How could you not tell that car you were tailgating was a cop?

[Frank]

First clue, lights on the roof. Second clue, paint job. Third clue, and this one was only about two inches ahead of your front bumper, letters painted on the trunk that read "Colorado State Trooper".

Then, when he moves over, perhaps out of bemusement, perhaps out of a scientific interest in what would happen next, you blow by him.

If I were that cop, I would have been laughing so hard, I wouldn't have been able to turn on my lights. He managed, though.

Stupidest thing I've seen in years.

[runner pat]

I once saw a idiot in a Porche pass a CHP officer using the right hand shoulder.

Chase ensued.

[postcards]

Frank, did you forget to include a link to a particular news story?

[Hilary Algar]

First clue, lights on the roof. Second clue, paint job. Third clue, and this one was only about two inches ahead of your front bumper, letters painted on the trunk that read "Colorado State Trooper".

Then, when he moves over, perhaps out of bemusement, perhaps out of a scientific interest in what would happen next, you blow by him.

If I were that cop, I would have been laughing so hard, I wouldn't have been able to turn on my lights. He managed, though.

Stupidest thing I've seen in years.

I've done some dumb ones like that in my youth.

Once pulled up next to a NATO-brown sedan (with about 10 antennas on the trunk) at a stoplight. When the light went green, he got out of the hole pretty hot, so I drag raced him and won (until he pulled me over.)

Another time, saw a car closing on me at greater than 100 mph in pitch darkness and decided that he was not going to pass me. We raced in light traffic on an expressway for several miles at speeds in excess of 130 mph until he bailed out and pulled me over. It was a State Police Officer.

[Frank]

Frank, did you forget to include a link to a particular news story?
No, I saw this happen about four hours ago on I-25.

[D_Odds]

No, I saw this happen about four hours ago on I-25.

Which explains the statement " Stupidest thing I've seen in years."

[flatlined]

Don't try this at home, kids...but out here, a bike riding on the white line when passing a traffic camera is invisible. Usually, when someone starts playing the "lets scare the girl on the motorcycle" game, I just pull over and let them pass. I can stop much faster then they can.

But, if this game happens when we are close to a traffic camera, I wobble in my lane, change lanes if possible, slow down so they are right on my ass and then hit hit the white line and show my speed. They speed up. I can get them to 90 before they get flashed. Then I pull to the shoulder, let them go by and sedately go my way.

[FlyByNight512]

But, if this game happens when we are close to a traffic camera, I wobble in my lane, change lanes if possible, slow down so they are right on my ass and then hit the white line and show my speed. They speed up. I can get them to 90 before they get flashed. Then I pull to the shoulder, let them go by and sedately go my way.

That is awesome. Stupidly dangerous, but awesome. :D

[Spud]

There is a little strip mall about 8-10 blocks from my house that has a nice grocery store, drug store, wonderful pizza place, tolerable Chinese place, and a liquor store (what else do you need). The roads between there and my house range from 25 to 30 mph (including a school zone). Coming back one evening... going 30, a car comes up quickly behind me... follows on my tail for about a block and then starts honking. I decided to be polite an pull into the cut off to turn into a neighborhood. Apparently still not satisfied he laid on his horn and gave me the finger out of his window (how dare I drive the speed limit). He raced off so intent on showing me that he won, he didn't notice the fully marked police car directly across from us clocking traffic and watching the whole thing. Lights came on and he was pulled over right in front of the Elementary school. I drove by and the cop waved to me.

[J Cubed]

A friend of mine tried to beat a CPD paddy wagon off the line from the right lane at night. The cop told him that he is frequently mistaken for a civilian tow truck.

[bengangmo]

Heh -

My *ahem* "friend" has done some dumb things
1. flip the bird to a seargeant, in full uniform when the copper was on his way to work, the badge came out the window and" friend" got reamed (but not ticketed)
2. Driving on a three lane bouelvarde at 160km/h - (60 km/h zone) at 3 am (could see a looooong way down the straight road, only one car far far infront), front car brakes, so "friend" slows down, front car brakes more, friend slows down more - about 100m behind start to make out the markings on the car and then realise why he braking....
That one also resulted in a pullling over - excuse me Mr. Driver, I put your speed at about 100 km/h, you're lucky I didn't get you locked in on radar.

