Cops

[eztantz]

So I'm driving yesterday and got stuck in an 40 min of rubber-necking traffic. Turns out there was nothing but 2 cops on the side of the highway with their lights flashing and obviously every idiot has to slow down to see whats going on. Came late to a meeting and was really pissed. What is so damn interesting about two pricks with flashing lights on the side of the road?

 

[onion]

In my city it is a law you must slow down for police with flashing lights who are pulled over, or anyone pulled over for a traffic stop. In fact, a couple of months ago they cracked down on this, and issued quite a few tickets to people who didn't.

 

[MrG]

"No all of the above" option = fail

 

[eztantz]

Originally Posted by onion

In my city it is a law you must slow down for police with flashing lights who are pulled over, or anyone pulled over for a traffic stop. In fact, a couple of months ago they cracked down on this, and issued quite a few tickets to people who didn't.

How stupid - just curious if you dont mind me asking, where do you live? BTW I was driving on the Southern State Pkwy in Long Island yesterday.

 

[odoreater]

The thing with rubbernecking is that by the time you get to the accident/traffic stop everyone else in front of you already slowed down to take a look and you're already going slow (and are about to start going a lot faster when you pass the area), so you figure you might as well take a glance. It's kind of like a tragedy of the commons type of thing. If nobody looked, everyone would be better off, but now that everyone is looking, you might as well look too because it's not going to slow you down any more than you're already slowed down.

 

[unjung]

We have a relatively new law here where when passing a cop with his lights on in the lane right next to him, you have to slow to 50 km/h. Of course no one realizes this only applies in the immediate lane so every ******* lane slows to 30 km/h now for good measure and when emergency vehicles are present. A cop isn't going to ******* come after you when he's outside his vehicle writing someone else a ticket.

 

[onion]

Originally Posted by eztantz

How stupid - just curious if you dont mind me asking, where do you live? BTW I was driving on the Southern State Pkwy in Long Island yesterday.

Charlotte, NC.

 

[why]

Originally Posted by onion

Charlotte, NC.

Any time someone scratches a bumper in Charlotte the whole police force shows up to close I-77.

 

[eztantz]

Originally Posted by onion

Charlotte, NC.

Charlotte, NC is now officially on my 'don't go there' list. Although, I think I actually was there in the airport for a stop-over to Savannah, Ga back in '01 - sad cause it seemed like a nice place.

 

[Johnny_5]

Originally Posted by eztantz

How stupid - just curious if you dont mind me asking, where do you live? BTW I was driving on the Southern State Pkwy in Long Island yesterday.

There is nothing stupid about a law that required motorists to slow down when an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road. Being on the side of a road or highway when cars are going by is dangerous enough. When they are going by at speeds north of 40mph the danger increases exponentially.

 

[zillka]

this reminded me of a recent 'local' story. they work hard for their $$$$$ http://www.lohud.com/article/2010012...sh-cop-resigns

 

[MrG]

Originally Posted by eztantz

Charlotte, NC is now officially on my 'don't go there' list. Although, I think I actually was there in the airport for a stop-over to Savannah, Ga back in '01 - sad cause it seemed like a nice place.

A similar policy is state law in Georgia, so I hope you enjoyed what will apprently be your only visit to Savannah.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by odoreater

The thing with rubbernecking is that by the time you get to the accident/traffic stop everyone else in front of you already slowed down to take a look and you're already going slow (and are about to start going a lot faster when you pass the area), so you figure you might as well take a glance. It's kind of like a tragedy of the commons type of thing. If nobody looked, everyone would be better off, but now that everyone is looking, you might as well look too because it's not going to slow you down any more than you're already slowed down.

Same reason why Us magazine is so popular. People just can't stop looking at a train wreck.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

There is nothing stupid about a law that required motorists to slow down when an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road. Being on the side of a road or highway when cars are going by is dangerous enough. When they are going by at speeds north of 40mph the danger increases exponentially.
In Indiana cars must move over to another lane or slow down when an emergency vehicle is stopped. We've had several fatalities due to people stopped on the side of the highway being hit.