I love this cop, wish he was in Virginia.

[Samckitt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FY-chPcBbM&feature=related

[NJSPEEDER]

NJ State Police :)

-Tim

[6'9"Witha69]

GTFO!! (Get the F$%k Over!)

[73z-6sp]

gbhnjmk

[NJSPEEDER]

Keep right except to pass, that's the law, the officer enforced it. There is no requirement to issue a ticket if the officer feels he got his point across and if the lane changed involved was determined to be unsafe it would be on the driver of the car as he has the responsibility to get over safely.

Good luck with your official complaint.

-Tim

[kochevy67]

Aaron your compaint would of been for? Abuse of power for what utilizing his emergency equipment. It's funny if you were behind him I can bet you would be ready to run him off the road but when a Police Officer does something everyone wants to file a complaint. My what a screwed up world we live in nowadays.

[73z-6sp]

bhnjmk

[mc84_zz4]

Aaron, I am surprised to see such an attitude on a site full of car fanatics with a love for speed.
'Move the F--- over' would be what I would expect to hear.
The slow-poke driver was causing a traffic hazard, and the cop waited for a decent openning in traffic before he hit the lights.
I love that cop! :twothumbs:

[WS6]

Most states that have laws about being in the left lane require that the person go a certain distance or time without passing before the cop can pull them over and claim they were simply driving in the left lane. The only thing the cop did wrong was ride the person's bumper. The driver of the civic was in the wrong for driving in the lane and not passing. Going slower than traffic is even worse.

[shmoov69]

Seriously? Complaint?! For getting the J Hole that don't know drivers courtesy out of the left lane?? The only thing I see wrong was that he didn't pull the car over and "warn" them about the left lane. And actually, the cop was not near as close as he could have been.

[NJSPEEDER]

Well, the law says to move over if you are slower than the traffic.

No, the law is keep right except when passing.

-Tim

[Patrick]

That was great! I drive a lot of miles and it's very frustrating when some d-bag is backing up traffic by riding in the left lane. Good for the cop.

[73z-6sp]

hbnjmk

[elitecustombody]

Aaron, I am surprised to see such an attitude on a site full of car fanatics with a love for speed.
'Move the F--- over' would be what I would expect to hear.
The slow-poke driver was causing a traffic hazard, and the cop waited for a decent openning in traffic before he hit the lights.
I love that cop! :twothumbs:

Agreed. Stay home or stay in the right lane!

[Off Duty]

Looks like an abuse of power and a little dangerous as well.
I happen to agree.


...The guy wasn't driving any slower or faster than the traffic around him. I'd have been pissed if I was that guy, and if it was my video I would have filed a complaint with it.

Again, I agree.


Keep right except to pass, that's the law, the officer enforced it...
At what risk to overall traffic safety?


Good luck with your official complaint.
-Tim
Well Tim, unless the agency in question has no regard for their public perception or interactions with it's citizens, and even less regard for the safety of the citizens posed by it's own officers, then they should have some response to his complaint;)


Aaron your compaint would of been for? Abuse of power for what utilizing his emergency equipment.

How about following too closely?


It's funny if you were behind him I can bet you would be ready to run him off the road but when a Police Officer does something everyone wants to file a complaint. My what a screwed up world we live in nowadays.

I'm not sure "funny" is the descriptive word I'd use.
Pathetic is probably a better term.

If anyone, LEO or not, feels the need to follow someone that close at highway speeds, they need to rethink their position, or get their eyes examined!

In viewing the video, what I saw was not an astute officer with the public's safety in mind.
Instead, I saw an officer too lazy to make a standard traffic stop.
Too lazy to actually get off his/her ass and approach the driver!