"friend" (very meekly) I'm very sorry officer, I will be careful to keep my speed under 100 in future :D

No ticket.

[septimus]

Whenever I see a thread about driving or parking I'm tempted to start a thread Driving in Thailand. A message here reminded me of an incident engraved in my memory since the 1990's.

There are two northbound lanes on the Asia Highway; I was traveling about 70 mph in the fast lane passing a truck doing about 60 mph. Glancing in the mirror I see two cars approaching rapidly, though it's hard to judge exactly how rapidly. I consider slowing down, so that I can get behind the truck, put my tail between my legs, and move into the slow lane.

Before I have time to react, both cars are upon us. One takes the left dirt shoulder, the other the narrow right shoulder; they pass the truck and myself simultaneously. Within a few seconds they're out of sight in the distance ahead. They must have been going at least 120 mph (though perhaps they slowed down to 110 mph or so at the time they passed us in the shoulders).

I have lots of unbelievable driving stories from Thailand, but this one may have astounded me most.

(ETA: Yes "mph" not "kph". We use "kph" in the Kingdom, but I've converted.)

[USCDiver]

I was cruising along on the interstate once when I came up on a Highway Patrolman and so I fell in line behind him and set my cruise control on 70mph to match him. Some fool in the left lane is going ~70.1mph and over about a 5 minute period very slowly pulls alongside the cop and just as his front bumper passes the patrol car the lights go on and he gets pulled. What a maroon!

[Aspidistra]

What a maroon!

The left lane driver or the cop?

Seems like there's plenty of maroonitude to go round there.

[Kuboydal]

The cargo truck of doom could not wait to pass me, he ahd been drving at erratic speeds for quite some time and swapping the leader position. I was behind a row of cars when he chose to pass all of us on the left, going around a blind left hand curve, uphill, at night, on a two lane road, barely faster than the rest of us. It was a torturously slow verge of death experience for all involved. I stayed at least a mile apart from the Brasilian death road trucker for several hours after that.

[saje]

On the highway early one morning, it was still dark out. I'm following a cop car, both doing a titch above the posted speed limit. We approach an on-ramp, and I see there's a car coming down it, so I move to the left lane to give it room to merge. Cop car (and not a stealth car either, this one had big decals and a big light bar) stayed in the right lane. Dumbass on the entry ramp could have tucked in neatly behind the cop without changing speed, and I'd left plenty of room so he could even have then gone into the left lane in front of me to pass us slowpokes. But no, he decided to gun it at the last second and totally cut off the cop car. I was laughing like a maniac as the lights came on and I toodled sedately by :D

[gurujulp]

I was cruising along on the interstate once when I came up on a Highway Patrolman and so I fell in line behind him and set my cruise control on 70mph to match him. Some fool in the left lane is going ~70.1mph and over about a 5 minute period very slowly pulls alongside the cop and just as his front bumper passes the patrol car the lights go on and he gets pulled. What a maroon!

This doesn't make a lot of sense-

The cops around here don't want to back up traffic, normally, so they will either blow down the freeway at much higher speeds than normal to avoid it, or they will exit the freeway entirely.

I have passed many a cop going 68-70 by going 71-72 mph, as they only care about safe driving, and are not attempting to block traffic. If you slam by them at stupid speeds and keep going, bad.

If you have cruise set just a mile or so above them, and cruise by slowly, you are fine, as long as you are going with the normal flow of traffic.

Seems like you had an asshole cop, there.

[Cat Whisperer]

I thought this was going to be about someone tailgating an unmarked police car, which when you're close enough to tailgate, is pretty obviously a police car (the make and model, the antennas, the floodlight at the side of the car, the equipment inside the car, the rifle sticking up from its holder in the car, etc. all tip you off pretty good). Tailgating and then speeding in front of a *marked* police car - yup, that's a special kind of dumb.

Which, I must say, some of these stories here demonstrate, too. Not only dumb, but dangerous to yourself and others on the roads with you.

[kayaker]

I was driving home around 2 am and was in a pissy mood. Some idiot got right behind me, tailgating. I was in such a foul mood that I didn't care if he hit me; I hit my brakes. He didn't hit me but he did put on his lights and pull me over.

