Officer's conduct, justified or not?

[Ibogi]

This happened over 10 years ago but it still bugs me when I think about it.

I was traveling along a 4 lane intestate at about 62 MPH back when the national speed limit was still 55...no big deal and nothing a cop would stop a vehicle for. Gradually I came up to a line of bumper to bumper cars going exactly 55 and noticed that a cop was leading the pack. I slowed to about 57 and very slowly passed the line including the cop in front. As soon as I cleared him he pulled in behind me and flipped on his lights and siren causing everyone around to panic and pull off the highway.

He approached my car with a loudmouthed "Did you think you were actually going to get away with that?" and then proceeded to chew me out for passing a cop.

Please don't give me the "you were speeding, you deserved it" attitude. This guy caused an unnecessary scene and endangered the welfare of all the motorists around him just because he had an attitude problem with somebody having the nerve to pass him at a whole 2 MPH over the limit.

I've passed cops many times before and after this incident and never ran into such an attitude.

Justified or not?

[gopherpuckfan]

This happened over 10 years ago but it still bugs me when I think about it.

I was traveling along a 4 lane intestate at about 62 MPH back when the national speed limit was still 55...no big deal and nothing a cop would stop a vehicle for. Gradually I came up to a line of bumper to bumper cars going exactly 55 and noticed that a cop was leading the pack. I slowed to about 57 and very slowly passed the line including the cop in front. As soon as I cleared him he pulled in behind me and flipped on his lights and siren causing everyone around to panic and pull off the highway.

He approached my car with a loudmouthed "Did you think you were actually going to get away with that?" and then proceeded to chew me out for passing a cop.

Please don't give me the "you were speeding, you deserved it" attitude. This guy caused an unnecessary scene and endangered the welfare of all the motorists around him just because he had an attitude problem with somebody having the nerve to pass him at a whole 2 MPH over the limit.

I've passed cops many times before and after this incident and never ran into such an attitude.

Justified or not?

Well, the officer wasn't going *under* the speed limit. Did he cite you?

[Ibogi]

No citation. Brought my DL back and said "Consider yourself lucky I didn't write you up for that. You DO NOT EVER pass a cop!" and stormed away without any "drive safe" or "have a nice day".

[pujolsfan146]

As soon as I cleared him he pulled in behind me and flipped on his lights and siren causing everyone around to panic and pull off the highway.

How do you know everyone panicked? Did you poll them? You need to get over this silly grudge. Like you said it happened ten years ago. You were speeding and you deserved it.

[pujolsfan146]

and stormed away without any "drive safe" or "have a nice day".

It is not state law nor department policy that we bid anyone "drive safe" or "have a nice day".

[LeanG]

Interesting story. I would BE EMBARRASSED to stop someone doing 2mph over the limit. FL law also keeps us in check. Only a warning can be given to drivers doing 1-5mph over the speed limit.

[pujolsfan146]

Interesting story. I would BE EMBARRASSED to stop someone doing 2mph over the limit. FL law also keeps us in check. Only a warning can be given to drivers doing 1-5mph over the speed limit.

He didn't stop this person for doing 2mph over the limit. He stopped this person because he passed him while everyone else had the common sense to realize the cop was doing the speed limit and not to pass him. The leo obviously subscribes to the philosophy that if you give someone and inch they will take a mile.

[Ibogi]

How do I know everyone panicked? Maybe panicked was the wrong word but when a cop flips on his lights and siren, people, by law, have to pull off the road and doing this on an interstate causing a dozen motorists to hit the shoulder for petty reasons is endangering to the safety of others.

pujolsfan gave me the precise attitude driven response I expected to get from at least one LEO on here. Thanks for not letting me down.

[LeanG]

He didn't stop this person for doing 2mph over the limit. He stopped this person because he passed him while everyone else had the common sense to realize the cop was doing the speed limit and not to pass him. The leo obviously subscribes to the philosophy that if you give someone and inch they will take a mile.

First off, I have never passed a marked police car, not even my buddies that I recognize (Although I've been tempted). Now, on duty I've driven under the speed limit in the right lane so cars can pass me when I'm being proactive and I'm looking for aggressive speeders. (I can say this because we have 10 lane/divided highways here). Some cars refuse to pass, others pass slowly, and yet others pass at speeds that will make your heart skip a beat. Maybe where you're from you stop cars that are recklessly driving 2mph over the speed limit, but I don't. There's speeding and then there's SPEEDING.

[jeffIL]

How do I know everyone panicked? Maybe panicked was the wrong word but when a cop flips on his lights and siren, people, by law, have to pull off the road and doing this on an interstate causing a dozen motorists to hit the shoulder for petty reasons is endangering to the safety of others.

pujolsfan gave me the precise attitude driven response I expected to get from at least one LEO on here. Thanks for not letting me down.

Right...now its pujols thats the goof for coming to a cop forum and ranting about a cop that pulled you over for...oh my god...speeding! Causing motorists to pull over is what most of us do many times a day, its not really a big deal and I would hardly say its "endangering to the safety of others." Is 2 over a little weak, yep. You still were speeding right next to the on duty cop though. Lesson learned.

[exComptonCop]

He approached my car with a loudmouthed "Did you think you were actually going to get away with that?" and then proceeded to chew me out for passing a cop.

Please don't give me the "you were speeding, you deserved it" attitude. This guy caused an unnecessary scene and endangered the welfare of all the motorists around him just because he had an attitude problem with somebody having the nerve to pass him at a whole 2 MPH over the limit.

I've passed cops many times before and after this incident and never ran into such an attitude.

Justified or not?

The way you throw the word "attitude" around, more likely than not, it's you with the "attitude" Ten years later, it's time to move on with your life

[equinox137]

Maybe my memory is fading, but if I remember correctly - there was no "national speed limit" ten years ago. Anyone care to clarify?

[FNA209]

It obviously wasn't in CA during the early 70s. The CHP was doing that on a lot of the interstates. They'd tool along at 55-57 mph and the cars were just lined up behind them.

I was never stupid enough to pass one, so I don't know what their orders were. But, I heard they'd pull you over and cite you. I guess CA was obeying the letter-of-the-law- Drive 55.

[pujolsfan146]

Thanks for not letting me down.

The pleasure is all mine. I aim to please.

[pujolsfan146]

First off, I have never passed a marked police car, not even my buddies that I recognize (Although I've been tempted). Now, on duty I've driven under the speed limit in the right lane so cars can pass me when I'm being proactive and I'm looking for aggressive speeders. (I can say this because we have 10 lane/divided highways here). Some cars refuse to pass, others pass slowly, and yet others pass at speeds that will make your heart skip a beat. Maybe where you're from you stop cars that are recklessly driving 2mph over the speed limit, but I don't. There's speeding and then there's SPEEDING.

Never said you passed a marked police car. The poster stated the squad was doing the speed limit.
Never said we stop cars for that where I am from. And if we do, unlike what YOU said, we don't cite them for recklessly driving 2mph over the speed limit.
I am simply telling the person to get over their silly longlasting beef with the cops.
You say there is speeding and then there's SPEEDING. So according to this statement the cop was justified in pulling over the person who started the thread?