What's even more interesting is, by doing so, he/she would have:
1) "Made his point" (as referenced earlier) even more effectively.
2) Made the drivers around him aware that the XXX State Patrol will actually stop you for driving too slowly.
3) Might have gotten lucky and picked up a felon, or other wanted individual in the process.
Its wonderful how traffic stops sometimes work out:)


Well, the law says to move over if you are slower than the traffic. I didn't see him being slower than surrounding traffic. Even if it does tell you to move over that doesn't give the cop or anyone else the right to ride your ass. What happens if someone darts in front of you? Or any other possibility? He would have rear ended the guy and possibly caused bodily harm. Or even created an even bigger accident hurting others! Where is the responsibility in that action? Cop or not...that isn't responsible. What would have been responsible is for the cop to turn on his lights and pull the guy over or do what he did with his lights on from the beginning. Not turning them on after giving the guy an automotive equivalent of a rectal exam for more than 40 seconds!
And yes...I would have been frustrated but that doesn't make it right.

You're absolutely correct.
If he or she was enroute to a call, or for whatever reason, didn't feel like pulling the "errant" driver over, a simple use of the external PA system would have likely sufficed for the same outcome.

Had the driver panicked upon seeing the officer right up on his bumper like that, as many citizens are prone to do, and hit his brakes, the officer as you mentioned may have struck the vehicle.
At that point, you have:

1) An officer involved incident involving a citizen.
2) Potential injuries on both sides.
3) A damaged police vehicle that the taxpayers will have to foot the bill for repairs, and that is now going to be out of service for a while.
4) A high potential for civil litigation against the officer and the agency. Again, TAXPAYER funded!
And let's not forget the "new" traffic obstruction caused by the crash and resulting investigation.

All of a sudden, the slow left hand lane driver doesn't seem so bad (lol).


using that description the Guy was not in the wrong. He was steadily increasing his distance from the camera guy in the lane to his right. I don't really care. If he does it to me...he best have quick reflexes. :p

;) Quite possibly.

Overall, I found the officers actions to be immature, unprofessional, and a risk to the public.

[Samckitt]

I am guessing Aaron is a native Virginian. Moved here from Indiana about 9 months ago & my blood pressure is high now because of the people around here that WILL NOT GTFO. Pisses me off! Actually the people around here are so self centered they will pull in front of you in the left lane & stay there so you can't get around. Makes me wish I would have kept my BOSS snow plow on my truck & just push them the F out of the way.

OK Done venting, sorry to those I offended.

[crustysack]

slower traffic keep to the right- if you are in the left lane you should be passing everybody- "abusing his power" are you serious- I'm sure if you were behind that nitwit and needed to be somewhere it would have evolved into a road rage incident- " if he does it to me he better have quick reflexes" another brilliant statement - try jacking your brakes on a cop and see how many charges are slapped on you- and if he rear ends you the best lawyer around will NOT get your car fixed- you will be up on attempted murder charges of an officer, or assault with a deadly weapon

[73z-6sp]

gbhnj

[Off Duty]

I am guessing Aaron is a native Virginian. Moved here from Indiana about 9 months ago & my blood pressure is high now because of the people around here that WILL NOT GTFO. Pisses me off! Actually the people around here are so self centered they will pull in front of you in the left lane & stay there so you can't get around. Makes me wish I would have kept my BOSS snow plow on my truck & just push them the F out of the way.

OK Done venting, sorry to those I offended.

I understand your frustration. I get annoyed as well with the slow assed drivers, the texting kings and queens, and those to inconsiderate to move over.
And it really aggravates me to have someone pull in front of a faster vehicle, and "play cop."
And people wonder what causes road rage???



slower traffic keep to the right- if you are in the left lane you should be passing everybody- "abusing his power" are you serious- I'm sure if you were behind that nitwit and needed to be somewhere it would have evolved into a road rage incident-


LOL- with what, three lanes of traffic available, I'd just go around him if I really "needed" to be somewhere that quickly.
Frankly, if more people planned their trips, there would be less need for all the hurry.


