This is about the police who direct traffic at busy intersections during lunch and rush hour.
Why are full policemen needed for this? Is there a real reason around public safety, or is it purely a question of unions and extra money and so forth?
Are they trained? Some of them seem very good, some of them do a terrible job of actually moving traffic along. I’ve been going through the same intersection for six years, and every policeman “solves” the problem differently.
What kind of powers do they have? I’m trying to take a right turn, there’s no one coming, what if I just take my right on red even though he’s not waving me in?
Sometimes, when traffic is backed up, the policeman will signal me to take my right turn, but to come in on the left lane (it’s two lanes in either direction). This is no good to me. I have to get back in the right lane with 100 feet (the highway entrance is there), I am just going to clog up traffic even worse. Twice I’ve tried to say that to the policeman, and both times I was yelled at until I complied with his crazy order. Can I disobey him and wait for an opening in the right lane?
I have often times been signalled in for a left turn when there is still oncoming traffic. I think the policeman is trying to get me into the turning lane going in the right direction, and then it’s my problem to cross two lanes of traffic in 50 feet to turn at the next light. What is the liability here? If a policeman signals me in and I get broadsided, it’s his fault, right? Or is it?
My guess is that unless it’s a emergency the police is overruling the normal traffic controls and just becoming the traffic light for that intersection.
Albuquerque has “police aids”. They are not sworn peace officers. They assist the police with non-inforcement related tasks, and serve as extra eyes for accidents, stalled vehicles in traffic, stuff like that. It is a step up from fast-food, but not really a career. These are usually young people who want to be cops, and it is a way to get thier foot in the door. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one over 25. They sometimes do the traffic direction when a light fails if a police officer is not available. Occassionally they will shut off the lights at an intersection so they can train a class of these kids at directing real traffic. If you thought some of the cops were bad, you should see how these green kids can screw up traffic.
Fully-trained police officers are usually used because you never know what crisis might arise; you want someone who can handle anything. Auxiliary officers do things like check parking meters and write tickets for violations, but far more often than not, you won’t see them standing in the middle of the street with cars and trucks whizzing by.
Yes, they get trained to direct traffic, but I think a lot of the training is “on the job.” Some are better than others, of course.
You have to obey their orders while they’re directing traffic. You could take your right turn if and only if it wasn’t obviously prohibited. Most cops will get annoyed if you take the initiative like that, though.
No, he’s in charge. You have to do as he says in terms of traffic flow, even if it’s not convenient for you. Usually he’s going to be too busy maintaining situational awareness of each oncoming lane of traffic to want to chat with you. He’s got a system (even if it’s a crappy one, or makes no sense to you) and he’s going to want to follow it because customizing it for every driver would result in anarchy.
The particular facts of the case would be important, but as a general matter if you obey the officer’s order and an accident results, you’re not responsible for it. He might not be either, though, because of sovereign immunity. Things could get a little dicey if litigation results.
There is training involved. It’s called traffic school. I went through it. The goal of traffic school is for you to learn how to keep traffic flowing safely, avoiding gridlock, accidents, etc. Some of my classmates were much better at it than others.
It may be a case of the city having some traffic control personnel (not police officers ie meter maids) but not enough for peak periods. Also the police officer may be the first on a scene of a broken intersection light or accident.
Probably varies from location to location
If it is a sworn officer he/she has full police powers including arrest.
Try pointing to the freeway on ramp when they do this, they will probably understand unless your pantomime skills suck.
Pull to the middle of the intersection, but do not turn in front of other traffic until either it is clear or the officer has stopped the oncoming traffic.
In New York City, there are ordinary police officers and Traffic Enforcement Agents, generally known as “Brownies.” The Brownies wear police-type uniforms with different badges and insignia. They are unarmed (though most carry a citation book large enough to do serious damage).
Brownies do parking enforcement and direct traffic at major intersections. I believe they can write traffic citations in addition to parking tickets. Ordinary police officers can do parking and traffic, but most of them do so rarely.