffic with the needs of getting to a call where the wife is getting beat up.

Well said. I do see quite a few government vehicles (not LEO) that are terrible when it comes to obeying traffic laws. Blinker bulbs must never burn out on those government vehicles.

[Johnnykck]

I see LEO here in San Jose drive like they are above the law all the time. No turn signals, running stop signs, cutting people off in traffic, tail gating, speeding. I have on occasion followed them just to see where they were going. Twice it was Starbucks, once it was the Pasta Market, once it was Panera. Recently I was tailgated by a LEO, he was so close to me that my wife was frightened, she told me to pull over. I had no reason to pull over. When he finally passed us he cut me off so bad I scared both of us. I called SJPD and complained and has the number of the parole car. About two hours later I get a call from SJPD, the person on the other end of the line asked if I had complained about a officer driving to close to me. I said I had and shortly described what had happened. I was interrupted and very rudely told "I decide how I drive, nobody tells me how to drive. If driving in traffic scares you then maybe you should stay home." Pretty much exactly the words he used. I can't believe that I actually got a call back from the officer himself. I'm sure not all LEO drive like this, but I do see this all the time. The excuse that they can't use lights or sirens is something I don't buy. If they are flying down the free way going over 80mph probably closer to 100mph, weaving in and out of traffic for several miles they could use their lights. Once they get of the freeway and get close to where they are needed they can the turn off their lights if they don't want anybody to know they are coming.

[IrishJoe3]

I have on occasion followed them just to see where they were going. Twice it was Starbucks, once it was the Pasta Market, once it was Panera.

Daaang! You must be bored! I followed the mailman once, we just drove around the neighborhood...



Personally, I do use my turn signal, try really hard not to tailgate (though I gotta get close sometimes to read a license plate), don't speed unless I really have to. I try not to give anyone anything to complain about.

"I decide how I drive, nobody tells me how to drive. If driving in traffic scares you then maybe you should stay home." Pretty much exactly the words he used. I can't believe that I actually got a call back from the officer himself. I'm sure not all LEO drive like this, but I do see this all the time.

Holy smokes, what a jerk!

The excuse that they can't use lights or sirens is something I don't buy. If they are flying down the free way going over 80mph probably closer to 100mph, weaving in and out of traffic for several miles they could use their lights. Once they get of the freeway and get close to where they are needed they can the turn off their lights if they don't want anybody to know they are coming.

The closest I've been to getting killed on the job was people reacting suddenly and unpredictably to lights/siren, (like doing well over 100, and have someone change lanes into my lane and STOP ON THE FREEWAY!!!). In a perfect world as soon as the lights come on everyone would calmly move to the right and let me pass. We've all seen and stupid some drivers are, well, their IQ drops by about a half when the lights come one. So, when I am responding to something, I will respond in whatever fashion is the safest for you and me. Sometimes its with lights, sometimes its not.

[verapakill]

How many of you LEO's obey traffic laws on duty? Im so sick and tired of seeing no signals. Last night on the freeway it happened again. Just cut us off right out of the blue with no signal. He then went on about traffic switching lanes with no signals. To top it off he was speeding.
Im not bashing LEO's here and asking then to please obey traffic laws and to set a example out on the roads.

Would you drive like a grandma if you were given a cop car and set out on the road by your self? Or would you hurry around also?

[RangemasterP226]

Recently I was tailgated by a LEO, he was so close to me that my wife was frightened, she told me to pull over. I had no reason to pull over. When he finally passed us he cut me off so bad I scared both of us.

This tells me a lot about you. Your pride or whatever wouldn't allow you to pull over to let the LEO pass. You have no idea where he was going. Unless you've done the job, you don't understand why driving fast sans lights and siren is necessary.

[cruising7388]

Sometimes we need to get places in a hurry and can't use our lights and siren, its just the way it is. I know sometimes it looks bad, but its the price we pay balancing traffic with the needs of getting to a call where the wife is getting beat up.

Sure, but I would think that such situations would make using turn signals even more necessary.

[Falconis]

Got ya, I didnt know but I thought it would be cool to ask because it seems like its been happening a lot!

Better ways to ask than the way you did it.

[Deadon]

Better ways to ask than the way you did it.

Like how? Man I guess I just dont get some LEO sometimes. Should I have asked pretty please?