Dude was seriously angry at the near accident. I was sober (I think he was trying to get probable cause to pull me over, figuring at 2 am maybe I was drunk). I told him I hit my brakes because I saw a deer near the shoulder.

I wasn't ticketed, but boy did he want to.

[LSLGuy]

Hijack:

Frank (OP): I see you've abandoned St. Louis for Denver. IIRC you never warmed to St. Louis so I'm imagining you got a new gig & are happier for it. What're you doing in Denver, how long have you been there, what do you think so far, etc?

[Frank]

Hijack:

Frank (OP): I see you've abandoned St. Louis for Denver. IIRC you never warmed to St. Louis so I'm imagining you got a new gig & are happier for it. What're you doing in Denver, how long have you been there, what do you think so far, etc?
No, I never did warm to St. Louis. I'm unemployed and I figured I might as well job hunt in a place I like. I've been back about a month and am loving it!

[USCDiver]

The left lane driver or the cop?

Seems like there's plenty of maroonitude to go round there.

Well, seeings how the cop was going exactly the speed limit and pulled over a guy who passed him, I'm not sure how the cop was being stupid.

[Little Nemo]

How could you not tell that car you were tailgating was a cop?"In my defense, I'm really drunk and can barely see the car in front of me at all."

[SeaCanary]

... Tailgating and then speeding in front of a *marked* police car - yup, that's a special kind of dumb.

Which, I must say, some of these stories here demonstrate, too. Not only dumb, but dangerous to yourself and others on the roads with you.

I've concluded that the incredible amount of stupidity I've read about here at the SDMB and seen on the road can only be dealt with by giving the fools all the roadway they need. If that means drifting back from them for about two tenths of a mile, then so be it. The sight of mangled bodies is one memory I REALLY don't need to have.

You want to tailgate me? No problem. Let me get out of your way. You want to drive erratically or super fast. No problem. The road is yours.

[Ludovic]

The left lane driver or the cop?

Seems like there's plenty of maroonitude to go round there.

Maybe the driver was pulled over for not using the left lane to only pass, and wouldn't have been pulled over at 73 mph :)

[Morbo]

My first time in Colorado, driving to a friend's wedding in a rental car. There's this tunnel outside Denver followed by a HUGE hill where I noticed the speed limit was 60mph which would be easily too slow if you just coasted down the hill, so I thought "this would be an ideal place for a cop to get people." As I was braking to slow down a guy went flying past me. I was right.


In the SF Bay area, the police will speed ahead of a bunch of cars and weave across every highway lane erratically to get everyone to slow down, either b/c everyone is driving too fast or b/c there's an accident ahead. (This is the only place I've ever seen cops do this, not sure if it's common elsewhere). One guy got impatient and actually passed the cop while he was performing this maneuver, timing it to roar past in the left lane while the cop was all the way over in the right lane. The cop made a beeline straight for him, pulling him over. You could almost see his anger. A few drivers and I actually looked at each other, laughing, doing the "arms-out-palms-up-gesture," and shaking our heads.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

Well, seeings how the cop was going exactly the speed limit and pulled over a guy who passed him, I'm not sure how the cop was being stupid.
I still don't see it, as gurujulp noted above, most cops don't want to mess with buggering up traffic. I've passed cops in the way you describe, I've talked to cops and they've told me they told me the see nothing wrong with passing them in such a manner.

[Cat Whisperer]

I've concluded that the incredible amount of stupidity I've read about here at the SDMB and seen on the road can only be dealt with by giving the fools all the roadway they need. If that means drifting back from them for about two tenths of a mile, then so be it. The sight of mangled bodies is one memory I REALLY don't need to have.

You want to tailgate me? No problem. Let me get out of your way. You want to drive erratically or super fast. No problem. The road is yours.

That's a good attitude. I was able to be a witness to a fender bender one icy day - I was driving down an icy hill as fast as the conditions would allow, and a jackass was tailgating me. I actually said to my passenger, "I'm going to move over and let this guy have his accident somewhere else," and after passing me, a block later the light changed, he tried to stop and skidded on the ice, and ended up jumping a couple of lanes and hitting some cars. I stopped and gave my name as a witness to the police, and it was eye-opening - even after he had hit other cars, the guy's defense was, "I wasn't going over the speed limit." Hey, dude, I was on the same road and I came to a safe stop at the same light - the evidence says you did SOMETHING wrong.