" if he does it to me he better have quick reflexes" another brilliant statement - try jacking your brakes on a cop and see how many charges are slapped on you

For what?
Let me help you out....NONE.

The officer was following too closely to begin with.
There's absolutely no need to be that close to a traffic offender's rear bumper on the highway...period....none!
And there's no excuse the officer can offer, that will make sense to anyone with an IQ over DUH.

"Jacking" the brakes is one thing.
Slowing down quickly to avoid an object, or simply because you "suddenly saw (something) in your rear view mirror and panicked", is quite another;)

People do it all the time.

I can't tell you how many times I've had to take evasive actions, simply because someone heard the siren and panicked. Slowed from highway speed to 30-40 MPH, or stopped dead in the middle of the road at 60+ MPH, all without the benefit of knowing where the sound was coming from.
Or, changed lanes right into my path of travel.

My wife is guilty as hell!
She'll damned near stop in the middle of a busy street, to "find" the siren.........

There's no accounting for the public's reaction under stress.


- and if he rear ends you the best lawyer around will NOT get your car fixed- you will be up on attempted murder charges of an officer, or assault with a deadly weapon

Nothing personal, but are you sure you're reading the same rule book as the rest of us?

"Attempted Murder?"
"Assault with a deadly weapon?"

Are you serious?
ROFLMAO.

So again, you're the officer.
You're rolling down the highway at 60,mph, less than 3 ft from the vehicle ahead of you, with no intent to stop them.

Grandpa blue hair, see's "grill" in his mirror, panic's, hits his brakes so he can move over to the shoulder, and YOU hit him!
Are you saying that someone is going to charge grandpa blue hair with attempted murder?
ROF still LMFAO!

Ain't gonna happen.

And unless you suddenly back into him at 50 MPH, if "HE" rear ends "YOU", "HE" has the problem, not "YOU."

Seriously, sure, if you make your actions "obvious" then you're going to have a problem.
Slowing down rapidly, for whatever reason, is not necessarily "illegal."

I have no problem with getting people out of the left lane.
It depends on the state, since not all states have a left lane-passing only statute.

And no where that I know of in the US, is the left lane considered the "high speed" lane as many tend to think.
If the SL is 70, that's the max in the left lane as well, even when passing.

[absintheisfun]

Wow, I'm shocked to see how many people think this cop is in the wrong! While I agree that riding his ass was a bad idea, getting him to the right was a good one. The reason the driver appears to be "going with the speed of other traffic" is because there is a cop right behind him. How many of you pass a cop on the highway?

I'll put cruise on and pass them if they are intentionally going below the speed limit (which does happen), but if they are riding someones ass, and appearing to be preparing to pull someone over, I'll go slow and give him room.

[Off Duty]

Wow, I'm shocked to see how many people think this cop is in the wrong! While I agree that riding his ass was a bad idea, getting him to the right was a good one. The reason the driver appears to be "going with the speed of other traffic" is because there is a cop right behind him. How many of you pass a cop on the highway?

I'll put cruise on and pass them if they are intentionally going below the speed limit (which does happen), but if they are riding someones ass, and appearing to be preparing to pull someone over, I'll go slow and give him room.

Agreed on the last part. Giving the officer room to work is not only a polite thing to do, it's also statutory in Florida.
Same with passing one driving under the limit.

My Lt. used to "suggest" that we drive under the limit by 5 or so, in order to have others pass us. That's when you get a chance to look at the driver/passengers, tag decal, etc.

As for getting the driver in this video, out of the way, it's required in your state, then by all means, enforce it.
I have no issue with the officer enforcing the statute.
My issue is with the "way" in which it was done.

First, I don't see where the driver was going any slower than the surrounding traffic.
So where's the violation?
Unless your statute disallows travel in the left lane except for passing, emergency, HOV or heavy traffic usage, then how was the driver in violation?

Second, it's human nature to slow down when you have a LEO on your ass.
Even more so when they're right on your bumper.
It's like tapping your brake when you see a unit parked on the roadside.
You'll automatically lift your foot, maybe tap your brake, and look at your speedometer...even if you're under the posted limit.
So his slowing down should have been expected by the officer.

Had I been the driver, I'd have moved to the right instinctively, so the officer could pass, since that is what I'd "assume" he/she wanted to do.
We used it a lot when we expected someone to run.

Regardless, the move on the officers part, was stupid, unsafe, a bit arrogant, and lazy.
And all of those descriptive's pretty well play themselves out on the video.

And to reiterate, I have no issues with the officers enforcement of the statute.

[Happyfunballs]

While I agree that riding his ass was a bad idea, getting him to the right was a good one. The reason the driver appears to be "going with the speed of other traffic" is because there is a cop right behind him. How many of you pass a cop on the highway?

Exactly. We don't know what happened before the camera was turned on. How many of us were cruising down the fast lane and happen to look up and see a cop behind us. Next thing you know you're doing the speed limit just like the car next to you(as it appeared in the vid) and can't get over. Based on the footage the cop was unprofessional. I agree with SAR. The officer should've pulled him over.

[baz67]

The only thing I see the LEO could have been more professional is riding the guys ass like he did. A vast majority of the states have a statute about keeping out of the left lane except when passing, however, they really do not enforce it. Keep in mind all we see is this minute or so of video. What led up to it? How long was the cop behind that car before he started riding his ass? The tailgating was the cop's "hint" to get out of the left lane. The guy knew the cop was there because once the cop lit him up he was pulling over. At the end, when the video pans out, you will see the road wide open in front of this guy with cars stacked up behind them. How dangerous is that situation? The cop was doing his duty by opening up the flow.

As for why the cop did not completely pull the car over, who knows. Maybe he did not want to waste his time enforcing the left lane statute? Maybe he was responding to a call for service non emergent? Maybe he was late to the doughnut shop? I could not tell with out knowing more of the big picture.

[Off Duty]

The only thing I see the LEO could have been more professional is riding the guys ass like he did.
Agreed


A vast majority of the states have a statute about keeping out of the left lane except when passing, however, they really do not enforce it.

In the states that do, you're absolutely correct.


Keep in mind all we see is this minute or so of video. What led up to it? How long was the cop behind that car before he started riding his ass? The tailgating was the cop's "hint" to get out of the left lane.

And that's the rub for me.
It's called "pushing", and its childish and unprofessional.
I see big rigs, and larger trucks doing it all the time.
It's as though an "I'm bigger that you so you need to move" mentality has taken over, be damned that the consequences could be disastrous.


The guy knew the cop was there because once the cop lit him up he was pulling over. At the end, when the video pans out, you will see the road wide open in front of this guy with cars stacked up behind them

And again, you make a good point; however, as most are likened to do when followed by a LEO, he slowed down. Probably wasn't thinking about the "left lane thing" at that moment.

He may have in fact been thinking about that outstanding warrant that exists for him, or the baggie in the seat next to him :)

Unfortunately (for the citizens-fortunate for the driver), we'll never know because the officer failed to follow through with the stop.


How dangerous is that situation?

Not nearly as dangerous as tailgating at speed and this is one you'll never convince me otherwise.


The cop was doing his duty by opening up the flow.

If that's all he/she wanted to do, it could just as simply, and much more quickly, have been done with a simple "YELP" of the siren, and/or a brief "move over" comment on the PA (make sure the road is clear for him first-lol).


As for why the cop did not completely pull the car over, who knows. Maybe he did not want to waste his time enforcing the left lane statute? Maybe he was responding to a call for service non emergent? Maybe he was late to the doughnut shop? I could not tell with out knowing more of the big picture.

And you're correct, none of us know "why."
If he didn't want to enforce the statute, then he was obviously just perturbed at the driver for being in "his way."
Most agencies I've been associated with, have some sort of statistical format they used to determine an officers level of activity. Traffic tickets and written warnings were always a part of that criteria.