[Dewey Finn]

Years ago, I flipped my car on the parkway in Connecticut on black ice. I received a ticket for, I believe, "driving faster than the conditions allowed." In other words, even if you're under the limit, but you can't maintain control of the vehicle, you're going too fast.

[SeaCanary]

That's a good attitude. I was able to be a witness to a fender bender one icy day - I was driving down an icy hill as fast as the conditions would allow, and a jackass was tailgating me. ... Hey, dude, I was on the same road and I came to a safe stop at the same light - the evidence says you did SOMETHING wrong.

I hope there was no gore. :eek:

[Lute Skywatcher]

'Bout quarter past six last night, I watched a bicyclist blow this stop sign (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3600+South+Four+Mile+Run+Drive,+Arlington,+VA&hl=en&ll=38.845058,-77.089244&spn=0.00666,0.009645&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.79724,79.013672&vpsrc=0&hnear=3600+S+Four+Mile+Run+Dr,+Arlington,+Virginia+22206&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.845058,-77.089244&panoid=fSZjErfVSM3AdyNnRZvqKA&cbp=12,225.38,,2,4.36). Lucky for him (her?), the car that completed a left at the exact same time had good brakes and wasn't a cop.

[AClockworkMelon]

The cops around here ... only care about safe drivingSee, this is where your argument falls apart.

[flatlined]

In theory, I love bicyclists. In reality, I hate most of them. They don't obey traffic rules and they are hard to see. I've had more than one OMG, I"M GOING TO KILL SOMEONE moment because someone on a bicycle suddenly comes off a sidewalk, in the wrong direction, then crosses the street in front of me. I don't want to cause a mangled body and I usually only wash my car a couple of times a year.

Mostly, when I drive, I give the agressive ones the street. I'm not in so much of a hurry that pulling over for a few seconds is going to cause a life changing event. The only time I "play" with aggressive drivers is when I'm on my scoot and I know where the speed camera are.

Once, I was driving the speed limit (in my delivery van) on a 2 lane highway. Someone started tailgating me, so I pulled over as far left as I could and opened room so he could pass me over the double yellow line. There were 5 or 6 cars ahead of me, all doing the same speed. This person risked life and limb and other people's lives while passing everyone, one car at a time on blind curves. Finally, he managed to pass the semi that had hidden the cop car. I wasn't the only one who waved as speeding guy was sitting on the side of the road with lights flashing behind him.

[Lute Skywatcher]

In theory, I love bicyclists. In reality, I hate most of them. They don't obey traffic rules and they are hard to see. I've had more than one OMG, I"M GOING TO KILL SOMEONE moment because someone on a bicycle suddenly comes off a sidewalk, in the wrong direction, then crosses the street in front of me. I don't want to cause a mangled body and I usually only wash my car a couple of times a year. Not one cyclist came to a full stop, or even slowed unless there was a vehicle in the way, during the 15 or so minutes I was there waiting for a bus. After that one moron, I kept an eye out in case somebody did end up as a hood ornament or worse. I'd have called 911 and stuck around as a witness.

[Chimera]

I was cruising along on the interstate once when I came up on a Highway Patrolman and so I fell in line behind him and set my cruise control on 70mph to match him. Some fool in the left lane is going ~70.1mph and over about a 5 minute period very slowly pulls alongside the cop and just as his front bumper passes the patrol car the lights go on and he gets pulled. What a maroon!

I have passed many police officers on the freeway with my cruise control set to the speed limit while they appear to be driving 1-2 mph slower and NO ONE ELSE will dare to pass them. Never been pulled over.

[flatlined]

Back in the day, I expected the ones with spandix, fancy bikes and cool helmets would follow the rules. I'm used to knowing that kids will do stupid stuff, so I watch out for them. I expect people who look like they know what they are doing to be safe. I've learned that the "real" ones are worse. They take much worse risks than I do.

So far, I haven't killed anyone and I'd like to keep that driving record.

[Chimera]

In excess of 20 years ago, I was driving cross country, pulling an over-nighter driving, and occasionally smoking a little bit of weed along the way. It was about 3am and there was no one on the interstate within 3 miles of me in either direction on my side of the road when I reached a wayside rest. As I started moving over onto the exit, I passed under a street light.