If he were enroute to a call, then why not either hit the YELP and move him and crank on down the road, or ignore the minor infraction and go around him?

Now as to the DONUTS....well let me just say this.
They're only HOT for a short while! (ROFLMAO)

[zbugger]

If that's all he/she wanted to do, it could just as simply, and much more quickly, have been done with a simple "YELP" of the siren, and/or a brief "move over" comment on the PA (make sure the road is clear for him first-lol).

I hate to say it, but I've seen that not work quite a few times. I've also had to slow down when someone is getting over and pulling to the center divide while the officer is YELLING over the PA to pull to the right. I counted five times. I've also had cops "push" me while I was already doing five over the limit and passing other cars. Again, I've also had cops do 45 in the slow lane and have nobody but myself pass him at 65. Yeah, it was in a 65 zone. I've also seen what this officer did a few times and found it funny as hell. I passed the slow driver while laughing at them and they seemed upset, yet embarrassed at the same time. It's a funny look, really.

The reality is that when a great majority of people get behind the wheel they become ignorant and pay no attention to what's going on around them. They don't drive with respect to others. Tonight I passed someone (on the left) who was doing about 55 in the number two lane and holding up traffic in that lane. Of course they could have passed on the left as I did. The things that I see on the road truly boggle my mind sometimes.

[kochevy67]

It sure is funny how everyone can be a monday morning quarterback.

[shmoov69]

And that's the rub for me.
It's called "pushing", and its childish and unprofessional.
I see big rigs, and larger trucks doing it all the time.
It's as though an "I'm bigger that you so you need to move" mentality has taken over, be damned that the consequences could be disastrous.



I had never heard of that until my dad got a ticket for it a few years ago. Except he was in a Mercedes instead of a Pete! LOL

[SLO_Z28]

As somone that drive a black and white every day at work I know better than others that EVERYONE slows down when youre on the highway. The car isnt passing traffic because people are somehow morally opposed to passing a marked unit even if he is going 20mph UNDER the limit. Its not un common for me to get on the highway and have someone be driving 40mph in a 65 zone, and for no one to be passing me. I dont really care that it happens to be honest, im salary so I dont have to get anywhere in a hurry, but it does create a dangerous situation where the traffic approaching us at a much higher speed has to rapidly slow.

You never know where he is going, so always yield to the right when you see a black and white behind you.

[Off Duty]

SLO- You ought to come to Florida for a while.
In some parts of the state, it's as though you don't exist.

Drove a Green & White, then a Black & White, then an Unmarked, and finally, a Cop bike...all over a 30 year period.
Some things never cease to amaze me (lol)

Stay safe.

[crustysack]

my comments are taken slightly out of context- I was referring to 73z-6sp's comment of that if the cop did that to him he better have good reflexes, which I understood as he would jack up his brakes purposefully to cause an accident. A comment that I find a little odd because his car does not look like it would be impeding the flow of traffic. I do know that cops take great offense to anyone that tries to make their job more dangerous than it already is and they will throw the book at you if they perceive your actions as a threat

[SLO_Z28]

my comments are taken slightly out of context- I was referring to 73z-6sp's comment of that if the cop did that to him he better have good reflexes, which I understood as he would jack up his brakes purposefully to cause an accident

This is very much illegal, cop or not.

Just to clarify im a police mechanic, not a cop... yet.

[73z-6sp]

kml,

[wmhjr]

Both were wrong. It ticks me off too when somebody slow rides the left lane.

But the cop is the worst of the two. He is responsible for ensuring public safety and his actions were inherently unsafe. Rather than improving the situation, he actually increased the risk for others around him. He's a very poor example of a law enforcement officer. Had he simply pulled the offender over I would have been impressed with him. As is, I don't want him in a uniform anywhere near me.