There was a highway patrol unit about 30 feet behind me, totally blacked out.

Had not a clue he had been there, or for how long. Freaked the fuck out of me and I totally thought I was busted.

He kept right on going as I pulled into the wayside rest.

[Terraplane]

When I was a teenager I was riding with a friend and another friend was following us in his car. He pulls up beside us at a light and we're kinda chatting through the window. Also stopped at the light, but facing us from the other direction, plain as day, is a cop. The light turns green and our friend just fucking floors it. His car's ass-end is swinging back and forth and smoke is coming off of the tires and I'm yelling "No dude, stop!" but he doesn't hear and after a few seconds he gets traction and just takes off.

The cop's lights come on, he whips his car around and pulls our friend over. We pass them and if you've ever seen a submarine movie when they have to seal a guy in a compartment before the whole ship floods, his face had the same expression as the guy who's getting sealed in. Later on we meet back up with him and the first thing he says is "Why didn't you tell me there was a cop?!" :rolleyes:

[Saint Cad]

No, I never did warm to St. Louis. I'm unemployed and I figured I might as well job hunt in a place I like. I've been back about a month and am loving it!

So we have YOU to blame for the snowstorm?

[Cat Whisperer]

I hope there was no gore. :eek:Nope, it was a fairly low-speed collision, so property damage but no injuries (beyond possible whiplash).

'Bout quarter past six last night, I watched a bicyclist blow this stop sign (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3600+South+Four+Mile+Run+Drive,+Arlington,+VA&hl=en&ll=38.845058,-77.089244&spn=0.00666,0.009645&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.79724,79.013672&vpsrc=0&hnear=3600+S+Four+Mile+Run+Dr,+Arlington,+Virginia+22206&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.845058,-77.089244&panoid=fSZjErfVSM3AdyNnRZvqKA&cbp=12,225.38,,2,4.36). Lucky for him (her?), the car that completed a left at the exact same time had good brakes and wasn't a cop.We've watched cops around here see cyclists do all kinds of law-breaking things without batting an eye. I think the tops of that list so far was the cyclist that came pedalling up the sidewalk, and then pedalled across the crosswalk against the light, with a cop car actually waiting for them to cross in front of them without doing a thing. At this point, I'm not sure at all what Calgary cops' mission is - safe driving doesn't seem to be on their radar.

[GameHat]

Just a few days ago, I was the passenger in my friend's car. She's in the left turn lane. A police car is stopped at the line, directly across from the intersection. Friend intends to turn left, police car is in the lane to go straight through the intersection.

Our left turn lane gets the green "left-turn" arrow. My friend is about six cars back though. Cars one through three turn left on the green arrow. Car four has a yellow arrow but is already in the intersection, so goes. Car five *maybe* caught a bit of the yellow arrow (dubious) but goes anyways. My friend clearly missed the left turn arrow, and now the lights are green for oncoming traffic, but she guns it anyways and zips through.

I actually said, immediately, "That was pretty bold, running that arrow in front of a cop."

Her: "Nah, I was fine."

...30 seconds later...

Her: "I wonder why that cop behind me has their lights on? Probably a funeral procession?"

Me: "I doubt that very much."

...30 seconds later....

Her: "It's still following me? Huh. I guess I'll pull into this parking lot."

Me: "...."

...30 seconds later...

Her: "What?! It pulled in behind me? Why is it stopping me?"

Me: "You ran that intersection."

Her: "Nah, maybe I have a tail-light out?"

...5 minutes later....

A very friendly, polite and *correct* officer explains to my friend exactly what she did, and gives her a ticket for "failure to yield to oncoming traffic". $120.

...30 seconds later...

Her: "Do you think I should appeal it?"

Me: :rolleyes: "When you were clearly in the wrong, right in front of a police officer, and I called it myself even before said officer turned her lights on? ....ugh, just don't expect me to testify in your defense. ;)"

[chizzuk]

I was being tailgated by some asshole on the Beltway that wasn't happy that I was already doing like 63 in a 55 and wanted to go faster. So he finally pulled out to pass me and floored it. About two seconds later, I saw the flash of the speed camera that had been installed 200 feet ahead to catch people speeding through the work zone on the bridge. I laughed for the next mile.